Before it was known as Impact Wrestling, it was TNA. This company served as an alternative to WWE for a handful of years. They were different because of their six-sided ring, the X Division, and innovative match types like Ultimate X. Fans wanted something new and they had it.
Eventually, former WWE stars flocked to TNA. While their name value was nice, the product ultimately kind of became WWE-lite. Instead of something new, TNA felt like something lesser for many fans. Still, former WWE competitors did well there. Some of those former stars went on to become members of WWE's Hall of Fame. Here are 10 of them.
10 Rikishi
Rikishi went through many gimmicks while with WWE. One half of the Headshrinkers, the Sultan, and "Make a Difference" Fatu all came before he found his calling as Rikishi. As the thong-wearing Samoan with a penchant for dancing, Rikishi became one of the most popular members of the roster.
In 2004, Rikishi requested his release from WWE to lose weight. In 2007, he joined TNA under the name Junior Fatu and immediately feuded with high-level talent. Unfortunately, he only lasted about a month before he was gone due to a failure to agree on a pay raise. Rikishi was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
9 Kevin Nash
Unlike Rikishi, Kevin Nash had a pretty long run with TNA. He and Scott Hall helped Jeff Jarrett and formed the Kings of Wrestling in 2004. The following year, he powerbombed Jarrett on the first episode of Impact on Spike TV. He also joined Hulk Hogan in The Band during 2010.
The most notable things Kevin Nash did with TNA came with Paparazzi Productions and the Main Event Mafia. With the former, he was a comedy character who helped bring out the personalities of the X Division. With the latter, he was a champion alongside fellow big stars. With Rikishi, Nash joined the Hall of Fame in 2015.
8 Mick Foley
Mick Foley wasn't someone who hung around TNA for a long time but he made an impact while there. He inked a short-term deal with them in late 2008 and by April of 2009, he had become the TNA Heavyweight Champion. It was a move that stunned everyone and was met with heavy criticism.
His reign as champion only lasted a couple of months before he lost the King of the Mountain match. Foley tapped out to Kurt Angle in a rematch for the gold. Following that, he made sporadic appearances until 2011. Two years later, Mick Foley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
7 The Dudley Boyz
Though they were known as the Dudley Boyz in ECW, the rights to that name were owned by WWE in the mid-2000s. So when Bubba Ray and D-Von joined TNA in late 2005, they had to change their names. They went with Brother Ray and Brother Devon, Team 3D. Their new name didn't change their level of success.
While with TNA, the duo won the Tag Team Titles on three occasions. Devon was a two-time Television Champion, while Ray (then known as Bully Ray) was a two-time TNA Heavyweight Champion. Their accolades made them one of a handful of people to be in both the TNA and WWE Hall of Fame.
6 Hulk Hogan
In 2003, Hulk Hogan was set to compete at a TNA event but injuries kept him out of it. He became a member of WWE's Hall of Fame in 2005. However, he was far from done with TNA. Hogan, along with Eric Bischoff, was brought in to pretty much oversee everything related to the company at the start of 2010.
This caused major problems for TNA. Hogan brought in a lot of his old friends and completely revamped the show. It worked as a hindrance to TNA's growth. Fans often wonder "what if" they never came to the company. Hogan even got back in the ring a few times. He was finished with TNA by the end of 2013 but the damage was done.
5 Ric Flair
Like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair was one of the people to join TNA after he was already a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. Ric Flair got inducted the night before what was supposed to be his final match at WrestleMania XXIV. He lost to Shawn Michaels in an emotional classic in arguably the best farewell in wrestling history.
Ric Flair decided that wasn't enough. He appeared on the first TNA episode to also feature Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. Flair took AJ Styles under his wing and basically made him into a Nature Boy clone. He ended up wrestling several matches against old rivals like Hogan and Sting. By 2012, he was back to work with WWE.
4 Booker T
Booker T has been a highly successful wrestler wherever he goes. He held multiple World Titles with WCW, was a World Champion and King of the Ring with WWE, and that trend followed when he joined TNA. That was in 2007, arriving as a mystery partner for Sting against Kurt Angle and Kevin Nash.
While with TNA, Booker challenged for the Heavyweight Title a few times but was never able to add to his career total. He did score a Tag Team Title win alongside Scott Steiner and he created the Legends Title. Booker was also a member of the Main Event Mafia. He is now a two-time WWE Hall of Famer, going in by himself and as a member of Harlem Heat.
3 Sting
For the vast majority of his career, Sting was the one guy who never worked for WWE. He remained with WCW until it died and then eventually joined TNA. He appeared here and there for them before becoming a regular roster member in 2005. While with the company, Sting won several Heavyweight Titles, went through multiple character changes, and was a consistent headliner.
Sting remained with TNA until 2014, making him one of their longest-tenured performers. By November of that year, Sting shocked the world by finally appearing in a WWE ring. He wrestled a few matches for them before getting inducted into their Hall of Fame for his work throughout his entire career.
2 Jeff Jarrett
If you want proof that WWE can mend fences with anyone, look no further than Jeff Jarrett. In 1999, he signed with WCW but was still WWE Intercontinental Champion. Fearing that he'd with the title, Vince McMahon agreed to pay Jarrett $300,000 for a final non-contracted match to drop the championship.
When WWE bought WCW in 2001, Jarrett wasn't brought on board. So Jarrett instead helped start TNA. He lasted from day one until 2014 and was a top star with them nearly the entire time. Jarrett was a surprise name announced for the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. He, the Dudley Boyz, Kurt Angle, and Sting are part of the Hall of Fame for both WWE and TNA.
1 Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle is a member of the WWE, TNA, and International Sports Hall of Fames. That is one decorated dude. Angle was considered by many to be the best wrestler in the world when he left WWE in 2006. The news of his signing with TNA came as a huge shock to everyone.
Surprisingly, Kurt Angle spent more time with TNA than he did with WWE. Angle dominated in TNA from 2006 until 2016. He held the Heavyweight Title 6 times and also had reigns with the X Division and Tag Team Titles. Kurt was a Hall of Fame-caliber star at every level.