Select Portions: TNA Contract, Kyle Fletcher, NJPW, More

• AJ Francis' new TNA deal is through 2025, Fightful Select has confirmed.

• WWE has no scheduled house shows until the European tour in mid-March. Talent we've spoken to are very happy about it.

• We're told the Cincinnati AEW shows had an additional emphasis put on them at the request of WBD.

• Kenny Omega had been planned to head to Japan on January 1 for this weekend's show.

• NJPW has started negotiating with a number of talent who have deals coming up.

• For those asking, the price increase of the lowest tier of Fightful Select kicks off on January 31.

Kyle Fletcher

In an interview with Phid McAwesome from Downunder the Ring, AEW star Kyle Fletcher shares his thoughts on returning to perform in Australia, his journey from local indie circuits to the global stage, and the upcoming AEW Grand Slam in Brisbane. The Australian native spoke about his new haircut and the rising prominence of Australian talent in wrestling.

Phid begins the interview on a light note, asking about Kyle’s new haircut. Fletcher’s said, “Oh, dude, I love it. I get up in the morning; I don’t have to do anything.”

The conversation moved forward with the talk of AEW’s upcoming show in Brisbane. Fletcher says the event marks a significant milestone for him. This was mainly where he said he wrestled on the indie scene. He told Phid, “The biggest crowd I’ve wrestled for in Australia has been a couple of hundred people; this will be a major step up.” 

He spoke about his early days with PWA (Pro Wrestling Australia) in Sydney, where he grew up and trained. Fletcher also talked about other Australians in the business, “It’s awesome to see so many Aussies doing amazing things in professional wrestling right now.”

Phid asked about his former stablemate, Will Ospreay. Phid mentions that Ospreay might have allies like Henare nearby, but Fletcher dismisses the idea and says. “I think Will would be very silly to think he has more friends than I do. I have a whole family that will back me up at the drop of a hat,” he asserted. Phid mentions Henare again; Kyle responds, “I’d drop that mofo on his head.” Phid tells Kyle he can say what he wants. Kyle replies, “Oh, fuck yeah. He's getting fucked up, dude. Let's go.”

Fletcher described the upcoming AEW Grand Slam event as merging two significant parts of his life. “Growing up in Australia, I love the country through and through. AEW, I love the company through and through. It’s really like two worlds of mine colliding,” he explained. Fletcher says wrestling for a company he loves in front of a home crowd is a dream come true for him. He recalled performing at Wembley for AEW All In and wishing for a similar opportunity in Australia.

Fletcher attributes the recent surge of Australian wrestlers on the global stage to the drive and passion in the country’s wrestling scene. “Because we were so slept on for so long, there’s this passion and drive to absolutely show the world when we get the chance,” he said.

Fletcher is ready to reconnect with the Australian indie scene and old friends. “If my schedule allows, I’d love to check out some indie shows while I’m here,” he shared. He is excited to represent his country and inspire the next generation of Australian wrestlers.

AEW is heading to Brisbane on February 13th, 2025, for AEW Grand Slam. You can follow Kyle Fletcher on Instagram or X at @kylefletcherpro.

You can also follow Phid McAwesome on X or Instagram at @PhidMcAwesome. Check out Phid’s podcast “Downunder the Ring” on your favorite podcast platform. You can follow the podcast on X at @Dwnunderthering or Instagram at @DownundertheRing.