The TNA tenure of Dixie Carter featured a generally negative reception from fans for the missed opportunities. Carter joining the wrestling business with little knowledge or experience showed when she started becoming part of the creative process. Other people played roles in influencing Dixie for better or worse, but she still had her feelings heard when believing in various wrestlers.
Few wrestlers in TNA were booked strong throughout their run and had the creative team supporting them without giving up. Dixie had her favorites who TNA wanted to make into bigger stars on her behalf. Unfortunately, that didn’t always last as she fell out of love with talent enough for the booking to essentially give up on them. Each of the following TNA stars witnessed life with Carter’s support, and then losing it.
8 Jesse Sorensen
TNA viewed Jesse Sorensen as a great prospect with multiple big names backstage seeing his potential. Dixie Carter was considered to be a huge supporter of Sorensen and was a big fan of him getting pushed in the X-Division.
However, a brutal injury would take Sorensen out of action and cause him to pile up medical bills. Carter did not fit the bill for Sorensen’s hospital stay like WWE typically did for wrestlers getting injured on their show. TNA’s cheapness saw Dixie leaving Sorensen out to dry when releasing the young star after viewing him as a future asset.
7 Shelly Martinez
The support of Shelly Martinez by Dixie Carter played off in the strangest way possible. Martinez signed with the promotion when a new manager was needed for the LAX tag team of Hernandez and Homicide following Konnan’s departure.
TNA renamed Shelly with the new name of Salinas, which was the real last name of Dixie’s husband Serge. That was the most faith shown in Martinez from Carter as her character never took off. The new version of LAX didn’t work out and Shelly was released shortly afterwards.
6 Wes Brisco
Multiple names in TNA viewed Wes Brisco as a future main eventer due to his potential. Eric Bischoff and Bruce Prichard talked Dixie Carter into believing that WWE wasted the potential of the second-generation Brisco during his time in developmental.
TNA pushed Wes in a huge singles program against Kurt Angle after he was revealed as a mystery member of the Aces & Eights faction. Dixie and the rest of the decision makers lost confidence in Brisco following the lack of crowd interest in his win over the biggest name in the company.
5 Booker T
The biggest names to leave WWE would become the favorites of Dixie Carter when they joined TNA. Booker T revealed multiple times on his podcast that he felt respected by Dixie when receiving a huge contract offer with minimal house show dates.
TNA pushed Booker in a major role as a top face during his first year in the promotion. The lack of drive by Booker was shown as he later admitted he viewed TNA as a vacation after the long run of a grueling WWE schedule. Dixie and the rest TNA management found more success placing him in a secondary role in the Main Event Mafia faction.
4 King Mo
Dixie Carter fell in love with the idea of MMA fighters coming to TNA. Tito Ortiz was in and out of the promotion for years with the random appearances. King Mo had a bigger push planned when signing an exclusive wrestling deal with TNA.
Spike TV helped broker a deal that allowed Mo to train as a wrestler in between his MMA fighting for the Bellator promotion. Dixie believed in Mo enough to make him her enforcer when she played a heel character. TNA eventually lost interest when Mo couldn’t wrestle and stopped their partnership.
3 Tyrus
The WWE run of Brodus Clay ended in disappointment when the gimmick couldn’t get him over the hump. Clay joined TNA shortly after his release and started working under the new name of Tyrus. TNA instantly tried to make him an intimidating heel figure.
Dixie Carter had Tyrus join her crew with EC3 and Rockstar Spud as a heel alliance. Tyrus was used in a relevant manner for a short while before his momentum was lost. TNA and Dixie removed the former Brodus from the main event picture.
2 Jessie Godderz
Dixie Carter developed a preference for wrestlers with the prototypical old school wrestler physique and reality television show backgrounds each. Jessie Godderz fit both billings when he joined TNA in a storyline as Tara’s love interest.
The character work saw Godderz using his physique and heel persona for heat. Jesse was considered to be a prospect with main event potential, but TNA completely gave up on that concept. The run of Godderz peaked in the throwaway tag team with Robbie E as the Bro Mans.
1 Crimson
Crimson had the most forgettable undefeated streak in wrestling around the time when Dixie Carter’s influence grew stronger in TNA creative. The hope was that fans would rally behind the unbeatable new face, but the connection just wasn’t there.
Wins over the likes of Christopher Daniels, Abyss and Samoa Joe felt wrong since the momentum wasn’t building. TNA eventually ended the undefeated streak and lessened Crimson’s push. Dixie stopped naming Crimson among the top future stars of the company after a short run of getting pushed without any losses.