Is Impact* the best wrestling promotion in history? *(Now TNA again, 2024)

[El-P]

This is just insane. They got both Okada ans Ospreay for those tapings. The story of TNA keeps on being fascinating.

I love how they really play on what the promotion used to be and acknowledge its complicated (to say the least) past too.

[Flyin' Brian]

TNA/Impact is partnering with Endeavor for a TNA+ streaming service. Interesting news. 

[Alucard]

they announced Ospreay vs Josh Alexander II while Okada will team with Shelley & Sabin against Moose, Eddie Edwards, & Brian Myers at next months' tapings

[El-P]

MCMG vs Alexander & ZSJ was a nice way to cap-off the IMPACT Wrestling years. Talk about a story of rehabilitation of both an image and a role in the pro-wrestling landscape, after almost disappearing a bunch of times and being a laughing stock for years.

Also, Dave Penzer is retiring, he has been the ring announcing voice of TNA/IMPACT for years but most of all, remains the classic ring announcer from the WCW Nitro golden days.

I guess that's it now. See you back in a while, TNA.

[Autistic Dragon]

48 minutes ago, El-P said:

MCMG vs Alexander & ZSJ was a nice way to cap-off the IMPACT Wrestling years. Talk about a story of rehabilitation of both an image and a role in the pro-wrestling landscape, after almost disappearing a bunch of times and being a laughing stock for years.

Also, Dave Penzer is retiring, he has been the ring announcing voice of TNA/IMPACT for years but most of all, remains the classic ring announcer from the WCW Nitro golden days.

I guess that's it now. See you back in a while, TNA.

As someone who has been watching them from their golden period of 2005-2009 through the dark days of the Pop TV era, it's been genuinely heartwarming to see how far they've come under Scott D'Amore (and for a period Don Callis).

Dave Penzer has never been my favorite ring announcer but I do wish him well.

[TheDuke]

I really enjoyed the 80s show they had a couple weeks ago with all the 80s style gimmicks. Instead of the Million Dollar Man they had the 369000 Dollar Man for example.

[Alucard]

KUSHIDA has signed a contract with TNA and will continue to work NJPW.

[El-P]

5 hours ago, TheDuke said:

I really enjoyed the 80s show they had a couple weeks ago with all the 80s style gimmicks. 

They have done it every year for some time now, and it's always fun. It's funny how Moose is so legit over with his goofy Run DMC gimmick too.

9 minutes ago, Alucard said:

KUSHIDA has signed a contract with TNA and will continue to work NJPW.

Leon Slater, Trent Seven and now KUSHIDA. They are signing legit great workers now. They are serious with this TNA shit.

[Alucard]

Scott D'Amore on Hard to Kill:

"We're going to have surprises for you, some unexpected things, including, we are right there at the goal line of finalizing one of, I think, one of the biggest signings in TNA. I think it's something that is really going to shake things up on January 13. If you've been saying, "I'm looking for something different", we're giving you a lot. Someone we have in store for you that night is going to blow your socks off."

TNA is now advertising this as "Worlds will collide on January 13th and you won't believe who is showing up" 

[sek69]

I'm guessing Mercedes is showing up since word just came our there's no more plans to bring her in AEW. Teaming back up with Trinity seems like it could be fun, and TNA has women's tag titles.

Plus it feels like if TNA is truly back you have to announce a big former WWE name is coming in! (I kid...I kid)

[El-P]

I would legit be shocked if that was Mercedes, honestly. But I would love it.

13 hours ago, sek69 said:

Plus it feels like if TNA is truly back you have to announce a big former WWE name is coming in! (I kid...I kid)

Well, there's always the threat of Dolph Ziggler looming, ya know... Or even (way) worse, Riddle. Now, that would be vintage TNA.

[sek69]

TNA getting Okada to forgive them for having him do a Kato gimmick back in the day might be their biggest win ever. That's their equivalent of WWE getting Punk to return (without the whole nearly killing him with zpacks part).

[strobogo]

The only one on the market right now that could match up to the kind of hype is Sasha, but that also doesn't really seem like a "you'd never have thought they'd be here" "world's colliding", "one of the biggest signings we've ever had" signing, either. Getting Okada to actually sign away from NJ would be something like that. But not Sasha or anyone released in the past year. Can't think of any big time free agents or shocking retired star returns.

[El-P]

Okada already is announced at the tapings. They already "got" him.

Mercedes absolutely fits the bill. She's a former Mania main eventer, you don't get much bigger than this for TNA. And the Trinity connection is there. Now that the AEW discussions fell through, it only make sense rumors would go in that direction. They apparently made a serious offer to Ospreay, they absolutely could make the same for Mercedes.

Of course Coach TK has taught people to not believe the hype anymore over the last few years, so hopefully D'Amore has learned this lesson of not taking the risk of overhyping.

[strobogo]

I'm not saying she wouldn't be a big signing for TNA, especially now, but also it wouldn't be that much of a surprise or "you'd never though they'd be here" after Trinity went there and won the title. It's certainly a big get if they could get Mercedes over her picking AEW or going back to WWE, but also TNA is a company that has signed basically every top tier talent over the past 15 years from Angle to Steiner to Hogan to Flair to Foley to Mickie James to Christian to Booker to etc etc. 

Heading into 2024 I'm definitely interested in the rebrand back to TNA and the push for bigger venues and media presence, but I also don't think Sasha Banks is a "you'd never think they'd be here, worlds collide" type talent when not only is Trinity there, but also 75% of the roster is former recent ex-WWE talent. I'm sure Mercedes would have good output in TNA, which seems to have been doing the best with female talent the past couple of years even if actual in ring skill was higher elsewhere. I just don't think now 2 years after her WWE exit where she only had a couple of matches in Japan and NJPW Strong (which no one watches) shows, is a "one of our biggest ever signings" type of deal.

 

At this point is feels like she's much more likely to return to a very hot WWE with HHH instead of Vince in charge than anything else.  

[sek69]

If not Mercedes who else would qualify as a "you'd never think they'd be here" type who'd actually be available to sign?

[El-P]

6 hours ago, strobogo said:

75% of the roster is former recent ex-WWE talent.

Tell me you don't watch TNA without telling me you don't watch TNA. You mean Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Ace Austin, Chris Bey, Alan Angels, Eddie Edwards, Josh Alexander, Moose, Black Taurus, PCO, Crazzy Steve, Deaner, Deonna Purrazzo (probably not anymore though sadge), Frankie Kazarian, Gisele Shaw, Savannah Evans, Jake Something, Jody Threat, Killer Kelly, Masha Slamovish, Joe Hendry, Jordynne Grace, Jonathan Gresham, the Rascalz, Tasha Steelz, Rosemary, Dani Luna, Kylinn King or even Eric Young who despite a few years in NXT, is clearly identified as a TNA guy 4 Life or Steve Maclin whom by now has pretty much build his identity in TNA ? is KUSHIDA a former-WWE guy or a former NJPW guy ? Even guys like Rhino and Bully Ray have has long a connection with TNA as they do with WWE. 

So yes, you've got Trinity, Brian Myers (who's been in IMACT for a few years now though), Dirty Dango, Kon, Santino if you count the authority figure... that's about it.

6 hours ago, strobogo said:

TNA is a company that has signed basically every top tier talent over the past 15 years from Angle to Steiner to Hogan to Flair to Foley to Mickie James to Christian to Booker to etc etc. 

This hasn't been this TNA for a good decade now. No one thinks of it that way anymore. 

6 hours ago, strobogo said:

I just don't think now 2 years after her WWE exit where she only had a couple of matches in Japan and NJPW Strong (which no one watches) shows, is a "one of our biggest ever signings" type of deals.

She absolutely would be. Mercedes is a big time star. She's a much bigger star that the Steiner, Booker or Christian type ever where too when they got them too, especially in the current landscape.

Ad yes, I do agree I thought she was WWE bound once the AEW discussion dropped (I'd love to know the reasons why). I still would be shocked if it's her. But then again :

5 hours ago, sek69 said:

If not Mercedes who else would qualify as a "you'd never think they'd be here" type who'd actually be available to sign?

Unless it's a big time foreigner name, and there aren't that many (who really ?), I can't think of anyone either. It would be a TK-big-announcement-moment if that was Ziggler, it would be a TK-hires-Ric-Flair moment if that was Riddle, so no and no. No one from the recent WWE cut fit the bill. Although I do think someone like Tenille Dashwood is gonna be back with them, and that they'll get some of the guys, but that won't be the big surprise, obviously. Maybe it's gonna end up being a really surprising surprise, not a surprise-that-everyone-knows-what-it-is...

[Stiva]

Maybe they’re linked back up with AEW and they can put babyface MJF out of my misery 

[El-P]

If the latest rumors (RUMORS of her wanting more moné than Charlotte got in her new WWE deal) are kinda true, there's no way Mercedes ends up in TNA. So, better just get that out of my mind already, so to not get disappointed when it does not happen. Expectations are a bitch anyway, better to have none, in general.

[El-P]

Grizzled Young Vets debuting at Hard to Kill. Never seen them, but heard nothing but good things, so it seems like a good catch that fits whatever TNA wants to be. I gotta say it's good to have an off period, because it does build anticipation for the return date. I wish there was more of that in pro-wrestling.

[Alucard]

Alex Hammerstone debuts at Hard to Kill vs Josh Alexander, nice match!

[Tenese Sarwieh]

While the announcements and Best of shows were satisfactory, the real catalyst for building momentum for Hard To Kill was a strong presence on TV. Unfortunately, they experienced a significant decline in buzz following Bound For Glory.

[El-P]

Not only that, but I feel now that there's no way "one of the biggest signing in TNA history" can possibly live up to the hype considering who's on the market, once it's clearly established it's not Moné. Losing both Deonna and Trinity (after the first session of tapings most likely) doesn't help. Also, where are Killer Kelly and Masha ? They are not listed on the PPV yet. Out of sight out of mind, I guess. Still interested in what will come out of this, but yeah, the hype has kinda died down.

[Tenese Sarwieh]

TNA has pleasantly surprised me; despite my initial doubts about the build to HTK, they are on the verge of selling out the Palms Casino Resort, thanks to rebranding, introduction of new belts, and a noteworthy surprise signing—kudos to them. Although the departures of Deonna and Trinity are significant blows, the roster still boasts talents like Grace, Luna, Shaw, and others. Furthermore, I foresee 2024 as the year that marks the ascent of Kilynn King.

[TheDuke]

I feel dumb. I thought they were still doing clip shows for the holidays. My DVR was set to record IMPACT!  Which of course doesn't exist in my cable providers listings anymore, and I realized I had to set it up again to record TNA now. Oops.