TNA Impact 6/25/2026: 3 Things We Hated & 3 Things We Loved

Another "TNA Impact" is in the books, with Slammiversary 2026 now just days away. The wrestling world is still reverberating from some of the recent backstage changes that have taken place in TNA, but those have yet to be reflected on this show, which was taped weeks ago. With that in mind, the direction tonight was much the same as it has been, for better or worse.

That's not to say there weren't things to enjoy during "Impact." Nic Nemeth finally feels like a serious challenger for Mike Santana's TNA World Championship, and that was reflected during their interactions tonight. Plus, the men's tag title match for Sunday's pay-per-view is shaping up nicely, though the addition of a fourth team was slightly awkward in execution.

As always, there will also be things we didn't enjoy, and you'll find some of those discussed down below, along with some of the highlights. For a full breakdown of the episode, check out our "TNA Impact" 6/25/2026 results page. Otherwise, let's dig into the latest installment.

Before each pay-per-view, wrestling promotions put on what is known as a "go home show," where they put the finishing touches on all storylines heading into the big event. While it makes perfect sense to do this, things can quite easily become formulaic, which is exactly how tonight's "Impact" came across.

Each match scheduled for Sunday's Slammiversary PPV was touched upon, whether briefly or extensively. However, nothing truly exciting came from the show. It did little to tease Mustafa Ali's surprise title challenger, and there are few other question marks heading into the PPV.

As touched upon elsewhere in this column, TNA actually did a good job with the men's world title feud during this show, and especially with rumors of Santana's potential departure, that feels like a match to keep an eye on this weekend. Apart from that, I can't say that tonight's "Impact" did much to convince anyone who was on the fence to buy Sunday's show.

Written by Nick Miller

Those who watch "TNA Impact" on a regular basis will know that the programming on the show can be hit or miss – and if we're being really honest, it usually has more misses than hits. It's pretty rare to see one of their storylines be consistently good on a weekly basis, but the one exception to that rule for me has been the storyline between The Hardys and The Righteous (even if it has absolutely gone on longer than it should).

TNA has been in dire need of some compelling characters, and there's no one better for that role than The Righteous and the newly returned Broken Hardys. "Broken" Matt Hardy and Brother Nero reminded the world of the great character work that they can do in the roles, cutting an engaging promo in stark contrast to the pretty standard promos that TNA usually features on their programming. Having The Righteous confront Matt and Brother Nero in their Broken characters also incorporated a really interesting dynamic in things, with all four men doing their thing to create some magic through their cryptic messages to one another.

While I wasn't sure how The System would fit into things here, I actually thought that they were a great foil to The Broken Hardys and The Righteous. They didn't waste any time reminding the fans that the TNA World Tag Team Championship are the focal point of the Slammiversary Ladder Match, and really enhanced everything going on here with their more grounded viewpoint.

If I had one small complaint about any of this, it would've been to get John Skyler and Jason Hotch involved in the brawl that broke out between all three teams. The backstage that featured Daria Rae informing them that they would be added to the TNA World Tag Team Championship Slammiversary Ladder Match was fine, but it would've been that much more better if they had gotten involved in things. With that aside, this was otherwise the perfect opening segment and one of my favorite things that TNA has done in weeks now.

Written by Olivia Quinlan

I've said it before, but of all the insults to receive, "mark" is not even close to being the most offensive in my books. In the case of Ash By Elegance, the term caused her to have a massive meltdown and abandon her scheduled match against Mara Sade.

Don't get me wrong, mental health is just as important, if not more, than physical health in professional wrestling. Ash's portrayal of a breakdown on "Impact," however, didn't do her many favors. If anything, it made her look like a joke (which is a shame, because she has so much potential to become a two-time Knockouts Champion).

When the TNA audience aimed "she's a mark" chants at her, Ash screamed into a microphone that she was tired of their bullying. As such, she declared that she'd take another mental health break starting right then, with M by Elegance ordered to take her place in the match. An emotional Ash subsequently stated that she was "losing her mind." Upon collapsing to the mat, she then dramatically flailed her arms and rolled out of the ring, still visibly distressed by the crowd's words.

I'm not sure what TNA's intentions are by worsening Ash's on-screen headspace. Are they looking to gain sympathy for her? Is it a ruse to get Ash back into the Knockouts Championship picture? Will it drive a wedge between her and the rest of the Elegance Brand? Or something else entirely? Whatever the case, I'd be lying if I said her over-the-top display tonight didn't leave me feeling a little uncomfortable and a lot confused.

Written by Ella Jay

While the buzz around Slammiversary this Sunday will mostly be around who will become either the new champion(s) or if WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg will be rejoining TNA to help rebuild and redesign the promotion, I believe there's one non-title match that might just blow us out of the water: Eric Young versus Ricky Sosa. The veteran versus the rookie.

Tonight, Young cut a captivating promo that I haven't seen in TNA for sometime now. Young didn't assassinate Sosa's character. Instead, he explained to him like any tenured wrestler would to an up-and-coming star how there are levels to this. The moments you create in the ring are what define your rank, not 30-second viral videos. I really liked that. It's like Young was trying to say that Sosa is so much more than his generation and what they try and do to earn popularity points. He has the tools. He just needs to learn how to hone them.

This promo tonight by the "World Class Maniac" added the right amount of substance that was missing ahead of their upcoming clash. If TNA could create more segments like this from now on, I believe it could return to its homegrown roots that made people fall in love with it when AEW was putting its final touches before its anticipated debut, and when people thought WWE was unbearable to watch. The best option when there were no options. TNA needs to pull the trigger more. And that promo from Young absolutely did that tonight.

Written by Brie Coder

There was always a chance that the System would find themselves on the Hated column this week, dethroning House of Torture as the undisputed worst faction in wrestling.

Alisha Edwards spoke the most during this week's segment, which is never a great time for the ears, with everything bellowed with some of the worst promo instincts in the industry. Moose then came out with JDC, the man who was retired by Eddie Edwards before being turned on with Moose, which established the new System cursing screens since.

It eventually became clear why he was there, as the segment gradually devolved into Edwards goading Moose into spearing her. Not really the best idea, considering his previous actions. But surely, as pro wrestling logic often dictates, he would rise above the ever so alluring temptation to hit the much smaller lady. That was not the case. After JDC talked Moose out of doing it and they appeared to be leaving the ring, Edwards continued to scream that Moose was not a man, and that was just too much for him. He returned to the ring and set up for a spear, a spear that only didn't actually happen because JDC stopped him.

The most concise way of describing the entire System storyline is in the ilk of "Love After Lock-Up" as one of the trashiest content produced. No one here is worth getting behind and it does the opposite of drawing one in as a viewer. Segments with Edwards goading Moose into trying to hit her and him physically struggling with the idea – like, dudes, just don't do it, it is easy – to failure needing someone else to hold him back; what are we doing here?

Written by Max Everett

With Nic Nemeth calling his shot at Mike Santana's TNA World Championship this weekend, Thursday's show saw them come together for one last summit to say their piece. What had started out a respectful challenge, with Nemeth refusing to cash in his opportunity when Santana was down and out, has since taken a turn.

Beginning with an impulsive Danger Zone while Santana's back was turned, and since continuing to get sour with Nemeth stating that he was only cashing in at Slammiversary because he wanted to remove any asterisks when he beats Santana with his family and everyone else watching. That all led into this week's segment backstage, with Nemeth congratulating Santana on a great year as World Champion.

Santana came with the pride and power expected from him by now, saying that while all Nemeth saw from him was a good year, he has been fighting all his life; he didn't see when Santana saw his mother being abused, had to identify his father's body, or when he was in rehab centers. He said the TNA World Championship was his life, and he spent his life fighting to become champion, and did it at a time when the company needed someone to carry it forward.

Nemeth came back a little more pointed, saying that he might be able to better him one day. But he has yet to do it. And then he said that at least Santana's father isn't around to watch him fail one more time. Which is obviously where things took a turn and respect had flown out the window, with Carlos Silva rather hilariously the man coming between them to stop things kicking off.

Of course, that meant it did kick off, with Santana clocking Nemeth first. Ryan Nemeth then appeared and hit Santana from behind, which Santana no-sold before turning to face the source of the pathetic attempt.

That allowed Nemeth to strike Santana from behind and slam his face against the title belt repeatedly, ending that segment with a violent statement to the champion.

Santana returned to get his heat back in the show-closing segment, emerging on the ramp with a beaten Ryan Nemeth before running the classic brawl with Nic Nemeth and security intervention while bloodied from the attack from before.

This was just a great go-home angle for the Slammiversary match, and it comes to no surprise that it would come from Santana and the artist formerly known as Dolph Ziggler.

Written by Max Everett