Seth Rollins and his group of masked men in black hoodies may have kicked off “WWE Raw,” but it was Oba Femi who made a big impact, as well as a WrestleMania 42 challenge, by the end of the opening segment.
Last week, Rollins took out his former friend Paul Heyman with a chair, and “The Oracle” was taken out of the arena in an ambulance. This week, when Rollins opened the show to address how he was going to take down The Vision, Heyman came out to let him know what happens when you “f*** around and find out,” or “FAFO.” Heyman said it turns into “FA-F5,” and Lesnar’s music hit.
“The Beast Incarnate” took out the masked, hooded men on the outside of the ring. He hit suplexes and F5s to the men in the ring guarding Rollins, then went face-to-face with “The Visionary” himself. Before Lesnar could attack, however, the lights in the arena went out, and Femi’s music hit.
“The Ruler” strode down to the ring and stared down Lesnar. Rollins rolled out, and Femi hit a huge Fall From Grace powerbomb to Lesnar. He stepped on the “Beast” and pointed to the WrestleMania sign, seemingly answering Lesnar’s open challenge.
The March 12, 2026 episode of TNA iMPACT delivered the promotion’s strongest viewership of the year so far. The show increased its total audience compared to the previous week while maintaining the same rating in the key demographic.
According to Programming Insider, TNA iMPACT! drew 259,000 viewers on AMC for the March 12 broadcast. This marks an increase from the March 5 episode, which brought in 249,000 viewers. The 10,000-viewer jump also represents the highest viewership number for the show in 2026.
The improvement is notable as TNA continues its weekly run on AMC. While the increase may appear modest, it stands as the best total audience the program has achieved this year. Consistent growth in weekly viewership remains an important factor as the promotion works to build momentum on television.
In the key 18–49 demographic, Thursday’s episode posted a 0.04 rating. That figure matches the rating recorded by the March 5 broadcast, showing that the program held steady in the demo while increasing its overall audience.
The combination of stable demo performance and improved total viewership made the March 12 broadcast a positive result for the company. Achieving the best audience number of 2026 suggests that the show is gaining traction compared to earlier weeks this year.
TNA iMPACT! continues to air weekly on AMC every Thursday night. The promotion has been pushing forward with its storylines and roster showcases as it builds toward upcoming events. With the March 12 episode now holding the top spot for the year in total viewers, it will be worth watching whether the company can maintain or surpass that number in the coming weeks.
For now, the TNA iMPACT viewership on March 12, 2026 milestone stands as the highest audience the show has recorded in 2026, highlighting a strong performance for the latest episode.
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Travel issues may affect the upcoming WWE NXT Show scheduled for Houston, Texas, as several members of the roster are currently stuck at Orlando International Airport due to a ground stoppage.
The situation has raised concerns inside WWE as the company prepares for Tuesday’s television taping. The WWE NXT travel delays Houston situation is being monitored closely to determine whether the talent will arrive on time for the event.
Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer reported the situation on Monday, noting that flights leaving Orlando have already experienced major delays.
“NXT talent apparently stuck at the Orlando airport which is currently at a ground stoppage with flights delayed so far above four hours,” Alvarez wrote. “NXT is in Houston tomorrow and WWE is monitoring the situation in case they can’t get out of Orlando.”
The delays are linked to thunderstorms moving through the Orlando area. Severe weather has disrupted flight schedules, leading to multiple cancellations and delays at Orlando International Airport. As a result, the WWE NXT roster scheduled to travel to Houston has been unable to depart as planned.
WWE officials are reportedly tracking the situation carefully. The company must determine whether the talent will be able to reach Houston in time for the scheduled taping at 713 Music Hall. If the delays continue or flights are canceled, the travel disruption could force adjustments to the planned show.
The timing of the travel issues is notable because WWE NXT is entering a critical period leading into its next major event. Only three television episodes remain before Stand and Deliver 2026 takes place in April. This means each episode plays a key role in building storylines and setting up matches for the premium event.
Despite the uncertainty caused by the WWE NXT travel delays Houston situation, several matches and segments have already been announced for the upcoming episode. The card currently includes Booker T Appreciation Night, which will celebrate the WWE Hall of Famer’s contributions to the brand.
In addition, the NXT Women’s Championship will be defended in a triple threat match. Champion Jacy Jayne is scheduled to face Sol Ruca and Zaria. The Women’s North American Championship will also be on the line, with Tatum Paxley defending her title against Izzi Dame inside a steel cage.
The show will also feature a tournament match to determine the next challengers for the NXT Tag Team Championship. Hank and Tank are scheduled to face Birthright in that contest.
Other announced matches include Fallon Henley defending the Women’s WWE Speed Championship against Wren Sinclair, while Vanity Project will face Los Americanos in tag team action.
As of now, WWE has not provided any further updates regarding the travel situation. Officials are continuing to monitor the weather and flight status as they work to ensure the roster can reach Houston in time for the scheduled broadcast.
Fans hoping to see Steve Austin during the WWE RAW broadcast on March 16 will not get that moment. The WWE Hall of Famer confirmed he will not appear on the San Antonio show despite the event taking place on the symbolic date tied to his famous catchphrase. The Steve Austin WWE RAW 3:16 Day discussion gained attention among fans online, but Austin made it clear that he will not be part of the show.
Austin addressed the speculation during an interview with The Takedown on Sports Illustrated. When asked directly whether viewers should expect to see him at WWE RAW, he explained that he will be focused on a different commitment connected to his racing career.
“Man, they should tune in because they love WWE and Monday Night Raw,” Austin said. “But I am out. I will be a few days out from that race, the race I am talking about with my racing career, and we are trying to get that car ready. We are working our asses off. So yeah, I will be hunkered down in a garage out here in BFE Nevada, trying to get this buggy ready, a side-by-side utility vehicle, to race this grueling 250-mile race with everybody else I race with. I want to get out there and put my own show on out there in the desert.”
Austin also spoke with Busted Open Radio, where he was asked about the possibility of appearing during WrestleMania 42 weekend. While he said he would be open to doing something with WWE again, he stressed that the focus should remain on the current roster.
“It’s funny because you’ll sit there or they’ll put something on Instagram and people will say, oh, no, no, man, he’s too old, let the current talent have the spotlight,” Austin said. “Let the current talent have the spotlight, of course. If I can go out there and do something, that’d be fine. They got a pretty good roster, you know? So I think those guys and gals, they need all the time.”
During the same interview, Austin looked back at his appearance at WrestleMania 41 in 2025. He drove an ATV to the ring to announce the night two attendance but accidentally crashed into the ringside barrier, which knocked down a fan. Austin admitted he was frustrated with how the moment played out.
“God damn, when I crashed that four-wheeler last year up there against that wall, man, you talk about stting the bed big time,” Austin said. “I was so pissed off about that. Because I was looking forward to going out there and announcing the attendance and then watching the show, seeing what kind of show the superstars were going to put on. And, man, I st the bed on the big stage.”
Even with that incident, Austin said he hopes WWE will invite him back in the future.
“We’ll see if they have me back,” Austin said. “If they do, that’s cool.”
Austin will still be present during WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas. He is scheduled to appear as a guest at the WWE World convention, where fans will have the chance to meet him. However, he clarified that if he returns to WWE programming again, it would likely be for a special appearance rather than a match.
The confirmation means the Steve Austin WWE RAW 3:16 Day speculation has now been settled, with Austin focusing on racing instead of appearing on the March 16 episode.
Steve Austin Addresses WWE RAW 3:16 Day and WrestleMania 42 Status
