With the recent news that Dean Ambrose will not be re-signing with WWE, making him a major free agent come this April, it looks like the company is trying to lock its talent down for the long haul.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, “several talents with contracts coming due were asked to sign new long-term deals” backstage at this week’s Smackdown Live taping. Other sources have also reported this was the case last week heading into the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
The Observer also confirmed that The Usos have contracts expiring this April as well, and that WWE is trying hard to sign them both to new long-term deals as well.
With so many top names being signed to All Elite Wrestling in recently weeks, and so many names either leaving WWE or requesting their release from the company, it’s a very good time to be a sought-after talent in the wrestling world.
WWE also has an unprecedented amount of new cash flow coming from their new TV deals with FOX and NBC Universal, as well as the Saudi Arabia shows, and they are reportedly using that money to offer talent better deals in the hopes of quieting rumors that so many people want out of their contracts.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter