{"id":292027,"date":"2024-02-27T01:04:21","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T06:04:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/the-best-tna-wrestlers-of-all-time"},"modified":"2024-02-27T01:04:43","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T06:04:43","slug":"the-best-tna-wrestlers-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/the-best-tna-wrestlers-of-all-time","title":{"rendered":"The Greatest TNA Wrestlers of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

The 2000s marked an exciting time for wrestling fans the world over. With ECW and WCW closing their doors at the start of the decade, new start-ups offered a fresh alternative to the mainstream product presented in WWE.<\/p>\n

Along with Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action served as one such organization, achieving success for its grittier storylines, original specialty matches, and utilization of remarkable in-ring performers. In some cases, a select number of TNA wrestlers have gone on to long and prestigious careers in WWE, NJPW, and AEW, with TNA\u2019s alumni including AJ Styles, Sting, Kurt Angle, and Samoa Joe.<\/p>\n

1. AJ Styles<\/h2>\n
\"AJ
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For most fans, TNA remains synonymous with AJ Styles. A homegrown talent who rose through the company\u2019s ranks from 2002 onwards, Styles carried TNA on his back for just over a decade, enjoying acclaimed matches against almost everyone who walked through the promotion’s front doors. A consummate professional who popularized high-flying offense for the next generation, viewers cannot ever underestimate Styles\u2019 tenure in TNA.<\/p>\n

2. Sting<\/h2>\n
\"Sting\"
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After WCW<\/a> folded in 2001, company loyalist Sting had very few career options ahead of him. Rather than sign with the far more reputable WWE, the Icon made the interesting decision to sign with TNA, attracting diehard fans of WCW looking for a fresh alternative to Vince McMahon\u2019s product.<\/p>\n

Though a bit older by this time in his career, Sting\u2019s respectable presence in TNA went a long way in further solidifying TNA\u2019s place in the wrestling circuit.<\/p>\n

3. Samoa Joe<\/h2>\n
\"Samoa
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the mid-2000s, no one had ever seen a performer quite like Samoa Joe.<\/a> Though he possessed a formidable physique, the Samoan Submission Machine also came equipped with his lethal arsenal of high-flying offensive moves and a proficient knowledge of technical wrestling.<\/p>\n

Through this, Joe rose to the forefront of TNA during the company\u2019s formative years, thanks in large part to his now iconic matches against AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Kurt Angle.<\/p>\n

4. Kurt Angle<\/h2>\n
\"Kurt
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While TNA had a number of standout wrestlers sign with them over the years, Kurt Angle<\/a>\u2019s debut marked the beginning of a new era for the promotion. A legitimate world-class athlete who personified WWE\u2019s product for half a decade, fans looked upon TNA\u2019s acquisition of Angle as a major win for the organization, ushering in numerous dream matches such as Angle vs. Sting, Angle vs. AJ Styles, and Angle vs. Samoa Joe.<\/p>\n

5. Gail Kim<\/h2>\n
\"Gail
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In no uncertain terms, Gail Kim stands apart as one of the greatest female athletes in the history of professional wrestling. In a time when WWE built their female-driven roster around scantily-clad supermodels, Kim built a place for female TNA wrestlers from the ground up, proving that women can participate in the same kind of intense, physical matches as their male counterparts. Without her, who knows what the current state of women\u2019s wrestling might look like?<\/p>\n

6. Bobby Roode<\/h2>\n
\"Bobby
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next to AJ Styles<\/a>, fans will have a tough time thinking of a more accomplished homegrown TNA wrestler than Bobby Roode. A key member of Team Canada before transitioning to tag team competition opposite James Storm, Bobby Roode made his way up TNA\u2019s ladder one rung at a time.<\/p>\n

By the time he earned his first World Heavyweight Championship, he had transformed himself into TNA\u2019s version of Triple H\u2013a brash, loud-mouthed heel willing to do anything and everything he could to win.<\/p>\n

7. Jeff Hardy<\/h2>\n
\"Jeff
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A controversial figure with a career characterized by insurmountable highs and disastrous lows, one can characterize Jeff Hardy\u2019s time in TNA as somewhat tumultuous.<\/p>\n

Yet, when at his best, the Charismatic Enigma dialed into the energetic reserve as his former Attitude Era self, taking viewers breath away with his awe-inspiring offense and death-defying bumps.<\/p>\n

8. Abyss<\/h2>\n
\"Abyss\"
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Comparisons to Mick Foley<\/a> and Kane aside, Abyss excelled in TNA as the company\u2019s first colorful character. Donning his trademark mask and specializing in barbaric Monster\u2019s Ball matches, Abyss\u2019 distinct personality and presentation, his unyielding offense, and his larger size made him an opposing force in the 2000s and 2010s.<\/p>\n

9. Christopher Daniels<\/h2>\n
\"Christopher
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While perhaps not as well-known as his on-again, off-again rivals in AJ Styles and Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels nevertheless cemented himself as a successful performer in TNA\u2019s earliest years.<\/p>\n

Bringing a semblance of theatricality to his character, Daniels also had a hand in developing the fledgling X Division and tag team roster. A versatile competitor able to appear either darker and more serious or cartoonish and over-the-top, Daniels\u2019 accomplished track record in TNA speaks for itself.<\/p>\n

10. The Motor City Machine Guns<\/h2>\n
\"The
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perhaps the greatest tag team of the 2000s, 2010s, and<\/em> 2020s, the joint pairing of Detroit natives Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley seemed a match made in heaven. Overcoming their initial X Division rivalry, the two cruiserweights managed to find success in TNA\u2019s tag team division throughout their lengthy tenure together. To this day, their Best of Five series against Beer Money may rank among the finest tag team bouts in the organization\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

11. Eric Young<\/h2>\n
\"Eric
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the most diverse TNA wrestlers to ever hit the ring, Eric Young\u2019s ability to adapt to any gimmick, storyline, or feud made him a one-of-a-kind talent. Whether portraying an over-the-top superhero character or the unstable leader of a street gang-like faction, Young dedicated himself to each and every story arch he found himself in, maintaining utter believability from one rivalry to the next.<\/p>\n

12. Austin Aries<\/h2>\n
\"Austin
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Love or hate him\u2014and most people choose the latter\u2014Austin Aries became one of the hottest stars in TNA in the 2010s. A stylistic cross between CM Punk and Chris Jericho<\/a>, A Double had the inherent charisma and athleticism necessary to headline a wrestling promotion, accounting for his rapid rise from the X Division to the world heavyweight title picture. While his personality makes him a difficult man to like, even the harshest critics can see he has incredible talent.<\/p>\n

13. The Beautiful People<\/h2>\n
\"The
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like most major wrestling stables, The Beautiful People<\/a> saw their group membership change over time. Regardless of which stars filled out their ranks, though, the faction ran roughshod over TNA\u2019s Knockout Division at their peak, serving as the ideal villainous counterparts to most women on the roster.<\/p>\n

Adopting the superficial guise of beauty-obsessed mean girls, The Beautiful People seemed almost like a satirical take on WWE\u2019s gratuitous presentation of female performers\u2013the main difference involving The Beautiful People\u2019s legitimate ability to wrestle.<\/p>\n

14. Team 3D<\/h2>\n
\"Team
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tried-and-true ECW veterans under their Dudley Boyz moniker, the newly-rechristened Team 3D took TNA\u2019s tag team division by storm upon their debut in 2005.<\/p>\n

Echoing their epic arrival to WWE\u2019s Attitude Era years prior, Brother Ray and Brother Devon managed to enjoy impeccable tag team matches against every major duo on the roster, from younger competitors like the Motor City Machine Guns to more grizzled performers like America\u2019s Most Wanted or LAX.<\/p>\n

15. James Storm<\/h2>\n
\"James
Image Credit: Impact Wrestling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

James Storm could do anything the TNA asked of him. Whether ruling the tag team division as one-half of America\u2019s Most Wanted or Beer Money, embarking on a single\u2019s run, or leading his own faction, the Tennessee Cowboy illustrated his imminent adaptability time and time again. For ample proof of his wrestling skills, just take a look at any one of his matches against Bobby Roode or his repeated clashes against the Motor City Machine Guns.<\/p>\n

16. Christian Cage<\/h2>\n
\"Christian
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During his first stint in WWE<\/a>, Christian never received the major push he deserved, languishing into the upper midcard as his longtime partner, Edge, entered the main event. Dissatisfied with his place in the company, the Instant Classic departed WWE for the greener pastures of TNA, becoming one of the promotion\u2019s franchise players. With TNA treating him a legitimate world-class athlete, Christian Cage reigned supreme as one of the best wrestlers on the roster from 2005 until his exit in 2008.<\/p>\n

17. Matt Hardy<\/h2>\n
\"Matt
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a brief moment in time, Matt Hardy stood tall as the absolute best thing about Impact Wrestling. After a short if unremarkable debut in 2011, Hardy returned in 2014, winning fans over with his exciting reunion with younger brother Jeff to reform the legendary Hardy Boyz.<\/p>\n

From there, Matt reinvented himself, speaking in a nonsensical accent, adding a streak of white to his air, and declaring himself \u201cbroken.\u201d A fantastic gimmick in and of itself, fans tuned in week in and out to see what shenanigans Broken Matt might get into next.<\/p>\n

18. Jay Lethal<\/h2>\n
\"Jay
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One word continues to define Jay Lethal\u2019s time in TNA wrestling: underrated. A world-class wrestler with a larger-than-life personality and the moveset to back up his promos, Jay Lethal could have risen to the very forefront of TNA if the company had treated him right (something that became all too apparent with Lethal\u2019s successful tenure in ROH).<\/p>\n

Even with his limited screen-time on TNA, however, audiences fell in love with Lethal, thanks in large to his wide range of impressions (Randy Savage and Ric Flair, especially).<\/p>\n

19. Jeff Jarrett<\/h2>\n
\"Jeff
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jeff Jarrett remains a polarizing name in the wrestling industry. Shunned from WWE<\/a> in the immediate years following WCW\u2019s dissolution, Jarrett partnered with his father to set up a low-budget indie promotion known as NWA: Total Nonstop Action.<\/p>\n

While he may have used his backstage influence to insert himself time and time again into TNA\u2019s main event, most fans will have a hard time imagining TNA without Double J in the picture.<\/p>\n

20. Rhino<\/h2>\n
\"Rhino\"
Image Credit: TNA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An underrated talent with whatever company he signed with, ECW alumnus Rhino became one of the foremost stars in TNA\u2019s heyday.<\/p>\n

A veteran performer whose previous exposure in ECW and WWE went a long way in winning over fans amidst TNA\u2019s infancy, Rhino became a dependable workhorse upon debuting for the promotion in 2005, feuding against up-and-coming stars like AJ Styles and Abyss to more well-known contemporaries like Sting and Jeff Jarrett.<\/p>\n


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