• WWE’s Disappointing Response To AEW & TNA Stars Looking To Join The Company Revealed
WWE currently has one of the deepest and most crowded rosters in professional wrestling, spread across RAW, SmackDown, NXT, and EVOLVE. On top of that, the company continues to expand its talent pipeline through multiple avenues, including developmental systems like LFG and NIL, while also signing select independent wrestlers through the WWE ID program.
According to the Wrestling Observer, WWE is effectively operating under a hiring freeze at this time. Wrestlers from both AEW and TNA have reportedly reached out to WWE expressing interest in joining the company, only to be told that WWE is not actively looking to sign new talent right now.
This situation has been particularly relevant for TNA talent. Certain wrestlers from the promotion have been contacting WWE due to uncertainty surrounding their future, including concerns over short-term contracts. It’s believed that several TNA deals are set to expire by the end of the year, prompting some performers to explore potential options elsewhere.
However, WWE’s current position is that they already have an abundance of talent within their system. Many wrestlers in developmental are viewed as ready, reducing the immediate need to bring in talent from outside promotions.
That said, the report notes that this stance is not completely rigid. Exceptionally established names or truly unique talents could still be considered by WWE.
A veteran of Chris Jericho’s stature, for example, would not necessarily fall under the same restrictions. One notable current case is TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater, who has already been working WWE shows through the company’s partnership with TNA and is widely viewed as one of the most promising young wrestlers in the business.
• “In 10 years, they’re going to cry over me losing my last match” – Top WWE Star
Gunther had little patience for the emotional backlash surrounding John Cena’s retirement, using his appearance on TMZ’s Inside The Ring podcast to call out fans for what he sees as blatant hypocrisy in how they now celebrate Cena after years of rejecting him.
Reflecting on the reaction to Cena’s final run, Gunther pointed out how dramatically fan sentiment has shifted compared to earlier stages of Cena’s career. “It’s sometimes a little bit funny with fans to me,” Gunther said, explaining that the intense love Cena is receiving now ignores how he was treated for years.
He reminded everyone that Cena’s connection with fans wasn’t always positive, despite being positioned as a top babyface. “When was that, 10, 10, 15 years or something like that, maybe even longer, he was the most hated guy on the whole roster,” Gunther said. “He was a babyface, but he went out there and he got booed everywhere he went.”
Gunther stressed that fan frustration back then was loud and constant, with many feeling Cena was overexposed. “People complained that he got shoved down their throats and whatever,” he said. Now, watching those same fans mourn Cena’s retirement and treat him as an untouchable legend doesn’t sit right with him. “And here we are, 10, 15 years later and people act like it never happened and the situation never existed and now they all love him,” Gunther added.
To Gunther, that selective memory shows how fickle wrestling audiences can be. “Yeah, a bit hypocritical if you ask me sometimes,” he said, offering little sympathy for fans devastated by Cena tapping out. He described fan loyalty as something that changes with time rather than principle, saying, “That’s what the fans are. Whatever is the flavor of the month, they jump on it.”
Gunther also suggested that this cycle will eventually repeat itself with his own career. Confident that today’s outrage will turn into tomorrow’s nostalgia, he predicted a similar reaction when his time comes. “In 10 years time or something, they’re going to stand there and cry over me losing in my last match,” Gunther said. “It’s what they do.”
