Report: WWE Going Through "Unofficial Hiring Freeze"

In 2022, particularly following Vince McMahon’s “retirement”, WWE went on a spree of hirings. With Triple H in control of the on-screen product, he signed former WWE superstars such as Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Karrion Kross, Bronson Reed, Johnny Gargano, Tegan Nox, and many more, who had previously been fired under the McMahon regime. 

Fans with a keen eye may have noticed that WWE signings have stopped since the turn of the year, which just so happened to be around the time in which McMahon was steadily easing his way back into the fold in WWE. Per a report from Fightful Select, some sources don’t believe this to be a coincidence. The report states; 

“Several talent that Fightful have spoken with have claimed there's a "hiring freeze," and have speculated everything from Vince McMahon's return to a potential sale being the reasons. Nobody that we've spoken to have explicitly been told there's a hiring freeze, yet it's a term that constantly emerged.”

The report goes on to discuss potential hirings that may have been passed up on such as Jay White, Brian Cage, Authors of Pain, Nick Aldis and Tama Tonga. WWE’s interest in these wrestlers may still be present of course, but their hirings have perhaps been put on hold or abandoned throughout the WWE sale period.