Released Superstar Faces Major Problem In Post-WWE Life

Newsweek

16 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Former WWE star Joe Coffey has opened up about the difficult situation he and his Gallus stablemates are in following their release from the company. The Scottish wrestler revealed that visa complications have left him "landlocked" in the United States.
This means he is currently unable to wrestle anywhere in the world. The situation highlights a common but often overlooked struggle for international talent after a major contract ends.
The Post-WWE Visa Problem
Joe Coffey, along with his Gallus faction members Mark Coffey and Wolfgang, was released from his WWE contract on May 2, 2025. In a recent interview with MuscleManMalcolm, Coffey explained how his work visa was directly tied to his WWE employment.
"Just to cut a long story short, with the release and the contract, our visa goes with that," Coffey said. "So we're in the process of going through (the process of getting) a new visa, which hopefully won't be too lengthy, it's costly, but it's going to be an investment."
'Landlocked' In The United States
This visa issue has put his career, and that of his teammates, on an indefinite hold. They cannot legally work in the US or travel internationally to compete.
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT - JANUARY 28: A WWE logo shines from the WWE world headquarters on January 28, 2024 in Stamford, Connecticut. WWE founder Vince McMahon resigned from the WWE and its parent company TKO as...
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT - JANUARY 28: A WWE logo shines from the WWE world headquarters on January 28, 2024 in Stamford, Connecticut. WWE founder Vince McMahon resigned from the WWE and its parent company TKO as executive chairman and board of directors following allegations of sexual assault in a Connecticut lawsuit. A former employee Janel Grant accused McMahon, 78, of sexual assault and sexually trafficking her. More
"Unfortunately, now we have to be landlocked in the US. So it means we can't work in the US, or get back to Europe or Japan or anything," he explained. "So it's just a bit of a waiting game."
More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation
He further detailed why simply leaving the country isn't a viable option for him at this time. So, he will have to wait.
"Being an international talent with that contract comes a visa, and unfortunately the visa goes with the contract. So going through a new visa process, we cannot leave the country. Like we only had like, I think it was 30 to 60 days to leave America. To me, that's not an option just now, because for the past two years I've had a missus here.
I'm going to have to split my time between Europe and the States and maybe Japan if that comes calling. So we have to kind of be landlocked just now until that visa process goes through."
More WWE News:
For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.