Josh Alexander says he got a little emotional when he learned about Scott D’Amore’s exit from TNA.

The former Impact World Champion recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for a new interview. He talked about his approaching free agency, potential opportunities in WWE and AEW, working with Will Ospreay and more.

When asked if D’Amore’s exit from the Anthem-owned promotion played a role in his decision to leave the company as well, Alexander admitted that he did get emotional when he first found out about it:

“When I first found out, he was [gone] I teared up. I’m not gonna lie, I was thinking about these last six or five years at the time I had in TNA and everything along the way.

When I started, having zero relationship with him other than he was the guy that got me a visa was giving me this opportunity to this point where we developed this relationship of trust, and he coached me along and gave me so much help.”

• TNA Locker Room Unites with Protest Letter Over Scott D’Amore’s Firing

Like The Rug Was Just Pulled Out: Josh Alexander

Scott D’Amore returned to TNA as an executive in 2017. He was appointed the Head of Creative and later promoted to Executive Vice President in December 2020. Coming out of the pandemic, Scott led the company into a new streak of success, creating more buzz and selling more tickets than the promotion had done in years.

The wrestling executive was the brain behind the TNA rebranding at the start of this year which generated a lot of buzz for the company. He was, however, abruptly fired from his position only a month after.

Josh Alexander noted how Scott put him in touch with people who helped him level up his skills. He explained that his firing after the rebranding made the locker room feel like the rug was pulled from under them:

“The entire locker room, especially with the rebranding of TNA thing happening at the end of BFG, and then it was like the debut of TNA, we were riding high. We just sold out the Palms.

These shows were insane. Then it felt like the rug was just pulled out from under you, right? So it’s like, how do you react to that? How do you feel about the relationship we built?”

Scott D’Amore has relaunched the Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling brand since his TNA departure. Though the company has not promoted any shows since its relaunch event Forged In Excellence in October.

You can check out Josh Alexander’s full interview below:

Scott D’Amore has spoken with TNA higher-ups since being unceremoniously cut from the promotion in January of this year. Appearing on the Busted Open Radio, D’Amore shared that two days before the Hard to Kill pay-per-view, he was informed that he would be replaced as TNA President.

“I was about to get on a plane, I found out kind of what was in the cards. [Anthem CEO] Len Asper and I had a chat about it. Even though I had seen some signs, it still hit me pretty hard, but I did what professionals do.”

What professionals do, as D’Amore explained in the interview, was fly to Las Vegas and do his best to make TNA Hard to Kill a success. The event marked the relaunch of TNA after years as IMPACT Wrestling and saw the debuts of Ash By Elegance and Nic Nemeth. Speaking to SE Scoops after the event, Killer Kelly said morale had been very high as the show was considered a rousing success.

Speaking With TNA

While D’Amore’s time with TNA has ended, he’s not entirely left the promotion behind. In the interview, Scott said he’s spoken with Asper, but that things are not entirely fine between the two men.

“I’ve spoken with Len Asper since then. Like as I said to him the day we talked about it, or it might have been the day the announcement went ahead, he said I hope there is no hard feelings. I said I can’t say there are no hard feelings, but there are no personal feelings.”

D’Amore has since relaunched Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling in his native Canada. The promotion will host its first two events this October and will stream live on Triller TV on pay-per-view. TNA’s Josh Alexander, Gisele Shaw, and KUSHIDA have been announced for these tapings, as well as former WWE World Champion Rah Dhesi.

Former TNA Wrestling President Scott D’Amore is set to relaunch Maple Leaf Wrestling as Mapple Leaf Pro (MLP) this October. D’Amore has kept a low profile since his abrupt termination from TNA Wrestling on February 7. He reportedly attempted to acquire the promotion from Anthem Sports and Entertainment, but was denied. This went down right after D’Amore had successfully led Impact Wrestling’s rebrand back to TNA.

After months of suspense, D’Amore returns to wrestling to run Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling. They will host a two-night Forged By Excellence event on October 19 and 20 at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Tickets will go on sale on August 26, these Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling events will stream live on Triller TV on pay-per-view.

Former WWE Champion Raj Dheshi (Jinder Mahal) has been announced for the first shows, along with TNA stars Josh Alexander, Gisele Shaw, and KUSHIDA.

History of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling

The company originated in Toronto, Canada, and started as Queensbury Athletic Club in the 1930s. It would rebrand to Maple Leaf Wrestling in the 1940s and feature several legendary wrestlers, including Andre the Giant, Bruno Sammartino, and Ric Flair. By 1984, WWE(FKA WWF) acquired Major Leaf Wrestling, and the promotion ceased operation.

The move to relaunch Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling may help restore the brand’s legacy and attract a new audience that was unaware of its existence. It was also announced that the library of old matches from the promotion will be uploaded to YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms, which will allow fans to watch their history at a later date.

D’Amore decision to resurrect Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling is intriguing and could be an exciting promotion in the independent wrestling market. From his work at TNA, he has shown what he can contribute to a company. Hopefully, this will open more opportunities for Canadian and other indie wrestlers who have yet to be given a spotlight.  

Kevin Sullivan has had a rough journey over the past several weeks and ‘The Taskmaster’ is getting a little help from fans and some major wrestling names.

Unfortunately, Sullivan was involved in a car accident back on May 12 while in Florida for an autograph signing. The aftermath was devastating but the hospital was able to save his leg and his life. However, Sullivan developed sepsis and encephalitis and in turn, has been hospitalized in ICU.

Sullivan has been in and out of conciousness, but ‘The Taskmaster’ keeps fighting on. His insurance plan has been nearly exhausted due to the ongoing expenses and his family has created a GoFundMe to help him and his family afford his recovery.

Not only did fans come out of the woodwork to help Kevin Sullivan, but a lot of big names in the pro wrestling world have too.

RELATED: Kevin Nash and Scott Hall Talk Unlikely nWo Backstage Influence

Jim Cornette and his wife Stacey donated $5,000 to the cause, Chris Jericho donated $2,500, Scott D’Amore donated $1,500, Cody Rhodes sent Sullivan $1,000 and so did Diamond Dallas Page. Norman Smiley also donated.

The original goal for the GoFundMe was $20,000, but with the help from his colleagues and wrestling fans, the donations are up to over $24,000.

The Sullivan family listed all that the money will go to in helping Kevin and it includes continued hospital expenses, skilled nursing care, acute and subacute occupational and physical therapy, recurring medical expenses and transportation.

You can still donate to Sullivan by going to The GoFundMe page.

We at SEScoops want to wish Kevin Sullivan a very speedy and healthy recovery from this unfortunate situation.

RELATED: Cody Rhodes Ensures Disabled Fan Attends Money in the Bank After Tickets Are Unfairly Revoked

Will Ospreay loves the passion of Scott D’Amore and he thinks that incorporating him into the AEW product would be extremely valuable to the company.

Speaking with Adrian Hernandez ahead of AEW Double Or Nothing, Ospreay expressed how much he respects the former TNA President and praises D’Amore for being the catalyst for the continued success of TNA despite no longer being with the promotion.

“I can’t tell you enough how much respect I have for Scott D’Amore. If there was anything that I want to put out there; if there was a way that AEW could hire Scott D’Amore in any type of fashion.”

Ospreay had one idea in mind as to how Tony Khan could utilize the talent and mind of Scott D’Amore.

“Have that guy run Ring of Honor or something. The passion that he had for TNA, and just how he completely single handily transformed that company.”

• Arn Anderson Announces Exit From AEW

Tony Khan purchased Ring Of Honor years back and made the brand its own entity. Much to the chagrin of many, all the new programming resides on the ROH Honor Club. Khan has been criticized as to how he has handled the brand as a great deal of the product flies under the radar due to it solely being on Honor Club.

D’Amore was let go by TNA after he was the primary proponent for rebranding the company and since then, D’Amore has trademarkedd “Maple Leaf Wrestling” and is putting on a Border City Wrestling event later this year. Ospreay spent a “cup of coffee” in TNA as a free agent before signing on full-time with All Elite Wrestling.

H/t to Fightful for the transcription.

Border City Wrestling will come to Toronto, Ontario this June for the promotion’s first event since the controversial exit of Scott D’Amore from TNA Wrestling. 

D’Amore, who served as TNA’s President for years, was let go by Anthem mere weeks after the highly successful relaunch at TNA Hard to Kill. The decision outraged fans as well as those on the roster, with D’Amore’s constant efforts for years being seen as the reason why TNA had not gone out of business or been purchased by WWE long ago. The decision to replace D’Amore with Anthem’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans.

• What Was Said AT TNA’s Meeting with Talent After Scott D’Amore’s Firing?

Now, D’Amore will be part of the upcoming Border City Wrestling event that will take place at the St. Clair College Sportsplex on Saturday, June 15. The show will feature hockey legend and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Darren McCarty in attendance with a statement by BCW teasing that he could step in the ring. 

Despite the circumstances surrounding D’Amore’s exit, the BCW show will feature names associated with TNA Wrestling. Bhupinder Gujjar, the recipient of the 2024 St. Clair College Alumni of Distinction Award, will be a part of the event, as will Sheldon Jean. 

The show will have free admission. Click here to find out more information about the event.

What’s to Come? 

D’Amore will be kept pretty busy with Border City Wrestling but he may soon have another promotion to work with. A recent trademark filing was made for Maple Leaf Wrestling with the address listed being the same as the Border City Wrestling school. Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The name was later used by the WWF. 

Don Callis remained pretty callous following the news that Scott D’Amore was fired from TNA. D’Amore was let go from the company months ago as Anthem took reigns of the promotion and appointed Anthony Cicione as the new TNA President.

Callis was a big part of TNA during it’s Impact era, but had since moved on from the company after aligning with AEW. When speaking with “Sunday Night’s Main Event,” Callis was asked about D’Amore being gone from TNA and Callis claimed this was the first he heard about his exit.

“Scott’s not with TNA anymore? I don’t talk to Scott, so I don’t know… but here’s the thing: Scott D’Amore is five-foot-eight, but when he stands on his wallet, he’s 7 feet tall. So Scott D’Amore, we’re not having any tag days here for Scott D’Amore, no food stamps. If he lost his job, I don’t shed a tear because I don’t shed a tear for multi-millionaires, who now’s just gonna play more golf. Scott’s a smart guy but I mean, you know, no tears here so, but I had no idea. Thanks for letting me know.”

• How Much Did Scott D’Amore Offer Anthem to Purchase TNA Wrestling?

What Callis may also not know is that D’Amore is using that one-foot-four-inch thick wallet to likely relaunch Maple Leaf Wrestling as the name was just trademarked by D’Amore and “The Gimmick Attorney” Mike Dockins. 

D’Amore was one of the primary proponents for getting the TNA brand back off the ground. Not only that, but it was evident D’Amore was greatly loved behind-the-scenes as many TNA talents wrote out a petition to bring D’Amore back after he was let go.

H/t to Andrew Thompson of POST Wrestling for the transcription.

Scott D’Amore appears poised to return to the world of professional wrestling, mere months after his abrupt departure from TNA Wrestling. 

D’Amore was controversially fired as TNA President by parent company Anthem earlier this year, shortly after the highly-praised company relaunch at Hard to Kill 2024. Cutting D’Amore was met with heavy backlash as the Canadian had worked tirelessly for years to rebuild TNA’s standing in the wrestling world and had been an intrinsic part of the relaunch. The decision to replace D’Amore with Anthem’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans. 

D’Amore’s next chapter in the industry could see him play a huge role in his native Canada, according to a new trademark. The Maple Leaf Wrestling promotion has filed to trademark its name, with Michael E. Dockins making the filing. Dockins, the self-professed ‘Gimmick Attorney’ has covered several wrestling-related trademarks in recent years with Sting and FTR benefitting from his services.  

The address listed on the filing is the same address as the Border City Wrestling School, which is owned and operated by D’Amore. The filing allows for the use of the Maple Leaf Wrestling term on various pieces of merchandise as well as at wrestling events. At this time, D’Amore hasn’t publicly commented on the filing. 

The history of Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The promotion was initially known as the Queensbury Athletic Club, which started in back in 1930. 

The Maple Leaf Wrestling name was acquired by the WWF in 1984. In 1986, the name was used for broadcasts of WWF Superstars in Canada. The name was used by the WWF until 1995 with the final show being held at the Maple Leaf Gardens in September of that year. 

More from Scott D’Amore

Here are some recent articles regarding Scott D’Amore as the former TNA President seems poised to return to the world of wrestling in his native land: 

TNA may be making a significant change on how they ink deals with most talent. According to a new report from Fightful Select, TNA may me leaning more towards offering wrestlers per-date deals rather than full-time contracts. 

The impression has been that the offers have been quite different than what talent typically expected of a TNA deal. There is currently no confirmation whether this is a widespread movement for the company, but it would be a notable difference for TNA. The company notoriously parted ways with long-time TNA President Scott D’Amore earlier this year which caused the roster to write a petition on behalf of their former boss.

Update On The Contracts Of The Motor City Machine Guns

Could the Motor City Machine Guns be moving on from TNA already? According to recent reports, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin may have that option.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider intially got word that Shelley and Sabin’s contract could be up soon and Fightful followed up with their sources who believed that it could be in the within month of March. However, Sabin nor Shelley confirmed such news directly. The legendary TNA tag team actually signed with the company back on March 23, 2023.

It’s been a beneficial run for both Sabin in Shelley while Impact transitioned back to TNA as both became stalwart singles champions with the promotion. Sabin secured the X-Division Title during his tenure while Shelley had a very strong run as TNA World Champion before he dropped it to Moose at TNA’s first official PPV back at Hard To Kill. 

The TNA Wrestling roster was able to have its say at a large meeting with management following the firing of former President Scott D’Amore. 

D’Amore was fired earlier this month by TNA’s parent company Anthem Entertainment, who have replaced him with their own President Anthony Cicione. Replacing D’Amore with Cicione has been part of an effort to strengthen ties between the two parties. The decision to cut D’Amore has been met with backlash. TNA’s roster has issued a letter to Anthem, expressing their views on the matter. It was reported last week that a meeting between TNA talent and management would take place 

Who Was At TNA’s Meeting?

The meeting was meticulously planned out ahead of time, according to Fightful Select. Attendees of the meeting included TNA Wrestling talent and bosses within Anthem, some familiar to TNA’s roster and others that talent will be answering to from now on. Some of the TNA wrestlers had spoken with higher-ups on a one-on-one basis as well.

What Was Said at the Meeting? 

The general consensus of the meeting was that nobody wanted the roster to abandon the hard work they’ve done collectively, even if the roster wasn’t in agreement with the decision to fire D’Amore. One top name with TNA was reportedly looking to leave the company as a result of D’Amore’s exit. They later decided to work the weekend’s taping and see how the meeting went before doing anything too extreme. 

The Future of TNA Wrestling

TNA’s new higher-ups were said to be open to feedback from the talent roster. Many wrestlers in the company said that while they disagreed with the decision, the meeting did do a good job of getting them excited about the possibilities going forward. While many in the company are still hoping Scott D’Amore will rejoin TNA at some point, it is not expected to happen.

Scott D’Amore was willing to pay big money to purchase TNA Wrestling and save his role with the promotion in the process. 

D’Amore was fired as TNA President by Anthem Entertainment, TNA’s parent company, earlier this month. The Team Canada alum has been replaced by Anthony Cicione, Anthem’s President, in an effort to strengthen ties between the two parties. The decision to cut D’Amore has been met with backlash. TNA’s roster has issued a letter to Anthem, expressing their views on the matter. 

Purchasing TNA Wrestling

Shortly before his exit from TNA Wrestling, D’Amore attempted to purchase the company from Anthem. While the figure was not disclosed at the time of his departure, it was said to be a serious offer with the backing of a major financial institution. 

D’Amore offered $10 million to acquire TNA Wrestling, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported this week. In addition to this, Scott offered to take on all existing debts. Anthem turned down the offer out-right without a counter offer being made. The D’Amore group believed the company value was between $7 million and $12 million.

What’s Next?

A meeting will take place at this week’s tapings of TNA Wrestling and it is believed the D’Amore situation will be addressed. Some in TNA believe that Len Asper, the head of Anthem, will be at the meeting. 

With or without D’Amore, TNA will move on ahead with its weekly entertainment. On March 8, the promotion will host its Sacrifice pay-per-view from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The show will be TNA’s second PPV since relaunching at last month’s Hard to Kill show.

AEW Collision will be in for the fight of its life for ratings this April when the show goes head to head with WWE WrestleMania: Night One.

AEW will hold a live Dynamite on Wednesday, April 3, in Worcester, MA at the DCU Center. That same night they will tape the AEW Collision that will air that week. The show will air at the same time as WrestleMania 40: Night One, on TNT. 

So far, no matches have been announced for either Dynamite or Collision. WrestleMania 40 has two matches currently confirmed. They are.

• IYO SKY (c) Vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)

• Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)

This weekend, WWE will host its Elimination Chamber: Perth Premium Live Event from Perth Australia. Next weekend, AEW will host its Revolution pay-per-view from Greensboro, North Carolina.

TNA Wrestling Meeting

TNA will host a meeting this Saturday with it’s roster, ahead of the day’s tapings in New Orleans, PW Insider reports. There are some in the company who believe Anthem head Len Asper will be at the meeting. Anthem Entertainment recently fired Scott D’Amore and as TNA President and have replaced him with their own President Anthony Cicione. TNA’s roster has issued a letter to Anthem expressing their support for D’Amore. It has since been reported that 

New Name for AXS TV

TNA Wrestling currently airs on AXS TV, which could soon be getting a rebrand. The report adds that the current front runner for a new name is ANTHEM.

TNA Wrestling’s Tommy Dreamer has refuted the claim that he is now running TNA’s creative department following the dismissal of Scott D’Amore. 

D’Amore was released as TNA President last week and has been replaced by Anthem Entertainment’s President Anthony Cicione. Anthem, TNA’s parent company, reportedly wanted to have a closer connection to the promotion, hence the appointment of Cicione. 

Scott D’Amore attempted to purchase TNA Wrestling and made a serious offer to Anthem. D’Amore’s offer was made as he was aware Anthem had plans to get rid of him. D’Amore’s offer was not in response to the success of last month’s TNA Hard to Kill show. 

Tommy Dreamer Refutes Creative Claim

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that Tommy Dreamer is running TNA’s creative now that D’Amore has gone. This led to Dreamer’s name trending on social media. During Busted Open Radio, the former TNA Digital Media Champion refuted the claim with plenty of sarcasm. 

“Oof. I’m so glad people know things about my life that I don’t know… Thanks for the promotion. I hope I get a raise with this fictitious position. Because if I was head of creative, you know Moose is losing the [TNA World] title to me at whatever the next show is.”

After some laughs, Dreamer made clear that he had not been promoted to Head of Creative. 

“It’s the same deal as always before. It really and truly is. Nothing has changed within the creative process. Thank you very much.”

The TNA locker room isn’t going to let D’Amore go without a fight… 

H/T – Wrestle Zone

TNA Wrestling is going through another big change right after their re-branding. Scott D’Amore is out, but now another man is running the creative side of things. The Innovator of Violence, Tommy Dreamer now has the book for TNA.

Scott D’Amore’s Replacement as Head Booker

Last week, the wrestling community was surprised by the news that Anthem chose to end D’Amore’s tenure, who many consider crucial to TNA Wrestling’s future. Over the last six months, D’Amore has strongly advocated for changes in the company’s offerings, including introducing new talent, welcoming back familiar faces, and reviving the recognizable

D’Amore tried to purchase TNA Wrestling after it was made clear that the company would fire him. They did not sell, and now D’Amore is out.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that Tommy Dreamer is now the head booker for the company’s creative direction after D’Amore’s firing. This was expected, but at least Anthem didn’t place someone else in the role from outside the pro wrestling world.

“Tommy Dreamer is now the head of creative as many expected with D’Amore gone.”

Backlash After Scott D’Amore’s Firing

It should be noted that there was a big letter sent to Anthem in protest of Scott D’Amore’s firing. Some members of the roster reportedly signed-off on it as well, and it is a rather scathing review of the current circumstances.

TNA Wrestling talent were also offered to start discussions about their release from the company if they don’t like this new creative direction. As of this writing, we have not heard about anyone who has departed as a result of D’Amore’s exit.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of this still-developing story, so keep checking back for more updates.

UPDATE: Denial & Clarification 

Tommy Dreamer has now denied this report. He said that he is not head booker of TNA Wrestling.

PW Insider reported to clear up this misinformation from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Ariel Shnerer is reportedly looking over all content coming out of TNA Wrestling from this point on.

“Ariel Shnerer will be overseeing all TNA content going forward and will be working in conjunction with new TNA President Anthony Cicione. It will be Shnerer who will have the last word on any talent and creative decisions, although Cicione will be the top of the pyramid.” 

Scott D’Amore was removed from his position with TNA Wrestling, and he wanted to make it very clear that it wasn’t his choice. Now, the talent who really care about him are expressing just how they feel to management.

Scott D’Amore’s TNA Wrestling Exit

The decision to move Scott D’Amore out of his job with TNA apparently came before the re-branding. Then, D’Amore offered to buy the company, but those efforts were rebuffed by Anthem. 

D’Amore emphasized that both parties refrained from labeling his departure as his own decision or a mutual agreement. Some talent asserted they were informed that D’Amore resigned, but this wasn’t accurate. Moreover, Ontario, where Anthem is headquartered, has stringent employment regulations, making it advantageous for D’Amore to ensure the departure wasn’t perceived as mutual for his future prospects.

TNA Talent Protest Over Scott D’Amore’s Firing

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that multiple TNA talents have endorsed a letter addressed to Anthem, expressing discontent over Scott D’Amore’s departure from TNA. They also released this letter, which you can read below.

Len and Scott, 

TNA/ Impact is not just our employer and the company for which we work. It is a family. A family that each of us has grown to love and cherish and trust with our bodies and our careers. A family for which we feel deeply and that desire, above all else, to protect. We are deeply saddened by the decision to remove Scott D’Amore from the TNA/Impact family. Scott is a brilliant wrestling mind that has guided this company and has it positioned to take the next step upward in our industry. Scott is also so much more than this. He is a trusted friend, confidant, teacher, advisor, brother, and mentor to so many within the TNA/Impact family. Scott has been the heart of the TNA/Impact family for over two decades. Len and Anthem have been instrumental in supporting and building this company back from the ground up.

The contributions of Len and Anthem have never gone unnoticed by anyone in the company, and we want to make sure Len knows this. TNA, simply put, would not have survived without Len and Anthem. Not just financially, but with the undying faith in Scott and us to revive the company that was on the brink of death. Len and Anthem are the foundation that TNA has been able to build upon. We would not have made it back to this point without BOTH of you. The fans know this, and the TNA family knows this. We come to you to voice our concern for TNA/Impact, our family, and its future and direction. We, like you, wish to safeguard what we have all worked and sweat and bled for to build.

We want TNA/ Impact to continue grow and to continue to be an enviable place for all professional wrestlers to work. We understand and appreciate that professional wrestling, at its core, is a business, and that the company must provide a fiscally responsible, financially viable product. At the same time, professional wrestling is uniquely situated. The business of professional wrestling is so much more than balance sheets, downloads, and ratings. The wrestling business is and must be its people, its characters, and its storylines.

That is to say, there is no wrestling business without the wrestling creative vision and the right people bringing the creative vision to life. To thrive, a wrestling company must have both an eye toward business decisions, and its fingers on the pulse of creative decisions and the ever-changing appetite of our fans. It is in light of this concern and our desire to uphold the high standards of TNA/Impact that we offer this letter. It is our desire to have a dialogue with you and with the company in an effort to protect the present and the future of TNA/Impact for you, for Anthem, for the fans, and for professional wrestlers.

We feel strongly that a “wrestling person” needs to be intimately involved at a high level to ensure that the amazing company we have all built and product we have provided to our fans continues to grow and flourish. It is our opinion that the best possible person for that role was, is, and will be Scott. We recognize that we do not necessarily know all the facts or details around the decision to remove Scott. In life there is always the rumors, the opinions, and, somewhere in between, the truth. We rarely get to know which is which. It remains our hope and desire that everyone can set aside the past few days and any hurt feelings or unkind words that may have been exchanged, and meet to discuss a path forward that preserves the TNA/Impact family we all hold so dearly.

We remain steadfast and hopeful that this letter can be a first step to opening, and keeping open, productive lines of communication to ensure the TNA/Impact family continues to be a wonderful, unique place to work for years to come. We ask and implore you both to come together and create a resolution that will reunite this family once again. We look forward to hearing from you and continuing this dialogue.

The report from Fightful Select also noted, “Those that we’ve spoken to have actually spoke well of Anthony Cicione as a person, but there are concerns about his lack of experience connected to wrestling. We’re told the closes he has to wrestling knowledge was helping WWE with The Score when he ran that channel.”

What’s Next

This is a very interesting situation. More information is coming for this still-developing story, because you never know what will happen in pro wrestling at this point. Scott D’Amore certainly seems to have some major pull to reinstate him in his previous role with TNA Wrestling. 

Scott D’Amore clearly had a love for TNA which further fueled the shock as to why the veteran was let go from the company’s top executive. 

Last week, the wrestling world was astonished to learn that Anthem decided to terminate D’Amore, who to many, has been the primary factor as to why Impact Wrestling (and now TNA) still exists. Even in just the past six months, D’Amore has been a heavy proponent for change in the company product, complete with bringing in new acts, old faces, and bringing back the three familiar letters in TNA. 

Despite all that, Anthem replaced D’Amore with Anthony Ciccone, a longtime Anthem executive. A new report from Fightful Select shines further light on the matter as the plan for D’Amore’s exit was put in place for over a month.

Latest on D’Amore Leaving TNA

Anthem wanted the ending of D’Amore’s run to be a mutual departure, but Scott remained steadfast in keeping his position. The reported reason for D’Amore not agreeing to a mutual departure is because it put him in a better position for future opportunities.

Despite Ciccone taking over for D’Amore, Scott has reportedly held Ciccone in high-regard but still didn’t want to relinquish his position as TNA President. There were rumors of D’Amore attempting to buy the company outright from Anthem, but that was clearly denied if the effort was actually made.

When it comes to budget upgrades for TNA, it only appears that Anthem may be making an effort to do so in the software department. The reported plan is for Anthem to strip back TNA’s budget to even less than what they had for 2023.

Scott D’Amore was recently fired from TNA Wrestling and recent reports suggest that he tried to purchase the promotion before being dismissed.

TNA Wrestling recently got re-branded from IMPACT Wrestling. Scott D’Amore was the driving force behind the company’s recent surge in attention. However, he won’t be there to witness the business enter the subsequent stage.

D’Amore had been with TNA since 2003 and had occupied some important leadership roles while being instrumental in the company’s successful rebranding last month. Meanwhile, Anthony Cicione, who has worked with Anthem for the past 16 years supervising technical operations and managing many cable and digital channels, has taken his place.

The success of The Score was greatly attributed to his work as a sports content producer for the channel WWE before he joined Anthem. Cicione has taken the role of managing TNA Wrestling’s day-to-day operations. His extensive background in executive-level management, spanning over three decades, is certainly a valuable asset to the company.

Scott D’Amore made an attempt to buy TNA

As per a report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, D’Amore made a bid to buy TNA from Anthem. The former President had backing from a major financial institution but his offer was rebuffed.

In addition to this, the change at the top of TNA had been in the works for several weeks and D’Amore learned around 10 days ago that he would be replaced.

It seems that the massive rebranding leading to Scott’s firing has left the talent shocked. Know more about the situation below:

Scott D’Amore was fired from TNA Wrestling in a shocking turn of evens. Few saw this move coming, especially the roster. Now, we are getting a bit more information about what happened.

Why TNA Wrestling Fired Scott D’Amore

TNA Wrestling is just coming off a successful re-branding. There is a lot more interest in the company now, and Scott D’Amore spearheaded that shift. Sadly, he won’t be around anymore to see the company further into that next phase.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned that he had heard Scott D’Amore had issues with Anthem management, because they wanted to produce the show on the cheap, and that was a disagreement.

“It was coming back, it was getting more popular, but their whole thing was to just have a product, tape television. Fulfill your pay-per-views, your streaming stuff, and do it as cheaply as possible. And you know whether that is the reason of the split that they, you know, that was it, or there was some other thing that we don’t know. I’m sure it’ll be out in the next couple of days. That was one thing that I had heard from people is that was a dispute he had with management.”

TNA Wrestling Offered Talent Releases

The recent firing of D’Amore by TNA Wrestling after a successful re-branding has sparked some confusion. This topic was discussed by talent in two video conferences on Wednesday, with one reportedly becoming quite hectic.

During those discussions, it was mentioned that some talent expressed dissatisfaction with the situation. Tommy Dreamer then suggested that those interested in discussing their release from the company do so privately. It was also noted that top talent like Jorydnee Grace likely won’t be granted their releases, but only time will tell what happens.

Following the announcement of D’Amore’s departure, the atmosphere reportedly became chaotic, as many were loyal to him. Kim instructed everyone to mute their lines, and it is believed that some talents were permitted to voice their concerns.

SE Scoops will have continued updates on TNA Wrestling and Scott D’Amore’s next move. Some TNA talent may not be happy about this, but they will have to wait and see what happens after this, along with everyone else.

Scott D’Amore had a lot to do with the popularity that Impact Wrestling had, and under Anthem’s ownership, he spearheaded a change back to TNA Wrestling. Now, he is gone, and talent are a bit shell-shocked by it all.

Releases Addressed During TNA Wrestling Meeting

It is very interesting that TNA Wrestling went from a successful re-branding straight into firing D’Amore. This subject was addressed by talent in two video conferences today, and Haus of Wrestling reports that one got a bit “chaotic.”

The idea was then addressed that some talent are not happy about the situation. This is when Tommy Dreamer stated that anyone who wants to discuss their release from the company may do so in a private manner. 

 It was said to have gotten chaotic after they broke the news that D’Amore was no longer with the company, as many were loyal to him. Kim asked everyone to mute their lines, and we believe some talents were allowed to speak.

The all-talent call concluded with Tommy Dreamer telling talent that if they were unhappy and wanted to be released from their deals, they could have those discussions with the company privately.

More Information on Mandatory Meetings After Scott D’Amore’s TNA Firing

Initially, it is reported that there was a belief that talent had the option to leave their contracts, but further discussions revealed this may not be the case. One source reportedly indicated that potential releases would likely depend on the perceived importance of the talent to the company. 

For instance, Jordynne Grace was cited as someone unlikely to be released given the attention she garnered after the WWE Royal Rumble. It also remains to be seen who has asked for their release from TNA Wrestling, if anyone has.

During the second call, both the production team and other staff members, alongside talent, were reportedly present. Several Anthem executives, including President and CEO Leonard Asper, CCO Ed Nordholm, HR advisor Michelle Hall, new TNA President Anthony Cicione, VP of Business Ariel Schnerer, and VP of Sales Anthony Burroughs, participated. 

Burroughs addressed the call and expressed a desire for more TNA integration in other Anthem shows, similar to the involvement of Eric Young and Frankie Kazarian. The call was characterized as a motivational speech.

Who is Anthony Cicione, the new President of TNA 

With a tenure of 16 years at Anthem, Cicione has managed technical operations and supervised multiple cable and digital channels. Before joining Anthem, he worked as a sports content producer, notably contributing to The Score’s success by introducing WWE programming.

In addition to his role as President of Entertainment, Cicione will oversee the day-to-day business operations of TNA Wrestling, leveraging over 30 years of executive-level management experience.

Impact Wrestling is now TNA Wrestling once again. That welcomed change back to a nostalgic name brought some fans back, but Scott D’Amore is now out.

TNA Wrestling announced the contract of company President Scott D’Amore has been terminated. Anthony Cicione has been named as his replacement.

In a press release issued Wednesday afternoon, TNA Wrestling states:

“The move aims to further integrate TNA Wrestling into Anthem’s Entertainment Group, of which Cicione is the President, leveraging the entire Company’s resources to add more value in areas including production, distribution, marketing, viewership, customer acquisition, digital revenue streams, ad sales and sponsorships, digital tech operations, and more.”

D’Amore had been with TNA since 2003, held many key leadership positions and played a vital role in the return of the TNA Wrestling brand last month. 

“Anthem thanks him for the commitment he brought to the business, the talent, and the people who work outside the ring.”

This is a move that few, if anybody, saw coming, based on reactions from prominent wrestling journalists on social media. D’Amore has been the face of of Impact Wrestling’s rebrand back to TNA Wrestling, and now he’s out 3 weeks into that rebrand,

Who is new TNA President Anthony Cicione?

For the past 16 years, Cicione has served at Anthem, overseeing technical operations and managing various cable and digital channels. Before joining Anthem, he worked as a producer of sports content, notably contributing to the success of The Score by introducing WWE to the channel.

Apart from his role as President of Entertainment, Cicione will assume responsibility for overseeing the daily business operations of TNA Wrestling. With over 30 years of executive-level management expertise, he brings a wealth of experience to the organization. 

Cicione has served with Anthem for 16 years, overseeing technical operations and various cable and digital channels. Before joining Anthem, he was instrumental in elevating The Score’s success as a producer of sports content, notably by securing WWE programming for the channel.

Reactions

Here are some reactions from the wrestling world to Scott D’Amore’s surprise removal as President of TNA Wrestling:

I’m lost for words…..Shutting down for a few days. ??

— MOOSE™? (@TheMooseNation) February 7, 2024

We don’t play about @ScottDAmore! Ok bye.

— Trinity (@TheTrinity_Fatu) February 7, 2024

https://t.co/DF9MVEhjhW

— Josh Alexander (@Walking_Weapon) February 7, 2024

THANK YOU @ScottDAmore

— Mike SANTANA?? (@Santana_Proud) February 7, 2024

Heart and soul of TNA.
Irreplaceable. pic.twitter.com/GDuducuafT

— Jordynne Grace (@JordynneGrace) February 7, 2024

? @Beezzzzy | @ThisIsTNA pic.twitter.com/xSdsi6ugzv

— Will Ospreay • ????????? (@WillOspreay) February 7, 2024

What’s Next

While we are not sure about the details about why, because this is a brand-new story, it is a shocking turn of events to see Scott D’Amore removed as TNA President. D’Amore championed the company’s shift back to TNA Wrestling as well, and he seemed to have morale up in the locker room as well. as fan interest.

SE Scoops will have more information on the breaking story as more information is made available. Please keep checking back for more updates.

The new era of TNA Wrestling will see the promotion work alongside Lucha Libre AAA to bring the most exciting stars of both companies to a greater number of fans. 

During Hard to Kill, TNA President Scott D’Amore and Lucha Libra AAA Worldwide CEO Dorian Roldán Peña appeared in front of the fans in Las Vegas, Nevada. D’Amore said that TNA has already been about collaboration and spoke about the mutually beneficial partnership TNA and Lucha Libre AAA have enjoyed over many years. 

Roldán Peña thanked Scott for inviting AAA to TNA, and said he has been thinking about how he could bring more luchadors and Lucha Libre to the U.S. He added that with the flair of Lucha Libre AAA stars and the intensity of TNA talent, they will change the landscape of wrestling over the next year. 

TNA is proud to continue its long and storied history with @luchalibreaaa! @ScottDAmore @dorianroldan pic.twitter.com/n9riu19SFY

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 14, 2024

TNA Wrestling & Lucha Libre AAA

This upcoming partnership will hardly be the first time that the two promotions have teamed up. TNA Wrestling and Lucha Libre AAA began a working agreement in 2015, and in 2018, announced a partnership with the AAA-affiliated Lucha Underground. This allowed for AAA wrestlers to appear for TNA (IMPACT Wrestling at the time) on a regular basis. 

In April 2018, the two promotions held Impact vs Lucha Underground from WrestleCon in New Orleans to a sell-out crowd. The following year, IMPACT and Lucha Libre AAA would co-promote the Ultra Clash supershow in the Monterrey, Mexico area. This event marked IMPACT’s first show in Mexico since 2019. 

TNA Hard to Kill went off the air with a massive debut… 

Fans have caught their first glimpse of the new TNA World Tag Team Championships, ahead of the promotion’s official relaunch at Hard to Kill.

It was announced in the closing moment of Bound for Glory 2023 that IMPACT would be rebranding as TNA. This news has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response from fans. Reigning World Champion Alex Shelley told SE Scoops that the reaction has even taken some in IMPACT/TNA by surprise. 

New TNA World Tag Team Championships

In a video shared to YouTube, TNA President Scott D’Amore spoke to reigning World Tag Team Champions ABC. D’Amore spoke about watching Chris Bey and Ace Austin grow up in the promotion, before revealing the new TNA World Tag Team Championships. 

Fans will be immediately drawn to the bright red strap of the new TNA World Tag Team Titles. Each title has a total of five silver plates with the center plate being ornated with various patterns, as well as the TNA Wrestling logo. 

What’s Next? 

ABC may be the proud holders of the TNA World Tag Team Championships, but their time with the new titles may be short-lived. At TNA Hard to Kill, ABC will defend the gold in a four-way tag-team match. They will be challenged by The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel), Speedball Mountain (Mike Bailey and Trent Seven), and the debuting former WWE tag-team of the Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake).

These new Tag Team Championships aren’t the only titles to get a makeover… 

Last year when WWE released 20+ talents in April, Impact built up their Slammiversary PPV around who would be debuting or returning to the company. Promotional materials for this year’s Slammiversary event carry a similar feel.

Scott D’Amore recently appeared on the Wrestling Perspectives podcast and implied that negotiations with some recently released WWE talent might have already begun.

“I think you look at what we did at Slammiversary last year with all the buzz, and I think there’s an opportunity here. There’s some great talent and they’ve got this hiccup in their career. We’ve all been there probably where we’ve been let go and they’ve got the opportunity to do like so many of the people did last year and forge new opportunities and different and in some ways better opportunities for themselves,” D’Amore said (transcriptions via Fightful).

Scott D’Amore on Samoa Joe

With Samoa Joe now a free agent, D’Amore made specific mention of when he wanted to bring Joe to TNA in 2005.

“In 2005 when I got put in charge of the creative for TNA I knew there was one guy that I wanted, and that was Samoa Joe, and I worked very hard getting on the phone because WWE wanted him as well. Myself and Mike Tenay, who’s an amazing, amazing dude that I know some of you have met and got to be around, we just knew Joe was different and special and we wanted to have him there. That was 2005, we were able to get him and do some pretty damn cool stuff. I got mad respect for Samoa Joe and would always love an opportunity to work with him again, both because of his unbelievable talent and his unique charisma and also because he’s just a good dude.”

Scott D’Amore On Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, and Chelsea Green

D’Amore also hinted that some conversations may have already started.

“So many of that other talent. you look at it, whether it’s Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, whether it’s Chelsea Green, you know, there’s just so much there and I just got to say, I think there’s a chance that some talent’s going to move around and you’re just going to have to stay tuned and be careful what I say, but maybe some conversations have started.”

Impact Wrestling Vice President Scott D’Amore has opened up about the show’s premiere on AXS TV earlier this week. The show was headlined by Brian Cage versus Sami Callihan in a steel cage match for the Impact World Championship. Callihan defeated Cage to claim the title.

In an interview with Wrestling Inc. before the premiere, D’Amore spoke about how they ended up on AXS TV. He also addressed why Pursuit and Pop wasn’t the right home for the promotion.

“As people probably can understand, this isn’t the type of thing that comes together overnight,” D’Amore said. “It’s been a very long process and it goes back many months. It’s been in the works and one of the hardest things to do is just keep telling people, ‘don’t worry, we have a plan’ but not being able to say what that plan was. So, it was a pretty exciting day when we finally got to get that announcement out about AXS TV.”

He explained that “Ultimately, Pursuit was a stopgap for where we knew we were going. We were still on Pop TV when we knew that AXS was going to be our new home. But without us committing to Pop, Pop couldn’t commit to us. If we would have stayed on Pop, we would have been bounced all over the late night time slots.”

D’Amore shared that he believes Impact’s strength lies in the way they try to tell dynamic, compelling storylines in different ways. He added that this new deal with Anthem (who acquired majority ownership of AXS) gives them a firm home, claiming that “Impact is here and it’s not going anywhere.”

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

MLW and Impact Wrestling have announced they will collaborate over WrestleMania weekend in order for fans to be able to see both of their live events.

Impact Wrestling released the following statement earlier today:

“IMPACT Wrestling, a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp., and Major League Wrestling (MLW), announced today that they will be collaborating for their events on April 4 by coordinating talent and schedules to ensure that fans can attend live events presented by both organizations when virtually the entire professional wrestling world descends upon the New York metropolitan area.”

IMPACT Wrestling and @MLW will be collaborating for their events on April 4 by coordinating talent and schedules to ensure that fans can attend live events presented by both organizations!

FULL DETAILS: https://t.co/SQkjmx93VM pic.twitter.com/hc56ZosbRh

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 30, 2019

Impact moved their event to the state of New Jersey so they could hold it after 11 PM.

“Due to the New York curfew preventing us from starting at 11:00 p.m. ET, we have moved our live event to New Jersey,” stated Impact’s Scott D’Amore. “We want to thank our partners at WrestlePro for facilitating this collaboration on April 4th and also thank House of Glory and stress that we couldn’t make this happen for our great fans without their cooperation.”

Impact Wrestling & MLW Events Over WrestleMania Weekend

MLW will present “Rise of the Renegades” at 7 PM on April 4th from the Melrose Ballroom. At 11 PM that same night, Impact Wrestling will present “United We Stand” from the Rahway Recreation Centre in New Jersey. The two venues are said to be about an hour’s drive from one another.

“This arrangement eliminates talent booking conflicts and ensures that loyal and passionate fans of both IMPACT Wrestling and MLW are able to attend our respective live events on April 4th,” said Impact Wrestling President, Ed Nordholm.

“Both promotions believe in putting the fans first,” said MLW COO Jared St. Laurent. “Fans will be traveling from all over the world in hopes of seeing the best of the best.”