Impact Wrestling aka TNA has a strong history of feuds that created polarizing receptions from the audience. The stories to have an ending that leaves the audience fulfilled are what ends up being remembered better in the long term. Unfortunately, some programs ended in the worst way possible to leave a negative taste in the mouths of the viewers.
Each of the feuds in question can be debated, especially in the moment of when it took place. The lasting memory of the rivalries not having the intended desire can go back to the culmination not working out. Impact could have had a better result if they didn’t end these feuds in the worst possible way.
10 Jeff Jarrett Vs Kevin Nash
TNA tried to make a big match from the Kevin Nash vs Jeff Jarrett feud at the first Bound for Glory PPV in 2005. The TNA debut of Nash almost a full year prior saw him teaming with Jarrett and Scott Hall as the Kings of Wrestling faction.
Things changed with Hall losing his roster spot and TNA turning Nash face since he was the biggest name in the promotion. Heart issues caused Nash to miss the match against Jarrett to settle their issues. Nash returned not too long afterwards, but TNA felt the time had passed to never go back to that program with a proper ending.
9 Karen Jarrett Vs Velvet Sky
Karen Jarrett returning to TNA as a heel authority figure saw her running the Knockouts division. Velvet Sky became the target of Karen making life miserable for her as one of the top female face characters at that point.
Gail Kim and Madison Rayne being the chosen ones of Karen saw them typically winning matches of importance over Velvet. The feud between Karen and Velvet didn’t even have an ending to help Velvet gain back momentum. Sting fired Karen and ended her time as the authority figure on his own.
8 Kurt Angle Vs Desmond Wolfe
Even some of the better feuds in TNA had an ending that went the worst way possible. Former ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness lost his WWE deal due to health concerns from previous injuries. TNA signed him right away with the new name of Desmond Wolfe to feud with Kurt Angle.
Fans loved both of their PPV matches that turned into instant classics, but Wolfe lost them both. TNA could have went the Kevin Owens vs John Cena route with Wolfe winning the first match to get over. Unfortunately, the second loss in a row didn’t help him get into that top spot he was inching towards.
7 Sting Vs Samoa Joe
Many fans forget that the start of the Main Event Mafia came when Sting cheated Samoa Joe out of the TNA World Championship. Kevin Nash betrayed Joe by hitting him with a baseball bat and allowing Sting to win the match.
Sting benefited from a heel act, but he stayed a tweener just wanting respect from Joe and the younger talents. Joe never got revenge or a mutual respect with Sting by the end of the feud. TNA placed the entire Main Event Mafia in a feud with TNA’s Frontline without going back to the direct issues between Sting and Joe.
6 Garett Bischoff Vs Eric Bischoff
TNA overpushing Eric Bischoff’s son Garett completely ruined any chance of him connecting with fans. Garett was revealed as Eric’s son when refusing to follow orders during a Hulk Hogan vs Sting match. Both Hogan and Garett turned face this night to feud with Eric.
The program saw TNA trying to convince fans to cheer for Garett by having him stand up to his father. A horrible ending to the feud saw Garett as the leader of a team with bigger names AJ Styles, Rob Van Dam, Austin Aries and Mr. Anderson while getting all the credit when forcing Eric out as part of the payoff. Fans continued booing Garett whenever shows weren’t taped to change reactions.
5 Sting Vs Jeff Hardy
The infamous night of Victory Road 2011 featured Jeff Hardy showing up under the influence and unable to have the match expected vs Sting. A terrible decision to even let Hardy in the ring saw a visibly angry Sting pinning him in a few minutes.
TNA sent Hardy home to try to clean up his life before he returned for the best stint of his time there as a face. Jeff teamed with Sting on a few occasions, but they never opposed each other again since both were faces. Unfortunately, this meant their previous feud would have ended as poorly as possible without picking it back up.
4 Mick Foley Vs Ric Flair
One forgotten feud between legends in TNA to continue from their WWE time was Mick Foley vs Ric Flair. TNA tried to create the same appeal WWE did when Foley and Flair cut intense personal promos building real tension to sell their matches.
The promo was the high point of their night before Foley won a Last Man Standing match. Mick didn’t spend too much longer in the company to make his win feel less ideal. TNA would have benefited from having younger wrestlers represent them, but no one really benefited from this feud by the end.
3 Kurt Angle Vs Wes Brisco
TNA tried to make a new star when having Wes Brisco betray his mentor Kurt Angle to join the Aces & Eights faction. The idea wasn’t bad in theory, but TNA didn’t listen to the crowd when trying to elevate Brisco over the top name before he was ready.
Angle losing to Wes in a steel cage match on PPV turned many viewers against Brisco. TNA had Wes win every on-screen singles and tag match in the short feud. The program ending before Angle got revenge just exposed the weaknesses of Brisco.
2 AJ Styles Vs Dixie Carter
One of the storylines to get TNA some negative attention with claims of copying WWE featured AJ Styles vs Dixie Carter becoming a feud. Styles threatening to leave TNA with the world title after Dixie held him back basically was the same story as the Summer of Punk for WWE in 2011.
However, the real contract of AJ did expire after he won the TNA World Championship. Styles getting lowballed in contract talks saw him wanting to work elsewhere. TNA had AJ return for one night only to drop the belt to Magnus and give Dixie the big win since she was the one bragging and holding the gold.
1 Rob Van Dam Vs Abyss
TNA had one of their dumbest ideas come during the Abyss vs Rob Van Dam feud. The move to make Van Dam TNA World Champion was struggling from the start with fan interest not as strong as the company expected from such a move.
Abyss attacking RVD during their feud led to the title being vacated due to Van Dam missing a few months. However, their big payoff came at Bound for Glory 2010 with RVD beating Abyss. Even though Van Dam returned that night, the finals of a tournament featured Jeff Hardy winning the gold. TNA made RVD look foolish by vacating the belt for no reason.