10 Biggest Plot Holes In TNA/Impact Wrestling Storylines

The creative side of TNA aka Impact Wrestling had many misfires throughout the year that led to many disappointments. TNA’s desire to compete with WWE never worked out to become a major second promotion with the reach of WCW in the past or AEW in the future. Impact Wrestling still lives today with a strong product, but the past often haunts them.

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There have been quite a few interesting instances of TNA having glaring flaws in some storylines or concepts that missed the mark. Most of these moments featured talented names trying to make a bad situation work with the creative flaws being exposed. The following TNA memories feature plot holes that harmed the ideas.

10 Taz's Association With Samoa Joe

TNA introduced Taz in an effective storyline as Samoa Joe’s mysterious mentor. Joe hinted at having an unknown adviser for weeks that would get revealed as Taz. Many fans compared the two for years with Joe’s character in TNA mirroring Taz’s ECW work.

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The storyline made sense at the start but fell apart when Joe joined the Main Event Mafia as a shocking heel turn. Taz managed Joe for a little while in the group, but his role felt counterproductive with Joe following the Mafia wrestlers. TNA separated them by having Taz move to commentary and trying to detach from his association with Joe.

9 Christy Hemme Not Watching Show Back To See Samuel Shaw's Stalking

The trope of wrestlers not watching back the show and realizing that others are manipulating them can be down for many angles, but it was especially true for Christy Hemme with Samuel Shaw. TNA introduced Shaw in an odd storyline with Hemme after he won a Gut Check contract.

The segments featured Shaw doing extremely creepy things when Hemme wasn’t looking that the cameras caught. Christy wasted months before realizing that Shaw was stalking her all that time from the opening interview.

8 The Orlando Screwjob

TNA attempted to copy the Montreal Screwjob a few times after hiring Earl Hebner to be one of their lead referees. One of them was even called the Orlando Screwjob when Hebner rang the bell to cheat Kurt Angle out of the TNA World Championship against AJ Styles.

Angle even span on Hulk Hogan afterwards to mimic what Bret Hart did to Vince McMahon. TNA explained it through the logic of Hebner admitting he cheated Angle due to Ric Flair and Styles paying him. However, the plot hole grew when Hogan rehired Hebner claiming he learned his lesson.

7 Scott Steiner Claiming He Beat Everyone In WWE

Scott Steiner was in the early portion of names joining TNA right after a WWE run ended. The heel character of Steiner had a perfect introduction as Jeff Jarrett’s enforcer entering rivalries with Sting, Kurt Angle and Christian Cage.

A program between Steiner and Angle featured Big Poppa Pump boasting a bit more than logically expected. Steiner claimed that he had beat everyone in WWE and Angle was on the short list of names he had to defeat. Reality remembers that Steiner’s WWE push only lasted about two months with few impactful wins.

6 Black Reign's Backstory

Dustin Rhodes joining TNA gave them a respected legend with strong WWE success. The Goldust persona was so successful that Dustin struggled to get over outside of WWE afterwards for his WCW return and various TNA stints.

Black Reign was the gimmick during Rhodes’ final TNA run meant to be a dark version of Goldust. There was no explanation for the character nor was there a backstory. Fans were to believe that Dustin just entered the darkest place of his mind with a darker look and a pet rat.

5 Fortune Joining Immortal

TNA booked a huge moment of Immortal forming as the new powerful faction after Jeff Hardy and Hulk Hogan both turned heel. Immortal was instantly pushed as TNA’s top act, but they had a strange moment on their first Impact episode with the other established group Fortune.

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Ric Flair leading his modern version of Fortune with stars like AJ Styles and Beer Money felt like a perfect feud for Immortal. TNA instead had them uniting right away with Hogan and Flair making peace. There was no real logic behind them merging, especially at the start of Immortal.

4 Tito Ortiz & Rampage Jackson Joining Factions

Bellator becoming a huge part of Spike TV created a working relationship with TNA Wrestling. A couple of high-profile MMA stars were placed in a TNA spot to sell their rivalry. Rampage Jackson was placed with the reuniting babyface Main Event Mafia as a friend of Kurt Angle.

TNA ran weeks of vignettes for the infamous August 1 Warning debut with fans expecting a major wrestling star. Another MMA fighter was placed here with Tito Ortiz joining Aces & Eights. TNA teased a match between Ortiz and Jackson, but they eventually just disappeared to return to their MMA careers without a payoff.

3 Dixie Carter Begging Hulk Hogan To Stay

The Hulk Hogan experiment having a prominent role in TNA on-screen and backstage was viewed as a disappointment. TNA wanting to truly compete with WWE never happened as Hogan’s bold moves typically backfired.

Hogan’s final TNA moment created even more negative press for the company when having a promo exchange with heel Dixie Carter. The departure of Hogan featured Carter begging him to stay and getting on her knees to grab his ankles as he walked away. There was no reason for this and no payoff since Hogan never returned.

2 Mickie James Trusting James Storm While Feuding With Her Husband

The infamous segment of James Storm throwing Mickie James on train tracks was part of his bigger feud with her husband Magnus. TNA tried to tell the story of Mickie and Storm having a close relationship that existed outside of the Magnus feud.

However, James appeared a bit too trusting of her old friend after he made strong threats towards her husband. The foolish decision to spend personal time with the now sadistic Storm ended with her almost paying for it with her life.

1 Rob Van Dam Vacating TNA Championship & Returning Early

One of the strangest TNA stories featured Rob Van Dam vacating the TNA World Championship via a kayfabe injury. Abyss brutally attacking Van Dam forced him to vacate the belt and set up a long tournament to crown a new champ.

RVD returned the same night as Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle and Mr. Anderson competing for the gold. It made no logical sense to crown a new champion hours after the previous champ who never lost it returned. TNA had so many plot holes in this entire illogical storyline.