According to Billi Bhatti of the Dirty Sheets Podcast, current SmackDown Live stars Rusev and Lana, have asked for their release from WWE. Bhatti stated that Rusev has been frustrated with WWE creative seeing as how when he initially returned from injury, he was supposed to be receiving a WWE Championship match at Money In The Bank, but the plans fell out.
The report also says that following Rusev’s nine-second loss to Randy Orton at SummerSlam, Orton supported Rusev in his thinking of leaving WWE. Also, Orton apparently has a bit of an issue with WWE creative but has no plans to leave the company due to the money he is making.