The Rise and Fall of Immortal: A History of TNA's Villainous Alliance

Immortal was a villainous professional wrestling alliance in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). The formation of Immortal in 2010 marked a significant shift in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)'s booking philosophy, ushering in a Hulkamania-era style that prioritized larger-than-life characters and spectacle-driven narratives reminiscent of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the late 1990s.

Led by Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, the stable's takeover emphasized heel dominance and power struggles, moving away from TNA's earlier focus on athleticism and underdog stories toward invasion angles where Immortal positioned themselves as corporate overlords exploiting a contract loophole to seize control from TNA president Dixie Carter.

Hulk Hogan

Formation and Key Members

It originally consisted of leaders Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan, as well as Abyss, Jeff Hardy and Jeff Jarrett, and later also came to include Bully Ray, Chris Harris, Gunner, Kurt Angle, Matt Hardy, Mr. Anderson, Murphy, Ric Flair, Rob Terry, Scott Steiner, and Tommy Dreamer as well as the members of the formerly separate stable Fortune. Referee Jackson James and valet Karen Jarrett were also affiliated with the group. Immortal's roster evolved significantly from its formation through its dissolution, reflecting the stable's attempts to consolidate power in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) storylines.

Among associates, Ric Flair provided veteran mentorship following the alliance with Fortune, guiding younger members through feuds and imparting his "Nature Boy" wisdom to enhance Immortal's prestige. Scott Steiner contributed raw power and intensity as an enforcer starting in June 2011. Kurt Angle functioned as a powerhouse, injecting intensity and credibility into Immortal's roster with his Olympic pedigree and world title victory upon joining the group.

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Championship Reigns

During its active period from 2010 to 2012, the Immortal stable controlled the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on four occasions through its members' reigns, often secured or defended via interference from the group.

Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle for the TNA World Championship (FULL MATCH) | IMPACT October 25, 2012

Jeff Hardy, a core member of Immortal, captured the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for the first time on October 10, 2010, at Bound for Glory, defeating Kurt Angle and Mr. Anderson in a three-way match for the vacant title. The win was aided by interference from Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, who pedigreed Angle, allowing Hardy to secure the pinfall and simultaneously revealing the formation of Immortal. Hardy held the title for 91 days until losing it to Mr. Hardy's second reign came on February 13, 2011, at Against All Odds, where he defeated Mr. This 11-day reign ended on February 24, 2011, during an episode of Impact Wrestling, when Hardy lost to Sting.

Mr. Anderson is credited with one key world title reign associated with the stable during its peak, occurring just before his formal alignment in July 2011. His victory took place on June 12, 2011, at Slammiversary IX, defeating Sting with direct interference from Eric Bischoff, who distracted the referee and facilitated the pin.

Kurt Angle joined Immortal in August 2011 and immediately won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on August 7, 2011, at Hardcore Justice, defeating Sting after Hulk Hogan struck Sting with a chair, allowing Angle to apply the ankle lock for the submission. Angle's 72-day reign, defended successfully against challengers like Bobby Roode, ended on October 18, 2011, during an episode of Impact Wrestling, when he lost to James Storm in a no-disqualification match.

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Beyond TNA, Jeff Jarrett's AAA Mega Championship win on June 18, 2011, at Triplemanía XIX-defeating El Zorro in a multi-man match with assistance from allies like Konnan-was integrated into Immortal's narrative. Exiled to Mexico by Bischoff after a losing streak to Kurt Angle, Jarrett's 274-day reign as AAA Mega Champion served as a storyline extension of Immortal's influence, portraying the stable's reach across promotions.

(James Storm and Robert Roode) captured the TNA World Tag Team Championship on January 9, 2011, at Genesis, defeating The Motor City Machine Guns and Mexican America in a three-way match. This reign lasted until March 13, 2011, at Victory Road, where Beer Money lost to Immortal members Gunner and Murphy, who then held the titles until April 17, 2011.

Immortal's reach extended to the X Division through both direct and allied victories.

Here's a summary of Immortal's championship reigns:

Championship Holder(s) Notes
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Jeff Hardy (2 times), Mr. Anderson, Kurt Angle Controlled on four occasions through its members' reigns.
AAA Mega Championship Jeff Jarrett Integrated into Immortal's narrative.
TNA World Tag Team Championship James Storm and Robert Roode, Gunner and Murphy Extended to the tag team division.
TNA X Division Championship Kazarian Extended to the X Division.
TNA Television Championship Abyss Extended to the Television division.

Key Events and Storylines

As 2010 progressed, a key storyline emerged centered on a shadowy group known as "they," teased through cryptic warnings and interferences in matches. The faction's official formation occurred at Bound for Glory on October 10, 2010, during the TNA World Heavyweight Championship three-way match featuring Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle, and Mr.

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A pivotal moment came at Against All Odds on February 13, 2011, where Mr.

This partnership lasted until February 3, 2011, when Fortune turned on Immortal during an episode of Impact Wrestling, effectively ending the alliance and marking the first major departure of affiliated members.

Subsequent additions included Bully Ray, who joined on March 17, 2011, following his betrayal of Team TNA at the Against All Odds pay-per-view earlier that month. Tommy Dreamer was forcibly recruited on the May 5, 2011, episode of Impact Wrestling to retain his TNA employment. Scott Steiner joined on the June 30, 2011, episode of Impact Wrestling. Mr. Anderson aligned with the group on the July 7, 2011, episode of Impact Wrestling after turning on Kurt Angle during a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match.

The stable's debut coincided with TNA's bold attempt to challenge WWE in the "Monday Night Wars" starting January 4, 2010, initially boosting Impact!'s ratings to a peak of 2.2 million viewers and a 1.5 household rating for the three-hour premiere featuring Hogan and Bischoff. However, sustained creative backlash arose from the heavy reliance on established stars and repetitive invasion tropes, leading to declining viewership-dropping to around 1.0 by mid-2010-and criticism that it diluted TNA's unique identity.

Immortal vs Fortune

Immortal vs Fortune

The Unraveling

The alliance's unraveling intensified at Victory Road on March 13, 2011, when TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting defended against Jeff Hardy in a match that lasted only 90 seconds due to Hardy's impaired performance from substance issues, allowing Sting to secure a quick submission victory. In the aftermath, Immortal's influence persisted briefly as Mr.

By mid-2011, Immortal faced escalating internal conflicts and betrayals that undermined their hold on TNA. Tensions arose among members, including confrontations involving Abyss, who turned on the group by attacking Mr.

Abyss was expelled from Immortal on the October 13, 2011, episode of Impact Wrestling after attacking Hogan with his signature weapon, Janice, in a dramatic betrayal.

The Final Collapse

Immortal's final collapse occurred at Lockdown on April 15, 2012, in a five-on-five Lethal Lockdown match billed as Team Eric (Eric Bischoff, Bully Ray, Christopher Daniels, Gunner, and Kazarian, representing Immortal) versus Team Garett (Garett Bischoff, A.J. Styles, Austin Aries, Mr.

Immortal's presence drove several high-stakes rivalries that anchored major pay-per-view events, particularly against Sting's loyalists and the homegrown faction Fortune. The stable's antagonism toward Sting, portraying him as a Joker-like vigilante resisting their regime, built to climactic matches such as Sting's victory over Hogan at Bound for Glory 2011, which temporarily disrupted Immortal's dominance and led to Hogan's babyface turn. Similarly, Fortune's defection from Immortal in February 2011-led by AJ Styles and partners-intensified inter-faction conflicts, culminating in multi-man battles at events like Lockdown 2012, where Immortal's defeat in a Lethal Lockdown match resulted in the group's effective disbandment.

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