Carlos Silva, president of Anthem Sports Group, appeared on the Ariel Helwani Show to discuss the present condition and future prospects of TNA wrestling. He touched on the impressive success of their collaboration with WWE, highlighted their aggressive pursuit of new media rights agreements, addressed Gail Kim’s controversial exit, and gave updates on Anthem’s other combat sports ventures.
Regarding the partnership between TNA and WWE’s NXT, Silva described the crossover as “spectacular,” noting steady growth over recent months. He emphasized that TNA has gained significant exposure on major platforms, with wrestlers from both sides tuning in to each other’s shows regularly. Silva dismissed claims that WWE’s intentions were to work against AEW, praising WWE executives like Paul Levesque, Shawn Michaels, and Johnny for their supportive and creative collaboration.
Silva confirmed that TNA is actively seeking a new television home and hopes to elevate Anthem-owned AXS TV to a broader platform. Negotiations have sped up in the last two months, with a potential announcement expected within 60 to 90 days by the end of 2025, with support from the CAA Agency. The goal is to have TNA’s flagship show, Impact!, airing live all year round, a move welcomed by many partners.
When asked about Gail Kim’s exit after 17 years with TNA, Silva described it as a tough but necessary business decision aimed at refreshing the promotion. He acknowledged the difficulty of the move, recognizing Kim’s long tenure, but asserted that changes were needed to drive growth and ensure progress.
Silva also updated on Anthem’s other combat sports properties, including the all-women’s MMA promotion Invicta FC, with plans to expand its presence on CBS Sports and maintain a steady event schedule. For Fighting, a major Canadian sports network, Anthem is working on boosting its US reach by securing more live content, mainly through high-speed channels.
TNA Wrestling’s next big event, Slammiversary, is scheduled for Sunday, July 20th, at UBS Arena in Long Island, New York. This event will highlight TNA’s recent growth and feature significant crossovers with WWE’s NXT stars.
Fan Take: This news is exciting for TNA Wrestling fans as it signals strong collaboration with WWE and aggressive steps toward expanding TNA’s reach on bigger platforms. These moves could usher in a new era of visibility and competition that reinvigorates the sport and brings fresh energy to wrestling promotions.
