KUSHIDA Reportedly Departed from TNA

KUSHIDA reportedly recently departed from TNA Wrestling, according to PWInsider.

Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that KUSHIDA finished his contractual commitments with TNA over this past weekend in Atlanta, Georgia with his final matches for their Final Resolution 2024 event and Impact! tapings in Atlanta, Georgia.

In regards to KUSHIDA’s contract with TNA, Johnson reported that KUSHIDA had been signed to a dual contract to both New Japan Pro Wrestling and TNA in December of 2023. Johnson reported that KUSHIDA’s contract was originally planned by TNA officials to be the first of a number of similar deals with the idea being to keep talents in the two companies and reward them financially as a way to prevent losing them to WWE and AEW. This plan reportedly was quietly dropped following former TNA President Scott D’Amore’s firing from the company earlier this year.

Johnson reported that KUSHIDA is currently focused on working for NJPW going forward and left TNA on good terms meaning the door is open for him for potential appearances in the future.

In regards to the status of TNA’s working relationship with NJPW following KUSHIDA’s departure, the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that it is currently believed that TNA’s formal relations with NJPW appears to be done. Meltzer reported that those spoken to stated that the working relationship between the two companies had cooled following D’Amore’s firing. Meltzer also reported that due to both companies airing their shows on the same channel, AXS TV, there were political reasons for a relationship existing between both companies in recent years.

KUSHIDA is the fourth known person to have departed from the company over this past weekend, following Trent Seven, TNA Hall of Famer Rhino, and TNA ring announcer Jade Chung.