10 Fatal Mistakes That Destroyed The TNA Brand

6. Team Pacman

Jenna Morasca
Impact Wrestling

A desperate grasp for mainstream publicity that leapt headfirst into an embarrassing charade, TNA's decision to use Adam 'Pacman' Jones went about as well as the nightclub incident that earned him notoriety and an NFL suspension in 2007.

Amongst other controversies in a career full of them, Jones was hoofed from the Tennessee Titans after triggering an ugly scene at a Las Vegas strip club that led to shootings and criminal damage.

Making the news whilst sat on the bench, Jones' flirtation with the mainstream was enough to convince TNA to bring him in on a short deal to work as wrestler in a tag team with Ron Killings. It seemed a passable enough use of his name, but the idea unravelled when it became clear the intention was to present him as a babyface despite the universal disdain his actions had garnered.

Furthermore, the Titans and NFL put a block on him getting involved in any physical action whilst serving his suspension, causing the Orlando group a huge headache after they'd carelessly elected to put the Tag Team Titles on the newly-christened 'Team Pacman'.

The solution to the problem did at least create a job for Rasheed 'Consequences' Creed, the future Xavier Woods, who stepped in as Killings' partner in time for them to drop the titles as Pacman quietly departed.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett