The seventh season of VICE TV’s popular original documentary series Dark Side of the Ring has arrived, and the first episode is available to be streamed live for free in its’ entirety.
Focusing on the early life and career of Jeff Jarrett, the formation and launch of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and the transition of ownership to Panda Energy and Dixie Carter, the 44 minute, 30 second first episode has been released online.
Serving as the first of a three-part special to kick off the seventh season of the popular docuseries, Dark Side of the Ring premiered on VICE TV on Tuesday, July 7, with the first and second part of the three-part special airing back-to-back.
“The TNA story,” Jarrett states at the start of the season seven premiere episode on 7/7. “I have a completely different set of lenses on it today than I did back in 2002. At the end of the day, when I kind of look back on my career, there’s no way to succeed in life if you don’t have not one failure, but many. The story of TNA is the story of a thousand what-ifs.”
The official description for Dark Side of the Ring S7E1, which you can watch in its’ entirety via the YouTube player embedded below, reads as follows:
Jeff Jarrett & The Battle For TNA | Dark Side of the Ring (Full Episode – Part 1)
Watch the full episode of Dark Side of the Ring: “Jeff Jarrett & The Battle For TNA.”
When Vince McMahon bought WCW and consolidated the professional wrestling industry under a single monopoly, Jeff Jarrett did the unthinkable: he risked everything to challenge the status quo and founded Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling.
From its wild, chaotic, and revolutionary beginnings—including the high-flying X-Division and the iconic six-sided hexagon ring—TNA served as a beacon of hope for wrestlers and fans alike. But behind the scenes, a toxic brew of backstage power struggles, financial scandals, severe personal tragedies, and deep family estrangements threatened to tear the promotion apart.
In this episode, wrestling legends and insiders including Jeff Jarrett, Jim Cornette, Vince Russo, Scott Steiner, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, and Scott D’Amore pull back the curtain on the triumph, turmoil, and the ultimate battle for control of TNA.
About Dark Side of the Ring:
Professional wrestling is the only sport whose stars live in two worlds, balancing their in-ring characters with real life. Dark Side of the Ring examines the complex intersections of fantasy and reality while uncovering wrestling’s dark, untold history. Season 7 goes deeper than ever with a three-part odyssey into TNA through the eyes of Jeff Jarrett, in-depth profiles of classic stars Paul Orndorff and Big Boss Man, and a gripping breakdown of the violent clash between Samoa Joe and Necro Butcher.
Featured below is the chapter guide for Dark Side of the Ring Season 7, Episode 1:
- 00:00 – Introduction: The Man Who Challenged Vince McMahon
03:23 – The TNA Story: A Thousand “What Ifs”
05:43 – The Jarrett Dynasty & Wrestling Roots
08:31 – The Psychology of “Double J” Jeff Jarrett
11:21 – The Tragic Death of Owen Hart
14:54 – Frustration in the WWF & The Chyna Shakedown
17:45 – Vince McMahon Buys WCW & Fires Jeff LIVE
19:57 – The Birth of TNA Wrestling
21:24 – Sourcing Funding: The HealthSouth Investment
22:56 – Naming the Promotion: “Tits & Ass”
23:30 – June 19, 2002: TNA Debuts Live on Pay-Per-View
24:59 – Innovating the Business: The X-Division
26:10 – Backstage Conflict: Pitting Father Against Son
29:01 – Yin and Yang: Jerry Jarrett vs. Vince Russo
29:16 – Disaster Strikes: The HealthSouth Scandal Erupts
31:24 – Enter Panda Energy & The Carter Family Investment
33:07 – TNA Impact Hits Spike TV
33:58 – The Six-Sided Hexagon Ring
35:15 – A Controversial NWA World Heavyweight Champion
36:00 – High Treason: Jerry Jarrett Walks Out on TNA
38:52 – Personal Devastation: The Loss of Jill Jarrett
42:30 – Back to Work: Surviving as a Father and Provider
43:03 – Preview: Dixie Carter’s Power Play & The Karen Angle Scandal
New episodes of the seventh season of Dark Side of the Ring will air every Tuesday night at 10/9c on VICE TV.
