Fabian Aichner’s TNA appearance was not just a one-night surprise because he has now officially signed with the company.
According to The Takedown on SI, Aichner has signed a contract with TNA Wrestling after making his surprise arrival following Cedric Alexander’s X Division Championship win. The deal is expected to keep him with the promotion at least through the summer.
Aichner told The Takedown that stepping away from wrestling after his WWE run gave him the reset he needed before making his next move. He said the end of his time there was difficult, but the break helped him recharge.
“I think it’s pretty well known that I took a little bit of time off over the last course of the year. It was quite the roller coaster towards the end [of his WWE run], and the whole point was to recharge the batteries a little bit. I think that definitely got accomplished.”
Aichner explained that TNA started to feel like the right landing spot after someone close to him in Germany pointed out how much the company had improved. That led him to start watching the product and considering the opportunity more seriously.
“And as it so happens, sometimes things were just pointing to TNA. A friend of mine in Germany pointed out that TNA has been improving their product greatly. I agree with that. So I checked it out.”
The former WWE star also revealed that he has known Tommy Dreamer for more than a decade. His former WWE NXT coach Matt Bloom helped connect the two sides, and once conversations began, Aichner said the situation quickly felt right.
“We talked, we got on the phone, and things just started clicking. It was just an organic fit, and I absolutely love it there.”
Aichner said one of the biggest reasons he is excited about TNA is the freedom to present himself more authentically. He feels the company is allowing him to bring his own ideas and values to television instead of playing something that feels forced.
“I feel like they allow me really to put on screen what I have in mind, which sometimes in other promotions is a little bit more difficult to do. But I feel like I went in with the mindset of being very authentic, very true to myself, just as that saying goes, turning up the volume a little bit, but not really playing anything, not really being a character, just bringing my own values to TV and portraying that to the world.”
He then explained that being authentic is what he believes will connect with the audience. Based on the reaction he received at the tapings, Aichner already feels like this chapter is different from anything he has experienced before.
“I think whenever you do something that is authentic to you and that you believe in, that’s what’s gonna resonate with the audience. And the reactions that I got last week and the way the tapings went, it just feels very different from everything that I’ve felt so far. So I get a little goosebumps talking about it, to be honest. Whenever something works in wrestling, it’s usually an organic way to get there. Like, you’re not forcing it. And this definitely feels like the organic way for me. So I’m very excited to be in TNA, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
Aichner debuted in TNA right after Cedric Alexander defeated Leon Slater in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls match to win the X Division Championship on the May 14 episode of TNA iMPACT! Slater took the first fall with a quick roll-up, but Alexander eventually battled back and hit back-to-back Lumbar Checks to capture the title. Aichner’s arrival immediately placed him near the X Division title picture, especially with an Ultimate X match for the championship already confirmed for Slammiversary later this summer.
Many fans remember Aichner from his WWE run as Giovanni Vinci, where he was part of Imperium alongside Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser. Now, after a quiet end to that chapter, he has a fresh start in TNA and a contract that makes it clear the company plans to use him beyond one surprise appearance. Fabian Aichner is officially part of TNA’s summer plans, and his arrival gives the X Division another dangerous name at a time when the championship scene is already heating up.
Do you think Fabian Aichner should be pushed straight into the X Division Championship picture? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
