Jason Burgos
On Friday, WWE’s latest round of yearly roster cuts saw 23 veterans and prospects released from their current contracts. Some of the most notable names among the releases this week were every member of the Wyatt Sicks, Kairi Sane, and wrestling power couple Aleister Black and Zelina Vega.
While it was bad news for those wrestlers, it drops a boatload of intriguing talents into pro wrestling free agency at a time when the industry is strong. Including veteran performers that TNA Wrestling should take a hard look at signing soon. With that in mind, here are six former WWE stars TNA must target on the open market.
Apollo Crews
At one time, Apollo Crews was one of the must-see performers on the independent scene because of his impressive athleticism. Over a decade later, at 38, Crews is still an entertaining wrestler. But that was never his problem. It was always about finding a character that connects with fans and sticking with it for a while.
That is why he would be a better fit in TNA Wrestling as opposed to battling the AEW roster for the best match of the night. TNA focuses a bit more on character work, so if they could find something that connects him with the audience, Crews could be a big get for the promotion.
Aleister Black & Zelina Vega
The obvious assumption will be that, following his release, Aleister Black will return to AEW, where he had real success before his second stint in WWE. However, it would be smart for Carlos Silva to prioritize bringing Black and his wife, Zelina Vega, to TNA.
Their release this week stunned many because they were often used on SmackDown and seemed to be hitting a groove as characters. In TNA, the duo could be pushed to the very top immediately and could be core members of the roster for the next few years while also making some good money.
Erick Rowan
Erick Rowan is a useful talent as a big monster to sic on enemies. However, a performer like him doesn’t feel like a fit in this version of AEW. However, TNA can better utilize men like Rowan. They would be able to play to his strengths and get the most out of a performer with prime years still ahead of him.
Tyra Mae Steele
One of the other surprising releases by WWE this week was Olympic gold medalist Tyra Mae Steele. When the company signed her three years ago, she was projected to be a future world champion and the female version of Kurt Angle. However, they must have felt she was not developing at the speed they needed and released her.
She still requires further development, but has immense upside. TNA can help mold her into a better professional wrestler, and having a gold medalist would be a huge addition to their women’s roster.
Dexter Lumis
Dexter Lumis has shown in the past that he can develop some weird but fun characters. Plus, he has a great look and is a pretty good athlete. TNA Wrestling feels like a perfect fit for a performer like Loomis, who needs time to let his character work breathe. Furthermore, rekindling the beloved history he had in NXT with Indi Hartwell, but in TNA, would be a smart play.
