“The Cowboy” James Storm announced via Twitter this afternoon that he officially finished up his run with TNA Wrestling at last night’s Impact Wrestling television taping in Orlando, FL.
Finished up my duties with Impact Wrestling yesterday. Today begins a new chapter in my life. I’m excited for what the future holds. #Thanks
— James Storm (@JamesStormBrand) July 31, 2015
Oh… I’m not done wrestling. Just working on a new saddle for a fresh horse. #CowboyWay #WeWantTheCowboy
— James Storm (@JamesStormBrand) July 31, 2015
Storm, 38, was a part of the very first NWA TNA weekly PPV back in mid-2002, and was the last wrestler on the present day roster to have worked that show. He went on to partner with “Wildcat” Chris Harris to form the tag team America’s Most Wanted, which became a mainstay of the tag division over the new few years, winning gold on six separate occasions.
In 2008, Storm formed a tag team with another company original in Robert Roode (later Bobby Roode), forming Beer Money, and TNA began building the tag team division around their success, as well as numerous rivalries with the Motor City Machine Guns. Their partnership lasted until mid-2011, when both Storm and Roode were given serious pushes towards the top of the card as a part of the annual Bound for Glory Series.
It was Roode who went on to with the series, but ultimately lost to then-champion Kurt Angle at Bound for Glory for the TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Storm then defeated Angle to win the title on Impact Wrestling, creating jealousy between the former partners and resulting in Roode turning heel, winning the title and going on to have arguably the greatest world title run in the promotion’s history, while Storm stayed in the title picture with upper-card programs with Angle, Jeff Hardy, and Bully Ray. He would never win the title again.
In total James Storm is a one-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, six-time TNA Tag Team Champion (Roode, Abyss, Gunner), seven-time NWA Tag Team Champion (Chris Harris, Christopher Daniels), and has remained with the company for more than 13 years.
