8 TNA Storylines You Had No Idea Were Meant As Punishments

The history of TNA featured many different names in positions of power and on the roster with such a fast turnaround of those in their respective roles. Names like Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett, Billy Corgan and Scott D’Amore are just some names that made the big creative decisions in TNA.

Wrestlers were forced to adjust to the changes in philosophy and the overall goal of the promotion. This led to some odd instances of wrestlers getting into trouble in TNA and having things play out publicly on-screen. TNA was no different to many promotions that made their performers pay for real-life things in front of the audience. The following TNA storylines were actually meant to be real punishments for the talents involved.

8 Desmond Wolfe Falling Down Card After Winning Fan Poll

Depushing A Potential Top Star For Dumbest Reasons

Fans Voting For Nigel Ruined His TNA Career
Management Slowly Phased Him Out
Showed Management Vs Fan Base Conflict Existed

Nigel McGuiness is currently one of the more popular AEW commentators, but he never achieved the wrestling success he deserved. TNA seemed like the best place for Nigel to break out when signing there as Desmond Wolfe after his previous WWE contract offer was pulled due to his injury history. Kurt Angle being Wolfe’s first feud even added some excitement to his introduction in a top program.

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff’s era taking over featured some changes, including fans getting to vote on a #1 contender. Wolfe winning the title shot as a heel led to him being buried in the booking shortly afterwards since management wanted a babyface to win the vote. Fans took it as TNA wanted Desmond outside of the spotlight after winning a poll he was meant to lose.

7 The Naturals Losing Push After Refusing Haircuts

Promising Tag Team Flops After Haircut Refusal

Weird Reason For Backstage Heat
TNA Once Viewed The Naturals As Future Top Act
Never Found Success In Wrestling After TNA

A unique story to come out from Jeff Jarrett on his podcast looking back at TNA history was the story of why management lost faith in The Naturals tag team. Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens received a strong push of TNA trying to make The Naturals a successful homegrown act.

However, a lot of faith was lost when Douglas allegedly refused to get his hair cut as part of a new presentation and push. TNA started phasing out The Naturals shortly afterwards with their characters coming off as whiny. Everyone appeared to lose faith in the tag team when Douglas turned down the cosmetic look to cause their downfall.

6 Mick Foley Busting Open Bubba The Love Sponge

Locker Room Loved It

TNA Wrestlers Hated Bubba
Foley's Last TNA Appearance
Felt Very Intentional, This Was Booked When Everyone Hated Bubba

Bubba the Love Sponge joined TNA as a broadcaster since he was Hulk Hogan’s best friend and a controversial radio show host. A lot of backstage heat was heading Bubba’s way when he made racist comments about earthquake victims in Haiti that led to a real fight with Awesome Kong.

TNA wrestlers hated Bubba to cause some speculation over him being placed in a spot to get physical. Mick Foley allegedly gave Bubba a stiffer hot than he would have due to the issues with Kong and other TNA wrestlers. This was the final TNA segment for Foley, so he wouldn’t have to deal with the follow-up to him busting Bubba’s nose open.

5 Samoa Joe's Inconsistent Booking

Joe Holds Unique Record In TNA History

TNA Kept Fining Joe For Backstage Punishments
Felt Management Team Booked Him Poorly For His Attitude
Joe Should Have Been A Much Bigger Star For TNA

The TNA career of Samoa Joe is fascinating since fans view him on the Mount Rushmore of TNA greats while management rarely fully believed in him. Joe reached the main event stint and kept running into the creative team putting him in terrible situations to lose all credibility.

An interview with Renee Paquette saw Joe admit he was the most fined wrestler in TNA history since he often got punished for speaking his mind. Joe even believed Vince Russo tried to make him look bad with the infamous storyline of him getting abducted by ninjas. The fines coinciding with Joe’s push always fizzling out felt too intentional to not be punishments.

4 Daivari Losing Feast Or Fired To Get Fired Over Backstage Disagreements

No Jarrett, No Daivari

Agreed To Work For Jeff Jarrett Before Jarrett Was Removed
TNA Used Match Stipulation To Fire Him
Returned To Impact Wrestling Many Years Later

Former WWE wrestler Daivari joined TNA in various stints hoping to make it his wrestling home. Daivari’s closest ally was Jeff Jarrett, and he felt he agreed to a job that was different than what it became when Jarrett no longer held any power whatsoever.

This caused Daivari to have serious talks about his future with management wanting out. TNA used the Feast or Fired stipulation to have Daivari win one of the briefcases and get fired in the storyline manner to mirror his real-life exit. Daivari had to look weak on the way out and be embarrassed as a punishment for wanting out without Jarrett.

3 Dixie Carter's Locker Room Speech About Hulk Hogan Joining

Embarrassed Entire Roster For No Reason

Hogan Drama Started Before He Even Arrived
Dixie Insulted Her Talents For No Reason
Locker Room Was Shocked At Segment AIring

One of the strangest segments in TNA history featured a real-life meeting of Dixie Carter addressing the TNA roster after the news of Hulk Hogan joining the company. Many people were negative or just feared for their futures with someone getting full creative power to change everything that was going on.

TNA filmed the segment before the tapings with Dixie running down anyone against the move and implying they should leave if unhappy. The roster was basically talked down to by Carter all for a move that ended up badly failing them. Hogan flopped leading TNA, and Dixie just alienated a large percentage of the roster.

2 Alex Shelley Wearing Turkey Suit

MCMG Deserved Better

Foley Hated Being Part Of Burying Them
Turkey Suit Became Annual Embarrassment
Shelley Is Now TNA Champion 15 Years Later

The Motor City Machine Guns had a lot of backstage heat on them in the late 2000s. Management disliked them asking questions instead of going along with what was given to them, and there was even some criticism placed on Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin for refusing to intentionally bleed during a match.

Mick Foley’s book about his TNA time shared how he hated being a part of MCMG getting buried. TNA’s annual tradition of a losing wrestler wearing a turkey suit at the end of their Turkey Bowl. Shelley was forced to wear the turkey suit in the second year of this tradition as a way to humble him.

1 Jay Lethal Losing X-Division Title Over Kurt Angle's Booking

Creative Upset Everyone Involved

Angle Wanted To Make Lethal A Star
Creative Team Disagreements Became Petty
Lethal Suffered Most For No Fault Of His Own

Kurt Angle referenced a wild reason for TNA punishing Jay Lethal on his podcast looking back at their time working together. TNA was running the storyline of Angle winning all three male championships at the same time after defeating Samoa Joe and having the pressure of defending them all.

Lethal ended Angle’s X-Division Championship in a great moment, but TNA originally wanted it to be via a distraction. Angle refused and decided to take the upset loss to Lethal in an effort to make a new star since it felt like a crowning moment in the X-Division. The story saw Angle claiming that TNA’s creative team had Lethal lose the belt days later as a punishment since they never wanted him to win cleanly.

Celebrity Prestige Daily