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Many wrestlers have wrestled for both WWE and TNA. TNA has been criticized for many years for putting too much emphasis on hiring former WWE talent and relying on names made elsewhere rather than building their own stars.
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Many former WWE wrestlers turned out to be complete busts but some of them ended up positively improving TNA. Sometimes the best talent on the market happens to be talents leaving WWE. Many former WWE wrestlers turned out to be complete busts and hurt the overall future of the company, but some of them ended up positively improving TNA.
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There’s also the case of WWE signing stars that were first in TNA. This has yielded more success recently with buzz behind adding stars like Joe, EC3, Bobby Roode and others to the WWE Roster. Here are the WWE Superstars who did incredibly well in TNA.
#8 Jeff Jarett
During his WWE days in the 90s, Jarrett achieved midcard success but was never anything special. TNA was able to use him as a main eventer and he's one of the most important on-air performers in the history of the promotion.
Many fans would say Jarrett abused his power by putting himself in the main event picture and champion position too often but he did at least get heat from the crowd. Jarrett did well as a top heel in TNA. It’s questionable to say Jeff Jarrett was used better in TNA considering he was the one using himself as the man in charge during its early days.
Jeff is now a WWE Hall of Famer. He was inducted by The Road Dogg earlier this year.
#7 Kharma a.k.a Awesome Kong
The way TNA used Awesome Kong during her original run with the company was one of the best things they ever did. Kong was a monster heel that ran through the entire Knockouts division. She would destroy anyone who came in her path.
During her TNA days, she would come out during matches and destroy the other Divas but there was no interesting backstory or purpose to it. Kharma’s greatest WWE moment was having a fun appearance in the Royal Rumble, but she should have achieved more.
Gail Kim was the brave face to stand up to her and it resulted in some of the greatest matches in female wrestling history. WWE eventually picked her up and renamed her Kharma.
#6 Goldust a.k.a Black Reign
The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust was an awkward diversion from the original in 1998. Dustin continued to reinvent himself in TNA, degenerating into a darker, more sadistic side of his personality. That personality eventually found the name of Black Reign.
After eight months, the gimmick received it's final curtain call, winning just three matches out of 22 televised bouts. Essentially a black and silver version of the Goldust character with a hardcore twist, Black Reign debuted at Hard Justice 2007.
#5 Gail Kim
WWE had Gail Kim win the Women’s Championship on her first night in the company but she was never presented as a credible star. After her first push with the title quickly ended, she was always used as a secondary female wrestler during her two runs in the company.
Kim has always been respected and spotlighted as an elite women’s wrestling star in TNA. In 2007, she was the first Knockouts Champion and the face of the female wrestling movement they were starting. Gail Kim’s time in TNA is among the best bodies of work a female performer has ever put out in North American wrestling.
#4 Christian
After letting his WWE contract run out in 2006, Christian went to TNA as their first big signing of a former WWE star. Using the name Christian Cage, he did a great job as a main eventer and provided some of the best moments and matches in company history.
Christian was never booked as someone that could be a main eventer. His matches were stellar and his promos were great but management just didn’t believe in him selling tickets. But during his second run in the WWE (2011-2014) he won the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time and was involved in good feuds with the likes of Randy Orton and Alberto del Rio.
#3 Bubba Ray Dudley a.k.a Bully Ray
WWE tried breaking up The Dudleys after the brand split in 2002 and Bubba Ray was pushed as a singles star, but it just wasn’t the same without D-Von. TNA tried the same but this time it actually worked. Bubba started going by Bully Ray and became one of the best heels in the industry.
Brother Ray turned heel on Devon, becoming Bully Ray in the process - a vicious, smash-mouth bruiser. Over the next couple of years, Bully Ray worked his way up the ladder until he was widely regarded as one of the best acts in TNA.
#2 Bobby Lashley
With an instant push in the WWE, Lashley achieved success in the company as the ECW Champion and was involved in a big WrestleMania storyline with Donald Trump and Vince McMahon.
Despite the belief in his potential, his push eventually faded and he was out of WWE. But WWE viewed Bobby Lashley as one of their faces of the future.
TNA signed him and after a lacklustre first stint from 2009-2010, Lashley returned in 2014 and was outstanding. Perhaps it is due to experience and maturity, but Lashley has emerged as one of the best talents currently in pro wrestling and is doing very well currently in the WWE.
#1 The Hardy Boyz a.k.a Broken Hardys
Matt Hardy's return to TNA saw him achieve more applause and praise, with virtually all of that stemming from his descent into the Broken Matt character.
With Matt victorious, Jeff became "deleted" - and in his place stood Brother Nero. The productions became so popular that, following another extraordinary pre-taped match at Bound For Glory, an entire episode of Impact Wrestling was taped at the Hardy compound.
The Hardy Boyz returned to the WWE back at Wrestlemania 33 and later that year Matt Hardy became 'Woken' (bringing back his old 'Broken' gimmick) and Jeff Hardy going as a singles competitor on Smackdown Live.
