TNA Wrestling has undergone significant changes in recent weeks, and Nic Nemeth admits the atmosphere backstage has been affected by the departures.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, the former Dolph Ziggler reflected on the company’s morale and acknowledged that things have felt different behind the scenes lately.
Nemeth recalled how optimistic everyone was when TNA secured its television deal with the AMC Network, noting that morale “couldn’t be any higher” at the time. However, he admitted that uncertainty has started to emerge as several notable names have left the promotion.
“When you hear something at work, I don’t want to hear something second- and third-hand and then apply it to someone and apply it to the office, where I’m hating two different people without even knowing the story,” Nemeth said.
The former TNA World Champion explained that he hopes to get a better understanding of the situation at the upcoming pay-per-view, Slammiversary. While he stressed that he does not know exactly what is happening internally, he said the backstage environment has noticeably changed.
“I really think the locker room is such a huge aspect. It’s what got me to sign on to TNA, and I thought we were in a really good place. But I think the last couple months, it’s been a little weird backstage. It’s been different. And I can’t exactly put my finger on why,” Nemeth admitted.
Nic Nemeth on Tommy Dreamer’s TNA Exit
Nemeth also highlighted the impact of Tommy Dreamer’s departure, pointing to the many behind-the-scenes responsibilities that often go unnoticed by fans.
According to Nemeth, many wrestlers pride themselves on being able to excel in any role on a wrestling card, but Dreamer’s contributions extended well beyond what viewers saw on television.
“I don’t think I could do any of those other roles that you don’t see behind the scenes,” Nemeth said. “Everybody in the entire company, and probably every independent wrestler, is texting and calling you every single day because that’s what they think they’re supposed to do to get ahead.”
He joked that if he received the same volume of calls and messages Dreamer handled daily, he would “throw my phone in a river.” Nemeth added that Dreamer’s relationships throughout the wrestling industry and his knowledge of talent made him an invaluable asset to the company.
“Tommy lives off of that because he actually knows everybody, and he knows what they’re capable of. He’s such a valuable aspect to any company,” Nemeth said.
TNA Has Seen Several High-Profile Exits
Nemeth’s comments come amid a wave of departures from TNA Wrestling.
Former Knockouts World Champion Tessa Blanchard recently exited the promotion after being asked to choose between continuing with TNA or working with CMLL. In a video message addressing her departure, Blanchard explained that changes within the company ultimately led to the split.
“As time went on and business evolved, leadership changed, partnerships changed, network deals changed, the direction of the company just shifted,” Blanchard said. “Eventually, I was asked to make a decision to either continue with TNA or continue with CMLL.”
TNA also parted ways with longtime backstage figure Tommy Dreamer. During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Dreamer described his position as a 24-hour-job and said he felt both he and TNA needed a break from one another.
Shortly after Dreamer’s announcement, TNA Wrestling and Anthem Sports & Entertainment confirmed to WrestleZone that both Dreamer and Blanchard had been released. The company stated that the “workforce reduction” was intended to streamline operations and increase profitability.
In addition to Dreamer and Blanchard, Dani Luna and Myla Grace have also departed the promotion. Former TNA World Champion Sami Callihan recently confirmed that he, too, had parted ways with the company after what he believed would be a discussion regarding a potential promotion turned into a conversation about his exit.
According to Fightful Select, multiple members of TNA’s roster and staff had spent months advocating for Callihan to join the company’s creative team.
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