"Speedball" Mike Bailey is reportedly officially done with his contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and is expected to look to signing with All Elite Wrestling.
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Bailey signed with Impact Wrestling in 2021 (rebranded as TNA earlier this year) and although he has made appearances at New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling, he's generally been seen as one of the more beloved wrestlers at the promotion.
However, it was reported that Bailey's contract with TNA had expired back in November, although it appears that some restrictions were in place through the end of 2024.
Bailey's profile was removed from the company's website, signaling a clear split between him and the organization, and although the three-time TNA X Division Champion appeared in some promotional materials he was notably absent from TNA tapings.
Fans noted that Bailey had also filed for trademarks related to his name earlier that month, hinting that the Canadian wrestler intended to keep the "Speedball" moniker and persona for other promotions.
Earlier in 2024, Bailey was seen backstage at an AEW Collision taping, reportedly visiting friends. However, the connection between his contract with TNA expiring and his popping up at AEW sparked speculation regardless if it was merely a social occasion.
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Bailey's last official appearance for TNA came on November 8 when he lost the X Division Championship to Moose on an episode of iMPACT.
Now, Fightful Select has shared a new update, confirming that as of January 1, 2025, Bailey is no longer under contract with TNA Wrestling and is officially a free agent. It also claims that the wrestler is "heading to AEW imminently."
The report also indicates that wrestlers Aiden Prince, Bhupinder Gujjar, Jade Chung, Kushida, Steph De Lander, and Trent Seven are now free agents, meaning that a decent portion of TNA's roster saw their contracts expire on December 31, 2024.
AEW is currently in expansion mode, with company founder/mastermind Tony Khan doing everything he can to compete with the dominant WWE promotion.
That has included signing a new streaming deal with Warner Bros. Discovery that will allow AEW programs to be simultaneously broadcast on linear TV and streamed on the Max platform. This seems to have come at the expense of the Rampage program, but that's eggs and omelets for you.
It will remain to be seen if and when Bailey signs with AEW, but as of New Year's Day, it seems he's free to do what he wants.
For more on AEW and pro wrestling, head to Newsweek Sports.
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