Scott D’Amore Admits Long-Standing Dislike of Impact Wrestling Name

Impact Wrestling changed its name back to TNA Wrestling last year, and that was quite an announcement. The familiar feel returned without the six-sided ring, and fans welcomed it. Unfortunately, Scott D’Amore was ousted from the company soon after that. Now, he is speaking about his time with the company in an unfiltered way.

Scott D’Amore was never a fan of the IMPACT Wrestling name. From 2017 to 2024, TNA Wrestling used the IMPACT Wrestling branding for their promotion after dumping their TNA namesake. The change was made shortly after the brief use of the Global Force Wrestling branding, but they have since returned to the TNA branding.

Since reverting to TNA Wrestling and starting a working relationship with WWE, the promotion has been gaining momentum. Recently, the show sold out their biggest event of the year, Slammiversary, in Montreal with an event that included an homage to the infamous Montreal Screwjob.

During a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, Scott D’Amore explained why he was never a fan of the IMPACT Wrestling name. He admitted that he always hated that name, preferring the old TNA Wrestling branding.

“When we first started the reclamation project of IMPACT Wrestling, there was a lot of people against us. It was going out and saying, ‘Just give us another chance. Don’t hate what we do before you see it, please.’ To be able to get that company back on its feet and in the right direction and in a real good spot — truthfully, for me, I couldn’t say this while I was there. I always thought the name IMPACT sucked. I thought it sucked. I hated it being IMPACT Wrestling.”

“The decision had been made. I didn’t disagree at the time and we couldn’t change it when I first took over because it had been bounced around. It was TNA, it was IMPACT, it was TNA, it was GWF, it was IMPACT. In my heart, the company where I made my bones and the company I bled and sweat for was TNA Wrestling. I knew from day one when they handed us the reigns, December 1, 2017, after I had been there for months as a consultant, I knew it was TNA Wrestling that needed to rise, not IMPACT. I never cared if IMPACT lived or died. I cared about TNA. I came there with a mission and a direction to revive it and breathe life into it. With a great team, I think we did that.”

We will have to see what the future holds for TNA Wrestling. Their partnership with WWE’s NXT brand has brought an extra boost of attention their way. It will be interesting to see if Scott D’Amore ever returns to the company, but he seems to be occupied right now.

Six months after leaving TNA Wrestling, Scott D’Amore has confirmed his next move. D’Amore announced today that he’s reviving the Maple Leaf Wrestling brand, starting with two events this October. This move could benefit many people, including fans who attend those events and wrestlers who get extra ring time with a pro wrestling veteran like D’Amore.

What’s your take on the TNA Wrestling name versus the Impact Wrestling name? Which name do you prefer? Let us know what you think in the comments section!