During an interview with the Going Broadway podcast, AEW star Brian Cage reflected on his release from WWE developmental in 2009, when he was a part of FCW, calling it a ‘shocker’.

"Getting released was such a shocker to me. I remember – this doesn’t do anything for me – but literally, everyone was, besides behind the scenes, they all were, they came in and they said that one of us was going on the road. And like, literally everyone thought it was me just for how well I was doing, how I was killing it. And I also knew I was up for a raise. So I’m at the gym and they just talk about that, all the coaches at FCW, and how one of us is going on the road next week. So I’m at the gym and I miss a call. I’m like, ‘Oh sh-t. Is this my raise? Am I going on the road? Maybe it’s both’. So I’m like ecstatic and I call him back right away. I’m like, ‘Oh hey.’ He goes, ‘Oh, hey Brian. How are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m doing alright.’ Like I’m trying to kayfabe my excitement. And he goes, ‘Oh, that’s great, that’s great.’ And he goes, ‘so, I’ve got some, I’ve got some bad news. Kind of hard part of the job’. And I’m like, ‘what are you talking about?’ Like still like, I have no idea because I’m still thinking it’s, you know, totally another side of the fence. And he goes, ‘Yeah, so we’re going to have to come to terms with your release’. And this is the phone and I’m like, , and I look at it to make sure it’s the right number that I’m talking to. And again, I’m not trying to be like a smart a– or whatever. This, I’m just legitimate shocked."