The working relationship between WWE and TNA took another major step this week. On TNA iMPACT!, NXT’s Ridge Holland made a surprise appearance, blindsiding Mike Santana with a post-match assault.
The attack came moments after Santana dispatched AJZ in under a minute. Following the quick victory, Santana took the microphone to call out TNA Champion Trick Williams, who had blindsided him the previous week. Santana left no doubt about his intentions for their upcoming title match at Bound For Glory.
“Because on October 12, Bound For Glory, you better say a prayer and give your soul to God, because your b—ass belongs to me!” Santana declared.
But the response did not come from the champion. Instead, Ridge Holland stormed the ring, dropping Santana with a barrage of headbutts and strikes before spiking him with an elevated DDT to close the segment.
The unexpected run-in adds a new wrinkle to the TNA main event picture, particularly as Trick Williams already has his own inter-promotional showdown scheduled. Williams will face NXT Champion Oba Femi in a Champion vs. Champion match on the September 23 episode of NXT.
Elsewhere on iMPACT!, the show continued to build toward the upcoming Victory Road event. Announcements for next week’s go-home episode included:
- Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz vs. Cedric Alexander & Leon Slater
- Victoria Crawford vs. Jody Threat
- Ken Anderson & Steve Maclin vs. Frankie Kazarian & Jake Something
Perhaps most notably, the episode also confirmed “The Final Negotiation” between The Hardys and Team 3D, a segment set to lay the groundwork for their high-stakes clash at Bound For Glory.
With Holland’s shocking appearance, Santana’s challenge, and Williams preparing for dual battles, TNA’s top storylines now intersect directly with NXT in a way that could reshape both promotions heading into a packed fall schedule.