As noted earlier, TNA issued a statement on Friday evening claiming that they had reached a deal with AJ Styles, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson in December. TNA also claims that the trio stopped all communications with TNA over the Christmas holiday. Click here to read the full statement.
Here is what Dave Meltzer said on the Wrestling Observer website forum when this came up:
“Was told they didn’t sign shit. And in the case of Anderson, TNA opened itself up to a tampering lawsuit with New Japan.”
Meltzer, in a separate post added the following:
“One of the three for sure, if not all three, were not looking at TNA for leverage for WWE, and it was WWE going to them after hearing they may go to TNA and making a better offer.”
It would be very odd to sign a deal and then breach the terms of the agreement if it happened the way TNA says it did. The timing of TNA’s statement is interesting since they must know that Styles is scheduled to be in Orlando on Sunday night. So, is TNA trying to scare WWE so they don’t go through with plans for AJ, Gallows and Anderson? Only Dixie Carter (and maybe John Gaburick) know the real answer. I find it hard to believe that those guys would risk their WWE deals by signing (and breaching their deal) with TNA.
For those wondering why TNA would be open to a tampering lawsuit, it’s because Anderson’s deal with New Japan didn’t expire until this month. So, it would make it impossible for Anderson to sign with them without contract tampering on TNA’s part. I believe Anderson’s deal with NJPW expires next week.
