What a year 2025 has been for TNA! To start the year, a multi-year partnership between TNA and WWE was officially announced on January 16th 2025. Then on February 12th 2025, Anthony Cicione resigned from his position as TNA President and was replaced by Carlos Silva. Finally on December 2nd 2025, TNA and AMC announced a multi-year TV deal to air TNA Impact on Thursdays starting on January 15th 2026. This will be the first time TNA has been on a major cable TV channel in the USA since 2014!
As AYW’s TNA expert, I will be in charge of the awards for our chosen categories. There are 20 awards in total to give out, 6 of them being negative but the rest are all much more positive.
TNA’s Biggest Moment
This award is given to the most shocking moment to take place throughout the year. It could be a moment in a match, an angle or a grand reveal. Whether this was received negatively or not, this was most certainly an OMG moment.
And the winner is… Leon Slater becoming the youngest ever holder of the TNA X-Division Championship at Slammiversary
At Slammiversary 2025, TNA didn’t just crown any new champion, it showed the future is now! I’ve been a fan of Slater since I saw him wrestle Michael Oku at OTT Homecoming 2023 in Wolverhampton, England so it was a heartwarming moment to see him become the youngest ever TNA X-Division Champion.
The X-Division is one of the most unique divisions in the wrestling world and I figured Slater would be a lock for it when they first signed him at a live event in Coventry, England (that I also attended). Slater’s such an athletic individual and his wrestling IQ is years ahead of what you’d expect from a 21 year old, which made his crowning moment feel less like an upset and more like the obvious choice.
He then got the honour of sharing the ring with the Inaugural TNA X-Division Champion AJ Styles, who gave him the rub. This wasn’t just an achievement for Slater but for the whole of TNA, who proved that they are more than ready to embrace the next generation.
TNA’s Biggest Disappointment
Conversely this award goes to a moment or angle that should have been far better but turned out to fall completely flat.
And the winner is… Trick Williams retaining the TNA World Championship against Mike Santana and Joe Hendry at Slammiversary
TNA Slammiversary 2025 was at the time the biggest night in TNA’s history so far and while they pulled the trigger on crowning the next generation in some ways, they also dropped the ball in other ways. The show ended in the most deflating way when TNA kept their World Title on an NXT star instead of using this historic moment to crown a new star of their own.
Being in New York, it felt like the perfect moment to crown Mike Santana as the new TNA World Champion but even Joe Hendry would’ve been a better choice than what we got (due to the massive amount of success and momentum he was riding at the time). However, they instead turned the concept of a WWE partnership heel by keeping the title on an NXT star who didn’t need it rather than sending the crowd home happy with one of their own stars reclaiming the pride of TNA.
The match itself wasn’t a bad match but you can’t think about it without feeling anger towards the booking decision. I remember the conversation quickly turned from TNA’s biggest and most successful event in North America ever to believing WWE was going to strip TNA of its own identity and reduce it to NXT Lite. They made up for it come Bound for Glory but I’m sure some would argue that came around too late.
Worst TNA Feud/Storyline
This award goes to a feud or storyline that happened in 2025 that I wish was executed better, or just not attempted in the first place. Perhaps the storytelling was convoluted, or the booking was nonsensical or it led to below par matches.
And the winner is… Santino Marella vs. NXT’s Robert Stone
TNA had a range of stories in 2025 that were both exciting and underwhelming but one that was universally panned was Santino Marella’s feud with NXT’s Robert Stone around who the Authority Figure in TNA should be as it went on for far longer than it should have and didn’t even receive a satisfying conclusion.
On the May 1st episode of TNA Impact, NXT Assistant General Manager Robert Stone arrived with Victoria Crawford to confront TNA’s Director of Authority Santino Marella. He claimed that the higher ups at Anthem Sports and Entertainment (TNA’s parent company) had placed Marella under review and that Crawford had been named the Deputy Director of Authority while he would act as a liaison between TNA and Anthem. He went by the name Sheriff Stone and would overrule Marella’s decisions, gaining him support from another individual unhappy with Marella’s leadership, Tessa Blanchard; however, the liaison between TNA and NXT, Marella’s own daughter, Arianna Grace, did not support the review. This led to Blanchard and Grace facing off at TNA Under Siege 2025, which Blanchard won. On the May 29th episode of TNA Impact, Marella and Grace lost a mixed tag match against Stone and Crawford due to unfair rules enforced by Stone and interference by Alisha Edwards. Marella then challenged Stone to a match at TNA Against All Odds 2025 with the winner being named the permanent TNA Director of Authority. Matt Cardona served as the special guest referee and Marella won the match.
The issue with the feud was that nothing ever felt meaningful and there were storylines and wrestlers that were missing out on TV time to make way for this. It also felt like we were seeing the same style of promos and matches every week for about 5 weeks without any real advancement to the storyline. After the feud, it was business as usual with Marella retaining his position as Director of Authority and we quickly moved on from the feud like a bad dream.
Worst TNA Gimmick
Whether this is due to poor performance from the worker, or poor booking from the company, or maybe the character has just grown stale. This award goes to the weakest gimmick of the year.
And the winner is… Ryan Nemeth
TNA’s focus for 2025 was about striving to be taken seriously as the USA’s third biggest promotion after WWE and AEW but their presentation of Ryan certainly didn’t help with that. His character feels unimportant and often has little effect on TNA’s overarching storylines, which has left him feeling lost in the shuffle sometimes and unable to get reactions from the fan in others.
Ryan has spent most of his time in comedy segments, being humiliated or being in a completely skippable piece of content, making him less wrestler and more punchline. He was never booked in a serious manner consistently, which meant every time he did something it had no consequence and we’d all forgotten about it come the next week.
This year was about cementing TNA as a serious promotion and while everyone else was contributing to that, it felt like Ryan wasn’t and I’m not blaming him for that as much as I am the way he’s been booked. If something a wrestler is doing becomes mostly skippable, that’s not a good sign and that’s what it’s felt like with regards to Ryan in 2025.
Worst TNA Match
The winner of this award is, as stated, the worst match of the year. This doesn’t necessarily mean the wrestling was the absolute worst, but it can also include poor storytelling or uninspiring booking.
And the winner is… The Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl where the loser must wear the Turkey Costume
TNA’s in-ring quality usually falls in the range of decent to great but the Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl between Brian Myers (the winner), Eric Young, The Home Town Man, Mance Warner, Ryan Nemeth (the loser) and Trey Miguel was easily the lowest point.
This was a match entirely built on comedy and humiliation rather than good quality wrestling and it was another example of Ryan serving as a punchline. The in-ring work was sloppy at best, the crowd reaction was as dull as you could expect and the stipulation of stuffing a wrestler into a turkey costume prevented the match from being able to serve any useful storyline development.
Nothing meaningful came out of this match to benefit any of the six men involved. It completely went against the serious sports tone that TNA had worked hard to set all year. Finally, it felt like a call back to an era of TNA that I think we’d all be grateful if we could leave behind now.
Worst TNA Premium Live Event/Pay-Per-View
This award goes to the stinkiest major show of the year.
And the winner is… TNA Against All Odds 2025
TNA has generally been on a steady increase in 2025 in terms of the quality of their shows but Against All Odds clearly stands out as the weakest of them all. It wasn’t necessarily a bad show but it felt massively inconsequential, the structure of the show was poor, and it felt like the weakest input from the TNA creative team.
The whole show ultimately felt like nothing more than filler. The big matches felt like they should be main eventing an episode of Impact as opposed to be highlighting a PLE, the stories felt like pit stops on the road to the main stories ahead of Slammiversary, and the focus on a battle for Authority rather than showcasing the talent that deserved it led to this PLE being the definition of underwhelming. This should’ve been about starting the road to Slammiversary but instead it felt like killing time until the PPV.
Ultimately, it wasn’t a bad show but in a stand out year for TNA, being skippable is bad enough. The fact is it’s here because it’s the one PPV that I’d struggle to tell you much about if I hadn’t gone back to look at the match card beforehand.
TNA’s Most Overrated
The recipient of this award goes to the wrestler or group that have been given a major push to the detriment of the product. Maybe they are just not good enough as a wrestler to be featured so prominently, or they are not an interesting character at all. Or perhaps it is simply their creative has been poor, rather than the fault of the performer themselves. This goes to who we have quite frankly seen enough of.
And the winner (which might be cheating but oh well) is… Trick Williams
TNA has had a plethora of breakout stars in 2025 that have worked hard to put themselves over in the eyes of the fanbase; however, Trick Williams was by far put in the most prominent position and just could not get over with the fanbase (which could be a lot to do with him actually being an NXT star).
Williams was in the main event of Under Siege, Against All Odds, Slammiversary, Emergence and Bound for Glory while having a 140-day reign with the TNA World Championship between NXT Battleground and Bound for Glory but the match and storyline quality didn’t justify such a heavy presence in the main event scene for me. The matches did their job but were never anything stand out, the promos were full of cheap pops and heat rather than purposeful story development, and he never felt like the biggest star in the room especially when feuding with the likes of Joe Hendry and Mike Santana.
I’m a massive fan of Williams when he’s on my screen in WWE or NXT. However, to put so much emphasis and TNA TV time on an NXT star felt like it came at the expense of the over TNA stars that fans would have rather seen. From a kayfabe perspective, Williams had a great year. However, the fan reception and match quality certainly didn’t warrant the amount of time spent in the main event and as TNA World Champion.
TNA’s Most Underrated
In contrast to the last award, this goes to someone who has proven how good they are but are not being given the push they deserve.
And the winner is… Mike Santana
The biggest change to TNA in 2025 that I didn’t see coming was how well Santana proved he should be the Face of TNA even if the company still seems reluctant to accept that fact. For my money, Santana delivered in all the ways that matter: he brought intensity to his matches and stories, he felt relatable, and it was easy for live crowds and fans at home to become invested in his character. His promos felt like they came from the heart, his matches felt high stakes and important, and the audience were more in support of him every time he came out to the ring. Whether it was in a tag match on a PLE, a singles match on TV or competing for the TNA World Championship, Santana defined being a TNA main event talent.
The biggest miss with this man was not giving him the World Title in the main event of Slammiversary. They’d rather continue beating the identity out of their own brand by keeping the title in the possession of an NXT wrestler. Even when he was finally crowned at Bound for Glory, TNA took an absence and then returned the night before Turning Point where Santana lost his belt to Frankie Kazarian.
I’m sure he’ll reach the mountain top again and I hope he does come Genesis but at this point we should be deep into a Santana title reign, not still experiencing the chase.
TNA’s Breakout Star
The winner of this award is a new addition to the roster this year who is showing a hell of a lot of potential. They could very well be the next top star if their career path goes to plan.
And the winner is… Leon Slater
I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it countless more times but Slater isn’t the future anymore, 2025 was the year TNA proved to everyone, he’s the now! If you’re a fan of the British independent scene, you already knew this man had a bright future but I don’t think any of us could’ve guessed how quickly and far Slater would rise this year. At Slammiversary, he defeated Moose to become the youngest TNA X-Division Champion in history and that was the proof that TNA have the confidence in this man to lead them into the future. Now, he’s even becoming a major name across WWE and NXT.
Slater might only be 21 but he has the confidence of a seasoned veteran and he might be one of the most athletic names we’ve ever seen but more importantly than that, he’s one of the most consistent. He’s matched pace with other future top-tier high flyers like Je’Von Evans, he’s held his own with seasoned veterans like AJ Styles, and heading into 2026, he’s managed to bag himself a date with Oba Femi and a shot at the NXT Championship.
The best part is that none of this push has felt forced and as a result, fans haven’t fought back against it. Fan reception couldn’t be better, expectations couldn’t be higher, and this man will be leading the way for TNA, especially as they begin their new TV deal with AMC.
TNA’s Most Improved
This award goes to the wrestler who has displayed the greatest amount of growth throughout the year. Whether they have refined their wrestling ability or added more depth to their personality, the winner of this award has proved throughout the year that they have an upside.
And the winner is… Joe Hendry
You could argue this process began in 2024 but this really felt like the year that Hendry went from just being entertaining to being an undeniable main event star. Hendry came into this year over already because he had a catchy entrance theme and he was full of charisma but there were still people doubting his ability to carry a main event feud, especially in the ring. I don’t think anyone can still be doubting that now. Hendry vastly improved his in-ring work, proved he could be more serious on the mic, and he was able to carry main event feuds without compromising the character and charisma that got him over in the first place.
The crowds were louder than ever, more invested than ever, and more consistently entertained than ever. He was in the main event of Genesis, Sacrifice, Rebellion, Under Siege and Slammiversary and felt like a credible name in the main event scene and as the TNA World Champion during his 126-day reign.
I think it’s always special when someone can improve in so many ways with losing what made them special in the first place. The biggest shame about it is that TNA gave Hendry the platform to put all this work in and now WWE will be able to reap the rewards of it.
Best TNA Gimmick
Being able to wrestle is one thing, but having an exciting and interesting character is another. This award is given to who I believe is doing the best work to develop their gimmick and be a regularly enjoyable feature on the show.
And the winner once again is… Joe Hendry
TNA is the company where I’d argue it is most true that to get over with the fans, you need to have the best character and nobody came close to being a better character than Hendry. It was more than just his entrance theme, his sense of humour and his ability to draw crowd engagement but how well he adapted all that when it was time to prove he belonged in the main event. He could be funny while also being a credible competitor, he could show up wherever while still feeling exciting, and he could make a World Title feud compelling in spite of doubters.
The fact we believe in Joe Hendry is more than just a catchphrase because at this point it’s the truth for the vast majority of us. Hendry’s character remained consistent, felt relatable, and was able to co-exist in the worlds of Sports Entertainment and professional wrestling. There was at times a concern that a character like this could go against the very product TNA was trying to establish but in my opinion, he was one of the biggest factors that helped improve TNA’s product, making every one of his matches and promos feel must see.
The gimmick could’ve easily grown out of control and become bigger than Hendry but luckily he never let that happen. Whether it be his crossover moments at the Royal Rumble or at WrestleMania, Hendry became an undeniable star and is one of the best characters in any wrestling company.
Best TNA Talker
This award goes to the most charismatic wordsmith of the year. The recipient of this award is a reliable force on the stick, being able to tell stories and hype matches with their brilliant promo skills.
And the winner once again is… Mike Santana
Being a main event star is about more than just being a good wrestler, you have to be great on the mic too and nobody ever came close to the level of Santana. His promos were never about being the loudest or getting a good pop with a catchphrase because they were always about being believable and relatable. The best promos are when you can hardly tell if they’re coming from the character or the real individual and nobody blurred that line better than Santana. His promos were never there to fill time on a show or for the sake of an appearance but they were always there to develop a storyline.
He addressed his own personal demons and battles with addiction on numerous occasions, declared his desire to win the TNA World Championship, and fought back against the jabs from opponents such as Trick Williams in a calm and convincing manner. He didn’t need to be funny, he didn’t need to be extravagant, and he didn’t need a ridiculous amount of time because all he needed was an opportunity and a goal. Live fans didn’t even rain random chants down onto his promos but they listened closely, something which is hard to achieve with today’s fanbase.
If you care about a feud before the opening bell, they’ve done a good job on the mic and Santana has always achieved that.
Best TNA Non-Wrestler
Whether they are an announcer, a manager, an authority figure or an interviewer, this award is given to the person who’s presence helps boost the quality of the shows to the next level.
And the winner is… Gia Miller (she did wrestle one match but that doesn’t count)
This is something I thought I’d have a hard time choosing but in actuality there’s a really obvious winner because the work and commitment by Gia has been far and above that of any other non-wrestler. She’s TNA’s lead interviewer and TV presenter, playing a vital role in the way viewers can interpret stories. She’s naturally gifted, professional and never trying to take away from the in-ring talent who are trying to advance their storylines. Her reaction work makes me envious of her and she can make any moment feel even more impactful without trying to make herself the focal point.
She brings a sports-like credibility to TNA’s on-screen presentation. TNA wanted to be more serious and sports-like this year and she made any key moments in rivalries feel like a sports rival rather than a pantomime with violence. She’s worked with champions, breakout names and made all of them and their moments feel even more important through unmatched presentation skills.
It’s easy for a non-wrestler to either feel weak or overbearing so for Miller to not be either and be universally praised shows she excelled in her role as a non-wrestler.
Best TNA Feud/Storyline
What would good wrestling be without a captivating rivalry to elevate it and provide substance. This award is given to what I think is the greatest storyline of the year.
And the winner is… Joe Hendry vs. Trick Williams transitioning into Mike Santana vs. Trick Williams
Perhaps the focal point of this year’s main event began with Joe Hendry completing his rise to the top, beating Nic Nemeth at Genesis to win the TNA World Championship. In May, NXT’s Trick Williams would “cross the line” to feud with Hendry heading into NXT Battleground, where Williams would beat Hendry and take the TNA World Championship hostage. Coming into July, both Hendry and Mike Santana would try to bring the World Title back to TNA in a triple threat at Slammiversary but Williams managed to escape again with the belt. Finally in October, Santana had one more shot to end the tyrannical reign of Williams at Bound for Glory, doing so to capture the TNA World Championship and return it to TNA control.
The best part about this feud was how different the three people involved in it were. Santana was tough, relatable and played the role of the badass; Williams was the crossover star willing to go to any lengths to protect his title reign; and Hendry was the fan favourite filled with charisma and momentum. When any of the three men met, it felt purposeful and added to the development of the storyline. Santana’s push became a massive part of the story but it wasn’t forced by creative or management as it developed naturally through the reaction of the fans.
The TNA World Championship match at Slammiversary was the one occasion where the two feuds crossed over with high stakes, high emotions and all on the biggest TNA show in North American history. While the result is something I disagreed with, it had an impact: fans got behind Santana more than ever, Hendry solidified himself as a future main event player for when he moved to NXT, and Williams became the one man that all the TNA fans turned against and wanted to see lose the title.
Best TNA Faction
This award is given to the most outstanding faction of the year. Not only does match quality matter, but so does the ability to remain interesting and fun to watch without going stale.
And the winner is… The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz, Trey Miguel, Myron Reed and Dezmond Xavier)
By far this year’s most consistent stable with fantastic chemistry and the ability to deliver in the ring every single time were The Rascalz. Whether they were in a tag match or competing in singles matches they brought a fast pace, making the matches more exciting and easier to invest in. Quite often, they were in the best match on any given card, whether it was challenging for the TNA World Tag Team Championship at Genesis, Against All Odds, Slammiversary and Emergence or for the TNA X-Division Championship at Victory Road, and helped set the standard for those divisions this year.
What helped The Rascalz stand out is it always felt obvious why they were together as a faction in the first place. They didn’t need complicated storylines around who was in the group or mass amounts of promo time to state their intent, they just showed why they were together when the bell rang. You knew they had good chemistry and you knew you were in for an exciting match, which they delivered every time without fail.
It’s hard for factions to last a long time and not lose purpose but that never affected The Rascalz as they were over and purposeful from start to finish.
Best TNA Tag Team
This award is given to the most outstanding tag team of the year.
And the winner once again is… The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel)
I must admit, TNA has a pretty decent tag team division that is built on consistency and producing good quality matches but Wentz and Miguel are well above every other team in the division.
They always bring high levels of energy, good chemistry, and a desire to once again become TNA World Tag Team Champions. As mentioned earlier, they’re usually in the best match on the card whether it’s 2-on-2, as part of bigger tag matches with additional partners, and multi-team matches, where they help bring a faster pace. They’re also the reliable workhorse team, who help carry the division whenever it goes through a bit of a lull period.
I’ll also just put this here again: What helped The Rascalz stand out is it always felt obvious why they were together as a faction in the first place. They didn’t need complicated storylines around who was in the group or mass amounts of promo time to state their intent, they just showed why they were together when the bell rang. You knew they had good chemistry and you knew you were in for an exciting match, which they delivered every time without fail.
Best TNA Female Wrestler
This award goes to the all-round greatest female performer throughout the year. From match quality to character work to audience reception, the winner of this award is a stellar example to the rest of the division.
And the winner is… Dani Luna
This was a year full of big changes for the TNA Knockouts division with Jordynne Grace departing in January for WWE and Masha Slamovich being suspended after allegations of domestic violence in September but during all the chaos, Luna rose to become one of the most reliable women in the promotion.
She has really improved in all areas from being able to deliver a higher quality of in-ring performance, to exuding increased confidence, and displaying a convincing level of physical strength that showed she wasn’t out of place in the main event scene. She certainly hasn’t been the face of the Knockouts division in 2025 and never even held the TNA Knockouts World Championship but she’s taken advantage of every opportunity given to her and hasn’t even had a moment of falling off the upper levels of the card.
Her reliability extends to her being able to avoid falling into any controversy. She has always maintained a high standard of professionalism, put on good matches when they’ve needed her to, and she has helped a division that had a future many were unsure of after Grace decided to leave.
Best TNA Male Wrestler
This award goes to the all-round greatest male performer throughout the year. From match quality to character work to audience reception, the winner of this award is a stellar example to the rest of the division.
And the winner for a third award is… Mike Santana
When you add it all up, match quality, promos, consistency, able to connect with the crowd, and accolades, it becomes hard to argue that Santana wasn’t the best male wrestler in TNA in 2025. The booking in TNA wasn’t at its strongest all year long but you could always rely on Santana to deliver.
I don’t even think anyone has Santana beat on any individual metric for me and if they do it’s definitely only on one in isolation. His matches always brought the intensity, were always believable, and always felt meaningful. His promo ability was unmatched, making him relatable and bringing a level of emotion that always made his feud the best one at any given time. The main thing is that live crowds had more than enough legitimate reasons to get behind him because he earned his push and it wasn’t forced by creative or management.
He might not have had the longest run as TNA World Champion but he still had that main character energy that allowed him to feel like the face of the company in the eyes of fans. He helped make his opponents feel like a bigger deal while also becoming a mainstay in the main event and embodied what makes TNA special better than anyone else on the roster.
Best TNA Premium Live Event/Pay-Per-View
This award goes to the major show that is top to bottom the greatest wrestling card of the year.
And the winner is… TNA Slammiversary 2025
See my review below:
This was a good show with good match quality throughout the night but as someone who has been waiting for TNA to enter a boom period for two and a half years now and got fooled into thinking this would be the beginning of that, I’m massively underwhelmed. The longest match clocked in at 16:45 while the shortest match clocked in at 6:43. Not every match needs to be 25-30 minutes long but it feels like TNA matches are never long enough to reach “Match of the Year contender” conversation level. I can understand keeping to shorter matches on TV but on a PPV or PLE, there’s no excuse. Not a single match got an 8/10 by me. The X-Division Title match gets match of the night because they built a new star in Leon Slater, Moose sold like a champ and we got an endorsement by AJ Styles. Connor asked me if I was worried about the impact of the WWE partnership on TNA and after tonight I’m more worried than ever. The only big moment building towards future storylines was Bully Ray’s challenge to The Hardys for a tag match at Bound for Glory but even that’s nothing special. I’m cheering the fact that TNA broke their all-time USA attendance record tonight. However, if this success comes at the cost of prioritising NXT talent over TNA talent, I’m not sure I want it. I might calm down about this soon but as I write this, I’m very annoyed. I want them to continue having great success but I’m not sure how they go about it. I honestly think keeping the partnership going with Fourth Rope is one way they can benefit.
Best TNA Match
Pretty self-explanatory, this award goes to the greatest wrestling match of the year.
And the winner is… Mike Santana vs. Mustafa Ali in a Falls Count Anywhere match at TNA Rebellion 2025!
An excellent match full of chaos and weapons. You could complain about the interference from The Great Hands (Jason Hotch and John Skyler) but it fit the story because it had always been about Santana overcoming the odds and Ali always having the numbers advantage. Ali is the best at making their opponent’s offence look devastating. He makes the simplest of spots like going into the turnbuckle or the ring post look way more impactful than anyone else on the roster. I’m happy that they delivered such a fantastic match to end the feud.
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