10 Reasons You Need To Start Watching Impact Again

8. Fewer WWE Castoffs

That photo might be slightly misleading, as Big Poppa Pump has somehow become a Tag Team Champion in the year 2018. However, he's treated as more of a novelty act than a full-time featured star, which is a massive change of psychology for the company.

For much of TNA’s run, anytime someone with a little bit of name value from WWE or WCW would come in to the promotion, they would be pushed over the originals. It was frustrating to watch from a fan’s perspective and prevented them from growing in any meaningful way. As good as Samoa Joe or A.J. Styles were, guys like Rob Van Dam, Ken Anderson and Jeff Hardy were positioned as superior to them the moment they stepped in the ring.

Of course, there were times this approach paid off for the company. Bobby Lashley ended up turning into one hell of a talent and his presence will be missed. Kurt Angle gave it his all in every match. But overall, Impact is much better off financially and creatively without so many big money, unmotivated wrestlers hogging the spotlight.

The days of Hulk Hogan taking up half a dozen segments of a show is long gone. Eric Bischoff will likely never show his face in the Impact Zone again. And with Alberto El Patron’s latest debacle ousting him from the promotion, there isn’t anyone in the company in a high-profile role whose best days are long behind them. For once, indy standouts and homegrown talent are largely the ones getting the spotlight.

It’s too bad they didn’t start building from within 15 years ago, but it’s better late than never.