Photo: JP Yim
Former Universal Champion Kevin Owens has reportedly reached a new deal with WWE.
Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp reports Owens re-signed with the company on Wednesday ahead of his current deal expiring next month.
Sapp reports WWE sources confirmed "they were over the moon about retaining Owens" and "made it clear to him personally that they were eager to retain his services," adding that the multi-year deal was "an excellent offer."
Owens' current contract was reported to expire in January, leading to speculation that he'd leave WWE for All Elite Wrestling to join former 'Mount Rushmore' teammates the Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) -- who also serve as executives -- and Adam Cole, who recently signed with the company in September after his WWE/NXT contract expired in August.
AEW President, CEO, and general manager Tony Khan added to the speculation by teasing more signings ahead of Wednesday'sWinter is Comingspecial edition of Dynamite.
"I'm more than aware that there's a number of free agents out there, wrestlers I admire too, but I've got to say that you just have to keep watching over these next few weeks and not just 'Winter is Coming,'" Khan said via DAZN. "There's the 'Holiday Bash' special from Greensboro, North Carolina, that includes the Christmas Day 'Rampage.' We have the last ever episode on TNT followed by the debut episode on TBS. There's 'Battle of the Belts' coming in January. I want AEW to run shows that you just can't miss, and I think these next few weeks are going to be really exciting for fans of wrestling."
Owens was one of the top stars on the independent scene prior to signing with WWE in 2014, quickly becoming NXT Champion within months of his debut on the NXT developmental brand.
Owens made his main roster debut in May 2015, defeating John Cena in his pay-per-view debut at Elimination Chamber, before winning several other titles, including the Universal championship the following year.
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