The WWE has seen so many departures from its talent ranks in the past year, it’s become a major talking point amongst wrestling fans anytime rumors of contract negotiations or deals spring up regarding major stars. Unfortunately, it appears the time to discuss contracts is up for one major wrestling star, as multiple outlets are reporting that longtime superstar Cesaro is now officially out of the company, and it’s hard to believe.
Details on Cesaro’s departure came via Fightful Select, where it's said that the decision to leave was actually on Cesaro, and wasn't something the WWE necessarily wanted to happen. Allegedly the WWE offered Cesaro a new contract to sign, which the wrestler declined. Cesaro was previously working through a one-year extension deal, which has now expired. And with no new contract anchoring him, he’s out of the WWE.
An extremely interesting detail tied to this news is that, because Cesaro wrestled the past year under a contract extension, he reportedly doesn’t have a non-compete clause hindering him. This means that should a company like AEW want him to appear at a house show tomorrow, or any day in the near future, he’s theoretically free to do his thing. That’s not something the WWE would like to happen, one would imagine, but given the circumstances, it appears there’s little the organization can do about the situation.
While it is indeed exciting to hear that Cesaro left the WWE and might go to a place that ranks him a little more highly and justifiably amongst its roster, it’s still unbelievable he’s gone from the WWE. Cesaro debuted there back in 2012, and he’s been a presence on the weekly TV shows for the bulk of his run in the company. Losing him feels like a big loss to WWE, even if he never quite reached the heights that his fellow athletes have achieved.
Cesaro is just the latest wrestler to depart the WWE, and as usual, the big question is where he’ll end up next. Perhaps unfairly, Cesaro never achieved status as a legitimate main event wrestler in the WWE (especially in an era where the company regularly brings in part-time talent), though it’s fair to say fans believed him to be just on the bubble of guys in the mid-card that could make that jump. He's held multiple smaller-scale WWE titles throughout his career, and has been lauded for his athleticism and ability in the ring. In short, it seems like he’ll be a desirable piece for any wrestling organization willing to take him, but we’ll just have to wait and see who bites.
Cesaro is done at the WWE for now, but some of his best matches are still available to stream for anyone with a Peacock Premium subscription. I’m definitely interested to see where he’ll wrestle next, especially if he’ll join friends like Adam Cole (who left in a somewhat similar manner) over in AEW.
