Author: While WWE and TNA Wrestling operated largely independently for many years, one of their first notable crossovers occurred in 2012 when WWE and TNA negotiated a historic talent exchange involving Christian and Ric Flair. This groundbreaking moment set a precedent that would take over a decade to fully realize.
The One-Night Trade Between TNA Wrestling and WWE
In terms of viewership and revenue, WWE has always been at the pinnacle of professional wrestling. However, it’s undeniable that TNA Wrestling has served as a genuine alternative for many fans over the years.
Although WWE would never publicly recognize TNA as competition back in 2012–with them having strict rules at the time against mentioning other wrestling promotions on air. Instead, TNA Wrestling (formerly known as Impact Wrestling) was referenced in subtle ways.
See for yourself below:
With WWE essentially ignoring TNA’s existence over the years, it was truly a bizarre timeline on June 10th, 2012, when the WWE Intercontinental Champion showed up at TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per-view!
What led to this one-night-only rare occasion consisted of a bit of swift business between the two companies. This wasn’t a case of Christian going against WWE orders and randomly appearing in TNA. This inevitably would have led to legal issues. Instead, a plan was put in place that benefitted both companies at the time.
In 2012, WWE was inducting The Four Horsemen into the WWE Hall of Fame. The problem was Ric Flair, although coming to an end of his TNA contract, was still under contract, and TNA wasn’t going to let him appear without getting something in return.
To Christian’s surprise, he was told that he was going to be a key part of this deal. In order for Ric Flair to appear for WWE, TNA wanted Christian back for one night.
Christian, on the other hand, was very active and a champion for WWE. This created an extraordinary dynamic.
Christian on Getting the Call to Appear For TNA in 2012: “I thought I was being ribbed!”
Reports at the time claimed that Christian was quite uncomfortable with the idea of appearing in TNA. If it were up to him, he wouldn’t have done it. But being a key part of the deal, Christian was told to cooperate.
Christian has since refuted these reports of negativity.
“Yes, I was surprised,” Christian explained on his podcast. “I didn’t expect that to be the phone call I got that day and I was kind of confused as to what was going on. I thought I was being ribbed!”
Christian continued, “I thought it was an honor they asked for me in return for Ric. I thought that was obviously a sign that I meant something and my contributions to that company were important. I didn’t look at it as a negative at all.
“I know for me, there was a ton of paperwork that had to be signed by a lot of people. It was a pretty big deal behind the scenes. It was one of those things. It was kind of cool and should maybe even be talked about more than it is.”
Watch: Christian, Under WWE Contract, Appears for TNA / Impact Wrestling in 2012
Looking back, TNA President at the time, Dixie Carter, didn’t use this negotiation with WWE to TNA’s full advantage. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that WWE would have allowed TNA to promote Christian’s appearance ahead of time on their go-home show leading up to the Slammiversary.
Nevertheless, Dixie chose to keep the announcement exclusive to Twitter to get the internet buzzing, even though she could have done that as well as promote Christian’s appearance on television.
Why Christian Returned to TNA Wrestling
It wouldn’t have made a whole lot of sense for TNA to do a swap deal with WWE for a wrestler that didn’t have any history with them. WWE would have likely turned down any idea of that ever happening anyway.
As he was known in TNA (and now in AEW), Christian Cage was a choice that made perfect sense for this one-time agreement due to his pedigree with the promotion.
Christian’s run with TNA began towards the end of 2005, debuting at their Genesis pay-per-view.
It was in TNA where Christian’s potential as a main eventer came to fruition. He showed that he could indeed be at the top of the card consistently, and he won two NWA World Championships in the process.
By the back end of 2008, after three years of being one of the top performers in the company, Christian’s TNA contract expired, and he would make his return to WWE a couple of months later, a return that was infamous for some awful commentary.
Christian’s time in TNA was the first time he had a chance to prove himself as a main eventer. His tenure in TNA was so well-received that there was even speculation that he would be the inductee into their Hall of Fame on the night he was appearing as a WWE contracted wrestler.
However, that honor instead went to Sting, and Christian was brought in to make the announcement.
The two World Heavyweight Championship reigns in WWE totaled less than a month combined, and even as a World Champion, Christian never got to compete for them at the main event level as that was reserved for the WWE Championship.
Christian Shares His Thoughts on His Time With TNA Wrestling
Christian’s impact (pun intended) in TNA was a positive one for him and those who worked closely with him.
Former TNA President Dixie Carter was reportedly gleeful at a Q&A session in 2014 when she was asked, “Who would you most like to see make a return to TNA?” Without hesitation, she answered: “Christian.”
On the E&C Pod of Awesomeness, co-hosted alongside life-long friend Edge, Christian had this to say about his time in TNA:
“I’m not ashamed of my time in TNA at all. I’ve talked about it before. I was very proud of the stuff I did in TNA. I enjoyed my time there. I thought TNA was at its best at that time, not because I was there, but with all the talent they had.”
Christian continued, “You look at the talent; they were young in their career, look at where they are now. It did a lot for me and gave me a lot of confidence to go and prove to myself that I could be a main event guy. So for that, I always thank them for the opportunity that they gave me there. Dixie Carter treated me very well.”
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TNA Wrestling and WWE: From One-Night Appearances to Historic Partnerships
With Christian ending his retirement and returning to full-time competition for AEW in 2021, Christian has proven once again he can shine in the main event. His run as one of AEW’s top villains since 2023 has shown his enduring ability to reinvent himself and remain a compelling performer.
The landscape of professional wrestling continues to evolve, with companies becoming increasingly open to collaboration. The historic partnership between WWE and TNA Wrestling that began in January 2025 demonstrates how the industry has transformed since Christian’s 2012 one-night appearance. What was once considered impossible has become reality, as talent regularly crosses promotional boundaries to create fresh matchups and memorable moments for fans worldwide.
This new era of inter-promotional cooperation shows that in professional wrestling, the possibilities are truly limitless.
These stories may also interest you:
- Edge and Christian: How They Ended Up in Wrestlers Court
- Kane and Christian: Wrestling’s Most Dysfunctional Friendship
- Christian and the Chris Jericho Deaf Fan Rib
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"Evan Ginzburg’s stories are a love letter to wrestling, filled with heart, humor, and history. A must-read for any true fan." — Keith Elliot Greenberg
Wrestling Rings, Blackboards, and Movie Sets is the latest book from Pro Wrestling Stories Senior Editor Evan Ginzburg. 100 unforgettable stories—from sharing a flight on 9/11 with a WWE Hall of Famer to untold moments in wrestling history. A page-turner for fans of the ring and beyond. Grab your copy today! For signed editions, click here.
"Evan Ginzburg’s stories are a love letter to wrestling, filled with heart, humor, and history. A must-read for any true fan." — Keith Elliot Greenberg
Wrestling Rings, Blackboards, and Movie Sets is the latest book from Pro Wrestling Stories Senior Editor Evan Ginzburg. 100 unforgettable stories—from sharing a flight on 9/11 with a WWE Hall of Famer to untold moments in wrestling history. A page-turner for fans of the ring and beyond. Grab your copy today! For signed editions, click here.
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