The timeline for WWE’s recent contract changes might be even more shocking than the cuts themselves.
According to Fightful Select, talent weren’t given much time to decide whether they wanted to stay — or walk. When WWE approached wrestlers about taking less money, the pressure was immediate. And the deadline?
“The day of the mass releases, WWE approached numerous talent and asked them to take pay cuts in order to remain with the company.”
“Several of them that we heard about were given two days to make that decision.”
That kind of turnaround forced quick decisions, and not everyone was willing to accept those terms. One of the biggest examples was Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, who chose to walk away instead.
“New Day’s Austin Creed and Kofi Kingston pretty quickly made the decision that they would rather leave the company.”
That decision didn’t come cheap either.
“Despite the pay cut offered, the duo still left millions of dollars on the table over the next four years.”
This wasn’t just about contracts — it was about leverage, timing, and how much control talent really have in these situations. With more negotiations expected, this kind of short-window pressure could become a major talking point moving forward.
Do you think WWE giving talent only days to decide is fair business, or does it put wrestlers in an impossible position? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.