Not since 2001 has WWE gone head-to-head on Monday night against another wrestling organization. TNA is taking a huge risk with its 3-hour live special on January 4, 2010 at 8:00 PM ET/PT. Yes you heard that right TNA is airing on a MONDAY!
TNA Wrestling sent out this presser:
HULKAMANIA IS COMING BACK TO MONDAY NIGHT ON “TNA iMPACT!” LIVE JANUARY 4 ON SPIKE TV
Hulk Hogan’s First Live Appearance On Spike TV’s “TNA iMPACT” Will Be In A Special 3-Hour Live Episode Monday, January 4 At 8:00 PM ET/PT
The biggest name in professional wrestling history, Hulk Hogan, will make his first live appearance on Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling’s “TNA iMPACT!” in a live 3-hour special on Spike TV Monday, January 4, 2010 at 8:00PM ET/PT. Hogan and TNA President Dixie Carter attended “The Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights” Finale in Las Vegas where Hogan made the announcement in an interview with Joe Rogan.
“TNA iMPACT!” will be going against “WWE Monday Raw” on USA Network, the first time two wrestling companies have broadcast live head-to-head since the “Monday Night Wars” in the late 1990’s between WWE and WCW. This “iMPACT!” special will broadcast live from the TNA iMPACT! Zone at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fl.
Hogan’s first appearance inside the six-sided ring of TNA Wrestling will follow weeks of speculation after Hogan and Carter announced their partnership on October 27 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Hogan has hinted in various media interviews that he’ll have multiple surprises in store for TNA Wrestling fans.
“I knew when I signed with TNA, that it would be important to make a statement with the first episode. Going head-to-head on January 4th, makes the statement loud and clear: Game on!” Hogan said.
“TNA is kicking off 2010 in the biggest way possible with the biggest name in the history of our sport. Hulk Hogan is a pop culture icon, and his arrival will change not only TNA, but the entire professional wrestling landscape. We’re firing that first shot,” Carter said.
Joining Hogan for the three-hour live “iMPACT!” will be TNA World Heavyweight Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, “The Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe, “The Boss” Bobby Lashley and “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan.
“TNA iMPACT!” will resume its normal timeslot on Thursday, January 7th at 9:00 PM ET/PT with an encore viewing of the live “iMPACT!” special.
Update: TNA President Dixie Carter tweeted this message to her followers:
“Hogan to debut Jan 4 in a live 3 hr iMPACT! special up against Raw. How’s that for a 1st shot? Spread the word. PLS RT”
ok people, I was wrong…
I guess it will be time to put up or shut up for tna,
and I wouldnt be surpised if wwe got a gude guest host for that evening, If you can smell what I’m cooking….
Yes this will most definately make me watch *dripping with sarcasm*.
I can think of hundreds of things I’d rather do than watch a Hogan match.
This whole TNA going three hours reminds me of when WCW did it, and WCW also made another show Thunder, and we all know how well that worked for them….
actually best move ever
thunder made wwe create smackdown to contour it…
so without thunder there whould be no smackdown!
True, but Thunder was the beginning of the end of WCW, I’m not saying it’s the only reason (another big one was the merger with AOL) but WCW wasn’t ready for Thunder when they did it/