Matt Hardy receives TNA release

Following his arrest Saturday in North Carolina for driving while intoxicated, Matt Hardy has been released from his contract with TNA Wrestling.




In a statement released to TMZ.com, an unnamed TNA spokesperson stated, "TNA today released Impact Wrestling star Matt Hardy from its roster. Hardy was already under suspension from the company."



According to sources within TNA, plans were in place for Matt and Jeff Hardy to return to television in October. Jeff's status with the company remains unchanged since TNA will be releasing a slew of merchandise in the fall bearing his name including a video title.



Hardy joined TNA last January after being released by WWE in October 2010 following a series of events that caused him to be sent home from a company tour of Europe. Hardy walked out of a SmackDown live event on September 5, 2010 after officials voiced concern over his condition. During the subsequent weekend's European tour, Hardy's condition caused the organization to act. When the story broke online, Hardy responded with a rambling video claiming it was untrue because he was still in Europe. WWE, however, confirmed to NewsDay.com on September 12, 2010 that he had been sent home. He never wrestled for the organization again and was released from his contract a few weeks later.



Hardy stated last week on Twitter that his time away from the ring has been a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to completely clean up his life. He added Friday, "It's time for me to get back to a healthy, happy place, the transformation his now started for me, for us-(New Chapter Will begin new)"

final card for Sunday's Victory Road pay-per-view

Coming out of last night's TNA iMPACT, here is the final card for Sunday's Victory Road pay-per-view:


TNA World Title Match

Jeff Hardy vs. Sting



Ultimate X for the X Division Title

Jeremy Buck vs. Max Buck vs. Robbie E. vs. Kazarian



TNA Tag Team Title Match

Ink Inc. vs. Beer Money



TNA Knockouts Tag Team Title Match

Rosita and Sarita vs. Angelina Love and Winter



#1 Contender's Match

Rob Van Dam vs. Mr. Anderson



First Blood Match

Matt Morgan vs. Hernandez



Matt Hardy vs. AJ Styles



Tommy Dreamer vs. Brother Ray

TNA Recent Impact Pics

Some pics from this weeks TNA Impact!

MVP news and more

MVP wrestled his first match since leaving WWE at a Northeast Wrestling event in Poughkeepsie, New York, defeating his former rival from WWE in the main event, Matt Hardy.




MVP cut a promo earlier in the night and mentioned how he saw only wrestlers backstage, no sports entertainers. During the match, MVP did the three german suplexes followed by the cutthroat gesture that Chris Benoit did and then pointed up at the sky in an apparent tribute to Benoit. After the match, Hardy and MVP congratulated each other and posed for the fans.



It's worth noting that Hardy was not sporting the new hairstyle that he debuted for TNA recently.



WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler also worked the card, defeating his former rival Tommy Dreamer in a steel cage match. The finish saw Lawler spit a fireball at Dreamer for the win. Lawler cut a promo before the match, mentioning The Miz and Michael Cole but said he truly hates Dreamer.



Other names on the show included Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter, former TNA Knockout Roxxi, Sabu and Shane Helms.

TNA Genesis 2011 PPV Review

Tna-Genesis 2011TNA Genesis 2011 Pay-Per-View Review




By Phil Allely



TNA have a few huge hurdles facing them at present, the absence of Hulk Hogan (due to more back issues), Jeff Hardy’s upcoming drug hearings and biggest of all the lack of any UK TV time at all for the company (due to Sky takeover of Virgin Media and end of Impact! home channel Bravo). TNA’s upcoming January tour fo the UK could feel the bunt if they are not careful too. Fortunately The standby option of watching for free on TNA’s website does help with that somewhat.



Genesis needed to be something very special indeed and with only a few minor faults, it provided surprise appearances, title changes and some thoroughly enjoyable and exciting match-ups.



Kicking things off Kazarian (representing Immortal & Fortune) took on fellow high flyer and risk-taker Jay Lethal in an entertaining and dangerous X Division Title scrap. Kazarian though proved to have the upper hand in this one and stole the belt from Lethal after nasty looking reverse ‘tombstone’, notching up the first win of the night for the invading factions fronted by Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.



Next up the two ladies who rank high in the rejuvenated Knockouts Division Mickie James and Madison Rayne faced off for Rayne’s cherished women’s singles strap. The talented James was more than able to carry the ever-improving Rayne to a great bout. Tara’s interference and a ‘loaded’ glove shot by Rayne sealed James fate however and Madison held on to her gold one more time.



Anytime the two best combos in the wrestling business (in this writers opinion) meet in the ring it is a special thing, throwing the TNA World Tag Team belts into the mix make that even more special. Tag Champs the Motor City Machineguns against Beer Money had so many high spots it’s hard to pick them out. Sabin/Shelley and Roode/Storm blend together so well they make pure wrestling poetry when they meet. The duos had an amazing match, but for man of us watching the writing was on the wall, Beer Money were going to take the title back and leave ‘the Guns’ as the hungry ex-champs. The finish however did swing the balance in Beer Money’s favour, Sabin hitting Shelly in error with a kick, allowing Roode to make the cover and take home the title for his team and again notch a win for Fortune/Immortal.



The most decorated tag team in wrestling (Team 3D) continued their implosion as Brothers Ray and Devon took their annoyance out on their (storyline) sibling. The arena and ringside area became a war zone for this encounter, both not wanting to give up and unleash much pain on the other. The brutal blows, cheap shots and more all leading to Brother Ray finally pushing the tamer Devon over the edge and the ref disqualifying him, leaving Ray the winner by default.



The pair even continued post-match trading low blows and stiff shots.



AJ Styles being genuinely injured led to Abyss taking his place against Television Champion Douglas Williams. No matter how much the UK’s Williams worked here he had to realise that this was not going to be his night. Abyss took control form the start, beating Williams about the ring and unleashing all manner of hard-hitting moves on him. Williams had some flurry’s of retaliation, but even as they took effect a run/hobble-in from Styles saw Abyss take another belt home for the Immortal/Fortune collective.



The following encounter was shaded in secrecy and suspense from the get go, former TNA Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam was about to face a handpicked opponent by Immortal’s Eric Bischoff. When it was stated that RVD was going to get Hardy )of course World Champ Jeff Hardy was off the card) we thought we knew what was coming, but what we got was his brother and former WWE superstar Matt Hardy (sporting a new look). This was a wonderfully heated pairing, both men have faced each other before and both have something to prove as former champ and TNA new boy respectively. After some near falls, trademark moves and great interaction the end came controversially, Hardy striking a ‘twist of hate’ and pinning RVD as his leg lay under the ring rope.



Jeff Jarrett and the returning Kurt Angle put forth a vicious at times MMA challenge brawl next, the pair exchanging holds, moves, offensive and defensive holds. Angle even bladed to pump up the adrenaline. The match though ended as a no contest as round three ended and a bloody Angle and Jarrett beat other about the ring. Jarrett teasing a bloody Angle about his retirement and the return of his former wife (and Jarrett’s current one) Karen.



The main event was designed to determine the number one contender for Jeff Hardy’s World Heavyweight Championship. Mr Anderson (fresh off his enforced concussion based sabbatical) squaring off against the hugely imposing Matt Morgan. Anderson was on fine form and showed no signs of his recent injuries. He and Morgan swapping the advantage, exchanging potential finishing moves and trading the odd near fall. Luckily after a longish and arduous match the talented Anderson was able to pull off a quick roll-up to win the match and challenge the TNA Champion somewhere down the line.



That opportunity then came out of the blue as Eric Bischoff turned up to say that Anderson’s chance at the gold would be now, Bischoff hoping that an exhausted Anderson would be no match for a fresh Hardy.

After such a night of wins and triumphs for Immortal and Fortune, perhaps Bischoff had pushed his luck too far with this additional match for Mr Anderson.



Hardy and Anderson’s brief match saw both unload some of their trademark moves and run-ins from Mick Foley, Matt Hardy, Bischoff and RVD. All of which led to a nice Anderson ‘mic check’ to pin Hard and net himself his first world crown.



Genesis was a superb opener in TNA’s 2011 PPV assault and one that proved that the company do have a great product and roster on hand to get it over. The lack of UK TV coverage may have a knock on effect on the upcoming tour (which we will cover in depth here soon, plus there’s an exclusive interview with new champ Mr Anderson as well). But as we all know TNA enjoy being the underdog with the big heart and they always seem to bounce back. Anderson as champ is a good move and opens up a wealth of new main event feuds and unfinished rivalries for the company as 2011 progresses.

TNA Dublin 2011 Line-Up/Matches Revealed

MATCHES ANNOUNCED FOR TNA WRESTLING’S JANUARY “MAXIMUM IMPACT!” DUBLIN EVENT


Dublin (January 12, 2011): Total Nonstop Action (TNA) today announces the full line-up for its “Maximum iMPACT! 2011” European Tour event in Dublin, Ireland, including new additions Matt Hardy and Kurt Angle.

Hardy and the Olympic Gold Medallist join a roster of top TNA superstars that already includes “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Mickie James, Douglas Williams, “King of the Mountain” Jeff Jarrett and TNA World Heavyweight Champion Mr. Anderson.

Sadly AJ Styles has suffered an injury meaning he will miss the Tour, which also takes in Lyon, Paris, Berlin, Glasgow, Manchester and London.

The matches announced for the “TNA Maximum iMPACT! 2011” event include:

Monday 24th January - Dublin National Stadium

• TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match - Mr. Anderson vs. Jeff Hardy vs. “King of the Mountain” Jeff Jarrett

• TNA World Tag Team Championship Match - Beer Money, Inc. vs. Motorcity Machine Guns

• Genesis Re-Match - Rob Van Dam vs. Matt Hardy

• TNA Knockouts Tag Team Action – TNA Knockouts Champion Madison Rayne & Tara vs. Mickie James and Angelina Love

• TNA X Division Champion Kazarian will defend the gold!

• Also Appearing: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, Olympic Gold Medallist Kurt Angle, “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan, “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero, Douglas Williams, “Prince of Punk” Shannon Moore, Mark Haskins and more!

Tickets from €34 including booking fee go are on sale now through Ticketmaster.ie and usual outlets nationwide.

Special €75 tickets include Early Entry, Best Ringside Seats, Meet & Greet and Programme.

Bell time is 7:30pm with doors opening between 6pm and 6:30pm.

TNA Genesis 2011 News

Hardy Boyz Reunite in TNA!


By Phil Allely

With TNA’s UK broadcasts disrupted by their current lack of a channel on Sky, the company are now offering their programmes on Demand for loyal UK fans via their website. Meaning none of us are going the upcoming action in the build up to the UK tour this month.

Last night’s Genesis Pay-Per-View had it all, in terms of action and storyline development, title changes, plus we saw a surprise addition to the roster too.

The ranks of Immortal were swelled once again as former WWE superstar Matt Hardy (sporting a new look) made his company debut and shocked former TNA world champion Rob Van Dam by being the factions chosen opponent for him. Hardy controversially won the bout after a ‘twist of fate’, even though RVD’s leg seemed to be under the ropes for the three-count.

Elsewhere Mr Anderson not only returned to fighting form, winning his number one contenders match against Matt Morgan, but fulfilled his destiny to take the World Heavyweight Title away from Jeff Hardy, becoming a first time World Champion.

Eric Bischoff setting up the world title bout after Anderson had endured a gruelling brawl with Morgan. The short match saw both unleash their best moves and had run-ins from Mick Foley, Matt Hardy, RVD and Fortune, none of which could spoil Anderson’s night.

Immortal and Fortune fared well otherwise in title matches as Kazarian brought the X Division strap back to the fold, Beer Money Inc. snagged the TNA Tag team gold once again, toppling The Motor City Machineguns and Abyss (with a little help from AJ Styles) claimed the TV Title from Douglas Williams.

Genesis was a superb opener to TNA’s 2011 campaign to nip at the WWE’s heels, although they do need a TV channel to showcase their wares on relatively soon. The UK/Irish tour at the end of January will no doubt whet fans appetites for regular TNA TV and they need to be able to capitalise on that as quickly as possible if they can.

More From Matt Hardy

Former WWE superstar Matt Hardy appeared on the Hit The Ropes radio show this week. To listen to the full interview visit HitTheRopes.com. Here are some highlights of what Hardy said about:




The "PG Era" In WWE: "I see why they do it; I don't necessarily agree with it. I think it puts them in a tough spot. I think it's still cool that TNA has the ability to do things that are a little edgy. But once again, you don't need people bleeding every match and you don't need every match to be a ladder match. I think things have to be promoted smart and wisely."



Starting An Indy Promotion: "I've talked with different guys about it already and I've definitely started making some small plans and as time goes on they'll start materializing more and more."



Returning To WWE: "If I did go back there I would want to go back there and work a part-time schedule. I just think my body, where I'm at right now, I'm past working 300-plus days a year right now... I'd still be willing to work hard and work a majority of the shows but still not just out there in the trenches, day in and day out, like I have been for the past 13 years."

Matt Hardy Interview Prior to HIs Return to Pro Wrestling

Matt Hardy is planning his pro wrestling comeback, his upcoming show in Ploughkeepsie ha spromoted this recent US interview, extracts below.

"I'm really excited about the show," said Hardy, the former World Wrestling Entertainment star who departed WWE in October.


Hardy will face former tag-team partner and rival MVP in the main event of NEW's Wrestlefest 15 with a bell time of 7:30 p.m. Hardy said he became aware of NEW when his brother — Jeff Hardy, the current champion of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling — wrestled on an NEW show in Newburgh in early 2010.

"I heard that he did a Grade A, really top-notch show," Hardy said. "MVP is one of my biggest enemies and friends and we're both hungry to prove ourselves and tear the house down."
Tickets for the show are available at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center box office, TicketMaster or www.northeastwrestling.com

Also on the show is WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler, who will be facing Eastchester resident Tommy Dreamer in a steel-cage final battle, as well as Arlington High School graduates Rob Begley and Dale Chapman, who wrestle as Vik Dalishus and Hale Collins, The NOW. Begley and Chapman will wrestle NEW champion Matt Taven, Ring of Honor wrestler Mike Bennett and Extreme Championship Wrestling alum Sabu in a five-way tables, ladders and chairs match.

Hardy, who asked for his release from WWE last year, said working on independent wrestling shows like the NEW shows run by New Windsor's Michael O'Brien are pro wrestling in its purest form.

"It's not a run-of-the-mill independent wrestling card," Hardy said. "It's so fun and so pure when a show is run and promoted as a very good independent wrestling event. They're just simply fun. There's no pressure. You get to do your thing. When the pressure and politics are taken away is when wrestling becomes fun again. That's what you work for."

Also appearing on the show are former WWE wrestlers Shane "Hurricane" Helms and Carlito, and WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter, as well as NEW's usual slate of young wrestlers.

Hardy broke into the wrestling business by training himself, sewing his own wrestling gear, and lying about his age to get into shows. These days, with young wrestlers promoting themselves on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, there are more avenues for people to get noticed.

"There's so many outlets to publicize yourself," Hardy said. "You need to take advantage of it. They weren't around 25 or 30 years ago. There's a lot of people out there who will follow you online and watch your stuff."

Hardy said promotions like NEW are a great breeding ground for the superstars of tomorrow.



"It's very important," Hardy said. "You look at a place like NEW and it's really the closest thing to a territory that you've got. To be able to have shows like that is a really good forum. You learn how to do the thing live. There are people of all experience levels working on the shows."

Matt Hardy Speaks Out!

Matt Hardy appeared on the Monday Night Mayhem show at mondaynightmayhem.com earlier this week. Here are some highlights:


Why he felt he needed to break ties with the WWE, his transition over the past two months, & where he feels he's at mentally/physically/emotionally right now: "It's been nice for me, because I needed to get away. One, my body was just so beat up and so abused. One thing with Jeff was that he took some time off during his run with WWE. I never did. The only time I was out was when I was injured, and during that time, I was doing intense rehab, so I had twelve and a half years straight that I worked everyday. I missed one day during that whole while, and that was when my girlfriend at the time was having neck surgery. Besides that, I never missed a show. I never asked off for a day. I worked hurt, I worked through injuries, and it just came to a point that I felt like between where I was at being utilized on TV, and the injuries catching up with me, and me not being in the top condition I needed to be at that I needed to take time off or get away. I started talking about possibly getting some time off or getting a release, and I eventually did what I had to do to get a break. I'm happy about it, I'm been happier & healthier physically, mentally, & emotionally than I've been in a long, long time. I've really enjoyed just having my own schedule. It's been a blast. I've just been loving life. The last couple of months have been two of the greatest months of my life."



The "constant battle" he was facing creatively while at the WWE, how mental exhaustion factored into his decision to want to leave the company, how Christian is "in the same boat" with him, & why he passionately feels that "if you don't love the business, you will not last there" (the WWE): "It's a constant battle. To begin with, myself & Christian kind of sit in the same boat in a lot of ways. We're two guys who worked for a long time to earn the respect of the fans over the years. We can go out with pretty much anyone and figure out how a way to make the match good or entertaining. We're very reliable. The deal was actually myself & Christian were starting up a storyline, and we had both put in so much time, and thought, & effort. We had given so many ideas and had written down ideas, storyline, & angles. We kept getting green lights, but then, just all of sudden, they just dropped it, and it stopped. When you have something like that, where they ask you to contribute, or they ask you to give ideas, and then when you take time when you only have a day & a half at home, and you spend your time all focused on that, and you really give your blood, sweat, & tears to it, and you're going to give them the best idea & the best storyline possible, and you're really emotionally attached to it, and you give it to them, and all of a sudden they just go 'OK, well this is great, but we're not going to do it.' That's very mentally & emotionally draining and fatiguing. That happens all the time there, and it gets to the point where you just go 'Well ok, maybe it's just easiest for me to just show up, and do my job, and not care, and not be passionate'. They ask you to be passionate, but if you get that ripped out of your hands so many times when you had these great ideas, it's really easy for you to lose your passion. If you don't love the business, you will not last there. That's one thing I can tell you."



His in-ring future in 2011: Whether him showing up in TNA alongside his brother (Jeff Hardy) is a foregone conclusion and/or if he would consider exploring the opportunity to work with Ring of Honor in the new year: "Obviously, that's naturally where people's thoughts are going to go, and you can't blame them for that. Obviously, that's not something I would say that isn't crazy or isn't out of the question at all. Jeff's done well there and had a lot of success, and ever since 2005, I've actually maintained a very good relationship with Dixie Carter, so that's a possibility, but who knows. I definitely haven't locked anything in stone yet. You also mentioned Ring of Honor. I think Cary (Silkin) does a great job with those guys. He reminds me, on a smaller level & a smaller budget, like the old ECW crew, because he'll have guys that are really good, and then, all of sudden, TNA or WWE will suck up his top stars, and he'll have to build some more guys. I really appreciate that fact, and I appreciate that there are territories & smaller organizations out there that are still building talent for the future. It would be great if Ring of Honor could get a more prominent television following as they go."



Setting the record straight on the Internet reports from last Sunday's TNA Final Resolution Pay-Per-View involving his brother, the story creating a life of its own online, & the latest update on Jeff's status: "Jeff's doing great. The whole thing with that scenario was so blown out of proportions it was crazy. Jeff's been working on the road with a full schedule for TNA. He actually has a deal where he doesn't have to do every show, but since Jeff is the champion, he has committed himself to the product & the company. He really believes in them, and he actually said that he would do all the shows that he possibly can for them. It was very cool that they allowed him to be off during the last half of the month of October when his child was born. Basically he did the house shows, they flew over to do the shows over in Abu Dhabi, flew back over, he was at home for less than 24 hours, he flew to Detroit where he had to do a lot of promotion that day for an appearance at a Monster Truck deal thing, he went to the Monster Truck thing that night, slept two or three hours, he had to go to Orlando and actually go straight to the building when he got in, because he had three Make-A-Wishes that morning. He met his Make-A-Wish kids, and instead of going back to the hotel to crash and sleep there where he was afraid he was going to oversleep and not make it back to the building before call time, he actually crashed in one of the executive's offices there, and was just sleeping to catch up on sleep, someone walked in, saw him sleeping, and from there, the story got exaggerated & blown out of proportion, because that morning he was taking a nap that he 'wasn't in a condition to wrestle.' Anyone who watched the match could obviously tell that he was 100% fine. He actually had a hell of a match with Matt Morgan that night, and I thought he did a great job."



Why the WWE is "going to find themselves in a really strange position" in the next several years, "the changing of the guard," in the industry, & his take on the recent online debate/argument of the push of the WWE's recent "youth movement": "The business is in a really weird position now, where there's really getting to be a changing of the guard. The Undertakers, the Triple H's, the Shawn Michaels, who's retired already, those guys are really & truly on their last legs. It has to be new guys that completely uprise and come around. The WWE is going to find themselves in a really strange position in the couple of years, because they have pushed this youth movement. Kevin Nash made a statement saying 'Youth isn't what sells.' I think that myself & Christian were two guys who have gained the respect of the fans. People know us, and they respect us, and we're very believable in the ring. You have to take guys like that, and you have to utilize those guys and get the most out of them. You can't take new guys, just because they are fresh faces, and expect the fans to accept them, and appreciate them, and buy tickets for them overnight. The WWE has tried to do that youth movement; you could do that, but there has to be a very fine line: a mixture of veterans & younger guys. It's funny, because I know Kevin Nash had one side & Chris Jericho had one side, and I kind of fell in the middle of both of those (to the argument/debate). I think you truly need a combination. I think the WWE is trying to push so many young guys at one time right now that they're going to find themselves in a really weird spot in a year or so, where all of their older stars that are extremely over, if you have an injury to a John Cena or a Randy Orton, you're in a tough situation."

Jeff Hardy's statement about last Sunday's PPV

- Apparently in response to online reports noting concern over his condition backstage at last week's TNA Genesis pay-per-view, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy issued the following statement this evening on Twitter:




"AllThaTalkAboutLastSunday.... forThoseOfYouThatBelievedThoseWords... FU##YOU!!!!SoWrong...SoWrong!!!!!I'm bustingMyAss2 helpTNA... Period!!"



"Can't StressEnough... ifYouBelievedThoseWords... FU##YOU!!!!!"



"ThaStoryIsDead... becauseitShouldHaveNeverBeenBorn!!!SoWrong!!!!!"



Bill Behrens, who coordinates independent bookings for several TNA stars including friends of Hardy's such as Shannon Moore, offered additional insight into the reports on his weekly podcast by stating that organization officials have allowed Hardy to wrestle while impaired. He also said that it's considered an "open secret" within the company that Hardy still uses drugs.



Shortly after the report surfaced, Moore coincidentally said on Twitter, "Don't you love it when a friend fs you over."



Jeff isn't the only Hardy brother upset with the "dirtsheets" as Matt noted the following on Twitter this afternoon regarding his appearance last night on Monday Night Mayhem:



"BTW, The Scumsheets always cover MNM, the show I was on last night. They didn't today.. Why u ask? Cuz I call them out on their bullsh*t.. The reason why they don't give me publicity.. Cuz they don't want my voice 2 be heard-So RT this-"THE DIRTSHEETS FEAR MATT F'N HARDY!" :) RT"