kenny omega aew contract
source: @wrestlepurists, twitter, screenshot

In the wake of one stunning departure, what’s the status of Kenny Omega and his AEW contract? Plus, did Tony Khan and Cody Rhodes have issues?

Kenny Omega – AEW Contract

The company has already seen one high profile exit this week, so what is going on with Kenny Omega and his AEW contract?

For now, not much.

The former AEW Champion is taking time off to recover from some injuries. After his championship reign, it is time off he has certainly earned.

So if his contract expiration is not imminent…how long does Omega’s AEW contract have left?

It’s a question worth asking, with many AEW originals seeing their contracts come up for renewal.

We already know of one AEW original who is no longer with the company. So how long does Omega have left?

Per the Wrestling Observer, Kenny Omega’s AEW contract expires on or about February 1, 2023.

kenny omega aew contract

source: @wrestlepurists, twitter, screenshot

So, in a little less than a year, Omega would become a free agent…if nothing else changes.

Of course, between now and then, he and AEW may decide to put pen to paper and extend their existing relationship.

A pair of founding AEW executives, The Young Bucks, have already taken care of their new contracts.

However, not everyone has or will. AEW head Tony Khan addressed upcoming contract situations recently, and he was quite blunt.

As Khan noted, the reality is that AEW-not unlike any major sports franchise-simply will not be able to re-sign every performer.

Some will opt to not re-sign with the company. Others, the company will decide not to bring back.

We’ve already seen one high profile exit for AEW. Omega may decide to follow suit, but his decision is still close to a year away.

Tony Khan & Cody Rhodes Issues?

Speaking of that high profile AEW exit…were there issues with Tony Khan and Cody Rhodes?

As in, was there friction between two of the founding forces behind AEW, which contributed to Rhodes opting to leave the company earlier this week?

If indeed Khan and Rhodes had issues, it would explain at least some of the motivation behind the divorce.

Per a report out of WrestleTalk, the leader of AEW and it’s founding star had a bit of a falling out.

The site summed up a live discussion about Rhodes’ departure from the Observer.

One issue that caused a rift was the failed contract negotiations. Rhodes had been working as a free agent, effectively with a handshake agreement, all of 2022.

tony khan and cody rhodes issues

source: @wrestlingnewsco, twitter, screenshot

However, perhaps the biggest issue may stem from an interview Khan gave with Forbes.

In it, he referred to himself as the head man, the booker, the man pushing all the buttons.

Considering how much Rhodes did to make AEW a reality, such a bold statement in a public forum could have been taken as a major slap in the face.

Per the discussion, apparently Cody did take offense. While it might not be the reason for his exit, it certainly did not help.

So, it does seem that Tony Khan and Cody Rhodes had issues. How much those contributed to his exit remains to be seen.

We know that Rhodes is already talking to WWE, so a return to his former home seems plausible.

That would be interesting to see, considering the position Rhodes held within AEW…doesn’t exactly seem feasible in WWE.

Then again, perhaps The American Nightmare wants to focus on other things, and is fine with scoring a nice paycheck for less executive stress.

Share: 

Mentioned in this article:

More About: