WWE, AEW Rumors on Kevin Owens' Contract, Bryan Danielson, Charlotte Flair at 'Mania

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

Latest on Kevin Owens' WWE Contract Status

While rumors are running rampant regarding Kevin Owens' contractual status with WWE, very little is truly known about where the former universal champion stands.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestleTalk), there are several different stories out there about Owens, including "multiple people in wrestling" saying they believe he has already re-signed with WWE, but is keeping the information a secret.

Meltzer noted that other rumors include that Owens is close to re-signing or that he could even potentially leave WWE for AEW in January.

In an interview with Metro's Alistair McGeorge back in May, Owens noted that his WWE contract was set to expire in early 2025, leading to plenty of speculation about his future.

There was some thought that KO would consider leaving WWE for AEW since he is real-life friends with AEW stars The Young Bucks and Adam Cole, but WrestleVotes (h/t Aidan Gibbons of Cultaholic) reported this week that they were told Owens was "very close" to re-signing with WWE and may have already had a handshake deal in place.

Owens has recently been part of a compelling storyline, as he attacked Cody Rhodes after Bad Blood. The incident did not air on Bad Blood, and it instead made the rounds on social media.

WWE has a voided talking about the incident on Raw and SmackDown and Owens has not been given the opportunity to explain himself, but he doubled down on his heel turn by attacking Randy Orton as well.

Putting Owens in such a reality-based storyline that blurs the lines could be a sign that he has re-signed and is getting built up for something significant.

Given that Owens has long been one of WWE's best and most consistent performers, it would be a major coup for the company if it indeed has or does sign him to a new deal.

Updates on Bryan Danielson's Health, AEW Plans

Bryan Danielson competed in the final match of his full-time wrestling career last weekend at WrestleDream, dropping the AEW World Championship to Jon Moxley in the main event.

After the match, Moxley's Blackpool Combat Club attacked Danielson and suffocated him with a plastic bag, which was seemingly AEW's way of writing him off television.

According to Meltzer (h/t WrestlePurists), Danielson is dealing with neck issues and is set to undergo another MRI after a recent MRI showed "damage all the way down his neck."

Surgery reportedly may be required to fix Danielson's neck, but there is hope he could potentially undergo stem cell therapy to fix the problems instead.

It was also reported by Meltzer (h/t WrestlePurists) that the original plan for Danielson's final match as a full-time wrestler called for him to drop the title to Darby Allin at WrestleDream.

Instead, after Mox initially turned on Danielson at All Out, he beat Allin for his title shot and then beat Danielson for the title since AEW wanted to "jump-start interest" in the product.

Moxley and the BCC wreaked havoc on the AEW locker room this week on Dynamite by attacking several wrestlers, which suggests the BCC will be a chaotic and dominant force moving forward.

As for Danielson, Fightful Select (h/t Craig Ballantyne of Inside the Ropes) reported after WrestleDream that while Danielson is not under contract with AEW anymore and is technically a free agent, AEW is hopeful he will occasionally wrestle for the promotion when he is able to return.

Charlotte Reportedly Planned for Top WrestleMania 41 Match

Charlotte Flair has been out of action since December due to a torn ACL, which suggests she could be nearing a return in the near future.

While it remains to be seen how she will be reintroduced when the time comes, WrestleVotes (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) reported this week that Charlotte is "going to be in the fold and at the top of any women's wrestling card that they present for WrestleMania."

Charlotte is already the most decorated women's Superstar in WWE history, having won 14 women's singles titles on the main roster, as well as the NXT Women's Championship twice and the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships twice.

During her career, Charlotte has typically always been a big part of WrestleMania and has faced many of the top stars in the women's division, including Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Asuka, Ronda Rousey and Rhea Ripley.

There is no reason to believe that trend will come to an end at WrestleMania 41, especially since there are plenty of excellent options to go up against her.

One that stands out quite obviously is reigning WWE women's champion Nia Jax, who is also the Queen of the Ring.

Since Charlotte has long referred to herself as The Queen, Nia would be a logical opponent for her once she returns.

It won't be a shock if WWE saves Charlotte's return for the Royal Rumble in February and even has her win her second career women's Royal Rumble match, as it would potentially set the stage for a WrestleMania match with Nia if she is still champion by then.

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