Trish Stratus vs. Lita, Bull Nakano vs. Alundra Blayze, Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa and Sasha Banks vs. Bayley…These are just some of the greatest rivalries that have defined women’s wrestling in the United States for decades, but if they was one company who knew how make their female division feel important it’s got to be TNA Wrestling.
For almost two decades, this promotion has led the way to women’s wrestling being taken serious in America with some of the most seasoned of veterans or up-and-coming stars stepping their game up whilst a part of TNA.
Naturally, this will led to some kayfabe animosity between the ladies with many of this feuds still held in high regard even today…so let’s take a look at a few of these feuds that come to revolutionized TNA and the wrestling world in general.
#5. Tara vs. Mickie James
Throughout her multiple stints in TNA, Mickie James has gotten into feuds with Madison Rayne, Gail Kim, Chelsea Green and Deonna Purrazzo…but for this list will be focusing on her underrated but excellent feud with former Knockouts Champion, Tara.
When Mickie returned TNA in late 2010, tensions emerged between the two after Tara revealed that was released in early 2009 from the WWE and she blames Mickie for her dismissal; This led to onscreen fights in the backstage area and things would only get more chaotic when they faced on PPV at Turning Point and Final Resolution 2010 with the latter seeing Tara win thanks to the assistance of Madison Rayne.
The appex of this feud came on December 9th 2010 edition of IMPACT when Mickie and Tara compete in a Steel Cage match with the biggest moment seeing James hitting a Lou Thesz Press from off the top of the cage onto Tara for the win.
Even though both ladies would face each other in singles action in the years that followed, their 2010 feud is iconic not just for Mickie’s OMG finish to the cage match but for the amount physicality and drama that was packed into it.
#4. Taylor Wilde vs. Daffney
The late great Daffney’s run in TNA could be seen as mixed bag as her work inside the ring was good while the behind-the-scenes stuff was a different story; Undoubtably the high point of ‘The Scream Queen’s’ run in the company would have to be her 2009 feud with Taylor Wilde
After getting her hair cut at the hands of TNA’s nefarious blonde trio, Daffney directed her rage at Taylor whom she believes didn’t try hard enough stop the Beautiful People from cutting her hair and embrassing her in front of everyone.
This storyline coincided with the feud between Abyss and Stevie Richards around this time and it led both knockouts competing in the first ever all female Monster’s Ball match at Sacrifice 2009 which saw Wilde picking up the victory after nine minutes of brutality that hadn’t been seen in the Knockouts Division for quite sometime.
Things came to ahead when Taylor and Daffney partnered with Abyss and Raven respectively in the first ever Mixed Tag Team Monster’s Ball at that year’s Slammiversary event. The action itself may seem tamed compared to the other Monster’s Ball matches but it is remembered for that spot where Taylor Wilde slams Daffney back first into a pile of thumbtacks which got a audible gasp from the commentator team and the crowd.
While this feud might’ve been short lived, it did see two first ever matches occur in the Knockouts Division and Daffney’s legacy has become synonymous with this match that when TNA had it’s 2021 Knockouts Knockdown event, they dedicated the Monster’s Ball match in her honor following her tragic passing not long before the event.
#3. Tessa Blanchard vs. Taya Valkyrie
When a feud is so great that not one but two companies attempt to cash in on your amazing chemistry in the ring, then you know you have something special.
Tessa and Taya’s history in TNA first started when the latter challenged the former to a match for the Knockouts Championship at Bound For Glory 2018; Blanchard would emerge victorious on that night, but was unable to do it again when they faced off at 2019’s Homecoming PPV thanks to Tessa’s constant antagonizing of special guest referee, Gail Kim.
Taya win not only made her the new Knockouts Champion, but kick started what would go on to be the single longest championship reign in company history with a total of 377 days.
Fast forward into 2020 and Tessa defeats Sami Callihan in the main event of that year’s Hard To Kill event thus making her the first and only woman to have won the IMPACT World Championship. Well, this didn’t take long to catch Taya’s attention and on the March 3rd 2020 edition of IMPACT!, Tessa successfully defended the World Title against Taya in the main event which unsurprisingly became a huge historical moment in the company.
Not contend with making history in just one promotion, Valkyrie would defeat Blanchard to become a three time Reina de Reinas champion at AAA’s Lucha Invades NY in 2019 which also gave the distinction of being the first woman to hold the AAA and TNA Women’s Championships at the same time…a feat wouldn’t be replicated until Deonna Purrazzo in 2021.
#2. Jordynne Grace vs. Deonna Purrazzo
Speaking of Deonna, her return in the summer of 2020 wasn’t seen as a big deal to some at first as her run in the WWE at best was unmemorable and at worst a complete waste of time, so when she came back in IMPACT and set her sights on the Knockouts Championship, it wasn’t going to be an easy task as the champion was none other than Jordynne Grace.
At that year’s Slammiversary event, Grace defended her title against Purrazzo, unfortunately for Thick Mama Pump the match would see the Virtusoa win her first Knockouts Championship following one of the best women’s matches to occur during wrestling’s pandemic era.
Not long after this, Grace and Purrazzo faced off in the first ever Knockout’s Iron Man match at Emergence which again saw Deonna come out on top after 30 minutes of incredible action from both ladies. Aside from the occasional encounter via tag teams, Grace and Purrazzo wouldn’t face off in single action again until 2023 with the main event of Rebellion 2023 seeing Purrazzo defeat Jordynne for the vacant Knockouts World Championship before doing it again weeks later at Under Siege.
It wouldn’t be until that year’s Victory Road, when a returning Jordynne Grace defeated Purrazzo in the semi-main event thus picking up her only victory over Deonna in the span of three years….and while the Grace/Purrazzo feud with go down as easily the greatest rivarly in modern TNA Wrestling, there is only one feud that top this list.
#1. Awesome Kong vs. Gail Kim
What else could be number one then one of the all time greatest rivalries not just in TNA Wrestling but in all of North American Pro Wrestling.
Debuting right around the time TNA was looking to officially start their women’s division, Awesome Kong arrived in the company demolished and Gail Kim in front of the Knockouts in what is one of the more overlooked but great debuts in TNA.
Jump to Bound For Glory 2007 and Gail Kim becomes the inaugural Knockouts Champion where she soon becomes the target of Awesome Kong. Although their match at Turning Point ended in disappointing DQ finish, their next match at January’s Final Resolution event was the exact opposite.
Gail’s preseverence in face of her much larger opponent and Kong’s destructive nature inside the ring gave way to a career defining match for both and set the template for all feuds that came afterward in the Knockouts Division
After securing the Knockouts Title from Gail Kim on the January 10th 2008 episode of IMPACT, the duo wouldn’t face each other again until Bound For Glory 2015 with Gail defeating her long time nemesis at one of the company’s biggest PPV’s of the year.
Both have since retired from in-ring competition (but did returned briefly in 2023) and have also been inducted into the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame…Rightfully deserved to be honest.
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