When 2024 arrives, Impact Wrestling will be no more.
In its place, TNA returns.
The big change was announced tonight during a video package at the end of Bound for Glory that as of January, they will revert to their original name, TNA, Total Nonstop Action.
This was a move that wasn't made without a lot of planning and at one point, the announcement was tentatively slated to be made back at Slammiversary before it was pushed back to Bound for Glory this evening. The final decision to flip the switch back to TNA was locked in about 2-3 weeks back.
PWInsider.com is told by Impact/TNA sources that the decision was made for several reasons.
One, it would "unite" the fragmented history of the promotion, which at different times was known as TNA, then Global Force Wrestling, then finally Impact Wrestling.
A secondary factor in making the decision was that a number of the company's international partners preferred the TNA name and at times, were still using the name internally.
We are also told that the company also quietly polled long-term fans of the promotion earlier this year and learned that many of them stated they preferred the TNA name. Fans who have chanted "TNA" since the promotion returned to the road have also been a factor in the company thinking about making the change and then finally flipping the switch back.
There was a lot of TNA nostalgia several years ago when the promotion brought back the TNA title with Moose as titleholder with the original plan for the company to revive TNA as a separate TV series and possibly promotion out of a TNA reunion PPV but the COVID-19 pandemic stalled those plans before they were dropped. Instead of two different promotions and TV series, instead TNA has returned as the name of the company.
The plan is for Impact to close out the remainder of the year and then transition over to the TNA name in January with the Hard to Kill PPV in Las Vegas being the first official TNA show. The UK tour will still utilize the Impact Wrestling name.
Going forward, the TV series will then be known as TNA Impact Wrestling.
I am under the impression they will return to using the old logos as of January.
There will be new TNA Championship belts rolled out with the current titleholders using those belts instead. The new belts have already been crafted and produced. They aren't likely to be used until January.
There are zero plans to return to the old six-sided ring, PWInsider.com is told. This wasn't even discussed as just about every talent still with the company who ever worked in the six-sided ring found the traditional four-sided ring to be easier on their bodies.
We are also told that the company intends to move forward with current storylines, talent and style but utilize the TNA name going forward when they hit 2024. The plan is to take all of moves Anthem has made to improve the company since taking it over from Dixie Carter several years back and continue onward as TNA Impact Wrestling.
