TNA Wrestling’s AJ Francis has managed to combine his love of music and wrestling into one persona. Be it within WWE or TNA, Francis has often been a highlight of any stable he’s been part of, but after falling out with his last two tag-team partners, the leader of First Class is now going solo — and he’s looking forward to it.
Soundsphere sat down with the man who calls himself TNAJ Francis to discuss his run in TNA Wrestling, his music, and much more.
Image credit: TNA
Soundsphere: First Class has had a small revolving door of members. Is the stable done, or will you add more? Or is AJ Francis First Class?
AJ Francis: Well, to be fair, AJ Francis was always First Class. If you remember, if you really know ball, when I first created First Class with Rich Swann, I was already flying in First Class, and he was flying in economy, and I brought him up to First Class.
Me and Rich Swann had a great run, and unfortunately, it came a little short because of some things outside my control. Then I added KC Navarro, which was against my will, but it ended up being a great fit. KC did a really good job when he was in First Class.
We also can’t forget last summer when we were First Class tricking. A lot of good things came out of Trick Williams being a part of First Class as well. Then obviously KC ruined our opportunities at the World Tag Team Titles for TNA and NXT by showing he was a weakling and tearing his ACO, so I had to kick him to the curb, bring Rich Swann back out, and then Rich Swann turned ungrateful.
So I had the opportunity to get rid of Rich Swann, and I think that’s done and dusted. Then KC Navarro comes back from injury like I’m supposed to care, and so I had to get rid of him, too. That was the long story of First Class over the last two years. It’s been a great two years, but is First Class done for now? When I say for now, it could be for good.
I don’t know if I want to bring people back into the fold because over the last two years, I’ve proven that I am a singles star. I am a solo act. I can go out there by myself, and I don’t need to carry around 165 pounds of dead weight every time I come through the curtain. So currently, right now, I think First Class is good. I think it’s done.
Image credit: TNA
Soundsphere: If you recruit someone new, what lessons have you learned from the past?
AJ Francis: Yes. The lesson I learned from both Rich Swann and KC Navarro very recently is to make sure you take them out before they take you out. Rich Swann cost me the X Division Title. If I had taken him out before then, I’d be the X Division Champion. KC Navarro, I thought I took him out by kicking him out of First Class, but he came back and cost me a huge win at Rebellion over Nick Nemeth.
Did I eventually get my comeuppance on both of them by beating them to within an inch of their lives? Yes, I did. But at that point, it’s too little, too late. I should have been the person who took the X Division Title from Leon Slater.
Soundsphere: You and Rich Swann have history, same with KC Navarro. Is that beef behind you now?
AJ Francis: I think the story is over, because I ended that boy last Thursday. I could have done more. He was already dead to the world, and I could have kept chokeslamming him. I could have really ended that boy, but I decided that a win was enough. I think KC Navarro got the point. I think Rich Swann got the point.
I think both of them have learned that you don’t walk into the jungle and throw rocks at a silverback gorilla, and they have both learned that lesson very recently. I don’t think they’ll forget anytime soon. If they do happen to forget, though, I will gladly put them in their place.
Soundsphere: We’ve seen some tension between the Nemeth brothers. Any chance of an “enemy of my enemy is my friend” situation with Ryan?
AJ Francis: Nick Nemeth has robbed so many opportunities from me that it gets to a point where I don’t even want to speak his name. Holding a grudge is like holding a hot rock. You only burn yourself waiting to throw it at somebody.
I’ve had enough with Nick Nemeth. I faced him twice. We have two instant classic matches, and both times I got screwed over. They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. I think I just need to leave Nick Nemeth alone because I clearly beat his ass every time I fight him, and somehow I get screwed over in the end.
As far as Ryan Nemeth is concerned, I don’t think Ryan Nemeth can afford me.
AJ Francis has no interest in an alliance with Ryan Nemeth. Image credit: TNA
Soundsphere: Music is a huge part of your life and career. How do you balance wrestling and music, and make music work for you in wrestling?
AJ Francis: I’ve been making music longer than I’ve been playing football. I’ve been making music since I was 12 years old. Music is something that flows through me. It’s not something that I have to try to do. I’ll hear a beat sometimes and be like, ” Oh, I need to write something right now”, and then five minutes later, I have a three-minute song written. It’s a different type of ability. It’s its own thing. It’s self-sustaining.
For me, my wrestling character needs to be authentic because it’s just me. I’ve never been the guy who comes out lying about who they are and what they’ve done. I’ve never had to play an unbelievable character because my life is already unbelievable. For me, that’s really important. Every entrance music I’ve ever had is a song that I made. Before I got to WWE. When I was in WWE. After I left WW, I changed my song this year, and it’s still a song that I made.
It’s always important to me. I feel like people get more out of hearing a song and being like, “Oh, this song is dope, let me see who makes this song.” I get it all the time, where I’ll get 50 Shazams, because I can see all my streams and stuff online. We’ll be in Sacramento, and I’ll get like 50 Shazams in Sacramento on the night of the show. People hear my song, and they’ll be like, “Yo, what the hell is this?” They’ll literally be in their seat during my entrance, Shazam the song, or after the match when I win, and it’s playing again.
Either way, they hear the song, and they’re like, “Yo, this song is dope.” Then they hear it’s my song, and they’re like, oh, he made this song. Which makes them even more of a fan. It’s just a layer on top of a layer. It adds authenticity. Adds realism. And it adds a little edge of yes, I’m cooler than your favorite wrestler. Always have been. Always will be.
Soundsphere: How has TNA been as a home to you?
AJ Francis: Oh man, I love TNA, man, and if it wasn’t for TNA, my whole wrestling career would have been completely different. My potential and my ability were completely wasted in WWE from the moment I got there. In TNA, I’ve been able to show my actual abilities. I’ve been able to prove that I’m the best big man in the business. I’m so grateful for every opportunity TNA has provided me, and the opportunities they will continue to provide me going forward.
I’m very much looking forward to the end of the year and Slammiversary. It’s going to be a great time. Slammiversary is going to be a show that I’m going to steal again as Mr. Slammiversary. I’m very much looking forward to it.