Jody Threat is opening up about her TNA departure for the first time, and according to her, the decision had nothing to do with being unhappy with the company. Instead, she says it came down to chasing one major goal before it’s too late.
Speaking with POST Wrestling on October 2, Threat explained why she asked TNA for her release earlier this year. While reports at the time stated that she requested her release and TNA granted it amicably, Threat has now shared the personal reasons behind that decision. She admitted walking away from a guaranteed contract wasn’t easy and called it one of the toughest choices she’s ever had to make.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make, not just in wrestling, but in life. Like you said, it was a guaranteed job somewhere that gave me an American working visa, somewhere that gave me national television time.”
Despite that security, Threat felt there were still important goals she wanted to accomplish while she was still improving as a wrestler and physically able to do them.
“But sometimes there’s more important things in life. So, for me, I feel that I’m still growing as a performer. I’m still getting better. My body still feels great. There’s certain things on my wrestling bucket list I need to get done before I start going downhill.”
The biggest item on that list is Japan. Threat said she doesn’t just want a short tour—she wants to spend an extended period there training in a dojo, wrestling regularly and immersing herself in the culture.
“And one of those things was being able to go to Japan for an extended period of time, where I can go into the dojo and learn, work, train very hard, wrestle very hard.”
She explained that remaining under contract with TNA could have created a barrier to making that happen, which is why she ultimately decided to ask for her release.
“I needed to make sure that there was no, you know, barriers to that. And one of those things is, like, I was legally signed to TNA.”
Threat also made sure to praise TNA for how the situation was handled. She said she explained her goals to company officials, and they agreed to let her go.
“So, the office was very good to me. I went to them and explained the situation. They granted me my release, and now, you know, there’s no guarantees. I’m out there.”
While there’s no certainty about what comes next, Threat made it clear that Japan is now her top priority and the reason she was willing to leave behind the stability of TNA.
“I’ve thrown my lines into the water and [I’m] hoping to be able to catch an opportunity in Japan. Like, that’s really what it came down to. There’s just some things I need to get done on my personal wrestling list.”
Threat’s comments line up with reports from earlier this year that her departure was entirely amicable. Rather than leaving because of creative frustrations or backstage issues, she simply felt the time was right to chase a long-held dream. Now, with no contract tying her down, she’ll be looking to turn that dream of wrestling in Japan into a reality.
What do you think about Jody Threat’s decision? Should she pursue Japan before signing with another major promotion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
