Lucha Underground reportedly makes Ricochet a big offer, reigniting the debate on whether wrestlers should take a paycut to work for WWE

With their second season finale airing and the wrap-up of their third filming soon, Lucha Underground is trying to determine if they’ll have the services of the performer behind one of their central characters for future seasons.

According to Wrestling Observer, the company has offered Trevor Mann, aka Ricochet, aka Prince Puma, a multi-year deal for a “significant amount of money”. The belief is the contract would cover 4 - 5 additional seasons and allow him to continue working for New Japan and taking other independent bookings, putting him in a class with guys like Rey Mysterio and Jeff & Matt Hardy as the highest-paid non-WWE performers in the world.

LU reportedly wants an answer soon so they can determine their story direction for Ultima Lucha 3 and beyond.

Ricochet has been on WWE’s radar for some time, and the company is reportedly still interested. His is another case, however, like the Young Bucks and a few others have claimed in the past, where it doesn’t seem like an exclusive deal with the sports entertainment giant would be in the same ballpark as what he can make in LU and elsewhere.

In the same issue of the Observer, it’s noted that WWE’s offers to veterans it’s looking to re-sign to stock the post-brand split rosters “aren’t great”. Vince McMahon’s approach seems to be that the exposure his platform provides is a bonus, and there’s certainly a case to be made that’s true.

Compounding a difficult decision for the 27 year old Mann... even if he decides to leave Lucha Underground, his contract allegedly wouldn’t let him start elsewhere until after season three has aired - some time in 2017. Since he’s already allowed to work in Japan and on non-televised promotions in the States, he could probably continue to do so while in limbo, but LU would almost certainly block him from starting with WWE.

And all of this is before you even consider how the promotions will use him. Ricochet is widely considered to be one of the top workers in the world, but is he just another cruiserweight for the ‘E? Does he want to main event, as he’d almost certainly continue to do in the Temple, or is he okay being booked like Neville?

It’s a lot to consider.

What do you think he, or other top independent/international guys, should do? What do you think Ricochet will do?