TNA Wrestling is undergoing yet another major transformation, with multiple high-profile executives—including TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim—officially exiting the company. This wave of departures follows the 2024 exit of former company president Scott D’Amore and comes at a time when TNA is actively working with WWE in a cross-promotional partnership.
Gail Kim, Creative Leaders, and Executives Exit TNA
According to Fightful Select and PWInsider, Kim, who played a crucial role in TNA’s talent relations and worked as a producer, is stepping away from the company. Her departure leaves veteran wrestler and Busted Open Radio host Tommy Dreamer in charge of TNA’s talent relations department.
In addition to Kim, longtime Executive Producer Ariel Shnerer—who was instrumental in TNA’s creative direction—is also leaving. Taking over TNA’s creative responsibilities will be Hunter “Delirious” Johnson, a familiar name in wrestling who previously served as the head booker for Ring of Honor before ROH was sold to Tony Khan in 2022.
The departures don’t stop there. Chief Revenue Officer Rob Klingman, along with Michael Shewchenko, Karen Clevett, Romy Glazer, Sebastian Dastrani, and live event coordinator Rafael Morfi, have all left TNA as well.
TNA Talent Reacts to the Shake-Up
News of these exits didn’t just stun fans—it also sparked outrage among TNA’s own roster. Several stars took to social media to voice their frustration, particularly regarding Gail Kim’s departure.
- Steph De Lander posted an exasperated message on X (formerly Twitter), asking, “[What the f**] is TNA doing?”* Her post quickly gained traction, racking up over 115,000 views and 2,100 likes.
- Kimber Lee (Kimberely Ford) joined the conversation, calling Kim’s exit “beyond absurd” and referring to the TNA legend as a “trailblazer” for women’s wrestling.
- Ford made a post of her own, irate at Kim’s termination from TNA’s board. In her post, Ford hailed Kim as a “trailblazer” for women’s wrestling, and called her exit from TNA “beyond absurd.”
- Rosemary kept her response short but impactful, replying with an angry emoji—a sentiment many fans echoed.
- Tasha Steelz also expressed her frustration, with her post amassing over 27,000 views. One fan even suggested that WWE’s NXT talent appearing on TNA programming was a sign that “WWE stars are replacing TNA’s Knockouts.”
TNA’s WWE Partnership: A Factor in the Changes?
This executive shake-up comes just two months after TNA and WWE announced a multi-year working relationship. Over the past year, the two promotions have exchanged talent, with TNA stars like Joe Hendry making appearances in WWE—including a surprise entry in the 2025 Royal Rumble—while NXT talent such as Charlie Dempsey and Wes Lee have wrestled on TNA programming.
One of the most notable crossovers in recent weeks saw NXT’s Cora Jade challenge Masha Slamovich for the Knockouts Championship at TNA: Sacrifice, though Slamovich successfully retained her title. Additionally, TNA legend Abyss, now working as a producer in WWE, will be included as a playable character in WWE 2K25 as part of an upcoming DLC pack.
With TNA continuing to evolve and its partnership with WWE becoming more prominent, fans are left wondering: is this restructuring necessary for growth, or is it a sign of trouble behind the scenes?
Backstage Update To TNA Firing Gail Kim
There are some within TNA that are now worried about the stability of their jobs. At least some are under the impression that the decision was made by TNA President Carlos Silva.
If it wasn’t already evident enough, there is belief within TNA that the company wants a “major regime shift,” with the latest wave of firings following up on Scott D’Amore getting fired last year. The reaction to Kim’s departure is said to be even more negative than it was for D’Amore’s, which was already overwhelmingly unpopular in the locker room.
Kim reportedly has no intention of leaving the world of wrestling behind, and there are already people within both WWE and AEW pushing for her to be brought in. In addition to her in-ring history with the company, Kim had long-standing backstage roles in TNA as a producer and in talent relations, and there is no non-compete clause in place to prevent her from showing up elsewhere.
The report stated that Kim was known for pushing back on higher-ups in TNA parent company Anthem, which likely contributed to the company’s decision to let her go. However, talent within the company viewed this trait as a positive, as they believed Kim was fighting to improve the promotion.
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