Writer: Brett Porter

Total Nonstop Action, or TNA, is a wrestling promotion based out of Nashville. Although they’ve never had the same ratings or commercial success of the WWE, Impact remains to hold their own and produce quality content. In the company’s 21 year stint thus far, we’ve seen a decent amount of wrestling talent. Between their tendency to sign veterans and their uncanny ability to scout young unknowns, TNA has managed to stay afloat in the world of sports entertainment. Although I don’t watch Impact as avidly as I did in my youth, I’m enough of a fan to highlight a few of my favorite wrestlers I’ve seen over the years, so why don’t we all sit down while I fire a few off.

5. Ron Killings

Many of you will recognize him as R-Truth, a member of The New Day faction in the WWE. Before joining Vince and company, Ron Killings was a featured name in the early days of TNA. He’s won their World Heavyweight Championship twice. Although under various names, he also won four Tag Team Championships, including one with former NFL star Pacman Jones. Many speculate that his tenure in TNA’s developmental years helped establish credibility to the brand.

4. Jeff Jarrett

Aside from being part-founder of the organization, Jeff Jarrett was part of some killer storylines early on. There was something special about the King of the Mountain smashing his guitar over someone’s head that I’ll never forget. Add his six World Championship reigns to the mix and you can see why he stuck around for so long.

3. Kurt Angle

Following his first departure from the WWE, Kurt Angle would take his Olympian character over to TNA. Compared to his prior run in WWE, Angle seemed revitalized. He wrestled with much more aggression. He wasn’t afraid of a little high flying action. Although many saw it as a downgrade in his career, Angle had some of his best matches on Impact. His rivalry with Samoa Joe was one for the ages.

2. Abyss

Abyss truly is a product of TNA’s creative. I’d go on to argue that Abyss is the most unique and original character the promotion’s ever pumped out. With a moniker as mundane as The Monster, it’s fair to have low expectations. In short, his character was that of a deranged loose cannon that couldn’t be controlled by anyone or anything. When you look at the guy though, you can totally be sold on that. At 6’8 and 350 pounds, this absolute unit was a mainstay of the roster for sixteen years. Besides his look and gimmick, the Black Hole Slam is arguably one of my favorite finishers of all time.

1. Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe had the look of a formidable big man. He also had an impressive amount of athletic ability. His diverse move set made him unpredictable to opponents and likely led to his meteoric rise in TNA. Combine that with his unwavered dedication to the brand and you’ll understand why he’s my favorite. Joe could cut solid promos in a moment’s notice. One that sticks out to me is his stab against the veteran talent joining the company for an easy paycheck, calling out Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Kurt Angle. Since then he’s become part of the AEW lineup but his time with TNA was something to appreciate. Besides, the Musclebuster looked like a brutal finisher.

Well, that’s all I got. I love writing wrestling content, so hopefully this means there’s more coming soon. Thanks for reading!