Credit: Mike Johnson and PWInsider.com
For those of you avoiding such things, there are no “spoiler” related news bits below.
* TNA debuted last night at The Manhattan Center in New York for the first of three TV tapings this week that will actually put the company head 6-7 weeks on television. That means that by the end of their August tapings in the venue, they will be well into iMPACT! Wrestling episodes for the Fall.
* The Manhattan Center’s in-house staff and production facility was used to augment TNA production staff last night. One of the reasons TNA is taping there is because the venue isn’t just a typical building but also handles a lot of television production. TNA really liked the building.
* For those of you who familiar with the building, the entrance to the ring was on the stage with the “hard cameras” shooting from that direction towards the balconies. So, they shot the room opposite the way WWE did when they filmed the early RAW episodes. TNA set up a small series of bleachers under one of the balconies to give the room a fuller look for television. They also utilized a crane camera and several handhelds. There were no video screens.
* Jeremy Borash actually spent a good 15 minutes at the start of the taping playing up to the crowd to stretch for time as not everyone had gotten through the security process and made it up to the Grand Ballroom, which is on the seventh floor.
* Going forward, we will probably see a little less of the backstage segments and more focus on everything happening in front of the audience on camera.
* Mike Tenay was not at the taping as he and Taz will be doing commentary in post-production. Hector Guerrero and Willie Urbine were there and did Spanish commentary live. Taz did appear for a promo on the first episode taped.
* A number of House of Hardcore students worked the taping in different roles to help with logistics.
AEW: David Finlay on His Decision to Join AEW Over WWE Was “Easy Choice”, Renee Paquette on Her Praise of Lexy Nair & Arkady Aura’s AEW Careers Growth, Thekla on Working with Skye Blue and Julia Hart & Her AEW Dream Match Opponents
WWE SmackDown Notes: Drew McIntyre “Quits” SmackDown Only To Return Afterwards for Jacob Fatu Attack, Bella Twins Appears & Declares Next Shot at WWE Women’s Tag Titles, Danhausen Appears & Curses The Miz, 3/20 Show Card
Various: Charlie (Dakota Kai) To Make In-Ring Debut for House of Glory at HOG Culture Clash, AAA World Cruiserweight Title Four-way Match Set for AAA Rey de Reyes 2026, Current Card for 3/13 ROH TV Special Episode, Indies/Misc.
