New Revelation Adds Fresh Drama to Karrion Kross’ WWE Contract Saga

Recent WWE programming has excelled at blending real-life incidents into on-screen storylines, adding an extra layer of realism and excitement for fans. A prime example is Seth Rollins’ knee injury angle, which many believed to be legitimate. However, it was revealed to be a ruse when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at SummerSlam to win the world title. But not every situation fits that mold. Enter Karrion Kross and his wife, Scarlett.

Despite being one of the best acts in professional wrestling recently, Kross is now navigating free agency after his WWE contract officially ended on August 10. Rumors had been circulating for months that the former NXT Champion would test the waters of free agency sometime this summer. On Sunday, Kross confirmed the news himself with a video titled ‘My WWE Contract Ends Today’ on his YouTube channel, announcing that both he and Scarlett Bordeaux are now free agents. 

The development has sparked speculation among fans, with some questioning the nature of the announcement and whether it might tie into a storyline or mark a genuine career crossroads. Amidst the confusion, Kross recently appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show to shed light on his contract situation with the company. 

No, I’m not answering questions today as a character. The truth of the matter is… my contract was up last week. I never actually received a contract, like an offer, until last week. I got the offer. I wanted to know how they came to the valuation of that offer. Just wanted some information, some metrics. When I inquired about that, they were unwilling to provide that information and told me I had 24 hours to agree to the offer or they were rescinding it.

Karrion Kross via The Ariel Helwani Show

.@realKILLERkross breaks down his negotiations with WWE:

"The truth of the matter is… my contract was up last week. I never actually received a contract, like an offer, until last week.

I got the offer, I wanted to know how they came to the valuation of that offer… When I… pic.twitter.com/fVmPMLAi4s

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) August 13, 2025

The former NXT standout revealed that WWE ultimately took back their offer without revealing any extra information, as Kross requested. 

So, the next day we talk, I asked if they have the information, they don’t. And I said I can’t make an informed decision without the information, and I’d like to keep the dialogue open. They rescinded the offer. That’s actually where we’re at.

Karrion Kross via The Ariel Helwani Show

Kross even confirmed that his wife, Scarlett, was never given an offer, with WWE stating they would only speak with her after reaching an agreement with him. The timing of his departure has fueled speculation, coming not long after R-Truth’s brief free agency in June. Like Kross, R-Truth’s situation was real, though fan outcry eventually led to the company offering him a new deal.

The 40-year-old emphasized that there’s no non-compete clause holding him back from working elsewhere, but admitted he still wishes he were appearing on WWE programming. This isn’t the first time Kross has found himself on the outside looking in. 

In 2021, he and Scarlett were released from WWE before returning in 2022. If he never comes back, his last match will be the final chapter of his trilogy with Sami Zayn, which concluded on Night 1 of SummerSlam with Kross losing the trilogy by 1–2. However, he was satisfied with the feud’s conclusion.

Karrion Kross sheds light on tensions with Triple H after his infamous WrestleMania 41 shoot promo 

As an NXT title holder before moving to the main roster, Kross was often seen as a future superstar, having thrived when Triple H was running the black-and-gold brand. However, Kross admitted that the two haven’t had the clearest conversations about where things stand now. 

He also revealed there had been some tension between them following his WrestleMania 41 shoot promo with Sam Roberts, in which he heavily criticized WWE higher-ups for not giving him enough opportunities. Although Kross later clarified that the promo was a work, it didn’t go over well with executives, including ‘The Game’. In the same interview with Helwani, Kross explained that many higher-ups took his comments at face value.

I let everybody know, let’s make sure this is somewhat protected from the audience, but let everyone know internally that this is a work… Sure enough, not everybody knew that that was a work. People were very upset with it because they thought it was real. We see people, specifically, like higher-ups, I’ll say higher-ups. They were offended.

Karrion Kross via The Ariel Helwani Show

Karrion Kross says Triple H was not okay with his viral promo after WrestleMania 41.

Kross had to explain to him that it was a work.

(via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/QE9QPl9Wn9

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) August 13, 2025

He confirmed that Triple H was among those upset. Wanting to clear the air, Kross decided to address it directly.

One day, I waited for Hunter outside the production meeting. Once it was actually brought to my attention that he was not okay with it, and I explained everything to him….So as far as I know, at that point, we were good….a lot of people like, I just lost my mind. I was just trying to do my job. That’s my job. That day was to make people believe like any other day.

Karrion Kross via The Ariel Helwani Show

With Kross now a free agent, it remains to be seen whether this situation is simply another work or if his time with WWE is truly over. Aside from discussing his contract situation, the 40-year-old also revealed that he has received several offers from rival promotions, but none from WWE’s biggest competitor, AEW, as they believe that the entire situation is a work and nothing else. 

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