Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page and the Young Bucks have been essential to AEW since its start, serving as the company’s backbone alongside Cody Rhodes — when AEW employed him — more than anyone else. Now, each of their contracts is running down, creating a crucial time period for the company as extension negotiations begin.
Fightful Select (subscription required but recommended) reports that AEW has yet to finalize any of these deals. Although both parties have felt that multiple deals have been close, none are done yet. People within AEW are reportedly confident that all four members of The Elite will remain with the company, even with the prolonged negotiations and CM Punk’s return.
WWE will undoubtedly have interest in each of them if they become available, but as Fightful also notes, people in AEW expect each man will stay on “significant money increases.”
While it’s unknown when any of these contracts will expire, it is fair to assume these deals expiring are not far away, creating some urgency for AEW before issues arise. Due to Omega’s extended contract length due to missing time caused by injury, his deal’s runtime is arguably the most in question.
Omega, Page and the Young Bucks have helped construct the company’s base and are some of AEW’s top talents and merchandise sellers, so they probably expect to be paid what they are worth — whatever that number is.
However, Rhodes, another pillar of AEW, shockingly left the company. This group’s departure would be a surprise, but apparently, you can never say never. An AEW without them seems incomprehensible, though.
Everyone expects Omega, Page and the Young Bucks to stay with AEW, so it is only a matter of time before the contract extension is finalized and the saga ends. In the meantime, this will be worth watching as it unfolds.