22 September 2023 , 16:56
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Australian wrestler Emma has announced her release by the WWE hours after the wrestling promotion revealed they were returning to her native Australia for an event in the new year.
Emma, whose real name is Tenille Dashwood, only returned to the WWE late last October after making a surprise appearance on an episode of Smackdown . It was her first time back with the promotion in approaching five years after previously being released in 2017.
When initially signing with the WWE in 2011, she became the first female Australian wrestler to do so. However, she would not get the chance to compete in her homeland.
The year after leaving for the first time, the WWE hosted their first pay-per-view event in the country, Super Show-Down, the following October at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Now, almost six years on, history is repeating itself.
The WWE announced their return on Thursday morning when unveiling that Elimination Chamber was bound for Perth in late February 2024. Reacting to that news later in the day, Dashwood described it as "a dream" in a social media post.
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Within the hour, though, she got a rude awakening. In a follow-up post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said: "Oops, nevermind. I just got released… I am no longer with WWE." Dashwood would later reiterate that message on her Instagram account.
She has left the WWE alongside at least 20 other wrestlers. The growing list includes two-time world champion Dolph Ziggler and former Intercontinental champion Shelton Benjamin.
Ziggler leaves the WWE alongside Emma after two decades with the wrestling promotionHowever, the timing was particularly cruel for Dashwood, with it coming mere months before a potential homecoming. Instead of having her, the WWE seems set to push forward with WWE women’s world champion and another Australian native, Rhea Ripley, as their poster girl for the upcoming event.
The superstar is quoted in the company's press release announcing the new show. “I’m beyond proud to represent Australia every single time I step inside a WWE ring," Ripley said, "and to bring a Premium Live Event to Perth is a dream come true."
"Get ready Australia, because Mami is coming home,” she concluded. WWE senior vice president Chris Legentil also talked up the announcement.
“Perth is the perfect location for a major WWE Premium Live Event in Australia, following a series of record-breaking WWE events in iconic international destinations,” he said. “With a week full of WWE events and experiences, we hope to leave a lasting memory for Western Australia and the entire WWE Universe.”
However, it is not the first time that Dashwood has been on the outside looking in. After being released last time, she signed with several independent promotions, debuting at a WrestlePro event.
She also appeared on Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling. Social media activity since the announcement has also seen her hint at wrestling either AEW women’s world champion Saraya or Cassie Lee.