One Reason Why Ace Austin Turned Down TNA Contract

Ace Austin may still have one match left in TNA Wrestling, but his long-term future is already pointing elsewhere.

While his final contracted appearance will come at TNA Under Siege in an eight-person tag team match, Austin has officially declined a new deal from the company. According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Austin—real name Austin Highley—was offered a new contract, but chose to move on, in part because he’s looking to sign with a larger promotion.

“Ace Austin’s deal is set to expire,” Dave Meltzer reported. “Real name Austin Highley, 28, he was offered a new deal but turned it down and is looking at getting into a larger company.”

While that may not be the only reason for his departure, it’s definitely one of the major factors influencing his decision to leave TNA.

The update confirms what many already suspected after Austin’s appearance on the May 22 episode of TNA iMPACT, where he faced Mustafa Ali in a singles match and was announced for a big tag team showdown at Under Siege. He’s set to team with Indi Hartwell and The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz) against Ali’s faction, Order 4, which also features Tasha Steelz, John Skyler, and Jason Hotch.

Scott D’Amore, who originally signed Austin during his tenure as TNA President, also acknowledged the departure in his D’Amore Drop column on Yahoo! Sports’ Uncrowned, making it clear that the split was mutual.

“Nothing has been said publicly, but Ace Austin’s contract with TNA has come to term,” D’Amore wrote. “Ace deciding to leave is amicable—he’s been there since he was barely out of his teens, and he’s ready to step up.”

He added, “I signed him, and everything he’s shown since confirms that Ace Austin becoming a massive star is, indeed, ‘inevitable.’ He’s ready for that next chapter.”

Austin’s contract status, his final storyline appearance, and D’Amore’s public comments all indicate that his time in TNA is essentially finished—he’s just not officially out the door until Under Siege ends.