TNA President Carlos Silva Comments On WWE NXT Partnership Before & After Showdown

Since its initial launch on May 10, 2002, TNA Wrestling has proven the golden rule that if you believe in yourself and your brand, then you will be unstoppable. With several name changes, partnerships, and hundreds of wrestlers beginning, returning, or retiring their careers there, this promotion has always welcomed all with open arms. With current TNA President Carlos Silva, he is elated with how TNA's partnership with WWE has been going so far. Despite the "WWE NXT Showdown" set for next Tuesday, where each promotion will carry out war for supremacy as the better brand, he sees this opportunity as a tentpole to other very big amplifiers in the company's future.

"Working with the 'NXT' folks as well as WWE folks has been very easy. There has been great coordination," Silva said in an interview with "TVInsider." "We've kind of supported each other with last-minute asks on both sides, which I think is a testament to a good partnership. It's not just one asking. We might ask, or they might ask, and we always find a way to move things forward. This big Showdown episode of 'NXT' happening down in Orlando is going to be great. You saw it on The CW live with the teams sort of aligning. I think the theme is building. There is also intrigue and maybe a little strangeness the way certain teammates are on each team, but they have certain alliances and allegiances to the other organization. Whether they've come from that organization or been there or holding the belt from one organization even though they work for the other. I think all of that there. I think as a result it's going to be awesome Tuesday night on 'NXT' down in Orlando.

Next weekend, TNA will host its annual fall pay-per-view event, Bound for Glory, which will see WWE stars turned TNA champions (Trick Williams – TNA World Champion and Kelani Jordan – Knockouts World Champion) defend their titles against two of the hungriest challengers they've faced so far in their title reigns ("The Realist" Mike Santana and Indi Hartwell, respectively). Seeing how TNA once was on the precipice, Silva is happy to announce that Bound for Glory will act as a catalyst for all the great things the company has in store starting next year, including the recent announcement that TNA is in active negotiations with a new broadcast partner.

"Each of these tentpoles are about big moments. As a sports guy building the season of TNA, we're going to hit that last bit tentpole at Bound for Glory," Silva added. "I think it's going to launch us into 2026. Slammiversary certainly started that launch and now Bound for Glory will propel us into 2026. Then, sort of to our pleasant surprise, working with 'NXT,' this Showdown is happening. It's another big amplifier for us. I think about how we'll also then be at Full Sail University, which is a great location with a lot of history. We're going to go back to El Paso, which was spectacular earlier this year... Then I think you'll see very quickly going into November the schedule for January through March starts to roll out with our other big tentpoles and events. Then hopefully that will coincide with an announcement about where we're going to be in the U.S.A. in addition to our other great markets like Canada, India, Mexico, South America and other areas where we have deals in place."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "TVInsider" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.