Frankie Kazarian has opened up about the pivotal moment in his career when he chose to leave AEW and the subsequent conversations he had with WWE before ultimately returning to TNA Wrestling. Now sitting atop the mountain as the TNA World Champion in 2026, Kazarian reflected on the gamble he took on himself at the end of 2022.
Speaking on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Kazarian revealed that upon his exit from AEW, there was legitimate interest from WWE. The veteran wrestler had in substantial discussions with WWE, though timing and logistics prevented a deal from coming to fruition at that specific moment.
“They were very, very gracious,” Kazarian said. “Some really good conversations with them too… There was conversations, but logistically, it probably wasn’t going to work. I wasn’t like a signature away, but there were a lot of, like, really good conversations.”
Kazarian ultimately chose to return to TNA Wrestling in January 2023, a move that he announced with a passionate promo declaring he was “back for good.” It was shortly after this re-debut that he received a surprising message on his phone. Despite Kazarian choosing TNA over WWE, Triple H reached out personally to wish him well, a gesture that resonated deeply with the “King of TNA.”
“After that, check my phone as we do, because we’re all marks and we want to see what people are saying,” Kazarian recalled. “I got a text from Triple H saying, like, ‘Hey man, I know things didn’t work out and that’s cool. I look forward to you kicking ass. And when it’s time for us to do business together, let’s do it.’ And I’m like, he didn’t have to do that. He didn’t have to. He went out of his way just to say like, ‘Hey, cool.’ It’s a [Killer] Kowalski guy too, so — but that holds a lot of weight with me.”
Kazarian also touched on his decision to request his release from AEW, citing a lack of long-term vision for his character as the primary motivator. Despite having a lucrative contract, he opted to go with TNA instead.
“Obviously, they probably didn’t see anything long-term in me,” Kazarian explained. “Which was astonishing, because I was like, why would you re-sign me for very good money for another three years? And if they didn’t see anything, I get it, of course, that’s how it is. Look, I could probably still be there today, doing what I was doing. But I’m much, much, much happier where I am now.”
The decision to bet on himself has paid dividends. Kazarian is currently enjoying his first reign as TNA World Champion after defeating Mike Santana for the gold on the November 13, 2025, episode of TNA iMPACT!. He successfully defended the title against JDC at Final Resolution last month and is scheduled for another title defense tonight, January 1, 2026, against Bear Bronson on iMPACT!.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
