Karrion Kross’ time with WWE has come to an end, or so that’s what many believe. Now, a new report has revealed that those within WWE aren’t quite ready to believe the former NXT Champion is truly gone for good.

The belief is that Kross will return to the promotion, according to Wrestling Observer Radio. The report adds that talent within WWE are of the opinion that his exit is a work, though nobody can say for certain whether it is truly all for show.

Kross and Scarlett’s WWE contracts expired on August 10, and both have since publicly stated that they are no longer with the promotion. While Scarlett has already taken a booking, it is possible WWE would allow this to ‘sell’ the idea that the pair are gone, if it is a work.

The topic of WWE blurring the lines when it comes to talent exits has become more prevalent in recent years. Ron Killings has repeatedly denied that his release in 2025 was a work despite returning days later. Instead, Killings has claimed that the wealth of support by fans eventually forced WWE to bring him back.

Time will tell what’s to come for Kross and Scarlett and whether their exits from WWE are what they appear to be. For now, some within WWE are dubious of the claim.

Karrion Kross is no longer with WWE as he and the promotion failed to come to terms over a new contract. Kross’ exit comes mere months after his captivating promo following a match at WrestleMania 41.

The promo in question instantly had fans talking and reports sprang out about backstage reactions and so-called heat. Appearing on his YouTube channel, Kross made clear that what he had to say did not get him in trouble.

“They’re like ‘That was amazing.’ I said ‘Thank you, are we good?’ And he [Triple H] said ‘We are very good! That is nuts. That’s the guy!”

Kross’ promo, in which he discussed creative frustrations, had fans wondering if he had ‘gone into business for himself.’ It appears that those within WWE were similarly unsure as Kross felt the need to make things clear.

“I said before I left ‘Guys, please make sure everybody knows this was a work. Let them know I’m not actually mad, I love it here.’ I’m just doing my job. I have to create compelling things for the audience to believe.”

Despite his words taking the wrestling world by storm, this didn’t lead Kross to a bigger role in WWE or championship gold. Whatever Kross has to say next, it will take place beyond the scope of a WWE camera.

Karrion Kross has openly criticized WWE’s creative process, voicing his frustrations with how management handles talent input and on-screen opportunities. Kross, alongside his wife Scarlett, both left WWE on August 10, 2025, after they and WWE failed to come to terms over a new deal.

According to Kross, being a “good soldier” in WWE—someone who follows direction without pushback—can easily backfire. Instead of being rewarded for being reliable, a ‘good soldier’ like Kross instead sees their TV time reduced or their ideas shelved.

Kross’s remarks highlight a common frustration among WWE talent: the struggle to have creative contributions taken seriously in a tightly controlled environment. While WWE has allowed for more creative freedom since the exit of Vince McMahon, many talents on the massive roster continue to struggle o find a regular spot on programming.

Kross earned high praise from fans for taking the initiative and expanding his character online through his own creative ideas. Despite this abundance of creativity, as well as fan support, this didn’t lead to many significant wins or any championship gold on the main roster.

While Kross and Scarlett are gone from WWE, they now have the chance to explore their creative ideas more than ever.

WWE’s Karrion Kross has revealed his contract expires on August 10th, expressing profound frustration over what he describes as disappointing negotiations despite his recent surge in fan popularity and organic support.

In a candid interview, Kross disclosed that despite approaching WWE about renegotiating in January, substantive discussions have been minimal. “My contract is up August 10th,” Kross stated. “I expressed interest to renegotiate in early January with WWE. Like I think it’s crazy. It’s like preposterous that anyone would think that I wouldn’t want to be here or like go somewhere else.”

The timing is particularly notable given Kross’s unprecedented organic fan movement and increased merchandise sales. However, he revealed his disappointment with the negotiation process: “So many many months have gone by and never had a single conversation about it until recently. And I don’t even feel like the conversation I had recently was like an actual serious one.”

The conversation, according to Kross, “made me really angry because I just didn’t feel like it was a real conversation. Someone had contacted me and we had briefly discussed it. It was a very short conversation and the conversation was done and there wasn’t really anything that was discussed of real substance.”

Despite the apparent lack of progress, Kross emphasized his commitment to WWE and desire to remain with the company. “I would love to stay with WWE. And I’d love ideally to finish my career there. I really would. I don’t know what’s going to happen, though.”

The uncertainty comes at a time when Kross has experienced an unprecedented surge in fan support, described by industry veterans as organic and reminiscent of historic WWE fan movements. His situation represents a significant talent retention challenge for WWE amid an increasingly competitive wrestling landscape.

With the deadline rapidly approaching and his SummerSlam positioning, Kross’s future remains uncertain despite clear fan investment in his character and his expressed loyalty to the company.