The Rise & Fall Of TNA | Wrestling Timelines

31. August 13, 2003 | State Of Play

Tony Schiavone TNA
ImpactWrestling.com

In the August 11, 2003 issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer writes: “According to people in this end of the business, the idea of getting a weekly national deal on a significant cable station is just not happening. There is just no interest in wrestling right now.” 

TNA is fated to record taped TV for the obscure reaches of local syndication. Meltzer’s report is hardly insightful. The PPV and Xplosion TV product remains uneven, to be incredibly generous. It’s no wonder a proper station won’t touch it.

The August 13 PPV features a very well-received main event in which AJ Styles retains the World Heavyweight title over Lo-Ki. It’s really good, if you can ignore AJ, clear fan favourite, palling around with Russo in S.E.X. In TNA, there’s always something you need to ignore.

Underneath, TNA’s identity crisis continues; it’s either a fledging look at pro wrestling’s exhilarating future, or, in the case of Raven Vs. Shane Douglas, a bleak retread of the 1990s. 

2003 is largely a dismal year. Fans holding signs aloft with messages like ‘Who Cares?’ and ‘The “Non-Stop Action” Has Officially STOPPED’ is a weekly sight. 

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!