Luke Harper, Sin Cara, and Konnor, and Viktor of The Ascension were all granted their release from WWE, the first ones to get it since WWE’s competitor All Elite Wrestling has started doing business.

Luke Harper got his release eight months after asking for it. He made the very public request in April of this year following WrestleMania week but WWE shot it down. He continued to be kept away from television until Erick Rowan needed a tag team partner and was brought back in September. Harper started in 2012 with WWE under a developmental deal and then joined The Wyatt Family in November of that same year. Harper won the NXT Tag Team titles once, the Intercontinental title once, and the Smackdown Tag Team title twice.

Sin Cara is portrayed by Jorge Arias, who took over the gimmick from the original Sin Cara and previously wrestled as Hunico. He joined WWE in 2009 and was called to the main roster in 2011. After a feud with the original Sin Cara, he moved to NXT and formed the popular Lucha Dragons tag team. He publicly asked for his release in November and got his wish granted a month later. His only title reign came in NXT with Kalisto winning the NXT Tag Team titles.

Viktor had been working with WWE since 2011 and Konnor even longer, since 2005. Both joined under developmental deals and Viktor was part of Florida Championship Wrestling while Konnor started in Deep South Wrestling. Viktor is a former FCW champion and FCW Tag Team champion while Konnor won the DSW championship twice. The two were teamed together after the launch of NXT and made their main roster debuts in September 2014. During their time in NXT, The Ascension won the NXT Tag Team titles once but found no success while on Raw or Smackdown.