Matt Cardona Offers Words Of Support And Encouragement For Released WWE Talent
As of this writing, WWE released nine talent on Thursday, September 21. This comes about a week after WWE reportedly laid off over one hundred corporate employees in the wake of the merger with UFC. Mass talent cuts have not been unusual in the last few years, however, some former WWE stars have taken to social media to share their words of encouragement for those who received the bad news on Thursday.
The self-proclaimed "Indy God" Matt Cardona, who was released in 2020, wrote, "To those who were just released... This can be the END of your career... Or it can be the BEGINNING... Look yourself in the mirror and decide. I promise you the work and the MONEY is out there. It's not easy. It's a grind. It's a hustle. It's frustrating... But it also can be incredibly rewarding (in more ways than one) IF YOU WORK YOUR F****** A** OFF! I hope to see a lot of you down the road."
🚨 TO THOSE WHO WERE JUST RELEASED 🚨
This can be the END of your career...
Or it can be the BEGINNING......
Look yourself in the mirror and decide.
I promise you the work and the MONEY is out there.
It's not easy. It's a grind. It's a hustle. It's frustrating...
But it also...
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) September 21, 2023
Cardona's tag team partner Steph De Lander, who previously performed as Persia Pirotta on "WWE NXT," also offered words of encouragement. She posted, "Getting released by WWE can be the best thing or the worst thing to happen to your career. The choice is yours and my success proves that."
Getting released by WWE can be the best thing or the worst thing to happen to your career. The choice is yours & my success proves that.
— $TEPH DE LANDER (@stephdelander) September 21, 2023
AEW star Mike Bennett also chimed in with a longer statement that echoed the sentiments shared by Cardona and De Lander.
Today can be the worst day of your life or it can be the day everything changed. Today can be the finish line or it can be the starting line. It's all up to you. Remember that phone call, but don't let it define you. Your talent and your value is not determined by one person or...
— Mike Bennett (@RealMikeBennett) September 21, 2023
Thus far, WWE has parted ways with Mustafa Ali, Emma, Rick Boogs, Riddick Moss, Elias, Top Dolla, Aliyah, Shelton Benjamin, and Dolph Ziggler.