Naomi was in negotiations for new WWE contract prior to walkout

Prior to walking out of Monday’s Raw, Naomi was in negotiations for a new WWE contract.

On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer gave an update on Naomi’s contract status, noting that she had been in negotiations for a new deal.

“On Monday’s show, I mentioned [Naomi’s] contract. So, the deal is — and this was brought up to me as well — her contract, I guess it’s expiring soon, but she was in negotiations for a new deal,” Meltzer said.

Meltzer stated that most people in WWE who are signing new deals right now are getting substantial raises because — due to the competition between WWE and AEW — the salary structure for WWE talent has increased greatly.

It isn’t known what Monday’s walkout will mean for the negotiations.

Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks & Naomi walked out of Raw this Monday after taking issue with the planned creative direction. They were scheduled to be part of a six-pack challenge on the show to decide Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair’s challenger for Hell in a Cell.

Naomi was supposed to win the six-pack challenge and Banks was planned to start a feud with SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey, with Naomi and Banks both going on to lose their respective title matches.

WWE issued the following statement on Monday night after Banks and Naomi walked out of Raw:

When Sasha Banks and Naomi arrived at the arena this afternoon, they were informed of their participation in the main event of tonight’s Monday Night Raw.

During the broadcast, they walked into WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis office with their suitcases in hand, placed their tag team championship belts on his desk and walked out.

They claimed they weren’t respected enough as tag team champions. And even though they had eight hours to rehearse and construct their match, they claimed they were uncomfortable in the ring with two of their opponents even though they’d had matches with those individuals in the past with no consequence. Monday Night Raw is a scripted live TV show, whose characters are expected to perform the requirements of their contract.

We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight’s main event.

Banks & Naomi have been Women’s Tag Team Champions since winning the titles at WrestleMania 38 last month.