TNA Celebrates 10 Years: A look back at the company's first event

TNA held its first event ten years ago today on June 19, 2002. The show was held in Huntsville, Alabama at the Von Braun Center Arena. The dark match featured mammoth wrestler Cheex defeating Frank Parker. Cheex actually broke one of the ring ropes during the match. The other dark match featured Apolo beating David Young.

The following matches aired on the first pay-per-view event:

-The Flying Evises (Sonny Siaki, Jimmy Yang, and Jorge Estrada) beat A.J. Styles, Jerry Lynn, and Low Ki in a six-man tag.

-Teo beat Hollywood in a midget match.

-The Johnsons (w/Mortimer Plumtree) beat James Storm and Psicosis.

-The Dupps beat Christian York and Joey Mathews.

-Ken Shamrock won a 20-man Gauntlet for the Gold to become the NWA Champion.

The following wrestlers competed in the Gauntlet For the Gold match: Shamrock, Malice (a/k/a Jerry Tuite), Jeff Jarrett, Buff Bagwell, Lash LeRoux, Norman Smiley, Apolo, K-Krush (a/k/a R-Truth), Slash (Wolfie D), Del Rios, Justice, Konnan, Bruce, Rick Steiner, Toby Keith, Chris Harris, Vampire Warrior (Gangrel), Devon Storm, Steve Corino, and Brian Lawler.

The broadcast team included Mike Tenay, Don West, Ed Ferrara, and interviewers Jeremy Borash and Goldilocks.

Powell's POV: The show started as a weekly pay-per-view promotion. They aired live every other week on Wednesday nights and taped the following week's pay-per-view after the live show went off the air. The company was founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. Dixie Carter and Panda Energy purchased the controlling interest in the company later that year.