Update on AEW contracts
Added 2024-07-24 21:05:06 +0000 UTCWe have some updates regarding AEW contracts.
This week, Ibou from WrestlePurists noted that Buddy Matthews was staying with the company, and that Malakai Black had a short amount of time left on the deal.
The claim internally from AEW was that Matthews deal would have needed to be extended quite a while back, which is something that Ibou alluded to. It was not specified to Fightful if this was a new contract, or option years being picked up. At one point there was internal discussion that AEW did have option years on Matthews. Those that we spoke to believe that whether he was re-signed or option years picked up, it would have been decided a while back.
Black’s is even more confusing, as he signed with AEW in the Summer of 2021. There was public debate over the length of his contract quite a while back, when Tony Khan said publicly in 2022 that he had “nearly five years left” on Malakai’s deal. Later that year, we’d reported there was a conditional aspect of it that could reduce the amount of time Malakai was there. Those in the company are of the belief that Black’s deal goes towards the end of the year, and at one point there were two option years applied. We haven’t confirmed that is still the case, but Khan is on record saying in 2022 that Malakai has “almost five years left” on his deal.
Fightful will continue to work to learn more details and some clarifications. We’ll also have some AEW scoops in our Dynamite thread on Discord tonight
Comments
Well said, I think Malakai goes back because he’s very close with HHH in addition to his wife being there. If it was just one of those two things I think it’d be a 50/50 thing.
kidfavre4
2024-07-24 23:12:25 +0000 UTCIbou also mentioned Keith Lee do you have an update on his contract?
Idris
2024-07-24 22:26:18 +0000 UTCI think a lot of people expected Buddy to go back to WWE because of him being married to Rhea but we’ve seen plenty of couples work across both companies so I didn’t think Buddy would be influenced one way or the other. Malakai on the hand feels like a different situation. I think most people have known for the last 2 years that both he & Andrade wanted to leave AEW to work for WWE now that Hunter & Shawn are running creative. So in relation to Black its like the Andrade situation it’s not a matter of if the returns happens more a matter of when. Unless Tony picks up the option years & forces him to stay which would be out of character as he could of done that to Cody & Regal back in 2022 & they asked him not to I think 2024 is probably where we say goodbye to Malakai Black & 2025 is where we say hello to Aleister Black. Regardless of if Black & Buddy end up in WWE or AEW I think they’d do well in either company once they’re happy & paid that’s what matters
Matt Hennessy
2024-07-24 21:33:52 +0000 UTC
