Impact Wrestling May Not Be Negotiating With Spike TV After All

There was a report last night that Spike TV executive Scott Fishman was backstage at the Impact Wrestling tapings this weekend and met with Jeff Jarrett about several things, which lead to rumors that they were discussing a TV deal to move Impact Wrestling back to Spike when their Pop TV contract expires at the end of this year.

However, a Spike TV executive is now denying those rumors. In a statement to The Sporting News writer Brian Fitz, the “Vice President of Communications” for Spike said that Scott Fishman was there for personal reasons and was “not negotiating any deals.”

Despite a report, @Spike officials have told me that the network is not bringing @IMPACTWRESTLING back to the network. @WrestlingSheet reported Sunday that Spike exec Scott Fishman met with Jeff Jarrett on Sunday before tapings and a return was discussed.

Spike statement: Spike TV officials confirm that Scott Fishman was there for personal reasons — and is not negotiating any deals. That statement from @Spike was issued by David Schwarz, Vice President of Communications.

Jason Powell of @prowrestlingnet has reported for months that Fishman has been backstage at various @IMPACTWRESTLING tapings. However, each time he was there visiting friends and not working on any business deals. Fishman lives in the Central Florida area. Of course, @IMPACTWRESTLING tapes their shows at Universal Studios, also in central FL so it’s not far from where Fishman lives. Fishman has plenty of friends with @IMPACTWRESTLING considering that the promotion aired on @spike for over nine years.

So, despite making a deal with Spike in the UK, they are not negotiating a return in the US.

Pro Wrestling Sheet’s Ryan Satin, who first reported the story, defended it on Twitter:

The story didn't say they negotiated any deals though. Says they had a meeting and discussed a return — which they did. https://t.co/8pdsuxUeCo

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) March 6, 2017

.@BrianFritz So they're denying something that wasn't reported? I believe my multiple sources over a PR person w/ no clue any day.

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) March 6, 2017