The Fight for the Right Tournament is a professional wrestling

Professional wrestling

Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...

 tournament

Professional wrestling tournament

On various occasions in professional wrestling a single-elimination tournament of varying match types are held, often to determine a championship or number-one contendership therein...

 in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...

 designed to determine a new #1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...

. The tournament was held in 2006 and 2007, both starting in the month of October.

2006

The inaugural Fight for the Right Tournament in 2006 consisted of three stages. The first stage of the tournament was a Reverse Battle Royal, with three parts. The first part had all 18 participants start outside the ring and fend off opponents in an attempt to get into the ring. When seven wrestlers have entered, other competitors are eliminated and it becomes a traditional battle royal with over-the-top-rope eliminations. When all but two are eliminated, it becomes a singles match, the winner of which advances directly to the final (third stage) of the tournament.

Stage two consists of a single-elimination tournament

Single-elimination tournament

A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...

 consisting of the six wrestlers eliminated in the second part of stage one. The pairings were determined by their order of elimination in the first stage. The first round featured singles matches and the final was a Triple Threat match. The winner of the tournament is then decided in the tournament final: a singles match between the winner of stages one and two.

The entire tournament was held on TNA Impact!

TNA iMPACT!

Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...

. Stage 1 occurred on October 26, Round 1 of Stage 2 on November 2, and Stage 2 Final and Stage 3 on November 9.

• Stage 1 - Reverse Battle Royal
  • Winner: Abyss
  • Eliminated in third part: Lance Hoyt
    Lance Hoyt
    Lance Hoyt is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling as Lance Archer. He is best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time NWA World Tag Team Champion with Kid Kash while the title was under the TNA banner...
    
    
  • Eliminated in second part: (in order of elimination) Ron Killings
    Ron Killings
    Ronald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
    
    , Chris Sabin
    Chris Sabin
    Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
    
    , Christopher Daniels
    Christopher Daniels
    Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
    
    , Robert Roode, A.J. Styles
    A.J. Styles
    Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
    
    
  • Eliminated in first part: Sonjay Dutt
    Sonjay Dutt
    Retesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
    
    , Jay Lethal
    Jay Lethal
    Jamar "Jay" Shipman better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor , where he is the ROH World Television Champion...
    
    , Eric Young
    Eric Young (wrestler)
    Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
    
    , Senshi
    Low Ki
    Brandon Silvestry is an American professional wrestler. He is best known under his ring names Low Ki, Senshi in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and Kaval in World Wrestling Entertainment. He is a former one-time PWG World Champion and a former ROH Champion...
    
    , Kazarian
    Frankie Kazarian
    Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
    
    , Raven, Brother Runt
    Matt Hyson
    Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
    
    , Brother Devon, Kip James
    Monty Sopp
    Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
    
    , James Storm
    James Storm
    James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J...
    
    , Christian Cage
  • This match was named the Worst Worked Match of 2006 by Wrestling Observer Newsletter
    Dave Meltzer
    David A. Meltzer is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford has praised Meltzer's work, saying that "Meltzer, I believe, is the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." Meltzer has written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles...
    
    .

• Stage 2 - Single-elimination tournament

• In the match between Sabin and Styles, Sabin's TNA X Division Championship
  TNA X Division Championship
  The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
  
   was also on the line.

• Stage 3 - Tournament Final
  • Abyss defeated A.J. Styles
    A.J. Styles
    Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
    
     to win the Fight for the Right Tournament
    • Abyss pinned Styles after a Black Hole Slam Following an enziguiri from an interfering Chris Sabin
      Chris Sabin
      Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
      
      .
    • Abyss received a title shot at Genesis.

2007

In 2007, the tournament was altered to have the first stage consist of 16 competitors to begin and eight to advance to the second part, where the order of elimination will determine the sedings. All eight will advance to the second stage where the winner in the final will be the winner of the tournament, thus removing the third stage.

The first stage occurred at Bound for Glory on October 14. The Quarterfinals of Stage 2 occurred on TNA Impact!

TNA iMPACT!

Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...

on October 18 and October 25. The Semifinals occurred on November 1. The Final occurred at Genesis on November 11.

• Stage 1 - Reverse Battle Royal
  • Winner: Eric Young
    Eric Young (wrestler)
    Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
    
    
  • Eliminated in third part: Robert Roode
  • Eliminated in second part: (in order of elimination) James Storm
    James Storm
    James Allen Cox is an American professional wrestler who competes under the ring name "The Cowboy" James Storm. Since 2002, Storm has been employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he, along with A.J...
    
    , Junior Fatu, Chris Sabin
    Chris Sabin
    Joshua Harter is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Chris Sabin. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he currently teams with Alex Shelley as The Motor City Machine Guns.After being trained by Scott D'Amore, Sabin debuted in 2000 for...
    
    , Kaz
    Frankie Kazarian
    Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
    
    , Lance Hoyt
    Lance Hoyt
    Lance Hoyt is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling as Lance Archer. He is best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time NWA World Tag Team Champion with Kid Kash while the title was under the TNA banner...
    
    , Alex Shelley
    Alex Shelley
    Patrick Martin , is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Alex Shelley. He wrestles for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he currently teams with Chris Sabin as The Motor City Machine Guns. He previously gained fame on the independent circuit, working most notably for...
    
    
  • Eliminated in first part: B.G. James
    Brian Gerard James
    Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
    
    , Kip James
    Monty Sopp
    Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
    
    , Jimmy Rave
    Jimmy Rave
    James Guffey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Jimmy Rave. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
    
    , Chris Harris
    Chris Harris (wrestler)
    Christopher Eric "Chris" Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner & Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm.-World Championship...
    
    , Petey Williams
    Petey Williams
    Peter "Petey" Williams III is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time X Division Champion and a former captain of Team Canada. Williams Currently Wrestles for Lucha Libre USA...
    
    , Havok
    Johnny Devine
    John Peter "J.P." Parsonage is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Hot Shot" Johnny Devine...
    
    , Shark Boy
    Shark Boy
    Dean Mathew Roll is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Shark Boy and his experience in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .-Early career:...
    
    , Sonjay Dutt
    Sonjay Dutt
    Retesh Bhalla is an American professional wrestler of Indian Punjabi descent, better known by his ring name, Sonjay Dutt. He is best known working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and is also known for his stints with Combat Zone Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, and other various independent...
    
    

• Stage 2 - Single-elimination tournament

• • The match between Sabin and Shelley ended in no-contest after Team 3D
    Dudley Boyz
    Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
    
     interfered. Neither qualified, and the opening was filled by Christian Cage by defeating Samoa Joe
    Samoa Joe
    Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
    
    .
  • Chris Harris
    Chris Harris (wrestler)
    Christopher Eric "Chris" Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner & Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm.-World Championship...
    
     replaced Junior Fatu in the Semifinals.
  • The Final was originally held on November 8, with Cage pinning Kaz. Due to interference in the match, the original decision was thrown out and made into a ladder match
    Ladder match
    A ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item...
    
    at Genesis.
  • Kaz received a title shot on the November 15 edition of TNA Impact!.