Category: Impact

Broken Matt Hardy Files Trademark For His Name

Broken Matt Hardy has taken his first legal step to own the name. Pro Wrestling Sheet has confirmed that he filed a trademark to officially lock it down.

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the wrestler filed for a trademark last week on “Broken Matt Hardy” for “Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer.”

As we previously reported, sources close to Matt says his Impact deal gave them the ability to profit off of anything already filmed having to do with ANY gimmick he used throughout the course of his contract … but, once that’s over, he retains ownership of his name and characters.

Impact Wrestling sources, however, say that’s not the case. They claim the current deal specifically states that their company owns all IP creations.

If that’s the case, Impact’s legal team still has time to oppose.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Spike TV Reportedly Not Bringing Back Impact Wrestling

Brian Fritz of The Sporting News reports that Spike TV, which is being rebranded as The Paramount Network in early 2018, is not bringing Impact Wrestling back to the Network despite Impact Wrestling recently securing a U.K. television deal with Spike U.K. This follows a report from Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet that stated that Spike Senior Vice President and Executive Producer Scott Fishman met with Jeff Jarrett before Sunday’s Impact Wrestling taping “about various topics, including a U.S. return.”

Fritz (@BrianFritz) tweeted this statement from Spike:

Spike statement: Spike TV officials confirm that Scott Fishman was there for personal reasons — and is not negotiating any deals. That statement from @Spike was issued by David Schwarz, Vice President of CommunicationsJason Powell of @prowrestlingnet has reported for months that Fishman has been backstage at various @IMPACTWRESTLING tapings. However, each time he was there visiting friends and not working on any business deals. Fishman lives in the Central Florida area. Of course, @IMPACTWRESTLING tapes their shows at Universal Studios, also in central FL so it’s not far from where Fishman lives. Fishman has plenty of friends with @IMPACTWRESTLING considering that the promotion aired on @spike for over nine years.

So, despite making a deal with Spike in the UK, they are not negotiating a return in the US. Impact’s current television deal with @PopTV expires late in 2017.

Satin replied to Fritz on Twitter and noted that his report never stated that there were negotiations, and that a return to Spike for Impact Wrestling was discussed.

Source: WrestlingINC

Incident With Konnan At Impact Tapings

WrestlingINC reports that there were a couple of issues with Konnan at this past Friday’s Impact Wrestling taping. He had showed up for the show late and had an altercation with a fan. Konnan later went off on officials. It was considered to be one of those “in the heat of the moments” by many, but Impact Wrestling officials emphasized he “can’t treat talent like he does in Mexico.”

Who Is Under The Suicide Mask At Recent Impact TV Taping?

Image result for Caleb Konley as Suicide Impact Wrestling

Pro Wrestling Sheet reports that the identity of the wrestler donning the Suicide costume at Impact Wrestling’s recent TV taping was Caleb Konley.

Konley signed with Impact Wrestling back in April of 2016.

Wrestlers who’ve previously worn the costume include TJ Perkins, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian.

Jeff Jarrett Meets With Spike Executive About Network Return In America

Pro Wrestling Sheet has learned a high ranking executive from Spike met with Jeff Jarrett today … and their new deal in the UK wasn’t the only thing they discussed.

Sources say Scott Fishman — Senior Vice President and Executive Producer at the network — was present before Impact’s taping today and met with JJ about various topics, including a U.S. return.

According to a press release from when he was promoted to SVP in 2012, Fishman was “instrumental in developing” Impact Wrestling in the early days of the show.

As we previously reported, the company’s weekly TV show will return to Spike in the UK starting in April. We’re told lots of promos for that were shot over the weekend.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Alberto El Patron Inks Deal With Impact Wrestling

alberto el patron impact wrestling signs new deal contract del rio tna

Ex-WWE star Alberto El Patron is officially locked down to a deal with Impact Wrestling … and he made a big splash during his debut at Thursday night’s TV taping.

Sources tell us the two sides recently finalized a deal and, although the terms are still unknown, we imagine it’s similar to what Broken Matt and Jeff Hardy recently turned down.

Alberto made his first Impact appearance by coming face-to-face with Impact Wrestling World Champion Bobby Lashley during an in-ring segment. Plus, his WWE Superstar fiancee Paige was backstage as well.

Hiring the man formerly known as Alberto Del Rio is interesting, since the past few months have been tumultuous for him. He’s been involved in incidents like getting stabbed outside of a restaurant, being arrested in Austria over a bar fight and beating up a guy dressed as a Ninja Turtle.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Bruce Prichard Appears At Impact Wrestling Taping … Says The Name TNA Is Dead

Something to Wrestle host Bruce Prichard made his anticipated return to Impact Wrestling at their TV tapings on Thursday … and he informed the crowd that the name TNA is dead.

Prichard had inked a deal with Impact for both an on-air and backstage role, which began with last night’s appearance.

According to those in attendance … Bruce said Impact had hope a few years ago, but TNA as a name is now dead, so the company will only be known as Impact Wrestling going forward.

For everyone asking, his podcast isn’t going anywhere — he’s already let that be known.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Impact Wrestling Preview 3/2/17

The following is scheduled for tonight’s 3/2 Impact:

Knockout Championship -Last Knockout Standing Match: (C) Rosemary vs Jade

World Championship: (C) Lashley vs Josh Barnett

Impact Grand Championship: (C) Drew Galloway vs Moose

Moose and Cody: Was a line crossed?

X-Division Championship: (C) Trevor Lee vs Andrew Everett

What’s next for Laurel Van Ness?

Impact Wrestling Announces New U.K. TV Deal With Spike U.K.

Image result for Impact Wrestling on Spike UK

Impact Wrestling issued the following today:

IMPACT Wrestling Announces New UK TV Deal with Spike UK

TORONTO | LONDON – Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. announced today a new broadcast deal for IMPACT Wrestling to be televised exclusively on Spike UK, making its flagship weekly show available throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

From Spring 2017, IMPACT Wrestling, TNA pay-per-views, including One Night Only specials will be available on Spike UK, and TNA Xplosion exclusive to My5, which is part of the Channel 5 stable available on Sky TV (160), Freeview (31), Freesat (141), Virgin Media (154) and other DTT platforms.

New episodes of IMPACT Wrestling will premiere on Friday nights, quenching the appetite of U.K. fans to view IMPACT Wrestling within hours of the US premiere broadcast.

“Since our acquisition of IMPACT Wrestling, growing the brand in the UK has been one of our most important initiatives,” said Ed Nordholm, president of IMPACT Wrestling. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Spike UK to fill this important spot in their programme schedule and look forward to rebuilding our presence in the UK market. As one of the hottest wrestling scenes in the world right now, we look forward to taking an active role in the market, both on television and with live events.”

Anna-Belen Dunlop and Kris Graham, Acquisitions and Channel Managers of Spike UK, added: “We are excited that Spike will be the new exclusive home of IMPACT Wrestling in the UK With Anthem’s new leadership and founder Jeff Jarrett back, this is a watershed moment for the franchise, which is a perfect fit for our Spike audience.”

For more information, please visit www.impactwrestling.com/ and www.spiketv.co.uk.

More TNA Impact Wrestling Departures Coming?

As noted, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, Drew Galloway, Maria Kanellis, Mike Bennett, Reby Hardy and Jade are no longer with TNA. Mike Johnson of PWInsider reports that there could be more departures coming as there have been several other talents who have been asked about locking themselves into new deals. They are looking for talents that are going to commit to them, and are willing to part company with those who won’t. Some of the talent that are already locked into deals with TNA include World Champion Bobby Lashley, Moose, EC3, Eddie Edwards, Davey Richards and Eli Drake.

Source: WrestlingINC