With roughly a week remaining before their AEW contracts expire, there reportedly remains no sign of movement regarding new deals for former Acclaimed members Anthony Bowens and Max Caster.
According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, the contracts for both Bowens and Caster are currently set to expire on October 1. Despite the approaching deadline, Fightful has not been told that negotiations have taken place or that AEW has decided whether new contracts will be offered to either wrestler.
Fightful initially reported Caster’s contract expiration date in August before confirming Bowens’ on September 1. At the time of the Bowens report, his deal had not been extended and there was no indication that negotiations had begun. The latest update suggests the situation remains unchanged.
Bowens and Caster signed with AEW in November 2020 and eventually became one of the company’s most popular acts as The Acclaimed, with Caster’s freestyle entrance raps and the team’s signature scissoring gesture becoming major parts of their presentation.
The duo captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship from Swerve In Our Glory at Grand Slam in September 2022 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Bowens and Caster later joined Billy Gunn to defeat House of Black for the AEW World Trios Championship at All In London in 2023.
The Acclaimed eventually split before reuniting last year, although their reunion proved short-lived and they subsequently went their separate ways again.
Bowens has remained the more visible of the two on AEW programming in 2026, becoming associated with The Opps alongside Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, HOOK and Action Andretti.
He has wrestled approximately a dozen matches this year, most recently competing on the Buy In pre-show for AEW All In: London at Wembley Stadium on August 30. Bowens teamed with Shibata, HOOK and Andretti in a loss to The Rascalz and Lio Rush.
AEW has also continued utilizing Bowens outside the ring, with the former tag team champion representing the company at red carpet events, premieres and San Diego Comic-Con.
Caster, meanwhile, has largely disappeared from AEW programming.
His most recent AEW television match came during the December 17 Holiday Bash edition of Dynamite in Manchester, England, where he competed in the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal. Following his split from Bowens, Caster had begun a “Best Wrestler Alive” storyline but has remained absent from AEW television throughout 2026.
Caster has continued accepting independent bookings during his absence from AEW programming, wrestling regularly outside the company while his contract approaches expiration.
There has reportedly been no indication of creative plans for Caster within AEW.
Bowens previously attracted interest from WWE before signing with AEW. Fightful reported that WWE planned to sign him in 2019, but he ultimately landed with AEW after someone involved in that process failed to show up. There is currently no indication whether WWE would have interest in Bowens if he becomes available.
Neither Bowens nor Caster has publicly commented on his current contract situation, while AEW has also remained silent regarding their futures.
Unless either contract is extended or a new agreement is reached, Bowens and Caster would both become free agents on October 1.
