WWE could lose ‘next Stone Cold’ as contract set to end days after SummerSlam ’embarrassment’

Karrion Kross might be on the verge of a breakout moment in WWE – or an unexpected exit.

The former NXT Champion has slowly carved out a new path in the company over the last year, despite being used sparingly on television.

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With a mix of ominous backstage promos, short but impactful in-ring appearances and growing support on social media, Kross has found himself at the centre of a rare phenomenon in WWE – a groundswell of fan support that appears to be happening in spite of his booking.

And now, fans fear the window might be closing.

According to Fightful Select, WWE higher-ups confirmed that the contracts of both Kross and Scarlett are due to expire this weekend.

The report states that “a new WWE deal hasn’t been offered to either of them”, and crucially, that the pair “weren’t informed that their contracts would be set to lapse.” As of Raw this week, Fightful added, neither performer was at the show or scheduled to appear.

The timing of the news has sent alarm bells ringing among fans, coming just days after Kross was featured in a rare singles match at SummerSlam against Sami Zayn – only his second appearance at a premium live event all year – the first only coming in June.

WWE fans fear Karrion Kross exit after SummerSlam moment

The finish raised eyebrows, too. After Zayn scored the win, the pair were seen in visible conversation in the ring, sparking intense speculation online that Kross was saying his goodbyes.

One fan asked bluntly: “What was that exchange after the pin fall?” Another wrote: “Karrion Kross has the backing of an Army and all the momentum in the world…. Tell us you’re not re-signing Kross without telling us…” A third added: “This can’t be it. This doesn’t make any sense. Can’t believe this. There is no way!!”

That frustration was echoed by others in the wake of the match, with one post summing up the mood as: “Total embarrassment that WWE are ignoring the support for Kross – this should have been a huge moment for him.”

While it may have felt like a quiet defeat on paper, industry voices are reading the moment differently.

Paul Heyman, a high-profile WWE personality in his own right and, crucially, a backstage producer, recently speaking with Ariel Helwani, drew a powerful comparison between Kross and three of the most iconic underdog heroes in modern WWE history – Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.

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“They made it a thing, and it’s not just the internet,” Heyman said of the reaction to Kross. “It’s the internet, it’s the live crowd, it’s the people that buy merchandise.

“He’s a tremendous performer and what an act he has with Scarlett. They are great together.”

Heyman went on to explain why the fan response is so powerful – because it’s not being manufactured.

Paul Heyman compares Kross to Stone Cold and Bryan

“Let me ask you this,” he continued, “if he were getting great opportunities, if he were the Intercontinental Champion or the US Champion right now, would he have this level of support from the crowd?

“It’s organic… the audience is calling for him to be a bigger star, and if we don’t deliver it on a timetable that an impatient audience is going to like, they’re going to get behind him even more, which is great.

“They’re making him a star. We’re not shoving him and Scarlett down anybody’s throat, the audience himself is making him a star, and indeed, perhaps, a top star, and he’s talented enough, so is she, to carry it.”

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Then came potentially a ray of light for Kross as Heyman compared him directly to Austin, surely not something a top WWE figure would do if the grappler was out the door this weekend.

“Reminds me of someone else by the way,” Heyman added, “that was in WWE that the audience felt: ‘This is our guy, we like his act, we’d like him to be a bigger star, why aren’t you making him a bigger star?…’ That guy’s name was Steve Austin. Daniel Bryan, too. CM Punk as well.”

For a man who once arrived on WWE’s main roster wearing gladiator gear and battling uphill from the moment he stepped on Raw, the current Kross story is playing out very differently, and it’s leaving Head of Creative Triple H with a tricky decision to make.

Yet without a new contract in place and no clarity on his future, the company may now find itself caught out by its own hesitation.

Stone Cold, Bryan and Punk each had a moment where the audience made the final call. Kross may never get his – but if this was his last WWE match, the fans might just have already made theirs.