10 Backstage Stories About The Weekly PPV Era TNA That We Can’t Believe

Impact Wrestling has had its ups and downs over the years from an underdog project that dared to rise up in the wake of the Monday Night Wars, to a clear-cut number two promotion, to various missteps and its current status as, at best, a distant third-biggest wrestling company behind WWE and AEW.

In its earliest days, TNA focused its efforts on the novel format of weekly PPVs—an interesting experiment that combined the traditional practice of weekly storytelling with the idea that every show was, itself, a PPV spectacular of sorts. The company had its share of interesting moments behind the scenes from summer 2002 to spring 2004.

10 The Harris Twins Had To Fix The Ring Before TNA's First Televised Match

In a story discussed in some detail in the History of TNA: Year One documentary, disaster struck at the very beginning of the very first weekly PPV the promotion put on. A dark match saw super heavyweight Cheex involved in accidentally breaking the ring minutes before the show was set to start. That caused management to shuffle the card.

Whereas they had intended to start the show hot with in-ring action, they instead opened with a promo segment acknowledging legends in attendance while the ring crew, with a big assist from Ron and Don Harris scrambled off camera to repair the ring just in time to resume the show.

9 CM Punk And Teddy Hart Got Into A Fight

Neither CM Punk nor Teddy Hart are names especially associated with TNA, and some of that comes down to an ugly altercation between the two outside a restaurant in TNA’s early days. Their beef purportedly linked back to issues in ROH, but culminated in them actually brawling, before Sabu and others could separate the melee.

By most accounts, Hart got the better of the exchange. Though Punk has denied that the fight caused him not to sign with TNA (he suggests it was more about contract issues with his ability to also work dates for ROH), the incident nonetheless became, unfortunately, the most noteworthy part of this forgotten segment of Punk’s career.

8 Vince Russo’s Employment Hinged On Hulk Hogan’s Demands

Jeff Jarrett brought Vince Russo into the fold early to work with TNA in a creative role, opening a new chapter in their complicated relationship. However, very early on, it was also on the table that Hulk Hogan might sign with the company. Hogan did stop in for a cup of coffee, including a big spot taking a guitar shot from Jarrett, but only did so on the condition that Russo wasn’t working for the same company.

So, according to Russo, TNA briefly let him go for the spell when it looked like they might secure Hogan, then brought him back in when the deal fell through.

7 Jeff Jarrett Conceived Of The King Of The Mountain Match As A Reverse Ladder Match

One of TNA’s more infamous creative choices down the line was the innovation of the reverse battle royal, which saw competitors fighting their way into the ring. That idea wasn’t so well received, but the spirit of inverting well-established concepts in wrestling had deep roots in the company.

On his My World podcast, Jeff Jarrett discussed conceiving of the King of the Mountain gimmick match that debuted during the weekly PPV era on the premise of a reverse ladder match, after which he pieced together the mechanics of the complicated match structure.

6 TNA Wanted Ken Shamrock To Be The Face Of The Company

Ken Shamrock won the NWA Championship on the first TNA weekly PPV. The choice made sense given he was well-known and credible from his work in UFC and WWE. That's in addition to him not being over-exposed for not reigning as a pro wrestling world champion yet and this version of Shamorck still being close to his physical prime.

Neither the reign, nor Shamrock’s TNA tenure lasted that long, but Jeff Jarrett has discussed in interviews that he was actually the chosen one intended to be the face of the company. Shamrock purportedly backed out because he wasn’t happy with the money on the table.

5 Jerry Jarrett Hated The Way TNA Shows Were Formatted

Jerry Jarrett published a detailed book about the founding of TNA that basically encompassed the journals he kept at the time. One interesting note is that, despite being an integral voice of experience in support of his son Jeff’s plans, Jerry actually wasn’t very happy with the creative direction of the company on a number of levels.

He took particular issue with the habit of weekly PPVs having main event talent open the show with promos or make early run-ins that he felt made their appearances later in the show weaker because fans were less excited after already having see them one or more times in the same night.

4 Toby Keith Turned Down Performing At The White House In Favor Of Appearing For TNA

Toby Keith played a memorable role in the very first TNA weekly PPV, first offering a musical performance and later having some impromptu involvement in a gauntlet battle royal when he suplexed Jeff Jarrett.

While it seems unlikely, Jarrett had testified in multiple interviews that Keith rejected an invitation to perform at the White House because it would have conflicted with the TNA appearance. He had already committed and was a man of his word.

3 Jeff Jarrett Saw Star Power In AJ Styles From The Beginning

AJ Styles worked for WCW in its final days, and was offered a developmental deal with WWE after the buy out. Out of a combination of family obligations and seeing more opportunity to be featured elsewhere, The Phenomenal One turned it down. In hindsight, he seemed to have made the right choice.

Jeff Jarrett has spoken to seeing star potential in the youngster right away and particularly envisioning him as the face of the X-Division when he signed him. Styles made good on that faith, as he came of age as a performer across a decade with TNA, gathering experience and enjoying numerous title reigns en route to his successes in New Japan and ultimately WWE.

2 TNA Actively Encouraged Talents To Work Elsewhere When They Didn’t Have Bookings With Them

Looking back at old interviews with Jeff Jarrett, one of the more interesting ways he differentiated TNA business practices from WWE’s was by emphasizing non-exclusivity.

He discussed that they wanted talent to work and make a living for themselves, and so not only allowed, but encouraged wrestlers under contract to get themselves booked for indie dates when TNA wasn’t using them.

1 Don West Was Not Confident In His Role

Don West’s big personality was a core part of TNA’s presentation for years at the broadcast table. It may surprise some fans, then, to know he wasn’t confident at all as a wrestling commentator when he started. He discussed in the History of TNA: Year One documentary that he felt like a fish out of water for having no experience calling pro wrestling and limited knowledge even as a fan of the wrestling product.

The company banked on his energy and ability to sell, and while West’s work could be polarizing, he nonetheless grew into his role and grew on much of the TNA audience as time went on.