New Knockouts TV Title
TNA Unveils First-Ever Knockouts Television Championship, Kicking Off 16-Woman Tournament on IMPACT
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Key Points
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The championship belt unveiled at Slammiversary features the letters KO and TV in purple and black lettering.
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The Knockouts Television Championship will be TNA's seventh active title, expanding the promotion's championship lineup to seven.
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The inaugural tournament begins next Thursday on TNA IMPACT on AMC, with July 2 set as the kickoff date in Boston at Agganis Arena.
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Fightful Select reported internal discussion within TNA about adding a mid-card women's championship, with a July-starting tournament proposed.
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The Countdown to Slammiversary featured a Triple Threat match (Mara Sadé, Indi Hartwell, Elayna Black) that helped set the stage for the announcement, drawing a strong reaction from the Boston crowd.
TNA Wrestling unveiled its newest championship at Slammiversary on June 27 in Boston — the Knockouts Television Championship, a mid-card women's title that will be decided by a 16-woman tournament starting July 2 on TNA IMPACT on AMC. TNA Hall of Famer Traci Brooks made the announcement during the Countdown to Slammiversary pre-show at Agganis Arena, calling it "a workhorse title for the women who show up and show out every single week on television." Wrestling Inc reported the reveal drew a sustained ovation from the Boston crowd.
The new belt features purple and black lettering with the letters KO and TV. It becomes TNA's seventh active championship, joining titles like the Knockouts World Championship, the X-Division title, and the Digital Media Championship. The tournament — the largest women's tournament in TNA history — is free to watch for AMC subscribers.
Traci Brooks Unveils Belt, Tournament Kicks Off July 2
Brooks, a TNA original and Hall of Famer, served as the official voice of the announcement. "The Knockouts have always broken glass ceilings, but today we're building a new floor," she said during the pre-show broadcast. She confirmed 16 women will compete over roughly eight weeks. The tournament is set to wrap up around late August, projected to coincide with the TNA Emergence special event, according to Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The July 2 episode of TNA IMPACT — dubbed the "Boston Fallout" — will serve as the tournament's kickoff. That episode was recorded live at Agganis Arena in front of approximately 6,200 fans, according to WrestleTix. The championship must be defended exclusively on TNA IMPACT on AMC or TNA Plus streaming specials, keeping it true to the classic "TV title" format.
Three Competitors Already Confirmed After Pre-Show Triple Threat
The Countdown to Slammiversary set the stage with a Triple Threat match featuring Mara Sadé, Indi Hartwell, and Elayna Black. Arena graphics confirmed all three as the first official entrants in the tournament. Wrestling Attitude noted the match drew a strong reaction from the Boston crowd and added urgency to the championship announcement that followed.
Indi Hartwell joined TNA earlier in 2026 after leaving WWE. Mara Sadé has been called a "Top 10 breakout candidate" for 2026 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Elayna Black brings a gothic persona that has become one of TNA's top merchandise sellers. The remaining 13 tournament spots had not been publicly announced as of the Slammiversary broadcast.
AMC Partnership and Roster Growth Drove the Title's Creation
Fightful Select first reported in April 2026 that TNA management was discussing a secondary women's title. The Knockouts roster had grown by 30% since TNA's 2025 rebrand, leaving many women without a clear championship path. Officials reportedly finalized the "Television" branding in May 2026 to align with the AMC broadcast deal. AMC executives pushed for the naming convention to create stronger stakes during the Thursday night time slot, per Sports Business Journal.
TNA IMPACT on AMC has seen a 12% increase in the 18-49 demographic since moving to the network, according to Variety. Market analysts at Bloomberg Sports say a new title helps TNA's content value as the promotion heads toward AMC contract renewal talks in 2027. Social media response was immediate — eWrestling News noted a 400% spike in #TNAKnockouts mentions within the first hour of the announcement.
Critics Warn of Title Inflation, Supporters Call It Overdue
Not everyone cheered the move. Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Online raised concern about too many belts. "If everyone has a championship, then nobody does," Alvarez said during a post-show wrap-up. With seven active titles now in TNA, the worry is that individual championships lose meaning. TPWW noted the debate mirrors broader conversations happening across professional wrestling about how many titles a promotion should carry.
Supporters pushed back hard. Mickie James posted on X, "Long overdue. The division is too stacked for just one singles path." Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer argued the tournament is "a statement of depth," giving women like Hartwell a platform for 15-minute matches that wouldn't fit a World Title storyline. Wrestling Noticias summed up the consensus view: the Knockouts consistently deliver TNA's highest-rated segments, and a second singles title reflects that value.
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