When AJ Francis, F.K.A. Top Dolla, was released by WWE for the second time in three years, it turned heads around the industry not just because it happened but because of the details surrounding it.

Unlike in 2021, when the three remaining members of Hit Row were released in quick succession, this time around, Dolla was the only man down, with Ashonte “Thee” Adonis and B-Fab retained to continue to work the occasional angle on SmackDown.

Why was only Dolla dropped? Was it because of his embarrassing over-the-ring spot, an unfortunate at the time moment that actually helped him get diagnosed with type 2 diabetes? Or could it be that WWE wanted to pursue B-Fab as a solo act, and Francis was making more money than Adonis, making his release purely part of the numbers game?

While Francis doesn't know for sure, he did stop by Sportskeeda to talk about his release and let it be known that he remains passionate about professional wrestling, even if WWE doesn't feel the same way about him.

“WWE has always been my passion. When I was in the NFL, I wanted to be in WWE. Now, that sounds ridiculous to a lot of people, but it's the truth,” AJ Francis told Sportskeeda via Fightful. “There's more than interviews. Go look up Omar Kelly's interview with me when I'm on the Miami Dolphins in 2013 saying the exact same thing. This is seven years before I signed with WWE. Just always been a passion of mine, it's always something I wanted to do. But it's one of those things, it's like, sometimes you fly too close to the sun. Did I enjoy my time in WWE? Yeah. Did I appreciate all the friends and relationships I built while I was there? Yeah. But they didn't want me. They proved it twice. So it's like, I'm not the kind of guy who's gonna keep going back to my ex-girlfriend telling her how I miss her. If you don't need me, that's cool, bro. I hope it works for you. Because I'm gonna be alright.”

So what does the future hold for Francis now that he's an unrestricted free agent? Well, let's just say he has plenty of options on the table.

AJ Francis is open to all options, even a return to WWE.

Continuing his conversation with Sportskeeda Wrestling, AJ Francis detailed just how busy his calendar year has been already before wrestling his first match back on the indies, with the potential to become even moreso now that he's open for business.

“The day that I was released in September, I was furious. I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? After everything that I've done, after everything, all the work I've put in, all the times I was the only person in the ring before SmackDown doing anything? All the times I was in the [PC]? Me and Tehuti went to the Performance Center one day on a Monday, and it was just me and him doing drills, just us two. All the times that I worked my a** off, that's how you view it? Cool. 24 hours, I allowed myself to be p*ssed off,” AJ Francis told Riju Dasgupta.

“Then after that, it was, ‘Alright, you don't want me? I'm gonna show you how much you don't want me.' Now, I'm at the point where I can do anything that I want, whenever I want, and I'm getting a lot of opportunities. Let's call a spade a spade, let's be real. Without the machine behind them, without WWE behind them or AEW behind them, or even TNA or any of the major promotions in this country, without their company going out of their way to set it up for them, how many people could be on The Pat McAfee Show, the Scott Van Pelt Show, could be on Big Noon Kickoff on FOX, could be CBS, NBC, ABC, could be on ABC January 1 for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl as the person giving the MVP Title to the MVP of the game? How many people in wrestling can do that? That's what I did in the last month. So I'm gonna be alright.

“But just know that if it ever did come to the fact that WWE wanted me back, I would take the call. I would definitely listen. But I'm not waiting on that call. I don't know me if it will ever come. To be honest with you, I would love for it to come, but at the end of the day, if it don't, it ain't gonna be the end of the world. I'm gonna be alright. If they want to call me, I'm available. But I'm also not waiting around the phone. I got stuff to do.”

Could a promotion like AEW, TNA, or even New Japan pursue a full-time contract with Francis? Sure, but don't be surprised if he does something out of left field instead, like joining the Pat McAfee Show or signing with ESPN as a wrestling correspondent for bigger shows like WrestleMania or even the Royal Rumble. While professional wrestlers normally don't get those opportunities when the bookings stop, AJ Francis is not your typical wrestler, and thus could end up doing legitimately anything to further his career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E300bDDas_I