AJ Francis Credits His Works as a Heel for TNA’s Recent Success

During a recent interview with Fightful’s Kate Elizabeth at WrestleCon 2025, TNA wrestler AJ Francis discussed his success in TNA Wrestling, his work as a top heel heel for the promotion, and how he’s one of the only heels in wrestling who people actively dislike. Below are some highlights from Fightful:

On his success in TNA: “Ever since I’ve been at TNA, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Some people were at TNA for a long time and it was getting smaller and smaller, and now, ever since I got to TNA, it’s gotten bigger and bigger and I’ve made other people’s careers bigger and bigger. Everyone I work with gets bigger and bigger. When they need Joe Hendry to get ready to be a world champion, they put him with me. When they need a stopgap between Joe Hendry and Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Title, they put it with me.”

AJ Francis on his heel work and why First Class is the biggest heel faction in wrestling: “When they have Mike Santana, he needs to get up and get a shine on him for the World Title, they put him with me. When we go to El Paso and we’re in Chavo Guerrero’s hometown and they need him to get up, they put him with me. So they know what they’re doing. They know who I am. They know what I do. You know what saying? So First Class is the biggest heel faction in wrestling. The biggest in TNA. I’m one of the only heels on earth that people actually don’t like.”