SRS: 2024 Could Be One Of The Wildest Free Agent Years In Wrestling History (Patreon)

By Sean Ross Sapp

2024 looks to be a huge year in pro wrestling for several reasons.

Full disclosure, this was a piece we’d planned to release in January, but the constant evolution (or de-evolution in some sense) kept pushing it back. An insane 2022 was followed by a crazier 2023, and 2024 doesn’t look to slow down any time soon.

Both AEW and WWE look to have some major free agents due at the start and throughout 2024. AEW signed much of their talent in early 2024, and MJF was one name admitted to have his deal coming up during that period, and while WWE has monitored the situation, most believe he quietly re-signed. We've also learned that several other marquee names re-signed early on into AEW and were set to be up around then. Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Young Bucks and others had signed deals with options that at the time AEW started, but signed big multi year deals to extend them past 2024. AEW re-signed Chris Jericho to keep him away from free agency during that period. Bryan Danielson said that he signed a deal into 2024 when he first joined in 2021. However, his deal could have plenty of injury time added. But on to the ones we know are coming up.

Even on the broadcasting side, Jim Ross and Tony Schiovane have said on their own shows that they have deals into 2024. Though the specifics of when are unknown.

QT Marshall has publicly announced he will have his deal expire on January 1. He’s publicly expressed his desire to wrestle more often. He also has VP and trainer experience.

AEW forming in 2019 also motivated WWE to step up their contract game, which led to a significant portion of the roster being offered new five year contracts back that year that are set to expire. A huge number of that talent -- Braun Strowman, Good Brothers, others -- were actually released after being re-signed in 2019 and then brought back to the company, and no are on deals that carry them well past 2024. However, there are several big names -- Randy Orton, New Day specifically that had high profile five-year contracts signed in 2019. However, WWE sources have indicated to Fightful that they’ll all be signed through 2024 due to injury time. Dana Brooke, Mustafa Ali, Dolph Ziggler all looked to become possible free agents in 2024, but were all released in 2023 instead, and now have recently hit the open market.

Some of those 2019 deals that at the time looked to be for huge money are now “team friendly” compared to the amount of money WWE is paying – well into 7 figures for many top talent.  Some of those deals last through a lot of 2024. We do have specifics on Drew McIntyre – early 2024, Seth Rollins and  Becky Lynch – June 2024, and Kevin Owens, the end of 2024. Sheamus’ deal was also set to expire in 2024, but he’s currently sidelined with an injury that could extend that.

Those aren't the only companies with big deals coming up. Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo’s deal is up at the end of the year. MLW's cornerstone, Alex Hammerstone has negotiated an early release and will be a free agent January 1. Kazuchika Okada has been NJPW’s top talent for over a decade, and sees his contract expire at the end of January, with heavy interest outside the company. Will Ospreay isn’t a free agent, but makes the jump from NJPW to AEW after January. NWA loses a huge part of their roster when Kamille reaches free agency after a two-year world title run.

In addition to that, WWE's rights fee deals are still in play for WWE Raw. Both Smackdown and NXT got significant increases. The money coming from the last round of rights fees deals (and AEW-NJPW competition) led to the huge salary increases for WWE talent in both 2019 and 2021. Combine that with WWE’s merger with Endeavor, and what kind of contract negotiating they’ll do accordingly.

AEW also has media rights deals coming up in 2024, which looks like it will serve as a huge cash infusion. With WWE significantly increasing salaries for talent when AEW formed, this could help AEW compete further in the free agent market. A huge difference for AEW is that Tony Khan and AEW investors effectively deem what they consider a financial success, whereas the stock market determines that for WWE. Khan and AEW may end up allocating a significantly higher percentage of revenue to the free agent market in order to compete. It’s worth noting that they did offer more to Will Ospreay than WWE did.

Some other major changes between 2019 and 2024 will be the fact that ROH is now owned by AEW, and New Japan has a fully functioning American brand, and numerous companies are actively working together. IMPACT Wrestling will become TNA, and has a much more cohesive brand than they did in 2019. In addition, the company has a new streaming deal with Endeavor that looks to make their PPV product more accessible. 

We look forward to covering a fantastic 2024!!