Summary

Nic Nemeth said his final WWE contract was structured to keep him from moving to AEW. He said this while speaking to Jonathan Coachman on Off the Ropes, and he added that his negotiation came after a year-and-a-half remaining on his agreement.

Nemeth was released in September 2023 after 19 years with WWE. He later said he signed on with TNA after the release and returned for one night during John Cena’s Last Match Tournament.

Nemeth’s claim gives AEW fans context for 2023-era talent retention battles

Mentioning that WWE kept him from AEW gives one immediate consequence: it frames his departure as part of a rivalry for major names, not simply a short contract reset after a long run. The interview also helps explain why he and the podcast audience are focused on his post-release timeline, because it links his year-and-a-half contract talk to his move to TNA.

Quotes

Quote from Nic Nemeth

"My last contract was to keep me from going to AEW. That was it. It was winked and not said, but it was completely understood. I go, I’m asking for this elaborate amount because I know you won’t pay me what I’m worth. I’m gonna make a move. I’m going elsewhere. They go, nope, we’ll do it. I go, ‘what? Okay,'"

Sources

As reported by Fightful.