The nature of Karrion Kross and Scarlett’s departure from WWE last month was defined by a breakdown in contract talks, culminating in a rescinded offer after Kross requested the data behind the company’s valuation of him. Now a free agent, Kross has outlined the principles that will guide his future negotiations, stating that he and his wife, Scarlett, are not automatically a package deal.
During a recent appearance on The Wrestling Classic, Kross explained their position on future employment opportunities.
“Not necessarily,” Kross said when asked if they must be signed together. “Her and I, as long as the deal is fair and with respect and can be discussed with logic and rational communication, we’re open to working in and out of whatever is being offered.”
This stance directly reflects the issues that led to his WWE exit on August 10. In the final week of his contract, Kross was presented with an offer that carried a 24-hour deadline and did not initially include a deal for Scarlett. According to Kross, the offer was withdrawn by WWE after he asked to see the analytics and metrics used to determine his value.
Kross elaborated on what he considers “rational communication,” emphasizing the need for transparency regarding a performer’s financial contributions to a company.
“If you come to me and you offer me something and you tell me that we’re going to exclude all of this information…that the revenue I’m generating for the company is not relevant to the conversation, well, some of my friends are dead or have broken their necks doing this,” Kross stated. “I don’t want to be laid up somewhere in a hospital bed one day thinking about terms that I accepted when you told me that and I didn’t feel comfortable with it.”
The departure was preceded by months of what Kross perceived as creative frustrations, including being pulled from the 2025 Royal Rumble at the last minute and an abrupt halt to the storyline involving The Final Testament. The circumstances led to widespread speculation that their exit was a storyline, a rumor Kross has repeatedly dismissed. He confirmed the departure was legitimate, noting that the ambiguity was preventing other promotions from contacting him.
Since leaving WWE, Kross and Scarlett have already appeared for Game Changer Wrestling on August 23. While Kross navigates free agency, Scarlett has also revealed she is training for an in-ring return, having last competed in December 2024.