Various: Mike Santana Signs TNA Contract, Jon Moxley NJPW Contract Update, FTC Approves New Ban on Non-Competes Clauses, Indies

Apr 24, 2024

Mike Santana Signs Contract with TNA

As noted before, former AEW talent Mike Santana made his official return to TNA Wrestling at this past Saturday’s Rebellion 2024 event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

TNA announced that Mike Santana recently signed an official contract with the company.

Official press release:

Mike Santana Returns To TNA Wrestling, Focused On Singles Championship Gold
One of the most decorated and accomplished tag team wrestlers in TNA Wrestling history, Mike Santana, has signed a contract with TNA Wrestling, it was confirmed today by company executives.
Santana made his surprise return to TNA on Saturday, April 20, during the Rebellion pay-per-view in Las Vegas. He defeated former World Champion Steve Maclin in an impromptu match, scoring the victory with a discus lariat.
Santana last wrestled in a TNA ring in 2019 and what a legacy he has. He is a 4-time TNA World Tag Team Champion as half of the team LAX – and their combined 662 days as champions is the most in company history by more than 100 days over Beer Money, Inc. (Bobby Roode & James Storm) who were a record 5-time TNA World Tag Team Champions.
“One by one, you all fallen to the nastiest ever,” Santana said in a TNA digital exclusive interview after his Rebellion victory. “The best part about it is that I’ve done it all on my terms. I took my career in my hands, like a man. Look at me now. Back home, back in TNA, and I just put down a former world champion and one of the best this company has to offer. One of the best. What bigger statement do I need to make? What bigger statement do I need to make?”
Santana has made it crystal clear: he wants championship gold, in singles.
“I’m here for the top spot,” he said. “So, everybody watching, everybody that’s sitting high in their tree, everybody that’s sitting comfortably, take a look at me. I’m gonna be real, I’m gonna say it to you now so that there’s no he said, she said.
“There’s no bullshit that needs to be spewed, you heard it from the source himself. I am coming for your @#$% spots. I’m coming for your spots. Now feast your eyes. You just witnessed the return of the mother@#$% realest.”
A New York native who still lives in The Bronx, Santana made his pro wrestling debut in 2007.
The stars of TNA Wrestling will be in action on Friday & Saturday, May 3-4. at the Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, New York. The action kicks off Friday with Under Siege, which will air live on the TNA+ app, including title matches for the TNA World Championship, the Knockouts World Championship and much, much more. Then, on Saturday, the TNA television trucks will be in Albany to capture all the in-ring action for upcoming episodes of the company’s flagship weekly TV show that airs at 8 p.m. EST every Thursday night (AXS TV in the U.S., Fight Network in Canada).
Tickets for both Albany shows are now on-sale at Ticketmaster.com or TNAWrestling.com.

Jon Moxley NJPW Contract Status Update

Sports Illustrated held a recent interview with Jon Moxley. One of the topics discussed included Moxley revealing that he is currently on a handshake type deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

“When I first came to Japan, I wanted to understand it and participate in it. That allowed me to learn and grow. I didn’t come in and say, ‘This is what I do and this is what we’re doing.’ Everyone I wrestled, I learned from. I’ve really been able to grow a lot working with New Japan. It’s been a mutually beneficial relationship. They get me, and I get them.
The first deal I signed with them was for six months. The shoe fit, so we kept going. We’re still on a handshake deal.”

Moxley also gave his thoughts about his recent IWGP World Heavyweight Championship victory and his plans for his title reign.

“All the long-ass plane rides, all the injuries, all of that went away at that moment. I’m still here. So much of the decision-making in pro wrestling is out of your control, but I have this one shot. I may never get another one. Plus, I’m a father now. At first, it didn’t seem so realistic. It wasn’t even a goal. I just embraced every moment in Japan. I love being there, training there, and wrestling there. All I’m focused on there is wrestling. That’s it. So it’s a state of mind that allows me to grow as a pro wrestler. It’s all about the pursuit of pro wrestling.
I’m the first guy to hold all three–WWE, AEW, and IWGP. It feels so humbling to be put in this position. It’s a different world with the IWGP title, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So I’m going to storm the fucking castle.”

FTC Votes in Favor of Ban on Non-Compete Clauses for All Workers

More Perfect Unions reported that the Federal Trade Commission voted on Tuesday to approve a ban on non-competes for all workers that will take effect in 120 days. This vote was 3 to 2 in favor of the ban.

The FTC reportedly also ruled that companies will be required to throw out existing non-compete agreements once the ban goes into effect baring the new ruling being challenged in court.

It is currently not known how this new ban will affect wrestling and particularly WWE, who regularly makes use of non-compete clauses for talent releases but also pays them for their non-compete time.

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

TNA Wrestling recently announced that Eric Young had suffered a “severe laceration” to his ear requiring the need for surgery, Brian Myers had suffered a shoulder injury, and Josh Alexander had suffered a severe laceration and contusion injury at this past Saturday’s Rebellion 2024 event in Las Vegas. It was announced that both Young and Myers have not been medically cleared to wrestle while Alexander has been cleared. It was also announced that Hammerstone had undergone testing for a potential concussion following his match at the event but passed the test and is medically cleared to continue to wrestle.

Kross Fire Wrestling recently announced that NWA owner Billy Corgan will be making an appearance at their Independent Uprising XVIII event on April 26th in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Game Changer Wrestling recently announced that Kylie Rae will be making an appearance for the company at their Take A Picture event on May 25th in Chicago, Illinois.

Ring of Honor recently announced that Athena reached the milestone of 500 days as ROH Women’s World Champion as of Tuesday.

Major League Wrestling recently announced that they will be holding a new event called Summer of the Beasts on August 29th in New York City, New York.

MLW also recently announced that they have vacated their MLW World Tag Team Championship following “Filthy” Tom Lawlor suffering an “injury” requiring him and Davey Boy Smith Jr. to relinquish their titles. It was also announced that new champions will be crowned at their upcoming Azteca Lucha event on May 11th in Chicago, Illinois.

MLW also announced two new matches for the card of their Azteca Lucha event on May 11th in Chicago:

Vacant MLW World Tag Team Championship – Second Gear Crew (Matthew Justice & 1 Called Manders) vs. CozyMAX (Satoshi Kojima & Okumura)
Matt Riddle vs. Josh Bishop

Tuesday’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2024 event for New Japan Pro Wrestling featured Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Jake Lee making a surprise appearance. During Drilla Moloney and Tetsuya Naito’s match at the event, Lee ran out to the ring and attacked Naito while the referee was down and helped Moloney pick up the victory. NJPW commentator Chris Charlton stated that Lee had aligned himself with Bullet Club War Dogs but more in a “marriage of convenience” and not him actually joining the group. Lee was seen wearing his GLG (Good Looking Guys) faction shirt when he made his surprise attack on Naito.

NJPW also announced one new match for their co-promoted United Japan Pro Wrestling’s All Together event on May 6th in Tokyo, Japan:

Kota Minoura, MAO, Ninja Mack, HAYATA, & El Desperado vs. YAMATO, Tetsuya Endo, Alfa Wolf, Dragon Bane, & Hiromu Takahashi

NJPW also recently announced two new matches for the card of their Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2024 event on April 27th in Hiroshima, Japan:

Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2024 Championship Rural Revitalization match – Yuya Uemura vs. Great-O-Khan (c)
Elimination Tag Team match – Los Ingobernables De Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi, & Tetsuya Naito) vs. Bullet Club War Dogs (Drilla Moloney, Clark Connors, Gabe Kidd, & David Finlay) & Jake Lee