Multiple TNA sources are reporting that Awesome Kong (a/k/a Kia Stevens) and TNA have agreed to part ways. She had been asking for a roughly 15 percent pay increase or a contractual release, and it appears the company has opted for the latter. There's no word yet on whether the release paperwork is official, but a source with knowledge of the situation told Prowrestling.net, "There's no turning back now."

As previously noted, one of the holdups in the release becoming official is that TNA officials wanted to include a lengthy noncompete agreement, while she was asking for the traditional 90-day noncompete. At this point, sources are unaware of the length of the noncompete agreement that will be enforced. Kong and Hamada were stripped of the Knockouts Tag Titles on March 8, and Kong's bio was removed from the TNA website on Thursday.

Powell's POV: It's too bad the two sides couldn't work something out because she was the heart and soul of the Knockouts division. It will be very interesting to see if WWE steps in and makes a contract offer whenever Kong's noncompete expires.

Kong doesn't fit the Barbie doll look that WWE generally goes for, but that would only make her stand out more as the monster of the division. There are some potential dream matches with WWE Divas Mickie James and Beth Phoenix, as well as another round of Gail Kim matches, which stole many TNA shows.

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