WWE is constantly on the lookout for brand new talent as they look to continue evolving and ensuring that they are the number one product in the world of professional wrestling, which is why independent talent is always being scouted. This is even more of a problem for the indie company's now that the popularity of alternatives to WWE is growing, meaning Vince McMahon needs to be more focused on his competition for the first time in years.
With WWE also looking to expand globally with new brands looking to pop up such as the NXT UK, the company is needing to scout even more superstars to continue its ever-growing roster. Right now WWE's roster is stacked with some huge names not even making the top of the card, but that doesn't mean they plan on slowing down as WWE looks to expand and bring in more and more superstars to dominate the business.
However, even though WWE is the biggest company in the world, that doesn't mean everyone wants to work for them, and a recent trend has seen some independent talent actually turn down Vince McMahon's offers.
Within this article, we will take a look at 10 independent wrestlers who might be set to join WWE when their contracts expire, and 10 who will likely turn down McMahon and his big money offers.
20 Will Join WWE - Dalton Castle
The former Ring Of Honor World Champion is likely to follow the same path of former champions such as Adam Cole and Kevin Owens down the NXT route and it is something that Dalton Castle certainly deserves.
As one of the most charismatic wrestlers in the world, Castle would certainly fit in well in WWE and he has the in-ring ability to back it up as well. Castle's contract runs out next year and therefore it might not actually be too long before we see this happen.
Castle has admitted in interviews that he isn't sure what he will do when his contract is over and that uncertainty could be a clear sign that he is at least considering a move to WWE when the time comes.
19 Will Stay Away - Jay Lethal
From one top Ring Of Honor star to another, only the difference here is that Jay Lethal is much more likely to stick with the company that has given him so much and as the current ROH World Champion, it is unlikely he is moving anywhere anytime soon.
For Lethal, the next time his contract expires may be the last realistic chance he has to jump ship and join WWE, but Vince McMahon hasn't made him an offer after all these years, so it's unlikely things are going to change.
Even though Triple H might be more inclined to bring someone of Lethal's experience into the company, it seems that Jay is dedicated to helping ROH continue to grow and that is where his time will be spent.
18 Will Join WWE - Flip Gordon
He might be incredibly close with The Elite group and a regular member on the Being The Elite YouTube channel, but Flip Gordon isn't an official member of the group, and therefore doesn't have the same "all together" mentality.
Gordon is one of the most talented upcoming wrestlers in the world and because of this, will attract attention from WWE at the first available opportunity and someone of his talent is certainly going to do well wherever he goes.
But don't get too excited if you're a Gordon fan, as the highflyer has only just signed a brand new deal with Ring Of Honor so it's going to be a while before he even gets the opportunity to join WWE.
17 Will Stay Away - Mark Haskins
It is very surprising that Mark Haskins has been overlooked for as long as he has, not just by WWE but other top promotions such as IMPACT Wrestling and Ring Of Honor as he really is one of the best talents in the UK.
It's because of fact that Haskins has constantly been overlooked that he will not be looking to join WWE anytime soon. Haskins seems determined to grow the UK wrestling scene as much as possible and is dedicated to the cause.
With the new NXT UK contracts restricting many of the top talents such as Pete Dunne and Travis Banks from performing at certain shows, the chance is now there for Haskins to become the biggest name in the country should he not join WWE.
16 Will Join WWE - David Finlay
David Finlay is quickly making a name for himself in New Japan Pro Wrestling as one of the best upcoming wrestlers in the world with a hard-hitting style and plenty of talent, he is a name WWE is certainly on the lookout for.
The fact that his father, the legendary Fit Finlay plays such a big role backstage in WWE is likely to influence this decision, with David likely wanting to work with his old man at some point in his career.
WWE sadly signed Fit too late on in his career to give him the major World Championship push that he deserved and the company will be keen to not make that mistake with his son, signing him early and getting the most out of him.
15 Will Stay Away - Joey Ryan
It simply makes sense for Joey Ryan to stick on the independent scene because with the gimmick he has, it's going to be impossible to work the same way in WWE's PG environment, meaning he would have to drastically change the way he works to ever join the company.
Ryan's gimmick is anything but PG and therefore WWE would force him to change up his act and it wouldn't quite be the same if that was to happen which might have a negative effect on Ryan's work.
On top of that, Ryan's star is only growing right now and he is in a position where he can earn more on the indies if he keeps doing exactly what he has been this past year, so don't expect him in NXT anytime soon.
14 Will Join WWE - Chris Jericho
It is impossible to call Chris Jericho an "independent star" as he is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and a guaranteed future headline WWE Hall Of Famer, but the past year has seen him work as an indie wrestler.
Jericho has joined New Japan Pro Wrestling for select dates, appeared at ALL IN and run his own shows on a cruise ship, spending the year doing something totally different to what the rest of his career has been.
However, it cannot be forgotten that at his very core, Jericho is a Vince McMahon guy, something that he has gone out of his way to state on many occasions, so expect him to be back in WWE next year for one final run with the company.
13 Will Stay Away - Cody Rhodes
As suspected, the WWE has in fact reached out to Cody Rhodes several times since he left the company in 2016. Cody has made himself into a bigger star than he ever was in the WWE, now that he has creative freedom with his character. Rhodes recently admitted that WWE reached out to him in recent weeks saying on Bruce Pritchard's Something To Wrestle podcast that he flat out rejected an offer from WWE recently.
Rhodes has stated than he plans on continuing to provide non-PG content for wrestling fans everywhere. While Rhodes isn't sure what the means yet, his flat out rejection of WWE's offer likely means he has far more he wants to accomplish on wrestling's indie scene.
12 Will Join WWE - Pentagon Jr.
It has been reported for months now that Pentagon Jr is going to be WWE bound as the luchador is someone very much on Triple H's radar as a future NXT superstar and it seems that the interest is mutual.
Pentagon has become one of the biggest stars in the world with his fantastic in-ring style and brilliant charisma and he is someone that would stand out from the currently stacked NXT roster, which is one of the reasons Triple H wants to sign him.
Pentagon does have commitments with Lucha Underground but once they are over it will not be a surprise to see him join the company and quickly become one of the biggest stars in WWE.
11 Will Stay Away - Hangman Page
Hangman Page has had one of the best years out of anyone on the independent wrestling scene with The Elite member growing in the ring and becoming a highly sought after talent because of that fact.
Rather than just being a member of the group that fans don't care about too much, Hangman has become of the fans favorites in The Elite and therefore it's not a surprise that WWE is incredibly interested.
The company has apparently already offered Hangman two contracts but Page has turned them both down as he prepares to continue working with The Elite on whatever their next plans are.
10 Will Join WWE - Joey Janela
One of the only indie wrestlers who can match the year that Hangman Page has had in 2018 is Joey Janela, who has managed to raise his name and star value to an incredible level with his risk-taking style of wrestling.
While he is currently sidelined with a lengthy injury, when that situation is over WWE could very well be placing an offer to one of the hottest stars on the independent scene and he could be more inclined to sign.
Janela is a risk taker but that isn't all that he is, inside the ring he is an incredibly sound wrestler and has tons of personality, making him a perfect candidate for a future WWE Superstar.
9 Will Stay Away - Jimmy Havoc
Much like Joey Ryan earlier in the list, the chances are that WWE is interested in Jimmy Havoc as he is an incredible talent, but the English wrestler has the same problem as Ryan in that his gimmick is anything but PG.
While he isn't quite as risque as Ryan, Havoc's character is incredibly hardcore and he is known for being in violent, graphic matches, something that WWE never does and therefore he would also be forced to change his gimmick a lot.
Even though Havoc has technically worked for WWE before, appearing at a WrestleMania Axxess when WWE worked alongside PROGRESS Wrestling, it is unlikely he is ever going to be a regular for the company.
8 Will Join WWE - James Storm
It seemed like James Storm was all set to become one of WWE's latest signings several years ago when the Cowboy rocked up at several NXT shows as a surprise talent with a big theme song and plenty of hype.
A contract was offered but in the end, he turned it down to return to IMPACT due to family issues, although he has since left the company again and gone back to the indies, spending a lot of time with UK company, ICW.
Storm has always stated he remained on good terms with WWE and therefore it wouldn't be a surprise to see Triple H make him another offer, hoping to bring his experience into the company to help younger talent.
7 Will Stay Away - Sami Callihan
Since leaving WWE's developmental system and NXT, Sami Callihan has once again hit his stride and gone back to what he does best, making headlines and putting on fantastic matches which have helped him become a main event star again.
In WWE, Callihan was watered down and his Solomon Crowe gimmick simply didn't work with getting him over with fans and therefore there was very little complaints when he was released by WWE.
However, given that he has so much talent, the company would certainly welcome him back but with Callihan making his name in IMPACT and elsewhere it is unlikely he will want to take another risk on WWE.
6 Will Join WWE - Juice Robinson
Whilst Sami Callihan might not be desperate to get back to WWE, Juice Robinson might have a different thought process as he is also on the company's radar again, despite being released from NXT.
Robinson has impressed WWE officials with the fantastic work he has done in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he has become one of the company's top stars, rising with his fantastic work ethic and brilliant matches.
Robinson is known for having a great attitude and that is exactly the type of person Triple H wants. On top of that, Robinson has now really improved his promo work and would be a great fit back in NXT, where he will likely appear whenever his contract expires.
5 Will Stay Away - Zack Sabre Jr
Despite the fact he is one of the best technical wrestlers in the world who WWE actively wants to sign, it is sadly a deal that isn't going to be happening anytime soon, if ever as Zack Sabre Jr is happy doing what he is doing in Japan and around the world.
Zack Sabre has worked for WWE in the past, taking part in the Cruiserweight Classic but then turned down the company's offer of a full-time WWE contract, which is why he was eliminated in the semi-finals.
It was a wise move in hindsight as 205 Live hasn't been the major success that the company had hoped for and Sabre Jr has been able to continue working at the very top level of wrestling instead.
4 Will Join WWE- Kota Ibushi
He might be incredibly close with Kenny Omega and therefore a lot of people seem to think that he will be following his Golden Elite member with whatever venture they decide to do next.
However, that isn't necessarily the case as Kota Ibushi is one of WWE's biggest targets which means the company will offer him a big money deal to join and will likely place him in a top spot as a main event star.
This is something that New Japan Pro Wrestling isn't doing, using him more of a mid-card talent whilst pushing other names such as Omega further in the main event scene, something that he will eventually want to change and a WWE offer could be how he does that.
3 Will Stay Away - Kazuchika Okada
It's clear by signings WWE has made in the past, especially since Triple H has taken over, that the company has its eyes on what New Japan Pro Wrestling is doing and therefore is well aware of Kazuchika Okada being, arguably the best wrestler on the planet.
With that in mind, it would not be a surprise to see WWE attempt to raid New Japan of its top star once again, only this time it might not work out the same way it did when the company took AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Gallows & Anderson.
Okada is very much New Japan through and through and is unlikely to turn down a new deal with the company who knows how important he is. On top of that, after seeing how things have worked out for Nakamura, Okada may have second thoughts about a WWE run altogether.
2 Will Join WWE - Tessa Blanchard
It is surprising that Tessa Blanchard hasn't already signed with WWE to this point after being part of NXT several times and then competing in the first ever Mae Young Classic, but in the end, Blanchard ended up working with IMPACT Wrestling.
Since not signing with WWE, Blanchard has gone on to become the number one female athlete outside of WWE after having an incredible 2018 that has been filled with brilliant matches.
Blanchard is a consistent performer and with WWE really pushing the women's division of the company then it would make sense they would want to sign the biggest name available to them, which is Blanchard.
1 Will Stay Away - The Young Bucks
While everyone seems to think that Matt and Nick Jackson are finally heading to WWE when their contracts expire at the end of 2018, all the signs are actually pointing to the opposite, that they will remain independent talents.
In fact, the current rumors are stating that they are not only looking to run another ALL IN show but to create an entire company themselves bringing the very best of the independent world together to bring an alternative to the wrestling world.
They will likely, one day, arrive in WWE with the brothers themselves stating they would like to work for WWE at some point. It's unlikely that it will be after this contract and therefore the Young Bucks will have to remain the best team outside of WWE.