The pro wrestling industry is a strange bird. No, I’m not talking about The Gobbledy Gooker. The Gobbledy Gooker is a strange bird, too, but I digress. The business of professional wrestling is weird. That’s the point.
While other somewhat-but-not-really comparable industries like professional basketball, or football, etc. make contract length and salaries public, pro wrestling just doesn’t work that way, and for good reason. There is nothing to gain from releasing this information, but aside from that, knowing the exact date when certain contracts expire is a good way to ruin a storyline.
If everyone knew Scott Hall and Kevin Nash were leaving WWE before they invaded WCW, how much less interesting would that storyline have been? It was a different era that pre-dated everyone having the internet, so while some knew about it the information wasn’t as wide-spread, but the point remains.
With that being said, wrestling contract details do leak out from time-to-time, and we’ve got our hands on several of those details thanks to a list compiled by Fightful.
WWE
Brock Lesnar: After WrestleMania 34
Mauro Ranallo: June 2017
Daniel Bryan: September 2018
Paige: 2019
Big Show: February 2018
NJPW/ROH
Young Bucks: Through 2018
Jim Ross: January 2018 (AXS NJPW broadcast)
Jay Lethal: Through 2018
Kenny Omega: January 2018
Rocky Romero: January 2018
Flip Gordon: Spring 2018
Impact Wrestling
Ethan Carter III: Summer 2018
Moose: July 2020
Lucha Underground
Prince Puma: 90 Days after Season 3 Lucha Underground finale
There are a few fascinating cases here. Daniel Bryan has been teasing a return to the ring as soon as his contract expires, so if he goes through with that, you can expect to see it next October. If dirt sheets are to be believed, Brock Lesnar is on a collision course with Roman Reigns for WrestleMania 34, after which his contract is supposed to expire.
All of those NJPW expiration dates are fascinating if you’re hoping to see more of the Bullet Club in WWE. Big Show has already hinted at his retirement and based on the details here, February 2018 appears to be the cutoff.
And now you won’t be surprised when any of that happens!
