Various: Indi Hartwell on How She Was Able to Keep Her Ring Name After WWE Release, Trick Williams Appearance and Lei Ying Lee vs. Rosemary Match Set for 5/8 TNA Impact! Show, Indies/Misc.

May 8, 2025

Indi Hartwell Comments on How She Was Able to Keep Her Ring Name After WWE Release

As noted before, Indi Hartwell was released by WWE this past November and recently signed with TNA Wrestling.

A recent episode of the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast featured Hartwell as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Hartwell’s thoughts about how she was able to keep her ring name from WWE.

“I just asked. I’ve had this name my whole wrestling career. When you start wrestling at live events, they make you wrestle under your real name. I wrestled under my real name for a bit, and I think I had a dark match at NXT, and I just asked Road Dogg, ‘Can I be Indi Hartwell?’ ‘Yeah, I’ll ask. Why not.’ They let me be Indi Hartwell for the dark match. It kind of kept going and I got on TV with it. I got my action figure with that name and got in the game with that name. When NXT 2.0 started, they went through that whole thing where you can’t have your real name or a name they don’t own, so they gave me the option to change my name or sell it to them. I sold it to them. It was always in the back of my mind, ‘If I get released, what name am I going to be?’ That’s a big deal to me. When I got the call that I was being released, they said, ‘You’re released.’ ‘Okay, cool. So, I sold my name to the company. Is there any way I could get that back?’ We got it all figured out and I got the rights and stuff to it. I’m very lucky.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

Trick Williams Appearance and Lei Ying Lee vs. Rosemary Match Announced for Thursday’s TNA Impact! Show

TNA Wrestling recently announced one new match and one new segment for the card of tonight’s TNA Impact! show on AXS TV and Sportsnet 360.

In regards to the new match, this was announced to be a singles match of Lei Ying Lee vs. Rosemary.

THURSDAY at 8/7c on @AXSTV in the US, @Sportsnet 360 in Canada, and TNA+ worldwide. @WeAreRosemary battles @TheLeiYingLee on #TNAiMPACT after they failed to overcome Fatal Influence alongside @XiaBrookside at #TNARebellion! pic.twitter.com/yVkHinBS76
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) May 7, 2025

In regards to the new segment, this was announced to be WWE NXT talent Trick Williams to appear on the show. It was also announced that Williams will be kicking off tonight’s show.

THURSDAY at 8/7c on @AXSTV in the US, @Sportsnet 360 in Canada, and TNA+ worldwide!

Fresh off chaos on #WWENXT, @_trickwilliams is set to KICK OFF #TNAiMPACT! as the road to #TNAUnderSiege and #WWEBattleground heats up! pic.twitter.com/5AVFIzjdL8
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) May 7, 2025

Current card for May 8th TNA Impact show:

TNA International Championship – Eric Young vs. Steve Maclin (c)
Mustafa Ali vs. Trey Miguel
Lee Ying Lee vs. Rosemary
Victoria Crawford vs. mystery opponent
WWE NXT’s Trick Williams to apepar

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

As noted before, former WWF, WCW, and NWA wrestler Billy Jack Haynes was arrested in February of 2024 following a shooting incident at his home in Portland, Oregon that resulted in the death of his wife. This past Tuesday’s episode of Dark Side of the Ring featured Haynes stated that he killed his wife in act of a mercy due to his claims of her suffering from dementia. Near the end of the episode, it was stated that Haynes is currently scheduled to stand trial this December for the charges of second degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon.

Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling recently released a never-before-seen television pilot of Dave McKigney’s Big Time Wrestling in 1975.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that their sources stated that UFC President Dana White is currently working on plans to launch a pro wrestling version of his Power Slap fight league. Sapp reported that inquiries were made to “dozens of independent wrestlers” over a month ago for a special season of Power Slap. Sapp also reported that former WWE wrestler Kizarny, Sinn Bohdi, is in charge of talent recruitment for this show. The indie talent currently scheduled to be participating reportedly are Cassanova Valentine, Mechawolf, Juicy Finau, Stunt Marshall, Mazzerti Facade, HollyHood Haley J, Alice Crowley, Christi Jaynes, Marty the Moth, Bruno El Oso Blanco, The Suavectios, and Dani Mo. Sapp also reported that despite concerns over the potential for concussions, the reason why these talents have agreed to work the show is due to the pay being “very good.”

ACTION Wrestling recently announced that Gringo Loco and Hologram are the next official competitors for the 10-Man Cibernetico match at their co-promoted ACTION DEAN~!!!2 event with AEW on May 24th in Glendale, Arizona.

New Texas Pro Wrestling recently announced that former WWE and AEW talent AQA will be making an appearance for the company at their June 1st event in Austin, Texas. This will be AQA’s first match since June 2022 due to her taking a break from wrestling for physical and mental health-related issues.

Deadline reported that their sources stated that the next series in Peyton Manning’s “Places” franchise for ESPN will be called “Rabil’s Places” and one of the episodes will be featuring WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley.

As noted before, Mina Shirakawa departed from Stardom this past April and will be joining AEW for the next destination in her wrestling career. Shirakawa recently reflected on Twitter about her farewell to Japan and her optimism for her upcoming new journey. Shirakawa stated “I cried so many tears in this room. But every morning, I chose to fight for my future. Hard times may come. But I’ll never give up. Thank you, Japan.” Following Shirakawa’s post, Mariah May responded on Twitter stating “I’m waiting for you 🩷 Us against the world, Mina 👑“

Major League Wrestling recently announced that KENTA will be making an appearance for the company at their Summer of Beasts 2025 event on June 26th in New York City, New York.

MLW also recently announced one new match for the card of their MLW Fusion taping on May 10th in Cicero, Illinois: