Brian Cage Reveals He Thought He Was Being Called Up to WWE’s Main Roster Right Before Getting Released

Brian Cage has opened up about one of the more stunning moments of his early career — the day he believed he was finally getting the call to WWE’s main roster, only to find out he was being let go instead.

Cage made his comments during an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, recounting his brief time in WWE developmental back in 2008. He signed a development deal in June of that year and was assigned to Florida Championship Wrestling, where he worked as ‘The Night Claw,’ a character connected to the superhero-themed Hurricane gimmick. The run didn’t last long — WWE released him in September 2008.

What makes the story particularly striking is how the release went down. Cage said there had been legitimate internal talk about bringing him up to Raw or SmackDown, and when the call came in, he assumed that was exactly what was happening.

“There was (talk of bringing Cage to Raw or SmackDown). And then actually, even the day I got released, I thought I was getting the call to go up to Raw. Everyone thought that,” Cage told Van Vliet. “I was so flabbergasted when I got the call, and I’m thinking I’m getting raised. I think I’m getting called to TV. I’m thinking I’m getting both, and they’re like, ‘Oh, we’ve come to terms with your release.’ I’m like, what the? You called the right person?”

Despite the shock of that moment, Cage says he holds no bitterness toward WWE and actually takes a measure of pride in the career he’s built without ever receiving what he called the ‘WWE rub.’ He noted having the house, the cars, and the life he’s wanted — all without a main roster run in Stamford.

Cage went on to build a résumé that spans the globe, including championship reigns in TNA and runs in AAA and DDT Pro-Wrestling. He first signed with AEW in January 2020 and inked a contract extension in 2024. He acknowledged during the Van Vliet interview that WWE had expressed interest in him ahead of that extension, but he ultimately chose to stay with AEW for the opportunities and job security it provides.

With Cage still active and in impressive physical shape at 42, his story remains one of professional wrestling’s more compelling career-without-WWE success cases — even if, by his own admission, a WWE chapter isn’t something he’s entirely ruled out.