TNA Wrestling News (Page 5)

Fans just received a text from TNA Mobile that read: "The former IC and European Champion rumored to be coming to work for TNA is D'Lo Brown. His role in the company at this point is unknown."

We believe D'Lo is being hired as an agent over the next few weeks and this will serve as a tryout with the company. We'll provide more information as we receive it.

Sting has been telling people that he’s retiring at the end of this year.

Several within the company, though, believe he's just saying that to gain leverage and a possible raise from Dixie Carter. The TNA Wrestling President is intent on keeping Sting on the roster, despite Jff Jarrett not thinking highly of keeping Sting at the end of last year.

Moreover, Sting doesn’t work house shows or international dates.

The following will air on October 18...

- The taping opened with Kurt Angle demanding a rematch for the TNA Title. Details are sketchy, but Angle was laid out by Kevin Nash.

- Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley ended in a No Contest when Team 3D jumped both men.

- Awesome Kong defeated Talia Madison.

- Robert Roode & James Storm defeated Chris Harris & Rhino.

- A "Parade of Champions" was held hosted by Jim Cornette and Mike Tenay with all the champions coming out of Bound For Glory. Cornette announces Christian Cage vs. Samoa Joe for the main even with the winner gaining the last spot in the Fight for the Right Tournament. Sting is presented the TNA Title and accepts Angle's challenge from earlier. Angle appears coming out on a wheelchair and Karen Angle says the rematch must take place next week.

- Kaz defeated Lance Hoyt.

- Abyss defeated Disco Inferno. After the match, Black Reign and James Mitchell handcuffed Abyss and Reign put his rat in Abyss' face.

- Christian Cage defeated Samoa Joe to earn the last spot in the Fight for the Right Tournament.

Here are the TNA iMPACT! tapings, set to air on October 4:

- Rhino defeated Black Reign. Raven interfered during the match going after Rhino. There were more run-ins with Abyss, James Mitchell, Sting and Havok. Judas Mesias was no where to be found.

- Sting was left in the ring when a video played on the screens of TNA World Champion Kurt Angle at the school where Sting's son goes to. Angle said that if he had a son, he wouldn't miss his football games like Sting did tonight.

- Backstage, Team 3D attacked TNA X Division Champion Jay "Black Machismo" Lethal and Sonjay Dutt. 3D brought them to the ring and said they would keep attacking everyone on the TNA roster until they got a shot at the TNA Tag Team Titles. They did a spot where Shark Boy came down for the save, but 3D took him out through a table. 3D also put Lethal through a table.

- Gail Kim defeated Jackie Moore. Christy Hemme and Roxxi then attacked Kim.

- TNA World Tag Team Champions Team Pacman defeated Team 3D via DQ. VKM interfered attacking Ron Killings. The Steiner Brothers came out and 3D bailed.

- Eric Young won a Guantlet including James Storm, Petey Williams, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Robert Roode, Lance Hoyt, Jimmy Rave, Kazarian and Chris Harris.

- Samoa Joe, Junior Fatu & LAX defeated Christian Cage, AJ Styles, Senshi & Christopher Daniels. Joe pinned Senshi with a Muscle Buster.

• There has been talk of beginning random drug testing when TNA moves to two hours. The recreational drug problem is said to bigger in TNA than the steroid problem.

• The name of the new TNA backstage announcer is Crystal Louthan (pictured). She's 26 years old and hails from the Orlando area. The model has appeared in numerous advertisements and commercials, and was once a boxing ring girl on HBO.

• TNA will crown their first Women's Champion at the Bound For Glory pay-per-view on 10/14. The division currently consists of Gail Kim, Christy Hemme, Ms. Brooks, Jackie Moore, and Roxy Laveaux.

Bill Goldberg recently appeared on Live 105.3 in Texas.

He had the following to say about TNA Wrestling:

"TNA totally blows, man. I don't think they have a clue as to what people want to see, I think. They've got a very clouded vision. Right after the Chris Benoit death, WWE and TNA had an opportunity to 'make it right.' They had an opportunity, they had everyone's attention and what does TNA do? They go out and sign 'Pacman' Jones.

That in itself, in a nutshell, describes TNA's mentality. That as a viable option for Goldberg? Absolutely not. Those guys don't deserve to have me on their program."

Here's a video from TNA iMPACT a couple weeks ago, back when Kurt Angle and Sting were the tag team champs:

TNA Wrestling issued the following press release, in regard to the extension of iMPACT! to two hours:

TNA Entertainment, LLC and Spike TV have announced a two-year extension of their partnership which maintains Spike TV as the exclusive cable television home of TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Wrestling’s weekly action athletic entertainment series “iMPACT!” The announcement was jointly made today by Kevin Kay, Spike TV General Manager and Dixie Carter, TNA Entertainment, LLC President. The successful Thursday night series will expand from one to two hours on Thursday, October 4 (9:00-11:00pm ET/PT).

“We are excited to continue and expand our relationship with the world’s fastest growing wrestling organization,” said Kevin Kay, General Manager, Spike TV. “Increasing to two hours will help develop the popular stars on the series and increase the visibility of new characters.”

“The growth of “iMPACT!” to two hours is certainly a benchmark that we wanted to achieve and is an indicator of our success as we continue our relationship with Spike TV,” said Dixie Carter, TNA President. “Throughout TNA’s short history, its accomplishments have been a testament to all of its talent and staff, as well as the best fans in professional wrestling.”

“TNA iMPACT!” launched on Spike TV on October 1, 2005 to an audience of 850,000 viewers. In the last few weeks, TNA has consistently drawn 1.5 million viewers, nearly doubling its initial audience in only two years.

“TNA iMPACT!” is the only weekly wrestling show on cable television that has seen ratings growth in 2007 “TNA iMPACT!” is averaging a 1.1 HH rating and an average audience of 1.3 million viewers up +15% and +18% respectively. (WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” on USA Network is down -7% in HH rating while ECW on Sci-Fi Channel is down 20% from last year).

TNA Wrestling delivers a distinct brand of high-risk, athletic entertainment. TNA’s roster features the biggest names in wrestling, including Kurt Angle, Sting, Scott Steiner, Christian Cage, Jeff Jarrett, Rhino and Team 3D, as well as the hottest new talent in the business, such as Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal, Triple X and The Latin American Exchange (LAX).

TNA features the innovative six-sided ring and the high-flying “X Division,” as well as concept matches such as “Ultimate X,” “King of the Mountain,” and “Six Sides of Steel.”

• Kurt Angle’s wife, Karen, has been signed to the company.

• TNA will be debuting a new video on their website this weekend. The video is said to feature Kurt Angle in a “Connecticut bar” where he gets in to a bar room brawl with “Vince McMahon” and Batista, along with other parodies of WWE stars. It’s supposedly hilarious.

PWInsider.com reports that TNA is working to sign former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar to a contract.

According to the report, the two parties recently had a "secret" meeting in Nashville to discuss a possible deal.

Additionally, Kurt Angle, who is a big supporter of bringing in Lesnar, supposedly pitched the benefits of signing with TNA to Lesnar during the pair's recent stay in Japan for a match.