TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace is ready and willing to put her gold on the line in any promotion, amid TNA’s ongoing partnership with NXT. At ViolenceXSuffering’s Arrival 2 event this week, Grace defended her gold in an open challenge that was answered by Megan Bayne. Speaking after her match to SE Scoops correspondent Muscle Man Malcolm, Grace made clear her title is open to all challengers.
“I’ve said this before and I’ll say it a million times over. I’ll defend the TNA Knockouts World Championship anywhere, at any company, against anyone.”
Grace’s comments will have fans speculating on where she could appear next, and whether a return to WWE NXT could happen for the Knockouts Champion. While Grace appeared for WWE’s gold brand earlier this year, she did not put her title on the line, and instead challenged for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship. Grace has defended her own gold against NXT’s Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley, though those matches happened at TNA events.
Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest on Jordynne Grace and her title reign that will see her compete against anyone brave enough to face the Juggernaut.
Jordynne Grace has proven herself for years as one of the top names in TNA Wrestling, but her time with the 22-year-old promotion could be coming to an end.
The reigning TNA Knockouts World has had the attention of the wrestling world this year, thanks in part to her appearances for WWE. Grace was part of this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match in only the second time a contracted TNA talent has been in the contest (following Mickie James in 2022.) More recently, Grace has been appearing in WWE NXT and unsuccessfully challenged Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at Battleground.
Given Grace’s appearances in WWE NXT, there has been plenty of speculation about whether Grace could one day join the promotion full-time. Speaking to TNA alum Matt Morgan on his Gigantic Pop podcast, Grace spoke about her current contract situation in TNA Wrestling.
“I am under [TNA] contract until January of this upcoming year. It’s coming up.”
Grace has been with TNA Wrestling since 2018 and is one of the promotion’s most successful Knockouts. The Juggernaut is a three-time (and current) Knockouts World Champion, a former Knockouts Tag Team Champion, and a former TNA Digital Media Champion. Grace is also recognized as the first TNA Knockouts Triple Crown Champion, having held the three titles obtainable by women in the promotion.
Jordynne Grace: WWE Superstar?
Grace has spoken highly of her WWE experience so far, and has also been well-received by those in the company. A move to WWE would also allow Grace a new roster to face, in addition to some familiar faces. Grace competed against both Naomi and Chelsea Green in TNA, both of whom have since returned to WWE.
With that said, Grace has also spoken highly of her time with TNA Wrestling where she has already established herself as one of the company’s top talents. Ultimately, the Juggernaut has a difficult decision to make in the coming months and fans of both promotions are interested to see in which direction she goes.
Some of WWE NXT’s top Superstars made his presence felt during the latest tapings for TNA Wrestling’s weekly Television show iMPACT!
At the tapings in Philadelphia, PA, Charlie Dempsey of the No Quarter Catch Crew appeared and attacked Trey Miguel, Leon Slater, and a referee. The son of William Regal, Dempsey earned loud NXT chants from the crowd in Philly.
Dempsey is no stranger to appearing for other companies despite being a part of the WWE NXT roster. Earlier this year, he competed for All Japan Pro Wrestling and unsuccessfully challenged for the AJPW Triple Crown Championship. Over WWE WrestleMania weekend, Dempsey was part of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X as part of GCW’s The Collective.
Dempsey wasn’t the only name from WWE NXT to appear at the TNA iMPACT! tapings. Before the event, it was advertised that TNA Knockout World Champion Jordynne Grace would be defending her title in an open challenge. Her challenge was answered by NXT’s Izzi Dame, but she was unable to dethrone the Juggernaut.
NXT’s Izzi Dame is answering Jordan Grace’s open challenge for the TNA Women’s Championship pic.twitter.com/kHGkWnNq1s
Dame’s arrival in TNA comes after Tatum Paxley challenged Grace for the gold at Against All Odds 2024. Grace herself competed in WWE NXT earlier this year and challenged NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at Battleground 2024.
What’s to Come?
WWE and TNA’s working relationship has built intrigue in both sides, and there is a belief that there will be more down the line. Following Joe Hendry’s appearance at WWE NXT, both companies were pleased with his role and hoped for the collaboration to go further. It remains to be seen who’s next to jump through the ‘Prohibited Portal’ but don’t be surprised if more crossover comes between WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling.
Much more has come to light regarding Jordynne Grace who made a shocking appearance on the May 28, episode of WWE NXT.
The reigning TNA Knockouts World Champion was revealed as the opponent for WWE NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at the upcoming NXT Battleground show. This marked Grace’s second appearance for WWE after being part of this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match. Grace will compete at next week’s WWE NXT against Stevie Turner.
WWE did all they could to keep the arrival of Jordynne Grace a surprise, PW Insider reports. In the rehearsals for the show, Lita’s theme was played to throw any potential leakers off the scent that the TNA Knockout would appear, Similarly, in the run-down for the show, the segment was listed as having Alexa Bliss confront Perez instead of Grace.
Jordynne Grace stepped through the ‘prohibited portal’ this week.
What’s To Come?
The belief in WWE is that some NXT involvement will take place at the upcoming TNA Against All Odds event in Chicago, IL. Grace is set to defend her title in an open challenge at the event and naturally, some believe that a WWE NXT Superstar will answer the call. There is also speculation that there could be a crossover for TNA Slammiversary in Montreal this July. The hope within TNA is that the association with NXT will see a lift in ticket sales for upcoming events.
As for Grace, her contract with TNA will expire in the first quarter of 2025. The reigning TNA Knockouts World Champion has not given any indication as to what she has planned. This week’s TNA iMPACT had to be adjusted late in the editing process to include a recap of Grace at WWE NXT.
WWE has been doing record business, grossing $1.32 billion in sales last year. The company’s $5 billion deal with Netflix to bring WWE Raw to the streaming platform in January 2025 will bring another massive windfall of cash. However, many fans wonder how much of that trickles down to the athletes we see on television.
Top Superstars spark bidding wars and command multi-million dollar contracts. Setting aside stars like Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair, a new report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter sheds light on the current annual baseline.
According to Dave Meltzer, the current minimum salary for WWE Superstars on the main roster is $350,000 per year. Most wrestlers sign multi-year deals, and you can be sure the top stars on each brand are making far more than the minimum. WWE is in a strong position to make lucrative financial offers to talent. However, there’s a trend emerging that should not be ignored.
Numerous Contracts Expiring
WWE is heading into an interesting dilemma as several featured stars on the main roster contract will expire soon. One of the most significant examples is Becky Lynch, who could be a free agent by the end of the week. As of now, it doesn’t seem they have yet to reach a new agreement.
Another talent that could test free agency is Chad Gable. Although he has been heavily featured on Monday Night Raw and involved in a feud with Sami Zayn, his contract will expire at the end of next week.
It’s unclear why so many talent contracts are set to expire so soon. Although numerous superstars are near free agency, they may ultimately re-sign with WWE. Wrestling fans should have more clarity soon as the company must expeditiously reach new agreements with their superstars.
All eyes are on TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace as she prepares to make history. On June 9, she will challenge NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez for the title at Battleground. The important matchup will be the first time an active TNA superstar and champion will challenge for a WWE title.
While Grace is focused on achieving a career milestone, she has announced her title defense at TNA Against All Odds on June 14.
‘The Juggernaut”‘ shared on Sirus XM Busted Open with Tommy Dreamer and Dave LaGreca that she will hold an open challenge for her championship at the TNA pay-per-view.
After Grace revealed that her title match was an open challenge, it immediately caught the attention of Dreamer and wrestling fans. TNA Against All Odds, taking place after NXT Battleground, has people wondering if a WWE talent will accept her challenge.
PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that the ongoing relationship between WWE and TNA could extend beyond NXT Battleground. Due to Grace hosting an open challenge, it’s plausible for anyone from the NXT women’s roster to make an appearance. That said, it’s still unclear if that is what’s being planned, and it’s possible TNA could have her face a talent from their roster.
Regardless, Grace’s announcement adds more anticipation for what will happen at NXT Battleground.
Jorydnne Grace On Potentially Becoming NXT Women’s Champion
Grace’s match against Perez will also mark the first time they will compete against each other. ‘The Juggernaut’ noted that they both grew up in Texas but never had the chance to interact. Although it will be her initial encounter with Perez, Grace feels prepared to win the NXT Women’s Championship. She has already decided that she would be willing to compete on any TNA and NXT events if needed as champion.
“…Honestly, I’m prepared to put my nose to the ground and grind it out again. I did it for years when I was on the Indies, so I’m not a stranger to it, and I’m ready to do it again,” said Grace.
The TNA Knockouts Champion will be in for the match of her life when she faces Perez next month. If she is successful, Grace holding both titles would be a historic moment for WWE and TNA.
Shawn Michaels is proud to deliver a genuine surprise in today’s wrestling climate like TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace’s unexpected NXT appearance this week.
The NXT head recently spoke to Adrian Hernandez to promote the upcoming NXT Battleground special coming from the UFC Apex, Enmarket Arena on June 10. The Knockouts champion will be challenging Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Title at the show.
During the interview, Michaels was asked what Grace’s appearance means for the partnership between WWE and TNA. Shawn said that he leaves those kind of decisions to people above him, and his focus instead is on delivering genuine surprises:
“Well look, right now, a lot of those things are still being worked out internally. Obviously as I try to be honest with folks all the time, there are people above me that I leave to making all those kinds of decisions. What I enjoy doing is what we did last night, which is having the opportunity to bring real surprises and real ‘oh my God’ moments back to the WWE, back to wrestling, back to NXT. That’s what we had last night.”
We’re Thrilled To Have Her: Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels also talked about Jordynne Grace’s Royal Rumble appearance earlier this year. HBK revealed what he told Triple H about it:
I have been very public about being a fan of Jordynne Grace. I expressed to Hunter [Triple H] privately that I was very jealous that he had her for the Rumble [and] that he owed me one, he owed me a big one. We’re thrilled to have her for Battleground and we’re thrilled to have her next week. This is going to be a huge epic event.
One, for NXT to be the first brand to be out there in the UFC Apex is just really really big for us. We’re so honored to get to be the brand that gets to launch that. Then of course to sort of one up ourselves, like we always try to do, having TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace contend for the NXT Women’s Championship, fighting Roxanne Perez, is going to be really really big,”
Jordynne Grace’s NXT appearance seems to have opened the gates for a bigger partnership between the two companies. Reports suggest that this collaboration will not be one-sided.
Jordynne Grace was revealed as Roxanne Perez’s opponent for Battleground during this week’s episode of NXT, surprising both fans and the NXT Women’s Champion. Fightful Selectreports that Perez was genuinely surprised by Grace’s appearance, as she had insisted on not knowing her opponent beforehand to ensure an authentic reaction. Her reaction on television was organic, which made it an even more memorable moment fans won’t soon forget.
The NXT Women’s Championship match at Battleground is part of an agreement between Grace and NXT, which includes at least three appearances: two advertised matches and her recent appearance. The Fightful report states that Grace is earning at least six figures for these appearances for the NXT brand. She’ll take on Stevie Turner in singles action for the June 4 episode, the go-home show before Battleground.
Andrea Concepcion and Johnny Russo were responsible for organizing Jordynne Grace’s segment, as noted by Corey Brennan. While most talent were unaware, Ethan Page knew about Grace’s appearance in advance due. They reportedly had an encounter at Cezar Bononi’s house.
The possibility of more NXT and TNA crossovers remains open. Despite Scott D’Amore’s departure from TNA, which initially raised concerns about future collaborations, sources within TNA confirm that communication lines remain open. There is a lot more to unpack in this story, as WWE seemingly has their own Forbidden Door to open now.
WWE NXT Battleground will go down on June 9 from the UFC Apex outside Las Vegas. SEScoops will have complete coverage of the show, including the highly-promoted Women’s Title match.
Former WWE star Cezar Bononi played a pivotal role in TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace and former AEW star Ethan Page’s shocking appearances on last night’s edition of NXT.
Bononi, who has had runs with WWE and AEW in the past, revealed that he knew about the surprise appearances and even “hid” Grace and Page in his garage.
Taking to his X account, Bononi posted a photo in which he could be seen posing with Jordynne Grace and Ethan Page. He said they had a closed garage workout and had to “hide, tame, and feed” the two beasts ahead of their appearances.
“Closed garage workout this morning, I had to hide, tame and feed two beasts…”
Jordynne Grace and Ethan Page make impactful NXT appearances
NXT General Manager Ava stunned the fans when she announced Grace would challenge Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT Battleground next month. This marked Grace’s second appearance for WWE as she shockingly competed in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
On the other hand, Page made his debut on WWE’s developmental brand in the final moments of the show. He launched a blindsided attack on NXT Champion Trick Williams to send a statement. Williams was accused of attacking Meta Four members Noam Dar and Oro Mensah. However, ‘All Ego’ made it clear with his actions that he was the attacker. The show concluded with Page standing tall and holding up the NXT title,
It has also come to light that Page inked a deal with WWE after attending WWE Performance Center. Meanwhile, Jordynne Grace’s appearance yet again proves that WWE are eager to walk through the ‘Forbidden Door’ and more crossover matches could be expected down the road.
Jordynne Grace is set to compete for WWE NXT very soon but she may not be the only example of a wrestler working in another company.
The reigning TNA Knockouts World Champion made an ‘impact’ during the May 28, episode of WWE NXT. Grace was revealed as the challenger for WWE NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez for the upcoming NXT Battleground event in June. Grace will also be in action on next week’s WWE NXT when she faces off against Stevie Turner.
With Grace set to compete for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship, more wrestlers are hoping to test their skills in the other promotion. On Twitter, WWE’s Cedric Alexander was curious if Grace’s arrival means he will soon have a chance to compete for the TNA X-Division Championship.
This tease caught the attention of TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali who was open to the match and reflected on a previous encounter between the two.
‘Dashing’ Chris Bey of TNA tag team ABC was also open to competing in NXT as a TNA representative if WWE’s gold brand wants “one of the best tag teams in the world.”
Alexander will seemingly get his wish as NXT stars are expected to make appearances for TNA Wrestling. Audiences will no doubt be excited to see more from NXT and TNA as both brands prepare to do much more together to deliver high-quality wrestling and entertainment.
Fans of WWE and TNA Wrestling can expect to see more collaboration going forward following what transpired on the May 28, edition of WWE NXT.
On the show, NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez was determined to find out who her opponent will be for the upcoming NXT Battleground event in June. WWE NXT General Manager Ava shocked fans by revealing that Jordynne Grace will be challenging Perez at the show. The reigning TNA Knockouts World Champion previously made a surprise appearance during the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
Grace’s role at WWE NXT Battleground won’t be the only example of the crossover between the gold brand and TNA Wrestling, PW Insider reports. The belief among sources is that there will be some sort of representation of WWE NXT at future TNA events and programming as well. It is unclear how much representation of NXT there but it could be anyone beyond Roxanne Perez.
It is not known when NXT talent will appear for TNA but it could be at the upcoming tapings at Cicero Stadium. On June 14, TNA will host its Against All Odds pay-per-view and there will be a subsequent TV taping the next night. There are no other TNA events planned before this series of tapings.
Expect to see more crossover between WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling.
After decades of their ‘don’t play with others’ mentality, WWE’s embracing of the proverbial ‘Forbidden Door’ has been refreshing for fans. Audiences will no doubt be excited to see more from NXT and TNA as both brands prepare to do much more together to deliver high-quality wrestling and entertainment.
Roxanne Perez’s challenger for the NXT Women’s Title was a mystery, but nobody expected Jordynne Grace as her opponent.
During this week’s episode of NXT, Roxanne Perez took to the ring to deliver a heel promo. She praised herself before demanding that NXT General Manager Ava reveal her next challenger. Ava responded by making a surprise announcement that shocked everyone.
Jordynne Grace made her entrance, proudly carrying her TNA Knockouts Title on her shoulder. The fans in the NXT Arena erupted into “TNA” chants as she approached the ring. Once inside, Grace remarked about her Royal Rumble cameo, and then she turned her attention to the NXT Women’s Champion.
Grace confidently declared that she would become a double champion after NXT Battleground, challenging Perez for the NXT Women’s Title.
Holy Shit! TNA Knockouts champion Jordan Grace to challenge Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship at #NXTBattleground 2024.
This announcement, combined with Sexyy Red’s hosting role and the unveiling of the new NXT Women’s North American Title, has set the stage for a historic event. NXT Battleground will take place on June 9 in the UFC Apex.
It was later announced that Jordynne will compete on NXT next week. She confronted Stevie Turner backstage during a segment later in the show, where the NXT newcomer was complaining about Grace’s title opportunity. This set up a match for the June 4 show.
Jordynne Grace’s husband, TNA star Jonathan Gresham, was apparently just as surprised as everyone else by her appearance. He just thought she was running to the store and would be right back.
SEScoops will provide complete coverage of NXT Battleground, and you can find the updated event card below.
Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend vs. Fallon Henley vs. Jaida Parker vs. Michin vs Kelani Jordan (Ladder match for the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Championship)
Oba Femi (c) vs. Wes Lee vs. Joe Coffey (Triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship)
Shayna Baszler vs. Lola Vice (NXT Underground match)
Roxanne Perez (c) vs. TBA (NXT Women’s Championship)
Axiom & Nathan Frazer vs The Good Brothers (NXT Tag Team Championship)
Roxanne Perez (c) vs Jordynne Grace (NXT Women’s Title Match)
TNA wrestler Jordynne Grace has suffered a pretty gnarly-looking injury on her ear. The injury took place on the May 23 edition of TNA Impact when Grace was in action in the ring with Marti Belle.
The match was for the TNA Knockouts World Title at the MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport, Kentucky, and Grace was able to successfully defend it against Belle. However, Belle’s fishnets ripped out a small chunk of her ear.
“There’s a reason why I am one of the most dominant champions in TNA,” Grace said in a post-match promo. “I went out there and I got a piece of my ear ripped out! And I still came out with the Knockouts World Championship! There’s a piece of my ear, with the earrings on that woman’s tights. But she still took the pin. Now I gotta go see a doctor.”
What’s worse is that TNA actually showed the bit of Grace’s ear stuck to Belle’s fishnets, and used it for a promo. Allysin Kay of The Hex pointed out the chunk of meat stuck on the fishnets.
“Marti might not have won the match, but she’s taking home a souvenir with her,” Kay said. “You just don’t listen, so I had to make sure I took a piece of your ear,” Belle stated. “Just know, that as long as you have that Knockouts Championship, you’re gonna have a Hex on your back.”
It remains to be seen how serious is Grace’s injury, and if she would take some time off from wrestling to recover. SEScoops will keep you updated of any further developments.
Jordynne Grace takes her health and fitness seriously. A new snack that she invented to help her with gains also stirred up a viral reaction.
The former Knockouts Champion tweeted out a photo of what appears to be a bunch of ground beef between two Pop Tarts. She gave fans the idea that this is her new food of choice when trying to bulk up.
“Been seeing crazy gains incorporating this into my post-workout meal,” she posted as a caption for her fans. Little did she expect a wave of responses to flood her notifications.
Consuming raw meat is somewhat of a trend, but many fans were taken aback by this post. They were not on board to try it for themselves. Still, she did have some who were rooting for her.
WWE RAW General Manager Adam Pearce saw this post, and he reacted as he shared some LOL emojis. Others didn’t have the same response, as one fan said the image made them want to throw up.
“Please don’t eat that,” one fan posted. Another fan thought that seeking police intervention may stop Big Mama Pump from eating that raw meat on a Pop Tart.
Some didn’t see it as a big thing, because eating raw meat like that is commonplace in other cultures. Still, it seems that Jordynne Grace has a long way to go when it comes to winning over fans for her new snack.
Grace is known for participant in bodybuilding competitions, so she knows how to sculpt herself. She has also become a millionaire outside of pro wrestling via her exclusive content site.
She was also in the 2024 WWE Women’s Royal Rumble match, so you never know where she will pop up next. In 2023, Grace inked a two-year extension with TNA Wrestling.
Fans attending the May 16, episode of TNA iMPACT will more than get their money’s worth as they’ll be witness to the “biggest” main event in the show’s history.
The Champion’s Challenge has been announced by TNA’s resident Director of Authority Santino Marella and will see all champions in TNA Wrestling face their challengers in a colossal 16-person intergender tag-team match. The teams break down as follows
At this time, there’s no word on whether there will be any type of prize for the winning team, and it’s believed that this will be a non-title match. With that said, the winning team will have plenty of bragging rights going forward.
What’s to Come?
This match could have huge ramifications for TNA’s next monthly special event, which will be Against All Odds. The show will take place on June 14, from the Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois. At this time, no matches have been confirmed for the show.
The May 16, episode of TNA iMPACT will also see Ash By Elegance take on second-generation star Xia Brookside. Alan Angels will face off against the high-flying Leon Slater on the show.
Soft Ground Wrestling Uganda will benefit greatly from the money raised by WWE alum Mace and Mansoor, as well as others.
SGW Uganda has become a hit online in recent months after notable names began sharing the promotion on social media. Both AEW’s Will Ospreay and TNA Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at providing a standard wrestling ring as well as other operating needs.
Now Mace and Mansoor have been able to raise more money for SGW Uganda. On Twitter, Mansoor revealed that through a live stream, they had raised over $28,000. This stream included some notable names in wrestling, including AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali, Maven Huffman, YouTuber Matt McMuscles, and others.
Incredibly excited to announce we have raised $28,731.89 for @SGWug thanks to all of your generous support!
We couldn’t have done this without all our wonderful friends who joined us for the fundraiser. Thank you to all who participated and donated.
In a subsequent tweet, Mansoor explained that this money can be put towards six months of food, beds and mosquito nets, an extension on their lease and a storage unit for a wrestling ring. SGW Uganda has been using a ring made of mud so far, but that will hopefully change given the money raised.
One thing SGW Uganda won’t have to put this money towards is a van that’ll allow the promotion to take their show on the road. In a follow-up tweet, Mansoor explained that his mother has donated enough to buy a van in memory of her father who gifted them a win when Mansoor’s sister was born.
My mother, my actual shoot mom, has told us she is donating enough money to purchase a van for @SGWug
She wants to honor my late grandfather, George Vrakas, who gifted us a van when my little sister was born ??
SGW Uganda isn’t just a wrestling promotion but is a school that trains over 180 students. With this money, SGW Uganda will be able to take huge steps to the future with fans excited to see what’s next.
Championships from TNA Wrestling will be on the line in Australia next month as part of an event that’ll see some of the biggest stars in wrestling go ‘down under.’
The Starrcast Downunder convention will take place from April 11 to April 14, from Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Guests named for the convention include Bret Hart, Mickie James, Eric Bischoff, Bull Nakano, SoCal Val, Alicia Fox, Powerhouse Hobbs and Chris Masters, among others. The event will be presented by Oceania Pro Wrestling (OPW), in partnership with Visit Victoria.
TNA Wrestling at Starrcast
The upcoming convention will see plenty of TNA participation. It has been announced that TNA World Champion Moose will put his title on the line against Josh Alexander. The challenger never lost the title but his record-breaking reign ended in 2023 due to an injury. This match will go down at the Australian Stampede on April 13 at the Selkirk Stadium, and will be curated by Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.’
On the women’s side of things, the HER event will be hosted by Mickie James and will also see TNA gold on the line. TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace will defend against Delta, the most dominant force in the Australian wrestling scene. That show will take place on April 12 from the Selkirk Stadium.
In addition to the three TNA talents named in these matches, Starrcast Downunder will also see KUSHIDA make an appearance.
TNA will now be overseen by Anthony Cicione, who is the company’s new President in addition to being Anthem Entertainment’s President. The promotion’s next big event will be this week’s No Surrender pay-per-view. The card for the upcoming show is as follows:
The System (Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers) (with Alisha Edwards) vs. Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kushida and Kevin Knight)
Chris Sabin (c) vs. Mustafa Ali (TNA X-Division Championship)
Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Gisele Shaw (TNA Knockouts Championship)
Decay (Havok and Rosemary) (c) vs. MK Ultra (Masha Slamovich and Killer Kelly) (TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championships)
PCO vs. Kon
Josh Alexander vs. Simon Gotch
ABC (Ace Austin and Chris Bey) (c) vs. Grizzled Young Vets (James Drake and Zack Gibson) (TNA World Tag Team Championships)
Moose (c) (with Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers) vs. Alex Shelley (with Kevin Knight and Kushida) (No Surrender Rules Match, TNA World Championship)
There’ll be no shortage of gold on the line when TNA Wrestling hosts its No Surrender event this month.
TNA No Surrender will take place from the Alario Center in Westwego, Louisiana on Friday, February 23. The show will be TNA’ second major event since its relaunch, which officially came into effect with last month’s Hard to Kill show.
TNA Knockouts Championship Match
On this week’s episode of TNA iMPACT! it was announced that Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace will defend her gold at No Surrender against Gisele Shaw. Both women have been building momentum as of late. Grace captured the title at Hard to Kill last month and shocked the world by competing in the 2024 WWE Women’s Royal Rumble Match.
Gisele Shaw earned her shot at Grace at Hard to Kill by winning a Knockouts Ultimate X match. She defeated Alisha Edwards, Dani Luna, Jody Threat, Tasha Steelz, and Xia Brookside in the show’s opener.
BREAKING: @JordynneGrace will defend the Knockouts World Championship against @GiseleShaw08 on February 23rd at #NoSurrender LIVE on TNA+ and YouTube for IMPACT Ultimate Insiders!
At Hard to Kill, Moose captured the TNA World Championship from Alex Shelley. During this week’s TNA iMPACT! Shelley officially informed Moose that he’d be utilizing his rematch. Moose accepted the challenge and warned Shelley that he was going to learn how “The System” works. The System is the name of Moose’s faction, which consists of himself, Brian Myers, Eddie Edwards, and Alisha Edwards.
Whoever wins this TNA World Championship match could soon be sharing the ring with Nic Nemeth, who made his TNA debut at Hard to Kill. After close to two decades in WWE, Nemeth is ready for a fresh start in TNA and has set his sights on the top of the card…
Shawn Michaels was well-aware of Jordynne Grace before she entered the women’s Royal Rumble match this past Saturday and even wanted her in the WWE fold.
Speaking with the media ahead of WWE Vengeance Day Shawn Michaels was asked about the possibility of TNA connecting with NXT in the future for a “When Worlds Collide” PLE down the line. HBK first took the moment to speak about Grace and her talent.
“I’ve always sort of seen her from afar, and I’ve always wondered, you know, I don’t know, ‘What if she’d be interested, coming down next year, coming to the WWE?’ But my fault for never reaching out because I assume if you’re with another company, you know, that’s not allowed.”
Grace impressed many with her performance in the match as she lasted over 20 minutes before being eliminated by Bianca Belair in epic fashion. Michaels did end up addressing the olive branch extended to TNA at Royal Rumble and noted that the move possibily opens up for cool opportunities down the line, even if he has zero say in the matter.
“I think some things that probably we were never even allowed to consider or look at in the past is at least something that we can begin to look at and think about in the future.
“I, for one, very excited about that again, but those are, once again, those are things on a corporate level that I don’t get to say so.”
TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace recently shocked the fans when she made an appearance during the WWE Women’s Royal Rumble match.
‘Juggernaut’ is sitting at the top of the TNA Knockouts division as the first Knockouts world champion of the new era of TNA Wrestling. Grace made her WWE in-ring debut as the #5 entrant in the high-stakes match.
After entering the match, Grace came across Naomi (formerly Trinity in TNA Wrestling/IMPACT Wrestling). They shared a hug before exchanging fists during the Royal Rumble event. TNA Knockout lasted more than 19 minutes in the match and was eliminated by 2021 Rumble winner Bianca Belair.
Jordynne Grace: I want people to see what we’re really all about
After pulling off a shocking appearance, she recently outlined her goals for her career and eagerness to represent TNA Wrestling in WWE. Grace spoke with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful and said that she is hopeful of becoming the longest-reigning champion of all time.
In addition to this, Grace said that she would love to continue representing TNA Wrestling on WWE if the relationship helps in getting more exposure to TNA Wrestling. She said:
“I would love to be the longest reigning Knockouts (champion) of all time, that would be an incredible honor. Another thing that has just come within the past week, I just want to get more eyes on the product. I want people to see what we’re really all about and if a relationship with WWE is going to help us do that, I would love to represent TNA more on WWE,” she said.
Grace certainly impressed the fans by showcasing her talent and strength inside the squared circle. It is needless to say fans would certainly crave to see her back inside the WWE ring.
Pat McAfee admits that he didn’t know every name involved with the 2024 Royal Rumble, but the NFL-punter-turned-WWE-commentator was impressed.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, the new WWE Raw color commentator noted that he was unaware of some stars in the respective Rumble matches, one was current TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace, who shocked everybody with her appearance.
“Jordynne Grace. I had no clue who that was. As I was going through Gorilla to get up and out … I see her, and I’m like, because she had a title around her and she was facing away, I’m like, ‘Holy f***. Who is jocked, absolutely jocked?’ Then I come out there, and they’re like, ‘TNA Knockouts Champion.’ It’s like, ‘Holy s***.’”
Pat McAfee Admits to Not Recognizing Jordynne Grace at WWE Royal Rumble:
“There were some people that came out; I had no idea who they were. I had no clue. I was looking over at the trons, and I’m like, ‘What’s the name here? What’s the name here?’ And [Michael] Cole and Corey… pic.twitter.com/MMheEwDx0b
Grace didn’t eliminate anyone in the Women’s Royal Rumble match, but she did last over 20 minutes before being taken out by Bianca Belair. She also had a memorable run-in with Naomi, who just this past month dropped the Knockouts Championship to Grace at TNA Hard To Kill.
It was reported by PWInsider that Grace’s appearance in the match was actually an overture made by WWE to TNA with one source even believing that Triple H was the catalyst behind it all happening.
Grace also recounted the phone call she received from Scott D’Amore asking if she’d be interested in working the match to which Grace was shocked about it all occurring,
McAfee also happened to be an entrant in the men’s Royal Rumble match, but when he realized he was going to have to go up against Omos and Bron Breakker, he swiftly eliminated himself.
TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace was stunned when she learned that she’d be in the WWE Women’s Royal Rumble match and that she’d walk down the aisle.
During the post-Royal Rumble press conference, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared his gratitude to TNA for allowing them to use Grace for the match. In a video shared by TNA’s Twitter account, Grace explained how her surprise appearance came together.
“Scott called me, I’d actually just landed from our tapings that we did in Orlando. And I was waking up and he called and he was like ‘Oh, how do you feel about wrestling this weekend?’ And I was just there thinking to myself ‘Oh my God, what does he want me to do?’
“And he was like ‘How do you feel about being in the Rumble?’ And I was like ‘What? What are you talking about?’ And he just said ‘Yeah, how do you feel about being in the Rumble?’ Did they ask? And he would go ‘No, they didn’t ask. I just want you to be there and jump the barricade.’ And honestly, that was more realistic to me than WWE calling TNA and being like ‘Can your Women’s Champion be in our Royal Rumble?'”
WWE fans were a bit shocked to see Jordynne Grace in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match. This surprising appearance made way for a couple amazing spots with Naomi and Ivy Nile, and there is a lot more behind that cameo in Tropicana Field.
Behind The Scenes Info
Sean Ross Sapp reported a bit more information on Fightful Select about TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace showing up at the Royal Rumble. It was noted that WWE had contacted external companies regarding potential surprise entrants for the Royal Rumble.
According to the report, WWE reached out to TNA over the weekend, and the arrangements were made for Jordynne Grace, who is still under contract with TNA, to appear during the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
It’s reported that Grace underwent a physical and blood work on Monday before flying to Florida on Thursday to participate in the Royal Rumble rehearsals.
Some within TNA had heard about this possibility earlier in the month, coinciding with broader WWE and TNA rumors.
Sources within WWE reportedly mentioned that both TNA and Jordynne Grace were cooperative and easy to work with throughout the process. This was obviously great exposure for their brand.
WWE Has Royal Rumble History With Knockouts Champion
In 2022, Mickie James appeared in the Women’s Royal Rumble match as Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion. She was still under contract with them at the time of her appearance with WWE. That was also a big moment for Impact, because the Knockouts Championship got exposure in the big WWE match.
There was a lot of buzz among fans heading into the 2024 Royal Rumble and the event didn’t disappointing. From surprising debuts to big returns, it gave people a lot to talk about. Even the talent from different companies took on their social to react to the events of last night.
Jade Cargill, who made her official WWE in ring debut by entering the women’s Rumble thanked the fans for their support. She noted that it’s only the beginning of her journey and there is a lot more to come:
Thank you for so much love @WWE Universe ???. Get ready, it’s only the beginning ??
The TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace was very active overnight after making a surprise appearance in the Rumble. She made multiple tweets about her experience at the show while also indicating that we haven’t seen the last of her on WWE programming:
Words couldn’t do my feelings justice about any of this. Overwhelmed by the love.
Cody Rhodes’ historic back-to-back Rumble wins elicited a response from many of his wrestling peers. Both his wife Brandi Rhodes and fellow AEW alumni Shawn Spears commented on his big moment:
There were multiple WWE stars who took on social media to react to their own performance on the show. This included people such as Zelina Vega, Pat McAfee, and Bronson Reed among others. These stars didn’t manage to win their respective matches but gave fans some memorable moments:
I've been recovering this past week from a terrible flu. Being a part of the #royalrumble??? brought me back to life. Bucket list. Oh and and I heard you chanting "MEAT!" Keep that energy going into #WWERaw??? #yeetvsmeat