Released WWE Wrestler Says WWE Taught Him What He Didn’t Want

Released WWE wrestler Mike Bennett recently opened up about what the company taught him. However, the lessons he learned from the WWE were not necessarily good lessons.

Released wrestler Mike Bennett Says WWE Taught Him What He Didn’t Want

Mike Bennett, formerly known as Mike Kanellis, returned to the WWE a few years ago with renewed hope.

However, his hope was short lived, as him and his wife soon disappeared backstage.

When many people started to get released from the WWE, it was no surprise that Mike Bennett and his wife left the company as well.

However, Mike does say the company taught him a valuable lesson.

“WWE taught me a lot.  I’d be lying if I didn’t say that some of the people I met there, that I adore.  I got to wrestle at WrestleMania, I got to be part of one of the biggest wrestling companies in the world and I got to travel the world with that company. It was a lot of fun. I think the biggest thing I took away, which again, some people might take this as a knock – it’s not a knock – going to WWE taught me what I didn’t want in this industry.  What I didn’t want to be.  It changed my love for what I wanted.  It was always WWE or bust.”

Bennett certainly has a lot going on since he left the WWE. Now, he has a family to take care of as well as a career outside the WWE.

The same applies to Mike’s wife Maria, who had a similar experience in the WWE. However, the couple seems perfectly content since their departure. 

Sobriety

Bennett also spoke in much detail about his sobriety. He also mentioned how frustrated he was when the WWE would not give him a chance when he became sober.

“I got there and I went, you know what, this isn’t for me.  This isn’t what I like.  And I think that’s ok.  I think that’s a positive to take away from it. In WWE, I grew as a man, I grew as a husband and I got clean and sober.  There’s a lot to look at in those last three years that I was there and be like, it wasn’t all bad.”

“My biggest frustration was that once I got clean and sober, I wanted to work, and WWE didn’t want me to work.  They didn’t want me to do anything.  I would push and push, and I’m like I’m not looking for world titles.  I’m not even looking for a push.  I’m asking you to just put me to work so I can prove to you that I do deserve these things.  They just didn’t want to do it.”

Mike Bennett signed with Ring of Honor when he departed from the WWE. In February of 2020, Bennett also welcomed his second child Carver Mars.

Maria has also returned to the ring since her the WWE departure. She followed her husband to Ring of Honor and made her debut in December 2020.