Originally published on ProWrestlingSheet.

Former WWE referee Mike Chioda was one of the more surprising releases from the company back in April ... but he says it was a surprise to him too, because he had just signed a new deal!

Chioda was interviewed on the latest episode of "Talk is Jericho" and said he had surgery on a torn rotator cuff and torn bicep in October, but was ready and eager to return to work.

"Surgery went great. I'm healed up great. I was ready for WrestleMania," he said. "I actually signed a new contract in the middle of March. My contract was up. I actually got a little bump in pay. And then I got a phone call on Tax Day. April 15th. It took me by complete surprise."

The referee says he's tried asking around for answers about why he was let go, specifically wondering if the verdict came down from either Vince or Stephanie McMahon personally, but so far he hasn't received anything concrete. "It was something completely different. I don't know if it's heat, but how can you have heat if you've been gone for six months rehabbing," he asked. "I haven't even been on Twitter and Facebook since 2015."

Still, Chioda says his life in the wrestling business isn't down for the count. "My career is definitely not over," he said. "I've definitely got plenty left. Whether it's inside the ring or outside the ring, in training referees or working with talent and so forth."