Impact Wrestling Rebranded As GWF
Jeff Jarrett gets his wish.
Impact Wrestling, formerly TNA Wrestling (and, before that, NWA: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling), is set for yet another re-brand following a merger with Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling.
The re-booted company will take the GFW name as it searches for a clean break from the company that emerged from the ashes of WCW - founded by Jarrett and his father - back in 2002.
TNA, a name originally dreamed up by Vince Russo (according, at least, to Vince Russo), has been dragged through the mud in recent years following a protracted legal dispute between Billy Corgan and the brand's oft-maligned management, alongside some very public financial struggles.
And whilst the three-letter acronym will forever be associated with the likes of AJ Styles and Samoa Joe - arguably its two most recognisable home-grown stars - it's also indelibly linked to its late-night namesake; something that is, you figure, more than a little off-putting for prospective sponsors and television networks.
In terms of product, it's unclear whether the name change will signal a new creative direction, although with Jeff Jarrett - a vocal antagonist of the WWE for well over a decade - back on board, it's expected that the company will look to re-establish itself as a genuinely distinct alternative.
And the former four-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion has made it very clear what the boardroom agenda was, stating: "We're a global brand. We have partnerships in Mexico, Japan, other places. Collectively coming together, we've combined forces."
With international broadcast deals on the horizon, GPW is aiming to find new fans in wrestling-starved markets outside North America - including India and the UK, one of the few places where TNA consistently sold out during its hey-day.