The Motor City Machine Guns are about to be All Elite.

That’s the belief amongst the TNA locker room anyway, as a new report from PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reveals that the general consensus behind the scenes in the Anthem-helmed promotion is that the Guns - Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin - will soon be signing with All Elite Wrestling. This comes off the back of their existing TNA contracts expiring and the Guns entering a period of free agency as of Monday gone past (April 1).

Shelley and Sabin, both stalwarts of TNA Wrestling after helping mould the company’s exemplary X-Division, had been back with the promotion since July 2020, returning at Slammiversary after an eight-year absence as a duo. Since returning, they’ve held the World Tag Team Championships twice for a combined three reigns, while Shelley also lifted his first World Championship and Sabin captured the X Division Championship for his record ninth and tenth reigns.

They wrestled their final match in TNA - for now - during TNA’s March 23 television tapings in Philadelphia, losing to defending World Tag Team Champions, Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards of The System. That will air on a forthcoming broadcast of TNA iMPACT!

The Motor City Machine Guns’ AEW Appearance, Explained

Should The Motor City Machine Guns opt to sign with AEW, it wouldn’t mark their official debut. Shelley and Sabin have worked previously for the Tony Khan-led organisation, participating in a six-man tag team match at the infamous All Out pay-per-view in 2022. They tagged with old TNA foe Jay Lethal in a losing effort to Wardlow and FTR.

Per Chris Sabin, though, this wasn’t the original plan when AEW contacted the Guns. As he stated in a virtual signing with Captain’s Corner, he believed the initial idea was for he and Shelley to face FTR in a straightforward two-on-two encounter (H/T Fightful):

“I think it’s possible one day. Obviously we thought it was gonna happen in AEW. It turned into a six-man tag, which was fine. But I think it’s possible one day. I’d love to have a match with those guys. They’re insanely talented, and they have such a cool style because I like old-school in today’s atmosphere. I think that’s really cool, it makes them stand out. They’re both cool guys, great wrestlers, and I think it’d be awesome."