Velasquez Released By WWE

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has been released from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as part of the promotion’s efforts to cut costs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

That’s according to Wrestling Observer Radio.

“It was a multi-year deal, and just like everybody else, they signed him to a giant deal, and now that they’re cutting back, one of the things in those deals is that they got the right to cut people,” Dave Meltzer said (via Cageside Seats). “So people who thought that they signed multi-year contracts for high dollar figures, this is how it goes.”

Velasquez has not competed since last November.

It’s hard to imagine what WWE had in store for the former collegiate wrestling standout after wrapping up his Brock Lesnar feud late last year. In addition to his inexperience as a professional wrestler, Velasquez turns 38 this summer and has a history of knee problems.