Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), now known as Impact Wrestling, is an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2002 by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett. The concept originated shortly after World Championship Wrestling (WCW) ended in 2001 when Bob Ryder, Jeff Jarrett, and Jerry Jarrett discussed their futures in the wrestling business.
With the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE) becoming the sole major player in the United States, the Jarretts sought financial backing and launched their first show on June 19, 2002.
Here's a detailed look at the evolution of Impact Wrestling, from its early days to its current global presence.
Impact Wrestling Logo
Early Years: Weekly Pay-Per-Views and the TNA Asylum
Initially, TNA's main revenue source was its weekly pay-per-view shows, a departure from the monthly pay-per-view model used by other promotions. These shows took place mostly at the Tennessee State Fairground Sports Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, which was nicknamed the "TNA Asylum."
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However, the first show faced an unexpected challenge when a 450 lb wrestler named Cheex broke a ring rope during a dark match just before going live. Producers had to quickly shuffle the schedule to allow time for repairs.
After 27 months and 111 pay-per-view events, TNA transitioned to a weekly television show alongside monthly three-hour pay-per-views. The last weekly pay-per-view occurred on September 8, 2004.
TNA Xplosion was launched on November 27, 2002, as TNA's first regular cable show, featuring exclusive matches from the TNA Asylum and wrestler interviews. By November 18, 2004, it became a recap show due to alterations in the taping schedule, but later resumed airing exclusive matches ("Xplosion Xclusives") on October 7, 2005.
In May 2004, TNA introduced a television program, Impact! (stylized as iMPACT!), produced at Soundstage 21 at Universal Studios Florida and broadcast on Fox Sports.
Transition to Television and Monthly Pay-Per-Views
With the shift to cable television, TNA discontinued its weekly pay-per-view shows, adopting a monthly three-hour pay-per-view format similar to WCW, ECW, and WWE.
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However, the television contract with Fox Sports expired in May 2005 and was not renegotiated, leaving TNA without television exposure. This prompted TNA to air Impact! via webcasts and on Urban America Television, replacing Xplosion.
In October 2006, TNA began holding select pay-per-views outside of its central filming location, the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida, with Bound for Glory.
TNA Bound for Glory 2006
In April 2006, TNA began a partnership with YouTube, exchanging exclusive video content for hosting, which led to the production of internet shows and the introduction of TNA Mobile and mobile fan-voting. TNA also launched "TNA U TV," podcasts aired through YouTube to help promote the company.
Impact! expanded to a two-hour format on October 4, 2007. By October 23, 2008, TNA transitioned to HD, broadcasting all programming in high-definition.
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Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff Era
In 2010, TNA hired professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan and former WCW President Eric Bischoff. Both obtained positions behind the screen, with Bischoff involved in creative and Hogan as a consultant, leading to significant changes. They also recruited high-profile former WWE wrestlers, including Ric Flair, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson, and Jeff Hardy, while reverting to a four-sided ring.
On February 15, TNA made a deal with Spike TV, moving Impact! to Monday nights to compete directly with WWE's Raw. However, the network kept the Thursday night slot open for repeats. On May 3, TNA moved Impact! back to Thursday nights, re-branded as "TNA Thursdays."
At the same time, Spike picked up TNA Reaction, a one-hour docu-series that focused on TNA's stories and characters, previewing upcoming Impact! episodes.
On February 24, 2011, TNA began holding Impact! tapings at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina. On May 3, Impact!
The Rise And Fall Of TNA Wrestling (Extended Cut)
In December 2011, TNA debuted their new India-based subsidiary promotion Ring Ka King. On May 31, 2012, Impact Wrestling began airing live at a new start time of 8pm EST on Thursday nights. The live schedule would continue throughout 2012.
Throughout its history, TNA has worked with several international wrestling promotions, with championships from those promotions sometimes having been defended at TNA events. Among the organizations TNA has worked with are Mexico's Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), Japan's Inoki Genome Federation (IGF), New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), Wrestle-1 (W-1), and America's Evolve Wrestling.
TNA and Wrestle-1 Joint Show
Departure of Key Figures and Shift in Direction
From 2013 to 2014, many prominent figures left TNA. Hulk Hogan's contract expired in October 2013, and he returned to WWE in early 2014. A.J. Styles departed in December 2013 due to a contract dispute involving a pay cut. Additionally, TNA founder Jeff Jarrett "resigned" in December 2013, though he remained an investor.
In August 2014, Impact Wrestling moved from its Thursday timeslot to Wednesday nights. The 2014 Bound for Glory pay-per-view was held in collaboration with Wrestle-1 in Tokyo, Japan on October 12. After Bound for Glory, TNA went into hiatus due to Impact Wrestling ending their contract with Spike TV and its subsequent move to Destination America.
Partnership with Destination America and Pop TV
In November 2014, TNA partnered with Discovery Communications, moving its programming, including Impact Wrestling, to Destination America in January 2015. Spike's outreach was estimated at 97 million homes, while Destination America reached 59 million households.
TNA also launched two new shows: Impact Wrestling: Unlocked, hosted by Mike Tenay, and TNA Wrestling's Greatest Matches. From December 2014 to March 2015, several employees re-signed with TNA, including Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Gail Kim, Mr. Anderson, Abyss, and Matt Hardy. Awesome Kong also returned.
On November 19, TNA signed a deal with Pop to air Impact Wrestling, premiering on Tuesday, January 5, 2016, in a live special at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This move introduced a new HD set, graphics, and theme music. The show featured the TNA World Title Series finals, won by Ethan Carter III.
Financial Struggles and Anthem Sports & Entertainment Acquisition
On August 12, 2016, Billy Corgan became the promotion's new President, while Dixie Carter became Chairwoman and Chief Strategy Officer. However, Corgan later sued TNA in October 2016 over unpaid debt. Fight Network offered to assist TNA and repay Corgan, along with providing additional financial support.
Ultimately, Anthem Sports & Entertainment provided a credit facility to fund TNA's operations, and Corgan left the company as President. In January 2017, CBS Corporation joined Hulu's new live stream service to broadcast TNA. Anthem Sports & Entertainment then purchased an 85% majority stake of TNA, with Dixie Carter retaining a 5% minority stake before resigning as Chairwoman.
Rebranding and Current Status
Following Anthem's acquisition, TNA rebranded as Impact Wrestling. In April 2017, the promotion announced a "merger" with Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling (GFW). Don Callis and Scott D'Amore took charge of Impact Wrestling's day-to-day operations in January 2018.
Impact Wrestling subsequently moved to Pursuit Channel in January 2019 and later to AXS TV. The promotion also partnered with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2020, which lasted until Bound for Glory 2021.
At the conclusion of Bound for Glory on October 21, 2023, Impact announced that it would revive the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) name. In 2024, TNA began a wider talent exchange with WWE. On December 2, 2025, TNA Wrestling and AMC Networks announced a multi-year television deal to air TNA's flagship weekly television series, TNA Impact!
| Year | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | First Show | TNA's first show on June 19, 2002 |
| 2004 | Impact! Debut | TNA Impact! premiered on Fox Sports Net |
| 2010 | Hogan & Bischoff | Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff joined TNA |
| 2016 | Pop TV Deal | Impact Wrestling debuted on Pop TV |
| 2017 | Anthem Acquisition | Anthem Sports & Entertainment purchased a majority stake of TNA |
| 2023 | TNA Revival | Impact announced it would revive the TNA name |
The X Division
Since its origin, TNA has featured a high-flying, high risk style of wrestling known as its X Division. To further emphasize this point, the slogan "It's not about weight limits, it's about no limits" was used to describe the division.
Although it was de-emphasized throughout 2007, the X Division is generally regarded as one of the key attractions of TNA and was replicated in several other promotions. In August 2011, a 225 lb (102 kg) weight limit was introduced. This was quietly repealed in March 2012. Changes introduced in March 2013, including a weight limit of 230 lbs.
Ring Structure
From the promotion's first show in June 2002 until June 2004, TNA used a standard four-sided wrestling ring. In 2004, with the premier of Impact, TNA switched to a six-sided ring, as seen occasionally in the Mexican promotion Asistencia AsesorÃa y Administración (AAA). TNA used the six-sided ring until 2010.