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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.
Details on Kevin Owens’ New WWE Contract
Kevin Owens confirmed Thursday that he signed a new contract with WWE that will keep him in the company for “several” years.
In an interview with TVA Sports’ Pat Laprade and Kevin Raphael (h/t Fightful’s Jeremy Lambert), Owens called the decision to re-sign “pretty easy” because it was “the best thing for my family.”
Since KO made his new deal official, some reported details regarding the contract have emerged.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Michael Perry of Ringside News) reported that Owens will make between $2 million and $3 million annually, which was an offer believed to be “a better deal than he could get in AEW.”
Owens was viewed as a strong candidate to go to AEW since he is close friends with several wrestlers in the company, including The Young Bucks and Adam Cole, the latter of whom recently left WWE for AEW when his contract expired.
KO stayed with WWE despite his AEW ties, but it has been reported that there are no hard feelings on AEW’s end.
Per Fightful Select (h/t Manik Aftab of Ringside News), some in AEW spoke on the condition of anonymity and said they were “happy” for Owens and the fact that he was able to provide for his family.
Some in AEW also expressed their belief that Owens going from WWE to AEW will still be on the table when his new contract expires.
One concern some wrestlers may have regarding signing or re-signing with WWE is the fact that the company has released about 80 in-ring performers this year.
Because of that, asking for a no-cut clause in a WWE contract could become commonplace, but Meltzer (h/t Perry) reported that there is no can’t-cut clause in Owens’ new contract.
Given that WWE just gave Owens a massive contract and is positioning him as one of the top stars on Raw, it is difficult to imagine the company parting ways with him any time soon.
Breakker Wants Match vs. Lesnar
Bron Breakker is one of the fastest-rising stars in WWE, and he has his sights set on one of the biggest stars of all time.
During an appearance on WWE El Brunch (h/t WrestlingInc.com’s Sai Mohan), Breakker acknowledged that he would like to wrestle Brock Lesnar in the future:
“I met him, I want to say like 2017, maybe or something like that. I went backstage to a Raw when I was in college. I met him there, but as a performer, I haven’t ran into him. Yeah, I’d love to work with Brock.
“He is an animal. I think he would kind of like Roddy [Strong] elevate me. You know, force me to elevate and bring my game up as well. I think Brock would do the same thing, and I think it would be a war.”
Breakker, who is the son of former WWE and WCW star Rick Steiner and nephew of Scott Steiner, is still in the embryonic stages of his career.
He signed with WWE in February after the conclusion of his college football career at Kennesaw State, and he made his WWE in-ring debut on the Sept. 14 episode of NXT, which was the first official episode of NXT 2.0.
Breakker has essentially been the face of the new era of NXT, and the 24-year-old likely won’t have to wait much longer before becoming NXT champion.
Lesnar is perhaps the biggest draw in WWE thanks to his status as an eight-time world champion in the company and a former UFC heavyweight champion.
There is no telling how much longer the 44-year-old Lesnar intends to wrestle, but he is still on top of his game and set to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at Day 1.
If Lesnar is still competing when Breakker makes his way to the main roster, a match between them could be one of the most desirable bouts available to the company.
Gargano Calls Omega ‘Dream’ Opponent
Johnny Gargano fueled speculation regarding his future in professional wrestling this week based on what he said about AEW star Kenny Omega.
Gargano was asked about Omega during his Twitch stream (h/t WrestlingInc.com’s Marc Middleton) and responded by saying: “I think Kenny is one of, if not, the best wrestler in the world currently. So, I know that’s a dream match for a lot of people, me and Kenny, and it’s a dream match for me, too. So, who knows what can happen one day.”
Gargano’s contract with WWE ended last week, making him a free agent who is clear to sign with any wrestling company.
Since the expiration of his WWE contract, Gargano has re-opened his Pro Wrestling Tees shop, while also launching Twitch and YouTube accounts.
None of that would have been possible under a WWE contract, which has led fans to wonder whether Johnny Wrestling is done with WWE.
Gargano and WWE NXT star Candice LeRae are expecting their first child in February, though, and Gargano’s recent moves could simply be his way of making money while taking some time away from wrestling in anticipation of the birth.
During his time with NXT from 2015-21, Gargano became synonymous with the brand, holding the NXT, North American and NXT Tag Team Championships.
He also competed on more NXT TakeOver cards than any other wrestler, earning him the nickname Johnny TakeOver.
With NXT focusing more on younger and less-experienced wrestlers in recent months, it is fair to wonder if NXT is still the best place for the 34-year-old Gargano.
Returning to WWE and going to the main roster remains a possibility, or Gargano could follow in the footsteps of many former WWE Superstars by signing with AEW, and subsequently having his dream match against the former AEW World champion in Omega.
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