10 Ways TNA Totally Screwed Themselves Over
7. Ruining Their NJPW Relationship
TNA and NJPW had a good thing going. Their working relationship effectively allowed for a talent share system that gave TNA access to some of NJPW’s brightest young stars, and stalwarts like Kurt Angle and Team 3D the chance to compete in Japan, and it brought increased exposure for TNA in Japan, and NJPW in North America. So far, so good…
Unfortunately, as is so often the case with TNA, they blew it. Hiroshi Tanahashi is widely considered one of the greatest wrestlers to ever step foot in a ring, and while he hadn’t quite peaked by the time of his 2008 TNA excursion, he was used primarily as a bit part player in multi-man matches. Tetsuya Naito, meanwhile, was one of the most exciting prospects in wrestling upon arriving in TNA in 2009, but the highlight of his Impact career was losing a handicap match to Kevin Nash.
Their treatment of Kazuchika Okada is the worst of all, however. Now considered NJPW’s “ace,” Okada was saddled with the ridiculous “Okato” gimmick (a play on Kato from The Green Hornet), and decked-out in some of the daftest ring attire you’ll ever see. Okada was rarely used as anything other than an Xplosion-level jobber, and he was called back to NJPW after 18 months.
Having seen so many of their wrestlers so grossly misused, NJPW decided to pull the plug. A shame, as it’s hard to imagine TNA’s product being as lifeless as it is today if they still had access to wrestlers of this calibre.