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REC SPEC: Could a TNA Sale be happening to a big name?!
🕑 Added 2025-08-15 00:59:17 +0000 UTCRECKLESS SPECULATION is back.
Not as much reckless speculation as much as relaying some wild unsubstantiated rumors that are going to emerge regardless. It surrounds today's report of possible TV rights, and rumors of a possible TNA sale.
This afternoon, Jon Alba of Sports Illustrated reported that that TNA Wrestling was open to moving to Wednesday nights and opposing AEW as a part of media rights discussions. CAA has been helping TNA shop the rights.
SI said that TNA President Carlos Silva wouldn't deny the rumors, which is also a similar reaction Fightful Select got when we reached out to Silva.
TNA being on the market is nothing new, and we can confirm that there have been feelers both from the Anthem side to find potential purchasers, as well as potential buyers making offers. Scott D'Amore publicly revealed that he'd made efforts to buy TNA that were unsuccessful. Tony Khan also revealed that he was approached about potentially buying TNA before AEW started. However, sources have indicated to us that a few years ago, Khan was approached again, and opted against it. One of the people we spoke to said that there wasn't a lot of value for AEW in a TNA purchase, as most of the veterans in the company are on the ROH library as opposed to TNA's.
Sources in All Elite Wrestling had also heard claims a couple of weeks ago that the CW Network could be an option, and shortly after, Wrestling Observer reported that A&E was rumored. Both networks have direct ties to WWE and parent company TKO, as they broadcast WWE programming. WWE has intentionally spread out their broadcast rights, landing on Netflix, USA Network, CW, A&E, Tubi, NBC and Peacock. Much of their Peacock content will be moving to ESPN DTC in 2025. ESPN is also tied to Disney and ABC, Tubi to Fox, and USA Network to Universal. TKO's UFC content will move from ESPN to Paramount/CBS in 2025.
It doesn't end there.
Another interesting connections are rumors of former UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta possibly being involved. We're told that his name emerged from meetings this week, and earlier Conrad Thompson posted an ominous GIF saying "Lorenzo!" We're told that was in response to rumors going around in wrestling that Lorenzo Fertitta could....for some reason be involved in a rumored sale of TNA.
Fertitta of course, is tied to TKO, as he formerly owned UFC, which is now under the umbrella of TKO. Fertitta did business with Dana White for decades. White is still the UFC President.
WWE and TKO have made heavy moves to counter program AEW, with them ramping things up since 2024 specifically. The company ran a holiday tour live event up against the AEW Worlds End show in December 2024. Then NXT Battleground against AEW Double or Nothing. WWE also planned a weekend of shows in Atlanta, including Goldberg's retirement match, WWE Evolution and NXT GAB against AEW All In. Then NXT Heatwave up against AEW Forbidden Door. There are also all but confirmed rumors that WWE plans to run a WWE PLE event with John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar up against AEW All Out. There have also been rumors WWE is considering running John Cena's retirement match up against AEW Worlds End 2025.
We should specify, we haven't confirmed any of this regarding a TNA sale to be true, but it was going to emerge soon anyway, and we figured we'd provide as much context as possible.
Comments
Stalla
No one can buy TNA without WWE permission. As WWE has done exactly what they always do when they enter a “working “ partnership they set it up so they are the ones who decide who buys TNA.
T Mar
You are in the vast minority
