As first reported in today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter by Dave Meltzer, WWE has an option to buy TNA Wrestling for a specific length of time as well as the right of first refusal if TNA finds a buyer elsewhere.
The specifics are unknown in terms of a potential buy price and how long the option is good for.
According to a WWE source, Meltzer learned that the option is a similar situation to when WWE had contracts with several European indies like wXw, OTT and Progress years ago. That specific arrangement was for content for the then-WWE Network in exchange for European talent being allowed to work on those promotion’s events in addition to the option to buy them. RevPro was offered the same deal, but declined it.
In January, WWE and TNA officially announced a multi-year partnership in which talent from (primarily) NXT and TNA would appear on each other’s events. There has been limited main roster movement with TNA’s Joe Hendry competing in both this year’s Royal Rumble and WrestleMania while WWE’s AJ Styles appeared on last month’s Slammiversary.
News broke this week that TNA’s flagship Impact show may move to a current WWE broadcast partner (possibly The CW) and potentially oppose AEW Dynamite on Wednesdays. It had previously been reported that WWE is assisting TNA in their search of a new TV rights deal.
Is UFC’s former owner interested in buying TNA?
An interesting aside was the news first reported by Fightful Thursday night addressing rumors this week that former UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta might have interest in buying TNA. Meltzer said that is not a done deal.
Fertitta, of course, has a long-time friendship with current UFC head Dana White.
He did note that any entity or person that buys TNA “would do so with the idea of being friendly with WWE, not with the idea of being an enemy and that if they can get a media rights deal, the company goes from a money loser to a turnkey profitable company. But if they aren’t friendly to WWE, they aren’t getting the company.”
Get more of his analysis on any potential deal, the night of the week, whether it makes sense for The CW or A&E to carry TNA, and more in this week’s WON.
