8 Wrestlers That Visibly Hated Working For TNA
2. The Entire Main Event Scene On Night One
As one of the founders, creators and only full-time wrestlers when NWA-TNA launched in 2002, Jeff Jarrett had to be positioned as a top star even if fans had rejected him under two years earlier in the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling. It stood the chance of alienating audiences early, and the booking subsequently required a lightness of touch elsewhere on the show to give fans reason to keep paying a cover charge every seven days per the bold weekly pay-per-view concept.
At the desk, Mike Tenay and Don West were perfect voices of enthusiasm, even when diluted initially by dated edgelord Ed Ferrara. Out of necessity (the ring broke in a dark match), the maiden show starting with legends putting over the World's Heavyweight Title and a battle royal to crown a new champion later in the night was something; an attempt at rapidly building a house even if the foundations were made of sand.
Long story short - if everybody professes to love everything, maybe the fans will too, even including pushing Jeff Jarrett. The same Jeff Jarrett than then called it all the "biggest bunch of crap" and a "stupid battle royal". Followed by eventual champion and top babyface Ken Shamrock, who agrees, saying it "sucks". Followed by fellow top babyface Scott Hall, who comes through the crowd Nitro-style to also bury the idea.
TNA - "Thanks for your $10, it won't be worth it. Enjoy!"
If anything, it was a pitch-perfect sign of things to come....