With his contract nearing it’s end, it would seem that Johnny Gargano is keeping his options open. And in other contract news, the Young Bucks sign new deals with AEW.
Johnny Gargano Keeping Options Open
A lot has been said about his contract status, and while we keep wondering, it seems Johnny Gargano is keeping his options open.
Considering the wrestling landscape, one can’t really blame Gargano for doing so.
That Johnny Gargano is keeping his options open should not be too surprising. It does seem pretty obvious, when you connect certain dots.
Earlier in the year, it was reported that Gargano’s deal expires in December.
Per some more recent reports, Gargano has signed a short term extension. The agreement means instead of ending on December 3, his deal ends on December 10.
This was done to see that Johnny Gargano would be under contract for WarGames. As was announced on Tuesday, Gargano will be part of Team Old School.
Two interesting sub-plots for that match? It will mark a reunion of sorts for Team DIY, and it will also be Gargano’s first time in WarGames.
He himself noted that being part of the match was one of the few things he had not yet accomplished in NXT.
There’s 1 match that’s avoided me in my entire NXT career but this year.. it’s finally time.
WAR GAMES! (-_•)
— Johnny Gargano (@JohnnyGargano) November 24, 2021
Sounds like that could be one heck of a way to exit the promotion, no?
So how are we thinking he’s keeping his options open?
Per the Wrestling Observer, WWE wants Gargano around for longer. It was not WWE that sought out the short term deal.
Put this all together and you cannot help but see how the situation with Johnny Gargano parallels another recent departure: Adam Cole.
Cole, if you recall, had his contract expire sooner than expected. He signed a brief extension to work through a major show, and no new deal was reached.
Soon after…Cole was All Elite. Could Johnny Gargano soon be as well?
One interesting potential twist: Candace LeRae, his spouse, may have her deal extended due to her pregnancy and related time off.
WWE reserves the right to extend talent deals when they are out for various reasons. Whether that helps keep Gargano around, or merely delays LeRae’s move, remains to be seen.
Young Bucks Sign New Deals
The Jackson brothers were among the earliest members of the roster, and now the Young Bucks have signed new deals with AEW.
Per a report in the Observer, Nick and Matt Jackson have apparently signed new five year deals.
This means that the brothers, and AEW executive vice presidents, are in the company until at least 2026.
Which means, unless Tony Khan decides to emulate Nick Khan, they will be All Elite for a good long while.
And, in spite of prior WWE interest, it may be a while…or it might never happen. At this rate, I’d bet we don’t ever see the Young Bucks sign with WWE.
Considering the overall success of the company, it’s easy to see why the Young Bucks would sign new deals.
And, keeping the timing of things in mind, it seems likely we could see a rash of new AEW deals soon enough.