Bobby Lashley asks for his release from WWE

We had been reporting for the last couple of weeks that Bobby Lashley's return to WWE was imminent. However, yesterday Lashley posted the following on his official website at bobbylashleyonline.com:

I am sorry to everyone here but I am serious when I say I won't be back. Everyone wants to come here and hear the real story and I am telling you the real story. 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 and try to destroy you which has happened here. Evil has prevailed however like I said before if you continue your struggle doors will open around these people. You have not scene the last of me so please don't stop your support. Add Bobby Lashley to the list of RECENTLY RELEASED!

We are now able to confirm that Bobby Lashley is trying to get his release from World Wrestling Entertainment. In a phone call placed to WrestlingInc.com reporter Ryan Gray, Lashley said that he is gone from the company. Dave Scherer is reporting that Lashley informed WWE that he wants to leave the company. One of the reasons he wants his release is how his girlfriend Kristal was treated when she was released from the company last October (for more on why Kristal was fired, click here). She had been upset with her role in the Vickie Guerrero – Teddy Long storyline and was let go shortly after that. There may have been a racial part of the storyline that she was uncomfortable with. While he would not give any specifics he made it clear that he did not want to leave but had to due to circumstances beyond his control.

Lashley also told Gray that he was training hard for a potential career in Mixed Martial Arts. The former ECW Champion said that despite the fact that he wanted to pursue an MMA career, it would not be with UFC. If WWE does grant Lashley his release, they may try to block him from competing in MMA, similar to the release they gave Brock Lesnar (that Lesnar was able to get out of in the courts). Dave Meltzer reported earlier that Lashley was training out of San Jose's American Kickboxing Academy to go into MMA when he got his WWE offer in 2004.

Lashley would not comment on whether or not he would be interested in going to TNA Wrestling. He said that WWE has granted his release but it would not be announced until the paperwork was finalized. As of now, the release isn't complete, which makes it interesting that Lashley has gone public with it before the release was officially granted. Meltzer had also mentioned earlier today that some WWE employees were aware of the situation last night at the Smackdown tapings, however word had not yet spread within the company. Most in the company found out about is today and many people in the creative team weren't aware of this. People in TNA or UFC who would know if Lashley was looking to go there didn't know anything as of this afternoon.

Lashley had been one of the most pushed stars on the WWE roster of the past year. He suffered a shoulder injury at Backlash last year. He last wrestled for WWE on July 30 against Mr. Kennedy, in a match where Lashley was kayfabe injured by Mr. Kennedy to allow Lashley to have time off for surgery for his shoulder injury.

As of now, WWE.com has not made an official statement about the situation, and until they officially agree on the terms of the release, he remains under contract to WWE. However, his image was removed from the opening of Raw this past Monday night.