3 Wrestlers who turned down WWE contracts, and 3 who turned down WCW
For many young wrestlers honing their craft on the independent scene, their dream is to one day get signed to a major promotion. For years, the two biggest territories around were WWE and WCW, and though the Atlanta-based promotion is no longer around, WCW definitely had the money to compete with WWE.
Though working for either show would guarantee a wrestler the big bucks, there were some who had the audacity to turn down either the WWE or WCW. Whether it be out of loyalty, distrust, or family matters, these stars knew how to say no.
Here are three wrestlers who turned down huge contracts from WWE, as well as three who turned down huge contracts with WCW.
#3 Turned down WWE: Rhyno
The last ECW World Champion of the original promotion, Rhyno, has had a historic career.
After the extreme promotion closed, the Man-Beast from Detroit, Michigan did indeed join WWE, holding several titles before departing for a decade in 2005. Returning in 2015, Rhyno has continued his success, and though he hasn't been prominently featured in years, was one-half of the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Champions with Heath Slater.
This year though, Rhyno made headlines once more when he revealed he had turned down a contract to stay with WWE. Explaining himself, the former ECW star has said he hopes to train the next generation of wrestlers, and can't do that if WWE isn't putting him on the road with them.
With his final contracted date being July 17th (coincidentally the day fellow ECW Champion CM Punk's contract expired in 2011), it'll be interesting to see where Rhyno goes next.