WWE Rumors on New Bayley Contract, Interest in AEW's Anthony Bowens, Brock Rechsteiner's Future

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Bayley Reportedly Believed to Have Re-Signed with WWE

Amid constant rumors about her contract situation and pro wrestling future, Bayley reportedly may be staying put in WWE.

According to False Finish , people within WWE believe Bayley has signed a new contract with the company, and the expectation is that she will be more involved moving forward with other aspects of the company beyond simply being an on-screen talent.

It was previously reported by PWInsider.com (h/t False Finish ) that creative pitches had been made for Bayley, and she was expected to return to WWE programming "very soon," likely within the next few weeks.

Contract rumors regarding Bayley have persisted for quite some time, as Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Julien D'Alessandro ) reported last month that it was believed her WWE deal was set to expire in January.

Given the manner in which she has been utilized over the past couple of years and the fact that her close personal friend, Mercedes Moné, is the women's world champion in AEW, there was some thought that Bayley would consider jumping ship in free agency.

On top of that, WWE's stability has been called into question recently with the departure of longtime veterans such as New Day and Sheamus.

Despite that, it sounds as though Bayley is not only in line to remain with WWE, but she will see her overall responsibilities increase as well.

Few people are more central to the overall advancement and success of women's wrestling in WWE than Bayley.

A member of the Four Horsewomen, she is one of the most decorated women's Superstars in WWE history as a four-time women's champion, two-time women's tag team champion, one-time women's Royal Rumble winner and one-time women's Money in the Bank ladder match winner.

On top of that, the 37-year-old veteran is now starting to cultivate the future of women's wrestling with her Lodestone camps, which could prove highly valuable to WWE in terms of finding and signing the top women's wrestlers of tomorrow.

WWE Reportedly Showing Interest in Bowens

Former AEW world tag team champion Anthony Bowens is reportedly on WWE's radar.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlePurists ), WWE has shown "at least some interest" in signing Bowens.

That tidbit comes on the heels of Fightful Select (h/t Fightful's Jeremy Lambert ) reporting this week that Bowens' AEW contract is set to expire within the next month.

Bowens is best known as formerly being one half of The Acclaimed with Max Caster, who is also set to see his AEW deal expire in October, per Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp .

The 35-year-old Bowens had a 140-day AEW world tag team title reign with Caster from 2022 into 2023, and the duo also held the AEW World Trios Championships along with Billy Gunn for 238 days from 2023 to 2024.

During that time, The Acclaimed were one of the most popular acts in AEW, but the decision was made in early 2025 to split the team up.

Neither Bowens nor Caster have found their footing individually, which is likely why there is uncertainty surrounding their future with AEW.

Bowens as a singles wrestler or Bowens and Caster as a team could make for an intriguing addition for WWE, particularly as part of the NXT brand.

As one of the few openly gay wrestlers to ever compete in a major promotion, Bowens brings added value, as he is able to connect with a portion of the audience that has often been underserved in pro wrestling.

On top of that, Bowens is an impressive athlete and strong in-ring worker, making him a logical target for WWE.

Latest on Rechsteiner's Potential WWE Future

Another member of the famous Steiner family reportedly could be on their way to WWE soon.

Brock Rechsteiner, who is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Scott Steiner and nephew of WWE Hall of Famer Rick Steiner, is expected to sign with WWE if he does not catch on with an NFL team soon, according to Meltzer (h/t WrestlePurists ).

Rechsteiner, 23, played college football at Jacksonville State as a wide receiver from 2021 to 2025, recording 36 receptions for 383 yards and five touchdowns in his final season.

He signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent, but he was waived prior to the start of the 2026 NFL regular season.

Complicating matters is the fact that Rechsteiner was suspended six games by the NFL for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

The suspension could prevent teams from bringing in the 6'2", 225-pound wideout, and if that proves to be the case, joining WWE would be a logical next step.

Rechsteiner's cousin, Bron Breakker, is currently in WWE as a reigning world tag team champion and former intercontinental and NXT champion.

It would make sense to pair them up or have them feud with each other at some point should Rechsteiner take to pro wrestling as seamlessly as Breakker did.

Rechsteiner would likely start off in NXT, but if he is anything like Breakker, it may not take him long to reach the main roster and establish himself as a future star.