Tag: TNA Wrestling

TNA Wrestling Confirms Major Executive Departures and New Hires

As reported here earlier today, TNA Wrestling is undergoing a significant leadership shakeup, as President Carlos Silva has confirmed the departure of eight key executives from both TNA and parent company Anthem Sports & Entertainment. These changes, which include the exit of TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim and longtime creative leader Ariel Shnerer, mark a major transition for the company as it continues its ongoing partnership with WWE.

Key Departures from TNA and Anthem

Among the most notable exits are:

  • Ariel Shnerer (Executive Producer & Head of Creative) – Shnerer, who had been a key figure in shaping TNA’s creative direction, is stepping away from the company. In his place, former Ring of Honor booker Hunter “Delirious” Johnston will take over as the new head of creative, with Tommy Dreamer remaining involved in the department.
  • Gail Kim (Talent Relations & Producer) – A legendary figure in TNA, Kim has officially left her role in talent relations and producing. Having been with the company in various roles since 2005, her departure marks the end of an era for the Knockouts division. Tommy Dreamer will now oversee talent relations moving forward.
  • Rob Klingman (Chief Revenue Officer) – Klingman, who held the role since June 2024, is also exiting.
  • Michael Shewchenko (Digital Department) – Shewchenko will remain with the company until April 30.
  • Karen Clevett, Romy Glazer, and Sebastian Dastrani – All three are leaving from different departments within TNA and Anthem.
  • Rafael Morfi (Live Event Consultant) – Morfi, who has played a key role in TNA’s event operations, will also be stepping away.

New Senior Executives Join TNA

Despite these high-profile departures, TNA has also announced the hiring of two new senior executives to help steer the company’s future:

  • David Clevinger (Senior Vice President of Digital) – Clevinger, set to join next month, brings experience from top-tier organizations such as the NFL, UFC, and NBA.
  • Nicole Rachine (Senior Vice President of Sales) – Rachine has already started in her new role, coming from a background in World Team Tennis.

What’s Next for TNA?

This executive restructuring comes at a pivotal time for TNA, which recently solidified a multi-year partnership with WWE that has seen talent cross between both promotions. While the departures of creative minds like Shnerer and industry veterans like Kim may raise concerns, the additions of Clevinger and Rachine suggest that TNA is looking to evolve its business strategy moving forward.

UPDATE

According to Fightful Select, Romy Glazer in Marketing and Sebastian Dastranj were also let go.

Major Shakeups in TNA: Gail Kim and Top Executives Depart, Talent Expresses Frustration

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.

TNA Sacrifice 3/14/2025 (Card)

TNA Wrestling Sacrifice goes live from the El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, TX at 8 pm ET on Friday night, March 14. The show will be available for streaming through the TNA+ subscription and Triller TV.

CARD

  • 10-Man Tag Team Cage Match: Joe Hendry, Matt Hardy, Elijah, Leon Slater, & Nic Nemeth vs. The System (Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, JDC) & The Colons (Eddie Colon, & Orlando Colon)
  • TNA Knockouts Championship: Masha Slamovich (c) vs. Cora Jade from NXT
  • TNA X-Division Championship – Ladder Match: Moose (c) vs. Jeff Hardy
  • Mustafa Ali vs. Mike Santana
  • Tessa Blanchard vs. Lei Ying Lee
  • The Rascalz & Ace Austin vs. Wes Lee, Tyson Dupont, & Tyriek Igwe from NXT
  • Street Fight: Sami Callihan vs. Mance Warner w/Steph De Lander
  • TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship – 2 on 3: Spitfire (c) vs. Ash by Elegance, Heather by Elegance, & The Personal Concierge
  • Frankie Kazarian vs. Steve Maclin
  • AJ Francis & KC Navarro vs. Laredo Kid & Octagon Jr. (pre-show)

TNA Announces New Partnership

TNA Wrestling issued the following:

Comprehensive Global Content Partnership

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, and TNA Entertainment announced today they have entered into a comprehensive content partnership to seize a global digital audience for fight-based content.

Fight Network’s over-the-top (OTT) app available on digital platforms will become the global home for TNA Wrestling content starting in the second quarter of this year. Fight Network and TNA Wrestling will collaborate to produce digital content and will also partner on cross-promotion and joint sales efforts in global markets, as well as in the U.S. and Canada.

Fight Network’s OTT app is available on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Verizon Go90, Layer 3 and KlowdTV.

Fight Network is currently the home of TNA Wrestling programming in Canada, including its two hour flagship weekly program IMPACT WRESTLING, TNA Wrestling’s Greatest Matches and TNA Xplosion. Fight Network will now also air select TNA Wrestling archive programming on its linear channels in select U.S. markets and in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East where Fight Network currently broadcasts.

“As a TNA Wrestling broadcast partner, we see the quality of the content, the viewer reaction and the potential to bring great programming to the world,” said Leonard Asper, CEO of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. “Our global OTT service now available on several platforms will be immeasurably strengthened by this partnership and we see this as just the first step in building global fight themed destination channel together.”

“Our enhanced partnership with Fight Network to deliver new and archived content through linear and over-the-top platforms, as well as to bring TNA programming to new and emerging markets around the world, is a significant step in the execution of TNA’s strategic plan,” said TNA president Dixie Carter. “Fans are hungry for easily accessible content they can view on demand, and come this summer, the action of TNA IMPACT WRESTLING will be more available than ever.”

For more information about the Fight Network OTT, visit fightnetwork.com.