— Gail Kim, who returned to TNA Wrestling on Thursday’s episode of Impact Wrestling as a heel aligned with Knockouts VP Karen Jarrett and Madison Rayne, commented on the event.

She wrote on Twitter, “Thanks every1 4 getting me trending worldwide!@karenjarrett I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship :)))

“@MRayneTNA can’t forget the other piece of the puzzle some1 said the “A”team sounds about right.”

— The following matches were taped Tuesday and Wednesday in Orlando, Florida for upcoming episodes of TNA Xplosion: Jesse Sorensen vs. Robbie E, Brooke Tessmacher vs. Madison Rayne, Eric Young vs. Rob Terry, Gunner vs. Kazarian.

— Both James Storm and Gail Kim trended Thursday night on Twitter.

source: PWInsider.com

— Thursday’s episode of Impact Wrestling saw Dixie Carter return as President of the company and place Sting in charge of the program. In his first duty, he attempted give Bobby Roode a rematch against World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle but a clause in the contract only allowed one match between the two–the match already held at Bound For Glory. James Storm asked and received a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship later in the show. He defeated Angle in a minute-and-a-half to win the belt for the first time.

— Gail Kim returned to TNA Wrestling as a heel aligned with Vice President of the Knockouts Division, Karen Jarrett.

Velvet Sky came to the ring to thank the fans after capturing the Women’s Knockout Championship at Bound for Glory. The Knockouts VP interrupted Velvet and vowed to strip of her newly won title. After being distracted by Madison Rayne, the new champion was attacked from behind by a returning Gail Kim.

— No matches were announced for Turning Point, which takes place Nov. 13.

Preview IMPACT WRESTLING On SpikeTV: Shocks & Surprises!

Don’t miss Thursday’s huge IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 9/8c, featuring the aftermath from our biggest event of the year, Bound For Glory! It’s a night of shocks and surprises on the packed show! Can’t watch IMPACT WRESTLING on Thursday night? Make sure to set your DVR to record it so you don’t miss any of the action.

Here is a preview of Thursday’s broadcast:

– Kurt Angle is STILL the World Heavyweight Champion, having defeated Bobby Roode in controversial fashion at Bound For Glory! The champ will appear on Thursday’s broadcast of IMPACT WRESTLING! What’s next for Angle? How will Roode react? Who will step up to challenge him next? Don’t miss it!

– Also, after defeating “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan at Bound For Glory, Sting returned control of TNA to President Dixie Carter! Both “The Icon” Sting and Dixie Carter will appear on Thursday’s huge broadcast on SpikeTV! The question is, what’s next for Hulk Hogan after what happened at BFG? Is it a new era for Hulkamania? How will Eric Bischoff react? Tune in and find out!

– Also at Bound For Glory, a new Knockouts Champion was crowned as Velvet Sky realized her dream of capturing the gold! Velvet will be on the broadcast this Thursday, but Knockouts VP Karen Jarrett isn’t happy that Velvet came out victorious. What will happen between Velvet Sky and Karen Jarrett this Thursday? Is Jarrett about to make Sky’s championship reign a living hell?

– After he was forcefully kicked out of the Immortal alliance last week, “The Monster” Abyss will battle Immortal’s “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner

– Plus, the Knockouts Tag Team Championship will be on the line as titleholders Tara and Brooke Tessmacher defend against Winter and Angelina Love

Also appearing on Thursday night – “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy, “The King Of The Mountain” Jeff Jarrett, X Division Champion Austin Aries and many more!

— Tonight and tomorrow night’s Impact Wrestling tapings in Orlando, Florida will focus heavily on Dixie Carter regaining control of TNA Wrestling and Hulk Hogan’s babyface turn. Therefore, a number of wrestlers who are considered regulars will be left off both events.

Meanwhile, Hogan donned his trademark “Hulkamania” red and yellow colors in an in-ring segment with Sting that will air on Thursday’s show.

— Gail Kim returned to TNA Wrestling as a heel aligned with Karen Jarrett. The segment will air on Thursday’s show.

sources: ProWrestling.net, F4WOnline.com

— Kurt Angle and Don Curtis have been selected as the 2012 inductees into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.

The selection committee includes all living Hall of Fame members, all living Frank Gotch Award winners, and a select group of wrestling historians. The selection committee votes for one living and one posthumous inductee.

“I can’t think of someone more qualified than Kurt Angle to enter the Hall of Fame,” said Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco. “He won gold at every level. Don Curtis was a great man and an outstanding wrestler. He spent his entire life bettering wrestling. Both are great additions.”

The press release can be accessed here.

— Karen Jarrett turns 39 years old today. The Vice President of TNA’s Knockouts Division thanked her loyal fans for their support.

She wrote on Twitter, “Thank you everyone for all the sweet birthday wishes!!!! Xoxo.”

Hulk Hogan discussed Kurt Angle’s recent arrest for driving under the influence during an interview with Busted Open and said ex-wife Karen told him Kurt’s a horrible driver and that she didn’t allow him to drive their children during their entire marriage. Hogan said:

“The Kurt Angle thing, I don’t know what to think of it yet. They said he blew, you know, and he wasn’t drinking. I can’t even begin to go there, I’m not going to put Hulk Hogan’s opinion over what the legal system comes up with, because I don’t even know what we are talking about with Kurt. I don’t know what the facts yet, I don’t know what’s going on.”

“You know I talked to his wife and she said he’s a horrible driver. The whole time they were married she wouldn’t even let him drive the kids. He texts when he drives, he’s great in the ring as far as focusing but his people skills are horrible. He’s got two left feet, and it translates into his driving. I’m not making any excuses for him, but I want to know what the facts are before I pass any judgement.”

Karen, after reading Hogan’s remarks, wrote on Twitter,

“People should never make false statements and say they had conversations with people they didn’t!!!!”

She then requested an interview with another wrestling news site via their Twitter page, so she could “set the record straight on Hogan’s comments.”

The Vice President of the Knockouts Division added:

“One thing EVERYONE needs to know about myself…DON’T mess with my family!!!! If you do..GOD help you!!!!”

— The September 15 episode of Impact Wrestling featuring Sting vs. Ric Flair garnered a 1.20 cable rating, up from 1.02 the week before. The program averaged 1,640,000 viewers compared to 1,358,000 the week before.

Recent ratings: September 1 (1.06), August 25 (1.21) August 18 (1.05), August 11 (1.07), August 4 (1.14).

— This week’s Impact Wrestling Post Show features interviews with two top Knockout tag teams. Rosita and Sarita talk about their match on last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling and their opponents Tara and Brooke Tessmacher. Tara and Tessmacher then give their thoughts on Mexican America as well as the new Knockouts VP, Karen Jarrett.

To view the episode, click here.

source: F4WOnline.com

Below is the official preview for next week’s episode of Impact Wrestling:

Jeff Hardy returns Thursday on IMPACT WRESTLING At 9/8c on SpikeTV

Don’t miss Thursday’s huge IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 9/8c, featuring the return of Jeff Hardy and a huge World Title match! Can’t watch IMPACT WRESTLING on Thursday night? Make sure to set your DVR to record it so you don’t miss any of the action.

Here is a preview of Thursday’s broadcast:

– Starting this Thursday, it’s two back-to-back weeks of “can’t miss” IMPACT WRESTLING broadcasts on SpikeTV!

– All roads lead to Sting vs. Ric Flair next week (Sept 15), but this Thursday the World Heavyweight Title is on the line in the main event as Kurt Angle defends against Mr. Anderson, who cashes in his rematch clause

– Plus, the “Final Four” superstars in the Bound For Glory Series go face-to-face – who will advance to the main event at Bound For Glory?

– The British Invasion vs. Devon and The Pope to determine the #1 Contenders to the World Tag Team Championship

– Eric Young defends the Television Championship against Robbie E

– And what does Karen Jarrett have planned for the Knockouts Division? Will the new Knockouts Law rule the lovely ladies with an iron first?

The August 2011 issue of the UK based wrestling magazine Power Slam reports that there is a sizable pay discrepancy among the female performers of TNA Wrestling.

The magazine states that Christy Hemme and Mickie James are the highest-paid female talent in the organization: each earn more than $100,000 per year. Meanwhile, the rest of TNA’s female wrestlers and personalities (Angelina Love, Brooke Tessmacher, Cookie, Jackie, Madison Rayne, ODB, Rosita, Sarita, SoCal Val, Tara, Traci Brooks, Velvet Sky and Winter) earn far less: $600 per appearance at most.

Karen Jarrett’s salary is not stated, but the magazine indicates that she commands an above average appearance fee.

Hemme and James command the highest salaries because both were high-profile performers in WWE and thus are more valuable than the other women due to their name recognition. Though the magazine does not indicate which female talent earns more, it is noted that both make a similar low six-figure amount per year. Hemme, however, solely works televised events whereas James additionally appears on the company’s live event tour.

Hemme’s reported salary has drawn criticism from fans and colleagues as they feel it’s exorbitant for a non-wrestling female personality. The Honky Tonk Man claimed last year that her contract renewal with TNA last year was for three years at an annual rate of $175,000. He also said that Eric Bischoff, a huge supporter of the former WWE Diva and Playboy cover girl, helped Hemme obtain the high-end deal. Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer would not confirm the veracity of the former WWE star’s claim but did say the deal made her the highest paid female performer in the company.

Reports of Hemme’s salary last year reportedly upset some of her female co-workers.

At the maximum second-tier rate, a TNA Knockout who appeared on every single television and pay-per-view event over the course of a calender year, 64 in all, would garner $38,400 at most. TNA solely covers airfare, leaving talent to cover all other expenses including lodging, wardrobe and medical. There is also no downside guarantee, thus meaning talent only get paid when they are used. And while the company holds numerous non-televised events, each tour features a rotation of two to five female performers.

Velvet Sky, who is arguably the organization’s top homegrown female star, is believed to be earning the maximum rate of the second-tier salary cap. Her contract renewal with TNA last year reportedly called for her salary to be bumped from $300 per appearance to $600. However, she is an exception to the rule on salary hikes for female talent. Gail Kim, Awesome Kong and Shelly Martinez (a/k/a Salinas) have all publicly stated that they left TNA because organization officials denied their requests for a pay raise.

— Amidst interference from Karen Jarrett, Sarita and Rosita, Mexican America captured the TNA World Tag Team Championship from Beer Money, Inc. in the main event of last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling. This concludes their near-eight-month title run dating back to TNA Genesis when they captured the straps from the Motor City Machine Guns.

The term Mexican America was trending on Twitter last night following their capture of the TNA World Tag Team Championship.

— TNA Wrestling announced Thursday night on Impact Wrestling the signings of X Division wrestlers Mark Haskins, Zema Ion, Jesse Sorensen, Anthony Neese and Kid Kash. They were immediately thrust into an 8-Man Gauntlet Match along with Alex Shelley and Robbie E. The gauntlet resulted in Austin Aries securing the #1 Contender spot for the X Division.

Bios on all five athletes have been added to the company website.

— The latest issue of Power Slam reports that Karen Jarrett recently underwent breast implant surgery.

— Rock Pink, a charity whose mission is to raise breast health awareness and support local breast cancer programs, is holding an auction for one lucky fan to bowl with TNA Knockout Angelina Love in Orlando, Florida.

The auction can be accessed here. It concludes next Friday.

— TNA Lockdown 2011 will be released on DVD on June 21.

— Fans can meet Matt Morgan and Velvet Sky tomorrow from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Direct Auto Insurance 2552 Covington Pike Memphis, Tennessee. Call 901-388-0505 for more information.

The Honky Tonk Man claimed on his weekly podcast on Monday (audio available at www.htmradio.com) that Karen Jarrett (formerly Angle) is the alleged victim of a sexual harassment lawsuit against TNA Wrestling.

The former WWE Intercontinental Champion says Karen was sexually harassed by TNA Wrestling president Dixie Carter’s husband Serge Salinas.

He says a settlement was reached and that “part of the deal” involved Karen being given her job back with TNA Wrestling. He claims Carter was removed from television earlier this year due to the lawsuit.

The Honky Tonk Man tweeted Monday: “Anyone who missed HTM’s announcement on TNA tonight. Karen Angle vs Dixie Carter’s husband is the sexual harassment lawsuit going down! That’s why Dixie is off TV and Karen is now back with the company as part of the settlement.”

— TNAWrestling.com has posted a video previewing tomorrow night’s episode of TNA iMPACT!. It is labeled: “Who Is Kurt Angle’s Mistress? And What Will She Do To Karen Jarrett?!”

A preview for tomorrow night’s show was also posted: “Plus, Will Mr. Anderson finally get his title shot one-on-one in the ring with TNA World Champion Sting? Who at the network is the match maker? And the road continues to the May “Sacrifice” Pay-Per-View event!”

— Jay Lethal’s release from TNA Wrestling last week surprised a lot of people within the organization because he performed well when given prominence, not to mention that Eric Bischoff considered him a future star.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer speculates that TNA released Lethal in response to some X Division wrestlers complaining heavily at Lockdown about nothing being done with them when it was heavily discussed a few months ago that they would be spotlighted.

— TNA Women’s Knockout Champion Mickie James is scheduled for a radio interview tomorrow on 92.9 FM in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia between 9 and 10 a.m. The station can also be accessed at www.wdhc.com.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

— Miss Tessmacher cut an interview on last night’s episode of TNA iMPACT! and noted the differences in TNA Wrestling during the time she was away. The former WWE Diva says she has been training during that time and that she wants “that championship.” She closed by telling the ‘bitches’ in TNA that Miss Tessmacher is back.

— Eric Bischoff posted a message concerning Scott Hall on his Facebook account yesterday: “Just read Kevin Nash’s latest update on Scott Hall. I agree with Kevin 100% on the real issues at the core of Scott’s problems. God bless Kevin as well as Scott’s family and friends. I hope they find a way to reach Scott before its too late. Scott really is a good man underneath all the scar tissue and pain.”

— Jay Lethal, who was released earlier this week by TNA Wrestling, is accepting independent bookings via Jaylethal471@gmail.com.

— Jeff and Karen Jarrett will be “honorary crew members” for the Joe Denette Motorsports racing team at the Nashville Super Speedway tonight at the Bully Hill Vineyards 200.

source: PWInsider.com

TNA star Kurt Angle wrote the following on Twitter regarding this week’s TNA iMPACT!:

“The “Jarrett” segments on TNA Impact were appalling. It made me look like a dead beat Dad, which I am not (I can assure you). And it made Karen and Jeff look like the perfect American Family. MY kids were calling Jeff “Daddy Jeff”.

“NOBODY will ever replace me as the Father of my kids. You want me to look like the bad person? Don’t forget who wanted the divorce! I didn’t walk away from my family, Karen did. So keep your little “act” going on TV. It’s amusing to me, but don’t think for a million years that my fans are buying this crap.”

— TNA Wrestling has posted a video of Karen Jarrett offering fans a tour of the Jarrett estate in Nashville, Tennessee.

— A woman in Winnsboro, South Carolina won $100,000 off a Ric Flair scratch-off ticket, reports www.wltx.com. The winner’s husband, a longtime fan of Flair, told lottery officials that he was walking around their house chanting “Woooo!” afterwards.

“Now, I have a new reason to scream ‘Woooo!’ he said. “She’s started saying it.”

— Sarita is working this week’s TNA Wrestling live event tour across the southern United States, her first since June. She generally doesn’t work house shows due to her obligations with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) in Mexico and reportedly due to expenses because she is amongst the highest paid female performers in the company.