Mike Kanellis Formally Requests His WWE Release
Mere months after both he and his wife had signed new multi-year WWE contracts, Mike Kanellis [...]
Mere months after both he and his wife had signed new multi-year WWE contracts, Mike Kanellis announced on Monday that he had officially requested his WWE release. Kanellis, real name Mike Bennett, originally joined the WWE in 2017 alongside his wife Maria Kanellis as a decorated tag team wrestler from his time in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Unfortunately after a brief stint on SmackDown the pair disappeared from WWE television until 2018. Back in January reports first popped up that the dip wanted to leave the company, but Maria denied those report.
Shortly after the two signed their new contracts over the summer Mike and Maria popped up on Monday Night Raw with a new gimmick where Mike was treated as pathetic while Maria teased the idea of their second child not being his.
"Today I asked for my release from WWE," Kanellis wrote. "I want to thank everyone in the company who has helped me out and who I have shared a locker room with. I love you all. I've been with the company for almost 3 years and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity. However it is time for me to move on. I am only 34 years old and feel I have way too much left in the tank. Working 1 day a week is just not going to cut it for me. I came to WWE to work and that opportunity does not exist right now."
— Miracle (@RealMikeBennett) October 14, 2019
"I re-signed with the company back in June because I thought it was what was best for my family, and maybe from a financial standpoint it was," Kanellis' statement continues. "But I quickly realized that bringing my work frustrations and misery home with me, is not good for my family and I no longer want my daughter to constantly see me come home defeated, sad and angry. It's not fair to her or my wife."
Kanellis then hinted at what he wants to do next as a wrestler.
"Now that I am clean, sober and motivated, I want to have those 30 minute matches," he wrote. "I want to travel the world and wrestle in front of UK crowds, German crowds, Japanese Crowds. I want to feel the love and excitement wrestling once gave me. I also want my daughter to be able to see me wrestle. I want her to see her daddy work for his money. I've never been ok with just collecting a paycheck and I can't in good conscience tell my daughter she has to work her ass off to get ahead in life, then not do it myself. I don't know what the future holds, but for the first time in a long time, I'm hopeful and excited. Thank you to everyone who has ever supported me and had my back. I love you."
It's worth noting that neither WWE nor Maria have commented on Kanellis' request.