TNA: Hard Reset in 3, 2...

[blackHEART]

TNA was in a rough, rough patch. All throughout 2017, there were talks of the company selling. In February 2018, Anthem sold the company to Cary Silkin. The name sound familiar? Silkin owns Ring of Honor Wrestling.

Silkin decides on a hard reset. With the announcement of Impact being bought, they ceased operations on Tuesday, March 6th. Here was the final show:

Brian Cage def. Johnny Impact in No Holds Barred
Moose def. Alberto el Patron
Eddie Edwards def. Sami Callihan in a Last Man Standing Match
Ortiz and Santana(c) def. Homicide and Hernandez for the TNA Tag Team Championships with Konnan on commentary
Sonjay Dutt def. Austin Aries, Petey Williams, Rohit Raju, Suicide, and Trevor Lee(c) in Ultimate X for the X-Division Championship
Joseph Park (returning the Abyss character) def. Eli Drake(c) for the TNA Heavyweight Championship

As things began to die down for TNA, ROH had a stunning card for the 16th Anniversary Show that following weekend:
Hiromu Takahashi def. Flip Gordon
Marty Scurll def. Punishment Martinez
Kenny King(c) def. Silas Young for ROH Television Championship
SCU def. The Hung Bucks (Adam Page, Matt and Nick Jackson) (c) in Las Vegas Street Fight for the ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championships
Cody def. Matt Taven
The Briscoes def. Motor City Machine Guns(c) for ROH Tag Team Championships
Jay Lethal def. Dalton Castle(c) for the ROH Championship

Before the main event, Cary Silkin came to thank the ROH faithful through the many years. But coming in June, a new era will take place. He announces that TNA Wrestling is now his. As a result, pro wrestling has seen the era of TNA and ROH but it's the beginning of a new era. Thus, ROH will be wrapping up with the Supercard of Honor in April:
Chuckie T def. Jon Gresham
Punishment Martinez def. Tomohiro Ishii
Hangman Page def. Kota Ibushi
Sumie Sakai def. Kelly Klein
SCU(c) def. Flip Gordon & Young Bucks in a Ladder Match for ROH Six-Man Tag Team Championships
The Briscoes(c) def. Dalton Castle & Hiroshi Tanahashi for the ROH Tag Team Championships
TNA's Austin Aries def. Kenny King(c) for the ROH Television Championship
Cody def. Kenny Omega
Jay Lethal(c) def. Marty Scurll for the ROH Championship

Behind the scenes during this time. Cary Silkin contacted trusted wrestling minds to oversee the business. Jim Ross has agreed to come in and work for Silkin while Scott D'Amore is also coming in to help. JR and D'Amore put together a roster combining ROH and TNA stars mixed with some not seen on either. They also announced the new era of wrestling:



Elite Pro Wrestling is upon us. The website launched in June with the following roster confirmed from TNA and ROH:
Abyss
Andrew Everett
Austin Aries
Beretta
Brian Cage
Bully Ray
Caprice Coleman
Chandler Park
Christopher Daniels
Cody
DJZ
Eli Drake
Frankie Kazarian
Hangman Page
Jay Briscoe
Jay Lethal
Johnny Mundo
Josh Woods
King Cuerno
Mark Briscoe
Marty Scurll
Matt Jackson
Nick Jackson
Ortiz
Punishment Martinez
Rohit Raju
Sami Callihan
Santana
Scorpio Sky
Sonjay Dutt
Trevor Lee

Brandi Rhodes
Deonna Purrazzo
Diamante
Kiera Hogan
Madison Rayne
Rosemary
Sienna
Taya

With advertising a new era, Jim Ross and Scott D'Amore brought in some talents that were not affiliated with TNA or ROH:
Ace Austin
Billy Gunn
Brian Pillman Jr.
Crazzy Steve
Darby Allin
David Finlay
Dragon Lee
Evil Uno
Fenix
Jake Hager
Juice Robinson
Madman Fulton
Pentagon Jr.
PJ Black
Stu Grayson

Big Swole
Danielle Monet (fka Summer Rae)
Ivelisse
Thunder Rosa



After these announcements, EPW confirms the "Grand Opening" show in October of this year with the following matches confirmed:
"The last" TNA Tag Team Champions Ortiz & Santana vs. "The last" ROH Tag Team Champions The Briscoes
Brandi Rhodes & Deonna Purrazzo vs. Madison Rayne & Sienna vs. Ivelisse & Thunder Rosa
Austin Aries vs. Jake Hager
The Young Bucks vs. Lucha Brothers
Sonjay Dutt defends the X-Division Championship against Dragon Lee
Cody vs. Sami Callihan
"The last" TNA Champion Abyss vs. "The last" ROH Champion Jay Lethal