Carlos Silva Cites Shows Airing On Same Night As IMPACT Among Reasons For Pulling TNA Wrestlers From AEW Matches

TNA President Carlos Silva has provided further insight into why he pulled TNA wrestlers from several independent wrestling matches against talents from All Elite Wrestling, citing shows airing against TNA Thursday Night IMPACT and TNA being blocked from arenas as reasons for the decision.

Silva said on Busted Open Radio:

"It was super tough. Look, all these business decisions are tough. I don't like being called a little b*tch on social anymore than anyone does. It's okay, yeah, you do take the goods with the bads and you've got to make some hard decisions. My job sometimes is to make some hard decisions. For the fans and for all of you and Mike and our locker room, we're going to make decisions that are good for TNA. We gotta protect TNA. As you know, Kevin Plank and Under Armour used to say, 'You gotta protect this house.' And it's a real slogan.

"We've had some other folks come at us. They've moved into our night. They've made some decisions. They've tried to block us in arenas and venues. And that stuff's real and it's out there. And it's okay because everyone's gotta make the decisions for their business, but we're also just not going to lie down and not make decisions that are good for our business. 

"Unfortunately, sometimes those decisions are tough, and we're very thoughtful about them and we try to do the best to make good when we have to make those decisions. In the case of Nic and Leon and a few of the matches that had to get shut down, we tried to make good and make calls and take care of the business as best we could."

Carlos Silva also noted that it was his decision to have the matches scrapped, saying:

"It was. Yeah, it was my decision. I take full ownership. Look, I've got a great team and we talk about these things together, but sometimes I'm the guy that has to make that decision and then you move on. You sort of go to work the next day and work hard again and get stuff done." 

Several TNA vs. AEW matches were scrapped in early April after TNA pulled their wrestlers from the independent wrestling matches despite initially approving the bookings. Matches that were nixed included Leon Slater vs. Ricochet at WrestleCon's Mark Hitchcock Memorial SuperShow, MJF vs. Nic Nemeth at Create A Pro on May 1, a Moose match at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse, and MJF vs. Bear Bronson at a GCW event.

The official reason from TNA following the decision was that TNA talents had been pulled due to "partner conflicts." Reports noted, however, that people involved in the situation believed WWE forced TNA's hand, while it was also claimed that Carlos Silva was unhappy about AEW Collision airing against Thursday Night IMPACT on April 2 after Collision was pre-empted due to TNT's coverage of March Madness, although it was a Warner Bros. Discovery decision for Collision to be moved from its usual time slot of Saturday nights at 8 pm ET.

WrestleCon promoter and Highspots owner Michael Bochicchio revealed following WrestleMania 42 weekend that Carlos Silva had reimbursed WrestleCon for Leon Slater's flights and hotel expenses. Matt Hardy also stated during an appearance on the Ariel Helwani Show on April 29 that the TNA talents who were pulled from their independent wrestling matches were compensated and paid their full fee by TNA.

MJF accused Carlos Silva of outright lying following his appearance on Busted Open Radio, while TNA's AJ Francis came out in support of the decision, claiming that AEW did not allow Powerhouse Hobbs to lose to him at a 4th Rope Wrestling event.

"No, because nobody had a problem w/ AEW not allowing Powerhouse Hobbs to lose to me at 4th Rope even though the next night in the SAME BUILDING I was in a SOLD OUT MAIN EVENT vs Nic Nemeth for the TNA WORLD TITLE… cut that victim bullsh*t out. Every company protects interests," AJ Francis tweeted.

AJ Francis challenged Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Championship at Final Resolution on December 13, 2024. 4th Rope held Heels Have Eyes IV: Atlanta one night earlier and Powerhouse Hobbs was in action at that event, teaming with TNA's Mike Santana and Kenny King to defeat TNA's The System of Brian Myers, Moose, and Eddie Edwards. The main event did see AEW talents The Infantry lose to TNA's The Hardys in a three-way ladder match that also featured Violence is Forever.

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