5 Superstars who turned down WWE contracts

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF then) from the last several decades has been the Mecca of sports entertainment, especially in North America. With the exception of a short period between 1996 and 1998, the WWE has ruled American wrestling with an iron fist.The WWE is often the dream, and a major goal for most professional wrestlers upon breaking into the business.However, not everyone has accepted WWE’s overtures for their employment. Some rejected contract offers due to money, others due to travel and others for political reasons. Some ended up back in the company, while less fortunate wrestlers burned bridges completely.Turning down a WWE contract doesn’t refer to being the end of the world although, it almost unanimously is a dent in anyone’s bank account. While some of these WWE stars came had a change of heart to eventually sign a contract with the WWE, they rejected the offer when they were at their prime.It is said that everyone has a price but at one time or another, the men mentioned here didn’t. 

#1 Kurt Angle

Many know Kurt Angle as a WWE and TNA legend. Angle was in the WWE for 7 years between 1999 and 2006. Some may not know, however, that Angle’s run in the company would have likely started a couple of years earlier, had he not only rejected the WWE’s contract offer– he ripped it up!

After his outstanding run in the 1996 Summer Olympic games, Angle was weighing his options following his win. While he settled on sports broadcasting in Pittsburgh, there was a major offer on the table for him from the WWE. Instead, he and his manager symbolically ripped up the contract, rejecting the company’s offer. Angle would go on to make a single non-wrestling appearance for ECW later in the fall.

In 1998, Angle was flipping channels and saw Stone Cold Steve Austin running amok on WWE programming, and quickly changed his mind about pro wrestling. Angle contacted Jim Ross to find out if the original contract offer was still available, but much to his dismay, wasn’t. Instead, a developmental deal was offered, and Angle made his way through the ranks, and became one of the greatest in-ring competitors of all-time.