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Since being founded in 2002 by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett, IMPACT Wrestling have used several tactics to differentiate themselves from their main competitor at the time, WWE. Then known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, TNA utilized multiple unique features to stand out from the crowd and not be seen as "just another professional wrestling company".
A six-sided hexagonal ring, the TNA X-Divison and a roster of wrestlers largely never seen before on the national stage. These unique selling points allowed TNA to capture the viewers' attention and gain significant traction in the mid-2000s.
This roster of wrestlers is often referred to as the "TNA Originals". The TNA Originals were the group of men and women largely responsible for putting TNA Wrestling on the map and competed in TNA during its early, fledgling days as a promotion.
In 2017, TNA would be purchased by Anthem Sports and Entertainment and be fully rebranded as IMPACT Wrestling. However, there is still a desire to see these wrestlers from TNA's past return to the company as TNA Originals and compete with the new, current crop of athletes in IMPACT Wrestling.
The recent Slammiversary pay-per-view saw the return of TNA Originals such as The Motor City Machine Guns and Eric Young to IMPACT Wrestling to much fanfare on social media.
Proving that there is a demand for their return to the company, here are five other TNA Originals who should return to IMPACT Wrestling.
#5 James Storm
James Storm is truly a TNA Original. 'The Cowboy' would sign with IMPACT Wrestling during its debut year in 2002, initially wrestling his future tag team partner Chris Harris on June 1, 2002. After that match, James Storm would be signed by IMPACT Wrestling and placed in a tag team with Chris Harris and the rest was history.
Competing in successful tag teams such as America's Most Wanted and Beer Money, James Storm would become a record seven-time NWA World Tag Team Champion and a record seven-time TNA World Tag Team Champion. However, James Storm's successes wouldn't be limited to just the tag team division in IMPACT Wrestling. The TNA Original would also hold the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on one occasion, as well as the TNA King of the Mountain Championship on one occasion.
In total, James Storm has held a total of 16 championships in IMPACT Wrestling during two stints with the organization that lasted a combined 15 years. It is difficult to find any TNA Original who has spent a longer amount of time under contract with IMPACT Wrestling and achieved more with the organization than James Storm.
One problem, The Cowboy is currently signed to Billy Corgan's National Wrestling Alliance. His run with the NWA, starting in 2019, has seen James Storm become the NWA National Heavyweight Champion as well as one half of the current NWA World Tag Team Champions with Eli Drake.
However, unlike IMPACT Wrestling, the NWA is not currently running shows or TV tapings of NWA Powerrr due to the pandemic. In addition to this, the NWA has ceased uploading content to their YouTube channel since June 18, 2020.
We have seen names such as Ricky Starks and Eddie Kingston, previously under contract with the NWA, appear on AEW programming. Perhaps this could pave the way for James Storm's return to IMPACT Wrestling? The TNA Original would undoubtedly be a welcome addition to an ever-expanding roster.
#4 Jay Lethal
Despite Jay Lethal's huge successes in Ring of Honor, he is best known for his work in IMPACT Wrestling from 2005 to 2011.
During his tenure with IMPACT Wrestling, the TNA Original was a six-time TNA X-Division Champion and a one-time TNA World Tag Team Champion. Jay Lethal would incorporate many varying gimmicks into his run with IMPACT Wrestling.
His most memorable gimmick was that of Black Machismo. In 2007, through the influence of Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley, known as Paparazzi Productions, Jay Lethal competed in the "Paparazzi Idol" segment. During the segment, Lethal would debut a spot-on impression of professional wrestling icon "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Over time, this would morph into a full-blown impersonation of Savage, with ring attire, sunglasses, gowns, headbands and mannerisms all used by Jay Lethal to impersonate the Macho Man. This character was then dubbed Black Machismo by Jay Lethal.
In addition to the Black Machismo character, Lethal also formed a tag team with Consequences Creed (Xavier Woods), known as Lethal Consequences, and win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.
To end his run with IMPACT Wrestling, Jay Lethal would also enter into a feud with Ric Flair and his faction known as Fortune. This would result in one of the most memorable segments in TNA IMPACT history as Lethal, impersonating The Nature Boy, would battle over the microphone with the real Nature Boy himself, resulting in comedy gold.
However, Lethal would depart IMPACT Wrestling in 2011 and return to ROH. During his current run with Ring of Honor, ay Lethal has become a two-time ROH World Champion, holding the record for the most combined days with the ROH World Championship in company history. In addition to this, Lethal is a record-setting two-time and longest reigning ROH World Television Champion, holding the title for 567 days. Jay Lethal is also the only man to hold the ROH World Television Championship and the ROH World Championship at the same time.
Currently still signed to ROH, Lethal is one-half of the current ROH World Tag Team Champions with Jonathan Gresham. He is only the only man to have held the World, World Tag Team, World Television and ROH Pure Championships.
Given all of these record-breaking accomplishments, it may be hard to see Jay Lethal ever departing Ring of Honor to return to IMPACT Wrestling. However, Jay Lethal is a TNA Original and does have a history with the company.
ROH are not currently doing live shows due to the pandemic, so a return to IMPACT Wrestling could be a possibility in the future. Regardless, many fans still hope that they will one day see the TNA Original, Jay Lethal, return to the IMPACT arena one more time.
#3 Bully Ray
Despite being an ECW original and a long-time WWE Superstar, Bully Ray can easily be seen as a TNA Original due to his long tenure on the IMPACT Wrestling roster.
Bully Ray (then known as Brother Ray) debuted for IMPACT Wrestling in October 2005, along with Brother Devon, as Team 3D. During their time as a tag team with IMPACT Wrestling, the legendary duo would win every accomplishment possible with the organization. This included the NWA World Tag Team Championship, the TNA World Tag Team Championship on two occasions, and the IWGP Tag Team Championships.
However, IMPACT Wrestling would be the company in which Bully Ray finally broke out as a singles star. In October of 2010, at the Bound For Glory pay-per-view, Team 3D announced their retirement. They would compete in one final match at the Turning Point the following month against the Motor City Machine Guns for the TNA World Tag Team Championships. However, Team 3D were unsuccessful and would be defeated by Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin.
This would lead to Brother Ray turning on Brother Devon and attacking him during Team 3D's retirement ceremony on the following episode of IMPACT, changing his name to Bully Ray in the process.
After feuding with Devon, Bully Ray would join Immortal, the heel faction led by Hulk Hogan, facing off against various IMPACT Wrestling stars in the process.
However, Bully Ray would briefly turn babyface once again in 2012 to unite against the IMPACT Wrestling locker room in their feud against the newest evil faction known as the Aces & Eights.
But, this would all be part of Bully Ray's master plan. At Lockdown 2013, Bully Ray would reveal himself as the President of the Aces & Eights, capturing the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in the process as he defeated Jeff Hardy. After being seen as a "tag team guy" his entire career, Bully Ray had finally reached the singles mountain top. As the President of the Aces & Eights, Bully Ray would become a two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
After the Aces & Eights dissolved, Bully Ray would briefly feud with Dixie Carter and the Carter family before leaving IMPACT Wrestling in 2014.
Bully Ray would return to IMPACT Wrestling for a one-off appearance in 2015 before becoming the General Manager several months later. However, this role would only last seven days before Bully Ray left IMPACT Wrestling once again due to the "current state of affairs within the company"
Now that IMPACT Wrestling is under the new ownership of Anthem Entertainment and run by different executives in Scott D'Amore and Don Callis, perhaps now could be the perfect time for Bully Ray to return to the company in which he became a World Champion for the first time in his career. Not only is Bully Ray a TNA Original, but he is also a TNA Hall of Famer. With recent teases that the Aces & Eights could be soon returning to IMPACT Wrestling, could the former President of the group be soon to return?
#2 Homicide
The TNA Original, known as Homicide, has had several runs with IMPACT Wrestling, resulting in a combined seven years with the promotion.
Homicide is perhaps best known as a member of The Latin American Xchange faction along with Konan and Hernandez, as well as other members such as Apolo and Machete.
As a member of LAX, Homicide became a 2-time NWA World Tag Team Champion as well as a one-time TNA World Tag Team Champion. However, Homicide has achieved more than tag team success in IMPACT Wrestling.
Homicide is a former one-time TNA X-Division Champion, winning the championship in July of 2009, defeating Suicide.
The TNA Original is currently signed to the National Wrestling Alliance, regularly appearing on episodes of NWA Powerrr, forming a tag team with Eddie Kingston.
However, we have seen other wrestlers previously under contract with the NWA appear on AEW recently, such as Ricky Starks and the aforementioned Eddie Kingston. With the demand to see TNA Originals return, could Homicide be the latest wrestler to exit the NWA and land in another North American promotion, specifically IMPACT Wrestling?
#1 Amazing Red
Amazing Red is not only a TNA Original, but he is also a pioneer and innovator in the success of IMPACT Wrestling's X-Division. If you watch most professional wrestlers compete in 2020, you will see elements of the Amazing Red in their performance.
Competing in IMPACT Wrestling initially from 2002 - 2004, Amazing Red is truly a TNA Original. Red quickly established himself in the X-Division as one of its top wrestlers. Amazing Red would capture the X-Division Championship during this period, holding the title and the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Jerry Lynn, simultaneously before departing the organization in 2004.
The TNA Original would return to IMPACT Wrestling in 2009 and captured the X-Division Championship, defeating Samoa Joe to become the X-Division for the 2nd time in his career. After subsequently losing the X-Division Championship in 2010 to Doug Williams, Amazing Red would once again win the X-Division Championship for the third and final time of September of 2010 defeating Jay Lethal before once again dropping the title two days later back to Jay Lethal. The TNA Original would then depart IMPACT Wrestling in August of 2011.
Since departing IMPACT Wrestling, Amazing Red has founded the New York-based House of Glory wrestling school, where he is also one of the head trainers. Regularly competing at the House of Glory shows, Amazing Red has plenty left in the tank.
As an innovator and pioneer of IMPACT Wrestling's X-Division, fans would be thrilled to see the TNA Original return to IMPACT Wrestling to face off against today's current crop of X-Division athletes.
