Motor City Machine Guns move on from WWE to new contract offer
Cageside Seats • 2 min read • Latest: Jul 16, 2026, 9:38 PM
Last updated Jul 16, 2026

The Motor City Machine Guns, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley, were released by WWE following WrestleMania and are set to enter free agency shortly due to a 90-day non-compete clause. In response, they released a humorous YouTube video discussing their release and the five stages of grief before teasing a new contract offer. Reports have linked them to a potential appearance in AEW, particularly at the Redemption pay-per-view on July 26 in Montreal. This shift comes as the duo explores their next career steps following their WWE exit.
- •Motor City Machine Guns were released by WWE post-WrestleMania.
- •They will hit the free agent market in one week.
- •The duo discussed their release in a humorous YouTube video.
- •They hinted at accepting a new contract after the release.
- •Rumors suggest they may appear at AEW's Redemption pay-per-view.
- 9:38 PMCageside Seats — Motor City Machine Guns grieve over WWE release before accepting a new contract offer
"The Motor City Machine Guns were released as part of WWE’s post-WrestleMania roster cuts, and will officially hit the free agent market in one week when the 90 day non compete clause is over. With that in mind, the 44-year-old Chris Sabin and 43-year-old Alex Shelley posted the following humorous video on YouTube today titled “Release.” They react to their WWE exit in the early part of the video by discussing the five stages of grief, before a box of new wrestling contracts lands in their laps. After dismissing offers from defunct promotions like Wrestle and Romance, they finally settle on the “Acceptance” stage of grief with the final contract, teasing they already know where they are heading next. The pro wrestling rumor mill has connected MCMG to AEW ever since WWE cut them, so maybe we’ll be seeing Sabin and Shelley pop up next at AEW’s Redemption pay-per-view on July 26 in Montreal. What’s your reaction to the Motor City Machine Guns’ video? Where do you think they will pop up next? Let me know in the comments below, Cagesiders.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
WWE•Jul 16, 2026, 8:54 PMJBL Comments On Sheamus' WWE Career & Departure, Considers Where He Should Go Next
WWE•Jul 16, 2026, 8:05 PMTNA releases two more wrestlers
WWE•Jul 16, 2026, 3:05 PMJeff Jarrett blames Hulk Hogan for TNA’s ‘financial death spiral’- WWE•Jul 16, 2026, 2:32 PMWWE Friday Night Smackdown coming to Corpus Christi in September
WWE•Jul 16, 2026, 2:30 PMTommaso Ciampa Says Recent AEW Match Was His 'Love Letter To Pro Wrestling'
WWE•Jul 16, 2026, 2:19 PMCage & Copeland get another pair of Death Riders at AEW Redemption
