Real Reason TNA Talent Are Jumping Ship to AEW Revealed

Several TNA talent have made the move to All Elite Wrestling in recent months — and the reason behind them jumping ship is pretty straightforward.

Despite TNA landing a television deal with AMC and maintaining a partnership with WWE, a number of wrestlers have still chosen to leave once their contracts expired. Names like The Rascalz and The IInspiration are among the talents who have moved on to AEW. That trend led to plenty of questions among fans about why wrestlers would jump ship while TNA appears to be gaining momentum.

During the March 11, 2026 episode of Fightful’s The Hump, wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp was asked directly why so many TNA talents have been choosing AEW instead. Sapp didn’t dance around the answer.

“I can tell you why—money, money, exposure. That’s the long and the short of it. People get paid a lot more money in AEW than they do in TNA.”

He explained that the structure of many TNA deals also plays a major role in the decision. Sapp also made the point that most wrestlers simply can’t afford to ignore better-paying opportunities when they appear.

“And the majority of the TNA deals are per-appearance deals with no minimum guarantee. That’s the main reason so many people made that jump. It’s about money. Now, what I will say is that I never try to understand the motivations and inspirations of artists and rich people. The majority of these people are not rich.”

He then used The Rascalz as an example of why financial stability matters for many performers: “The Rascalz were not rich. They had spent some time in WWE, but they still had to earn a living.”

So while partnerships and TV deals might look great on paper, the reality of the wrestling business often comes down to opportunity and paychecks. If AEW continues offering bigger money and wider exposure, the trend of TNA talent heading there may not slow down anytime soon.

Do you think more TNA stars will continue jumping to AEW, or could the company’s new TV deal and WWE partnership eventually keep talent from leaving? Let us know your thoughts and leave your feedback below.

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