Former TNA World Champion Josh Alexander has opened up about his decision to sign with All Elite Wrestling earlier this year, stating that his choice was not about money, but about the opportunity to work with the deep and talented roster that AEW has assembled. The “Walking Weapon” was one of the hottest free agents in professional wrestling when his TNA contract expired, and his decision to join AEW was a significant one for the landscape of the industry.
Alexander made his AEW debut on the April 16 edition of Dynamite, and he has since been a featured performer on both Dynamite and Collision. Prior to signing with AEW, he had a run in TNA Wrestling, where he rose from a tag team specialist in The North to become the face of the brand as a multi-time world champion.
In a new interview with Undisputed, Alexander addressed the speculation that surrounded his free agency. He was clear that his decision was not based on who offered him the most money, but rather on where he felt he could have the best matches and continue to grow as a performer.
“If you believe what you read online, I just went with the highest bidder,” said Alexander with a laugh. “The truth is that the money, schedule, and things like that didn’t play into my decision as much as looking at the pool of talent I wanted to work with.” His statement is a direct refutation of the common belief that a wrestler’s choice of promotion is always a financial one.
“There’s a specific reason I signed where I did. I chose AEW because I want to be here,” he declared.