MCMG Post-WWE Future
WWE Releases Motor City Machine Guns After Championship Run, AEW Return Widely Anticipated
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Key Points
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The Motor City Machine Guns signed with WWE in 2024 and captured the WWE Tag Team Championship, beginning with a title win on the October 25, 2024 edition of SmackDown and holding the belts for 42 days before losing them in December 2024.
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Prior to WWE, the duo had an AEW run including appearing at All Out 2022, where they teamed with Jay Lethal against FTR and Wardlow.
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Industry chatter after the WWE release indicated there remains an open door for the Motor City Machine Guns with TNA (Impact Wrestling) per Fightful Select, highlighting a potential alternative destination beyond AEW.
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The WWE release occurred on April 24, 2026, after a run that included a WWE Tag Team Championship stint.
WWE released the Motor City Machine Guns — Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin — on April 24, 2026, as part of a post-WrestleMania roster cut Cage Side Seats. The tag team, who won the WWE Tag Team Championship on the October 25, 2024 edition of SmackDown and held the belts for 42 days, are now free agents once their 90-day non-compete clause expires Pro Wrestling Net.
Rather than go quietly, the duo dropped a YouTube video titled "Release" that had fans talking almost immediately PWMania. The clip is equal parts funny and cryptic — and it offers a clear tease of what comes next.
A YouTube Skit That Went Through Five Stages of Grief
The video shows Sabin working through the five stages of grief after the WWE exit, with Shelley playing the calm guide — and at one point literally planking TPWW. The comedy is intentional. But the real hook is a mystery box they open together.
Inside the box are contract offers from a long list of promotions. Names like FMW, CyberFight, WAR, and IWA Mid-South scroll by Wrestling Attitude. Most are jokes. Then a final contract appears — and Sabin's reaction makes clear this one is different.
AEW Is the Frontrunner, But Nothing Is Confirmed
Industry chatter since the release has pointed strongly toward AEW as the Motor City Machine Guns' next home PWMania. The duo has history with the promotion. They appeared at AEW All Out 2022, teaming with Jay Lethal against FTR and Wardlow.
No deal has been publicly confirmed. The 90-day non-compete clause means they cannot work for a competing promotion until late July 2026 Cage Side Seats. Fans and outlets are watching closely for an official announcement.
TNA Remains an Open Door for the Tag Team
AEW is not the only option on the table. According to Pro Wrestling Net, Fightful Select reported that TNA — formerly known as Impact Wrestling — has kept the door open for the Motor City Machine Guns. The duo built much of their early legacy in TNA.
That history makes TNA a real possibility. The Motor City Machine Guns are one of the most celebrated tag teams in TNA's past. A return there would carry significant nostalgia value for long-time fans.
A Brief WWE Run That Still Produced Championship Gold
The Motor City Machine Guns signed with WWE in 2024. They did not waste time. They beat their opponents for the WWE Tag Team Championship on October 25, 2024 — just weeks after arriving TPWW. The title reign lasted 42 days before they dropped the belts in December 2024.
Their WWE run was short but meaningful. They proved they could compete at the top level of the biggest wrestling company in the world. Now, with their non-compete ticking down, the next chapter is close Wrestling Attitude.
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