Gunner and Thea Trinidad, two former TNA Superstars, recently signed a WWE deal and are expected to start with NXT soon. Other names quoted as signed are German wrestler Axel Dieter Jr. who recently left WxW, Cruiserweight Classic competitors Fabian Aichner and Raul Mendoza, and female independent wrestlers Evie and Nixon Newell.
The story between WWE and Thea Trinidad, known as Rosita in TNA, is an unfinished business. She took part in a tryout for the company in 2013, but didn’t sign. She appeared multiple times as one of Adam Rose’s “Rosebuds” in 2014. Last october, she lost a match against Asuka in a NXT episode.
Discovered by Tommy Dreamer, Trinidad spent most of her career in TNA and independent promotions. She worked most of her TNA time with Sarita and even became TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions in March 2011.
She also worked for Mexican promotion CMLL, Global Force Wrestling (GFW), Shine Wrestling, and Ring of Honor where she was managing her boyfriend, WWE Cruiserweight Austin Aries.
Thea Trinidad was recently spotted sitting ringside during a NXT taping for an Andrade Cien Almas match. She also played the part of AJ Lee in the upcoming biopic about Paige and her family produced by the Rock and WWE.
Chad Lail took the wrestling name of Gunner because he served in Iraq as a machine gunner. He’s been involved in the wrestling business since 2006. He also spent most of her career in TNA and independent promotions.
He started with NWA and his Georgia-based Promotion, Anarchy Wrestling. During 5 years, Shatter was one of the striking forces of the company and all his local promotions. He won the NWA National Heavyweight Championship in 2009 and is still the longest reigning champion in the title’s history.
He also became Showtime All-Star Wrestling (SAW) International Heavyweight Championship in 2010 but had to relinquish the title because he was already signed with TNA and couldn’t handle the double schedule.
He quickly made his mark in TNA, winning the TV title in early 2011. He later teamed up with James Storm to become TNA World Tag Team Champion. After being involved in many feuds, Gunner left TNA in 2015 and has appeared since in many local and independent promotions in the USA.