Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez, who made his WWE on-screen debut as part of SmackDown’s move to FOX back in October 2019, leading to a match for the WWE Championship against Brock Lesnar at WWE Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been released by the company as part of a wide range of releases and furloughs this month, according to a report from Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer.

Velasquez has not been used by the company since his appearance at WWE Crown Jewel and has been widely expected to undergo needed knee surgery before any return was even considered.