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TNA CLAIMS THEY HAD SIGNED DEAL WITH AJ STYLES & BULLET CLUB

Last week, PWInsider.com broke that TNA had made an offer to AJ Styles for a multi-year contract but that the two sides did not come to terms.

TNA responded to that story in what appears to be a carefully-worded statement on their website this evening, stating that they were in "serious discussions" for several months in regard to bringing Styles back to the company where he first made his name nationally.

TNA claimed that creative discussions regarding the return of Styles "escalated" and eventually began to include Drew Hankinson (pka as Luke/Doc Gallows) and Chad Allegra (pka as Karl Anderson) and on 12/14, all three attended a meeting at Dixie Carter's home in Nashville, TN.

At that meeting, according to TNA's statement, "a handshake and written deal between AJ, Drew, Chad and TNA was agreed upon and signed by all. Start dates were determined, creative was decided, merchandise designed and plane tickets purchased."

TNA then stated that over the Christmas holiday "after all the lawyers finalized the long form agreement, all communication with TNA stopped."

The TNA statement closed with, "AJ's lawyer contacted TNA and stated the wrestlers had changed their mind and would not be honoring their commitment to TNA."

The way the statement reads, it comes across as a precursor to possible legal action.

You can read the complete statement by clicking here.

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