{"id":143589,"date":"2025-10-10T07:00:29","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T11:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=143589"},"modified":"2025-10-09T17:51:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T21:51:38","slug":"stars-who-wwe-dropped-the-ball-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/10\/10\/stars-who-wwe-dropped-the-ball-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Stars Who WWE Dropped the Ball On"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>WWE frequently signs and releases superstars based on its needs, often leading to surprising roster changes. Santos Escobar was recently released but <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/10\/08\/santos-escobar-reportedly-re-signs-with-wwe\/\" target=\"_self\">reportedly re-signed with the company<\/a>. Similarly, Triple H\u2019s promotion attempted to part ways with R-Truth, only to reverse the decision due to overwhelming fan backlash. While these two superstars returned, others left due to contract expirations, failed negotiations, or outright releases. This article highlights superstars who deserved better opportunities but were overlooked by the large wrestling company.<\/p>\n<h2>Karrion Kross<\/h2>\n<p>Karrion Kross remains a hot topic across wrestling promotions. The former MLW standout <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/10\/08\/karrion-kross-and-scarlett-bordeaux-return-to-major-league-wrestling\/\" target=\"_self\">returns to the company<\/a> after a three-year absence, sparking excitement among fans. Despite his popularity, WWE shockingly released Kross and his wife, Scarlett, due to contract expiration. It\u2019s baffling how such a valuable talent was underutilized by some of the best minds in the business. Fans cheered for Kross even in backstage segments, yet WWE failed to capitalize on his fandom. Now, this talented wrestler thrives on his own terms.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">In one day\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Following my appearance at <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NY_Comic_Con?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@NY_Comic_Con<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Friday Night: <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HOGwrestling?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@HOGwrestling<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Get the ticket: <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/E5EIkv1zuX\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/E5EIkv1zuX<\/a><br \/>Take the ride.<br \/>Because I\u2019m going to suplex Cardona straight on his head.<\/p>\n<p>Streaming on <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Triller_TV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@Triller_TV<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TickTock?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#TickTock<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lxH4q3ECHe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/lxH4q3ECHe<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Kevin Robert Kesar (@realKILLERkross) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realKILLERkross\/status\/1976329581528482202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">October 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Matt Cardona<\/h2>\n<p>Matt Cardona, husband of WWE Superstar Chelsea Green, is a remarkable in-ring performer. The Long Island native spent 15 years with WWE from 2005 to 2020 before being released due to budget cuts. Cardona shone during the Edgeheads storyline and even worked alongside John Cena.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_143594\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-143594\" style=\"width: 405px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-143594\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/10\/Matt-Cardona-203x300.jpg\" alt=\"Image of Matt Cardona\" width=\"405\" height=\"598\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-143594\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Brandon Oliver, CC BY 2.0 via <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Matt_Cardona_Impact_Digital_Media_Champion.jpg#\/media\/File:Matt_Cardona_Impact_Digital_Media_Champion.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Since leaving WWE, he\u2019s gained fame for his extreme-style matches in other promotions, often alongside former WWE star Steph De Lander. Though he appeared during the buildup to NXT Showdown, he didn\u2019t make the final Team TNA roster. Chelsea recently <a  href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ImChelseaGreen\/status\/1975729336360808897?t=THPuaOwL59Xe080NNm45AQ&amp;s=19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tweeted about bringing her husband to SmackDown<\/a>, but only time will tell if this dream becomes reality.<\/p>\n<h2>AEW Superstars: Toni Storm and Mercedes Mon\u00e9<\/h2>\n<p>Mercedes Mon\u00e9, formerly Sasha Banks, was once a cornerstone of WWE\u2019s Four Horsewomen. However, after a controversial exit, she left the company. Similarly, Toni Storm\u2019s tenure with WWE ended abruptly in 2021. Six months later, she shared her frustrations with Renee Paquette, highlighting her negative experience.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Mon\u00e9 is a dominant \u201cbelt collector\u201d in AEW, while Storm has captivated audiences as the \u201cTimeless\u201d character. Both have thriving careers, and a return to WWE seems unlikely given their success and fan adoration elsewhere.<\/p>\n<h2>Online Models and Part-Time Wrestlers: Elayna Black and Mandy Rose<\/h2>\n<p>Former WWE superstar Cora Jade, now known as Elayna Black on the independent circuit, has flourished since her 2025 release. She\u2019s made waves in TNA Impact, Game Changer Wrestling, and Top Talent Wrestling. Her intergender match against Joey Janela at GCW\u2019s Bangin\u2019 in Little Rock showcased her in-ring prowess, which WWE failed to highlight.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Mandy Rose\u2019s 2022 release stemmed from her FanTime content. She hasn\u2019t wrestled since losing the NXT Women\u2019s Championship to Roxanne Perez on December 13, 2022. Despite her immense talent, her personal content led to her exit from WWE.<\/p>\n<h2>Shotzi Blackheart<\/h2>\n<p>Shotzi Blackheart never shied away from taking risks. After her WWE contract expired in 2025, she returned to the independent circuit, thriving both in the ring and financially. At Game Changer Wrestling, she\u2019s clashed with Matt Cardona over their shared \u201cIndy God\u201d nickname. Shotzi\u2019s extreme style doesn\u2019t align with WWE\u2019s family-friendly, PG approach, but her current trajectory suggests limitless potential. It will be exciting to see where her career leads next.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Shotzi shares that she\u2019s made more money in two days on the indies than what she used to make in a week working for WWE.<\/p>\n<p>(via Instagram) <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UCcrddHwt7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/UCcrddHwt7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WrestleOps\/status\/1932093931896086715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Header photo \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:WWE_Raw_2016-04-04_19-43-02_ILCE-6000_2556_DxO_(28352231316)_(cropped).jpg#\/media\/File:WWE_Raw_2016-04-04_19-43-02_ILCE-6000_2556_DxO_(28352231316)_(cropped).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WikiMedia Creative Commons<\/a> \u2013<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<em>Stay tuned to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/a> for more on WWE and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>You can check out WWE programming on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81788927\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Netflix<\/a>\u00a0(Raw),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usanetwork.com\/wwe-friday-night-smackdown\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">USA Network<\/a>\u00a0(SmackDown),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cwtv.com\/shows\/wwe-nxt\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The CW<\/a>\u00a0(NXT),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/tubitv.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tubi<\/a>\u00a0(WWE Evolve),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aetv.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A&amp;E<\/a>\u00a0(WWE Superstar Sunday \u2013 Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments), and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Peacock<\/a>\u00a0(WWE Main Event, as well as archives and premium live event streaming). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/wwe\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">YouTube<\/a>, and catch fast-paced action on X (<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/i\/events\/1773457579022155776?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WWE<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WWE frequently signs and releases superstars based on its needs, often leading to surprising roster changes. Santos Escobar was recently released but reportedly re-signed with the company. Similarly, Triple H\u2019s promotion attempted to part ways with R-Truth, only to reverse the decision due to overwhelming fan backlash. While these two superstars returned, others left due [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5578,"featured_media":143595,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,4,3],"tags":[7299,6003,6340,1752,6346,8521,3093,6559,598,1375],"class_list":["post-143589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-cora-jade","tag-elayna-black","tag-karrion-kross","tag-mandy-rose","tag-matt-cardona","tag-mercedes-mone","tag-scarlett-bordeaux","tag-shotzi-blackeart","tag-toni-storm","tag-zack-ryder"],"modified_by":"Laci Schlatz","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5578"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=143589"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":143596,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143589\/revisions\/143596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=143589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=143589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=143589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}