TNA wrestler KC Navarro returned unexpectedly from injury during TNA’s Rebellion pay-per-view, taking his revenge on AJ Francis and helping Nic Nemeth win his match. He then defeated AJ Francis one-on-one in a match on the next episode of Impact!
We sat down with KC to discuss his triumphant return, what got him through such a tough time, and to learn what he plans to do next in TNA.
KC Navarro returned at Rebellion (2026). Image credit: TNA
Soundsphere: You’ve come back early from a rough injury and made your return at Rebellion. How have the last few months been building up to that moment?
KC: The last few months have been exciting, but I was also nervous for them. You kind of ask yourself, are people going to care, or are they even going to remember who I am when I go after AJ? I think if I didn’t have Elena Black having my back for the last couple of months to remind me of who I am, I probably would have just come back when I was supposed to, which was like June or July. So if I didn’t have her motivating me, I probably wouldn’t have come back this soon. But I’m blessed to have her.
The return was very exciting. That whole day was very nerve-wracking. I couldn’t sleep the night before. I was up all night, but I got there, and when it was my time to go out there, I went out there, and it was cool that the crowd was there with me. Everybody was excited to see me. And then we showed up to TNA last week, and I beat AJ Francis. So I’m feeling pretty good.
Soundsphere: After everything that’s happened, do you see your issue with AJ Francis as finished, or is there more to come?
KC: It would actually also be very full circle. You know, me and AJ Francis were in the ladder match when I had a torn ACL at Slammiversary last year for the tag team titles. And who would think, if we did do that, if AJ Francis doesn’t want to leave me alone after losing to me, and we can take this all the way to Slammiversary, we go one-on-one. Hell, I’ll beat him up in a ladder match, one-on-one at Slammiversary. Make it really full circle.
But you know, I loved our match that we had. As much as I can’t stand AJ Francis, I can’t deny he’s pretty good. But like I said, I don’t think AJ Francis has got it in for me. If AJ Francis wants to do this again, if he wants to blame Nick Nemeth, I’ll do it without Nick Nemeth. I don’t really care. I’ll take on AJ Francis at Slammiversary. I’ll take him on at Lockdown. I’ll take him on anywhere, anytime.
Soundsphere: Do you think this kind of David versus Goliath story can resonate with and inspire fans?
KC: Sure. You know, going into that match, my past motivated me. As a kid, I was bullied my entire life. I was never the big guy. It was like dealing with AJ Francis, but a bunch of guys like him every day, from the time I was in fifth grade to the time I graduated high school. It just never ended. Going into that match, I had to think about that young KC Navarro, and think of the kids who might be like that, looking at me like, “Man, I really hope this smaller guy can beat this giant guy.” And that’s why I didn’t quit.
When AJ Francis caught me and threw me head-first into a post, that could have knocked me out. I could have stayed down. I could have said, “Forget this, pin me, 1-2-3, I’m over it.” When he speared me out of the air, I could have stayed down. When he kneed me in the face, I could have stayed down. But I didn’t. I have a lot of heart. If there’s one thing about me, I have a lot of heart, and I will never let anybody try to tell me the type of person I am, because I know who I am and I know what I’m capable of. And AJ Francis is not going to be the guy to do that, and I proved that last Thursday on Impact.
KC had unfinished business with former tag-team partner AJ Francis. Image credit: TNA
Soundsphere: Let’s talk about Rich Swann, do you have any lingering issues with him, or do you understand his side of things?
KC: I just knew it wasn’t Swann. I knew Swann just had to do what he had to do. You know, like me, do you think I wanted to ruin Mike Santana’s match at NXT? Mike Santana’s like a big brother to me. I didn’t want to do that, but I just knew my job. I knew my role. When being in First Class, I had to listen to AJ Francis, his group, his rules. He’s the guy that brought me in. I had to do what I had to do. So I really couldn’t blame Rich Swann.
You know, I have a lot of respect and empathy for Rich Swann. I’ll tell you why. When I was 19 years old, I wrestled Rich Swann when he was X Division Champion, and I beat him. The title was on the line. But after that match, Rich found the mic and said, “You know, this kid’s the future, and you might be looking at a future X Division Champion.” And I always took that with me throughout my entire career. And I honestly think if Rich Swann didn’t say that in 2019, I don’t think you’d be sitting here talking to me today as a TNA star.
Soundsphere: Now that you’re back and on your own, what’s next for you in TNA?
KC:I feel like I have an edge to me now. I feel like it’s a little different. Before, I was joking, and I still joke a little bit, but I feel like now I’m more locked in. I had to sit home for the last eight months doing nothing. I had to watch all my friends do great things. I had to watch my girlfriend show up on TNA on AXS TV and debut, and I’m proud of everybody, but that motivated me. I want to be a world champion. You guys saw Nick Nemeth had my back. I look at Nick Nemeth like an inspiration.
That man was never looked at as the biggest guy, and he had a lot of losses when he was on his own, but he became world champion. Why can’t I? I feel there’s no reason that this year I shouldn’t become a TNA World Champion, whether that is the X Division title, whether that’s the International title, whether it’s, “Hey Nick, you want to be my mentor? Maybe a tag team partner, (sorry, Ryan), maybe we can win the Tag Team Titles,” or I become TNA World Champion. I definitely think that this year I’m going to prove that it doesn’t matter how big you are. If you have heart and you have desire and passion, anything is possible.
Soundsphere: You’ve been compared to Amazing Red, how do you feel about that, especially with the X Division in mind?
KC: It means the world to me, because I have a very close relationship with Red. I’m very blessed and grateful to say that I can call him whenever I want. It was great seeing him this past week at WrestleMania week. Red, again, is somebody that when he was going up against the big guys in TNA, I was like, “Man, I want to be like that guy.”
And when I finally got to work with Red in House of Glory, that moment for me was huge, because it was almost like a passing-of-the-torch type of thing. I got to wrestle somebody I looked up to, somebody that I can literally say, “Man, that’s like looking in the mirror. That’s who I want to be.” And I always appreciate comparisons, especially when it’s to greats like that. Amazing Red is somebody that doesn’t get a lot of credit, he should get a lot more than he does.
KC has credited girlfriend, and fellow TNA wrestler Elena Black, for helping him find the motivation to return. Image credit: TNA
Soundsphere: Looking ahead to Slammiversary, would you want to be part of something like Ultimate X?
KC: I would definitely be scared. My first one, I was 100% healthy and scared. A lot of people don’t know, it took me four hours to climb that thing before I actually got up there, just to see if I could do it. But I would do it. If it means risking my other knee, I’ll do it, because like I said, I have a different edge to me. It’s time for me to become a champion in TNA.
And if I get a championship opportunity, if that means I have to do something that I’m scared of, I’ll do it. I’ll prove it every single week if I have to earn my way into it. Last year at Rebellion, funny enough, where I came back, but last year at Rebellion, I was in the Ultimate X. I’m the only one in that match last year that actually qualified for it. I won a match to be in it. And I don’t care if I have to win matches for the next few weeks on AXS TV every single week, I’ll do it. And if that opportunity arises, bring it.
Soundsphere: How has TNA been for you as a home?
KC: It’s like a perfect, real first home for me. The locker room is great. It doesn’t even feel like, “Oh, those are my colleagues”, it’s a family. I feel like if I needed anything from anybody at any time, whether it was advice or just somebody to talk to, I feel like I could call anybody anytime, from the top of the brass to the bottom. It’s a very family-oriented place.
That’s one thing that I would tell Elena all the time, like, “Man, if you ever come to TNA, the one thing is it’s like a family.” And she would tell you the same thing. It’s a very family-oriented locker room, and the whole company as a whole. So I’m very blessed and grateful to be at TNA, and I really don’t want to call anywhere else home. I really like being at TNA, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.