TNA World Champion Frankie Kazarian opens up about his departure from AEW and subsequent return to TNA in 2023.
At TNA's 2023 Hard To Kill event, Frankie Kazarian surprised fans when he announced that he had officially departed from All Elite Wrestling and once again came aboard the TNA roster. According to Kazarian himself, the decision to do so wasn't easy, but it was ultimately worth it.
"I'm talking to you guys right now, on the verge of the biggest night in TNA history, holding the TNA world title," Kazarian said on "Busted Open Radio." "When I left AEW, I was a completely different person. I was not as confident as a person, not as emotionally secure of a person, and I did bet on myself. When I left, I left with zero net. I had not had a conversation with anybody outside of my wife. It was like, look, I need to just be free, get out, and then see what's out there. It was time. It was just time, and I did it. People have followed suit. I applaud anybody because it's a scary thing to do that. But I always say, if you believe in yourself, and you bet on yourself, you'll never lose."
Upon his formal return to TNA, Kazarian confirmed that he had inked a long-term deal with the company. In January 2025, he then revealed that he had signed another one.
Currently, Kazarian is in his first reign as TNA World Champion, having dethroned Mike Santana in November. During tonight's special "Thursday Night iMPACT" debut on AMC, he will defend the title against Santana in a rematch, with TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray set to guest commentate it. Kazarian's last AEW match saw him lose to Konosuke Takeshita in a "AEW Dark: Elevation" match taped in December 2022.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.
Category: General Sports
