Topic: MAJOR names headed to WWE

[KoppoKick]

Fantastic post.  If any of that comes true, then the next 6 months are going to be a lot of fun.  With so many injuries and changes needing to be made to Mania, this is the perfect time to shake things up. 

[Zandrax]

The idea of The Shield reforming to battle Balor Club is so amazingly simple.

[dasheight]

Shit might have just gotten real. Impact says they signed AJ, Gallows and Anderson before Christmas, but they all backed out. Nakamura wasn't involved with the negotiations. From the TNA website...

“A handshake and written deal between AJ, Drew, Chad and TNA was agreed upon and signed by all. Start dates were determined, creative decided, merchandise designed and plane tickets purchased. Over the Christmas holiday, and after the lawyers finalized the long form agreement, all communication with TNA stopped. AJ’s lawyer contacted TNA and stated the wrestlers had changed their mind and would not be honoring their commitment to TNA.”

[Zandrax]

I'm no lawyer, but if they did indeed have some sort of contract, that's Lawsuit City.

But then "written" may just mean a privately made note.

[dasheight]

What's most interesting is that TNA didn't release this information until all of the "AJ Styles in the Royal Rumble" talk started this week. If Dixie had some sort of signed legal deal as far back as December, they should have sent a cease and desist to Titan Tower when the first Bullet Club story appeared on WWE.com.


It screams 'publicity stunt' in my eyes. If you go to Impact's website (I had a direct link from prowrestling.net) all you see is a giant photo of AJ Styles. You have to click on it to read the story about the contract negotiations.

[dasheight]

http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/01/22/8777/


The Torch has an excellent timeline of the events between AJ Styles and TNA. In a nutshell, the negotiations were only with AJ to begin with, AJ brought in Doc and Karl, they finalized an agreement, but they never signed the actual contracts. WWE countered with a once-in-a-lifetime deal for the three of them (and Nakamura) which they couldn't refuse.


Again, the timing is interesting with the rumor that Styles might be in the Rumble. TNA trying to get one last rub off of one of their originals, I suppose.

[Zandrax]

http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/01/22/8777/


The Torch has an excellent timeline of the events between AJ Styles and TNA. In a nutshell, the negotiations were only with AJ to begin with, AJ brought in Doc and Karl, they finalized an agreement, but they never signed the actual contracts. WWE countered with a once-in-a-lifetime deal for the three of them (and Nakamura) which they couldn't refuse.


Again, the timing is interesting with the rumor that Styles might be in the Rumble. TNA trying to get one last rub off of one of their originals, I suppose.

Obviously I can't prove it, but my kneejerk reaction to this is maybe AJ played TNA to get a better WWE deal. nttawwt

[SupTool]

You can now officially add Austin Aries to the list as homeboy officially made his debut at the NXT tapings tonight

[EDGECRUSHER]

If the deal was signed, then TNA wouldn't be releasing a statement, they'd be releasing their lawyers to prevent these guys from appearing in WWE.

Styles said they had a deal in place, but TNA took too damn long to get things finalized and then WWE came in with a much bigger offer.

Aries is a good get for NXT, but they should let him know that shoving his dick in a Divas face gets him more than a slap on the wrist here.

[FreebirdSTF]

Check this out from Bill Behrens who is AJ's agent.


https://twitter.com/rohpittfan/status/690913087440826368

[EDGECRUSHER]

So basically, they acted like TNA. Promised something in person, did not reflect that on the written contract and took their time.

Why would anyone go to TNA? It just seems like such unstable work.

[FreebirdSTF]

You wouldn't think that putting this information out there is going to help them land free agents. 

If they feel they were done wrong then they need to sue.  If they aren't going to file suit then they should have left all this behind closed doors. 

This is yet another example of why TNA is the absolute worst.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Such limited options for a wrestler, TNA wouldn't eliminate itself from non-WWE wrestlers even if they shot one on live TV.

[Zandrax]

You wouldn't think that putting this information out there is going to help them land free agents. 

If they feel they were done wrong then they need to sue.  If they aren't going to file suit then they should have left all this behind closed doors. 

This is yet another example of why TNA is the absolute worst.

It just comes across as petty. What do they gain by doing this? So AJ backed out of an unofficial deal. This happens all the time in wrestling.

Even I question TNA doing this. And I'm fearful AJ is going to be depicted as hick country bumpkin "Augustus Jackson" who will be jobbing to Braun Strowman within six weeks.

[EDGECRUSHER]

No idea what they have planned for AJ, but they are paying him "can't walk away from" money, so they would be foolish to not utilize him. Wrestling audiences are expanded from the 90's, most everyone will know who AJ Styles is. No need to "Tyler Breeze" him.

[Zandrax]

No idea what they have planned for AJ, but they are paying him "can't walk away from" money, so they would be foolish to not utilize him. Wrestling audiences are expanded from the 90's, most everyone will know who AJ Styles is. No need to "Tyler Breeze" him.

They allegedly paid a bunch of money for ADR too. Look how he's been presented.

Still, worst case scenario I'll still be able to watch JR call AJ and Nakamura matches for the rest of the year on AXS.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Good point, WWE is fucking stupid.

Whatever, AJ will probably be happy to rest his body and be on TV less than Titus O'Neill and take his guaranteed money.

[Zandrax]

Nakamura officially announced for Takeover in Dallas on Mania weekend.

He'll be facing Sami Zayn. This is good because Nakamura in the end is a heel.