AJ Francis says his connection with Expressions began with an unexpected request during WWE Money In The Bank 2023 in London — one that apparently drew some surprised reactions backstage.
Before becoming part of Francis’ on-screen world in TNA Wrestling, Expressions was a celebrity fan visiting WWE during the Money In The Bank weekend. Francis, then known as Top Dolla, recalled that the popular content creator had an opportunity to meet major names from the WWE roster. Instead, he asked to see Francis.
For Francis, the request was flattering, but he also says it created a little bit of backstage heat because people did not understand why Expressions would choose him over several established WWE headliners.
“Expressions, who’s with me now in TNA, I remember one time I got a little bit of heat in WWE because when Expressions was backstage as like a celebrity fan before Money In The Bank in London, they asked him who did he want to see,” Francis said. “He could’ve saw Brock Lesnar, he could’ve saw Randy Orton, and he said Top Dolla. They’re like, ‘Why do you want to see Top Dolla? What do you want to see him for?’ I was a victim of success back then that I had fans.”
For more background on this topic, read AJ Francis Calls His Elijah Rivalry TNA’s Most Creative Storyline of 2026.
Money In The Bank 2023 was held in London, putting Francis and Expressions in the same place at a time when Francis was still associated with WWE’s Hit Row. While the group’s run had gone through several changes by that point, Francis said Expressions had already been following his work from the Hit Row era in NXT.
The backstage meeting did not immediately result in a wrestling collaboration. It did, however, mark the start of a relationship that would grow over the following years. Francis described a later chance encounter in Las Vegas, where both men were in town around Super Bowl media activities, as the point where their friendship truly took off.
“So that was the day we met, backstage at Money In The Bank in London. He had already been a fan of mine since Hit Row was in NXT,” Francis said. “A couple of years later, I’m in Vegas for Super Bowl media row like I always am. He’s in Vegas, going to the Super Bowl and doing media himself.”
Francis said the two spent a long night together at the Spearmint Rhino strip club in Las Vegas, only realizing how late it had become once they walked outside in the morning sunlight. In Francis’ telling, the unusual night became the foundation for a genuine friendship rather than a one-off celebrity encounter.
“We spent one night in the Spearmint Rhino strip club until about eight in the morning. That night, a brotherhood was forged,” Francis said. “We were there until eight in the morning and then when we came outside, it was sunny and hilarious. We thought it was funny because we didn’t know what time it was. We just walked outside and it was bright as hell.”
That friendship eventually opened the door for Expressions to enter professional wrestling. Francis said Expressions contacted him after seeing a video post and expressed interest in becoming involved in the industry in any capacity. Francis told him that TNA could provide an opportunity, though Expressions initially may not have realized the invitation was serious.
Francis revisited the possibility several months later and presented an idea for Slammiversary. Expressions agreed to make the trip, paying for his own travel to get there, and he became involved in Francis’ entrance at the event.
“We became really good friends and then last year, he like messaged me on a video I posted and he was like, ‘Bro, I’d love to be involved in wrestling in any way,’” Francis said. “I was like, ‘Yeah bro, just come to TNA, I can get you involved for sure.’ I think he thought I was joking because a couple months go by and then I hit him up again and I’m like, ‘Yo, so you still want to do that? I have an idea,’ which was bringing him in for Slammiversary.”
Francis said Expressions’ response made clear that he had not assumed an actual wrestling appearance would materialize.
“He was like, ‘Oh, you’re serious?’ I was like, ‘Yeah bro, you just got to get to the show,’” Francis said. “He booked his own travel to Slammiversary, we teed it up and then he did my entrance at Slammiversary and that got like five million views across all social media.”
The Slammiversary appearance proved to be much more than a novelty cameo. Francis said the response to the entrance, including its substantial social media reach, demonstrated that Expressions could connect with a wrestling audience. That helped turn an informal friendship and a single appearance into a more regular role within TNA.
Expressions has since been positioned alongside Francis, providing another personality for Francis’ presentation and adding to the act’s entertainment-focused dynamic. On the October 13 episode of TNA iMPACT, Expressions made his in-ring debut when he teamed with Francis against The Hardys.
The match represented a significant step beyond the Slammiversary entrance. A manager, celebrity guest, or social-media personality can contribute to a wrestling act without necessarily becoming physically involved. By stepping into the ring beside Francis, Expressions expanded his role on TNA programming and became an active participant in the story around Francis.
Francis believes that progression has been earned. He praised Expressions’ ability to handle the managerial side of pro wrestling and said the opportunity has developed because Expressions has shown he is capable of more than simply appearing as Francis’ friend.
“From that point on, the rest is history,” Francis said. “It’s an opportunity that I dont think he actually expected to come to fruition. Now it did because he’s so good at the gig, he’s so good at the managerial role in wrestling. We’ve been taking advantage of it.”
The story also reflects an increasingly familiar route into wrestling for personalities who have built followings outside the traditional industry. Expressions did not arrive through the usual path of wrestling schools, independent promotions, or a lengthy developmental process. His entry began as a fan seeking out a wrestler he supported, then became a friendship, a high-profile entrance appearance, and eventually an in-ring debut.
For Francis, that history makes the partnership more personal. His comments emphasize that Expressions was a supporter before they became friends and before either man had reason to think they would work together in TNA. The fact that Expressions asked to meet Top Dolla at a WWE event, even with stars such as Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton available, remains a memorable part of the story for Francis.
It is also a point Francis can use to underline the support he believes he had during his WWE run. He framed the backstage reaction as a byproduct of having fans who connected with him and wanted to see him specifically. Whether others backstage understood the request or not, Francis saw it as evidence that his work had reached people outside the conventional wrestling bubble.
Now, the relationship has moved into a new phase in TNA. Expressions is no longer simply the fan who requested a meeting in London or the friend who joined Francis for a Slammiversary entrance. Following his October 13 in-ring debut, he has become part of Francis’ on-screen operation, with Francis confident that the pairing has found a productive formula.
Francis has also recently discussed his feud with Elijah, but his account of Expressions’ path to TNA offers a different look at his current role in the company: building an act around people he trusts, using social-media attention to create momentum, and giving a friend the kind of wrestling opportunity he once did not expect would become real.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.