credit: f4online.com
TNA Wrestling star Josh Alexander is feeling both excited and nervous with free agency on the horizon.
Alexander’s contract with TNA is set to expire in February 2025. With just a couple of months left until that expiration date, he appeared on Insight with Chris Van Vliet and discussed how he is approaching the process.
“February 15, I’ll be a free agent. I mean, TNA announced they extended me, picked up my year extension [on] February 14 last year. So, yeah, heading into free agency for the first time,” Alexander said. “Equal parts nervous, equal parts excited. Obviously, there’s the one end of the spectrum where you’re like, ‘Nothing might come of this.’ Like, you have to be realistic. I have kids, I have a wife, I have a house I pay for and stuff like that. I can just do wrestling because I love it, because that’s all I’ve ever really done. That’s kind of what’s led me through this business the entire time, just getting fulfillment out of it is the most important part to me. And as long as I get to do it at some level, I’m happy.”
Alexander recounted a conversation he had with Mike Santana in 2019 when Santana left TNA (before later returning in 2024). At that time, Santana was happy in TNA but was looking to do something that excited him. Alexander is considering that as he enters free agency.
“But every so often you got to bet on yourself,” Alexander said. “It’s just like, every once in a while, you got to think about what’s coming next and what’s going to excite you. Because [Santana] kind of alluded to the fact that he hadn’t been excited in quite some time. And I was just like, ‘Man, that really hits.’ Because now I’m thinking about my own thing. I’m just like, I’ve done so much in TNA over the six years. I’m very grateful for it. Because opportunities are the one thing wrestlers need, and TNA has given me tons of countless opportunities to prove myself and show what I can do, but I’ve also done everything and worked with the bulk of the talent that’s in that company right now. So it’s just all about what’s going to get me excited beyond this point.”
Personal fulfillment will be the driving factor in Alexander’s decision. He’s looking for in-ring opportunities as well as considering the financial aspect and what’s best for his family. Alexander said remaining with TNA is still a possibility, but he’s looking at all of his options.
Van Vliet asked Alexander if there is one way he’s leaning right now.
“I would say no,” Alexander responded. “Just because I’m looking at everywhere right now. Both my sons are wrestling nuts, especially my six year old. So Monday is Raw, Tuesday is NXT, Wednesday is Dynamite, Thursday is Impact. Like, I’m watching everything with my kids all week long, which is awesome because I get to share this passion with them. But at the same time I’m watching the product, looking at NXT being like, ‘Man, me and Ethan [Page] could tag up and we can face that tag team, that’d be awesome.’ Or, ‘I’d really love to have a match with Pete Dunne or Gunther or — the list goes on.’ Then you watch Dynamite, and I’m just like, ‘Man, I’ve torn it up with Will [Ospreay] and [Konosuke] Takeshita in the past, I would sure love to do that on a bigger stage.’ And one bucket list thing I might have, a wrestler that’s still out there wrestling that I would really love to get a chance to wrestle is [Adam Copeland]. He’s in AEW, you know what I mean?
“And then there’s Japan where like, Shingo [Takagi] is the one guy on my bucket list that was like, ‘This is doable. I’m going to make this happen.’ Him and [Tomohiro] Ishii were like neck and neck, and I made the Ishii match happen. Shingo is the other one. So I just look at the landscape of it, where I can go and where the talent is I want to work with. Everybody’s kind of stacked, roster-wise. To be able to tell stories and stuff like that with these people, the options are all open.”
Alexander is a two-time World Champion for TNA. He was originally supposed to become a free agent in February 2024, but TNA picked up a one-year option in his contract.
Last month, Alexander announced that — regardless of what’s to come in his future — he has decided to stop taking independent wrestling dates.