Felix Upton on August 2, 2023
WWE might have wanted to get a piece of The Elite, but they are sticking with AEW. Now that the news broke that the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Hangman Page will stay with the company, we have even more details about the situation.
The Elite, Hangman Page, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks, have officially re-signed new contracts with AEW, reaffirming their commitment to All Elite Wrestling. They attributed AEW’s lighter schedule as a big reason why they’re staying with AEW.
Fightful Select reported that throughout the negotiation process, it was widely expected that the entire group would remain with AEW. Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson will retain their Executive Vice President status within the company.
Numerous sources within WWE indicated that they would have had interest in any and all members of the group. There were some people within WWE that felt like they stood a chance at potentially landing the group, but serious talks were never engaged as far as we know. Those we spoke to in WWE said that the company had positive experiences in dealing with Omega and the Bucks in 2018.
Regarding the Young Bucks, we’ve heard there is certainly some “movement” on the potential of them facing FTR in a long-awaited rematch. We have not heard about the potential of a CM Punk-Elite feud being broached.
While details on the contract lengths remain somewhat uncertain, one of the contracts is believed to be “at least four years” in duration. These deals were reportedly finalized over the course of the past couple of weeks.
It’s worth noting that the contract negotiations took quite some time to finalize. All Elite Wrestling had been looking to secure the deals since January, but discussions were impacted by CM Punk’s return to the company and the logistics surrounding it.
Barry Bloom, who also represents Bill Goldberg, Chris Jericho, and others, represented all four members of The Elite during the contract talks. He is obviously a heavy-hitter across the board as an agent.
AEW Dynamite 200 was reportedly planned without the new contracts in consideration. Tonight’s show should still be a great one for AEW fans, because the card is booked full of talent.
What’s your take of The Elite staying in AEW for even longer? Sound off in the comments to let us know what you think!
August 2, 2023 3:10 pm
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