The Young Bucks' future in AEW is reportedly uncertain as their current contracts may be their last

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The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported this week that AEW EVPs Matt and Nick Jackson, better known as The Young Bucks, may currently be working under the final contracts of their respective in ring careers. Meltzer specifically noted that Matt Jackson, now in his 40s, has previously considered stepping away from wrestling entirely, and that both brothers have made enough money over their careers that continuing to wrestle is now more of a genuine choice than any kind of financial necessity.

The timing carries real weight given how central The Young Bucks have been to AEW's entire identity since the promotion launched back in 2019. Their popularity and their proven ability to build a personal brand well outside the traditional WWE ecosystem were major factors in AEW actually becoming a viable national wrestling promotion in the first place, and their innovative, high flying tag team style effectively became synonymous with the entire company's in ring product from day one. Across AEW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Ring of Honor combined, the duo have racked up an impressive 15 tag team championship reigns over the course of their careers.

Meltzer was careful to frame this specifically as retirement speculation rather than any suggestion the pair might jump to a rival promotion like WWE instead. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, he acknowledged that people often say something like this ahead of a contract expiring, only to end up staying once enough money gets thrown at them to make it worth reconsidering, leaving real uncertainty about what Matt and Nick will actually decide once their current deals quite do run out. Their current contracts reportedly date back to 2023, suggesting an expiration sometime around 2027 if the deal followed the same four year length as their earlier ones.

In the more immediate term, The Young Bucks are set for a dream match at AEW's All In event at Wembley Stadium this weekend, challenging Adam Copeland and Christian Cage for the AEW World Tag Team Championships. A win would give them a fourth title reign together, breaking a current tie with FTR for the most tag title reigns in AEW history, a fitting potential milestone regardless of how much longer their in ring careers actually continue beyond this specific current contract

The Young Bucks Future in AEW Reportedly Uncertainwww.si.com

[ScarletDaemon]

Curious whether AEW has any kind of concrete succession plan already in motion for whenever The Young Bucks do eventually step back from the roster, whether that's now or several years down the road. They've been such a really foundational part of the tag team division specifically for so long that replacing that particular presence won't be simple or straightforward at all

[Nina26]

15 combined tag title reigns across three different major promotions is a truly remarkable career achievement on its own merits, regardless of whatever actually happens next with their contract status specifically. Whatever they ultimately decide, that specific body of work already speaks entirely for itself

[Storm52]

Meltzer's own caveat about people always saying this kind of thing and then staying anyway once enough money gets thrown at them feels like the single most realistic, grounded part of this entire report. Especially believable that both things can be true here simultaneously, real retirement consideration existing alongside a real chance they ultimately re sign anyway

[MidTable]

Being financially set for life clearly changes the entire calculus here compared to a typical wrestler working purely out of financial necessity. Nice position to actually be in, choosing to keep wrestling purely because you still remarkably want to, rather than because you still specifically need the paycheck to get by

[JayJ]

Hard to overstate just how directly tied The Young Bucks are to AEW's entire identity and brand as a company. If they actually do step away for good once these specific deals expire, that closes out a genuinely defining chapter of the promotion's whole history, not just one individual act leaving the roster

[FirewallBadger]

Meltzer specifically ruling out a WWE jump as the likely explanation here is the detail that actually matters most, rather than the more standard, predictable speculation people usually jump to first. Genuine retirement consideration reads very differently than quietly angling for a bigger contract somewhere else entirely

[Quarry57]

The All In match against Copeland and Christian this weekend takes on a real extra layer of meaning if this plainly does turn out to be one of their last runs at a championship. Would be a fitting, memorable way to potentially wrap up that specific chapter of their careers on a real high note