WWE and TNA have announced a game-changing deal that will see both companies continue their partnership for years to come.
As announced via press release, an agreement has been reached which will see more crossover opportunities presented for the stars of NXT and TNA across weekly TV and Premium Live Events:
WWE & TNA WRESTLING ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP
January 16, 2025 – WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), and TNA Wrestling, one of the world’s top wrestling brands and a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, today announced a multi-year partnership aimed at creating unprecedented crossover opportunities within WWE and TNA programming for NXT Superstars and TNA Wrestling Stars.
The agreement will enable talent to garner additional exposure across key WWE and TNA programming, including weekly flagship shows such as NXT – which airs live on The CW – and TNA iMPACT!, select WWE Premium Live Events and TNA pay-per-views, in turn bolstering their in-ring development with exposure to world-class talent and coaching.
“This historic relationship demonstrates that collaboration and competition do not have to be mutually exclusive,” said Ariel Shnerer, Senior Vice President of Content & Distribution for TNA Wrestling and Anthem Sports & Entertainment. “Our partnership allows the TNA Wrestling brand and its incredible athletes to reach a significantly wider audience, while giving WWE and NXT stars an opportunity to cross the line and gain valuable experience, as they join forces with one of the most talented rosters in professional wrestling today. The response to our collaboration over the past year has been tremendous and both companies have benefited, but the fans have reaped the greatest rewards from this talent crossover and working relationship.”
“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,” said WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels.
Former TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry frequently appeared on NXT programming in 2024, highlighted by an NXT Championship match featuring Hendry and Ethan Page at No Mercy,and an NXT Women’s Championship match featuring Grace and Roxanne Perez at Battleground.
Many NXT Superstars also crossed the line into TNA Wrestling, including Wes Lee’s short-lived reunion with The Rascalz, Charlie Dempsey and the No Quarter Catch Crew, Riley Osbourne, Dante Chen, Gallus, Arianna Grace, Tatum Paxley, Izzi Dame, Wendy Choo, Brinley Reece and more.
TNA iMPACT! airs on AXS TV and TNA+ in the U.S., in addition to being distributed internationally on TNA+ and other leading broadcast platforms, including Sportsnet 360 across Canada.
In November 2023, WWE and The CW announced a five-year agreement to bring NXT to broadcast television for the first time in its 13-year history.
The announcement comes just a few years removed from a time period under the old WWE regime that would not have even seen TNA acknowledged on weekly TV, let alone have stars from outside promotions challenge for top championships on the NXT roster. With the potential for more surprise appearances, it is set to be an exciting time for both brands.
WWE And TNA Partnership To Continue For Foreseeable Future
The partnership initially began back at the Royal Rumble 2024 with the surprise appearance of Jordynne Grace in the Women’s Rumble match. Booked strongly throughout her time in the match, Grace returned later that year to challenge Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship at Battleground. Continuing the theme of the top titles being on the line, Joe Hendry headlined the NXT No Mercy Premium Live Event and challenged Ethan Page for the NXT Championship. Hendry had a standout year in 2024 and was featured prominently numerous times during his NXT appearances.
As noted in the press release, NXT stars such as No Quarter Catch Crew, Riley Osbourne, Dante Chen, Gallus and Arianna Grace were among those who made an impact in TNA in 2024. The most recent crossover saw Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich in the crowd on the January 15th edition of NXT.
The next TNA event Genesis is now also being marketed as a co-branded event with the NXT logo seen on the poster.
Featured image: TNA
