Austin Aries Says He Received A Six-Figure Contract Offer At The End Of 2018 But Turned It Down

Austin Aries talks with a local publication ahead of MLW’s debut in Wisconsin.

Major League Wrestling is set to debut in Wisconsin tomorrow at the Waukesha County Expo Center. Matches that have been announced for the show include Jimmy Havoc versus Teddy Hart, MJF versus Davey Boy Smith Jr., Sami Callihan versus Mance Warner and former 3-time IMPACT World Champion Austin Aries making his debut for the promotion in his home-state of Wisconsin. 

Aries went under the radar following his controversial exit from IMPACT Wrestling following their Bound For Glory pay-per-view in October of 2018. Aries was defeated by Johnny Impact for the World Title and immediately after the match was over, Aries jumped to his feet and left camera’s view without selling the back and forth match that he’d just been through. Aries did receive some contract offers after he departed from IMPACT including one that was six figures and Aries spoke about that during his interview with ‘Journal Sentinel’.

“Really, since I left IMPACT Wrestling – some people say controversially – I’ve been really laying low,” he said. “I’ve had contract offers. Even after (IMPACT) there was a six-figure contract on the table at the end of last year that I politely declined. MLW had contacted me previously about maybe wanting to come in and do some things with them, but it wasn’t the right timing. I just decided for the first half of this year just to reset. I’m also in the mindset that at this point in my career, I don’t really want to work for anybody. But I will work with anybody. Then I actually reached out to MLW and I said to them, ‘Hey guys, I know we talked a few months back and you had expressed some interest. It wasn’t really the right time. I said, ‘You’re going to be in my hometown. That interests me.’ I’m not motivated by money and I never really had been. I’m probably not motivated by a lot things that people think I am. But this was an opportunity to come back home and see my family and see my friends. That, to me, had a value that probably trumped anything creatively or monetarily, you know?’”

It was announced earlier this month that Aries was heading to MLW. The self-proclaimed “Greatest Man That Ever Lived” said that this last chapter in his book is about making sure people know the difference between Austin Aries and Daniel Solwold Jr..

“The people in Waukesha, they know the difference. The people there know my character. Not the character you see on the screen, but my character as a human being. There’s a lot of people in this business that have gotten my character and my character mixed up. This last chapter I’m going to write in this book of mine – and don’t worry, because I’ve got plenty left – is about making sure people know the difference.” He said.

Former two-time IMPACT X Division Champion Petey Williams gave a recount of the night that Austin Aries controversially “walked out” of IMPACT Wrestling during his Wrestling Perspective podcast and his podcast is available to listen to here on Fightful.