On Tuesday night, Willie Mack expressed his frustration on X.com about receiving no bookings from AEW or ROH in 2026, calling himself a “Homeless Superhero,” which led some to assume he had departed the company. However, Fightful Select reports that the veteran wrestler does currently remain under contract with the promotion. Still, his deal has reverted to a “tier zero” per-appearance agreement after two years on a full-time, salaried agreement. The reasons for the change are unclear, though he has not wrestled for either AEW or ROH this year, with most of his bookings coming via JCW.
“Willie Mack is still under AEW contract, but it’s different than the contract he has been on in recent years. We’re told that Willie Mack was on a “tier zero” contract when he first joined AEW, which is basically a paid per appearance gig. However, he was moved to full-time the last two years, which is a salaried position. We’re told that recently, Willie Mack was put back on a tier zero deal. We’ve not got context as to why that happened, but he’s effectively on a per appearance deal.” – Fightful Select
AEW employs a flexible tiered contract system to manage its roster efficiently. Tier 0, often called an “Agreed to Appear” deal, functions as a per-appearance arrangement. Wrestlers receive a signing bonus and a number of dates, while AEW has the right of first refusal on external offers. This low-commitment option suits emerging or part-time talent and allows indie bookings. Higher tiers offer full-time salaried positions with increasing pay and perks, culminating in premium deals for top stars. The structure has helped AEW rapidly build its roster while keeping costs under control and allowing talent to take indie bookings if they wish.
