Having shown considerable affection for the UK, TNA are a hair's breadth away from returning to British shores to entertain British fans (with tickets available here), and they're bringing the best.
Word reached Royal Ramblings last week that Wrestling legend and Olympic Gold Medallist Kurt Angle will head the all-star cast including Matt Hardy, Bobby Lashley, Austin Aries, Awesome Kong and many more. For those that watched the excellent British Boot Camp series one there's Rockstar Spud and the six finalists from series two will be taking part in a free meet and greet prior to the shows in Glasgow (January 29, SSE Hydro), Manchester (January 30, Phones 4u Arena) and London (January 31, SSE Wembley). All the events will be filmed for TV and London will host an 'Ultimate X match'.
For those that missed TNA's dazzling new show on Challenge in recent weeks, it is perhaps worth briefly reviewing what we might be expecting on the tour. For starters, Kurt Angle is no longer part of the management team. Having stopped a full-on brawl and made his final match bookings, he emphatically returned to the active roster by taking on bad-guy extraordinaire MVP.
MVP meanwhile is not alone, having already relied on long term acolyte Kenny King, he has formed the 'Beat Down Clan' or 'BDC' with unlikely bedfellows Low Ki, Samoa Joe and most shockingly Eric Young. The group is already racking up enemies, amongst them Austin Aries, Bobby Young and the aforementioned Angle. Look out for some stellar headline matches amongst these talents on the UK tour.
In the tag-team world, James Storm's 'Revolution' are still riding high. Having beaten the Wolves in the debut show on Destination America, Storm and Abyss will likely be targets for Richards and Edwards' revenge not to mention the BroMans and others.
The TNA Knockouts continue to impress. Taryn Terrell is the one to beat but luckily for her, the dominant and returning 'Awesome Kong' appears to have her sights set on Havoc. As TNA's new commentator Matt Striker suggested, seeing these two imposing women go face-to-face would be a booker's dream and perhaps we'll get a preview in Glasgow, Manchester or in London.
Next, we have the ongoing tensions between champion 'heel' EC3 and both Rockstar Spud and TNA announcer Jeremy 'JB' Borash. Supported by his enforcer Tyrus, we've already witnessed EC3 subject Borash to head-shaving humiliation. What might Spud and JB have planned by way of revenge, they'll have to be brave whatever it is as neither of their opponents is a cowering creature
Last but never least there is the X-Division. London will witness an 'Ultimate X' match but any X-Division match will be a great watch. Perhaps we'll get to see the TNA UK debut of 'White Lightning' Mark Andrews.
TNA has gained respect for delivering great in-ring entertainment during its UK live shows. If you're coming, great. If not, get there.
MAXIMUM IMPACT 7 Tour tickets are available via www.facebook.com/tnawrestlinguk, www.gigsandtours.com/go/tna2015gen, www.ticketmaster.co.uk/TNA-Wrestling-tickets/artist/1008830 or direct from the tour venues.
The Full line up (subject to change) is:
Bobby Lashley, Kurt Angle, Bobby Roode, James Storm, Sanada, Manik, Mahabali Shera, Abyss, EC3, Tyrus, Rockstar Spud, Magnus, Bram, Madison Rayne, Low-Ki, Brooke, Gunner, Chris Melendez, Austin Aries, Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, Gail Kim, MVP, Awesome Kong, Eric Young, Matt Hardy, Robbie E, Jessie Godderz, Zema Ion, Mr Anderson, Kenny King, Angelina Love, Samoa Joe, Sam Shaw, Crazzy Steve, Rebel, Taryn Terrell, Al Snow, Grado, Noam Dar, Kay Lee Ray, Mark Andrews, Dave Mastiff and Rampage Brown.
