Reports: Adam Cole's WWE Contract Expired In July
Backstage news on Adam Cole's WWE contract, why he's still on NXT TV, and what the future holds.
Adam Cole could be on the verge of becoming a free agent.
Wrestling Inc.'s Raj Giri reported on Sunday that the former NXT Champion's WWE contract expired after SummerSlam 2021 (21 August), having signed a short-term extension after his original deal ran out following the black and gold brand's recent Great American Bash show (5 July). Interestingly, the report notes that amongst Cole's numerous options are "companies who are not even in the current wrestling space."
A new update from Fightful Select states that Cole's last contract did indeed expire in July, though people within WWE believed it was due to run out in December. Top company officials were therefore surprised after only learning of the July date a few days in advance.
Fightful were told that Cole agreed to work until SummerSlam weekend before re-evaluating his situation. Whether or not this meant a short-term extension or more straightforward verbal agreement wasn't made clear to the outlet.
While Cole has been praised for being easy to work with, there is "frustration and heat" within WWE for letting the contract come so close to expiring.
Cole, 32, has been with WWE since 2017. March's reports that he had signed a five-year contract extension in 2019 (expiring in 2024) were apparently wide of the mark.