Backstage Update On New Knockouts, iMPACT! Ratings, More

Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (F4WOnline.com)

As reported earlier, Japanese women’s wrestler Ayako Hamada announced at a press conference in Japan that she has signed with TNA Wrestling. Unlike several recent acquisitions, TNA does not plan on holding her debut off for months on end as she is expected to debut at the next set of Impact tapings two weeks from now. Both her name and Sarah Stock’s name have been talked about for months in regards to replacing Gail Kim as a top babyface in TNA. Hamada is the younger daughter of legendary Japanese wrestler Gran Hamada. She’s 28 years old, has been wrestling for 11 years and is of mixed Japanese and Mexican descent. She was the World Heavyweight Champion for All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling on two occasions, and later for GAEA and ARSION in Japan as well as for the World Wrestling Association, Universal Wrestling Association and Grupo Internacional Revolucion in Mexico.

Last week’s episode of iMPACT! on Spike drew a 1.33 cable rating with 1.97 million viewers. The number was slightly below the record 1.34 rating, but the viewership was the most in history. The episode did a 1.3 both Males 18-34 and Males 35-49, setting records for the show except when it followed Ultimate Fighter. iMPACT! was ranked No. 2 on cable in adult Males behind only NBA basketball on TNT. iMPACT! also beat both Ultimate Fighter and Ultimate Fight Night from the night before. In the segment-by-segment numbers, the eight-man tag match with Sheik Abdul Bashir, Kiyoshi, Team No Limit (Tetsuya Naito & Yujiro) vs. Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed & LAX, plus a backstage segment featuring Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley gained 74,000 viewers. Backstage segments featuring Team 3D confronting Jim Cornette and security, Mike Tenay’s sitdown interview with Foley, and Dr. Stevie with Abyss lost 89,000 viewers. The Team 3D vs. Main Event Mafia security and more Foley and Angle gained 178,000 viewers. Angle’s apology to Sting and Foley in the rafters gained 118,000 viewers to do a 1.45 quarter, tying the company’s all-time highest quarter hour mark. This week, the Knockouts lost viewers as the the introduction of The Governor as Daffney with the Taylor Wilde vs. Madison Rayne match lost 118,000 viewers. A match pitting Scott Steiner against AJ Styles with Angle and Jarrett coming out lost 89,000 viewers. The main event featuring Sting vs. Samoa Joe stayed even, doing a 1.31 rating.

TNA Wrestling’s key revenue stream, which is their contract with Spike, is said to be solid, although there is always the feeling that to Spike, they are the red-headed stepchild and UFC is the prodigal son.

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