TNA Taping Spoilers: Title Change, Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Wrestles (Photos)

By Marc Middleton

Moose defeated Drew Galloway via split decision to regain the TNA Grand Championship at tonight's TNA television tapings in Orlando. Galloway had defeated Moose to win the title at last week's tapings.

Also on the show, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett made his TNA debut at Thursday's Impact Wrestling tapings in Orlando. Barnett challenged TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley and later faced him in a match that will air some time in February. This means that a current UFC fighter is feuding with a current Bellator fighter on TNA TV. Barnett also wrestled Bad Bones in a match that will air in February.

Barnett briefly was announced as the TNA World Heavyweight Champion as the match ended in controversy with referee Brian Hebner missing Lashley's shoulder going up. Referee Brian Stifler then came out to explain what happened before senior referee Earl Hebner re-started the match. Lashley ended up winning off the re-start to retain his title.

Barnett, who has done commentary for New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS since early 2015, is currently serving a MMA suspension from the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after he failed an out-of-competition drug test on December 9th. Barnett's last UFC fight came on September 3rd, 2016 – a win over Andrei Arlovski in the main event of a UFC Fight Night event from Germany. Barnett has a MMA record of 35-8.

There is some pro wrestling history between Barnett and Lashley – Barnett defeated Lashley back in 2011 during an IGF Heavyweight Title tournament match in Tokyo. Barnett ended up losing in the finals of that tournament.

** SPOILERS ** TNA Impact Tapings From 1/12/17
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** SPOILERS ** TNA Impact Tapings From 1/12/17

Below are photos of Barnett at Thursday's tapings, courtesy of Jacob Cohen on Twitter:

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