Highs & Lows: TNA on AMC Debut– AJ Steals It, Elayna Signs, No Big Hook For Genesis
On January 15, 2026, TNA Impact made its live debut on AMC. The episode delivered AJ Styles’ long-awaited return, a very surprising and warmly welcomed debut by Daria Rae (Sonya Deville) who immediately signed the hottest free agent alive in Elayna Black (Cora Jade), like we mentioned days ago.
Queen Dixie finally receiving the long-overdue recognition she deserves, Mike Santana picking up another big World Championship win — it was a night packed with nostalgia, shocks, and electric, chaotic energy.
As a longtime fan, I’m breaking it down with the classic ups and downs: what hit hard, what fell flat, and why some moments (like a certain cameo) deserve more credit than the crowd gave them.
Highs
• AJ Styles’ return and opening segment — Straight fire. Classic TNA theme, “the house that AJ Styles built,” getting the crowd chanting “TNA!” and “AMC!”—pure electricity and perfect for hooking new viewers.
• The main event: Mike Santana defeating Frankie Kazarian for the TNA World Championship — Killer 17-minute match with drama, callbacks, and a huge pop for Santana’s win. Emotional title change to cap the historic night.
• AJ teasing future involvement — That slow, loaded glance at the title during Kaz’s promo? Subtle genius. Everyone felt the chaos coming.
• Daria Rae (Sonya Deville) debut — Fresh authority drama, betrayal vibes, and a strong addition to the roster.
• Order 4’s new gear and the live Dallas crowd — Crowd was hot all night—chants, energy, reactions popping off. Felt like a real event.
• Elayna Black (Cora Jade) and Sol Ruca/Zaria — We were the only site/writer alive to speculate right on Elayna’s debut. The 25-year-old smoke-show is a HUGE get by TNA. Always nice seeing Sol Ruca and Zaria, and having NXT as emergency talent is fantastic.
• Dixie Carter’s return cameo — Love or hate her history, it’s cool seeing the woman who literally saved TNA back in 2002-2003 show up for the big AMC premiere. When Panda Energy (her family’s company) stepped in after Jarrett’s early funding crisis and bought the majority stake, it kept the doors open when bankruptcy was knocking.
She ran the show for over a decade, built it through ups and downs, and her emotional speech about 24 years of TNA history was a nice nostalgic touch—even if the crowd booed (hey, old grudges die hard, and the Bully Ray hug/stare-down added fun drama). Props to her for being part of the foundation that got us here.
Lows
• No strong hook for Genesis — Ended on Santana’s celebration, but no immediate Nemeth cash-in payoff (just off-air clips), quick Texas Deathmatch booking—left a lot of us (including my friend) without urgency for tonight’s PPV.
• Visa issues sidelining talents — Santino explained Dani Luna and Leon Slater out due to international/visa problems (UK/Canada folks hit hard). Handled transparently, but yeah, losing them hurt—Zaria stepping up was cool, but it felt like downgrading big names.
• Perez Hilton — Seriously? No, just no.
• Too promo-heavy, not enough wrestling — Only three matches in two hours, with celeb spots (Perez Hilton, Mr. Elegance) and segments eating time. Felt scattered for a big debut.
• Production/streaming glitches and mixed vibes — Some feed issues, chaotic energy—great for longtime fans, but maybe overwhelming for new AMC viewers.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the debut had massive highs (AJ power, title change, crowd love) that made it feel historic, but the lows (weak PPV build, visa drama, promo overload) held it back from being perfect.
Still, shoutout to Dixie for that early save—without her family’s investment, we might not have TNA on AMC at all tonight. The boos? Wrestling fans hold grudges, but credit where it’s due.
