WWE and TNA put pen to paper after various crossover appearances
WWE and TNA Wrestling are officially in business together. On Thursday, the two professional wrestling companies announced a multi-year partnership.
The partnership firmly establishes the two companies’ existing working relationship. NXT and TNA talent will continue appearing on each other’s weekly programming and pay-per-view events. TNA wrestlers Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry frequently worked NXT shows last year. Plus, WWE developmental talents like Wes Lee and Charlie Dempsey appeared on TNA Impact.
“We look forward to growing and evolving our partnership with TNA Wrestling and its outstanding group of athletes by creating new opportunities to further the development of our talent and to elevate the viewer experience at home,” WWE senior vice president of talent development Shawn Michaels said in a press release.
WWE and TNA’s collaborations date back years. In 2012, WWE intercontinental champion Christian appeared at TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per-view in exchange for allowing TNA-signed Ric Flair to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony as part of the Four Horseman. This was at a time when WWE would not regularly acknowledge other promotions.
In 2022, TNA Knockouts champion Mickie James appeared as a surprise entrance in the women’s Royal Rumble match. She appeared with her TNA theme music and title, and commentators acknowledged her role in TNA. In 2024, Grace appeared as a surprise entrant in the women’s Royal Rumble. This was significant because, unlike James, Grace was not a WWE alum.
TNA was founded in 2002 by pro wrestling bookers Jeff and Jerry Jarrett. The company went through various changes in branding and management over the years. TNA briefly attempted to go head-to-head against WWE Raw in 2010. Numerous TNA stars found major success in WWE, including AJ Styles, LA Knight, R-Truth and Xavier Woods, while WWE alums like Christian and Drew McIntyre reinvented themselves in the younger promotion.
