{{Short description|Former professional wrestling championship}} {{Redirect-distinguish|TNA Global Championship|Impact Global Championship}} {{Infobox pro wrestling championship |name=TNA Television Championship |image=TNA_KingoftheMountain_Championship.png |image_size=300px |caption=The TNA Television Championship belt |alt=A red and gold championship belt with a red leather strap |promotion=Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) |created=October 23, 2008 |retired=August 12, 2016 |firstchamp=Booker T |finalchamp=Bobby Lashley |mostreigns=Eric Young (3 reigns) |longestreign=Abyss (396 days) |shortestreign=P. J. Black and Bobby Lashley (1 day) |oldest=Kevin Nash (49 years) |youngest=Robbie E (27 years) |heaviest=Abyss (350 Ibs) |lightest=Robbie E (201 Ibs) |pastnames= {{Bulleted list|TNA Legends Championship<br>(2008–2009)|TNA Global Championship<br>(2009–2010)|TNA Television Championship<br>(2010–2014)|TNA King of the Mountain Championship<br>(2015–2016)}} |pastlookimages= }} The '''TNA Television Championship''' was a professional wrestling championship owned by the promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, later Impact Wrestling, now TNA). It was introduced on the October 23, 2008 episode of TNA's television program ''TNA Impact!'' as the '''TNA Legends Championship'''. It was later known as the '''TNA Global Championship''' and the '''TNA King of the Mountain Championship'''. The title appeared in Global Force Wrestling (GFW), during a talent exchange partnership.
As a professional wrestling championship, it was won via a planned ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline. All title changes occurred at TNA-promoted events. Reigns that occurred on ''TNA Impact!,'' or its later title ''Impact Wrestling,'' usually aired on tape delay. The first champion was Booker T. The final champion was Lashley, as the title was retired on August 12, 2016. There were a total of 26 reigns among 20 wrestlers.<ref name="titlehistory">{{cite web|url=http://solie.org/titlehistories/lttnaction.html|title=TNA Legends Championship Title History|last=Oliver|first=Earl|publisher=Solie.org|access-date=2015-07-31}}</ref>
==History== thumb|left|Booker T, inaugural TNA Legends Champion The title was introduced during a storyline that pitted The TNA Front Line against The Main Event Mafia. 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 removed the belt from the briefcase, introducing it as the "TNA Legends Championship", and declaring himself the first champion. 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.<ref name="PWTorchImpact102308">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Torch_Flashbacks_19/article_36203.shtml|title=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|last=Keller|first=Wade|date=2009-11-22|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=2015-07-31}}</ref>
On March 15, 2009, at TNA's Destination X pay-per-view (PPV) event, AJ Styles defeated Booker T to win the championship.<ref name="SlamDX09">{{cite web|url= http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2009/03/16/8761106.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150701134026/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2009/03/16/8761106.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= July 1, 2015|title=The TNA Destination X disaster|last=Sokol|first=Chris|author2=Bryan Sokol |date=2009-03-16|access-date=2015-07-31|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|work=SLAM! Sports: Wrestling}}</ref> Afterwards on the March 19, 2009, episode of ''Impact!'', Styles was credited as becoming the first 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.<ref name="TNAgrandslam1">{{cite episode|title=Total Nonstop Action Wrestling presents: TNA Impact!|series=TNA Impact!|series-link=Impact Wrestling|network=Spike TV|airdate=2009-03-19}}</ref> 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.<ref name="TNAgrandslam2">{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/tna-wrestling-results/tna-impact-results/11138-impact-results-3-19-09|title=Impact results - 3/19/09|last=Boutwell|first=Josh|date=2009-03-20|access-date=2015-07-31|publisher=WrestleView.com}}</ref>
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.<ref name="PWTorchnamechange">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_36419.shtml|title=Wilkenfeld's TNA Impact report 10/29: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Spike TV broadcast|first=Daniel|last=Wilkenfeld|date=2009-10-29|access-date=2015-07-31|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> However, Young's first defense was on the December 10, 2009, episode of ''Impact!'' in Orlando, Florida against Japanese female wrestler Hamada.<ref name="SlamImpact!121109">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/12/11/12117536.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701150208/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2009/12/11/12117536.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 1, 2015|title=Impact: Foley locates Jarrett; Nash has the book|last=Griend|first=Blaine Van Der|date=2009-12-11|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|work=SLAM! Sports: Wrestling|access-date=2015-07-31}}</ref> 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.<ref name="TerryReign">{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2009/1264627223.php?style=dark|title=New TNA Champion crowned in Wales|date=2010-01-27|access-date=2015-07-31|last=Gerweck|first=Steve|publisher=WrestleView.com}}</ref> On the July 22, 2010, episode of ''Impact!'', Terry lost the Global Championship to AJ Styles.<ref name=PWTorchImpact072210>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/tnaimpact/article_42665.shtml|title=Wilkenfeld's TNA Impact report 7/22: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Spike TV broadcast|date=2010-07-22|access-date=2015-07-31|last=Wilkenfeld|first=Daniel|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> Styles then renamed the title the "TNA Television Championship" on the July 29, 2010, episode of ''Impact!''.<ref name="PWTorchImpact072910">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/tnaimpact/article_42785.shtml|title=Keller's TNA Impact report 7/29: Tommy Dreamer announces new name for ECW faction, Hulk Hogan addresses situation|first=Wade|last=Keller|date=2010-07-29|access-date=2015-07-31|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref>
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.<ref name="PWTorchImpact041915">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/tnaimpact/article_60315.shtml|title=Caldwell's TNA Impact Wrestling results 4/19: Ongoing "virtual-time" coverage of Lockdown fall-out, Hogan's "big announcement"|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=2012-04-19|access-date=2015-07-31|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> The weekly title defenses lasted until the June 21, 2012, episode of ''Impact Wrestling''.<ref name="Impact062112tapings">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TNA_News_1/article_62712.shtml|title=TNA News: Live Impact preview - Tag Title main event, BFG Series matches, Gut Check, more|date=2012-06-28|access-date=2015-07-31|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref>
thumb|Abyss was the longest reigning champion On July 3, 2014, TNA Executive Director Kurt Angle declared the championship inactive.<ref name="Deactivated">{{cite web|url=http://www.impactwrestling.com/news/item/5913-KURT-ANGLE-MAKES-DECISION-ON-TNA-WORLD-TV-TITLE |title=Kurt Angle Makes Decision on TNA World TV Title |access-date=2015-07-31 |work=Total Nonstop Action |publisher=Impact Wrestling.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104033558/http://www.impactwrestling.com/news/item/5913-KURT-ANGLE-MAKES-DECISION-ON-TNA-WORLD-TV-TITLE |archive-date=January 4, 2015 }}</ref> The title was reactivated on June 25, 2015, by TNA under the new name of 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.<ref name="KingoftheMountainChampionship">{{cite web|url=http://www.impactwrestling.com/news/item/6477-King-of-The-Mountain-Who-is-Competing|title=King of The Mountain - First Look at the King of the Mountain Championship|access-date=2015-07-31|work=Total Nonstop Action|publisher=Impact Wrestling.com|archive-date=2015-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713044418/http://www.impactwrestling.com/news/item/6477-King-of-The-Mountain-Who-is-Competing|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWA4kndsjAQ|title=TNA KOTM Championship|publisher=YouTube|access-date=2015-06-28}}</ref> Jeff Jarrett defeated Matt Hardy, Eric Young, Drew Galloway, and Bobby Roode to win the championship.<ref name="PWTorchSlam15">{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/tnappvs/article_85905.shtml#.VbsLR_lVikp|title=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|first=James|last=Caldwell|date=2015-06-28|access-date=2015-07-31|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> The title ended up appearing in GFW at a July 9 live event where Young attacked Jarrett and stole the championship belt.<ref name="WVGFW">{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/misc-news/55214-video-eric-young-attacks-jeff-jarrett-at-7-9-gfw-event|title=Video: Eric Young attacks Jeff Jarrett at 7/9 GFW event|first=Jason|last=Namako|date=2015-07-10|access-date=2015-07-31|publisher=WrestleView.com}}</ref>
During the August 18, 2016, taping of ''Impact Wrestling'', it was announced that the King of the Mountain Championship was vacated, deactivated and retired with announcement of a new title, the Impact Grand Championship.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Adam|title=SPOILER: TNA retires championship, introduces new title at Impact Wrestling TV tapings from Orlando|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/tna-news/65720-spoiler-tna-retires-championship-introduces-new-title-impact-wrestling-tv-tapings-orlando/|work=Wrestleview|access-date=August 14, 2016}}</ref>
==Reigns== {{Main|List of TNA Television Champions}} The inaugural champion was Booker T, who awarded the championship to himself on the October 23, 2008, episode of ''Impact!''.<ref name="SlamImpact102308">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2008/10/24/7185111.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115191553/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2008/10/24/7185111.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 15, 2016|title=Impact: Main Event Mafia takes over Sin City|last=Sokol|first=Chris|date=2008-10-24|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|work=SLAM! Sports: Wrestling|access-date=2015-07-31}}</ref> 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. P. J. Black and Lashley share the record for shortest reign in the title's history at one day. Abyss holds the record for combined days as champion, with 460. Lashley was the final champion, having defeated James Storm for the championship with his X Division and World Heavyweight Championships on the line, and unifying the title with his World Title, thus retiring the King of the Mountain Championship in the process.
Overall, there have been 25 reigns shared among 19 wrestlers, with three vacancies and two deactivations.
==See also== *List of former championships in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1026 Impact Wrestling Television Championship] at Cagematch.com
{{Total Nonstop Action Wrestling}} {{TNA King of the Mountain Championship}} {{good article}}
Category:Television wrestling championships Category:Total Nonstop Action Wrestling championships