Pro wrestling free agency news (January 2024): Two stars return to WWE, former Knockouts Champion joins AEW, TNA gets former WWE stars
Heading into 2024, WWE and AEW have been on both sides of the free agency market. Will Ospreay and Adam Copeland both joined All Elite Wrestling once their deals with WWE expired.
CM Punk was terminated by Tony Khan in the early fall, but he joined WWE in November after nearly a decade away from the promotion.
When the calendar turned over to January 2024, most fans and veterans were waiting for a major movement. Fans were looking for big names, like MJF, Mercedes Mone, and Kazuchika Okada, to show up at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.
The Royal Rumble is a spot where any number of free agents could pop up. Some stars did show up, but not the three mentioned above made an appearance. With that in mind, here's a recap of the moves that have happened so far in January 2024.
#5. Free agency quick hits
Former MLW World Champion Alexander Hammerstone competed against Josh Alexander at TNA's Hard to Kill. The latter won the match, and it seems like only a one-off for Hammerstone for now.
Kamille finished up with NWA and became a free agent at the start of 2024. She has been recently linked to both AEW and WWE. The Stamford-based promotion has shown an interest in the former NWA Women's Champion, but Kamille was backstage for last week's Dynamite.
Sami Callihan and Matt Riddle both returned to MLW. Riddle faced former World Champion Jacob Fatu at Kings of Colosseum, while Callihan has had a few matches. He's reportedly not signed to an official deal with MLW and remains a free agent.
#4. TNA's rebrand brings in former WWE stars
![TNA added some names with loads of wrestling experience. [Image credits tnawrestling.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/dd1c6-17064945892658-1920.jpg?w=500)
Two former WWE stars moved to TNA as the company rebranded from IMPACT. Nic Nemeth (fka Dolph Ziggler) and Ash by Elegance (fka Dana Brooke) both appeared at Hard To Kill. Nemeth confronted the new TNA Champion Moose and has already had an official match.
Brooke's new character, Ash by Elegance, sat ringside and has appeared in vignettes. She has yet to wrestle.
AJ Francis had a segment with Joe Hendry at Hard to Kill. Mustafa Ali debuted for TNA last week in a pre-taped vignette, going along with the political angles he filmed while in NXT.
#3. The Virtuosa is All Elite
One of the bigger dominoes to fall involved former Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo. She finished up with IMPACT at the end of 2023 and signed with Tony Khan's company.
The Virtuosa immediately slated into a title program with AEW Women's Champion 'Timeless' Toni Storm. The two have a history dating back to learning the craft together in dojos.
Unless the plan is for Purrazzo to beat Storm, this feud seems a bit rushed. Storm has had a few decent angles over the title, but this would trump them all.
Will The Virtuosa be more successful in AEW than other TNA stars like Kiera Hogan, Allie, and Madison Rayne? Only time will tell.
#2. Two NJPW staples finish up with the company
![What's next for Okada and Tama Tonga? [Images via njpw.com and Tama Tonga Instagram]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/01/a9a81-17063241085078-1920.jpg)
Perhaps the biggest free agency news came from New Japan as its biggest name, Kazuchika Okada, announced he was leaving Japan. The Rainmaker has arguably been the top wrestler in the world for the last decade.
He's been the face of NJPW, similar to when John Cena had his run on top of WWE. Okada has appeared recently for both AEW and TNA, but Triple H is clearly interested in his services.
Tama Tonga is another NJPW star with a rich history in the company. He helped form the Bullet Club and has been a loyal member of the roster for years. Tonga also finished up with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and could be headed to either AEW or WWE.
#1. Two familiar faces return to WWE at the 2024 Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is always newsworthy for many reasons. While the winners of the contests are obviously the headliners, the matches also serve other purposes.
Former WWE stars return to the company or debut, while injured stars make returns to active duty during the match. This year saw both Andrade and Naomi make their come back after a few years away.
Naomi spent a short stint in IMPACT Wrestling, winning the Knockouts Championship. Andrade had a run in AEW but wasn't used to his potential. With both stars back, they'll likely join SmackDown since their significant others (Charlotte Flair and Jimmy Uso) are a part of that brand.