Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a
privately heldA privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
professional wrestling promotionA professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
founded by
Jeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
and
Jerry JarrettJerry W. Jarrett is an American promoter and former professional wrestler, and the father of wrestler Jeff Jarrett. He is the co-founder and former part-owner of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. The company broadcasts its events on
televisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and the
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program,
Impact Wrestling on Spike. TNA also gains
revenueIn business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
from live events, product licensing, and direct product sales. In 2002
Panda Energy InternationalPanda Energy International, Inc. is an American privately held company that constructs, maintains and operates environmentally friendly power plants, with the name of the company a reference to the endangered Giant Panda. The company is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is a division of The Panda...
purchased a controlling share in TNA. Dixie Carter is
PresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the company.
TNA headquarters is located
Nashville, TennesseeNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
; its trading company
TNA Entertainment, LLCA limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
. operates out of
Universal Studios FloridaUniversal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
in
Orlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The company previously bore the name "
NWA Total Nonstop Action" as, at the time of its formation, it was a member of the
National Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(NWA). TNA was granted exclusive rights to both the
NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
and the
NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
. TNA abdicated from the NWA in 2004, but was permitted to continue to use the championships until the NWA abrogated their contract agreement with TNA in May of 2007, after which TNA created its own
championshipChampionship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
titles.
In 2004 TNA became the first American wrestling company to make exclusive use of a hexagonal
wrestling ringA wrestling ring is the ring stage on which professional wrestlers wrestle.-Configuration and construction:The configuration and construction of the "traditional" ring is very similar to that of a boxing ring, though the wrestling version has three ring ropes...
(as opposed to the more conventional square ring). In 2010 the company reverted back to the original square ring which the company used in the
AsylumThe Asylum is the nickname given to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds arena that housed Total Nonstop Action Wrestling for two-and-a-half years...
years. The organization also employed the unconventional rule that a
championshipA Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
can change hands as the result of a disqualification or countout, but has since phased out this rule. TNA is broadcast in more than 120 countries all over the world reaching a global audience.
Formation
The concept of TNA originated shortly after the end of
World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) in 2001. Bob Ryder,
Jeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
, and
Jerry JarrettJerry W. Jarrett is an American promoter and former professional wrestler, and the father of wrestler Jeff Jarrett. He is the co-founder and former part-owner of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
went on a fishing trip and contemplated their futures in the
businessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
of wrestling. The World Wrestling Federation (WWF) remained at that time, the only wrestling product on U.S. national
televisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
— WWF had purchased WCW in March 2001, and
Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
had filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcyChapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
in April 2001. Ryder felt that this situation led many television stations to regard wrestling as bad for business and suggested a company that does not need television, but rather just goes straight to
pay-per-viewPay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
. Of the three, only Jeff Jarrett took the discussion seriously (the other two thought of it as "just fishing talk").
The Jarretts found the help they needed, and the company put on its first show on June 19, 2002. This night, however, in a dark match just before they went on the air, a 450
lbThe pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
wrestler named Cheex hit the ropes with so much force that one of them broke. The estimated repair time was 30–60
minuteA minute is a unit of measurement of time or of angle. The minute is a unit of time equal to 1/60th of an hour or 60 seconds. In the UTC time scale, a minute on rare occasions has 59 or 61 seconds; see leap second. The minute is not an SI unit; however, it is accepted for use with SI units...
s, which they did not have because the schedule called for them to go live in a few minutes, whether the ring was ready or not. Backstage, the producers shuffled the schedule so that some non-wrestling segments went first to give the ring crew some more time, but they did not have many of them. The ring crew fixed the rope with the help of Ron and Don Harris, and everyone went live hoping for the best.
Expansion
In November 2006, TNA started holding select pay-per-views outside of its central filming location, the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando. In April 2006, TNA announced a partnership with
YouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
where TNA supplied YouTube with exclusive video content in exchange for
hostingA file hosting service, online file storage provider, or cyberlocker is an Internet hosting service specifically designed to host user files. Typically they allow HTTP and FTP access. Related services are content-displaying hosting services A file hosting service, online file storage provider, or...
, leading to the production of internet shows. In January 2007, TNA's mobile content deal with New Motion, Inc. led to the introduction of TNA Mobile and mobile fan voting. TNA has also launched the TNA U program to help promote the brand and has started airing
podcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
s through YouTube which they call TNA U TV.
TNA footage appears in the wrestling documentary,
Bloodstained MemoirsBloodstained Memoirs is a professional wrestling documentary released online via an official stream in 2009. It is compiled by interviews featuring wrestlers synonymous with different eras in wrestling and different wrestling regions . Production was filmed in the UK, USA, France, Japan, and Italy...
. On June 21, TNA launched an online video vault subscription service, where subscribers could watch past pay-per-views by choosing either one of three payment options.
On October 23, 2008, TNA made the transition to
HDHigh-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
and since then all Impacts! and pay-per-views are broadcast in High Definition. In addition, TNA introduced a new HD set that included new lighting and several very large -high-resolution screens. This set is currently used for all Impacts! and pay-per-views, even though it has been altered several times.
On November 7, 2011, TNA announced that it had reached a deal with
Ohio Valley WrestlingOhio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
(OVW) to become TNA's official training and developmental territory.
Former programming
Initially, TNA's weekly pay-per-view show operated as the company's main source of revenue, in place of monthly pay-per-view events used by other promotions. These shows started on June 19, 2002 and were held mostly at the
AsylumThe Asylum is the nickname given to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds arena that housed Total Nonstop Action Wrestling for two-and-a-half years...
in Nashville, Tennessee. After 27 months and 111 PPVs, TNA felt that they had enough of a fanbase to begin holding a weekly television show and monthly three-hour pay-per-views. The last weekly PPV was held on September 8, 2004.
TNA XplosionTNA Xplosion is a television program produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , featuring both highlights from Impact Wrestling and exclusive taped matches. It is now produced only for international markets, no longer airing in the United States...
was launched on November 27, 2002 as TNA's first regular cable show and featured exclusive matches from the
TNA AsylumThe Asylum is the nickname given to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds arena that housed Total Nonstop Action Wrestling for two-and-a-half years...
as well as exclusive interviews with TNA Superstars. On November 18, 2004, the show became a recap show of the previous week's
Impact! in light of alterations in the taping schedule. However,
XplosionTNA Xplosion is a television program produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , featuring both highlights from Impact Wrestling and exclusive taped matches. It is now produced only for international markets, no longer airing in the United States...
resumed airing exclusive matches (billed as "Xplosion Xclusives") once more on October 7, 2005 in addition to recapping
Impact!. The "Xplosion Xclusives" also aired on the now-ceased
TNA Global Impact!Global iMPACT! was a free online professional wrestling show produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that existed in 2006. Global iMPACT!, which was hosted by TNA interviewers Jeremy Borash and Christy Hemme, featured "exclusive footage, interviews, news updates, matches and more".-Original...
internet show. Airing of
Xplosion in the United States ceased at the end of 2006 although some of the exclusive matches can be seen on
TNA TodayTNA Today was a free online professional wrestling program produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It is hosted by TNA interviewer Jeremy Borash, with occasional appearances by Don West...
.
Current programming
TNA began airing
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...
(officially typeset "TNA iMPACT!") on June 4, 2004 on
Fox Sports NetThe Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
. After TNA's contract with Fox Sports Net was not renewed the following year, TNA was forced to broadcast
Impact! from their official website, while seeking a new television outlet. TNA later secured a deal with Spike TV and aired its first episode on October 1, 2005.
Impact! expanded to a two-hour format on October 4, 2007.
On February 15, 2010, TNA made a new deal with Spike TV which moved
Impact! to Monday nights. The first episode took place March 8, 2010.
In December 2009, Dixie Carter announced in an interview that
TNA EpicsEpics was a professional wrestling television program for Impact Wrestling that aired on Spike in the United States and Bravo in the United Kingdom. The show was hosted by Mick Foley and showed matches and events from the history much like WWE Vintage Collection. In December 2009, Dixie Carter...
, which had recently aired its first season exclusively in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, would be debuting in the United States in January 2010. The second season began on Thursday, January 14, 2010.
TNA Epics showcased matches and events from the history of TNA Wrestling, much like
WWE Vintage CollectionWWE Vintage Collection is a professional wrestling television program from World Wrestling Entertainment showcasing action from the extensive WWE video library...
. The show was hosted by
Mick FoleyMichael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
, and aired on one Thursday each month on Spike, until April 2010, On April 12, 2010, TNA wrestling aired a
pilot episodeA "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
of their new show
TNA ReactionTNA Reaction was a professional wrestling-focused documentary-style television program by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that aired in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, which is a documentary-style show that presents an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the stars of TNA speaking about taking on their rivals.
On May 3, 2010, TNA announced that TNA Impact! will be moved back to Thursday nights re-branded as "TNA Thursdays". At the same time the company also announced that Spike had picked up
Reaction, which would start airing weekly prior to each episode of
Impact!, starting June 24. The premiere date for
Reaction was later changed to July 15, when it would start airing after
Impact! instead of before it. However, in late June
Reaction was pulled from Spike's schedule. On August 3, 2010, TNA announced that
Reaction would premiere on August 12 and air every Thursday following
Impact! on 11pm ET/10C. Also in June, TNA revamped
Xplosion, still airing on international markets, making it more of an original program instead of a highlight show. On December 27, 2010,
Reaction was officially canceled by Spike, with its final episode airing three days later.
In the UK, Impact! was broadcast on Bravo which ceased by
British Sky BroadcastingBritish Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
on January 1, 2011. A new deal was struck later in January 25, 2011 with Sky to start broadcasting
Impact! on Challenge TV. On May 3, 2011,
TNA Impact! was re-branded
Impact Wrestling.
House shows and touring
Apart from their weekly shows in
Universal StudiosUniversal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
, TNA started running
house showA house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
s on March 17, 2006. In August 2007, live-events coordinator Craig Jenkins stated that TNA intended to stage eight pay-per-views and 96 house shows outside Orlando, Florida in 2008. In 2008 TNA conducted its first tour of the UK, with most shows selling out. 2009 saw the promotion first touring
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. On July 2, 2010, MCU Park hosted a live Total Nonstop Action Wrestling house show, which also has broke TNA attendance record and is currently the most attended live TNA house show in the USA with an almost capacity crowd of 5,550 TNA fans.
Ring shape and locations
TNA originally used a traditional four-sided square ring. In 2004, in an effort to make themselves different from other United States professional wrestling promotions, TNA switched to a hexagonal ring. In 2010, they returned to using a four-sided ring. The six sided ring returned for one night on July 10, 2011, at
Destination XDestination X was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on July 10, 2011 at the Impact Wrestling Zone in Orlando, Florida...
. Also, although TNA runs some house shows and a few PPV events in arenas, TNA holds most of its events at a set location (Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida) as opposed to an arena, presenting more of a rustic regional feel to the events.
X Division
Since its origin, TNA has featured a high-flying, high risk style of wrestling called its
X DivisionThe X Division is a high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling seen originally in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and since then in various NWA member promotions...
. Rather than emphasizing the fact that most wrestlers who perform this style are under 220 lb (99.8 kg) by calling it a cruiserweight division, TNA decided to emphasize the high risk nature of the moves that these wrestlers perform, removing all restraints on its wrestlers, allowing them to perform almost
stuntA stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...
like wrestling moves. Originally, there was no upper weight limit on the X Division or its title, though in practice, most of the wrestlers in this division have been cruiserweights, with Samoa Joe, billed at 280 lb (127 kg), Kurt Angle, billed at 230 lb (104.3 kg), and Abyss, billed at 350 lb (158.8 kg), being notable exceptions. To further emphasize this point, the slogan "It's not about weight limits, it's about no limits" was used to describe the division. Although it was de-emphasized throughout 2007, the X Division is generally regarded as one of the key attractions of TNA and was replicated in several other promotions. In August 2011, the division was given a 225 lb (102.1 kg) weight limit.
Ranking system
On April 26, 2010,
Eric BischoffEric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
appeared on
Impact! to unveil the TNA Championship ranking system. According to Bischoff, the system combines several factors to determine the #1 contender for the TNA Heavyweight Championship. These factors include the overall performance and achievements throughout a wrestler's career, the TNA win/loss record of the wrestler, and online voting by the fans, which takes place on the promotion's website. It was also announced that a "TNA Championship Committee" had been set up to make the final decision based on these factors. The committee consisted of TNA President Dixie Carter,
Hulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, and Bischoff himself.
The ten wrestlers chosen to appear on the first ballot were
Kurt AngleKurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
,
Jeff HardyJeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
, Mr. Anderson,
D'Angelo DineroElijah Samuel Burke is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the name of "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero; a gimmick in which he portrays a Harlem street preacher...
,
StingSteven James "Steve" Borden , better known by his ring name Sting, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
,
Jeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
, Abyss,
Rob TerryRobert "Rob" Terry is a Welsh professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Before signing with TNA, he was under contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and competed in the company's developmental territory, Florida Championship...
,
Desmond WolfeSteven Haworth is an English professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Desmond Wolfe and Nigel McGuinness. As McGuinness he first gained notoriety working for Ring of Honor in the United States and Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan...
, and
A.J. StylesAllen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. The first round of voting ended on May 3 and was won by Desmond Wolfe, who received his title shot that night on
Impact! against
Rob Van DamRobert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. The second round started that same night. New names included in the new poll were Matt Morgan, Brother Ray,
Brother Devon, Rhino and
HernandezShawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
. The first Top 10 ranking was revealed on May 20, with Sting claiming the number one spot. On the second Top 10 ranking Abyss, Jeff Hardy, and Mr. Anderson were tied for the top three spots. A month later Abyss claimed the top spot. The ranking system was abandoned shortly thereafter.
Creative team
,
Bruce PrichardBruce Prichard is a professional wrestling personality, best known as a manager and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment , where he portrayed Brother Love, the original manager of The Undertaker...
operates as the head booker of TNA, with the collaboration of
Vince RussoVincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and Matt Conway. Former bookers, whether temporary or semi-permanent, include
Jeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
,
Jerry JarrettJerry W. Jarrett is an American promoter and former professional wrestler, and the father of wrestler Jeff Jarrett. He is the co-founder and former part-owner of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
,
Jeremy BorashJeremy Borash , is an American professional wrestling play-by-play commentator, announcer, ring announcer, booker, interviewer, producer and website designer...
,
Mike TenayMichael William "Mike" Tenay is a professional wrestling play-by-play announcer currently employed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . Prior to signing with TNA in 2002, he had a notable tenure with World Championship Wrestling from 1994-2001...
, Abyss, and
Dutch MantelWayne Keown is an American professional wrestler, and author better known by his ring name, Dutch Mantel or Dutch Mantell. He currently is semi-retired but still makes occasional wrestling appearances. He was previously with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a writer behind the scenes...
. At times, the position of booker has been coterminous with the on-screen position of Director of Authority.
Authority figures
When TNA first launched, it billed the on-air authority figure as a representative appointed by the National Wrestling Alliance. It did this for storyline purposes only, however, and the actual "representatives" already worked in some capacity for TNA. From February 19, 2003, TNA had no active authority figure until July 23, 2003 when
Erik WattsErik Watts is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s. He is the son of legendary wrestler "Cowboy" Bill Watts.-Debut:...
made his return to TNA as the Director of Authority. Watts started feuding with
Don CallisDon Callis is a Canadian former professional wrestler and manager, known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as The Jackyl, and Extreme Championship Wrestling as color commentator Cyrus.-Early life:...
(TNA Management Consultant), ending with Watts forced to quit. On February 18, 2004, TNA named Vince Russo the new Director of Authority, a position he held until November 7, 2004 when
Dusty RhodesVirgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
defeated and replaced him.
The NWA Championship Committee, established in 2004, comprised a group of wrestling veterans who acted as arbitrators, determining a winner in the event of a time-limit draw. The committee consisted of
Harley RaceHarley Leland Race is a retired American professional wrestler and current promoter and trainer. During his career as a wrestler, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship 7 times...
,
Larry ZbyszkoLawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
and
Terry FunkTerrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
, with Funk later replaced by
Roddy PiperRoderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
without ever having appeared on TNA television. After Race and Piper left TNA, the Committee essentially ceased to exist as a physical on-screen body, although Zbyszko continued to be referred to as a member of the committee while simultaneously acting as on-screen authority figure, booking matches and giving
titleA Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
shots. As of October 2011, Sting is the current on-air authority figure.
TNA contracts
TNA wrestlers are forbidden by contract from working for WWE, but are free to perform non-televised work for any other independent wrestling promotion, domestic or international. Many TNA wrestlers perform regularly for various promotions on the
independent circuitIn professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
in addition to TNA's weekly shows. The majority of TNA wrestlers are paid on a per appearance basis. Like any other wrestling company, TNA wrestlers are classified as independent contractors and are not entitled to form workers' unions or employer health coverage.
Video games
TNA has also expanded into other areas with the development of a video game with
Midway GamesMidway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
, titled
TNA Impact!TNA Impact! is the first video game released by the professional wrestling promotion, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . The game was developed by Midway Studios in Los Angeles and published by Midway Games...
, released in 2008. In May 2011,
Namco Bandai, also known as the Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese holding company formed from the merger of Namco and Bandai. It has interests in toys, video games and arcades, anime, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005...
released a TNA game for mobile phones,
iPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and the
iPadThe iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
.
Sanctioned
| Former Title |
Last TNA holder |
Date won |
Event |
Previous champion |
NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
|
Christian Cage |
January 14, 2007 |
Final Resolution |
Abyss |
NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
|
Team 3DTeam 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...
(Brother Ray and Brother Devon) |
April 15, 2007 |
LockdownLockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on April 15, 2007 at the Family Arena in Saint Charles, Missouri. This was the second monthly pay-per-view, after Bound for Glory , to be held outside Orlando, Florida. It was the...
|
The Latin American Xchange (Homicide, and HernandezShawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
) |
| IWGP World Heavyweight Championship |
Kurt AngleKurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
|
June 29, 2007 |
Fighting Now Bom-Ba-Ye |
Brock LesnarBrock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
|
| IWGP World Tag Team Championship |
Team 3DTeam 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...
(Brother Devon and Brother Ray) |
October 18, 2009 |
Bound for Glory Bound for Glory was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on October 18, 2009 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, California. It was the fifth event under the Bound for Glory chronology. The Event was the Premiere...
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The British Invasion The British Invasion is a professional wrestling alliance in the American promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , currently consisting of English wrestlers Douglas Williams and Magnus. The group previously also included their Welsh enforcer Rob Terry...
(Brutus MagnusNicholas Harry "Nick" Aldis is an English professional wrestler and actor. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Magnus, where he is a one time World Tag Team Champion with Doug Williams...
and Doug WilliamsDouglas Clayton Durdle is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Doug Williams. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Douglas Williams...
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| IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on August 8, 1998 at a NJPW live event...
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The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex ShelleyPatrick 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...
and Chris SabinJoshua 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...
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January 4, 2009 |
Wrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome |
No Limit (Tetsuya Naitō is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with former partner Yujiro Takahashi, with whom he teamed as No Limit....
and Yujiro, also known by his shortened ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with former partner Tetsuya Naitō, with whom he teamed as No...
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Unsanctioned
| Championship |
Last TNA holder |
Date won |
Date aired |
Event |
Previous champion |
| TNA World Beer Drinking Championship The TNA World Beer Drinking Championship was a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion....
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James StormJames 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...
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February 25, 2008 |
February 28, 2008 |
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...
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Eric YoungJeremy 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....
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Other accomplishments
| Accomplishments |
Latest Winner |
Date won |
Event |
Previous Champion |
| Queen of the Cage |
ODB |
April 19, 2009 |
Lockdown (2009)Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on April 19, 2009 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was the fifth event under the Lockdown chronology...
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Roxxi LaveauxNicole Raczynski is an American professional wrestler, best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Roxxi...
(Lockdown (2008)Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on April 13, 2008 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was the fourth annual event under the Lockdown chronology. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured...
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| King of the Mountain The King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009...
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Kurt AngleKurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
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June 21, 2009 |
Slammiversary (2009)Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 21, 2009 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was the fifth event under the Slammiversary chronology and used to commemorate the seventh...
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Samoa JoeNuufolau 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....
(Slammiversary (2008)Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 8, 2008 from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi. It was the fourth event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the sixth anniversary of the...
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| X Division King of the Mountain |
Suicide Suicide is a fictional character from TNA Impact! the video game. In December 2008, the Suicide character was introduced on television as a real-life wrestler in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
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June 21, 2009 |
Slammiversary (2009)Slammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 21, 2009 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was the fifth event under the Slammiversary chronology and used to commemorate the seventh...
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Kaz 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...
(June 5, 2008 edition of 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...
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See also
External links