Over the weekend, WWE released a number of talents, including the Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) and Paul Ellering. Still, Ellering and AOP are keeping their heads held high, as the former foresees a radiant fate lying ahead of them.
"Yesterday, the clouds covered the bright sun. Today, the sun shines on a clear and robust future. #AOP. The most Precious One," Ellering wrote on X (formerly Twitter) alongside an image of the trio posing inside Chicago's Allstate Arena. AOP and Ellering's last appearance at the respective venue came on December 29 as a part of WWE's yearly holiday live event tour. There, Akam and Rezar teamed with Karrion Kross and Scarlett in a losing effort to the Wyatt Sicks' Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy and Nikki Cross in mixed-tag competition.
In recent weeks, Kross has appeared without the Authors of Pain and Ellering on television. Last year, the three returned to WWE programming as an addition to The Final Testament, led by Kross. Initially, The Final Testament targeted Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits, later leading to a Philadelphia Street Fight at WWE WrestleMania 40. Shortly afterward, AOP challenged Nathan Frazer and Axiom for the NXT Tag Team Championships, albeit unsuccessfully.
Ellering, a WWE Hall of Famer, emerged as AOP's manager upon their television debuts for "WWE NXT" in 2016. This would remain the case until April 2018 when Akam and Rezar received their main roster call-up on "WWE Raw." 2020 marked the Authors of Pain's first release from WWE.
