Back in January, it was reported that ROH Six Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage’s AEW contract was set to expire soon.
According to Fightful Select, the star’s contract was originally set to expire in 2022 before he signed a contract extension. All Elite Wrestling intended to add more time to Cage’s contract to account for time he took away from the ring while dealing with an injury. However, Cage pushed back against this as he was interested in the possibility of becoming a free agent. The report states that some of the time AEW wanted to add onto Cage’s contract was specifically because he signed with the company while he was injured after competing in IMPACT Wrestling years ago.
That report also noted that WWE was gauging interest in Cage, and that he’s been heavily praised for his work since returning to television in mid-2022.
Cage became the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion alongside the Gates of Agony when the trio defeated Dalton Castle and The Boys at Final Battle back in December, and at Supercard of Honor, the trio successfully defended against AR Fox, Blake Christian, and Metalik.
Brian Cage Is Now A Free Agent Despite Holding A Championship In ROH
Now, an update from Fightful Select reveals that Cage’s contract did indeed expire at the end of March, ending at midnight immediately following ROH Supercard of Honor in Los Angeles.
According to the new report, All Elite Wrestling has a long-term deal on the table for Cage, and they also discussed multiple options for a short term contract extension. Tony Khan has stated that he wants Cage to continue as part of the company for a long time, and productive conversations between the two sides are ongoing.
Cage began his All Elite Wrestling career in 2020 when he debuted as the surprise final entrant in the Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing, winning the match and a shot at then-AEW Champion Jon Moxley. Despite being unable to defeat Moxley, he had been awarded the FTW Championship by Taz, who also accompanied him in his debut. In July of 2021, Cage lost the FTW Championship to fellow Team Taz member Ricky Starks, ending his alliance with the team as he turned babyface.
After sporadic appearances following his title loss, the behemoth disappeared from television for a number of months leading into 2022, but that April saw him appear at ROH Supercard of Honor XV, establishing himself as a Ring of Honor talent after Tony Khan purchased the company.