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Over the past few months, a few superstars have left WWE after their contracts expired. Goldberg's contract, for example, reportedly ended last February. Cesaro also left Vince McMahon's company three months ago after his contract expired.
Meanwhile, a few other superstars are still under contract with WWE despite being inactive or retired. While some now work in backstage roles, others have just been absent from in-ring action for a long time.
Here are five WWE Superstars you may not know are still under contract with the company.
#5. Mace
In February 2016, Mace kicked off his professional wrestling career. A few months later, he signed with WWE after passing a try-out at the Performance Center.
The 31-year-old competed for four years in NXT before making his main roster debut as a member of Retribution in September 2020. However, the group disbanded six months later.
Mace then formed a tag team with his former Retribution partner, T-Bar. Nevertheless, the two separated when Mace moved to SmackDown in the 2021 Draft while T-Bar stayed on Monday Night RAW.
Since moving to the Blue Brand, Mace had only competed in one televised match when he participated in a Battle Royal last November. Since he has been absent from televised in-ring action for nearly seven months, some fans might think he is gone from the company. However, he is not.
The former member of Retribution is still under contract with Vince McMahon's company. On April 15, Mace defeated Erik in a dark match on SmackDown.
#4. WWE Hall of Famer Molly Holly
After a brief run in WCW, Molly Holly joined WWE in 2000. After spending a few months in developmental, she made her main roster debut later that same year.
Holly spent nearly five years as an active competitor in Vince McMahon's company, during which she won the Women's Championship twice and the Hardcore Title once. She then left the company and retired from in-ring action in April 2005.
Since her retirement, Holly has made several sporadic WWE appearances. She also competed in a few bouts, including three Women's Royal Rumble matches.
Although she is no longer an active competitor, the former Women's Champion reportedly became a full-time WWE producer last year. In an interview with Shooting The Sh*t UNCENSORED!, Holly spoke about her new job in Vince McMahon's company.
"So when I went to the Hall Of Fame or maybe it was WrestleMania, anyway, recently I was asked if I would be willing to do like a two-month tryout as a producer to see if it’s something I would wanna do, and at first I was like, ‘No, I just — my life right now is so stress-free. Like I’m just super happy the way things are’ and then, they gave me the hard sell about how I would be such a blessing to the girls that are up and coming that used to watch me when they were little and they look up to me and then I could give a whole fresh perspective and they just gave a lot of reasons as to why I should at least give it a try," she said. (H/T: EWrestling)
According to several reports, WWE is happy with Holly's performance in her new role.
#3. Kenny Dykstra
Three years after kicking off his professional wrestling career in 2001, Kenny Dykstra signed with Vince McMahon's company. After spending two years in developmental, the 36-year-old made his main roster debut as a member of The Spirit Squad in 2006.
Dykstra's first WWE run ended two years later when the company released him from his contract in November 2008. Following his departure, he competed for several years on the independent circuit. However, he briefly returned to Vince McMahon's company in 2016 before returning again to the independent scene.
In April 2021, the former Spirit Squad member announced his retirement from in-ring action. A few months later, he reportedly became a trainer at the Performance Center. He has reportedly also become a producer on Monday Night RAW and SmackDown.
#2. Paige
After competing for a few years on the independent circuit, Paige signed with Vince McMahon's company in 2011. The 29-year-old spent nearly seven years as an active competitor before retiring from in-ring action in 2018 after suffering a neck injury during a match at a live event.
Since her retirement, the former Divas Champion has played a few different roles in WWE, including becoming SmackDown General Manager and manager of the Kabuki Warriors. However, Paige has been absent from television for nearly two years now. While many fans might think that she is no longer under contract with the company, she still is.
Last August, Paige revealed on her Twitch stream that her current contract with WWE would expire next June.
"My contract is up in June of next year. Who knows if they would want to give me a new contract? Who’s to say they would want to? If they did, I’d love to have Twitch as a part of the contract," she said. (H/T: Ringside News)
WWE recently moved Paige's profile to the active current superstars' column on the company's official website. The move sparked rumors of a near in-ring return for the former Divas Champion.
#1. Drake Maverick
After competing in various promotions, including IMPACT Wrestling (FKA Total Nonstop Action Wrestling) for nearly 16 years, Drake Maverick joined Vince McMahon's company in 2017. His first WWE run then lasted about three years.
Just three days after announcing him as a participant in the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament, the company released Maverick from his contract On April 15, 2020. Despite this, the former 24/7 Champion competed in the tournament. Although he lost to El Hijo del Fantasma in the final, Triple H surprised Maverick with a new NXT contract, which he signed immediately.
After getting re-hired, Maverick spent nearly another year and a half as an active competitor before the company let him go again in November 2021.
Although the company has released him twice in the past two years, Maverick is still under contract with WWE. Last February, the former 24/7 Champion was reportedly re-hired in a new role as part of the RAW creative team.
