TNA Wrestling Lives On: ‘We’re Back’
Two weeks ago, as Scott D’Amore stood in an Impact ring at Bound for Glory, he felt a rare sensation.
D’Amore, who has cut so many promos in wrestling that they are second nature to him, had genuine nerves as he began to speak. Just outside of Chicago, he announced to a packed house in Cicero Stadium that Impact Wrestling was no more–and that, from that point forward, TNA Wrestling had returned.
Courtesy TNA Wrestling
As tickets now go on sale for TNA’s Hard To Kill pay-per-view, which takes place on January 13 at the Palms Resort Casino in Las Vegas, D’Amore is thrilled to share why the name change is so significant.
“The TNA name has so much meaning to me,” said D’Amore, who is the current President of Impact Wrestling–and will soon have the same title in TNA. “Over the past few days, we’ve seen the depth of meaning it has for wrestling fans. It’s always been TNA Wrestling to me.”
The promotion was TNA since its inception, but switched to Impact Wrestling in 2017. Then, for the summer of 2017, it changed its name again–this time, to Global Force Wrestling. That fall, it was renamed back to Impact. The sudden, hasty changes became a part of the company’s ethos.
When D’Amore was hired to oversee the company in 2018, he wanted to re-establish the brand as TNA Wrestling. But in order to highlight its past, D’Amore decided it was best to first restore the faith and credibility that had been lost.
“When I came in 2018 with [parent company] Anthem, the last thing this company needed was another name change,” said D’Amore. “Somewhere along the way, our identity got lost, so we didn’t need another name change–what we needed was stability. It took time, but that’s what we’ve provided, week in and week out. I’m very proud of everything we’ve done, and we’re now in a position to emerge using our true name in TNA Wrestling. We’ve earned that right to be called TNA Wrestling.
“When I said, ‘TNA Wrestling, we’re back,’ that’s our identity. We’ve worked very hard to establish respectability for this brand. When AJ Styles and Bobby Roode squared off in the Royal Rumble, fans weren’t cheering ‘Impact Wrestling!’ When Sting and Jeff Jarrett squared off in AEW, the crowd chanted ‘TNA!’ That’s who we are.”
This has the chance to be a breakout year for TNA, and the rebranding is a critical component. The Hard To Kill pay-per-view is being held at the Palms, a premium venue in Vegas, and the working plan is to be a presence at more high-profile venues throughout the country.
“You’re going to see upgrades to our look and pacing,” said D’Amore. “We’re in a position to inspire the next generation. Will Ospreay mentioned to me he grew up a TNA Wrestling kid, and that TNA holds a special place in his heart.
“TNA Wrestling changed the landscape of wrestling with AJ Styles in the main event. AJ’s back is what the company was built on. TNA was an agent for change. Whether you were smaller or overlooked, you could shine in TNA. Keeping tag team wrestling alive with America’s Most Wanted or Triple X, that was a priority for TNA. The Knockouts division showcased strong women in an equal setting with the men. We are still that agent of change. TNA has a place in wrestling, and it fits into the landscape in 2024.”
Signing a major acquisition or two would help TNA rebrand itself as a legitimate player. As it just so happens, Will Ospreay–who just wrestled at Bound for Glory, then had two more matches for the company–will enter free agency in February.
“I don’t know who’ll win the Will Ospreay Sweepstakes,” said said D’Amore. “Right now, he is the best wrestler in the world. We’d love to have Will in TNA.”
Courtesy TNA Wrestling
Again, the timing is potentially perfect for TNA. One of the most prominent stars in all of wrestling is CM Punk, who is also a free agent–and was backstage the day after Bound for Glory.
“Would we look at exploring CM Punk as part of TNA?” said D’Amore. “We’d be crazy to say no. CM Punk is certainly a polarizing figure in pro wrestling, but he’s also someone who has consistently been a difference-maker. It’s no secret CM Punk was backstage the day after Bound for Glory, and he’s always more than welcome to be here. And that’s not unheard of–earlier this year, when he was with AEW, Punk reached out and asked if he could come by and hang out. He’s fantastic to have backstage, and someone with his knowledge, that holds intangible benefits. He’s always welcome. What that means for the future, we’ll see.”
Courtesy AEW
One part of TNA’s past that will not be present in its future is the six-sided ring, which has grown in lore over the years.
“There are a lot of warm feelings from a lot of fans about it,” said D’Amore. “I was in the room when the decision was made to go six-sided, so I have nostalgia for it, too but you won’t see the six-sided ring in TNA.
“Right now, just about every wrestler in that six-sided ring said it was tougher on their body for injury and wear-and-tear. We’ll be staying four-sided, and for those who are disappointed by that, I’ll ask them: what is more about to you–the aesthetic of the ring, or the health and well-being of the athletes? I’m pretty confident our fans agree that their safety comes first. But you will see some changes to our shows. The pacing is going to be quicker, there will be a shakeup talentwise, and you’re going to see us disrupt and change wrestling. We’re going to push the limits, like we did with Ultimate X and King of the Mountain. That might mean, every once in a while, we sometimes fall on our face in a reverse battle royal, but hopefully not too often. We owe it to our fans to take chances.
“Dutch Mantell, someone I’ve learned a lot from over the years, taught me something a long time ago. Earlier in my career, when I wanted everything to be perfect, Dutch offered some advice. He said there were only two promises he could make: one was that we’d occasionally make mistakes, and the other was that when we did, we’d have 51 other weeks to fix them. I like that philosophy.”
D’Amore is not seeking to erase any of Impact’s history, but rather reconnect to its roots. The weekly television show will remain Impact!. Fittingly, Impact’s last special event, which takes place next month, is called Final Resolution.
“Yes, it’s aptly called Final Resolution,” said D’Amore. “We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished with Impact, and it’s perfect that our first pay-per-view back as TNA Wrestling is Hard to Kill. Before I even joined TNA in 2003, I was told it was about to go out of business. In 2005 when I was put in charge of creative, I read in a newsletter that TNA was out of business. But the passion from the fan base never stopped. There is a generation that grew up loving TNA Wrestling, and we’re now in a position to make some noise in 2024.
“Expect consistency. Expect depth in our storytelling, which we’re as good as–if not better than–anybody else. If you’re on our show, you earned a spot on our show. It’s not only Josh Alexander, Jordynne Grace, Masha Slamovich, and Steve Maclin that have storylines. Johnny Swinger and Crazzy Steve do, too. That’s one of our strengths, and we’ll continue to forge forward with that.”
Courtesy TNA Wrestling
Competing in a landscape that also includes a global conglomerate WWE, a growing entity in AEW, and the renowned New Japan Pro-Wrestling, D’Amore has one promise for what will make TNA reverberate with wrestling fans.
“We’re going to be the hardest working company in professional wrestling,” said D’Amore. That’s why when I said, ‘TNA, we’re back’, that was such a huge statement. We’re back to doing what we do best. We are going to take chances, give a stage for wrestlers to take a chance, and evolve wrestling.
“I’m excited for those that are joining us. We’re headed somewhere, we’re going on a journey, and we hope people hop on board with us. For those who don’t, that’s OK–wrestling has a lot of different products. But for those who jump on, the only direction we’re moving is forward. We know we’re good at what we do, and we’re going to be a game-changer and a force in 2024. So stay tuned.”
