The following highlights were sent to us from an interview with AJ Francis as a guest on The Angle with Joey Karni:
On if other wrestling companies should allow streamers to adopt his concept:
“No, I hope none of the other wrestling companies adopt this so we can 100% of the market share. I’m sure within the next 2 years everybody will do it and they’ll pretend that it wasn’t ground-breaking when I did it, just like they pretend that I didn’t help make Joe Hendry a star. They pretend that my contributions aren’t vital. When I became Digital Media Champion, I realized like there’s a market in digital media that’s not being used. And it’s the fact that every single streamer that streams TNA, they stream every other show and post clips from every other show. And that’s also how you can drive people to TNA+. People say it’s ahead of the curve, but it’s really not. Wrestling is just always behind.”
On TNA letting him be him and being the best “big man” in the world:
They let chefs cook. The problem is a lot of wrestling companies, the company wants to be the chef and that’s cool, it’s your company do with it what you want, but when you got somebody that’s go enough to do it, let em’ do it! Instead of forcing the mic in the hand of somebody who can’t control a segment on the mic. Let your talkers talk! I’m never ever going to out-wrestling Mike Bailey, it’s never going to happen, but he’s never gonna out-talk me either! I personally think and know that I’m the best big man in the world. There is not another big man in the world that possesses all the skills that I have.”
On wrestlers internet beef:
“I say what I want because these guys they don’t really be fighting. They know how to talk on the internet. All these wrestling that get the spicy talk oh I’m so tough in person it’s how you doing brother nice to meet ya. I say how I feel because that’s how I really feel.”
On a potential WWE return:
“Yea. I was talking to Paul Heyman and Triple H last week. I still am in communication with everybody there. The thing is, is that I’m just doing my own thing right now…”
On LA Knight & Joe Hendry being a “cornball”:
“There’s a reason why in those infamous, both times they did an Uncle Phil joke, LA Knight and Joe Hendry, they both did an Uncle Phil joke. There’s a reason why I didn’t have a mic in my hand. An Uncle Phil joke is very easy to come back with when the person you’re talking to is obviously a cornball. But there’s a reason why you don’t get to talk in those situations. The point isn’t to get yourself over, it’s to get that person over.”
On Natalya & TJ potentially joining TNA:
“Nattie & TJ come join First Class! You got a spot! I’m telling you that right now. Nattie and TJ are two of my biggest supporters. They’ve been nothing but nice to me. They’ve said nothing but nice things about me. They know how talented I am and they know that I got a raw deal… So Nattie & TJ, I’ve never been in a faction with white people before, but you know, they’re Canadian it’s like off white.”
On wanting to face Ricochet & Dijak for the Digital Media Championship:
“ Absolutely 100% Ricochet. I say this I stole it from John Crews who’s Serpentico in AEW. It’s “You can’t make a new move, Ricochet already exsists.” Ricochet is the guy. In my personal opinion, if we’re talking about in-ring ability, there’s nobody better than him. I would love to out this on the line against him. Me and him are very good friends. We’d have an absolute banger of a match. He’s so good and when you were lining this question up, I thought you were talking about Dijak. I don’t want to face Dijak for this because I don’t want to get ratioed and I don’t want to pretend that ratios matter in 2024, it’s not 2019, we need to grow up. Back to Ricochet, he’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest in-ring guy ever, in my opinion. I mean the way he sells, the way he moves, the moves that he does, it’s undeniable. They say the rumors are he’s going to AEW.”
On The Wyatt Sick6 and Taylor’s role:
It’s amazing. It’s awesome man. What they’re doing is amazing and the little psychotic break promos they’re amazing and not only shuts up any people that have any like, they’re answering all the questions about everything like do you think you’re stealing your brother’s legacy or like how did you feel when your brother died? It’s like, these are things that like, and not only is it like amazing to see Taylor in that role, playing that role, he’s doing such an amazing job, but he’s also not playing a role. Like what he’s saying is deadass true and he like feels that in his soul and you can see it through a camera so its like it’s perfect. I’ve seen enough, give Uncle Howdy all the titles. Uncle Howdy vs. Cody Rhodes at Summer Slam book it!”
