10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Jan 11)

8. Crowbar Pitched A Wrestling Show To Spike TV Pre-TNA

Crowbar WCW
WWE.com

As much as TNA/Impact Wrestling has been lambasted at times over the past 17 years, the company has helped shape modern pro wrestling. No, seriously, it has. A quick look at WWE reveals several TNA alumni in lofty positions (AJ Styles, Samoa Joe etc), and the speedy X Division has become a blueprint for indy work today.

Crowbar, a former WCW mid-carder, almost stole some of TNA's thunder.

In an interview with Wrestling Inc, David Flair's former tag-team partner said he, J.J Dillon and Kevin Sullivan had a meeting with Spike TV in 2005. Their plan was to capitalise on WWE's decision to move flagship programming back to the USA Network that year. Crowbar was the brains behind the idea, and he spotted a gap in the market.

His pitch for a promotion called 'Spike Championship Wrestling' was eventually thrown out when the channel's execs realised they could get their hands on TNA. That and the fact Crowbar didn't have any product to show them swayed Spike towards Impact.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.