NXT stars Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid have been denied their release from WWE.
The British duo, formerly known as the Grizzled Young Veterans on NXT UK, recently asked executive chairman Vince McMahon to let them leave the company six months before their contracts expire.
Vince McMahon has rejected Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid’s WWE release requestGetty
However, the wrestling giants refused to grant their wish and so both wrestlers will have to wait until October when they will officially become free agents.
The English pair took to social media to confirm the news and insist they will not be signing new deals with WWE.
Reid, who is now using his old James Drake name on Twitter, tweeted: “As of today, WWE has denied my request for my release.
“I want to thank you all for your support throughout my career, I’ll never take that for granted.
“My contract with WWE expires on 14th October 2023. I’m excited to share our next chapter, once we are free agents.”
Fowler, formerly known as Zack Gibson, echoed his partner’s statement with a similar post on Twitter.
The Liverpool native also thanked the fans and teased some big plans for the near future.
Fowler tweeted: “Today WWE have denied our release, which was requested on April 3rd. On 15th Oct ’23 we will be free agents again.
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“I personally want to thank all of our fans for your continued support, it means a lot to both of us especially during times like these! We’ll see you on the 16th!”
This comes after recent reports suggesting WWE superstars are planning to quit after the company’s merger with UFC and McMahon’s return on the wheel.
There is concern about the 77-year-old businessman becoming more involved with creative, despite previous indications that he will only be in charge of the “big picture”.