Backstage News On WWE No Longer Being Interested In Signing Former AEW & TNA Stars, With A Few Key Exceptions

WWE appears to be pressing pause on outside talent acquisitions.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com, WWE has recently informed wrestlers from both TNA Wrestling and AEW that the company is not actively looking to bring in new talent at this time. The belief internally is that WWE’s developmental pipeline is already stacked with performers who are either main roster–ready or very close to it.

As a result, outside signings are largely viewed as unnecessary for the moment.

Meltzer noted that despite optimism surrounding TNA Wrestling’s new television deal, uncertainty behind the scenes has led multiple wrestlers to quietly test the waters with WWE. Those inquiries, however, have reportedly been shut down.

“We were told that of late talent from both TNA and AEW who have called WWE have been told that they aren’t looking at hiring new people,” Meltzer reported. “The idea is that they have so many in developmental, many of whom are ready that they don’t need new people.”

In other words, WWE feels it already has more than enough talent waiting in line.

That said, the reported hiring freeze is not being described as a hard-and-fast rule. Meltzer clarified that exceptions could still be made for truly elite or uniquely valuable performers.

“This is not an absolute, and obviously guys the level of [Chris] Jericho or [Leon] Slater wouldn’t necessarily fall into that category,” he added.

The report comes as TNA Wrestling continues to manage its own roster uncertainty.

As previously reported, Jake Something, Steve Maclin, Zachary Wentz, and AJ Francis have all signed three-month contract extensions, keeping them with the company into early 2026. While the short-term deals provide flexibility, they have also fueled concerns about long-term stability, prompting some wrestlers to explore outside options.

For now, those doors appear mostly closed.

The shift in WWE’s recruitment approach follows the recent signing of former TNA World Champion Joe Hendry, who has already landed on the NXT roster. That move may signal that WWE is now content focusing inward, prioritizing its existing developmental depth over continued outside acquisitions.