WWE News: Raw Superstar rejects new deal, confirms WWE exit

What's the story?

There has been lots of speculation surrounding the future of Rhyno in WWE lately, with recent reports suggesting that his contract is set to come to an end in July 2019.

Speaking in an interview with Chris Van Vliet, the former SmackDown Tag Team champion confirmed that he has rejected a new deal and explained the main reason behind his decision to leave.

In case you didn't know…

Rhyno made his wrestling debut in 1994 and began to establish his name with a wider audience between 1999-2001 when he became one of the top stars in ECW.

He went on to feature in WWE’s ‘Invasion’ storyline in 2001, joining forces with WCW and ECW roster members as part of The Alliance, while his early days in WWE are also remembered for his appearance alongside Edge & Christian in the memorable TLC Triple Threat match at WrestleMania X-Seven.

After leaving WWE in 2005, the former Hardcore champion appeared for promotions including Impact Wrestling and Ring of Honor before he returned to WWE as part of NXT in 2015.

From there, he moved back to the main roster and formed an unusual alliance with Heath Slater which led to them winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. However, the tag team has hardly featured on WWE programming since losing against Jinder Mahal & The Singh Brothers on Raw in December 2018.

The heart of the matter

Although he is still officially a part of WWE’s Raw brand, Rhyno was recently advertised as a new member of the ICW roster.

Clarifying the reports regarding his current status, Rhyno told Chris Van Vliet that he is contracted to WWE for the next two months and he will then begin to work on the independent scene again.

He added that WWE offered to double his salary but he rejected the contract because he would like to compete in more matches.

“July 17th is my last date there. They actually offered me more than twice my downside [guarantee] but it wasn’t where they would have to use me because the downside is so large. It wasn’t about money – it was about me wanting to be on the road working.”

What's next?

As ICW advertised on social media, Rhyno will become a part of their roster later in 2019.

From WWE’s storyline perspective, the ECW legend’s departure means Heath Slater will likely be on the lookout for a new tag partner.