TNA King of the Mountain Championship

TNA King of the Mountain Championship

A red and gold championship belt with a red leather strap

The current TNA King of the Mountain Championship belt
Details
Current champion(s) Eric Young
Date won January 6, 2016
(aired January 12, 2016)
Date established October 23, 2008
Promotion Total Nonstop Action (TNA)
Global Force Wrestling (GFW)
Other name(s)
  • TNA Legends Championship
  • TNA Global Championship
  • TNA Television Championship
  • TNA King of the Mountain Championship

The TNA King of the Mountain Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action (TNA) professional wrestling promotion. It was introduced on the October 23, 2008, episode of TNA's television program TNA Impact! as the "TNA Legends Championship". It has since been known as the "TNA Global Championship" and the "TNA Television Championship". The title appeared in Global Force Wrestling (GFW), during a talent exchange partnership.

As a professional wrestling championship, it is won via a scripted ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline. All title changes occurred at TNA-promoted events so far. Reigns that occurred on TNA Impact!, or its later title Impact Wrestling, usually air on tape delay. The first champion was Booker T, while the current champion is Eric Young, who is in his third reign. There have been a total of 21 reigns among 15 wrestlers as of February 2016.[1]

History

The title was introduced during a storyline that pitted young talent within the company against veterans of professional wrestling. In the weeks leading up to the unveiling of the physical belt, Booker T carried around a steel briefcase. On the October 23, 2008, episode of Impact!, Booker T introduced the belt by removing it from the briefcase, announcing its name as the "TNA Legends Championship", and declaring himself the first champion.[2] He went on to state that the championship was his and that he would defend it when he saw fit; this meant that the championship was unsanctioned by TNA in the storyline.[3]

On March 15, 2009, at TNA's Destination X pay-per-view (PPV) event, A.J. Styles defeated Booker T to win the championship.[4] Afterwards on the March 19, 2009, episode of Impact!, Styles was credited as becoming the first-ever TNA Grand Slam Champion, by winning the World Heavyweight (NWA or TNA), the World Tag Team (NWA or TNA), the TNA X Division Championship, and the Legends Championship.[5] TNA Management Director Jim Cornette then announced that the TNA Legends Championship had become an official TNA sanctioned championship thanks to Styles defeating Booker T for it legally via the contract the two had signed to make the match official.[6]

On the October 29, 2009, episode of Impact!, then-champion Eric Young renamed the title the "TNA Global Championship". He went on to declare that he was not going to defend it against any American wrestlers nor on American soil.[7] However, Young's first defense was on the December 10, 2009, episode of Impact! in Orlando, Florida against Japanese female wrestler Hamada.[8] Young's second, third and fourth defenses lived up to his earlier decree, when he defended against Suicide in Glasgow, Hamada in Bournemouth, and unsuccessfully against Welsh wrestler Rob Terry in Cardiff, Wales at a live event on January 27, 2010.[9] On the July 22, 2010, episode of Impact!, Terry lost the Global Championship to A.J. Styles.[10] Styles then renamed the title the "TNA Television Championship" on the July 29, 2010, episode of Impact!.[11]

On the April 19, 2012, episode of the newly titled Impact Wrestling, TNA General Manager Hulk Hogan ordered that the TNA Television Championship had to be defended every week.[12] The weekly title defenses lasted until the June 21, 2012, episode of Impact Wrestling.[13]

On July 3, 2014, TNA Executive Director Kurt Angle declared the championship inactive.[14] The title was reactivated on June 25, 2015, by TNA under the new name the "TNA King of the Mountain Championship." TNA announced that a new champion would be determined in a King of the Mountain match at their Slammiversary PPV event on June 28.[15] Jeff Jarrett defeated Matt Hardy, Eric Young, Drew Galloway, and Bobby Roode to win the newly titled championship at the event. Due to Jarrett having founded and currently running GFW, it was suspected in the storyline that Jarrett may defend the championship in that promotion.[16] The title ended up appearing in GFW at a July 9 live event where Young attacked Jarrett and stole the championship belt.[17]

Reigns

Record breaking three-time and current champion Eric Young

The inaugural champion was Booker T, who awarded the championship to himself on the October 23, 2008, episode of Impact!.[18]Current champion Eric Young holds the record for most reigns, with three, and is the only wrestler to hold the title under all four of its incarnations. Abyss' second reign is the longest in the title's history at 396 days. PJ Black's only reign holds the record for shortest reign in the title's history at one day. Abyss holds the record for combined days as champion, with 460.

Eric Young is the current champion in his record third reign. He defeated Bobby Roode on January 6, 2016, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania during the Impact Wrestling tapings to win the title (aired January 12). Overall, there have been 21 reigns shared among 15 wrestlers, with three vacancies and one deactivation.

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ Oliver, Earl. "TNA Legends Championship Title History". Solie.org. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  2. ↑ Allely, Phil (2008-10-28). "Booker reveals new TNA belt". The Sun. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  3. ↑ Keller, Wade (2009-11-22). "Keller's TNA Impact report 1 YR. ago (10-23-08): One-year anniversary of the Main Event Mafia formed in Las Vegas, Kevin Nash & Sting vs. A.J. Styles & Samoa Joe main event". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  4. ↑ Sokol, Chris; Bryan Sokol (2009-03-16). "The TNA Destination X disaster". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  5. ↑ "Total Nonstop Action Wrestling presents: TNA Impact!". TNA Impact!. 2009-03-19. Spike TV.
  6. ↑ Boutwell, Josh (2009-03-20). "Impact results - 3/19/09". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  7. ↑ Wilkenfeld, Daniel (2009-10-29). "Wilkenfeld's TNA Impact report 10/29: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Spike TV broadcast". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  8. ↑ Griend, Blaine Van Der (2009-12-11). "Impact: Foley locates Jarrett; Nash has the book". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  9. ↑ Gerweck, Steve (2010-01-27). "New TNA Champion crowned in Wales". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  10. ↑ Wilkenfeld, Daniel (2010-07-22). "Wilkenfeld's TNA Impact report 7/22: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Spike TV broadcast". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  11. ↑ Keller, Wade (2010-07-29). "Keller's TNA Impact report 7/29: Tommy Dreamer announces new name for ECW faction, Hulk Hogan addresses situation". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  12. ↑ Caldwell, James (2012-04-19). "Caldwell's TNA Impact Wrestling results 4/19: Ongoing "virtual-time" coverage of Lockdown fall-out, Hogan's "big announcement"". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  13. ↑ "TNA News: Live Impact preview - Tag Title main event, BFG Series matches, Gut Check, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  14. ↑ "Kurt Angle Makes Decision on TNA World TV Title". Total Nonstop Action. Impact Wrestling.com. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  15. ↑ "King of The Mountain - First Look at the King of the Mountain Championship". Total Nonstop Action. Impact Wrestling.com. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  16. ↑ Caldwell, James (2015-06-28). "Caldwell's TNA Slammiversary PPV result 6/28: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live PPV from Orlando - King of the Mountain match, Storm vs. Magnus, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  17. ↑ Namako, Jason (2015-07-10). "Video: Eric Young attacks Jeff Jarrett at 7/9 GFW event". WrestleView.com. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
  18. ↑ Sokol, Chris (2008-10-24). "Impact: Main Event Mafia takes over Sin City". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2015-07-31.

External links


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