The backstage reaction to WWE opting not to renew Dijak’s contract with the company has been revealed following his announcement.
Earlier today, WWE star Dijak announced on Twitter that WWE had opted not to renew his contract, and he was set to become a free agent tomorrow (June 28).
In an update from Fightful Select, Dijak was notified that the company would not be re-signing him at some point after his WWE Speed match against Xavier Woods that was filmed in the last two weeks, but it is not known when the company made the decision that they would not be renewing his deal.
Dijak spoke to Sean Ross Sapp in an interview that he has theories that WWE had been planning to let his deal wind down for a while.
Throughout the past few months as Dijak’s contract began to run down, Fightful was told by numerous sources within WWE and NXT that Dijak was well liked and praised by officials in the company, and was originally planned to challenge for the NXT Championship prior to his call up to the Raw brand during the Draft.
Fightful also notes that Shawn Michaels was a big supporter of Dijak’s, despite the two having some minor disagreements about creative differences in the past, with Dijak noting in his interview with Sapp that Michaels called him directly to welcome him back to NXT, and Dijak would fly there for weeks at a time for training.
When Fightful enquired about Dijak not being utilised on screen, they did not get an answer, though talent spoke to expressed surprise that he was not a regular on the Raw brand, with Dijak himself noting to Sapp that he could tell something was afoot when he wasn’t included in Raw plans for the first few weeks after the Draft.
Since his call up, there were several weeks where Dijak was not brought to tapings, and his plans were often shifted between Main Event and Speed tapings on the weeks he was present, with him never being planned for a Monday Night Raw appearance.
It was reported by sources close to Dijak’s camp that early negotiations had begun recently, with them being positive preliminary negotiations before the official negotiations began. Following these negotiations, WWE did not reach out again until Dijak was notified his contract would not be renewed, with no serious negotiations taking place over a new deal.
Those within the company that Fightful spoke to were shocked that the company did not make an attempt to negotiate with Dijak, with one former WWE talent noting that 20 years ago, he ‘would have had a job until his legs fell off’.
There is interest in and outside the world of wrestling in Dijak, with him likely to have very little issue receiving booking following the expiration of his contract, with major companies said to have been in contact with his management to gauge interest.
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