In a recent interview, former TNA Wrestling President Scott D’Amore confirmed a trio of failed attempts to land major free agents in recent years as they attempted to better compete with WWE and AEW.
World Wrestling Entertainment has dominated the professional wrestling landscape for the last 40 years. In that time several companies have risen to compete with them, but eventually, they all fade away. However, one brand that has remained in existence for over 20 years is TNA Wrestling. Formerly Impact Wrestling.
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During their time in the industry, the company has had several peaks and valleys. As well as name changes and a period where they once had a six-sided ring. Following a low point in the previous decade, TNA Wrestling has had a resurgence in the last few years due to working relationships with both AEW and WWE. They have also started making some major additions to the roster over the last year.
A big factor in the brand’s resurgence was long-time President Scott D’Amore. However, in a surprise move the promotions parent company, Anthem Media Group, ousted D’Amore in a major front office shake-up. D’Amore reportedly wanted to boost the roster in a major way but that wasn’t a part of Anthem’s long-term strategy and led to his removal.
Former TNA Wrestling boss confirms pursuits of CM Punk and Will Ospreay
During an appearance on Chris Jericho’s “Talk is Jericho” podcast this week, D’Amore confirmed rumors from the last year of TNA Wrestling’s attempts to sign two of the biggest recent free agents in the industry.
“We made an offer to [CM] Punk, we made an offer to Will Ospreay,” D’Amore said [h/t Wrestling Inc.]. “There’s your budget, and then there’s budget busters that there’s revenue attached to this. Like, here’s your budget that you’re running with, your revenue envelope, and then on a senior level at the very top you go, ‘Okay, if we make this move, all this revenue model changes.'”
Furthermore, during their conversation, Jericho also revealed that he and D’Amore had serious conversations about signing with TNA Wrestling in 2018 when he was again a free agent. However, he instead ended up being a part of the launch of All Elite Wrestling.
Ospreay, of course, ended up signing with AEW earlier this year, while Punk chose to make his triumphant return to WWE last November.
