For the 2nd consecutive April, WWE jettisoned talent last week…and we have insight on why Kalisto was released. Also, some sad news as former WCW talent Mongo McMichael revealed he has ALS.
Why Kalisto Was Released
WWE releases wrestlers all the time, and some we never hear why…but we have heard why Kalisto was released.
Kalisto was among those Superstars who ended up being released in the first major talent purge of 2021.
So, now we’ve heard why Kalisto was released…and if anything, it’s surprising he wasn’t gone sooner.
Keeping a Superstar around too long, however, seems to be Vince McMahon’s MO.
As for why Kalisto was released, it came down to his request, per Wrestling Observer.
Now, Kalisto didn’t so much request to be removed from WWE. What he had been pushing for was an exit from undercard fodder Lucha House Party.
The Lucha House Party was something Kalisto cooked up, and it paired him with Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado.
While all three were likely happy to make nice money…Kalisto was apparently tired of the gig. He began asking to leave Lucha House Party, something that initially was denied.
WWE finally split the trio up last year, but that move seems to have been the last straw in WWE. While he was used sparingly from that point on, Kalisto was axed last week.
So, that is why Kalisto was released. Not necessarily the most salacious reason for a release, but with nothing else for him, a release was just a matter of time.
Mongo McMichael Has ALS
Current fans may not all know or remember him, but a former WCW star made news on Friday. Steve “Mongo” McMichael revealed he has ALS.
McMichael first made a name for himself as part of the Chicago Bears.
The football star moved to the announce booth, really getting noticed on the WCW booth (along with his little chihauha).
Eventually, things progressed and the athlete hopped into the squared circle. He actually even managed to become part of an iteration of the Four Horsemen.
Well, now the former star is in for the biggest battle of his life. News broke Friday that Mongo McMichael has ALS.
As you can see from this story, the former gridiron great may have just revealed the diagnosis, but he’s far along his battle with the incurable disease.
This is a tough one.
Bears legend Steve McMichael has been diagnosed with ALS and is declining quickly.
“Say a prayer” for #TeamMongo.
Inside McMichael’s new existence.https://t.co/arvWFcxMUy
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) April 23, 2021
Former WWE talent Chris Nowinski, now a researcher in the field of traumatic brain injuries, sounded off about what may have contributed to this sad outcome.
This Chicago kid’s heart is breaking: ’85 Chicago Bear legend Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael has #ALS.#NFL players have a 4x risk of developing ALS & it appears due to trauma/#CTE. I’m begging more scientists to take the link seriously and invest in research.https://t.co/SvJUTH6hic
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) April 23, 2021
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mongo and his family during this challenging time.