Finlay, Joey Mercury and Paul Bearer have been removed from the SmackDown roster page on WWE.com.
Finlay, a one-time United States Champion, had appeared sparingly in the squared circle since the beginning of last year. Vince McMahon reportedly decreed removing Finlay as an active performer in the spring due to his age — now 51. He does, however, remain with the organization as a producer.
Bearer was written off television on the December 10 episode of SmackDown as the show concluded with Kane pushing a set of ladders over a railing, sending the longtime manager to the concrete floor below, thus injuring him. Bearer noted in a blog post days later that his original WWE contract was a short-term deal, but that it still had a “couple of months remaining.” He has not indicated whether he has parted ways with the organization.
Mercury’s tenure with the Straight Edge Society came to a halt in August as he underwent surgery on a torn pectoral muscle. He later began working as a trainer in Florida Championship Wrestling while recuperating from his surgery.
