Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal Announces Departure; Xia Li and Xyon Quinn Also Released

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal announced his departure from WWE on Friday, posting on Twitter: "I Quit. Maharaja Out." PWInsider.com confirmed that Mahal was released from the company and is subject to a standard 90-day non-compete clause before becoming a free agent.

Mahal, who held the WWE Championship for 170 days in 2017, had a brief resurgence in January 2024 when he secured a title match against Seth Rollins. However, he was unable to capture the championship and had been largely absent from WWE television in recent months.

In addition to Mahal's departure, WWE also released two other talents on Friday: Xia Li and Xyon Quinn.

Xia Li, who had been with WWE since 2017 and was the first female Chinese superstar in the company, expressed her appreciation in a heartfelt message on Twitter. "Thank you WWE. Thank you Triple H. Thank you WWE Universe. This is not the end but a new beginning," Li wrote.

During her tenure, Li competed in the Mae Young Classic tournament and had a run in NXT before being called up to the main roster. However, she never received a sustained push on the main brands.

Xyon Quinn, a former professional rugby player, signed with WWE in 2018 and had a consistent presence in NXT. He was announced as a free agent in the 2023 WWE Draft, allowing him to appear on both Raw and SmackDown. However, Quinn only wrestled twice on the main roster, with his last match being a six-second loss to Bron Breakker on the March 1, 2024 episode of SmackDown.

Why this matters: The releases of Jinder Mahal, Xia Li, and Xyon Quinn come as a surprise, as there was no prior indication of talent cutbacks in WWE. It marks the first significant round of departures since WWE's merger and takeover by TKO earlier this year.

As of now, WWE has not publicly commented on the releases or provided a reason behind the decision. The departures of Mahal, Li, and Quinn have left fans speculating about the future direction of the company and whether more talent cuts are on the horizon.

Key Takeaways

• Jinder Mahal, Xia Li, and Xyon Quinn released from WWE, subject to 90-day non-compete.
• Mahal held WWE Championship for 170 days in 2017, had brief resurgence in 2024.
• Xia Li was first female Chinese superstar in WWE, competed in Mae Young Classic.
• Xyon Quinn, former rugby player, had consistent presence in NXT but limited main roster run.
• Releases mark first significant departures since WWE's merger and takeover by TKO earlier this year.