Mustafa Ali won the TNA International Championship, but he paid the price in pain. Ali was still in the hospital as Impact aired on Thursday night (Aug. 27, 2026). He suffered fractured ribs and a punctured lung.
At Lockdown on Sunday, Ali captured the international title from Hotch using unsavory tactics in the mind games department. Ali snatched the toy dinosaur from Hotch’s young daughter. Like a loving father would, Hotch was more concerned about getting that toy back to his little girl than keeping the championship. Ali took advantage, like a scumbag villain, for a pair of 450 splashes to win. Despite the loss, Hotch proudly handed the toy back to his daughter.
Both men suffered injuries during that match, in particular when Hotch leaped off the top of the steel cage to land a crossbody onto Ali crashing through a table. Ali fractured his ribs and punctured his lung. Hotch experienced pain in the ribs and spit up blood from internal bleeding.
Come Thursday night, Ali was supposed to be in a tag team contest on Impact. He was unable to make it due to injury. Frankly, I assumed that was a crock of beans as a cheap excuse not to face Hotch again, or perhaps a plot for an ambush. After Hotch and Trey Miguel defeated John Skyler and Agent Zero, Ali appeared in video on the big screen from his hospital bed.
Ali was in enough pain to propose a truce. He wants Hotch to rejoin Order 4. It is open arms or a call to arms. The choice belongs to Hotch. Of course, Ali delivered that message like a smarmy heel.
Ali canceled upcoming international dates in Australia and Scotland, presumably due to the injury.
As for the storyline with Hotch, he is no fool. Hotch knows Ali is running scared with that truce proposal. Ali crossed the line that can never be forgiven when harassing Hotch’s family. Hotch wants his rematch, but Trey Miguel is first. Santino Marella offered a solution. Hotch versus Trey next week on Impact with the winner to get the shot at Ali, when he returns from injury.
Do you support Jason Hotch in his mission for payback? Do you prefer Hotch getting his rematch first or Trey Miguel settling old beef with Mustafa Ali first?
