WWE aplica novas restrições aos talentos sob contrato do NXT UK

It has come to light following this weekend’s NXT UK tapings in Liverpool that several members of the roster have been given new contracts. The new deals will see an increase to the wrestlers’ annual salary (we do not know figures at this stage) but will prevent them from working for any other promotions in the UK.

This directly contradicts previous WWE statements at the launch of the brand that there would be “no restrictions” on talent and that WWE were not “the big bad wolf” coming into the scene and signing talent to stop them from working elsewhere.

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The terms of the new contracts prevent NXT UK talent from working anywhere else except for the partner groups, giving WWE exclusivity on its roster. These changes are perhaps a response to the disappointing houses NXT UK has drawn for recent tapings, with only a reported 600-800 in attendance on each night of the Liverpool events this past weekend, far less than the venue capacity. The logic behind this is that if a fan can pay £10 to see the stars of the show at a local indy group then they are unlikely to pay significantly more to see them at NXT UK.

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More interestingly, NXT UK talent will not be permitted to wrestle against anyone contracted to ROH, Impact, NJPW, WOS or any other major promotion. Previously this had not been the case. This applies immediately, meaning any previously booked and advertised matches pitting NXT UK talent against wrestlers from any of the aforementioned groups need to be changed.

Fightful escreveu:

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reports that WWE has the option to buy and shut down their UK partner promotions at any point over the next several years. Meltzer reports that it would cost WWE in the "high six figures" to purchase certain companies. WWE currently has working agreements with European promotions PROGRESS, WXW, and ICW.