Tyler Breeze Reflects on End of His Unique WWE Deal After 16 Years With the Company

Tyler Breeze believes his unprecedented WWE contract will never be replicated.

The 38-year-old performer announced this week that he is no longer under contract with WWE. During an appearance on The Certified Mark Show, Breeze clarified that his agreement actually expired at the beginning of August. Although he was initially released by WWE in 2021, he remained with the company under a distinctive arrangement that allowed him to serve in various capacities. The largely non-wrestling contract saw Breeze contributing to projects such as the UpUpDownDown gaming YouTube channel.

“My contract technically ended at the start of August. I was with WWE for 16 years,” Breeze explained. “I had a really cool deal. The deal that just ended in August, I was able to do WWE stuff, I was able to do independents, I was able to kind of do third-party stuff. I was able to do all this stuff. A one-of-a-kind deal that was never seen before and will never be seen again. I had great people in great positions who got that deal for me. And, again, it will never be done again.”

A prominent figure during NXT’s original “Black and Gold” era and later a fixture in the main roster tag team division, Breeze did compete in one WWE match while operating under this special contract. He faced Ethan Page during NXT Homecoming special in 2025.

Tyler Breeze’s wrestling future —

Breeze told The Certified Mark Show that, looking back, he perhaps should have pursued opportunities with AEW following his release from WWE in 2021. However, he genuinely enjoyed his time collaborating with friends on UpUpDownDown and wanted to continue his involvement with the channel. While he would welcome a position with AEW, he remains open to any opportunity that allows him to compete professionally.

“I’m open to AEW, I’m open to TNA, I’m open to Maple Leaf [Pro], I’m open to — whatever’s out there that isn’t WWE, I’m open to it. I’m not done wrestling. I’ve been wanting to wrestle. I’ve been wrestling on the independents for the past five years. There were a couple things that restricted me from wrestling on a TV company, but now I have no restrictions. So, yeah, 100 percent, I’m open to all of it.”

Beyond his in-ring work, Breeze also serves as a wrestling trainer, operating the Flatbacks school alongside NXT performer Shawn Spears in Florida.

Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated’s wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.

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