Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA Wrestling or simply TNA) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee.[9] It is a subsidiary of Canada's Anthem Sports & Entertainment.[10]
"TNA Wrestling" redirects here. For the mobile video game based on the promotion, see TNA Wrestling (video game).
NWA: Total Nonstop Action (2002–2004)
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004–2017, 2024–present)
Impact Wrestling (March 2017–June 2017, September 2017–January 2024)
Global Force Wrestling (June 2017–September 2017)[1]
May 10, 2002 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Worldwide[5]
- Leonard Asper
(Founder/President/CEO – Anthem Sports & Entertainment)[6] - Richard Schaefer
(President – Anthem Sports Group) - Anthony Cicione
(President – TNA Wrestling)[7]
Founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, following the end of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 2001,[11] the promotion was initially known as NWA: Total Nonstop Action (NWA-TNA) and was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) governing body.[12] In 2004, the promotion dropped "NWA" from its name, becoming Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Despite leaving the NWA's membership, it continued to use the NWA World Heavyweight and Tag Team championships as part of its agreement with the governing body. After the agreement ended in 2007, the company created its own TNA World Heavyweight and TNA World Tag Team championships. The promotion was purchased by Anthem at the beginning of 2017 and, in March of that year, was rebranded to Impact Wrestling after its flagship weekly television series. The promotion returned to the TNA name starting in January 2024.[13][14]
From its inception, the promotion had been considered the second-largest in the United States behind WWE.[15][16] In 2017, Impact was viewed by some to have fallen behind longtime rival Ring of Honor,[17][18][19] with the loss of their U.S. television contract with Spike in 2014, as well as monetary and personnel issues, being noted as factors to their decline.[20] By 2019, Impact was thought by many to have recovered through its sustained international television distribution,[21] and the purchase by its parent company of AXS TV, which subsequently began carrying Impact programming.[22][23] With the establishment of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) that year, and that promotion's high-profile U.S. television deal with TNT (which is seen in more households than AXS), TNA has since been viewed as being the third largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind both WWE and AEW respectively.[24][25]
Television and touring schedule[edit]
Weekly pay-per-views (2002–2004)[edit]
From June 2002 until September 2004, the promotion's original weekly pay-per-view shows took place mostly at the Tennessee State Fairground Sports Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, nicknamed the "TNA Asylum". There were a total of 111 weekly pay-per-views.
Partnerships[edit]
In early 2006, the promotion began a collaboration with Hermie Sadler's United Wrestling Federation. The agreement permitted UWF to use the TNA logo on posters and signage, as well as to use the six-sided ring with TNA branding. These shows were mainly promoted as 'UWF/TNA' events. The TNA name agreement ended at the end of 2006, as TNA began to promote their own house show events, though UWF still used a six-sided ring.[209] These events were recorded and released on DVD by Highsports.[210][211] They would continue to work with United Wrestling Federation and promote independent shows at the same time, until 2007.
TNA has worked with several wrestling promotions, with championships from those promotions sometimes having been defended at TNA events. Among the organizations TNA has had working relationships with are Mexico's Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) from 2007 to 2009 and The Crash, Japan's Inoki Genome Federation (IGF), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Wrestle-1 (W-1), Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), United States' the original Global Force Wrestling (another promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett), OMEGA Championship Wrestling (owned by Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy and Gregory Helms) and Evolve Wrestling.[212]
The initial relationship with NJPW lasted from 2008 to 2011. Then-known as TNA, the promotion would send wrestlers to participate in NJPW's annual Wrestle Kingdom events, as well as NJPW sending future IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada on a training excursion to TNA. The relationship would be strained, when IWGP Tag Team Champions Team 3D were held off of a New Japan tour in favor of appearing on Impact Wrestling tapings and Okada was given the gimmick of "Okato", where he dressed similar to The Green Hornet's sidekick Kato.[213] a decision Executive Vice President Scott D'Amore has since apologized for on behalf of the previous regime.[214] In February 2021, Impact would re-established relationship with NJPW with NJPW later forgiving the incidents that happened under the previous regime.[215]
On March 2, 2014, TNA collaborated with Wrestle-1 in producing the Kaisen: Outbreak supershow in Tokyo, Japan, where three TNA championships were defended.[216][217] In May 2015, it was reported that the relationship between TNA and Wrestle-1 had ended.[218]
Since 2015, the promotion has had a working agreement with Mexico's Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA)[219] and in 2018, announced a partnership with the AAA-affiliated Lucha Underground, allowing their wrestlers from the show to appear for Impact on a regular basis. In April 2018, the two promotions held Impact vs Lucha Underground from WrestleCon in New Orleans to a sell out crowd.[220] On November 26, 2023, Impact and partner promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA), co-promoted the Ultra Clash supershow in the Monterrey, Mexico area, marking Impact's first show in Mexico since 2019.[221]
Since 2018, Impact has established working relationships with a number of promotions to co-promote house shows, Twitch specials, the final Impact One Night Only events, and Impact Plus Monthly Specials. These promotions include, Future Stars of Wrestling, Smash Wrestling, AML Wrestling, Superkick'd, Border City Wrestling, WrestleCade, Rocky Mountain Pro, Rockstar Pro Wrestling, Wrestlepro, Wrestling Revolver, RISE, Destiny Wrestling, Big Time Wrestling (California), DEFY Wrestling and House of Hardcore.[222][223]
Impact Wrestling would begin a partnership with All Elite Wrestling in December 2020, with its wrestlers and titles appearing on Impact programming.[224] In October 2021, the working relationship between Impact and AEW quietly ended following Bound for Glory.[225]
On the January 7, 2022 episode of SmackDown, it was announced that Knockouts Champion Mickie James would enter the 2022 Royal Rumble match. Both WWE's official Twitter account and Impact's website confirmed this soon after, with the former recognizing James as an Impact champion. Two years later, Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace would enter in the Royal Rumble.[226][227][228]