WWE News & Rumor Roundup: Unhappiness over star being let go, Kevin Owens could still be released despite 'big' new contract, Details on Sami Zayn's future (16th December 2021)

Welcome to another edition of the daily WWE News and Rumor Roundup, where we try and bring you the biggest news and rumors from the world of WWE. The biggest news coming out is that former Universal Champion Kevin Owens has decided to re-sign with the promotion despite rumors suggesting that he would leave.

We will take an in-depth look into why The Prizefighter chose to remain with WWE and what the future may hold for him. We will also take a look at where his friend Sami Zayn stands. This article will also take a look at other interesting topics related to the likes of Ric Flair, Mick Foley and many more.

So without any further ado, let us dive in and take a look at some interesting topics from the world of WWE:

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#5 Reason why Kevin Owens chose to re-sign with WWE

Fightful Select reported that Kevin Owens re-signed with WWE before his contract expired in January. He was apparently given an "excellent offer'' that he couldn't refuse. WrestleVotes also stated that the company was eager to keep the Canadian star and could continue to give him a main-event push.

"Kevin Owens re-signs with WWE as first reported by @SeanRossSapp.I can add that WWE felt strongly in keeping Owens & wanted to get this deal done for a while now. I’d imagine KO will remain part of the main event scene going forward," wrote Wrestle Votes.

There has also been speculation that WWE gave him such a good offer that AEW would not have been able to match it. Owens is currently a part of the WWE Championship picture along with Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley. The three will have a chance to win the WWE title at Day 1, when they face the current champion Big E in a fatal four-way match.

#4 Kevin Owens could still be released by WWE

Even though Owens has signed a big money contract with the WWE, he is still not immune to being released. The reason is the lack of a 'no-cut' clause in his new contract. This means that unlike some of the bigger names like Roman Reigns who cannot be released by WWE, he can be let go at any time.

The story was initially broken by Sean Ross Sapp in a Fightful Q & A and later verified by Dave Meltzer on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

Former WWE Superstar Braun Strowman also signed a big money contract with the company. His contract did not have a 'no-cut' clause, which eventually led to him being released.

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#3 Ric Flair on who could join a modern-day Four Horsemen stable in WWE

Ric Flair recently weighed in on which modern-day wrestlers he would have liked in a modern-day iteration of the Four Horsemen. The Nature Boy believes Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Dolph Ziggler and AJ Styles would make up the ideal quartet for the job.

“I’ve heard that question before and it changes every day. It would be Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and Dolph Ziggler. That would be a rough crew to handle both in the ring and socially,” said Flair.

Though these four men could become a force to be reckoned with, it is highly unlikely we will see them team up.

#2 What's next for Sami Zayn in WWE?

There was speculation that both Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn would leave WWE once their contracts expired. However, with Owens opting to sign an extension, the chances of Zayn staying have also risen. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful stated that Owens re-signing with WWE would help in the company's efforts to secure Zayn's future.

As per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Sami Zayn's current WWE deal is set to expire at the end of 2021. Zayn has featured prominently on SmackDown as of late, which could be a sign that the promotion is trying to coax the former IC Champion into staying with them.

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#1 Mick Foley unhappy with Top Dolla's WWE release

Mick Foley recently spoke to Wrestling Inc about the release of Top Dolla and praised the former SmackDown superstar. Foley believes the company made a mistake by letting him go.

“I’ll throw a name out, AJ Francis. To me, AJ was money,” Foley stated. “Big powerful guy, a wealth of charisma, he’s got a rap album out. I asked AJ if WWE took issue with some of the lyrics. AJ has got some strong opinions, he’s a proud black man he makes that case known with his lyrics. I think it’s a great album, he has an incredible knack for putting words together, great promo guy.'' said Foley

Top Dolla was part of the faction Hit Row. All four members of the faction were released just weeks after they joined the SmackDown roster after being called up from NXT.