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WWE has had many main event-level superstars come and go over the years. The company did its best to sign certain wrestlers to multi-year deals, huge money-making contracts, and guaranteed deals.
However, most wrestlers stuck to their morals and simply said “no,” choosing to venture off in a different career direction.
Some would ultimately end up in the company down the road, even though the timing wasn’t right at the time for those stars to make the jump.
Today, we look at the seven superstars who turned down WWE contracts.
#7. The Beast Incarnate Brock Lesnar's Initial Departure
Brock Lesnar was known as “The Next Big Thing” for a good reason in the early 2000s. Lesnar was being built by the company to be their flagship star for the next several decades. When Lesnar decided to leave the company in 2004 to pursue a career in the NFL, this came as a shock to many in the WWE Universe.
Lesnar had grown tired of the demands of working in the company and was tired of the full-time schedule. After being an offered a multi-million-dollar deal to stay with the organization, he declined the contract offer and chose to try his hand at the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings in 2004.
After a successful career in the UFC later on, Lesnar would eventually make his return to the company in 2012, where he has remained with the company on/off for the past decade.
#6. Jon Moxley - A Paradigm Shift in Creative Direction
Current AEW World Champion Jon Moxley was a hardcore favorite on the independent circuit but became a household name as Dean Ambrose in WWE and as a member of The Shield. Despite being one of the top fan favorites in the company, WWE and Vince McMahon were seemingly never behind him 100%.
Before AEW’s launch in 2019, he was growing tired of his character’s direction in WWE and was unhappy with the company.
Moxley declined a new contract offer from the company and signed a deal with AEW, debuting at their first pay-per-view Double or Nothing in 2019.
#5. FTR said no to a comedic contract offer
Formerly known as The Revival in WWE, the team of Dash Wilder and Cash Wheeler (FTR) were built up in NXT as one of the biggest tag teams to emerge from the company.
However, once they reached the main roster, the team became a comedy act and jobbed out to the rest of the main roster.
Despite attempts from WWE to re-up their contract with more money, FTR declined those deals and were taken off the air as they heavily disliked their repackaged comedic angle.
FTR is currently working with AEW and ROH, among other wrestling organizations, as they currently hold multiple tag team championships throughout a multitude of wrestling organizations.
#4, #3, & #2. The Elite gave their WWE contract offers the "Superkick Party" treatment
Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks, collectively known as “The Elite,” were offered contracts with the organization. The Young Bucks were offered a deal in 2019 before AEW's first inaugural event, Double Or Nothing!
Matt and Nick Jackson had meetings with Triple H and were offered a contract that also included an escape clause of up to 6-months, which meant if they were unhappy, they could walk away from the company at any time. The Bucks would decline that offer.
Kenny Omega was offered a contract in 2019 and seemed to be very close to signing a deal with the company after a "fantastic" offer but ultimately turned them down and chose to sign with AEW.
AEW currently suspends all three following a backstage altercation involving CM Punk and producer Ace Steel.
#1. Sting - An Iconic Missed Opportunity at WWE WrestleMania X8 and XIX
Since the demise of WCW in 2001, Sting has been the only star that Vince McMahon and WWE could not sign. However, in 2002, he came extremely close to signing a contract with the company and was scheduled to face Kurt Angle at WrestleMania X8 at one point.
The deal never materialized, and he would go on to sign a contract with TNA (IMPACT Wrestling) instead. Sting would sign with the company in late 2014 and wrestled only two matches. Unfortunately, he was forced to “retire” after suffering a neck injury while wrestling Seth Rollins at the Night of Champions 2015.
Sting would come out of retirement and sign a contract with AEW in 2020, where he is currently wrestling at the age of 63.
