Add as a preferred source on Google WWE’s recent wave of releases has created a new backstage issue, with talent who recently signed new deals now questioning how much security those contracts really provide.
According to recent reports, the New Day situation has become the clearest symbol of that shift. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods left the company after being approached about restructuring their deals under TKO’s new terms. The two refused the pay cut, and their departure was handled as a mutual decision.
The situation drew attention because Kingston had been with WWE since 2006, while Woods signed in 2010. Together, they became one of the most important teams of WWE’s modern era, winning multiple titles and maintaining a strong presence in the company’s digital content as well.
The frustration, however, goes beyond them. Santos Escobar had also signed a new deal recently, but that was not enough to keep him with the company.
Backstage, the growing belief is that even fresh contracts no longer guarantee stability. PWInsider reported that one considerably featured name accepted a 50 percent pay cut, while WrestleVotes indicated that these requests are expected to continue, especially for higher-paid talents who are rarely used on television.
The post-WrestleMania 42 release list had already included names such as Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Kairi Sane, Motor City Machine Guns, Wyatt Sicks, and Escobar himself.
Now the question is how this new policy will affect future negotiations. For the moment, the feeling backstage is that the word stability has lost a lot of weight inside WWE.