Top TNA Star’s Contract Set To Expire
A main event performer in TNA Wrestling is set to become a free agent if a new deal isn’t reached.
The TNA Final Resolution PPV featured Nic Nemeth defending the World Title against AJ Francis. While Nemeth retained the title, Francis got to show that he’s a main event level performer who could perhaps be a future World Champion in the company.
Francis had a good performance against Nemeth, but his future in TNA appears to be in question. Prior to his TNA run, Francis was known as Top Dolla in WWE.
It has been reported by Fightful Select that AJ Francis’ TNA contract is set to expire at the end of 2024, which is just two weeks away. Since TNA did television tapings after Final Resolution, Francis has already worked his final contracted dates with the company.
While Francis’ future is unknown, Fightful added that the company and Francis enjoyed working together, so an extension with TNA is a possibility. It was added that wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer pushed for Francis to get a shot in TNA and Dreamer is a key person in helping to run the company.
Since joining TNA, Francis held the Digital Media Title in the company and has been paired with KC Navarro for part of his run.
TNA’s AJ Francis Interested In WWE Return
AJ Francis is a former NFL player who joined WWE with the name Top Dolla in early 2020. Top Dolla was part of the Hit Row group name with Isiah “Swerve” Scott (Swerve Strickland in AEW), Ashante “Thee” Adonis and B-Fab.
In late 2021, Francis was released by WWE and then he was brought back in August 2022 when Triple H took over for a “retired” Vince McMahon. In September 2023, after not being used much, Top Dolla was released by WWE for a second time.
Recently, AJ Francis spoke about his desire to return to WWE soon.
“I would love to do some work at NXT and go back to WWE. That would be great. I’d love to be in a Royal Rumble, but they’ve got my number. They had it the two times they fired my ass.
“I’d love to help Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins and B-Fab. Because they seem to be getting jumped and getting their ass whooped. They need a little backup, you know? I’d love to come help Ashante too. You know, he’s got a little love triangle situation going on. I’ve seen how that pans out for a lot of men. So, I’d love to be there and have my brothers’ backs in that situation.”
Francis also had an idea for what he could do in NXT and even a rivalry with another “AJ” in the company.
“I think it would be cool to add another credible challenger for Trick Williams. Trick is in the middle of a great NXT title run, and it’s looking like he’s about to face Oba Femi, which is cool, but I’d love to wrestle Oba myself. There are a lot of things that could be really cool when I go back.”
“I’d also love to fight AJ Styles for the right to be named AJ, you know? There are a million things I could do, but at the end of the day, until they make the call…”
Whether AJ Francis returns to WWE again is unknown, but it does sound like TNA might have interest in bringing him back for another run in their company.