Category: Impact

Anthem – TNA Still Talking With Jeff Jarrett, TNA Ownership Update,

Regarding the TNA ownership announcement that’s expected from Anthem Sports & Entertainment, PWInsider reports that Anthem will likely officially become the new TNA owners on January 1st and an announcement will be issued then. An official meeting is also expected for backstage at next week’s tapings in Orlando. It will be interesting to see if TNA announces any new contracts in the next few weeks as Anthem officials are working on locking in talents who have deals expiring in early 2017, including Drew Galloway and The Hardys.

– Anthem officials also are still having discussions with Jeff Jarrett, according to PWInsider. There is no sign of a deal being reached for Jarrett to return to the company in any kind of role but anything is possible. Jarrett continues to work on potential Global Force Wrestling TV deals in Los Angeles.

Source: WrestlingINC

WWE Reportedly Interested In TNA Wrestler

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WWE officials are interested in bringing current TNA star Eli Drake (Shaun Ricker) back into the company, according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Ricker worked WWE dark matches in 2006 and 2008 but was later signed to the WWE Performance Center in May 2013. He made it to WWE NXT as Slate Randall but was released in August 2014.

The obvious issue here would be Ricker’s contract status with TNA. Dixie Carter announced back in May of this year that they had signed Drake to a new deal but the length of that contract was not revealed. Drake first started working with TNA in February 2015 and has held the King of the Mountain Title.

There were high hopes for Ricker coming into WWE back in 2013 after he appeared on TNT’s reality TV show “The Hero,” which was hosted by The Rock. His release came with a handful of other developmental talents, reportedly due to budget cuts, but it was said that his departure was different as it had little to do with the budget. Ricker had the charisma WWE wanted and he was progressing better but there were some issues with his Twitter use and an e-mail he sent while with the company. Exact, confirmed details on that e-mail were never revealed but it was said to have buried him with officials, who also weren’t happy about some of his tweets.

Drake spoke with Pancakes & Powerslams in June 2015 and talked about WWE blacklisting him. He said:

“I was on the black list there for a while. One of the guys who used to work in Talent Relations – I’ll leave him nameless – he got fired around early 2012, apparently not very liked in the back anyway; I guess he was kind of a jerk to a lot of people, for whatever reason, would bury me in the office. So I was kind of just, nobody could touch me; nobody would touch me. So for a lot of years it was frustration and wondering what I’m working toward and why isn’t these guys taking my calls. And I finally started getting some of the details of why this guy was burying me. There was talk of them picking me up in 2011, I was there for SummerSlam, and then and the follow-up Raw and SmackDown, and everything went incredibly well. But all of a sudden it was like radio silence on their end and I hadn’t quite understood why until I spoke to this person, and he was like, “Well, we’re gonna go in a different direction.” I’m like, “OK?” and he’s like, “You can check out Ring of Honor or TNA or whatever.””So I think maybe five months after I had spoken to him on the phone, he’d gotten fired, which was a great day for me. I don’t wanna see anyone lose their job, but if you’ve keeping me out of a job, here’s to ya. So, I was more than happy to see him go. And so this new guy comes in, and the beauty of it is that with the footage I had from (Championship Wrestling from Hollywood), I would take some of this great-looking television footage that was on every week and put it together with a short little paragraph just introducing myself and a resume and some photos. Emailed it to this guy and he immediately responded to me and was interested but then found out that I was on this blacklist or whatever. So for the next few months I had to just wait and keep trying to establish this rapport. Eventually, these tryouts kept getting pushed off. First he offered me a tryout until he found out that I was on the blacklist. Then, a few months later I got offered a tryout but simultaneously, I also was offered a TNA tryout. So, my TNA tryout was on a Thursday and my WWE tryout was actually that following Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I was ecstatic because I have the two biggest companies vying for me and it’s perfect. Thursday I go into Impact and that goes well, then Sunday I get an email and I’m told that I can’t come to the (WWE) tryout. They couldn’t say why, but I’m pretty certain it was because there was a lawsuit going on between TNA and WWE at the time.”

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter via WrestlingINC

Matt Hardy Invites Current And Former WWE Superstars To ‘Apocalypto’ Match This Thursday

TNA Tag Team Champion Matt Hardy tweeted the following invitations to RAW Tag Team Champions The New Day, SmackDown Tag Team Champions Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt, DX, Evolution, The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection, Edge & Christian and legendary tag team The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express for Thursday’s “Apocalypto” match during the Total Nonstop Deletion edition of Impact Wrestling.

As noted, several tag teams are expected for the match but obviously no WWE talents will be appearing.

Source: WrestlingINC

TNA Creative Head Says ‘Tag Team Apocalypto Will Be The Most Amazing Match Ever Presented On TV’

TNA creative head Jeremy Borash spoke with Sports Illustrated recently and discussed Hardys, Tag team Apocalypto and more. Below are some highlights.

The Hardys:

“TNA has had hundreds of talents come through over its history and Matt and Jeff are in a virtual tie for most uniquely gifted performers I’ve ever worked with. Jeff has always been a rock star. His creativity frightens me, like a Jim Morrison, Evel Knievel, and Andy Warhol lovechild. Matt’s “Broken Brilliance” only manifested this year and he has been called the most captivatingly innovative performer to come along in years. The combination of the two, a drone, a gardener, and an incredibly gifted wife and future king have turned the Hardys into television’s modern day Addams Family.”

Tag Team Apocalypto:

“Tag Team Apocalypto will be the most amazing match ever presented on television. Bold statement. Different than anything you’ve ever seen. Wrestling as we know it needs to evolve with the rest of entertainment, and this will be looked back at someday as a game changer. Early screeners have left people stunned. Books may be written on this match. With the secluded nature of our shooting, there will be a number of talents showing up you would never expect. Going to reserve comment regarding any specific contractual agreements at this time.”

Total Non-Stop Deletion being special:

“The buzz surrounding the “Final Deletion” landed Matt Hardy on every wrestler of the year award list. Promoting a show on his own compound and injecting guys like Lashley and Eddie Edwards into that unique world, not to mention any number of unexpected guests, Matt Hardy had a premonition that Total Nonstop Deletion will be his Citizen Kane.”

Borash also talked about being a live event host for Robert Irvine and more. You can read the full interview here.

Source: WrestlingINC

Billy Corgan Vs. TNA Lawsuit News

Billy Corgan’s lawsuit against TNA parent company Impact Ventures, TNA Wrestling, President Dixie Carter, her husband Serg Salinas and CFO Dean Broadhead was officially dismissed by the Chancery Court in Nashville, TN on December 5th, according to PWInsider. The suit was dismissed at Corgan’s request following the financial settlement with Anthem Sports & Entertainment, parent company of The Fight Network. Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ruled that Corgan would be responsible for paying all court costs and that the lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice. Corgan is free to re-file the lawsuit at a later date.

Source: WrestlingINC

Details On The Young Bucks Signing With ROH And NJPW, The Hardys Vs. The Bucks, TNA – ROH Note

The Young Bucks have signed a new two-year deal that will see them work both Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling, similar to the schedule they’ve worked this year.

The deal will see the brothers receive a significant increase in pay from ROH and NJPW for 2017, then another increase in 2018. They will be allowed to maintain their own merchandise and will be able to give more creative input. The deals are exclusive to the US and Japanese markets but they are still able to work overseas dates that don’t coincide with ROH or NJPW bookings. While exclusive to the US and Japan, the brothers will still be allowed to work for PWG in the US.

It was The Bucks who set the wheels in motion for Matt Hardy’s video at Final Battle, which you can see below with a video of The Bucks signing their new deals. The Hardys vs. The Bucks is currently scheduled for April 1st in Lakeland, FL, the night before WrestleMania 33 in Orlando.

Regarding Matt’s video that aired on pay-per-view this weekend which you can watch below, it was approved by TNA. Brandi Rhodes’ appearance to introduce her husband Cody Rhodes was also approved by TNA.

Dave Meltzer notes that there is nothing to the rumors of The Bucks appearing on TNA TV for the upcoming Total Nonstop Deletion episode, and there’s nothing on paper regarding anyone from ROH working for TNA but it’s very interesting that the two promotions are cooperating.

Source: WrestlingINC

Billy Corgan Agrees To Settlement With TNA

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TNA Wrestling is no longer in debt to Billy Corgan … the Smashing Pumpkins frontman released a statement Monday saying he’s agreed to a settlement with the company.

Corgan says, “I’m pleased that an agreement is now in place that allows wrestling operations to continue, for my interest from the start was to provide support, be it material or creative, to such a great roster and crew.”

As previously reported, Corgan was removed as TNA President after losing his fight to obtain ownership. Shortly afterward, he released a statement saying he still hadn’t been re-paid.

Billy adds, “And as I plan on continuing in the business side of pro wrestling, I look forward to seeing where Anthem’s leadership takes the company in 2017, and wish them the best.”

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Rock ‘N’ Roll Express Appearing In TNA’s Tag Team Apocalypto With Broken Matt Hardy

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Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

TNA Wrestling‘s upcoming Tag Team Apocalypto at the Hardy Compound has partly been filmed … and sources tell us legendary tag team The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express are one of the teams involved.

Pro Wrestling Sheet has learned Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson recorded a few segments during the shoot, which PWS  was told has so far been the craziest one Broken Matt has done yet.

According to reports, nearly a dozen teams are participating in the special which airs next month. Our sources say it was a closed set, so not much else will be known until teasers start getting released.

We’re just praying the Bucks of Youth make an appearance in the Lake of Resurrection.

Impact Wrestling Writer Resigns Following Billy Corgan’s Exit From TNA

It was announced on Friday that Billy Corgan is no longer president of TNA … and now an Impact Wrestling writer has followed him out the door.

Senior Director of Creative Writing and five-year TNA employee David Lagana posted a statement on his resignation earlier saying, “Today I made the decision to leave TNA Impact Wrestling. A decision I do not make lightly but one I made to create a future that I control.”

He continued saying, “In 2017, you need to look forward to 2020 and beyond. My focus now is on personal branding, technology and the wild west of storytelling available to all content creators today.” He concluded by thanking the company, crew, and talents.

To see Lagana’s entire statement click on this link:

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

TNA Announcer Calling Kid Kash MMA Debut

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Current TNA and former WWE announcer Josh Mathews have been roped in by Valor Fights to commentate for their upcoming event. Josh will be announcing the Valor MMA 38 event which takes place on Saturday Night. Interestingly, the fight card also features former WWE and TNA superstar David Cash AKA Kid Kash, who is set to mark his return to MMA. Below is the press release from Valor about the signing.

Valor Fights Reaches An Agreement With Veteran Professional Wrestling Commentator Josh Matthews To Call The Professional Fights At Valor Fights 38 This Coming Saturday in Nashville, TN.Watch Valor Fights 38 On Saturday Night Live & Exclusively on Flo Combat.

Josh Lomberger, better known in wrestling circles as Josh Matthews has reached an agreement with Valor Fights to join the broadcast booth at Valor Fights 38, which includes the debut of former ECW/TNA/WWE competitor David “Kid Kash” Cash. Matthews is the current play by play announcer for TNA Wrestling.

Matthews started as an in-ring performer and actually wrestled Cash in his first professional wrestling match. After deciding to become a wrestling journalist, Matthews was hired by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2002 as a backstage interviewer. From 2006-2014, Matthews hosted the WWE’s pre-shows on their PPV events. He also worked as a color commentator on Raw and on the promotions top pay-per-view, Wrestlemania XXVII in 2010. Since January of 2014, he has been the lead announcer of TNA’s Impact Wrestling.

“I have been looking for the perfect situation to try hand at calling MMA,”said Matthews. “I love the genre, the athleticism it takes to compete as well as the passion of the athletes. I will do my best to provide the proper soundtrack. David “Kid Kash”is someone I have known since I was 22 years old, when I was just starting my career as a professional wrestler. I competed against Cash in a series of matches around the country. I learned so much from him and not only did we wrestle, but we traveled and trained together. David is a pit-bull while training and competing. It will be extremely exciting to call his fight and I wish him the best of luck.”

“We are excited to have a world class commentator like Josh Matthews joining our broadcast booth for Valor Fights 38 on Saturday night,”Valor Fights President Tim Loy stated. “Josh has a wealth of experience at the highest level of professional wrestling with his his work in the WWE & TNA. We are certainly looking forward to watching his transition to mixed martial arts.”

For information on purchasing tickets fans can visit valorfights.com. A live stream is available from Flo Combat. Please follow us on Twitter, on Facebook and on YouTube under Valor Fights.

Source: WrestlingINC