With about a week remaining until their contracts expire, there has been no indication of progress regarding new AEW deals for Anthony Bowens or Max Caster. Both former members of The Acclaimed are set to have their contracts end on October 1. According to Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp, no negotiations have been reported, and it remains unclear whether new contracts will be offered to either wrestler.
Fightful initially revealed Caster’s contract expiration date in August and confirmed Bowens’ status on September 1. At that time, Bowens’ contract had not yet been renewed, and no talks had apparently begun—an update that remains consistent in the latest reports. No new developments have surfaced since then.
Bowens and Caster joined AEW in November 2020 and quickly became one of the promotion’s fan-favorite teams. They captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship from Swerve In Our Glory at Grand Slam in September 2022 and went on to win the AEW World Trios Championship with Billy Gunn from House of Black at All In London in 2023. The duo experienced a split, reunited briefly, and then separated again. Notably, they were named Most Improved in the 2022 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards, though their 2025 feud against each other was criticized as the Worst Feud of the Year.
This year, Bowens has maintained greater visibility, competing as part of The Opps alongside Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, HOOK, and Action Andretti. He has wrestled roughly a dozen matches in 2026, including a recent appearance on the Buy In pre-show at All In: London on August 30, where his team lost to The Rascalz and Lio Rush. That event marked Andretti’s official debut with the group after months of informal association.
Outside the ring, Bowens has represented AEW at various events such as red carpets, film premieres, and San Diego Comic-Con. Openly gay throughout his AEW tenure, he has been an influential LGBTQ figure on a major wrestling roster.
In contrast, Max Caster has not appeared on AEW television since December—his last match was in the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal on the December 17 Holiday Bash episode in Manchester, England. After their split, he embarked on a “Best Wrestler Alive” storyline but has been absent from TV throughout 2026, reportedly due to a lack of creative plans. Meanwhile, Caster has been active on the independent circuit during the remainder of his contract term.
It is still uncertain if either wrestler will re-sign with AEW. Back in 2019, Fightful reported WWE’s interest in Bowens, and he ended up in AEW after a key individual in the WWE process failed to follow through. Whether WWE remains interested now is unknown, and neither Bowens nor Caster has publicly commented on their contract situations.
The Acclaimed gained popularity with Caster’s freestyle entrance raps and their signature scissoring gesture, which became a fan favorite. Their tag team championship victory in front of a New York crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2022 and their trios title reign with Billy Gunn at Wembley—on AEW’s largest paid audience ever—highlighted their impact.
AEW has not made any comments about the contract situations. Should neither contract be renewed, both Bowens and Caster will become free agents on the same day.
Fan Take: This contract uncertainty is significant for wrestling fans because both Bowens and Caster have been key players in AEW’s rise and have cultivated passionate fanbases. Their potential departure could shake up the tag team and trios divisions, signaling exciting possible shifts in the wrestling landscape.
Source: wrestlingnews.co
