4 WWE stars whose contracts are up in 2025

Wrestling contracts are usually fluid, as stars in WWE and AEW ink multi-year deals. If a performer's contract is set to expire, the beginning of a given year is a must-watch.

While the turn of the calendar to a new year is one of the big free-agent benchmarks in the industry, it's not the only one. Deals can expire anytime, depending on when both sides agreed to them.

With WWE heading into the biggest show of the year, several big names will be the focus of WrestleMania 41. Let's focus on four stars whose contracts are up in 2025.

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#5. Potential expirations, but just speculation

Several stars, including Johnny Gargano, B-Fab, Ashante Adonis, Dakota Kai, and Candice LeRae, signed in 2022, but the length of their deals is unknown.

Similar stars who re-signed in 2022 after releases, like Karrion Kross, inked three-year deals so that the others could end in 2025. Nikki Cross's contract was set to expire in 2025, but both sides reached terms for a new deal last spring.

There was much speculation about Shinsuke Nakamura's current contract after he dropped the US Championship to LA Knight. According to reports, however, nothing is concrete as of April.

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#4. Dragon Lee is allied with Rey Mysterio

Dragon Lee joined NXT when he signed with WWE in 2022. After a brief stint and run as North American Champion, he joined SmackDown and the LWO. The group moved to RAW and has been embroiled in a feud with American Made.

Rey Mysterio's influence is supposed to get the group over, but none of its members (Lee, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro) compete regularly enough to build momentum.

With many options, Lee could sign anywhere when his deal expires this year. He'd have interest from New Japan, Mexico, AEW, and nearly every other prominent promotion.

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#3. Karrion Kross has untapped potential in WWE

Will Karrion Kross pick up steam once WrestleMania 41 is in the books? (Image Credit: WWE.com).

Karrion Kross's current deal expires in the summer of 2025. Many speculated he was planning for life after WWE when he changed his social media handles to his old "Killer Kross" name.

The Harbinger of Doom has been in limbo since the beginning of 2025. The Wyatt Sicks, with whom he was feuding, were sent to SmackDown. Paul Ellering and the Authors of Pain were released.

He recently tried to corrupt AJ Styles but has primarily been used in backstage bits or post-show segments uploaded to social media. Kross's ability to tempt stars is unique in today's WWE.

Triple H must make more of a concerted effort to book the former NXT Champion. If not, he could leave when his deal is up this year.

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#2. The Miz is a future WWE Hall-of-Famer

One of the more shocking names whose deal expires in 2025 is the Miz. The A-Lister has been a loyal and reliable WWE employee for over 15 years.

He tests new stars and NXT performers making their main-roster debuts. While his act is essentially the same no matter who he feuds with, the Miz is an excellent heat magnet.

However, with better and more physical options like LA Knight and Ethan Page, could the former World Champion leave WWE once his deal expires? He could test his luck in Hollywood or eventually re-sign at some point.

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#1. AJ Styles could be winding down his career

AJ Styles is 47 years old and on the tail end of his career. His contract reportedly expires after WrestleMania 41, and his next move is up in the air.

Triple H should have booked him in a multi-star match for Bron Breakker's Intercontinental title. The two met face-to-face a month ago, but nothing came of it.

The Phenomenal One is among the most beloved stars in all of wrestling. Some think AJ could go to AEW, but he'd get lost in the shuffle. The audience could be witnessing the end of his career, but he needs a better final feud than Logan Paul.