TNA Hard To Kill 2024 Preview and Predictions
It’s the dawn of a new era as TNA Wrestling returns this weekend with “Hard to Kill 2024.” Impact Wrestling had one of their most successful years to date in 2023, and with a lot of momentum behind them, it’s time to see what the new version of Total Nonstop Action looks like.
With 10 matches and five championships on the line, it’s time to cross the line once again as we preview and predict what will happen on the first TNA pay-per-view (Premium Live Event) of the year.
Rich Swann vs. Steve Maclin:
A battle of two former Impact World Champions kicks off the “Countdown” portion of Hard To Kill as Rich Swann takes on Steve Maclin. Swann hasn’t exactly been a main event guy in Impact for a while, having a mixed 2023 where he unsuccessfully challenged for the X-Division and Tag Team Championships.
As for Maclin, he had a short but enjoyable reign as Impact World Champion in 2023, being dethroned by the current champion Alex Shelley, and will be looking to get himself off to a good start in TNA’s new era. These two faced off at Hard To Kill in 2023 where Maclin picked up the win, and I can see the same thing happening here.
PREDICTION: Steve Maclin
Eric Young & Frankie Kazarian vs. Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards:
It’s only right the new era of TNA kicks off with two men who were part of Total Nonstop Action’s glory days. Young and Kazarian wrestled their first matches for TNA all the way back in 2003, and have carved out their own individual legacies in various eras of the company. Edwards and Myers have both enjoyed success under the TNA and Impact Wrestling banners, with Eddie in particular becoming the only man that isn’t named AJ Styles to win the TNA Triple Crown more than once. However, the fans will want to see the originals pick up a feel-good win, and that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
PREDICTION: Eric Young & Frankie Kazarian
Tommy Dreamer {c} vs Crazzy Steve [No Disqualification Match for the TNA Digital Media Championship]:
Rounding out the countdown portion of Hard To Kill is the first title defense of the night. Despite being in his early 50s and having sustained more punishment in his career than some roster members put together, Tommy Dreamer is still going strong in 2024.
He will walk into Las Vegas, Nev., as the second longest-reigning Digital Media Champion in company history, and is looking to continue his reign with a win over Crazzy Steve. With the match being “No Disqualifications,” it doesn’t exactly favor anyone as both men are more than capable of swinging chairs at each other and putting people through tables. As for a winner, it will be close but something tells me that Tommy Dreamer will retain his title.
PREDICTION: Tommy Dreamer
Alisha Edwards vs. Gisele Shaw vs. Xia Brookside vs. Dani Luna vs. Tasha Steelz vs. Jody Threat [Ultimate X Match to determine the Number One Contender for the TNA Knockouts Championship]:
I have absolutely no idea what the order of Hard To Kill’s main show is going to be, but there isn’t anything on this card that would be more fitting of TNA Wrestling being back than an Ultimate X match. Perhaps the greatest stipulation the company has ever come up with, six women will be fighting it out to be the next in line for a shot at the Knockouts World Championship, currently held by Trinity.
These matches are always hard to predict, especially when a company’s slate is essentially getting wiped clean with the turn of the new year. For example, Tasha Steelz is the most decorated wrestler in the match as the only former Knockouts Champion, but Dani Luna is the current RevPro British Women’s Champion. Xia Brookside might be the most technically sound wrestler in the match, but Alisha Edwards is the most experienced.
Throw in Gisele Shaw and Jody Threat and you have a stacked line-up that could go to anyone. For my money, she might be the youngest, but I’m actually going to go with Dani Luna as she is going to be one to look out for in 2024.
PREDICTION: Dani Luna
Dirty Dango vs. PCO:
Here’s a match you never thought you’d see! Dirty Dango, the former Fandango in WWE, will be looking to get his year off on the right foot as he takes on PCO. The former three-time WWE Tag Team Champion during the early 1990s has transformed into one of the most unstoppable wrestlers in the entire world, mainly because his gimmick is “part-wrestler, part-strongman, part-Frankenstein’s monster.”
Honestly, I have no idea how this one is going to go. A part of me thinks that Dango will get the win thanks to interferences from Alpha Bravo and Oleg Prudius (the former Vladimir Kozlov to WWE fans out there). However, another part of me thinks that PCO will pick up the win because he literally cannot and will not be killed by anyone. I don’t expect much from this bout, if I’m being brutally honest, so I’ll go with Dirty Dango as the winner, but let’s hope this surprises me.
PREDICTION: Dirty Dango
ABC {c} vs. The Rascalz vs. Speedball Mountain vs. Grizzled Young Veterans [Four Way Match for the TNA Tag Team Championship]:
The TNA tag team division has quietly become one of the most stacked divisions in the world thanks to some of the teams involved in this match. The champions, Ace Austin and Chris Bey might represent Bullet Club, but their ABC tag team has morphed into something completely separate from Bullet Club with two reigns as champions to their name. The Rascalz were already a big deal in Impact Wrestling before their stint in WWE, and have once again proved to be a force to be reckoned with.
Trent Seven signed with TNA in December, and has formed a unique partnership with “Speedball” Mike Bailey called “Speedball Mountain,” a great name for a team that might be the least experienced, but already have a win over The Rascalz. Finally, there’s the Grizzled Young Veterans, the former NXT UK Tag Team Champions who will be making their TNA debuts in this four-way match. If there is one thing that is certain, this has all the capabilities of stealing the show. As for a winner, all four teams have a case to walk away with the win. However, I’m going to have to play it safe and keep the belts on Ace Austin and Chris Bey.
PREDICTION: ABC
Josh Alexander vs. Alex Hammerstone:
Speaking of matches that could potentially steal the show, a battle of two heavyweights who are going to leave each other black and blue by the end of this one. Josh Alexander had one of the best years of his career in 2023, carrying the Impact World Championship into 2023 and only losing it due to injury. He went on to have a series of incredible matches with Alex Shelley, Steve Maclin and Will Ospreay (who he will face the following day at the Snake Eyes event). However, he’s facing a man in Alex Hammerstone who he has never beaten.
Hammerstone spent almost two years with the MLW Heavyweight Championship, defeating the likes of Jacob Fatu, Davey Richards and Bandido to keep a hold of it before being dethroned by Alex Kane in July 2023. During his reign with the title, he had a “Champion vs. Champion” match against Josh Alexander at a Pure Pro Wrestling event in Oct. of 2022. This match ended in a no contest, leaving plenty of things on the table for a rematch which is now taking place thanks to Hammerstone being a free agent.
Given how injuries kept 2023 from being an all-timer for Josh Alexander, I’m giving him the win on this occasion, but don’t be surprised if Hammerstone puts in a good performance of his own.
PREDICTION: Josh Alexander
Chris Sabin {c} vs. KUSHIDA vs. El Hijo del Vikingo [Three Way Match for the TNA X-Division Championship]:
A true staple of TNA Wrestling is its X-Division. It’s not about weight limits, it’s about no limits, and the three men involved in this one are perfect examples of how different the X-Division can be. On one hand, you have the champion Chris Sabin, a TNA legend who has held the X-Division Championship a staggering 10 times during his career. Experienced, but still able to keep up with whoever is put in front of him, hence why he has made the title his own.
On the other hand, you have the challengers. KUSHIDA is going full-time with TNA in 2024 and as a former ace of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s junior heavyweight division, his athleticism crossed with his smooth submission-based style will be a unique addition to the roster. Then there is AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo, a man AEW and ROH fans have become familiar with for being simply outrageous with some of the things he can do.
This is my early pick for match of the night, and once again, I’m going to play it safe and give the win to Sabin. I can’t see Vikingo winning as I think his future lies outside of TNA, and there will be time for KUSHIDA to beat Sabin in 2024, just not here.
PREDICTION: Chris Sabin
Trinity {c} vs. Jordynne Grace [TNA Knockouts Championship]:
Whether you call them TNA, Impact Wrestling, or even Global Force Wrestling (that really was a cursed time), there is no denying that they have produced the best women’s wrestling in North America. As far as major promotion goes, WWE and AEW don’t come close to what TNA has done with its Knockouts division over the years, making it feel as important, if not more than the men’s division. The first title match of 2024 sees Trinty (formerly known as Naomi to WWE fans) taking on Jordynne Grace in a match Grace earned by winning the ‘Call Your Shot’ Gauntlet match at Bound For Glory in October.
Grace lost the title to Mickie James at last year’s Hard to Kill, so there will be an added incentive to get her title back against Trinity, who spent the majority of her reign with the belt in 2023 feuding with Deonna Purrazzo. As for a winner, I’m going to go with Jordynne Grace. Not just because I think she’s great and she wants to be seen amongst the best Knockouts ever, but because of what’s next for Trinity. It’s been heavily reported that Trinity will be heading back to WWE in the very near future, meaning that this could very well be her last weekend with TNA. If that’s the case, she will lose to Jordynne, but she won’t be going down without a fight.
PREDICTION: Jordynne Grace
What will the ‘Worlds Collide’ announcement be?
One of the most anticipated portions of the Hard To Kill event isn’t even a match, it’s announcement. It was confirmed in late 2023 that at TNA’s first pay-per-view of 2024 that “Worlds Will Collide” someone will be showing up that people simply won’t believe. There have been a lot of rumors floating around as to who it could be; some have suggested Sting might make an appearance, as he prepares to hang up his boots at AEW’s Revolution pay-per-view in March. Others have predicted that Triple H might show up as a potential partnership between the two companies. However, I don’t think it will be a partnership with WWE, it will be with NXT.
Somebody who fans haven’t seen in a long time is William Regal, a man who has been off TV for over a year since leaving AEW in Dec. of 2022. His clause to not appear on WWE TV has reportedly expired and there is every chance he will be a part of NXT in the near future. However, given that he was the one to break the news of his son, Charlie Dempsey, competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling, I get the sense that it will be an announcement relating to WWE and that William Regal will be the one to make it.
PREDICTION: William Regal shows up and announces a TNA/NXT partnership
Alex Shelley {c} vs. Moose [TNA World Championship]:
Nine matches and one major announcement down, it’s time for the Hard To Kill main event as Alex Shelley defends TNA World Championship against Moose. Shelley winning the Impact World Championship in June 2023 was one of the most cathartic moments of the year as he was one of the only “TNA Originals” who never won the big one. Now, Shelley is a champion in six different promotions and is looking better than ever, but he will have a tough task ahead of him in the form of Moose.
Moose earned this match by winning one of the four contracts available in the “Feast or Fired” bout on the 1000th edition of Impact Wrestling in September, and he wanted to save it for a special occasion. As far as who will leave Vegas with the TNA World Championship, it’s certainly one of the closest ones to call on the entire Hard To Kill card. When he’s on top form, Moose can beat virtually anyone in the world with his brute strength, and given that Shelley is a fighting champion, the wear-and-tear could crop up in this match. However, given that it’s the return of TNA and he’s done such a great job with the belt so far, Alex Shelley is leaving Las Vegas as champion.
PREDICTION: Alex Shelley
AND THAT IS THAT! What do you think will happen at TNA Hard to Kill? Let us know in the comments section down below! Don’t forget to follow myself and Vendetta Sports Media on all your favorite social media platforms
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