On August 13, Karrion Kross appeared as a guest on The Ariel Helwani Show for his first in-depth interview discussing his <a href="https://cynicaltimes.org/category/wrestling-news/wwe/”>WWE departure, making it clear that his exit was not scripted. He detailed the timing of WWE’s contract offer, why he ultimately declined it, and the absence of any contract proposal for his partner Scarlett. Kross also addressed AEW’s lack of outreach so far and expressed his ongoing desire to eventually return to WWE.
Details Surrounding WWE Contract Offer and Decision Process
Kross revealed that WWE did not present him with a contract offer until the week his previous deal expired. He requested transparency on how the company arrived at their valuation, including any supporting data or analytics. According to Kross, WWE representatives refused to provide this information and imposed a 24-hour deadline to accept the offer before it would be withdrawn. When he insisted on having the necessary information to make an informed decision, WWE rescinded the offer.
“My contract was up last week. I never actually received an offer until last week. I got the offer. I wanted to know how they came to the valuation of that offer. Just some information, metrics, analytics, that supported, ‘Hey, this is how we got here.’ When I inquired about that, they weren’t willing to provide that information and told me I had 24 hours to agree to the offer or they would rescind it. The next day, we talked. I asked if they had the information, they don’t. I said, ‘I can’t make an informed decision without the information. I’d like to keep the dialogue open.’ They rescinded the offer. That’s where we’re at. I know how a lot of people feel when they make an exit. I can empathize with everybody’s experience. Every exit experience is different. This isn’t to disparage WWE, but because there are so many convoluted stories going on, and to some degree can affect our livelihood, of what we’re supposed to be doing after. People don’t want to reach out because they’re not sure if they are tampering. The goal has always been to be with WWE. My wife and I still want to be with WWE. I’m at the table for conversations. I did not step out of the conversation. We still want to be there and want to work it out.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
Financial Offer Clarification and Negotiation Challenges
Kross clarified that the offer was not below his previous earnings but emphasized the need for detailed rationale and information behind the valuation. He sought an open review of the data to ensure the offer was reasonable but did not receive anything to evaluate.
“No, but at the end of the day, when a valuation is being suggested, there has to be something where people can go to, information-wise, to say, ‘This is how we came to this. This is what we think makes sense.’ I asked to see that information. I still haven’t seen it. I want to see it. Let’s look at it together and decide whether this is appropriate or not. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
He reiterated that his approach was not to reject the deal outright but to assess all factors transparently before committing.
“I didn’t think of it like that. I was thinking, ‘Let’s assess everything together and see where we’re at.’ I want to make sure this is reflective, fairly, of what we have information-wise to look at.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
Communication Barriers and Lack of Direct Talks with WWE Leadership
Kross stated that although he preferred to negotiate directly with WWE executives like Paul “Triple H” Levesque or WWE President Nick Khan, discussions were instead conducted through lower-level representatives. He contrasted this with his previous contract process, which involved personal calls with Triple H and his wife.
“I would have loved to spoken to either of my bosses. When my wife and I came back, Hunter called us and we did our deals over the phone together. I was under the assumption we were going to do that again. We did them at the same time. Typically, I would not put somebody in front of me to talk to Hunter. I feel comfortable to talk to him in person. We would always talk that way.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
Current Free Agent Status and Industry Reactions
Now officially a free agent, Kross shared insight into the wrestling industry’s cautious approach toward contacting him, due to concerns about tampering rules. He stressed that his situation is serious and personal, not a game, while acknowledging his loyalty toward WWE given the opportunities it provided his family.
“I’ve been told through people, ‘Hey, what’s actually going on?’ They are telling me that people are concerned about making contact. At the end of the day, I’m not trying to turn this into a game. It’s not a game to me. It’s my life. I’m very big on loyalty; everyone knows that, but loyalty is a two-way street. WWE has given me and my family an amazing opportunity in the past to change our lives. I’m very interested in trying to recover what I think is easily recoverable. It takes two people to come together to talk about it. I’m still here.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
Speculation Over Moves to Other Promotions and WWE Umbrella
Kross addressed rumors suggesting that if he appeared in another promotion like Impact Wrestling (TNA), fans might assume it was part of a WWE storyline because of TNA’s connections. He acknowledged that the entire situation is confusing to many, including himself.
“Yeah, that’s what everyone is thinking. I’ve read it and seen it. Everyone is thinking I’m just going to pop up under some other company in the WWE umbrella. They are hoping I do because this seems to nonsensical to people. People are following the course of events to get to here and are going, ‘How did this happen? This must not be real because this makes no sense.’ Believe me, I also think this makes no sense either. This is baffling to me too. It drives me nuts that I have to admit that. It is baffling.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
No Contract Offer Made to Scarlett, According to Kross
Contrary to rumors, Kross confirmed that WWE never presented a contract offer to Scarlett. He noted that WWE had indicated plans to address her contract “after dealing with him,” but the deals could have been handled simultaneously as they were previously.
“There was no offer to her. I was told at one point, because I did inquire, ‘After we deal with you, we’ll deal with her.’ I don’t see why we couldn’t have done things the way we did them before where we do the deals together.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
Future Plans and Hopes to Return to WWE
Kross stated that although he has been contacted by various wrestling organizations and is exploring options, he is not actively seeking other big television companies, nor does he want to turn his career into a strategic game for monetary advantage. His priority remains reopening negotiations with WWE and resolving the situation.
“I’ve talked to many people across the board about doing a lot of different things. I have things that we’re lining up, my wife and I, we just haven’t announced dates. Nothing so far that we have taken on would necessarily interfere with coming back home to WWE. I’m not trying to turn this into a game, I know that can be advantageous for a lot of people. I don’t like to proceed like that. I will resent myself for proceeding that way, even if it’s monetarily beneficial to do that. I don’t want to do that. I’m still waiting at the table to finish discussing things we never got a chance to discuss. I think there is still a lot to talk about.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
He concluded by reaffirming his desire to explore further conversations with WWE rather than focusing on other companies.
“From attempting to recover the issue with WWE. I’m not fishing for any major television wrestling companies to call me. I have been contacted by several, but I’m not looking for that. I would like to explore the conversation more with WWE.”
—Karrion Kross, Wrestling Star
The Significance of Karrion Kross’s Departure and Industry Impact
Karrion Kross’s explanation sheds light on the complexities and frustrations behind high-profile contract negotiations in professional wrestling, highlighting issues of transparency and communication. His refusal to accept a deal without clear supporting data emphasizes a rare demand for accountability in negotiations. The absence of an offer for Scarlett further complicates their prospects as a couple in the business.
As Kross remains a free agent, the wrestling world watches closely to see if WWE reopens talks or if other promotions, including AEW, will extend formal offers. His insistence on loyalty and candid dealings could inspire a more transparent approach in future wrestler contracts. Ultimately, Kross’s story illustrates the challenges wrestlers face balancing career moves with personal commitments and professional respect within an industry marked by secrecy and shifting allegiances.
