Mike Chioda on WWE release: “it took me by complete surprise”

Former WWE referee Mike Chioda appeared on the Talk Is Jericho podcast this week to discuss his termination from WWE. His release was a “WTF” moment among fans as the long-time ref had pretty much spent his entire career with WWE, rising through the ranks.

“Yeah Chris, it took me by complete surprise,” Chioda told Jericho. “I had surgery in October 1st in Alabama and I had a torn rotator cuff and torn bicep. So I went through surgery in Alabama. I’m healed up great, and I was ready for WrestleMania.”

Chioda revealed that he actually signed a new contract in the middle of March and even got a little bump in the pay. “And then I get a phone call on tax day, April 15. So yeah…it took me by complete surprise,” Chioda said.

The veteran referee still doesn’t know the reason he was picked to be released and said he asked around if the order came from Vince and Stephanie. “He said no. It didn’t. It sounded like they pulled me out of a hat and said…okay…we have a company and Mike Chioda’s salary is at the start of the thing. It was, I think, something completely different.”

Chioda shot down the idea of getting released because he had heat in the locker room, saying that he had not been there for six months and didn’t use Twitter or Facebook since 2015.