12 Things We Learned From Dark Side Of The Ring: TNA (Parts 1 & 2)

11. How He Came Up With The Name

The TNA name came next. It was born from a willingness to be provocative ("T&A"), but also from Jeff knowing the promotion would be on PPV so didn’t have to adhere to normal television rules. That's something he'd learned from one Vince McMahon. Weekly TV had to be mindful not to tick off sponsors, but pay-per-view was a different ball game.

During the doc, the ever-outspoken Vince Russo popped up to claim the name came from him, but Jarrett’s comments suggest otherwise. He was looking for something that'd grab attention immediately but represented what he wanted the promotion to be all about. "Total Nonstop Action" fit like a glove.

That'd also come in handy once fans clapped eyes on thrilling new X Division stars like AJ Styles, Low Ki and Amazing Red. They'd be working the same higher-paced Cruiserweight style that had put WCW Nitro on the map in the mid-90s, and that's something Jeff was happy to piggy back on in the early-2000s.

VICE kinda motored past Russo patting himself on the back for the TNA moniker. Who knows? There might be some truth to his involvement, but Jarrett wasn't really talking to a lot of people about the company early on. He knew it could flop mightily, so he didn't want to set himself up for any personal embarrassment and risk more public humiliation on the WWF/WWE side.

TNA fit the bill because it was raunchy without going overboard, and because it tied in neatly with the in-ring buffet 'Double J' wanted to present on his weekly Wednesday PPVs.