Scott D'Amore Explains Why He Pushed To Rename Impact Wrestling Back To TNA

After a seven-year run as Impact Wrestling (and the short-lived Global Force Wrestling), the Anthem-owned promotion founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett once again became known as TNA Wrestling at the start of 2024. One of the key players in making this change happen was former TNA President Scott D'Amore. During a recent interview with "Busted Open Radio," D'Amore explained why he strongly pushed for the revival of the TNA name.

"Truthfully, for me, I couldn't say this while I was there, [but] I always thought the name 'Impact' sucked. I hated it being 'Impact Wrestling,'" D'Amore said. "The decision had been made and I didn't disagree at the time. We couldn't change it when I first took over because it had been bounced around. It was TNA, it was Impact, it was TNA, it was GFW, it was Impact, but in my heart, the company where I made my bones and the company that I bled and sweated for was TNA Wrestling."

As D'Amore alluded to, the respective company underwent a number of changes in the months following its acquisition by Anthem Sports & Entertainment in late 2016. Namely, the company dropped the original TNA Wrestling name in favor of "Impact Wrestling." Later that same year, Impact merged with and subsequently took on the name of Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling. That tenure lasted merely four months, though, as the Impact Wrestling title was officially brought back in October 2017 after the business partnership with Jarrett ended.

"I never cared if Impact lived or died. I cared about TNA," D'Amore said. "I came there with a mission and a direction to revive it, to breathe life into it, and with a great team there, I think we did that."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.