WWE Releases Tye Dillinger, Hideo Itami, TJP

The WWE announced the official contract releases of Tye Dillinger and 205 Live's TJP and Hideo Itami on Friday.

All three releases were announced on WWE's Twitter page and confirmed on WWE.com.

Both Dillinger and Itami and formally announced their releases prior to Friday's news.

Dillinger, who had been a member of the SmackDown Live roster, revealed he had requested his release earlier in the week.

"Before rumors begin to spread, let me set things straight ahead of time: This evening, I requested my release from WWE. In the past 5 and a half years with them, I have seen and done some wonderful things. Things that I am very proud of and will never forget. I have met and have worked with unquestionably, some of the greatest talent on this earth and the pleasure has been all mine," Dillinger wrote on Tuesday night. "I feel at this time this decision, as extremely difficult as it was, is what is best for myself and WWE. I wish to continue to grow as a performer and offer those paying hard earned money to watch a show I'm performing on, a little more of myself.

"To the male and female locker rooms, coaches and producers, to the production/ring crew, all the way up to the very top of WWE and most of all the fans...I wish you all the very best and thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything," he continued.

News broke that Itami had been granted his release back in late January, though WWE had not officially announced it until now.

The release of TJP (TJ Perkins) on the other hand does come as a bit of a surprise, as there had been no news of him requesting his release in recent months.

Dillinger first signed with the WWE to a developmental contract in 2006 and wrestled for Ohio Valley Wrestling, Florida Championship Wrestling and WWE's version of ECW froom 2006-09. After spending the next four years on the independent circuit, Dillinger was re-signed to the company as part of NXT back in 2013. Known as "The Perfect 10," Dillinger became one of the most popular babyfaces on the developmental brand and earned his call-up to the Blue Brand in April 2017.

Itami, better known as KENTA from his time in Japanese and American independent promotions, was heavily touted as a major signing in 2014. Unfortunately he was plagued by injuries during his time in NXT and was moved to the 205 Live cruiserweight roster in November 2017. He did not hold a single championship during his WWE tenure.

Perkins, who had a brief sint with WWE in 2009, returned to the company in 2016 as part of the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. He went on to win the CWC to become the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion, a title he would hold for 45 days.