The contracts that WWE superstars adhere to may not seem that exciting or contemplation-worthy at face value, but they’re often a good show of which direction the company may be moving toward in the near future. Kevin Owens’ big extension in late 2021, for example, helped propel the superstar back into the spotlight with a meaningful title run. Of course, wrestlers who aren’t prioritized in such ways often find themselves out of the company altogether. With that in mind, there are big contract rumors surrounding two superstars, and it’s a mix of good and not-so-good news.
One rising superstar is reportedly looking at a big extension and likely a growing presence at upcoming WWE events. As for the other, it’s more likely they’ll be a free agent signing with another organization unless the wrestling organization can give an offer that will keep them in the fold. Let’s somersault over the ropes to some details.
L.A. Knight Is Reportedly Getting A Big Extension
In case it wasn’t apparent by his feud with The Miz, or John Cena raising his hand victoriously at Payback, the WWE is finally on board with the L.A. Knight craze. The latest report from PWInsider (via Ringside News) is that the company is in negotiations, and possibly nearing completion on a big deal for L.A. Knight that will keep him with the company for years to come. The exact length hasn’t been confirmed, but it’s possibly up to five years being offered, which would be quite a vote of confidence.
I think for the WWE, this is an obvious deal to make. If L.A. Knight is still as popular as he is now a year from now, they’ll save money by locking him in now vs. waiting. Many are ready to see just how far Knight can climb in the WWE, and whether he can stand among the company’s top performers as he continues climbing the ranks toward must-see main-event matches.
Drew McIntyre Is Reportedly Still Without A New Deal
We addressed the topic of Drew McIntyre’s contract situation earlier this year, and how it wasn’t known when or if the WWE superstar would sign a new contract with the WWE. The latest word from Ringside News is that McIntyre still hasn’t signed a renewal deal, and it’s still unclear whether the plan is to keep him around or not.
Drew McIntyre is currently working with Matt Riddle and essentially filling in for the injured Randy Orton as the latter continues recovering from back surgery. There’s potential for this updated tag-team duo to grow, though it’d still be a far cry from McIntyre’s top babyface run as a WWE champion not so long ago. McIntyre indicated he wanted to be champion again outside of the COVID lockdown period, but has been mired in a more middling role outside of a match against Roman Reigns at Clash at the Castle. He may be holding out on signing a deal as away to test his value at AEW or other promotions, while also seeing just how much he’s worth to his WWE bosses. Here’s hoping something happens on that front, regardless of the reason for the stalemate.
Both Drew McIntyre and L.A. Knight could pop up at Monday Night Raw, which airs on Mondays on USA Network at 8:00 p.m. ET. SmackDown, of course, airs on Fox on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and with a contract extension, that could be the place where we’ll see Knight get a bigger role going forward.