Nic Nemeth, MJF, Gail Kim, West Coast Pro Promoter Scott Bregante, & GCW Owner Brett Lauderdale Responds to TNA Pulling Their Talents Out of Indies Shows

As noted before, TNA Wrestling recently changing their policy no longer allowing contracted TNA talents to work on the same indies shows as AEW talents. This new policy specially targets matches that are booked featuring contracted TNA talents competing against contracted AEW talents on these shows. TNA released an official statement afterwards confirming the new policy and they had pulled their talents from upcoming indies shows due to “partner conflicts.” Several matches were revealed to have been recently pulled by TNA President Carlos Silva due to this new policy.

Among those affected by TNA’s new policy was Nic Nemeth and his match against MJF for Create-A-Pro’s upcoming event next month being pulled, Leon Slater and his match against Ricochet for WrestleCon’s Supershow 2026 event next week being pulled, Moose and his unannounced match for Maple Leaf Pro’s Multiverse event next week being pulled, and Bear Bronson and his unannounced match against MJF for an event for Game Changer Wrestling this past March being pulled.

A recent episode of the Busted Open Radio podacst featured co-host Nic Nemeth giving his thoughts about his scheduled match against MJF being pulled due to Silva.

“You know, I was really looking forward to this. I was really, really excited. But, yes, as of yesterday, as I was flying in, I found out, because of certain partnerships and brands, TNA President Carlos Silva had to make a difficult decision and protect a couple of brands down the line and things that are actually contractually obligated to happen — can’t just kind of do whatever we want. Even though I think some things were approved at a different time, when it became the situation that it is now with a couple of different things happening at once, I feel like — I’m crushed. Because I was very much looking forward to doing this, but it’s unable to happen at the moment.”

Nemeth also stated that he will still be working at Create-A-Pro’s event but he will now be facing off against Bear Bronson in a singles match and he still is hopeful of having his match against MJF become a reality in the future.

“Still doing the Create-A-Pro show, and refunds will be available. MJF is going to do an open challenge there and he’s still going to be signing and doing all of the things at Create-A-Pro for that big show. All of those things will happen. I’m going to wrestle Bear Bronson for the first time ever. I hate that it had to come out this way. I hate that this wasn’t all taken care of in the past. But that’s something we can all work on, I gotta start reading some fine print and we have to protect people that we actually work with and we have partnerships with. Usually I’m pretty great about that, so I’ll stay on that for everything that we do.

I’m bummed out. I’m going to try and make this match happen one day, and hopefully soon. But at the moment, it is currently not happening.”

AEW World Champion MJF responded again to TNA pulling his matches against Nemeth and Bronson and once again called out Silva calling him an “Actively dumb motherf***er”

“It’s called being preempted due to March madness.

This guy is actively a dumb motherfucker.

Congrats. You pay your talents shit. Than force them off shows where they can make money. #lolTna

*Then.

Whatver. Head still hurts from Kenny being a little bitch and cheap shotting me.

*Then.

Whatver. Head still hurts from Kenny being a little bitch and cheap shotting me.

— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™️ (@The_MJF) April 9, 2026

Wrestle Coast Pro promoter Scott Bregante also responded on Twitter about TNA abruptly pulling their talents from scheduled indies bookings and stated that his company will no longer be working with TNA going forward due to this issue. Bregante also stated that he was upset over TNA going as far as to pull their talent out of a charity event for WrestleCon.

“Working with talent on an independent level, after clearing everything, and doing business, only to have said talent pulled after the fact, high or low profile, gives me zero reason to work with anyone from said company making said arrangements. Abysmal dogshit.”

When you have an understanding and it gets cleared, all parties involved have weighed risks. To get it cleared by multiple channels and by multiple companies, to then have said company go BACK on it, is garbage. And a Memorial show at that.”

Working with talent on an independent level, after clearing everything, and doing business, only to have said talent pulled after the fact, high or low profile, gives me zero reason to work with anyone from said company making said arrangements.

Abysmal dogshit.

— SCOTTY – FKM (@BasedLaRock) April 9, 2026

When you have an understanding and it gets cleared, all parties involved have weighed risks. To get it cleared by multiple channels and by multiple companies, to then have said company go BACK on it, is garbage. And a Memorial show at that.

— SCOTTY – FKM (@BasedLaRock) April 9, 2026

TNA Hall of Famer and former TNA Head of Talent Relations Gail Kim also gave her thoughts about the issue and stated that she hopes that TNA would still compensate their talents over this situation.

Hopefully they still get compensated. That’s the right thing to do. https://t.co/Tb8zmjxNNp

— Gail Kim-Irvine (@gailkimITSME) April 8, 2026

GCW owner Brett Lauderdale also gave his thoughts about the situation and how the ramifications of TNA decision can end up hurting more than helping them in the long run.

“sometimes it *is* wise to be protective of your contracted talent, theres alot on the line and you dont want to be perceived as less than a competitor, but you also need to consider the ramifications of your decision…

is it worth whatever you think you gain in the short term if it upsets the talent & does long term damage to those relationships? Is it worth the hit your rep will take in the eyes of the fans? A little goodwill goes a long ways, especially in a business that never forgets…”

is it worth whatever you think you gain in the short term if it upsets the talent & does long term damage to those relationships? Is it worth the hit your rep will take in the eyes of the fans? A little goodwill goes a long ways, especially in a business that never forgets…

— brett lauderdale (@Lauderdale11) April 9, 2026

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com