TNA Is Dead, Now ‘Impact Wrestling’! Paige Backstage At TNA Tapings!

Hello and welcome to the WrestleTalk News!
I’m Oli Davis, and you know the drill by now: turn on notifications for WrestleTalk
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Because I’ll be replying to as many comments as I can in the first 15 minutes of these
episodes going live.
Weeeeell, it’s the Notification Squad.
It’s a big bad Notification Squad tonight, yeah.
Yesterday’s episode of Impact Wrestling had Bobby Lashley defeat Josh Barnett to retain
his World Heavyweight Championship, and we saw the last TNA appearances for The Broken
Hardys, Drew Galloway and Jade.
But the real news was happening in the non pre-taped version of the Impact Zone. i.e.
the live, real-time version.
The episode broadcast last night was the final instalment from TNA’s January tapings.
From next Thursday onwards, Jeff Jarrett’s new regime - and by ‘new’, I mean, the
regime from about five years ago being brought back - will kickstart their era on television.
An era that started filming last night.
Because this is about yet-to-be broadcast footage, spoiler warning for the next month-or-so
of Impact Wrestling.
First up, the biggest one - former WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio made his TNA debut at the
TV Tapings, going by his non-WWE name Alberto El Patron.
Mr Jacob Cohen on Twitter covered this live from the Impact Zone, reporting that Bruce
Prichard said because there’s no-one left in the promotion that can defeat on champion
Bobby Lashley, here’s Alberto El Patron.
The two had a match later on, which Alberto won, becoming the new World Heavyweight Champion
on his first night.
The manner in which he won the title, however, appears to be mired in overbooked controversy
- with two ref bumps and a disputed finish.
Not like Alberto cared, because he left with the belt anyway.
Despite reporting that talks between Del Rio and TNA had fallen through, PWInsider are
now saying Alberto has signed full-time with the promotion and “will be receiving a massive
push”.
Apparently this was only confirmed in the last few days, and the site hints that TNA
reached back out to Alberto following the losses of Drew Galloway and the Hardys.
PWInsider also reports that Alberto’s real-life girlfriend - the currently injured WWE star
Paige - was backstage for the TV tapings.
For everyone getting excited, there is practically - to quote Vince McMahon - “no chance in
hell” WWE will let her also turn up for the promotion.
Not only is she still under contract, but Rock ‘The Dwayne’ Johnson and WWE Studios
are currently producing a film based on her life.
That said, she is only one Wellness Policy violation away from being released…
While Paige turning up in TNA would be an interesting swerve, I’m far more excited
about the possibility that Ricardo Rodriguez might be Alberto’s personal ring announcer
again.
Double J, get him on the phone.
In other TNA news, ODB returned to the company, Rachael Ellering - the daughter of current
Authors of Pain manager Paul Ellering - made her debut, and Magnus will reportedly be turning
up in the Impact Zone in the next few days.
And after several weeks of Twitter controversy - at one point allegedly telling a fan to
“shoot yourself” - Josh Mathews might be getting phased out of Impact’s commentary
team.
Jeremy Borash was unveiled as the newest addition to the booth, where he got in a heated argument
with Mathews.
Josh boasted about how he learnt the trade from Jim Ross, to which Borash replied, ‘I’m
good friends with JR, and he thinks you suck’.
That, to me, sounds like TNA are foreshadowing Jim Ross also joining the commentary team.
Especially coupled with JR’s tweet later that night:
“Good luck to all my friends working in #Orlando for @IMPACTWRESTLING.
Expecting many changes including perhaps a different soundtrack.
❓👀” The different soundtrack hopefully being an
iconic Southern accent screaming ‘good gawd almighty’!
Mathews could then very effectively transition into a heel manager role.
In an in-ring promo, Prichard said their mission is to make the promotion great again, and
that the initials TNA are dead - Impact Wrestling will officially be the only name used going
forward.
Impact Wrestling unveiled their new non-TNA, non-giant bird logo when announcing their
new UK television deal with Spike TV.
After coming so close to shutting down several times last year, this could provide a much-needed
new start for TNA.
I mean Impact Wrestling.
That’s going to take a while.
And I’ll probably still call Alberto El Patron ‘Alberto Del Rio’.
Find out the whole story of why The Hardys left TNA - that was back when I could still
call it ‘TNA’ - and catch up with the other WrestleTalk videos by clicking the videos
to the left and subscribe.
I’ve been Oli Davis and that was wrestling.

TNA Is Dead, Now ‘Impact Wrestling’! Paige Backstage At TNA Tapings! | WrestleTalk News Mar. 2017

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