TNA’s absence from the 2026 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic didn’t go unnoticed, and according to report, there’s a pretty simple reason why. The partnership between WWE and TNA is still alive, but it doesn’t sound like it’s anywhere near as important as it was a year ago.
During a WrestleVotes Q&A, JoeyVotes and TC were asked why no TNA teams made the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic despite WWE including talent from Raw, SmackDown, NXT, EVOLVE and AAA. From the sound of things, WWE’s priorities have shifted.
JoeyVotes said the relationship with TNA has cooled off considerably compared to where it stood several months ago. While he stressed the partnership hasn’t ended, he questioned how much value it still holds from WWE’s perspective.
“The WWE partnership with TNA is definitely a lot less important for NXT than it was six months, eight months, or even a year ago.”
TC added that WWE’s acquisition of AAA has played a major role in that change. With AAA now becoming a bigger part of WWE’s plans, he feels that’s naturally pushed TNA further into the background.
“Plus, the emergence of AAA has really put the focus more on AAA than TNA.”
JoeyVotes expanded on that point by looking at the tournament itself. He noted that every team announced comes from EVOLVE, AAA, NXT, Raw or SmackDown, adding that if the WWE-TNA relationship was still as strong as it once was, the company likely would’ve found room for at least one TNA team.
“The partnership is not over, but I don’t know how meaningful it is to the WWE brand anymore. As far as TNA tag teams, you won’t put The Hardys in there, not the Tag Team Champions, the Nemeth Brothers, either.
All the current teams are from EVOLVE, AAA, NXT, Raw, or SmackDown. If they had a relationship that was as strong as it was at one point, they would’ve come up with two guys from TNA. The partnership just isn’t as strong as it once was.”
The comments come after WWE announced a stacked field for this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic featuring teams from multiple brands, along with AAA talent, but no representatives from TNA. While crossover appearances haven’t completely disappeared, this update suggests the days of TNA playing a major role in WWE’s developmental plans may be fading.
The WWE-TNA partnership may not be dead, but it definitely looks different than it did just a few months ago. With AAA now taking on a much bigger role, it’ll be interesting to see whether TNA becomes a smaller part of WWE’s future—or if this is simply a temporary shift.
Do you think WWE should have included a TNA team in this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, or does the current lineup make more sense? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
