TNA Wrestling is facing criticism after accusations surfaced claiming the promotion may be taking advantage of aspiring wrestlers who appear as extras at television tapings.

During the Masters of Wrestling podcast on March 8, 2026, former TNA employee Master Emir and former WWE star Martin Stone discussed what they described as troubling practices involving hopeful talent working around TNA events. According to Emir, he witnessed situations during tapings where extras were allegedly performing tasks that went beyond what should normally be expected of someone simply hoping to gain exposure in the industry.

Emir recalled one particular instance that he believes crossed the line.

“I saw the shenanigans that were going on. They had people who didn’t have hazmat licenses mopping up blood in the ring and not their own blood, but the performers’ blood. These were young hopefuls trying to get a job at TNA. I witnessed all of this, and that was just one of the many things that happened. That’s actually illegal.”

He went on to suggest that the issue stems from a growing number of aspiring wrestlers who are willing to accept nearly any opportunity just to get their foot in the door. Emir believes promotions can take advantage of that passion because so many people are desperate to break into the business.

“But it goes beyond that. The reason they attract these kinds of situations is because now there’s a generation of wrestlers who are basically super fans or marks who want to get into the business. They’re not business-minded people. A lot of them dream about it so much that they’ll do anything to get there, and companies know they can take advantage of that.

They don’t even need to offer contracts anymore. They know there are people who will work just for the chance to be on TV. They know there are plenty of hopefuls out there willing to do it. So instead of going after established talent, they go after the low-hanging fruit people who will work for almost nothing. Why pay when you can get people to do it for free?”

Emir also alleged that some hopeful wrestlers are traveling significant distances just to appear as extras without compensation.

“They even have extras flying in from around the country and not getting paid.”

Martin Stone supported those claims and said he personally knows individuals who have spent years appearing at tapings as extras while covering their own travel costs. While he acknowledged that participating as an extra can make sense for those who already live nearby, he questioned the value of regularly traveling to shows without meaningful opportunities or financial compensation.

“I’m not going to name names, but I do know multiple people who have been extras at TNA for at least two years. Two years wasting their time on that flying themselves in every time they film. If they’re already in town, fine, I get it. But when you’re paying your own way every month just for the chance to appear and you know you’re not really getting anything out of it, that’s a different story.”