- WWE officially announced the release of former ECW Heavyweight champion Bobby Lashley yesterday on their official website. The announcement was short and sweet as usual, wishing him "the best in all future endeavors." On January 23rd Lashley posted a message on his official website claiming that he asked - and was getting - his release from the company. "Circumstances which are out of my control left me no decision but to leave the WWE. I can't go into details of this now, but like I said before, sometimes people will hate you personally to try to destroy you, which has happened here. Evil has prevailed," the former ECW champion said. Lashley never appeared on WWE TV since the end of July when he left to undergo shoulder surgery. Lashley initially signed with WWE in 2003 as a developmental talent and then moved to the main roster in 2005 with stints at Smackdown, RAW and ECW. The former US Army soldier won the US title once and twice the ECW Heavyweight title while employed by WWE.