Kevin Owens has lifted the lid on his decision to stay put and ink a new deal with WWE amidst speculation the star could have followed others out of the company.
Kevin Owens’ future has been uncertain for months now, but according to Fightful Select, WWE made an “excellent offer” to the Prizefighter in order to retain his services that Owens has agreed to. The report adds that sources said the company was “over the moon” that Owens is staying.
An additional statement within the report confirms that it was believed by many within AEW that the company wouldn’t realistically match what WWE would offer – but that would merely be speculation on the part of individuals while Owens was still under contract.
It was reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that Owens has penned a three-year deal with the company that could be worth in the region of $2-3 million per year to the former WWE Universal Champion.
Appearing on TVA Sports’ podcast Les Anti-Pods de la Lutte, Owens broke his silence on staying with WWE rather than following in the likes of Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole’s footsteps and joining AEW:
“I’ll just say that my contract still ends on January 31, but not 2022. I will still be in WWE for several years, The decision was pretty easy because it was the best thing for my family, really. When it comes to that, it’s always a pretty easy decision to take. WWE has been my home for seven years now, so I have a sense of belonging.”
“Basically, I spent the majority of my career here. When you look at all the wrestling companies I’ve wrestled for, in WWE, that’s where I’ve been the longest. That’s where I need to be for the next few years. That’s how I felt and that’s the decision I made.”
Kevin Owens will be hoping his new era in WWE gets off with a bang at Day One which takes place on New Year’s Day. Owens will challenge for Big E’s WWE Championship in a Fatal Four-Way match that includes Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley.