Former AEW star Max Caster has reportedly drawn backstage heat within TNA Wrestling following his controversial entrance rap at Bound For Glory 2026, with new reports suggesting his future with the promotion could already be in jeopardy.
Caster made his TNA debut during Sunday’s pay-per-view at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, answering an open challenge from former TNA World Champion Moose.
During his customary entrance rap, Caster referenced the recent deadly attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“I drop bombs. You don’t even have to fly to Riyadh.”
The remark quickly generated criticism on social media, with several fans describing the reference as insensitive given the recent loss of life. Some called for TNA to release Caster following the incident.
The situation has since reportedly escalated behind the scenes.
According to False Finish, TNA has decided against working with Caster again following the controversy.
“Sources tell False Finish that TNA will no longer be working with Max Caster. Caster’s freestyle included a line about him dropping bombs and not having to fly to Riyadh. The line raised eyebrows both within TNA and its partners globally.”
Fightful Select also reported that Caster had already generated backstage heat within TNA just one day after making his debut.
“Max Caster has already drawn backstage heat in TNA, just one day after his Bound For Glory debut. Fightful has learned that TNA executives were reportedly unhappy with an unscripted, unapproved line referencing Riyadh. We’re told his future with the company is now uncertain, with upcoming taping plans potentially affected.”
The report indicates that the controversial reference was neither scripted nor approved by TNA officials beforehand.
Following the backlash, TNA also reportedly removed video clips featuring Caster’s entrance rap from its social media platforms.
Although False Finish reports that TNA will no longer work with Caster, Fightful’s reporting stops short of confirming a final decision, instead describing his future with the company as uncertain. TNA has not publicly confirmed that it has severed ties with Caster.
Caster’s controversial reference came amid an escalating security situation in Saudi Arabia, where several attacks have targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
According to Saudi authorities, an attack on Saturday, October 10, initially killed 12 people and injured more than 300 others. The reported death toll increased to 13 on Sunday following the death of an Indian citizen who had sustained injuries.
Saudi officials attributed the attack to Yemen’s Houthi group.
The airport had previously been targeted on October 8 in an incident that reportedly killed three people. Another attack on Sunday night resulted in one additional fatality and 11 injuries, according to Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority.
Following Saturday’s incident, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert advising American citizens to avoid King Khalid International Airport and surrounding areas.
The situation has also raised concerns regarding WWE Crown Jewel 2026, which remains scheduled for November 7 at Riyadh Season Stadium.
Although WWE has not announced any changes to the event, the company has confirmed that contingency plans are in place. Dave Meltzer reported Sunday that Crown Jewel was in “jeopardy” of taking place in Riyadh amid the ongoing security concerns.
Despite the controversy surrounding his entrance, Caster competed against Moose in his first TNA Wrestling match.
Caster initially refused to shake Moose’s hand before the contest, but the two eventually faced off in the ring. Moose secured the victory after connecting with a spear, and Caster accepted a handshake from his opponent following the match.
The encounter had been arranged after Moose issued an open challenge during the October 8 episode of TNA iMPACT. Caster responded the following day with a rap in which he referred to himself as “the Best Wrestler Alive.”
His entrance at Bound For Glory also included a crude remark directed at Moose and a reference to his lisp.
This is not the first time Caster’s entrance material has generated criticism.
In August 2021, an AEW Dark rap featuring references to Simone Biles’ mental health and the Duke lacrosse case drew significant backlash. AEW President Tony Khan subsequently described the segment as “terrible” and said it “shouldn’t have aired.”
Caster was reportedly sent to sensitivity training following the incident.
Another controversy emerged in December 2024 when AEW removed a reference to Luigi Mangione from one of Caster’s Rampage entrance raps. Caster later criticized the editing decision, claiming the person responsible had “no respect for what I do and no respect for hip-hop.”
Caster’s Bound For Glory appearance marked his first match since his AEW contract expired on October 1, 2026.
He and former Acclaimed partner Anthony Bowens reportedly became free agents at the same time, bringing their respective contractual relationships with AEW to an end.
Caster had not competed for AEW since December 2025, although he remained active on the independent wrestling circuit. Among his appearances was a July 6 match against Bobby Orlando at Beyond Wrestling’s Wrestling Open RI event, where Caster suffered a defeat.
AEW subsequently removed Caster from its official online roster on October 9.
During his time with the promotion, Caster achieved considerable success alongside Bowens as The Acclaimed.
The duo captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship from Swerve In Our Glory in September 2022 before later joining Billy Gunn to win the AEW World Trios Championship. Their Trios Championship reign lasted a record 238 days.
It remains unclear whether Caster had signed a formal agreement with TNA or whether his Bound For Glory appearance was intended as a one-off arrangement.
However, with reports of backstage dissatisfaction and potential changes to upcoming taping plans, Caster’s future with the promotion is now facing uncertainty just one day after his debut.
