Tonight’s live edition of “TNA Impact” featured title matches, new number-one contenders crowned in the tag division, and an appearance from Mama June, for those of you keyed into TLC reality TV. While it was far from the worst TNA has had to offer in 2026, the lows were fairly low, as you’ll see from our entries tonight.
The build to TNA Sacrifice later this month is now in full swing, with what will likely be the main event of that show getting announced at the end of tonight’s installment. That wasn’t all that took place, either, as it was a fairly eventful episode, including several teases for a returning TNA mainstay.
We have a detailed breakdown of tonight’s show ready for you at our “Impact” results page. Otherwise, buckle up and keep scrolling to dig into our favorite and most hated moments from the latest episode.
Hated: A champ with plenty of challengers and a roll-up win
Having the likes of The Diamond Collective, Dani Luna, Xia Brookside, and Léi Yǐng Lee at ringside during the Knockouts World Championship Match between titleholder Arianna Grace and Jody Threat implies that TNA Wrestling is making an effort to bring importance to the Knockouts World Championship by having several women who have their eyes on it. If you ask me, it’s a really great thing to see the company demonstrate that there’s no shortage of challengers who have eyes on a title that they all want.
With that said, it’s not as great to see Grace retain by rolling up Threat. While there isn’t anything objectively wrong with a roll-up win (especially by a heel), I couldn’t help but feel like it was the wrong ending for this match. There were so many potential challengers around ringside to watch the match, and for that reason, it felt like a missed opportunity to have Grace go over clean as a means of showing the audience that she’s a credible champion who should be taken seriously by the rest of the roster. It definitely wasn’t the most egregious thing that happened on the show by any means, but it also wasn’t a fantastic look for the opening match of the show and truly did set the tone for all of the other nonsense on this episode of “Thursday Night iMPACT” that was to come.
Written by Olivia Quinlan
Love: The Demon Assassin has one last shot to do what?
I’d like to start this off by quoting my dear friend/co-worker Max: “I’m blinded by intrigue over Rosemary.” Where oh where will the queen of the hives take us next? She is a woman of mystery, and after not conquering her dream of becoming the newest challenger to Arianna Grace’s TNA Knockouts World Championship at No Surrender last month, the dream remains alive that “The Demon Assassin” has a trick up her sleeve. But maybe not towards gaining gold, at the moment. Perhaps, righting the wrongs from yesteryear.
In tonight’s vignettes, she questions “What happened to us?” First off, who is “us”? Her on-again, off-again enemy in Su Yung has vanished to the world of recovery. Taya Valkyrie transported from WWE to AEW. So, who is she trying to reach out to in the Undead/Shadow Realm? Maybe, a certain bunny, perhaps? It’s been nearly seven years come March 29, 2019, when Rosemary held a collapsed and perished Allie in her arms. We all know that the Undead Realm is known to bring back those who are worthy. And Allie is certainly worthy of making her return. Imagine the forces of good and evil both Rosemary and Allie could bring as singles and tag team competitors.
Easter is almost here. Who doesn’t want to see The Bunny hop onto our screens before we celebrate the official holiday of rebirth! But can Rosemary resurrect and help provide the healing touch that’s already destroyed Allie’s psyche?
Written by Brie Coder
Hated: Tessa Blanchard’s commentary performance
We already laid out that the opening match of tonight’s “Impact” was a disappointment for a variety of reasons, but I’d like to go in-depth on one specific element: Tessa Blanchard’s performance on commentary.
I’m also in the camp of viewers who absolutely do not care what Blanchard is up to. After tonight, my opinion of her is even lower, as her commentary was downright atrocious. I get that heels aren’t exactly supposed to be likable, but I’m pretty sure they aren’t supposed to make me want to turn off the TV and go find a better way to spend my time.
Her lines were nearly all obvious insults, performed in a stilted manner. One would think that somebody who’s been around pro wrestling for as long as Blanchard has would’ve developed a little bit more on the mic, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.
The Knockouts are absolutely among the brighter aspects of modern day TNA, but overall, tonight didn’t do the division justice. Here’s hoping they do a better job of it next week.
Written by Nick Miller
Loved: Two golden title defenses
When it comes to any live TNA programming, you have to treat it with a mixed bag reaction. Will it be good? How many matches will be on? How many of those matches will be title defenses?
Tonight, the company did a fine job showcasing two title matches between the Knockouts World Championship and X-Division Title. While the champions Arianna Grace and Leon Slater retained, I want to talk about their challengers in Jody Threat and Nic Nemeth, respectively. I personally enjoyed the showmanship in Threat. As a number one contender, she proved why she had earned that position. Of course, most knew Grace would retain, as it was her first title defense; however, Threat was an excellent choice for the liaison/young champion to cut her teeth on.
As for Nemeth and Slater, they’re match was spectacular. I do wish they had more time to throw down. In a way, it felt rushed. It will be interesting to see how Slater will fare up against Eric Young, who now has his sights set on the young X-Division Champion.
TNA has a plethora of great talent, and tonight’s show demonstrated just how many youthful and hungry competitors there are. I hope the company can make it a habit of providing more title matches like the ones we saw tonight on future programming.
Written by Brie Coder
Hated: The Elegance Brand gets meaty
As The Miz would say: “Really?”
Of all the things to be devastated by, being called a “mark” would personally be amongst my bottom tier. For former Knockouts Champion Ash by Elegance, though, it was enough to miss “Thursday Night iMPACT” entirely.
In the grand scheme of insults, a “mark,” meaning someone who is deeply invested in wrestling characters or storylines, doesn’t seem that harmful. Especially in comparison to a near-career-ending issue she recently suffered, it really doesn’t seem like something that would trouble her that intensely. Yet, according to her Personal Concierge, it did.
In Ash’s absence, the Elegance Brand then picked a fight with Mama June, a reality star known for her appearances in “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” and “Toddlers & Tiaras.” This interaction appeared incredibly random and didn’t add much substance to the Elegance Brand’s ongoing storyline. In another random twist, TNA legend ODB then handed a physical substance — cups of meat — to Mama June and friends to pour on M and Heather by Elegance, leaving the ringside area messy and gross.
Coming out of this segment, I got flashbacks of the time Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin smothered Roman Reigns in dog food on “WWE SmackDown,” and frankly, I never wanted to relive it.
Written by Ella Jay
Loved: Leon Slater returns and puts on a show
Leon Slater made his first defense of the X-Division title this year on Thursday, defeating Nic Nemeth in a match that showed glimmers of the brilliance TNA is capable of.
Slater is by far the most exciting talent the company has on its roster, and sticking him in the ring with a veteran the level of Nemeth was always going to turn out perfectly fine, at the very least. What it turned out to be was actually quite fun, Slater getting the fast start right out of the gates. As he should do.
Nemeth found his way back into things with the help of his brother at ringside. Which, to be honest, is the best application for someone like Ryan Nemeth. And thus ensued a very back-and-forth match that saw near-falls on either side.
It was one of those bouts that managed to feel like any and all attempted covers could have been the last, and that only mingled with the excitement of the bout’s actual action with it very possible there could have been a title change. That’s why when Ryan Nemeth got involved for the second time, popping up on the apron, and provided the distraction for Nemeth to connect with a superkick, it felt like the numbers game had proved too much.
Only, Slater did kick out of that and went on to finish the match with the Swanton 450 – a move he had tried and failed to connect with multiple times – and retain his title.
It wasn’t an instant classic to be talked about in years to come. But on a show that had very little going for it in a positive light, it was just cool to see that TNA can put on stuff like this when it wants to. A good match, a title match that very easily could have seen either win, complete with a post-match angle; Eric Young emerged to attack Slater, kick-starting his pursuit of the X-Division title.
Slater is a talent that really should be built around, always a highlight when he’s in the ring, and one that the company really needs at this stage in time. It would be nice to see more of this every Thursday.
Written by Max Everett