AEW Declined to Match WWE’s Contract Offer for Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens has been a consistent presence in WWE since his NXT debut in 2014, securing multiple championships throughout his career. Despite his success, Owens has yet to sign a contract extension with WWE as his current deal nears its expiration.

In December 2021, Owens signed a multi-year contract with WWE amidst speculation about his future with the company. However, during an interview in May 2023, Owens revealed that he had nine months remaining on his current contract, which is set to expire in early 2025.

Recently, Kevin Owens confirmed that there has been no change in his contract status; he simply has less time left on his current deal. This means he has yet to finalize any contract extension with WWE.

According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, at the time Owens signed his current three-year deal, it was considered one of the highest contracts in the company and the wrestling industry, with salaries ranging between $2.25 million and $3 million annually.

Interestingly, while AEW was aware of Owens’ contract status, they did not attempt to match WWE’s offer at that time. However, the landscape has shifted in recent years, with salaries escalating significantly, as seen with contracts like Swerve Strickland’s, which surpasses Owens’ previous deal.

“Owens’ contract, which was a three-year deal which at the time of signing was one of the highest in the company and in wrestling, will be due in early 2025. At the time, AEW was aware and didn’t attempt to match his big offer which tells you something about how salaries have escalated in the last two plus years because if it was this year there is a good chance they would have tried to match the deal. The Strickland deal is well ahead of the Owens deal which at $2.25 million $2.5 million and $3 million over the three years was considered huge at the time.”

Currently, Owens is set to face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Bash in Berlin on August 31st. For now, his focus remains on his in-ring performance rather than his contract negotiations. Whether Owens will sign a new contract with WWE or explore other opportunities, if offered to him this time, remains to be seen.

What are your thoughts on AEW not wanting to match WWE’s offer for Kevin Owens? Sound off in the comments!