Published: 1 hour ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 8 hours ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
Despite never having competed for the company, Necro Butcher has recently signed a WWE Legends deal, with further details emerging.
The WWE Nostalgia Agreement was revealed in a Facebook post shared by the star himself on October 6, who wrote:
“I have signed a basic legends deal with the WWE. The offer actually came in the day after I walked out of my job. The timing was ridiculous. Now, the door is open for various projects, which have already been discussed. But I’m taking things slow. What does this say about my career ? A man who never worked there. But he worked hard everywhere he went. And still will.
“I will NOT miss my scheduled shows and most definitely will NOT be making any apology videos or speeches. I’ve worked hard, both for myself and for my fans. Nothing was more important to me than credibility and believability. I hope this leads to more opportunities for guys who never got that call to the big time. This is OUR reward. Let’s enjoy this together.”
With a career that spans Ring of Honor, PWG, CZW and other independent wrestling companies, the signing of Necro Butcher may come as a surprise to some WWE fans, but the name seemingly behind it won’t:
What is a WWE Nostalgia Agreement?
Known to many as a “Legends Deal”, the WWE Nostalgia Agreement allows the company to use a past star’s name and likeness in a variety of ways, such as merchandise or in video games, and also occasionally sees them make live appearances at events.
Speaking to Forbes Breaking News in April, WWE President Nick Khan revealed that “over 100 stars” were signed to such deals, receiving compensation that is tied to the company’s licensing and merchandising.
But, Necro Butcher wasn’t a WWE star!
Necro Butcher competed across the professional wrestling scene, but never for WWE or any other the companies it would acquire over the years.
Despite this, he has indeed signed a WWE Legends deal, with PW Insider confirming that this was the case.
Why Necro Butcher?
Nick Khan.
According to PW Insider, “belief is Nick Khan spearheaded the deal.”
The update goes on to note this was similar to how a deal had been made with “New Jack’s estate a few years back.”
New Jack was included in a DLC pack for WWE 2K25, with the star himself having passed away in May 2021. Reporting on the inclusion, it was noted that Nick Khan had “recommended or suggested” the former ECW World Tag Team Champion.
The future for Necro Butcher
As the star himself notes, he is still an active competitor, with his most recent outings, at the time of writing, being at Primos Pro Wrestling Slave To The Deathmatch 17.
With no signs of slowing down, having been Hodgkin lymphoma-free since early 2012, it would be a bold move by WWE to try to tone down the star for their more family-friendly audience. Assuming Khan was behind the deal, he clearly knows what he has in the form of Necro Butcher and how to utilize the star, be it in merchandise, video game DLC or live appearances.
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