Multiple top WWE talents have contracts set to expire in 2024, and according to a recent report, the company’s strategy for contract discussions has changed following their merger into TKO Group Holdings.
A September report from Fightful Select revealed that Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, and Becky Lynch are among the names with contracts expiring in 2024.
Now, a new report from Fightful Select sheds more light on the situation, revealing that many WWE stars have contracts expiring next year. Some of these contracts are due to new deals being signed in 2019, and some are due to short-term extensions.
However, according to Fightful Select, numerous WWE stars have not been approached with discussions about renewing their contracts despite their deals being up next year. The report goes on to note that many talent believe WWE’s recent merger with UFC into TKO group would kickstart negotiations, but that hasn’t happened as of yet. Several talent are reportedly waiting to find out what offers will look like under the new company.
While some negotiations have taken place, Fightful Select reports that those discussions have been with talent who’ve approached WWE management and not the other way around.
Talent who spoke to Fightful are wondering what the merger will mean for their future negotiations and whether any future offers will be higher, lower, or on par with what they’re currently making.
Has Drew McIntyre Re-Signed With WWE?
Much discussion has surrounded Drew McIntyre’s contract as of late, and on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed the fact that the Scottish star has not yet re-signed with the company despite being headed for a World Heavyweight Championship match with Seth Rollins at Crown Jewel in November.
“I could check. But I do not believe he’s re-signed. [Alvarez – That’s a pretty big match for a guy who has not re-signed?] Oh, they were gonna push him. You know, he’s, solid through April. I mean, there’s time you can do whatever you want with him through April. So the deal is that his contract was to expire, like at the end of the year, but because of all the injury time accrued it’s April.
“So I mean, they’re not at a point where I would say it’s, you know, it’s dangerous or we are at a turning point or don’t put the title on him, which, you know, they’ve done it before. They’ve had champions, Bret Hart, Jeff Jarrett, you know, where guy’s contracts were up.”
When Bryan Alvarez mentioned that it would be extremely unlikely for Triple H to give McIntyre a top championship if The Scottish Warrior was set to leave imminently, Meltzer agreed and stated that the disagreement is financial only:
“I don’t either. But the point is, he’s got plenty of time. It’s not like, you know, you can’t have him win because he’s gonna be gone in a month and he hasn’t re-signed his deal. And, you know, it’s just, again, I mean, it’s basically a numbers game. I mean, it’s not like he’s a guy who’s looking to leave.
“It’s just a numbers game. I mean, he wants a certain number and they did not offer that certain number and they may meet in the middle or they may not meet in the middle and he may go home. I don’t know where he may go, you know, of course he could go to AEW, anything’s possible.”
If you use any quotes from this transcription, please credit Wrestling Observer Radio and link back to this article with a h/t to Inside the Ropes.