Drew McIntyre hasn’t seemed very interested in talking about his contract situation with WWE, repeatedly insisting that what’s important to him is the here and now, and that the future would take care of itself. But since that future is reportedly still up in the air, his status is definitely of major interest to WWE fans.
Despite some buzz to the contrary, Fightful Select (subscription required) provided an update this week on McIntyre, whose deal is said to expire next year. Not only hasn’t the Scottish Warrior re-signed with the company yet, it’s not even clear he’s had a serious discussion about a new contract.
We can’t say that he’s not been approached, but as of now, we’re told that Drew McIntyre has not signed a new contract with WWE. There had been some Twitter rumors indicating he had re-signed, but according to what he and WWE have told people, that’s not true.
What’s especially interesting about McIntyre, as Fightful points out, is that he’s something of the proverbial canary in the coal mine when it comes to talent negotiating new deals with WWE now that it’s part of the Endeavor-led TKO. WWE’s new corporate sibling, UFC, has a well-deserved reputation for being stingy with fighter pay, and there are many observers who are anxious to see if that attitude now bleeds over to the pro wrestling side of TKO’s business.
With McIntyre, it’s not like anyone can seriously look at his situation and conclude that he needs to be with WWE to ensure he remains a top star in the industry. Though his previous departure from the promotion wasn’t by his choice, he’s already shown that he can bet on himself and win, turning himself into a much bigger name while he was away.
He’ll also likely have multiple options to work elsewhere if it comes to that. AEW continues to show that it will bring in ex-WWE wrestlers, and Impact could also use someone of McIntyre’s stature as it prepares to revive the TNA brand in 2024.
All of this is to say that while McIntyre may continue to be tight-lipped about what’s next for him, it’s perfectly understandable why others are fascinated to see how things play out. If he ends up heading elsewhere, it could be a sign that others with contracts expiring soon will think hard about doing the same.