The latest WWE and AEW News and Results
Welcome to another episode of The Latest with Denise Salcedo breaking down the biggest wrestling news headlines of the week so far.
Topics:
— TNA Genesis highlights
— Sabu retiring
— AEW Dynamite preview
— Charlotte Flair return tease
— WWE SNME match card
It’s time to believe in Joe Hendry.
Hendry defeated Nic Nemeth in the main event of Sunday’s Genesis pay-per-view to win the TNA Championship for the first time. The finish had John Layfield come out through the crowd and lay out Frankie Kazrian, who came to ringside teasing he’d cash in his Call Your Shot title trophy. Layfield also knocked out Ryan Nemeth before making his exit. In the ring, Hendry got a nearfall after hitting the standing ovation, then eventually cut off Nemeth again and hit the standing ovation a second time to win the title.
After his victory, Hendry hugged his parents at ringside then celebrated in the crowd as the show went off the air.
Hendry had received other title matches in 2024, but came up short twice: first at Slammiversary in a six-way elimination match, then at Bound for Glory after interference from Layfield. At last month’s Final Resolution, Hendry won a four-way match to become number one contender once again.
Nemeth’s reign as champion ended after 183 days, winning the six-way elimination match at Slammiversary back in July.
McKenzie Mitchell has returned to TNA.
Ahead of Sunday’s Genesis pay-per-view, Mitchell made her return as the ring announcer for matches that took place during the Genesis pre-show. She was also shown prior to the X Division title match between champion Moose and challenger Ace Austin that kicked off the main card.
Mitchell first started out as a backstage interviewer for TNA from 2016 through 2019. Later in 2019, she signed with WWE and served as a backstage interviewer for NXT through 2023, when she was released from the company in December of that year. Mitchell served as a backstage correspondent for Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling shows that took place last October.
Jade Chung, the previous ring announcer for TNA, departed the company in December. She had replaced Dave Penzer.
The pre-show to Sunday’s pay-per-view saw Jake Something defeat Ashante Thee Adonis from NXT and Frankie Kazarian defeating Leon Slater. Ariana Grace from NXT also made an appearance, taking credit for the WWE/TNA partnership that was announced last week.
TNA has finalized the card for Sunday’s Genesis pay-per-view, with a new match added, a new stipulation set, and WWE NXT involvement teased.
On the same day TNA and WWE announced a formal extension of their partnership, TNA posted a video to its YouTube channel hinting at an NXT presence on Sunday’s show:
The already announced Josh Alexander vs. Mike Santana grudge match at Genesis has some extra oomph to it as well, as an I Quit stipulation has been added to the bout.
In a new match announced on Thursday’s Impact, The System’s Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers will face Eric Young and Steve Maclin.
TNA Genesis airs Sunday, January 19 on pay-per-view. The Countdown to Genesis begins at 7 p.m. Eastern time on TNA’s digital media channels, with the SiriusXM Busted Open cast hosting. The main card kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.
The finalized TNA Genesis card:
A new match announcement has been made for TNA Genesis 2025.
The pay-per-view is being held in Garland, Texas this Sunday night. TNA announced today that, on the pre-show broadcast, Frankie Kazarian vs. Leon Slater will take place. The pre-show has a start time of 7 p.m. Eastern airing for free on TNA’s digital platforms. It will also be shown in Canada on Sportsnet 360.
Kazarian vs. Slater was set up by a backstage interaction on a recent episode of Impact. Saying he sees something special in Slater, Kazarian offered to mentor him. But Slater turned the offer down after Kazarian wanted Slater to run errands for him.
.@LEONSLATER_ wants nothing to do being @FrankieKazarian's lacky!
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 3, 2025
Watch #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/SjpCtpSxQB pic.twitter.com/cB0pS9Y0HL
The two faced off on a UK tour for TNA in 2023, where Slater earned a long-term contract with the promotion. Kazarian won both of the matches they had.
Though this bout is happening on the pre-show, Kazarian could potentially play a role in the World title picture at Genesis. He holds the Call Your Shot gauntlet trophy and is able to cash it in for a title shot of his choosing. Kazarian has said he’ll be keeping an eye on the main event of the PPV with Nic Nemeth defending the TNA World Championship against Joe Hendry.
Here is the updated Genesis lineup:
TNA Genesis 2025 (Sunday, January 19) —
The card for the Sunday, January 19 TNA Genesis pay-per-view continues to take shape following this week’s Impact.
One of four new matches set for the card is Tessa Blanchard facing Jordynne Grace, a bout added during Thursday’s Impact episode following a pull-apart in the ring between Blanchard and Grace. It will be the first TNA match for Blanchard since 2020, when she left the promotion as its World Champion without dropping the title in the ring.
A grudge match between Mike Santana and Josh Alexander is also newly-announced for the January 19 Genesis PPV. Santana faced Alexander and his Northern Armory in a gauntlet match on Impact that was ruled a no contest after Northern Armory all attacked Santana at once.
Masha Slamovich will defend the Knockouts World Championship against Rosemary in a Clockwork Orange House of Fun match at Genesis as suggested by TNA Hall of Famer Raven in his surprise Impact appearance.
The TNA Knockouts Tag Team titles will also be on the line on January 19, with Spitfire’s Jody Threat and Dani Luna defending against Ash by Elegance and Heather by Elegance.
X-Division Champion Moose has also revealed that he will debut a new title belt to represent the Championship at Genesis.
The updated lineup for Genesis:
TNA Genesis, Sunday, January 19 —
Two new title bouts are set for the TNA Genesis pay-per-view on Sunday, January 19.
In a first-ever meeting, The Hardys will defend their TNA Tag Team Championship against Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel of The Rascalz.
In an unorthodox segment on Thursday’s TNA Impact episode, Matt and Jeff Hardy crashed a backstage promo segment with The Rascalz and challenged the duo to be their challengers for Genesis, noting how much The Rascalz remind them of themselves:
In another new title match set for January 19 in Dallas, Moose will put the X-Division title on the line against Ace Austin.
Austin initially cut a promo on Impact indicating that he was going to challenge for the World title:
After an intense promo exchange with the interrupting Champion and the challenger that invoked Austin’s injured tag partner Chris Bey, Marella made Moose vs. Austin official for Genesis:
Already set for Genesis is Nic Nemeth defending the TNA World title against Joe Hendry.
The updated card for the Sunday, January 19 TNA Genesis pay-per-view:
