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The official announcement reads:
"WWE.com has learned that WWE has chosen to not renew Matt Striker’s contract. As of today, June 20, 2013, Striker will no longer be working with WWE. WWE wishes him the best in all his future endeavors."
Striker noted on his Twitter account that he is now available for appearances, signings seminars and for independent wrestling bookings. He can be contacted at ForMattStriker@gmail.com.
Striker was signed to WWE in 2005 after several years wrestling on the independent circuit in the Northeast. His big break ironically came when news that the New York City Board of Education had caught him taking personal days from his job as a teacher to work dates in Japan and elsewhere was picked up by the NYC media. The feeling within WWE at the time was that he was being railroaded because he was a wrestler, so the company picked him up as a way to play off the publicity as well as "help one of their own." It was a Vince McMahon call to bring him in.
During his run, Striker was moved into a top heel position in the new ECW brand before sliding over into an announcer's role, commentating, hosting DVDs, hosting house shows and handling backstage interviews.
Behind the scenes, Striker had also worked quite a bit in developmental and had also been working the gorilla position at TV tapings.
Striker had worked this past week's TVs and was filming material in WWE's studio as late as yesterday.
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