WWE NXT Star To Become A Free Agent Next Month

This multi-time champion's time with WWE is coming to an end.

By Andrew Pollard / May 1, 2024

WWE

It appears that Scrypts' time with WWE is coming to an end.

Fightful Select was first to report that Scrypts' current WWE contract is due to expire at the start of June, and that the former Reggie has been informed that his deal will not be extended. The outlet adds that the current OTM manager intends to continue wrestling once his time with WWE is up, with him likely to go by the name Sidney Akeem in whatever's next for him in the wrestling industry.

In the time since that news broke, the former Cirque du Soleil star has taken to social media with a video showing him putting the 24/7 Championship, his Scrypts mask, and his OTM chain in a box, noting how he's available from 1 June and giving a sidneyakeem@gmail.com email address for anyone interested in booking him.

Just gonna drop this here ??
Sidneyakeem@gmail.com pic.twitter.com/Xg1F0Nvspr— Sidney Akeem (@scryptswwe) April 30, 2024

The real-life Sidney Bateman has been with WWE since 2020, debuting as the French sommelier of Carmella under the name Reginald Thomas. After his alliance with Carmella came to an end, Reginald - now going by Reggie - briefly managed Sasha Banks and later Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler, before he found himself a part of the 24/7 division, winning the 24/7 Title on four occasions.

A move to NXT in late 2022 saw Reggie don a mask and become Scrypts, a high-flying supervillain-turned-antihero-turned-superhero who notably feuded with, then teamed with, Axiom. That friendship with Axiom didn't last particularly long, and Scrypts would turn heel and form OTM - Out The Mud - with Bronco Nima and Lucien Price. Since then, the group has added Jaida Parker to its ranks.

Most recently, the OTM were featured in a WrestleMania Snickers commercial with the Street Profits, with some fans presuming this meant the faction was set for big things in the future. If this does indeed mean a renewed push for OTM, it appears they'll be getting that push without Scrypts alongside them.

Authored by Andrew Pollard

Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.

Posted On: 1st May 2024