5 Superstars who turned down WWE contracts

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF then) from the last several decades has been the Mecca of sports entertainment, especially in North America. With the exception of a short period between 1996 and 1998, the WWE has ruled American wrestling with an iron fist.The WWE is often the dream, and a major goal for most professional wrestlers upon breaking into the business.However, not everyone has accepted WWE’s overtures for their employment. Some rejected contract offers due to money, others due to travel and others for political reasons. Some ended up back in the company, while less fortunate wrestlers burned bridges completely.Turning down a WWE contract doesn’t refer to being the end of the world although, it almost unanimously is a dent in anyone’s bank account. While some of these WWE stars came had a change of heart to eventually sign a contract with the WWE, they rejected the offer when they were at their prime.It is said that everyone has a price but at one time or another, the men mentioned here didn’t.

#1 Kurt Angle

Many know Kurt Angle as a WWE and TNA legend. Angle was in the WWE for 7 years between 1999 and 2006. Some may not know, however, that Angle’s run in the company would have likely started a couple of years earlier, had he not only rejected the WWE’s contract offer– he ripped it up!

After his outstanding run in the 1996 Summer Olympic games, Angle was weighing his options following his win. While he settled on sports broadcasting in Pittsburgh, there was a major offer on the table for him from the WWE. Instead, he and his manager symbolically ripped up the contract, rejecting the company’s offer. Angle would go on to make a single non-wrestling appearance for ECW later in the fall.

In 1998, Angle was flipping channels and saw Stone Cold Steve Austin running amok on WWE programming, and quickly changed his mind about pro wrestling. Angle contacted Jim Ross to find out if the original contract offer was still available, but much to his dismay, wasn’t. Instead, a developmental deal was offered, and Angle made his way through the ranks, and became one of the greatest in-ring competitors of all-time.

#2 Sting

Sting’s repeated and nearly annual negotiations with WWE have been highly speculated and publicized for years with it finally looking like the two may come to a working relationship this year.

Perhaps the closest the two sides got was in 2011, when the Undertaker returning segments that aired apparently being originally intended for Sting, whom was still negotiating with WWE. Ultimately Sting decided against coming to the WWE for the fantasy matchup with the Undertaker, and would instead return to TNA for three more years.

Sting mentioned that a primary reason he decided against going to the WWE in the past was what he perceived to be a disrespectful promo between The Rock and former WCW champion Booker T. During the promo the Rock seemingly dismissed all of Booker T and WCW’s accomplishments by pretended he had no idea who Booker was. Sting said that promo resonated with him, and he feared doing damage to the WCW legacy, as well as his own if he were to enter the WWE.

At the end of it all, Sting finally came around and signed a deal with the WWE last year, to make his in-ring WWE debut at WrestleMania 31 – a spectacle that was thought to remain a dream forever.

Even though Sting suffered an unfortunate injury against his match against Rollins at Night of Champions, the Vigilante will surely be slotted into a high profile angle once he does return to TV.

#3 Rhino

In 2006, WWE was gearing up to revive the ECW brand after the success of their original “One Night Stand” pay-per-view, and the Rise and Fall of ECW DVD released the year before. In doing so, WWE was looking to accumulate talent, specifically, ECW originals but the former ECW champion Rhino was one of those talents, but unfortunately for the WWE, he wasn’t interested in the offer, and he made it public.

Rhino, who competed for TNA Wrestling at the time appeared at a live event, which ironically was taking place in the old ECW arena, and publicly turned down the WWE’s offer out of loyalty to TNA.

Rhino wasn’t done, though. A month later, Rhino appeared on TNA TV with his old ECW title (which ended up being a replica), and dropped it in a flaming trash can, citing his disgust for the direction WWE took the new ECW brand.

Triple H taking over the reigns at NXT has transformed the developmental territory into a different brand altogether. This is one of the reasons why many talents – previously billed to never make it to the WWE, were signed to bolster the product

Rhino is one such star, who was picked up to put over the talent down at NXT due to hi obvious experience. He made his WWE main roster return, when he appeared on RAW to complete the ECW Originals team alongside the Dudleys and Tommy Dreamer to feud with the Wyatt Family.

#4 Mike Goldberg

Many of us may not have a clue about who Mike Goldberg is. If things would’ve went as per the WWE’s in 2005, you’d have been very aware of who he is.

During one of the WWE’s attempts to boot Jim Ross from his spot as play-by-play commentator, the WWE looked over several options to replace the Hall of Famer. One of which happened to be UFC announcer Mike Goldberg, who had been with the UFC for years.

Not only did the WWE offer Mike Goldberg a contract, but offered him six figures to no-show an upcoming UFC event on his first night of work, essentially leaving the UFC without a play-by-play announcer for a major show. Goldberg has said that he seriously considered the WWE’s offer, which was over $1 million over the life of the deal. Eventually he’d re-sign with the UFC, where he remains their main play-by-play man.

While the WWE eventually settled on Michael Cole as their head announcer, the landscape of both WWE and UFC could have been drastically different, had Goldberg accepted the offer.

#5 AJ Styles

When WWE bought WCW, AJ Styles contract wasn’t picked up and he therefore, returned to the independent circuit for the next year.

Though he competed in several dark matches and low-level television matches as an enhancement wrestler, Styles was yet to be offered a main roster WWE spot. However, in April, 2002, the WWE came up and offered AJ Styles a $500 weekly developmental contract.

The contract would have sent Styles to the Heartland Wrestling Association, requiring Styles to relocate to Cincinnati, Ohio. He declined the offer because moving there would interfere with his wife’s college and career plans. Also, he was already earning close to that pay on the indy circuit.

Later, the same year, Styles would sign with NWA: TNA where he would become the face of the brand for over a decade, until his release in late 2013. The WWE however, didn’t make any attempt to bring him into the company.

That could all change now, as the internet has been flooded with reports of WWE offering AJ Styles a contract and it may not be soon before the; Phenomenal’ makes his long-awaited WWE debut.

WWE has even acknowledged the reports, that further validates the arrival of one of the most talented pro wrestlers in the business.