Vice TV’s ‘Dark Side of the Ring’ Season 7 Details Are Revealed
The squared circle is a place where the line between reality and performance is thinner than a worn-out ring canvas. For six seasons, Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Ring has thrived in that gray area, pulling back the curtain on the industry’s most tragic, controversial, and often bizarre chapters.
Now, moving into the summer of 2026, the acclaimed docuseries is preparing for what could be its most ambitious outing to date: a seventh season headlined by an unprecedented deep dive into the chaotic history of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (better known as TNA).
In a slight departure from the norm, Season 7 will kick off with a massive three-part exploration of the rise, fall, and puzzling survival of TNA. At the heart of this trilogy is the story of Jeff Jarrett, the man who co-founded the promotion alongside his father, Jerry, in the wake of WCW’s collapse.
Vice promises to chronicle Jarrett’s journey through the “tumultuous highs and heartbreaking lows” of building an alternative to the WWE machine. Reports indicate the trilogy focuses heavily on a “redemption and rebuilding” narrative for Jarrett.
Everything from the promotion’s “Asylum Years” at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds to the stretch of massive financial backing from Panda Energy will be covered. So expect insight into the arrival of industry titans like Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, the controversial booking of Vince Russo, and the personal struggles that often mirrored the backstage chaos.
Confirmed participants for the high-profile interviews include Jarrett himself, writer Vince Russo (BRO!), the incomparable Jim Cornette, and the legendary sibling tag team Matt and Jeff Hardy. However, one major player will be notably absent: Former TNA President Dixie Carter reportedly declined multiple invitations to participate in the project.
While TNA takes center stage, the rest of the new season continues the series’ tradition of exploring the complex legacies of wrestling’s icons and outliers. The upcoming slate of episodes includes the following:
- Paul Orndorff: A look at the life and career of “Mr. Wonderful,” a Hall of Famer who stood at the center of the 1980s wrestling boom.
- Ray Traylor: The story of the man behind “The Big Boss Man,” exploring his transition from a real-life corrections officer to one of the biggest stars of the 80s and 90s.
- Missy Hyatt: A spotlight on one of wrestling’s most famous valets, whose career was as influential as it was controversial.
- Necro Butcher vs. Samoa Joe: A deep dive into the brutal, legendary independent match that blurred the lines of physical safety and professional storytelling.
- Zach Gowen: The inspiring and difficult journey of the one-legged wrestler who beat the odds to reach the WWE during the Ruthless Aggression era.
- The Renegade: An examination of the tragic life and career of Rick Wilson, who was famously cast as WCW’s answer to the Ultimate Warrior.
The seventh season of Dark Side of the Ring is officially set to premiere on Tuesday, July 7 at 9 pm ET with a special two-hour event. The first two parts of the TNA trilogy will air back-to-back. The third and final installment of the TNA story will air the following week, on July 14, with the remainder of the season unfolding in a normal weekly format.
For wrestling historians and casual fans alike, this season looks to be a visceral reminder of why we can’t look away from the ring, even when the stories it tells are the darkest.
