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Post by srossi on Sept 29, 2023 0:45:40 GMT
Meltzer reports that Impact is going to make a serious run at signing Ziggler, Riddle, and Ali. Anthem is happy with where Impact is and is willing to increase payroll and really make an effort at all of them to raise the profile of the company.
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Post by srossi on Oct 21, 2023 15:34:56 GMT
Ace Steel will begin with Impact as an agent tomorrow at the Bound For Glory PPV. He bypassed a tryout and was just offered the job. Sources say this is part of a legitimate push by Impact to bring in CM Punk. There is a standing offer to Punk to show up at any time, no-strings-attached, and Meltzer says it’s not outside the realm of possibility that he does so, at least short-term. Punk can also build up some much-needed goodwill within the industry by having a short, high-profile run with a few good matches and no drama just to remind everyone what he can do. His stock among the locker rooms throughout the business is very low and many don’t want him, so if he can show up and be a positive presence and help young guys out, as he at one time was known to do, it would help his case.
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Post by bpickering on Oct 22, 2023 11:37:02 GMT
So Starting in January Impact will once again be TNA Wrestling mpact Wrestling, er, TNA issued the following: Welcome Back, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling TNA Returns on January 13, 2024 At The Hard To Kill Pay-Per-View From The Palms Casino Resort In Las Vegas, Nevada TORONTO CHICAGO – October 21, 2023 – Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a global, multi-platform media company, announced today that its professional wrestling company, IMPACT Wrestling, is returning to its iconic Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling name, at “Hard To Kill,” its first pay-per-view event of 2024, which will originate for the first time ever from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The announcement was made Saturday night at the end of the “Bound For Glory” pay-per-view, which aired live around the world in front of a standing-room-only crowd in Chicago. TNA will launch 2024 with Hard To Kill on Saturday, January 13, with a second night of action-packed professional wrestling – the “Snake Eyes Extravaganza Show” – at The Palms on Sunday, January 14. The Snake Eyes Extravaganza Show will be taped to air on the company’s flagship weekly TV show, Impact!, airing every Thursday night on AXS TV (8 p.m. EST). “We still hear the ‘TNA’ chants wherever we go,” said IMPACT Wrestling President Scott D’Amore. “Fans have longed for TNA Wrestling, so that’s what we’re bringing back in 2024: TNA Wrestling, we’re back!” Tickets for both Hard To Kill on January 13 and the Snake Eyes Extravaganza Show on January 14 will be on-sale on Friday, November 4, at www.Impactwrestling.com Company officials confirmed that the new year will launch a new-look TNA Wrestling that runs from the entrance ramp to turnbuckles in the ring to larger, more prestigious venues and much, much more. Further details on the TNA Wrestling return will be revealed on Tuesday, October 24, when D’Amore sits down for an exclusive interview with Tom Hannifan that will air live on IMPACT’s Facebook page, starting at 12noon EST. The Q&A will include questions from worldwide pro wrestling media. TNA Wrestling launched in the summer of 2002 and has long been known as the most innovative professional wrestling company in the world. TNA is known for its high-risk, action-packed X Division matches that have run with one simple motto: It’s not about weight limits, it’s about no limits. Stars of the X Division have included Chris Sabin, with a record 10 title reigns; A.J. Styles, the first-ever champion; along with Jay Lethal, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Petey Williams, Frankie Kazarian and Trey Miguel, among others. TNA is also the home of the prestigious Knockouts Division, widely regarded as the best women’s division in all professional wrestling. The Knockouts Division features Trinity, Deonna Purrazzo, Mickie James, Jordynne Grace, Gisele Shaw, Masha Slamovich, KiLynn King, Jessicka and Courtney Rush, among others. Legendary past Knockouts include Gail Kim, Awesome Kong, The Beautiful People, Taya Valkyrie, ODB, Tara, Traci Brooks and so many others.
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Post by bpickering on Oct 22, 2023 11:37:55 GMT
pwinsider.com
When 2024 arrives, Impact Wrestling will be no more.
In its place, TNA returns.
The big change was announced tonight during a video package at the end of Bound for Glory that as of January, they will revert to their original name, TNA, Total Nonstop Action.
This was a move that wasn't made without a lot of planning and at one point, the announcement was tentatively slated to be made back at Slammiversary before it was pushed back to Bound for Glory this evening. The final decision to flip the switch back to TNA was locked in about 2-3 weeks back.
PWInsider.com is told by Impact/TNA sources that the decision was made for several reasons.
One, it would "unite" the fragmented history of the promotion, which at different times was known as TNA, then Global Force Wrestling, then finally Impact Wrestling.
A secondary factor in making the decision was that a number of the company's international partners preferred the TNA name and at times, were still using the name internally.
We are also told that the company also quietly polled long-term fans of the promotion earlier this year and learned that many of them stated they preferred the TNA name. Fans who have chanted "TNA" since the promotion returned to the road have also been a factor in the company thinking about making the change and then finally flipping the switch back.
There was a lot of TNA nostalgia several years ago when the promotion brought back the TNA title with Moose as titleholder with the original plan for the company to revive TNA as a separate TV series and possibly promotion out of a TNA reunion PPV but the COVID-19 pandemic stalled those plans before they were dropped. Instead of two different promotions and TV series, instead TNA has returned as the name of the company.
The plan is for Impact to close out the remainder of the year and then transition over to the TNA name in January with the Hard to Kill PPV in Las Vegas being the first official TNA show. The UK tour will still utilize the Impact Wrestling name.
Going forward, the TV series will then be known as TNA Impact Wrestling.
I am under the impression they will return to using the old logos as of January.
There will be new TNA Championship belts rolled out with the current titleholders using those belts instead. The new belts have already been crafted and produced. They aren't likely to be used until January.
There are zero plans to return to the old six-sided ring, PWInsider.com is told. This wasn't even discussed as just about every talent still with the company who ever worked in the six-sided ring found the traditional four-sided ring to be easier on their bodies.
We are also told that the company intends to move forward with current storylines, talent and style but utilize the TNA name going forward when they hit 2024. The plan is to take all of moves Anthem has made to improve the company since taking it over from Dixie Carter several years back and continue onward as TNA Impact Wrestling.
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Post by OneFanGang on Oct 22, 2023 16:29:55 GMT
I saw a clip of Mike Tenay doing a nice speech honoring Don West, how his passionate delivery was rebuffed by fans at first, but came around to appreciate that enthusiasm. Tenay joked that Don was his child's favorite announcer, so at Christmas one of their gifts was an autographed Tenay picture signed "From your second favorite broadcaster, Love Dad".
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Post by srossi on Oct 22, 2023 16:47:39 GMT
I saw a clip of Mike Tenay doing a nice speech honoring Don West, how his passionate delivery was rebuffed by fans at first, but came around to appreciate that enthusiasm. Tenay joked that Don was his child's favorite announcer, so at Christmas one of their gifts was an autographed Tenay picture signed "From your second favorite broadcaster, Love Dad". This is me. I didn't like West at all in the role at first, but he clearly worked hard to learn the product, and his enthusiasm always seemed genuine.
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Post by srossi on Oct 22, 2023 17:52:31 GMT
Mike Tenay’s HOF speech was just fantastic, on behalf of both himself and Don West. Really right up there with some of the better WWE HOF speeches. Tremendous job covering his entire WCW and TNA careers with stories about Bobby Heenan, Steve McMichael, Eric Bischoff, Dick Beyer, Konnan, Jeff & Jerry Jarrett, etc.
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Post by srossi on Oct 23, 2023 13:45:17 GMT
Fiteful reports that Sonny King is in the company long-term, although it’s unclear if he signed a contract yet.
Matt Cardona’s return was a one-shot for now, although he made the Final 4 of the battle royal and got a ton of eliminations. He’s basically in and out based on his very busy schedule, and Impact is happy to have him back whenever he’s free.
Edit: I of course meant Sonny Kiss, but I like the idea of Sonny King working Impact in 2023, so I’ll leave it. I believe he’s about 80 now.
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Post by Kriss on Oct 23, 2023 14:15:01 GMT
Fiteful reports that Sonny King is in the company long-term, although it’s unclear if he signed a contract yet. Matt Cardona’s return was a one-shot for now, although he made the Final 4 of the battle royal and got a ton of eliminations. He’s basically in and out based on his very busy schedule, and Impact is happy to have him back whenever he’s free. Edit: I of course meant Sonny Kiss, but I like the idea of Sonny King working Impact in 2023, so I’ll leave it. I believe he’s about 80 now. He was born in 1945, only 4 years older than Mike Jackson.
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Post by srossi on Oct 23, 2023 14:20:49 GMT
Persia Pirotta obviously gave up on being brought back by WWE and debuted at last night's Impact taping under her old ring name of Steph De Lander. Could just be a one-time deal since this taping was in Orlando, where she lives. She is Cardona's intergender tag partner. He got her bookings internationally and surely got her into Impact. She's making a big name for herself following the Cardona template, and she had less of a name than he did at the beginning. She will eventually go back to WWE a much bigger star.
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Post by srossi on Oct 24, 2023 14:54:30 GMT
PCO has re-signed with Impact and won’t be going anywhere.
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Post by srossi on Oct 27, 2023 1:12:06 GMT
If you bought Bound For Glory, you were quite the sucker because they aired almost all of on TV tonight. I didn’t even think the PPV providers allowed that.
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Post by srossi on Oct 28, 2023 18:10:54 GMT
A couple of Impact notes:
World champion Alex Shelley is “banged up” to the point that he couldn’t wrestle at the latest set of TV tapings from the UK, but he did make the trip and appear. He was said to be in a lot of pain backstage.
Heath Slater’s contract has expired and he will not re-sign. He’s already done and did not go to the UK.
19-year-old UK sensation Leon Slater was surprised with a long-term contract at the tapings.
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Post by srossi on Nov 10, 2023 6:14:22 GMT
“Curt Hawkins will no longer be known as ‘Edge’s Bitch. He’s ‘Adam’s Bitch’.” - Joe Hendry
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Post by srossi on Nov 17, 2023 1:37:13 GMT
Kenny King has asked for and been granted his release.
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