According to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio (subscribe here), the contracts of a handful of WWE Superstars will be expiring soon.
Specifically, the contracts of WWE stars who came into the company back in 2016.
Meltzer says that AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson all signed 3-year deals with WWE back in 2016. That means in January 2019 (or shortly after), their deals will be expiring. While there are no rumors about any of them leaving WWE, Meltzer does say that NJPW has interest in bringing back Nakamura. Here is a quote:
“It wouldn’t completely shock me. I know they do want him back. There will be attempts for all those guys. Gallows and Anderson, if they wanna go back there, they can go back there. They’re kind of treading water [in WWE]. Who knows how that’s gonna go. I don’t anticipate anyone going back there [but] you just don’t know how people feel and what people want out of life.”
It seems pretty obvious that Styles is a lock to re-sign. Could you see Nakamura, Gallows or Anderson leaving? My money is on no but it will be interesting to keep an eye on over the next several months.
On a related note, here are three wrestlers that WWE is rumored to be interested in signing.