Wrestlers Who Retired After Being Fired

• Ryan worked for WWE from 2009 to 2014.
• He was moved to WWE NXT at the end of his run.
• Ryan has gone on to be a Cirque du Soleil performer.

Mason Ryan was a true powerhouse in WWE, brought in to be part of the New Nexus. Due to his size and similar appearance, he was immediately compared to Batista. Unfortunately for Ryan, his WWE career didn't end up being anything close to the same level of success.

Ryan was in WWE for several years before being released by the company, as he wasn't making a significant impact. That led to the Welshman retiring from professional wrestling, and he ultimately became a Cirque du Soleil performer, which presented a significant opportunity for him.

It was an unexpected career change for Ryan, but his character in the show is involved in several fight scenes. This has allowed him to blend his love of wrestling and entertainment, with Ryan having been part of the iconic circus company since 2016.

Mandy Rose

• Rose made over $1 million in 2023 from OnlyFans.
• She has created her own podcast.
• Rose claims her current earnings are 10 times what they were in WWE.

WWE fans were stunned when the company unexpectedly released Mandy Rose, as she was gaining prominence then. Rose had been the NXT Women's Champion for 413 days, and most people presumed she'd end up back on the main roster and would get the chance to dominate once again. Instead, she was cut from the company altogether.

This was due to the content she produced outside of WWE, which management deemed inappropriate. Rather than working out the situation, they let her go completely. However, Rose opted to run with it and leaned further into her adult content, creating an OnlyFans account that has proven highly successful.

Rose has claimed she makes more money creating her own content than she ever did in wrestling; therefore, it's not surprising that she's opted to stay retired. Rather than taking continuous bumps and putting her body on the line, Rose now has the freedom of being her own boss, which she seems to relish.

Jake Hager

• He now owns a trucking company that operates in Florida.
• Hager has publicly complained about Tony Khan and the way he operated AEW.
• Hager believes that Tony Khan didn't want him in the company.

Jake Hager is a recent example of a wrestler who opted to retire after losing his job within the business, as he has focused on new ventures and streams of revenue. Hager has had a successful career in wrestling, culminating in a lengthy run with WWE, including a stint as World Heavyweight Champion.

However, after his time with the company was over, he got an opportunity to work for AEW. He debuted on the first episode of AEW Dynamite, working alongside Chris Jericho, who vouched for him to get the job. He went on to play a key role in the company's early success alongside the wrestling veteran.

Hager parted ways with AEW in 2024 when his contract ended, as he revealed the two sides couldn't agree on terms for a new deal. But rather than continuing to pursue wrestling, Hager has hung up his boots and started his own trucking company, which will take up his focus moving forward.

Muhammad Hassan

• Hassan was originally planned for a major push in WWE.
• WWE intended for him to become the World Heavyweight Champion.
• Hassan went on to become a history teacher and then a principal.

Muhammad Hassan's wrestling career is a tale of unfortunate circumstances, as he was a victim of his own circumstances. Hassan was a talented wrestler with a lot of potential in WWE, but Vince McMahon gave him a terrorist-related gimmick to create heat, making him a classic foreign heel.

Unfortunately for him, a real-life terrorist incident meant that sponsors didn't want the character on television anymore. While it was right to remove the gimmick from television, he ultimately suffered as he was written off and WWE released him rather than trying to give him a new character, which he deserved.

Hassan was punished for WWE's creative decision, and he didn't continue in the business afterward. Hassan retired from wrestling and went into the world of education, where he has found considerable success in rebuilding his life in a new way.