Report: WWE Declined Edge's Contract Request to Re-Sign amid AEW, Retirement Rumors
August 23, 2023
Amid rumors that Edge could be headed to AEW, the WWE Hall of Famer reportedly gave the company he's worked with for 25 years an opportunity to give him a new contract.
Per Wade Keller of PWTorch.com, the Rated R Superstar presented to WWE "what it would take to retain his services, but WWE declined to meet his request."
WWE held a 25th anniversary celebration for Edge on last week's episode of Friday Night SmackDown. It culminated with him defeating Sheamus in the main event of the show in the first singles match between the two superstars.
After the show went off the air, Edge cut a promo for the Toronto crowd that strongly indicated he was going to retire.
Wrestle Ops @WrestleOps"What I can say is this is my last time in front of y'all."<br><br>Edge thanks Toronto after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SmackDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SmackDown</a> went of the air.<br><br>Thank you Edge 🙏<br><br>🎥 :<a href="https://twitter.com/melansondt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@melansondt</a> <a href="https://t.co/JDkCBtPa5b">pic.twitter.com/JDkCBtPa5b</a>
Per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Kieran Fisher of Wrestling Inc.), Ron Hutchison, Edge's friend and trainer, has said he's pretty sure the four-time WWE champion is going to retire after the match with Sheamus.
Edge told Entertainment Tonight Canada that last week's bout was the final one on his current contract.
Wrestle Ops @WrestleOpsEdge has revealed that THIS Friday on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SmackDown?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SmackDown</a> against Sheamus in Toronto is his last match on his current WWE contract: <br><br>Here's what I can honestly say, and this isn't the answer everyone wants. I truly don't know. I really really, with 100% truth can say I don't know. That's… <a href="https://t.co/AiolqstkDt">pic.twitter.com/AiolqstkDt</a>
Keller noted the offer that Edge presented to WWE "sparked a belief" within the company that he was "probably" heading to AEW and knew at that point what AEW might be willing to offer him.
If Edge is going to AEW, it seems unlikely his debut would come at either All In on Saturday or at All Out on Sept. 3. He recently said in a radio interview on The FAN Morning Show (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) his WWE deal expires at the end of September.
Edge made his television debut with WWE in June 1998. He has been with the company ever since, though his career was interrupted for almost nine years when he retired in April 2011 due to injuries.
His return to in-ring competition was at the 2020 Royal Rumble. He main-evented the second night of WrestleMania 37 in a triple-threat match with Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan for the WWE universal championship.
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