10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 2012
8. WWE & TNA Exchange Talents...Sort Of
2012 reflected the last gasps of TNA ever feeling like credible North American opposition to WWE, and this was probably never better reflected than during the company's excellent Slammiversary pay-per-view in June.
There, the group toasted a decade in business by putting forth an excellent night of action with a diverse range of wrestlers and matches that at least tried to highlight what Total Nonstop Action had meant over the last 10 years. 5,500 fans paid for tickets - the sort of audience present day Impact Wrestling couldn't dream of.
Those in attendance got to experience something equally dreamlike - former favourite Christian Cage was back for one night, taking with him the rarest of WWE permission slips due the company requiring use of Ric Flair at the prior April's Hall Of Fame.
Unfortunately, was extremely cool for the last of the TNA die hards - your writer included - was in reality a reflection of their standing writ large. WWE considered them of so little bother that they'd sanctioned this against typical protocol, even allowing the promotion of his appearance on the go-home Impact if they wished. In keeping with the company's glum decline, Dixie Carter preferred the (spoiled) surprise over a few extra buys.