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What's the story?
WWE CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon is not savvy on letting people go, especially wrestlers who go above and beyond for the WWE, past or present. Therefore, it's no surprise that some of these key names from WWE's past may be locked in new deals very soon.
In case you didn't know...
Some of the key names mentioned as part of this signing are Ric Flair, Booker T. and Hulk Hogan.
Booker T. is a Class of 2013 WWE Hall of Famer, former five time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, ten time WCW Tag Team Champion with brother Stevie Ray in Harlem Heat, among so many other accomplishments.
Ric Flair is the sixteen time former World Champion from NWA, WCW, and WWE respectively. A two-time WWE Hall of Famer. His list of accomplishments and accolades deserve an article of their own, quite frankly.
Same can be said for Hulk Hogan. Love him or hate him, Hulk Hogan is to WWE what Babe Ruth is to the world of baseball. Hulk Hogan is a former twelve time World Champion from WCW and WWE, respectively. A Class of 2005 WWE Hall of Famer. The list goes on and on.
The heart of the matter
As previously reported by Ringside News (http://www.ringsidenews.com/2018/12/09/wwe-set-lock-several-legends-exclusive-contracts/), the WWE is looking to lock-in these legends, along with potential other big names.
This is to be taken as a general course of action, rather than a direct result of what may happen with the impending announcement of AEW in the near future, or other wrestling promotions for that matter.
Vince McMahon is not very keen on letting anyone go and likes to have legends on call when needed, whether it be for special one-off appearances, matches, guest spots, or authority figures.
Typically, they're signed to one year deals, with the idea of having these deals either extended or renewed from year-to-year.
What's next?
Booker T. and Ric Flair continue to make on and off appearances on WWE television, especially for WWE Network specials or live event kickoff shows. Hulk Hogan is set to sign a non-wrestling deal with WWE soon as well, so whether this will play into things with his impending contract remains to be seen at this time.
