TNA Wrestling, based out of Nashville, Tenn., is led by Ole Miss alumna Dixie Carter. The show will be broadcasting live from Tupelo with its regular Impact telecast that can be seen across the world on Spike TV.
The card’s main event is a six-man tag team match that features Sting and Kurt Angle together against Aces & Eights, a team that includes Bully Ray, the TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
Why is Thursday’s show significant to Oxford? Because it’s the first time Carter has brought her organization to Tupelo for a TV event that is set up to be very close and personal for those in attendance.
"It’s a little surreal to be back and be able to bring this show to this area," Carter said Wednesday after visiting with Ole Miss Chancellor Dan Jones and presenting him with a title belt. "We’ve never been to Oxford so this is the first time we’ve been in this market. We’ve been to Jackson, Memphis. We’ve been to Southaven. Thursday night we will be live on Spike TV from 7 to 9 and it will be seen in 120 countries and 17 languages so it’s a big deal. It’s our first time in Tupelo and it’s been a decade that Tupelo has hosted any television cameras of any sort."
Carter added that it was her goal, selfishly, to be able to bring a show back as close to Oxford and Ole Miss as she could.
"This was a goal. I wanted to bring a show to this area. This is a very tradition rich, North Mississippi, Memphis area, has very deep wrestling roots," Carter said. "When I was head of the Ole Miss student programming board here, I actually booked wrestling at the basketball coliseum. It was awful, so awful. The wrestlers didn’t try. It was just a really bad show and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I remember wanting to leave before the event was over but I had to stay since it was my event.
"I think that’s why when I look at our show today, just the difference, the athletes that we have on our show and how hard they work, we definitely have the best in-ring product in the world today and when people come out to the show, I would be so bold as to say they will walk away Thursday night and say it’s the best wrestling show they have ever seen."
Besides Angle, Sting and Bully Ray, the legendary Hulk Hogan will be on hand in Tupelo. To purchase tickets for the show, visit Ticketmaster here.
Credit to The Oxford Eagle
