At a time when several TNA stars have their contracts slated to expire at the end of the year, one star has opted to stay with the promotion.
AJ Francis, aka Top Dolla, had his previous deal expire at the end of the year. However, he announced via an interview with SI.com that he has signed a new deal. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
After playing as a defensive lineman in the NFL, he signed with WWE in 2020 before being paired with Hit Row in NXT the following May. Hit Row was called up and placed on SmackDown in October 2021.
In November 2021, WWE released Francis, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, and B-Fab in November 2021. WWE later brought back Francis, Adonis, and B-Fab for a run on the SmackDown brand the following August.
In September 2023, Francis was let go, while Adonis and B-Fab remain signed to WWE. Francis would later join TNA Wrestling, winning his first title, the TNA Digital Media Championship in May 2024.
TNA Wrestling issued the following:
TNA Wrestling Re-signs A.J. Francis
TNA Wrestling confirmed today that it has re-signed A.J. Francis, as first reported by Sports Illustrated.
The former NFL player had quite the year in 2024, attacking Joe Hendry during his January debut and battling Nic Nemeth in December for the TNA World Championship at Final Resolution in Atlanta. The leader of Fir$t Cla$$, Francis won the TNA Digital Media Championship in June from Laredo Kid, his first title win in TNA. He also bought the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship, a title that was promoted in Canada for many years and had been retired since 1987, thus becoming a double champion in the process.
Francis played college football at Maryland, then was signed by the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. His pro football career also included time with the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins, among others.
Francis is in Orlando, Florida today, in conjunction with the annual Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, where the South Carolina Gamecocks battle the Illinois Fighting Illini. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. ET at Camping World Stadium and will air live on ABC, marking the first-ever football game between the Gamecocks and the Illini. The seventh-oldest collegiate bowl game in the country, the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl began as the Tangerine Bowl in 1947.
A.J. Francis is the Cheez-It Champion with its MVP Title.
TNA Wrestling presents Genesis on Sunday, January 19, at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas, part of the Dallas Metroplex. Tickets are on-sale at curtisculwellcenter.com.
Then, Francis and the stars of TNA Wrestling travel south to San Antonio for two live events. The action in the Alamo City features a LIVE episode of TNA’s flagship weekly TV show, iMPACT! on AXS TV on Thursday, January 23, originating from the Boeing Center at Tech Port. The TNA stars return to the Boeing Center at Tech Port on Friday, January 24, when all matches will be taped for future episodes of TNA iMPACT! on AXS TV in the U.S.
About TNA Wrestling:
A subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. and a division of Anthem Sports Group, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling® is one of the world’s top wrestling brands, producing over 200 hours of original content annually and televised in 200 countries including AXS TV in the United States. Founded in 2002, TNA Wrestling’s deep library of premium content is streamed across the world on key OTT platforms including Pluto TV, Roku SamsungTV Plus and its own on-demand subscription service TNA+©. TNA Wrestling has a powerful social media presence with over 10 million engaged followers across all major services. Ancillary businesses include live events, merchandise, licensing, and sponsorship.
