Why Josh Matthew Joined AEW After TNA Exit

Josh Matthews’s debut at AEW All In: Texas in July 2025 surprised many — but now he’s revealing the move had been years in the making.

After leaving TNA Wrestling in February 2025 following a decade-long run in commentary and production, Matthews resurfaced in AEW and officially started working behind the scenes as a producer. And according to him, joining All Elite Wrestling wasn’t a last-minute decision — it was something he had wanted from the very beginning.

Speaking on AEW Unrestricted on February 21, 2026, Matthews admitted he had been pursuing an AEW opportunity since the company first launched.

“Honestly, since the inception of the company, I’ve been trying to work for AEW. I used to ask Sonjay Dutt all the time about getting a job there and coming over when things were first starting.”

At the time, Matthews was still under contract in TNA Wrestling, but that didn’t stop him from staying persistent.

“I was with another company at the time, obviously, and then Sonjay went over, so I kept bothering him about it — ‘What’s it going to be? What’s it going to be about? What’s going on?’”

Matthews explained that AEW’s formation had ripple effects across the industry. One key figure leaving TNA for AEW created an unexpected opportunity for him to expand his skill set.

“It’s funny how when one thing happens to one person, it affects everybody else. Keith Mitchell was our producer, and when AEW started, Keith left and joined AEW. So we didn’t have a show producer. I said, ‘Let me do this.’ I wanted to do it, and it worked out. I learned how to produce a TV show.”

That experience behind the scenes ultimately helped shape his next chapter. Matthews said he remained in TNA for several more years before internal changes pushed him to reconsider his future.

“I was there for five to seven years, and then with the change in management and ownership, things didn’t work out.”

Once that door closed, he reached back out to familiar names — including Sonjay Dutt and Mike Mansury — which finally led to his AEW role: “So I called Mike Mansury and Sonjay Dutt again, and that’s how I joined AEW.”

What looked like a surprise cameo at All In was actually the payoff of a years-long effort to land in AEW. Now settled into a producer role, Matthews has officially made the move he had been quietly chasing since day one.

Does Josh Matthews’ behind-the-scenes background make him a strong addition to AEW’s production team, or were you surprised to see him jump promotions? Sound off in the comments.

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