Update On WWE/TKO's Approach To 2024 Contracts With Top Talent
Added 2023-10-24 21:05:56 +0000 UTCWWE has a ton of contracts coming up in 2024, but their method for renewals seems to have been different lately.
Fightful has learned that numerous talent, including several top stars, have not been approached for contract extensions. WWE signed dozens of wrestlers to new deals in 2019 that are expiring, but also some that were shorter-term are coming due in 2024. WWE has top talent with expiring deals all throughout the year.
Most of the talent we’ve spoken to were of the belief that the recent merger with Endeavor will kickstart a lot of the contract talks, and several of them are waiting to see what the offers are like when that happens, but it hasn't happened yet. There have been a few negotiations here and there, but usually with talent who approach WWE for raises.
Talent themselves have been interested and speculating what that could mean for their future negotiations, and if the deals presented will be increased, decreased, or on par with their previous deals since the merger.
Comments
And they are paid per fight rather then having a guaranteed deal yearly. I don't think people appreciate, or maybe are just unaware, of the differences in the types of contacts we are talking about here
Troy A Palek
2023-10-25 19:01:27 +0000 UTCThe original comment said Seth and Becky wouldn't get what they wanted cuz they may ask for to much, ala UFC. My point is thats 2 very different animals. If you pay Rollins/Lynch $3 million a year you can book them to be worth it. If you pay Usman or basically anyone but Jon Jones (who comes with alot of different issues but doesn't lose) they could go to Australia and lose their next fight which, obviously, hurts their value. You can book value in WWE, you can't do that in UFC
Troy A Palek
2023-10-25 18:57:42 +0000 UTCI may be in the minority, and i am certainly not a WWE fan (never have been), but there is something WWE/Endeavor can provide besides a wrestling talent contract, and that is opportunity for outside endeavors that would reward far greater money than any talent contract would. People like Drew, Seth and Becky, if they have the opportunity for Hollywood through the WWE machine, i don't see the talent contract (lack of) negotiations being a big deal for them to stay. It's a big picture kind of thing.
Mark Bureau
2023-10-25 14:07:57 +0000 UTCI really don’t know what’s more likely if Becky & Drew both leave or stay next year
Stephen Bradley
2023-10-25 07:47:45 +0000 UTCWhen it comes to talent every company is competition
Matt Hennessy
2023-10-25 06:31:33 +0000 UTCAll the people comparing UFC pay don’t seem to realize that a very busy year for an MMA fighter would be 4 fights total.
kidfavre4
2023-10-25 01:24:07 +0000 UTCThe difference is UFC's competition hadn't really been able to pony up for the top people. WWE's has shown they will.
Alex Snyder
2023-10-25 00:41:29 +0000 UTCBut I thought AEW wasnt competiton?🤪
Scott Newcomb
2023-10-24 22:40:53 +0000 UTCDrew I still see leaving
Alexander Fitzgerald
2023-10-24 22:40:24 +0000 UTCUfc pays its fighters like trash I expect the same for anyone in wwe
Alexander Fitzgerald
2023-10-24 22:39:32 +0000 UTCHuh??? Troy, what does that have to do with anything?🤷🏻♂️
Scott Newcomb
2023-10-24 22:38:36 +0000 UTCGoing by Endeavor's history, I'm expecting a lot of the offers will be decreases
Robert Harding
2023-10-24 22:27:10 +0000 UTCAlso To add to this; all the older folks over 35+ will probably struggle to get lucrative long term contracts. Especially the woman wrestlers with so many on nxt who they can replace them with. They won’t be as good but they will be cheaper, also the WWE crowd will cheer for anyone half decent.
Francis
2023-10-24 22:25:06 +0000 UTCI gotta believe Endeavor understands the difference between UFC and WWE. The best UFC fighters lose ALOT, the best pro wrestlers lose when you write them to.
Troy A Palek
2023-10-24 22:23:04 +0000 UTCSeth and Becky will rightfully ask for new large contracts after using AEW interest.Which I don’t think Endeavor will agree to. So I could see them leave. UFC let there heavyweight champ leave because they didn’t like his demands so nobody’s out the question.
Francis
2023-10-24 22:16:12 +0000 UTCWho's do you've see not resigning with the WWE in 2024
Kyle Pribila
2023-10-24 21:27:07 +0000 UTCYeah. This ain’t like it was a decade ago. If they play that game in 2024 they risk losing major talent.
David C
2023-10-24 21:14:23 +0000 UTCAll the top talent will get good deals to stay while the upper mid card and below will probably have a take or leave it scenario. Just my guess.
Alex
2023-10-24 21:14:01 +0000 UTCI hope TKO realize that with the competition WWE has it’s important to pay your top talent well as you don’t want to lose them to rival promotions. WWE & UFC are to different beasts what world in UFC won’t work in WWE pay rise. I think with Nick Khan & Triple H being put in top spots in the company hopefully they can explain the process to them
Matt Hennessy
2023-10-24 21:12:35 +0000 UTCAnyone who’s followed endeavour negotiating UFC renewals knows they won’t be pressured into going higher than they want. I think some aren’t going to get the raises they are expecting, resulting in them leaving.
Francis
2023-10-24 21:12:32 +0000 UTCThey havent signed Drew M. yet which is interesting. Cant wait to see if this talent leaves if it’s like UFC where they dont pay their talent like they should.
Scott Newcomb
2023-10-24 21:11:15 +0000 UTCTKO(well UFC)'s general payment policy has always come off like "take this or take a hike" so... that could be an interesting approach considering how healthy wrestling is right now.
Insomnia Inc
2023-10-24 21:09:23 +0000 UTC
