As reported earlier today, TNA released a statement on ImpactWrestling.com claiming that AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows had “agreed upon and signed” a handshake and written deal to come into TNA, only to have them cut off communication and then say they would not be honoring that commitment. Obviously this is big news with Styles expected to debut next week for WWE, possibly as soon as the Royal Rumble, and Anderson and Gallows expected to join WWE soon as well. PWInsider has new details on what went on behind the scenes, including why TNA released their statement.
According to the site’s sources, TNA began talks with Styles in November to try and bring him back. TNA had more money available due to Kurt Angle’s deal expiring and several TV deals coming into play in January. That allowed them to make a play for Styles, who they felt was their “Sting” in terms of a specifically TNA-branded star and embodiment of the company. TNA believes that bringing him back in a big way would be a major boost to their new TV deal and show that things were really starting to turn around for them. Styles was not under contract to New Japan when any of this happened.
TNA reportedly had “daily discussions” with Styles in November and December, with the idea of bringing Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson thrown into the mix. Both were looking to leave New Japan over several reasons, including an issue with the Bullet Club’s merchandising revenue. Gallows was not under contract, while Anderson was (and still is). A storyline was come up with in which Styles would return and then, when Anderson was clear of his commitments to New Japan, he and Gallows would follow.
According to the sources in TNA, the three wrestlers met with Dixie Carter, John Gaburick and others at a “summit” at Carter’s Nashville home on December 14th. One source in the company said, “It could not have gone better as a meeting.” Creative plans were decided on, as were start dates and even a logo for the group. Styles was set to begin in January and the whole thing was expected to be a major part of TNA’s storylines for the first half of the year. A contract was presented, after which the three met privately and came back with some amendments that TNA agreed to. Styles contract was said to be for “at least” three years and an additional year option.
The TNA sources are adamant that all three signed agreements, as did TNA officials, that would bring them in. There were no lawyers involved…and that was where it went downhill. According to the site, when Styles’ agent/lawyer got wind he had a bad reaction. He was against the deal and talks between Behrens (a former TNA employee) and TNA and long-form contracts were being drawn up by TNA as the holidays hit.
TNA bought plane tickets to bring Styles into the Pop TV tapings, with the plan being for him to secretly shoot pre-tapes at a hotel that would be inserted into the show. The idea was to have a huge surprise and play on the idea of a “surprise announcement” that Kurt Angle had signed with the company going forward. Styles would then return to the ring during the UK tour.
According to TNA, they then never heard from the three. Texts and calls were not returned and the storyline became useless. Behrens later contacted the company and said they would not be moving forward with the deal, which TNA was stunned by since they thought it was all handled. Styles not coming back was particularly “mind-boggling” because they thought they had retrieved the “TNA Original” only to see him vanish from their grasp.
After all this, word hit that the three were going to WWE. TNA’s sources say that they have yet to hear from Anderson or Gallows but that Styles did talk to them and say he was going to do what was best for his family. There is a lot of frustration from TNA about being cut out when it came to communications and having done business “the right way” only to get screwed. That led to the public statement.
At this time, the company has not made a decision whether to pursue legal action. Whatever TNA has said, the only way to prove anything is with the actual documents with the signatures. If TNA decides not to pursue legal remedies, there’s no reason to think that may happen. One source in the company said that the statement was in part because TNA didn’t want to be seen as just having “let” their TNA Original walk into WWE without having made a good faith effort to bring him back into the fold; they wanted to get “the truth” out there.
Of course, the timing of it happening before the Royal Rumble is eyebrow-raising; whether that was specific or not isn’t known, but as Styles may debut at the PPV it has to be considered as a possibility.
It is worth noting that this is all from TNA’s side. Styles, Gallows and Anderson’s side of the story has yet to be heard and all that we have so far is a statement via Behrens that “No contract was ever finalized nor signed by the parties.”
Opinionated View- So lets make this clear this from Pro Wrestling Insider a page that love to bash TNA. So if they had any reason to claim "TNA is lying" you know they would. This makes AJ and Behrens look really bad.
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