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WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling have formed a partnership in recent months, which has led to cross-promotional appearances of wrestlers between both companies. Jordynne Grace, Joe Hendry, Frankie Kazarian, and Ash by Elegance have all made their presence known to the NXT fans. Similarly, the former black-and-gold brand's Tatum Paxley has crossed the line to TNA, competing for the Knockouts World Championship at 2024's Against All Odds.
There are also spoiler reports revealing that more NXT wrestlers showed up at the recent tapings of TNA iMPACT! on June 28 and 29.
In December 2023, it was revealed that IMPACT Wrestling and WWE's parent company Endeavor had formed a partnership regarding featuring TNA+ programming on Endeavor Streaming.
WWE and TNA have collaborated in the past long before their most recent deal, such as Mickie James' participation in the 2022 Women's Royal Rumble as the reigning Knockouts Champion, Christian's appearance at TNA Slammiversary 2012 during his fourth reign as Intercontinental Champion, and Ric Flair being inducted into the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame as a member of The Four Horsemen while still signed with TNA.
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Both wrestling companies have done cross-promotional work at televised events, but what about video games? Jordynne Grace has done motion capture work for Ivy Nile in WWE 2K23, and she recently announced that she has done mo-cap work for WWE 2K25.
Years before he made his NXT or RAW debut, Austin Aries did voice acting work for WWE '12, voicing the fictional wrestler Jacob Cass, who is the main character for the Road to WrestleMania mode. Aries signed with TNA several months before the game's release.
The Stamford-based promotion hasn't featured any active TNA stars as playable characters in their video games, but that could all change soon. Upcoming games such as WWE 2K25 and 2K26 could potentially feature talent from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as part of their main game or in a DLC pack.
Without further ado, let's review five TNA legends who should appear in a future game for the Endeavor-owned promotion.
#5. TNA legend "The Monster" Abyss would be an awesome addition to any upcoming WWE video game
Abyss is one of the most legendary homegrown wrestlers from Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The Monster was with TNA from its very first show in June 2002, and he stayed with the company for nearly 17 years, leaving in January 2019.
His character resembles a fusion of Kane and Mankind; a masked madman who thrives in an environment designed for violence and mayhem. The sadistic lunatic loves to inflict pain on his opponent and uses a variety of weapons to satisfy his violent urges. Abyss is far from squeamish when turning his hardcore battles into blood-soaked massacres.
The man behind The Monster currently works for WWE as a producer, starting his role soon after leaving IMPACT Wrestling in 2019. The TKO-led company has yet to feature the Abyss gimmick on television or in video games. However, his Joseph Park character made his SmackDown onscreen debut as AJ Styles' statistician in August 2020. It's worth noting that Abyss reportedly turned down a match against The Undertaker at 2007's WrestleMania 23, choosing to remain in TNA.
Abyss is a highly decorated Total Nonstop Action Wrestling icon, and his career was honored in 2018 by being inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame. During his time with the company, he's won nearly every title available to him, including a reign as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. He's appeared in every video game released by TNA. Plenty of wrestling fans would love to play "The Monster" Abyss or his lawyer brother/alter-ego persona Joseph Park in an upcoming video game for World Wrestling Entertainment.
#4. Beer Money, Inc. were highly popular in TNA, and they'd still be popular if they made their WWE debut today
Robert Roode loves money, and "Cowboy" James Storm loves beer. When they combined their passions, the duo became one of the most legendary tag teams in the history of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Beer Money became multi-time World Tag Team Champions before Roode's desire for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship tore them apart. They would reunite in 2016 and win the tag team straps for the fifth and final time together. During their run as a tandem, the duo had intense battles with iconic teams such as The Motor City Machine Guns, LAX, and Team 3D, better known as The Dudley Boyz.
Both men have made their presence known in NXT. However, The Cowboy's run on the black-and-gold brand was short-lived. Whereas, Bobby Roode quickly ascended to the top of WWE's developmental brand, winning the NXT Championship less than a year after making his on-screen debut with the company.
Roode also found success on the main roster, winning multiple titles, including two reigns as RAW Tag Team Champion and one reign apiece with the SmackDown tag title, the 24/7 Championship, and the US Title. The Glorious One has remained under the WWE umbrella for over eight years. However, he never reached the top of the mountain in WWE like he did in the Nashville-based promotion, where he became a two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Storm also had a run with TNA's top title, but it was much shorter than his former partner's reigns as champ.
Robert Roode is currently employed by World Wrestling Entertainment in a backstage role as a producer, he last competed on June 25, 2022, in a match against The Nigerian Giant Omos. Since appearing in WWE 2K18, Roode has become a mainstay in officially licensed video games sold by the Stamford-based promotion. However, the company has never featured the Beer Money gimmick or "Cowboy" James Storm in any of its video games.
#3. "Cowboy" James Storm and "Wildcat" Chris Harris from America's Most Wanted dominated during the early years of TNA
AMW joined forces during the second weekly pay-per-view of NWA-TNA, going on to become one of the most dominant tag teams in the history of the Nashville-based company. America's Most Wanted attained six reigns as NWA World Tag Team Champions during their four-and-a-half-year run as a standout tandem in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. They'd win their fourth reign as tag champs during the very first episode of TNA iMPACT! in June 2004.
The pairing of Chris Harris and James Storm is perhaps best remembered for their epic war against Triple X's Christopher Daniels and "Primetime" Elix Skipper inside Six Sides of Steel in the main event of TNA Turning Point 2004. AMV emerged victorious after a hard-fought battle, forcing the opposing team to split up per the stipulation of the match.
Storm and Harris would both go on to make brief appearances in WWE. As previously noted, The Cowboy had a short stint in NXT, only wrestling twice for the black-and-gold brand in late 2015. The former Wildcat would wrestle two televised matches for WWE's ECW brand, winning both times while using the ring name Braden Walker. His short run with ECW would become a topic of online wrestling humor.
AMW was last seen wrestling with the Nashville-based promotion in September 2023 during the 1000th episode of iMPACT! They'd win an eight-man tag team match alongside Team Canada against The Design, Kenny King, and Sheldon Jean. America's Most Wanted last wrestled in March 2024 for the promotion World Classic Professional Big Time Wrestling, losing to the high-flying tandem of Rob Van Dam and Matt Riddle in a tag team match.
WWE hasn't properly showcased the legacies of "Cowboy" James Storm and "Wildcat" Chris Harris, but that could change with the inclusion of the two TNA tag team legends in a future game for World Wrestling Entertainment, possibly as part of a Total Nonstop Action Wrestling DLC pack.
#2. A character model of AJ Styles from his TNA days in a WWE video game
WWE's video games have routinely included multiple versions of legendary wrestlers, such as Triple H, Sting, Hulk Hogan, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Undertaker, Kane, and the many faces of "The Hardcore Legend" Mick Foley. WWE 2K19 featured two versions of AJ Styles, including a golden version of The Phenomenal One. However, the company never released a playable version of Styles that reflected his younger days with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
AJ Styles was with TNA from its very first show in June 2002 and stayed with the Nashville-based promotion for almost 12 years. During that time, Styles more than lived up to his phenomenal moniker, putting on classics with Impact Wrestling legends, such as Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, and Christopher Daniels.
The Phenomenal One reigned supreme in every division that featured his talent, capturing every title available to him. Styles set the groundwork for the division that had no limits, becoming the inaugural champion and attaining six reigns overall with the X-Divison Championship. He would also become a five-time World Heavyweight Champion as part of the Nashville-based promotion, with two reigns with the TNA Title and three reigns with NWA's 10 Pounds of Gold.
Styles has appeared in every TNA video game, and he's been a regular fixture of WWE games since 2K17. Considering the budding partnership between Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, perhaps we'll see one or more versions of AJ Styles in a future video game that represents a younger Phenomenal One who thrilled audiences in the Impact Zone.
Perhaps we'll also see a TNA-branded title being featured and defended in an upcoming WWE-licensed game, such as the X-Divison Championship, which was first won by a 25-year-old AJ on NWA-TNA's second weekly PPV.
#1. TNA's longest-reigning former World Champion Josh Alexander
Josh Alexander and Eric Young were referred to as "TNA legends" by play-by-play commentator Tom Hannifan during and after Young and Alexander's main event match on the June 20, 2024, episode of TNA iMPACT! The Walking Weapon and The World Class Maniac are both highly decorated performers. Both men won the top prize of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling twice, but unlike EY, Josh has never crossed the line into WWE territory.
Alexander is the longest-reigning world champion in the men's singles and tag team divisions. Alongside now-current NXT star Ethan Page, The Walking Weapon became IMPACT World Tag Team Champion twice as one-half of The North. Their first reign is noted as lasting a record-breaking 380 days. Josh also attained two historic reigns with the TNA World Championship. His first reign as singles world champion is the shortest in the title's history, and his second reign became the title's longest reign at 335 days. Josh also held one reign as X-Divison Champion.
Josh's current TNA contract is set to expire mid-way through February 2025. However, that hasn't stopped wrestling fans and journalists from speculating about The Walking Weapon arriving in WWE sooner rather than later. Considering WWE's ongoing partnership with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, it's possible that fans could see Alexander show up in a WWE ring before February of next year.
It's easy to predict that the intense and talented Josh Alexander will find himself in an officially licensed video game from World Wrestling Entertainment in the not-so-distant future. The 37-year-old Canadian has a bright future that'll more than likely extend far beyond the Impact Zone.
