IMPACT Wrestling Inducting Mike Tenay & Don West Into Hall Of Fame

IMPACT Wrestling has announced that its original commentary team of Mike Tenay & Don West will be inducted into their Hall of Fame.

It was announced by IMPACT Wrestling during Friday’s Victory Road PPV broadcast that the company’s first full time commentary team of Mike Tenay and Don West will be inducted into the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Here’s the official announcement from IMPACT’s website followed by the tribute video.

On October 21st at Bound For Glory, the legendary commentary team of Mike Tenay and the late great Don West will be inducted into the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame. Joining the elite company of Sting, Kurt Angle, Team 3D, Jeff Jarrett, Earl Hebner, Gail Kim, Abyss, Ken Shamrock, Awesome Kong and Raven, Tenay and West’s contributions as the voices of IMPACT will forever be etched in history on this special night.

Mike Tenay and Don West Had Different Backgrounds Prior to Impact Wrestling

When IMPACT Wrestling launched as Total Nonstop Action (TNA) in June 2002, wrestling fans knew Mike Tenay as a veteran announcer that worked for World Championship Wrestling through the 1990s until it closed its doors in March 2001. Tenay was more of an analyst in WCW while also becoming a tough interviewer of talent as well.

Tenay was Impact’s main play-by-play announcer for over a decade starting in 2002 until January 2015 when Josh Mathews took over and Tenay retired from pro wrestling soon after.

Prior to his work with TNA Wrestling, Don West was part of the Shop at Home network because he had the gift of being able to sell products. The decision-makers at TNA thought Don would fit in perfectly with pro wrestling, so they hired him.

West was TNA’s main color analyst from 2002 until the summer of 2009 when the company hired Taz and put him in the commentary position. West remained a part of TNA Wrestling for several more years while selling merchandise at TNA events and in online videos promoting products for sale.

Sadly, Don West passed away in December 2002 due to brain lymphoma cancer. It should be a very emotional ceremony without Don West being there.