Multiple Impact stars talk TNA rebranding

[Chris]

In case you missed it, TNA Wrestling is returning this January.

The current Impact Wrestling announced at late-October's Bound for Glory that they would revert back to its old name starting with January's Hard to Kill pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

It will be their first event under the TNA banner since 2017.

Along with the name change, company officials confirmed in a press release that there will also be a new look "from the entrance ramp to turnbuckles in the ring to larger, more prestigious venues and much, much more."

Following the announcement, I talked with several members of the roster about their reaction to next month's change.

Former Impact Digital Media Champion Brian Myers

"I was hyped, man, especially being there live in Chicago for the announcement. It was a real goosebump moment and I think we all were under the impression that it would just get drowned out with CM Punk chants or something or that the crowd wouldn't get what was going on, but they were with it and super excited and the excitement hasn't stopped.

"Everywhere we've gone -- an entire UK tour, Mexico -- the TNA chants haven't stopped. People stop me when I see them and want to talk about it and they're thrilled. I love saying that I'm a 'TNA wrestling star.' The feedback has been unbelievably 100% positive across the board, so people are just excited. I think it's just such a great step and a huge, huge step, a big leap for the company, for everything.

"The company has a 20+ year history with some, legendary moments and performers. So to not lean into that, I think would have been foolish, right? People grew up on this product. They are now old and grown-ups and have kids and lives of their own. So, they're sentimental about it, so it means something to them and it's really worked."

Former Impact World Champion Steve Maclin

"It's awesome and is a question that I always get when people are like, 'Who do you work for?' (I tell them) 'Impact Wrestling.' (They say) 'Oh, I don't know them, but do you remember TNA?'

"So it's something that's been kinda talked about where they wanted to go back to it a couple years back, and there was talk about it during Covid times, when I first got there, and you would hear rumblings of the changes and different things coming. It's just cool to be part of something that's changing, because I was part of that time in NXT when that boom happened when the indie folks came in and NXT became something bigger. Now I am part of TNA and to take the phrase: 'We're f**king back.'"

Knockouts Tag Team Champion Masha Slamovich

"Oh, I was jumping up and down with joy. I mean, I grew up watching the X-Division in TNA with the likes of Amazing Red and Chris Sabin and a bunch of other wrestlers. I'm extremely happy and honored to be a part of TNA Wrestling going forward in the year 2024."

Impact Tag Team Champion Chris Bey

"I couldn't believe my ears. The heart and soul of Impact/TNA Wrestling has been always TNA Wrestling. Since I signed with Impact four years ago, people go, 'Oh, you work for TNA.'

"They still believe that. They still breathe that. When I have done stuff in the Impact Wrestling ring and the crowd goes crazy, they chant 'TNA, TNA.' I chant 'TN Bey,' but that's that's another story. But the crowd goes crazy. They love it. They have always felt that inside.

"I went into my closet once that was announced and I got home off the road and I went back to Las Vegas. I went into my closet and I pulled out my Shop TNA bag that I ordered off of Shop TNA back in 2010 when I did an unboxing on my YouTube channel. Young Chris Bey, 14 years old, 14 years young. I was an itty bitty Bey and I look at that signed Don West bag, RIP Don West, and I think 'You are working at this place. You are a champion at this place.'

"And I believe firmly that myself and Ace Austin are the very best tag team of this generation. So going back to TNA Wrestling, like I mentioned, the Motor City Machine Guns earlier being the best tag team of TNA Wrestling's history, we get to start the new era, the new generation of TNA Wrestling.

"We get to be the ones that are the best tag team of TNA Wrestling and we get to inspire the next generation, the next crop. It's just so sweet and I'm so grateful that I'm the one to be able to represent the company, man."

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/impact-wrestling/steve-maclin-chris-bey-others-ready-for-tna-wrestling-changeover

 

[Sky]

Someone doesn't check the threads :<

 

[Chris]

Someone doesn't check the threads :<

You posted after I'd already started my process, mine took more effort

 

[Sky]

You could say I'm more efficient

 

[Kross Rhodes]

This is a good enough topic to get its own thread, though.

i’m so happy seeing so many of the roster fully embracing the TNA.

 

[Chris]

You could say I'm more efficient

Not for Google search hits

 

[Sky]

Not for Google search hits

Not my job

 

[Kross Rhodes]

Chris Bay talking about TNA being the heart and soul of the company is one of the reasons why that guy has always been my guy and why the thing I’m probably looking forward to most at hard to kill is seeing ABC with the brand new TNA world tag team championship belts.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

Not my job

As a member of the forum, we appreciate any news related items to go on their own threads and keep general Threads to just general topics.