Despite circulating reports of WWE’s potential interest in Mariah May and a prevailing belief within AEW that she is likely WWE-bound upon her contract’s expiration this year, recent information indicates her departure might not be happening soon.
Fightful initially reported that May’s AEW contract could expire as early as this summer. However, PWInsider.com has been informed that May still has “significant time” remaining on her current deal.
One source cited by PWInsider speculates that May’s AEW contract could run through November of this year, while another suggests it might extend even longer. May has been absent from AEW programming since the conclusion of her storyline with Toni Storm at AEW Revolution.
Regarding rumors that May requested her release shortly after this feud ended, PWInsider stated they have been unable to confirm the accuracy of that information. In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported a potential reason for May’s current absence.
He wrote, “Apparently, May made it clear at that time that she was not signing a new deal and so they booked it at that time for that reason.” The “at that time” likely refers to the period surrounding her match with Toni Storm at Revolution.
Meltzer noted that historically, when a talent makes it clear they don’t plan on signing a new deal with AEW or plan to leave, they often get sidelined and not used. He suggests May finds herself in this situation.
Meltzer further wrote, “There have been stories going around that she signed a two-year deal which will be up in a few months. What has happened in other cases (Penta and Fenix among them) is they want to start renewal talks and the performer seems to make it clear from those talks they aren’t signing. When that’s the case, Khan normally takes the person off television. We can’t confirm the time frame but can confirm that there has been talk in WWE regarding her coming in with it being known by key people in WWE the belief that she wants to come in. She’s another one whose dream had always been WWE, to the point that I was surprised when she first signed the deal with AEW out of Stardom, although her AEW stardom was her ticket to being pushed as a star from day one in WWE.”
May has yet to publicly comment on the situation.
