TNA continues tightening its grip on talent bookings, with another planned match involving MJF reportedly shut down.

According to Fightful Select, MJF had been lined up to face Bear Bronson at a GCW show in March, but the bout never materialized after TNA stepped in to block it. The move adds to a growing pattern of independent appearances featuring AEW names being halted.

The situation escalated further this week. Reports surfaced that Nic Nemeth was pulled from a scheduled May clash with MJF, while Leon Slater was also removed from a WrestleCon SuperShow match against Ricochet in Las Vegas. Both matches had been positioned as major attractions, but neither will now go ahead. Nemeth and Slater are both under TNA contracts, and there is increasing belief behind the scenes that talent from the company may soon be barred from facing AEW wrestlers entirely, regardless of the platform.

Behind the scenes, frustration appears to be building. TNA President Carlos Silva is said to have been unhappy with AEW Collision airing directly opposite last week’s Impact. That scheduling clash stemmed from Warner Bros. Discovery adjustments tied to NCAA tournament coverage, rather than a decision made by AEW itself. Even so, the ripple effects are now impacting independent bookings.

Fightful also noted that several talent withdrawals have been attributed to “partner conflicts.” With WWE currently working alongside TNA, many believe that relationship is playing a role in limiting crossover appearances with AEW talent.

Interestingly, not every situation has followed the same pattern. Jody Threat’s recent win over Mercedes Moné in Winnipeg still went ahead as planned, leaving some uncertainty as to why that match was allowed while others have been blocked.

With more matches being pulled and tensions seemingly rising, the landscape for AEW and TNA crossover on the independent scene appears increasingly uncertain.