Impact Wrestling News and Notes
Posted: Feb 23rd, '17, 11:14
Kevin Sullivan (not the wrestler, but the producer) is back with the company. Sullivan is great with the videos and was the guy behind the video campaign for the promotion of Wrestle Kingdom 9 when Jeff Jarrett was promoting the PPV and they had success with no television support (this was before New Japan had gotten on AXS). This wasn’t a surprise since he’s been close with Jarrett and was also working with him when they were trying to get Global Force Wrestling going. He noted that he was back in the studio on 2/21.
The Miracle Mike Bennett and his wife Maria Kanellis-Bennett were offered new extensions and as of today they have signed them.
Just for a clarification regarding the last set of tapings and Drew Galloway, it was well known ahead of time that Galloway would be missing the first two dates of the tapings for his What Culture shows since he’s the champion there. He had told TNA after pulling out of U.K. dates in the past when they scheduled TV’s that he wouldn’t miss anymore U.K. dates with last minute dates since the U.K. is his key market. A lot of the U.K. companies were souring on using TNA talent because TNA under Dixie/Gaburick would pull them out with six weeks or less notice after advertising had gone out.
The reason ref was Marty Elias was digitized in the Hardys match with Super Crazy & Psicosis from Tijuana on Impact was because Lucha Underground threatened them with legal action because the ref had appeared on their show. The funny part of the legal threat is that AAA was at about the same time trying to cut a deal with TNA to keep them from working with The Crash, even though AAA works with Lucha Underground, and the key guy in charge of both is Dorian Roldan. Dorian Roldan had contacted Jeff Jarrett about working together, since the word had gotten out that Jarrett was working a date for Konnan later this month. Then, after their talk, TNA got a legal letter from Lucha Underground threatening a lawsuit because Marty Rubalcaba (Elias) who they have under contract and they consider their intellectual property was to appear on the TNA television show. The funny part of this is that TNA wouldn’t have really been that concerned because as one person noted, they get lawsuit threats all the time, but Lucha Underground also sent the letter to The Crash Promotion, Konnan, and Pop TV, and because it went to Pop TV, it became an issue with TNA. So for the first time I can ever recall, the referee had to be digitized out on a pro wrestling show. Needless to say that TNA wasn’t happy about how one day the company wants to work together and the next they threaten a lawsuit over a referee. Technically, Lucha Underground would be in the right. The funny thing was, as noted last week, Konnan and the promotion were careful that everyone who they thought that worked for Lucha Underground would be out of the way when they were filming the stuff with the Hardys, but nobody thought about the referee. Those at Lucha Underground all but said it was really part of AAA’s war with Konnan but they claim that Konnan is trying to get their talent to quit (which is notable since Pentagon publicly said how much he loved working with Lucha Underground and didn’t want to quit) and have tried to blame everything from the date of the Netflix deal being announced prior to it being confirmed (which originally came from Lucha Underground and not Konnan) and that they had to send this letter which some felt made them look bad because of Konnan. They also sent a legal letter to PWG trying to keep them from using Rey Fenix
In something of a surprise, since Galloway’s contract is done this month, before the next tapings, but TNA hasn’t talked with him regarding a new deal as of yet. He is on the poster for the next tapings.
The Hardys are very much up in the air. They are committed to dates through April. They have told indie promoters when it comes to dates starting in May that they can’t commit until they figure out their next step. Their contracts either have just expired or will be expiring within the next week. WWE has made it clear they want them while avoiding any direct negotiations with contracted talent.
Jeff Jarrett and Ed Nordholm met with ITV in the U.K. on 2/16 in Leicester, UK. We’re told the meeting went well. ITV is looking at launching World of Sport as a regular weekly television show, but they want to work with wrestling people to monetize the brand and get global distribution of the show. Anthem could put the show on The Fight Network and has connections for distribution, such as places that have deals with TNA as well. I don’t know how all the meetings worked out but ITV was looking at Anthem to put some money in, get some responsibilities, in exchange for owning a percentage of the promotion.
Nick Aldis (Magnus) was offered a contract to return. He hasn’t signed the deal as of yet.
The Miracle Mike Bennett and his wife Maria Kanellis-Bennett were offered new extensions and as of today they have signed them.
Just for a clarification regarding the last set of tapings and Drew Galloway, it was well known ahead of time that Galloway would be missing the first two dates of the tapings for his What Culture shows since he’s the champion there. He had told TNA after pulling out of U.K. dates in the past when they scheduled TV’s that he wouldn’t miss anymore U.K. dates with last minute dates since the U.K. is his key market. A lot of the U.K. companies were souring on using TNA talent because TNA under Dixie/Gaburick would pull them out with six weeks or less notice after advertising had gone out.
The reason ref was Marty Elias was digitized in the Hardys match with Super Crazy & Psicosis from Tijuana on Impact was because Lucha Underground threatened them with legal action because the ref had appeared on their show. The funny part of the legal threat is that AAA was at about the same time trying to cut a deal with TNA to keep them from working with The Crash, even though AAA works with Lucha Underground, and the key guy in charge of both is Dorian Roldan. Dorian Roldan had contacted Jeff Jarrett about working together, since the word had gotten out that Jarrett was working a date for Konnan later this month. Then, after their talk, TNA got a legal letter from Lucha Underground threatening a lawsuit because Marty Rubalcaba (Elias) who they have under contract and they consider their intellectual property was to appear on the TNA television show. The funny part of this is that TNA wouldn’t have really been that concerned because as one person noted, they get lawsuit threats all the time, but Lucha Underground also sent the letter to The Crash Promotion, Konnan, and Pop TV, and because it went to Pop TV, it became an issue with TNA. So for the first time I can ever recall, the referee had to be digitized out on a pro wrestling show. Needless to say that TNA wasn’t happy about how one day the company wants to work together and the next they threaten a lawsuit over a referee. Technically, Lucha Underground would be in the right. The funny thing was, as noted last week, Konnan and the promotion were careful that everyone who they thought that worked for Lucha Underground would be out of the way when they were filming the stuff with the Hardys, but nobody thought about the referee. Those at Lucha Underground all but said it was really part of AAA’s war with Konnan but they claim that Konnan is trying to get their talent to quit (which is notable since Pentagon publicly said how much he loved working with Lucha Underground and didn’t want to quit) and have tried to blame everything from the date of the Netflix deal being announced prior to it being confirmed (which originally came from Lucha Underground and not Konnan) and that they had to send this letter which some felt made them look bad because of Konnan. They also sent a legal letter to PWG trying to keep them from using Rey Fenix
In something of a surprise, since Galloway’s contract is done this month, before the next tapings, but TNA hasn’t talked with him regarding a new deal as of yet. He is on the poster for the next tapings.
The Hardys are very much up in the air. They are committed to dates through April. They have told indie promoters when it comes to dates starting in May that they can’t commit until they figure out their next step. Their contracts either have just expired or will be expiring within the next week. WWE has made it clear they want them while avoiding any direct negotiations with contracted talent.
Jeff Jarrett and Ed Nordholm met with ITV in the U.K. on 2/16 in Leicester, UK. We’re told the meeting went well. ITV is looking at launching World of Sport as a regular weekly television show, but they want to work with wrestling people to monetize the brand and get global distribution of the show. Anthem could put the show on The Fight Network and has connections for distribution, such as places that have deals with TNA as well. I don’t know how all the meetings worked out but ITV was looking at Anthem to put some money in, get some responsibilities, in exchange for owning a percentage of the promotion.
Nick Aldis (Magnus) was offered a contract to return. He hasn’t signed the deal as of yet.