10 Promotions That Have Rivalled WWE

6. Impact Wrestling

Active: 2002-present

Formed out of the ashes of WCW and the XWF’s demises by Jerry and Jeff Jarrett, NWA: TNA set out its stall as a new alternative to WWE during a tumultuous period for the wrestling industry.

TNA brought a unique business model, presenting weekly cut-price pay-per-views for the first two years of its existence, before adopting the more traditional monthly PPV model in 2004 and a weekly TV show – Impact.

Ownership changes and various grand plans over the years saw TNA bounce in and out of favour with wrestling fans. They rode the line between the sublime and the ridiculous on a month to month basis.

Everyone who is anyone in the industry has passed through the group, from old-school stars such as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash and Sting to future standouts like CM Punk, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and countless others.

Impact has had the talent to compete with WWE but rarely the behind the scenes stability. When the promotion decided to go from broke in 2010 and directly battle WWE on Monday night’s in a modern era Monday Night War, the results were disastrous. The promotion was creamed in the ratings and forced to move the show within a few months.

The current incarnation of Impact does possess the behind the scenes stability it was desperate for in previous years but it no longer has the major stars needed to battle WWE. As good as the output is, Impact is no threat to WWE in 2019.

• lists
• WCW
• All Elite Wrestling
• AEW

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