The list of names to wrestle for Impact Wrestling features a strong core of all-time great names that either started their careers there or added new chapters to their legacy. Everyone hopes to have a great stint for a promotion with a strong ending to leave in grand fashion, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Quite a few interesting names witnessed the end being the worst of their time in the company. Names like Dixie Carter, Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo and others made decisions that hurt some talents on the way out. Each of the following Impact Wrestling careers ended in the worst way possible when leaving the promotion.
10 Tessa Blanchard
The rebranding of Impact Wrestling saw Tessa Blanchard as a huge reason for the company gaining positive momentum under Scott D’Amore’s leadership. Blanchard was among the top stars and had a great story winning the Impact World Championship as the first woman to win a traditionally male world title.
However, other wrestlers from Tessa’s past shared stories that day with allegations of her being a bully and a racist. Blanchard’s reputation took a hit hours before the big win. Things got worse when Impact couldn’t get Tessa to attend shows during the pandemic and had to vacate the title as she never returned with the timing of her contract expiring.
9 Kazuchika Okada
Impact Wrestling currently has a great working relationship with New Japan, but it was put on hold for many years. NJPW used to view TNA as their top partner in the late 2000s with various names performing for the other company.
Kazuchika Okada spent a while in TNA as part of a learning excursion since NJPW viewed him as a future star and liked to have those prospects gain worldwide experience. TNA booked Okada as a joke and treated him so poorly that his departure led to NJPW severing all ties for well over a decade.
8 Alberto El Patron
The risky relationship of Impact Wrestling pushing Alberto El Patron in a top spot after his WWE controversy saw it blowing up in their faces. Alberto had a few negative moments with a suspension and negative headlines, but Impact still had faith in him.
The final straw came when El Patron no-showed a huge WrestleMania weekend event of Impact Wrestling vs Lucha Underground when he was advertised for the main event. Impact was embarrassed yet again by Alberto in a major way and released him for it.
7 Nigel McGuinness
Nigel McGuinness is known for his commentary work today, but he was among the best in-ring workers during his wrestling career. TNA signed Nigel to play the character of Desmond Wolfe after his WWE deal was pulled for his injury history.
Wolfe had a great start feuding with Kurt Angle, but the regime change with Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff hurt him. TNA used Wolfe in mid-card and tag team roles until he randomly stopped wrestling. Nigel has since revealed he contracted hepatitis in a TNA ring. TNA allegedly didn’t pay him during his time away from the ring to end the run in terrible fashion.
6 Jim Cornette
TNA was criticized for the backstage drama becoming a crazy part of what caused the company’s downfall. Jim Cornette spent some time in TNA contributing both on-screen as a character and backstage as part of the creative team.
The elephant in the room was always that TNA tried to keep Cornette and Vince Russo on the same page after years of hostility. Cornette’s TNA end came in embarrassing fashion when he was reported for making threats towards Russo’s life via emails. TNA even reported Cornette’s emails to a law firm that went as far as to describe his threats on Russo as terroristic.
5 Vince Russo
Fate played out for Vince Russo to have an even crazier and sadder farewell to his TNA stint than Jim Cornette. TNA kept Russo around for years with many wrestlers claiming that Dixie Carter had a major soft spot for Russo, despite many important people being against him.
Spike TV wanted Russo gone and was shocked when Russo accidentally leaked to a wrestling reporter that he had a secret job with TNA. The report of Russo working under the radar upset Spike TV enough for Dixie to cut bait with Russo but still have that influence the end of their most valued television deal.
4 Michael Elgin
Impact Wrestling tried to make Michael Elgin one of their new projects when Scott D’Amore took control and tried to erase the negative past. Elgin had some controversy over his Ring of Honor run ending poorly, but Impact hoped the good matches would lead to positive changes.
More negative headlines followed Elgin when he was accused by multiple women of terrible actions during the Speaking Out movement. Impact cut bait with Elgin leading to both sides getting hostile, as Elgin sued the company for breach of contract.
3 Mr. Anderson
TNA booked Mr. Anderson as a top star for a large percentage of his run in the company after a negative WWE ending. Anderson had some noteworthy main event angles against names like Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy. However, things started to fall apart between both sides towards the end of his mid-card run.
Accusations of Anderson being under the influence at a house show and had to take a drug test on the spot. TNA fired Anderson for their claims that he failed the test to end their working relationship in the ugliest way. Any former world champion leaving in such a shameful fashion is never good for either party.
2 Austin Aries
The controversial actions of Austin Aries have doomed his career to a place of obscurity today. Aries’ final Impact Wrestling run rubbed many people in the industry the wrong way to limit his chances since then. A world title feud between Aries and John Morrison became more toxic than compelling.
Aries already had a target on his back for gross comments weight shaming Morrison’s wife Taya Valkyrie. Impact tried to make a worked shoot story heading into the match, but Aries no-selling his loss and flipping off management was counterproductive. This led to Impact never bringing back Aries as a worst-case departure that fans remember most about him today.
1 AJ Styles
The presence of AJ Styles in TNA was so valuable that no one ever expected him to leave the company. Styles was the person that fans viewed as the face of the company no matter who was pushed above him. The TNA World Championship reign of AJ was going when his contract was expiring in late 2013.
Styles felt personally offended that TNA expected him to take a pay cut after years of a consistent salary. TNA had to convince AJ to return and put over Magnus to complete his story as the world champion. Styles appearing one more time just to lose an overbooked match with the backstage tension was a low point that caused many fans to give on the company.
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