TNA 2024: Cross The Line

[Rasky]

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Hey all, excited to bring this project into the forum. Already a lot of TNA love around here and am excited to add to it. Expect some follow up news from Hard To Kill in the coming days with a roster page before heading into the first episode of TNA iMPACT!​

 

[Rasky]

News Regarding TNA Wrestling

Multiple stars have joined TNA Wrestling at this past Saturday’s Hard To Kill event. Nic Nemeth, FKA Dolph Ziggler, made his debut in the show closing angle of the annual event. Nemeth took down Alex Shelley with a Superkick, and he showed desire to be TNA World Heavyweight Champion after the fact . Ash By Elegance, FKA Dana Brooke, sat ringside for the TNA Knockouts World Championship match. James Drake and Zack Gibson made their debuts challenging for the TNA World Tag Team Championships, and it is apparent this is not the end of their desire for gold. AJ Francis is set to be a part of upcoming tapings; insiders don’t think he will be around much beyond that.

Other names are expected to eventually appear on weekly television. There is an internal push to help bolster out the X-Division and Knockouts division. Both divisions' growth can bleed into the tag team division of TNA as well. A major name currently discussed is Sareee to begin making appearances on US television once again. Other knockout names include appearances from Steph De Lander, Hiroyo Matsumoto, and VertVixen. Allie and Allysin Kay are also some names considered for making their returns.

Scouting for male talent includes Nic Nemeth’s younger brother, Ryan Nemeth. Myron Reed’s appearance in October sets him in for a full-time reunion with Miguel and Wentz. Other names gaining the eye of TNA officials are: Calvin Tankman, Dom Garrini, Kevin Ku, and Tom Lawlor. There is currently no word on Josh Alexander’s Hard To Kill opponent, Alex Hammerstone, signing.

On the other side of things: Trinity will be finishing up her dates with TNA this month. The scheduled tapings in Kissimmee, Florida, are scheduled to be the last appearances for the former TNA Knockouts Champion.

Handfuls of talent are also no longer with TNA.​

• Bully Ray is on his way back to WWE under their Legend’s Contract with the former TNA World Heavyweight Champion leaving TNA for that reason. ​
• Tommy Dreamer’s loss to Crazzy Steve will probably be his last match with the company for the time being. However, he will remain in a backstage scene. ​
• Taylor Wilde is once again away from TNA due to ongoing personal work with her family, but the door is wide open for her return. Wilde’s former tag team partner KiLynn King was granted her release for ‘her own growth’.​
• Other talents include: Aiden Prince, Bhupinder Gujjar, Jack Price, Johnny Swinger, and Shera.​

The partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling has grown leaps over bounds. There are plans set as late as Slammiversary involving talent from New Japan with some of their stars in major storylines. TNA Wrestling has also reached out to independent promotions - including DEADLOCK Pro Wrestling and Prestige Wrestling - regarding taping matches any of their talent is involved with. A general idea includes talent who are champions in those promotions can use those belts on television for greater exposure.

Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada’s appearances at these upcoming tapings is not an indication that they are making appearances in TNA often. Ospreay is set for a rematch with Josh Alexander in the main event of this Thursday’s Impact. Meanwhile, Okada will be teaming with Motor City Machine Guns versus TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose and The System.

Veda Scott will also be joining the TNA commentary team within the titled role of ‘X-Division and Knockout Division’ expert. She will be alongside Tom Hannifan and Matt Rhewodlt for all television and pay-per-view events moving forward.

There is a timeline set backstage on the growth of TNA’s schedule. The general idea is to cut some now to do bigger things by Q4 of this year. That includes only one TNA+-exclusive event between each pay-per-view event with an official schedule released for the first half of this year.

February 24th, 2024 - No Surrender, a TNA+ Exclusive Event
Alario Center - New Orleans, Louisiana
April 5th, 2024 - Destination X, A Pay-Per-View Event
2300 Arena - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 25th, 2024 - Unbreakable, A TNA+ Exclusive Event
Palms Casino Resort - Las Vegas, Nevada
July 20th, 2024 - Slammiversary, A Pay-Per-View Event
Verdun Auditorium - Montreal, Quebec, Canada​

 

[Stojy]

Glad to see you back in action, Rasky, just popping in to wish you the best of luck with this. I know the TNA roster is relatively small, but I'd be hoping you didn't bring in to many signings, especially in the early stages. Instead, would love to see you try and make something happen with the talent you have at your disposal.

Also if I remember correctly, Nemeth superkicked Moose in real life, whereas here you have him taking out Shelley. This really seems like the main point of difference from in real life here, and to be honest, Nemeth having a swarm of matches with MCMG and Kushida would be so much fun.

Anyway, good luck with this. Looking forward to the first show.

 

[DTP]

Coming into 2024, TNA had such a plethora of diverse talent with topline potential, a prospering production and a decent creative. With the rebrand, while the return of the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling mantra was sure to be only a temporary buzzterm bringing back nostalgic fans, I believe that under the pilot Scott D'Amore, we could have been onto a real winner as far as innovation from the cockroach-esque company.

Of course, six months...and look where we are.

There are plenty of different things that can be done to ride the wave of momentum following Hard to Kill. Basing off of the news report, it appears you are clearly thinking of game-changing tactics and relations to sustain this momentum into the future. I was amused at the layoffs and cutbacks you made, with Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer thankfully departing. It's a shame that Taylor Wilde is once again gone. The talent releases themselves were fair, although Johnny Swinger I believe still had some merit in the next phase of development for the promotion.

As the roster already has immense promise to deliver in 2024, I do hope we don't see too many talents influx the roster. I don't believe Ash By Elegance has really done anything for the company in the short term she's been present. Zack Gibson and James Drake I would hope become this company's version of FTR going forward. AJ Francis...the less said, the better. Obviously I can see Nic Nemeth becoming the posterchild star, but I'm curious to what extent that will be.

Of the other noted talents the company looks to have its' eyes on, I would very much like to see Tom Lawlor get a chance to shine on a more prominent stage. Allysin Kay I've been a fan of for the longest time. Ryan Nemeth is an interesting option, of course driven through nepotism from his brother's hiring. Stars like Sareee and Alex Hammerstone would be decent additions, but I don't see them as necessities with the roster we already have.

While I totally think there is room for an NJPW presence, I think it should be carefully applied with nothing too overt intercepting with room for in-house creative and the talent base you have. I smirked at seeing DEADLOCK Pro Wrestling mentioned. It would be cool to see TNA return to its' roots of affording an "open door policy" to those up and coming independent talents.

I am curious if Will Ospreay may be swept up by TNA successfully, as this was something I actually anticipated after he announced his departing New Japan. If Scott D'Amore sticks around, I would hazard a guess he would be top priority.

Nice way to brand the X-Division and Knockouts Division with Veda Scott's recruitment. I don't know what this means aside from an aesthetical touch, but it sounds cool enough.

I'm very eager to see where this goes, a lot of potential here.