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Shane Strickland, who WWE has had interest in for some time but was unable to move forward due to a Lucha Underground contractual issue, announced today that he is officially a free agent:
Officially a free agent again
— Shane Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) January 15, 2019
As previously reported here at PWInsider.com, there have been rumblings for some time that WWE has been interested in Strickland (aka Killshot on Lucha Underground) and the belief was that Strickland would start this year in the WWE NXT system. WWE is slated to announce a new class of signings shortly. As previously noted, there was a delay for Strickland due to a contractual concern with his Lucha Underground deal. Strickland worked for the El Rey Network promotion as Killshot. Obviously, with that issue resolved, Strickland would be free and clear to finally sign.
Strickland has been a regular for Major League Wrestling since its relaunch. MLW has been preparing for Strickland's departure for some time and at one point, he was going to be written out of storylines following the MLW Wargames event over the summer of 2018 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is why the company booked him to be destroyed and carried out without being able to complete the match. Instead, Strickland turned at the Chicago tapings, playing an angry role where he has come out against the product MLW is producing and the fans who are supporting it, like Bret Hart in WWF in the late 1990s. MLW has been ready to write Strickland out when it was time for him to move on.
Strickland, also a former CZW Champion, has been a regular for WWE conduit EVOLVE Wrestling since this past August. He's been competing since 2009 and has been one of the most in demand independent wrestlers of the last several years. He currently has a series of independent dates announced, which were set before he announced he was free and clear from his Lucha Underground deal.
Thanks to Shannon Walsh.
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