TNA may be about to lose a big name on the roster. On Tuesday, October 21, Fightful Select reported that Mustafa Ali is set to have his contract expire at the end of the year.
According to the Fightful Select report, Ali confirmed the timing of his contract and that it is set to go through the end of 2025. The report also states that Ali is “keeping his options open as of now.”
What that means will surely lead to speculation. Mustafa Ali was a fan favorite in WWE. One who never truly received the opportunities that fans wanted him to get. He was once in line for a Money in the Bank win, only to have that moment stolen by Brock Lesnar due to a last-minute creative change. Everyone also remembers how an unfortunate injury opened the door for KofiMania to happen in 2019.
Mustafa Ali was featured well in the NXT versus TNA storyline that unfolded across both shows. He and Ethan Page had an excellent match at NXT Showdown on October 7. That match currently sits at 8.23 on Cagematch, the highest-rated match of the night and one of the highest-rated WWE matches of the year.
At first glance, WWE seems like the best bet for where Ali will show up next. Before his sudden release back in 2023, he was set to win the WWE NXT North American Championship. That was used as background to lead into that match with Page.
However, Ali in WWE doesn’t immediately equate to success. It would be hard to see him as a top talent on either of the main roster shows. With Triple H running creative, no one would be surprised if Ali were left off television like other talented performers, Tyler Bate, Pete Dunne or several others. But if he were to remain in NXT, he could have a strong run there, even getting a run as NXT Champion. Ali may be a fan favorite, but there’s truly a ceiling for him in WWE, whether fans want to believe it or not.
Mustafa Ali is one of several names whose contracts are rumored to be ending soon. If he were to leave TNA Wrestling, WWE would be the early front-runner for his next destination, but he would be an interesting pickup in any promotion.