Current TNA: So Much to Love, So Much Still to Fix 

TNA in 2026 is in a fascinating place. It finally feels like a wrestling company moving forward instead of constantly reminding us of what it used to be. The move to AMC has given iMPACT a bigger platform, the roster has plenty of talent, and there is a genuine sense that TNA matters again. Being relevant again also raises expectations. I’m enjoying TNA, but I'm not going to pretend everything is clicking. 

Nic Nemeth World Champion  

Putting the World Championship around Nic Nemeth makes sense. He carries himself like the biggest deal in the room, and his recent defence against Jeff Hardy gave the championship the sort of spotlight it needs. More importantly, Nemeth beat Hardy clean. No nonsense. No cheap heat and escape. Nemeth won because he was better on the night and that matters. TNA spent too many years making its World Championship feel secondary to everything happening around it. Right now, the belt feels important.... Keep it that way.  

The Hardys Still Have Value, But Use It Carefully 

Matt & Jeff Hardy are TNA history. Hearing that music and seeing those two in a TNA ring still means something. But nostalgia should be seasoning, not the entire meal.  

Jeff challenging Nemeth was a worthwhile attraction and The Hardys holding the Tag Team Championships give the division recognisable champions. However, TNA must make sure younger teams eventually receive help from working with them. The Hardys don’t need TNA to prove their legacy. TNA needs The Hardys to help create someone else’s. 

Trey Miguel Return 

This is the TNA I love. Trey Miguel returning as a mystery partner for Rich Swann and BDE at once give that story more energy. After Four months out injured, Trey has returned with an actual reason to be angry and now he’s coming after Mustafa Ali’s Order 4. That reveal was simple, personal and effective. 

You don’t need fifteen-minute promos explaining every emotion. Give talented wrestlers believable reasons to hate each other and let them go with it.  

Mustafa Ali Heat 

Ali has presence. He can wrestle, talk and he understands how to make a character feel bigger than simply “good wrestler who wants championships.” 

That’s incredibly valuable in modern TNA. Order 4 gives him something large to lead, while the issues involving Trey Miguel and Rich Swann give the group enemies people can care about. My only concern is overcomplication. Don’t add layers just because you can. Ali is compelling enough without every segment needing another twist.  

X-Division Must Always Feel Special 

The X-Division isn’t just another championship division. It’s TNA. Cedric Alexander is an excellent wrestler to have associated with that belt and matches such as his defence against Fabin Aichner give the championship credibility. I want more danger from the division, more unpredictability and more matches where you genuinely don’t know what somebody is going to try or execute next. When the X-Division becomes an ordinary midcard title, TNA loses part of its identity.  

Never let that happen. 

The Knockouts Division Still Matters 

One thing TNA should never become embarrassed about is its history of taking women's wrestling seriously. The knockouts division helped make TNA different. Adding the Knockouts TV Championship creates another opportunity for those who aren’t at once challenging for the World Championship, and the tournament has already involved names such as M by Elegance, Indi Hartwell, Rosemary, Harley Hudson and Thea Hail. I love this idea and now make the belt mean something. Another championship isn’t automatically another achievement. The stories around it will decide that.  

Something I want to see more of is hungry independent women’s wrestlers looking at TNA and thinking, that’s where I want to be. The Knockouts division has history; Gail Kim, Awesome Kong, Mickie James, Jordynne Grace, Deonna Purrazzo and so many others that helped give it an identity that went beyond simply being “the women’s division.” There are talented women working the indies right now who would love to jump at the opportunity to walk through that curtain and call themselves a TNA Knockout. TNA should be watching them with such like VIPRESS, Brittnie Brooks, Abadon, Shotzi and more. They have recently signed Gabby Forza who made herself a massive, big name on the indies. I feel that TNA should give indie wrestlers a chance. Let her have a great match on Xplosion or iMPACT. Let the crowd decide whether they want to see her again. That’s how you find the next generation. Being a TNA Knockout should feel like something worth fighting to become.  

Rosemary’s Mystery Has My Attention!! 

This is a wonderfully strange TNA territory. Rosemary disappearing, Allie being left to defend without her and the cryptic message surrounding the situation is exactly the kind of wrestling story i want to see develop slowly. Don’t rush the answer. Wrestling fans complain when stories take too long, but sometimes anticipation is the entire point. Let this one breathe.  

TNA Needs to Trust TNA 

THE WWE/NXT relationship can absolutely help TNA. Fresh opponents create interesting matches; new viewers discover wrestlers they haven’t seen before, and crossover appearances make the wrestling world feel less predictable.  

But there’s a line. TNA cannot feel like somebody else’s development system. Its wrestlers need victories. Its championships need prestige. Its major stories need to revolve around people who belong to TNA . The partnership should make TNA bigger, not remind us that another company is bigger. 

Moose Should Always Feel Dangerous 

Moose doesn’t need complicated storytelling to feel important. Look at the man. Moose should feel like a threat by simply walking into the building. The current mystery surrounding him being found unconscious is intriguing, especially with Frankie Kazarian naturally under suspicion. Once that story develops, I hope TNA remembers what makes Moose work. He’s at his best when everyone else looks worried that he’s arrived. 

Stop Trying to Fill Every Second 

One criticism I still have with wrestling generally and TNA isn’t immune from it, is the fear of silence. Not everything needs commentary screaming over it. Not every rivalry needs another backstage segment. Not every episode needs another surprise.  

Sometimes a stare is enough. Sometimes a clean wrestling match is enough. Sometimes the crowd reaction tells the story better than another promo ever could. Give moments room to matter. 

Lockdown 

Lockdown is coming on August 23rd in Chicago, with the steel cage central to the show.  

GOOD!! 

Now make the cage mean something. I don’t want it to feel like decoration. I want grudges. I want desperation. I want wrestlers entering because normal matches haven’t solved anything. A cage match should feel like the worst possible solution to a problem. 

 That’s when Lockdown works.  

This Sunday at Lockdown in Chicago.  

The Hardys vs. The Nemeths 

This feels big. Matt & Jeff Hardy defending the TNA World Tag Team Championships against Nic & Ryan Nemeth has star power everywhere. I want a proper fight here, not a cage match that could’ve happened without the cage.  

Cedric Alexander vs. Leon Slater 

Potential show-stealer. Leon is TNA’s future, while Cedric Alexander is exactly the sort of opponent who can push him to another level. With Slater’s record-setting X-Division reign at stake if he loses, this needs to feel desperate.  

Xia Brookside vs. Elayna Black 

I’m really looking forward to this one. Xia has the Knockouts World Championship, but Elayna Black gets a massive opportunity in her hometown of Chicago. This is the kind of match where TNA can make both women feel more important afterwards.  

Jason Hotch vs. Mustafa Ali 

Now this has become personal. Hotch defending the International Championship against Ali gives him the opportunity to prove his title victory wasn’t a fluke. Ali doesn’t need the championship to be interesting, which makes the result even more intriguing. Also, Trey Miguel is around the corner for Ali.  

DemonXBunny vs. The Elegance Brand 

Rosemary & Allie against M by Elegance and Heather by Elegance could give the Knockouts Tag Team Championship a much-needed spotlight. The uncertainty surrounding Rosemary makes this one even more interesting. 

Moose vs. Frankie Kazarian  

Two men who believe they are TNA. Put them inside a cage and let that arrogance explode. Moose brings the power, Kaz brings years of experience, and neither should be interested in having a wrestling match. 

AJ Francis vs. Elijah  

This rivalry has gone long enough that Lockdown feels like the right place to finish it. No excuses now, Shut the cage door and let them settle it. I feel if AJ wins this match, he’ll be next in line for a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. 

Lethal Lockdown 

This is the match that stands for what the event is supposed to be about. Young talent including Ricky Sosa, KC Navarro and Jada Stone stepping up against The System gives it a simple story I can get behind; The Future Fighting the Gatekeepers. 

This Is a TNA Worth Caring About Again 

That’s probably my biggest compliment. I care.  

I care about where Nemeth’s championship reign goes. I want to see what happens with Trey Miguel and Mustafa Ali. I want answers about Rosemary. I want to see whether TNA can turn its current momentum into something lasting. The AMC deal has given the company a bigger weekly stage and TNA have a full schedule taking it through major markets and towards Bound for Glory in October.  

Now comes the difficult part.  

Do not chase WWE, AEW and do not chase the old TNA. Take the madness, the X-Division, The Knockouts, the characters, the veterans, the hungry younger wrestlers, and that slightly rebellious feeling this company has always had at its best. I am certain this TNA will be hard to ignore.