Dark Side of the Ring Returns: Vice TV Sets Season 7 Premiere With Jeff Jarrett and TNA in the Spotlight

Let's be honest: wrestling docuseries aren't exactly hard to find these days, but few dig into the business' weirder corners like Vice TV's Dark Side of the Ring. If you've ever wondered what really goes on beneath the neon lights, the chokeholds, and the weird personas, good news: Season 7 is on the way, and it's zeroing in on a pocket of wrestling history even some fans gloss over—TNA Wrestling and the ever-persistent Jeff Jarrett.

Season 7 Kickoff: Jeff Jarrett, TNA, and a Whole Lotta Baggage

Here’s what you need to know if you want to clear your calendar: Season 7 premieres July 7 at 9 p.m. ET, with two episodes dropping back-to-back. After that, you're in for the usual weekly rollout. But this isn't just a glancing look at TNA. The season starts with a three-part, deep-dive trilogy on both Jeff Jarrett—who's been everywhere from WWE to WCW to his own startup—and the always-chaotic Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, aka TNA.

For anyone who missed the TNA years: Jeff Jarrett co-founded the company, wrestled for it, lost it, got it back, and somehow kept things barely glued together while it cycled through weird ideas and even weirder management. This is the mess Dark Side wants to untangle.

More Than Just Jarrett: Who Else Gets the Spotlight?

Once the TNA saga wraps up, the series still has plenty of wild material. Here are the other stories on deck for Season 7:

• Paul Orndorff – If all you remember is ‘Mr. Wonderful’ from old Hulk Hogan feuds, expect more here about his real-life struggles.
• Ray 'The Big Boss Man' Traylor – The corrections officer who made fans cheer and cringe, sometimes at the same time.
• Missy Hyatt – Wrestling’s ‘First Lady’, infamous for both her on-screen roles and off-screen controversies.
• Necro Butcher vs. Samoa Joe – One of the most notorious deathmatches ever, so weird and brutal it actually deserves the hype.
• Zach Gowen – The one-legged wrestler who pulled off spots most able-bodied workers wouldn't even try.
• Rick Wilson as The Renegade – Anyone who remembers this Ultimate Warrior tribute (rip-off?) probably has questions, and this show is digging for answers.

What's the Big Deal About Dark Side of the Ring?

This series isn't just another batch of cheap nostalgia. It's a Canadian-made, critically praised show that hits way harder than most. Instead of focusing on kayfabe storylines, Dark Side of the Ring uncovers what really happens when the cameras are off and the job gets dangerous, messy, or downright tragic. It’s not afraid to talk about painkillers, premature deaths, or the way wrestling can destroy bodies and minds for real. Even if, like me, you’ve outgrown wrestling’s cartoon drama, you can’t help but respect the guts it takes to get in that ring and actually pull this stuff off.

'Wrestling is one of America's most influential pop culture phenomenons, and this series further explores the blurred lines between wrestling's spectacle and reality, ultimately uncovering the truths behind the stories fans thought they knew.' – Pete Gaffney, Vice TV president

Look, I get it—people love to say wrestling's fake. But you only have to watch a couple episodes of Dark Side to realize that putting your body on the line for entertainment, night after night, isn’t a trick. If nothing else, this show will change how you look at the guys and women who sell it in the ring, and just maybe, how much of it we all take for granted.

So if you want to go beyond the usual ‘greatest matches’ highlight reels and get into the stuff the industry usually wants buried, Season 7 might be exactly what you're after. Seriously—set a reminder.