Real reason behind Samantha Irvin's two-year WWE non-compete reportedly revealed

The former WWE ring announcer is currently focusing on her music career.

In April 2021, Samantha Irvin kicked off her WWE career as a ring announcer. However, in October 2024, Irvin announced her departure from the company to focus on her music career.

Irvin recently shared an update that sparked major outcry among fans, revealing that she has completed the first year of her non-compete clause and still has one more year remaining.

“One year down, one year left on my non-compete! Can’t wait 😛 I hope you enjoy my songs in the meantime and look back on all the memories as fondly as I do! Love & miss you all and remember—I NEVER left FOR music, I am music. Hope to see you soon…..”

Fans were initially unaware of the two-year non-compete clause and grew furious with WWE for restricting her with such a lengthy agreement.

Samantha Irvin signed a new contract with WWE in early 2024

During a recent Fightful Select Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp reported that Irvin had signed a new WWE contract in early 2024, which included a significant pay increase but also a lengthy two-year non-compete clause that remains in effect until October 2026.

Ross added that the pay raise came with strings attached and WWE aimed to maximize their investment by featuring Irvin more prominently on television, frequently putting the camera on her during broadcasts in hopes of generating viral moments.

“Yeah, so she had signed a new deal, I believe, early 2024. She had told them she didn’t want to be a ring announcer anymore. But they offered her a significant pay raise.

But with that pay raise comes WWE, you know, obviously trying to make their money back on that. So that’s why you saw the camera on her face and all that. And then when they put the camera on her face, that leads to a lot of harassment and criticism and all that stuff. But they were trying to create viral moments with that.”

Sapp further stated that despite the promotion’s increased focus on her presentation, Irvin was not really keen on continuing the ring announcing role. Sapp notes that despite all that, the lucrative deal proved too tempting to refuse, and by doing so, Irvin also accepted one of the longest non-compete clauses WWE has issued in recent years.

“They pulled a lot of talent—ring announcing talent—from the road and had her doing more. And she didn’t really want to do the ring announcing anyway.

And from what I understand, she was very flattered by the deal, but when she took it, she took it with a pretty hefty non-compete as well. And that non-compete is halfway through now.”

Sapp clarified that Irvin’s contract wasn’t intended to facilitate a move to another promotion; it was focused on her stepping away from announcing, not leaving wrestling entirely. However, her two-year non-compete ensures that fans won’t see her return until late 2026.

After the non-compete expires, Sapp suggested that Irvin might make a comeback in a new capacity, potentially even managing her real-life partner Ricochet, once her contract restrictions expire.

“But maybe in October 2026, we’re talking about her managing Ricochet or something. But also, like—it was put out there by WWE that she left to pursue music. But that wasn’t it. Like, she’d always done music.”