More on WWE's hiring pause
Added 2023-04-23 23:00:02 +0000 UTCWe’ve learned more on the WWE hiring freeze.
It was reiterated to Fightful from WWE higher ups that there has been an effective hiring freeze in place since the beginning of the year, whether or not that official term has been used. . In fact, we’ve learned that Nick Aldis was told that WWE had maintained interest in him, but with the corporate moves, there weren’t main roster hires being made.
However, we have been told that A WWE higher up told some within the industry that they’re still talking to talent, and hope to be hiring again sooner than later. We’ve learned that there was contact with EJ Nduka via James Kimball, and Switchblade Jay White via WWE, and that Triple H was adamant he didn’t want details of the talks leaked. William Regal and Bruce Prichard had both reached out to talent during that time. The way that it was put to us was “we haven’t been hiring people, but we’ve been talking to people.” it was also mentioned that while WWE had heavy interest in Jay White and would have loved to have had him, there wasn’t a lot of communication in the latter weeks before he got signed by AEW.
WWE also had been interested in Hikuleo, Tama Tonga and bringing back Naomi and they didn’t end up landing them.
We’ve also spoken to multiple free agents who said WWE outright stopped responding to them along the way.
One WWE higher up pointed over 20 main roster signings between August and December, and none in 2023 as evidence that things had changed. However, they think it was more of a product of the sale progression than anything else.
Comments
The sale hasn’t taken place yet.
Nick O’Shea
2023-04-24 20:47:52 +0000 UTCThey can’t make decisions that impact finances until after the sale. Common business practice.
Mike
2023-04-24 20:38:53 +0000 UTCMaybe. It's still not good to lose that talent. The amount of money that performer would make you could well exceed the difference in the amount of money you made your competitor overpay. Not saying you're wrong, if you don't think you can land a talent it's always a good idea to at least affect their market value before they go to another company.
Andrew Placko
2023-04-24 19:30:32 +0000 UTCNo he shouldn’t have
Kenny Williams
2023-04-24 16:28:55 +0000 UTCSo they’re basically talking to talent just to give them leverage so they sign an overpriced deal with the competition? Chess. Not checkers.
DC
2023-04-24 14:10:29 +0000 UTCGotta spend money to make money. Hiring new talent is a long term investment…not like they are buying real estate or hiring possibly duplicative support/admin staff
Nick O’Shea
2023-04-24 11:45:13 +0000 UTCWWE is going to lose alot of talent I'm afraid. TK and AEW just need to plan well and take care of their own wisely. Everyone is right when they say WWEs landscape will change.
Vicki Langteau
2023-04-24 02:32:26 +0000 UTCTerrible timing for them, with what AEW is doing
2023-04-24 02:18:00 +0000 UTCThats an interesting point, to see how this efffects negotiating talents contracts that are comming due
e d
2023-04-24 01:11:47 +0000 UTCWWE will look entirely different next year Endeavor going to reset the pay scale.
Joel Allison
2023-04-24 00:59:34 +0000 UTCI mean as in Brays stable, wonder if it's going another direction. Instead of a Stable he's solo or maybe a Stable but with less people.
Jesus Cisneros
2023-04-23 23:53:45 +0000 UTCNah, Bray is just sick
Troy A Palek
2023-04-23 23:49:31 +0000 UTCIs this effecting current talents' contract negotiations since some are unhappy?
Samantha L. Sayre
2023-04-23 23:35:14 +0000 UTCNot getting Jay White or GoD are two huge misses of established big time talents
Todd Francis
2023-04-23 23:17:14 +0000 UTCI wonder if this was a reason Vincent and Dutch didn't get a contract even tho it was before the freeze. Also if it affected Bray Wyatt in any way.
Jesus Cisneros
2023-04-23 23:10:54 +0000 UTCI'm absolutely astonished EJ Nduka even pucked up the phone given the way he was treated by Drake Younger
Dave O'Neill
2023-04-23 23:08:24 +0000 UTCJay White should have been in the WWE
Sokun Ros
2023-04-23 23:06:05 +0000 UTC
