Former WWE World Champion's Contract Is Up In Early 2024
This is just the first of several wrestlers' deals expiring next year.
The Bidding War of 2024 might be Maxwell Jacob Friedman's tagline about his AEW contract status, but several WWE contracts are reportedly coming up next year, including one for a popular former world champion and longtime superstar.
Fightful Select reports that Sheamus' WWE contract is set to expire in 2024, with sources claiming it ends in the first quarter or first half of the year. However, there could be clauses in the contract that extend that deadline.
Sheamus, who will turn 46 early next year, has been with WWE since 2007, debuting on the main roster in ECW in 2009. The four-time world champion has won nearly every title and honor there is in WWE -- including the Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank and King of the Ring -- except the Intercontinental Championship.
It was the Celtic Warrior's pursuit of the IC title last year that led to a resurgence in his popularity, as fans latched onto the veteran. His title match against Gunther at Clash at the Castle was an instant classic, and their triple threat with Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 39 arguably was the best match on the card.
Fightful notes that "numerous stars" have their contracts coming up next year, as WWE signed several wrestlers to five-year deals in 2019, and even others who inked contracts after that have deals expiring in 2024. Fightful mentioned Becky Lynch and McIntyre as two examples.
With several superstars' deals expiring next year and the uncertainty that the merger of WWE and UFC brings -- the sports entertainment company already laid off more than 100 office staff -- these impending free agencies should be closely watched. If WWE starts low-balling some longtime stars like Sheamus, it would be an indicator of how the company values them against the bottom line. Regardless, next year will be a very closely watched situation.