TNA's Director of Authority, Santino Marella, and "WWE NXT" General Manager Ava laid out their battle plans for Showdown.
At the beginning of the show, Ava got down to brass tacks as she stood with Jacy Jayne and Ricky Saints with the aim of sorting out the respective men's and women's teams slated to face those offered by TNA. It was then confirmed by Santino Marella that new TNA Knockouts World Champion and "NXT" star Kelani Jordan would be leading his women's team, as well as TNA World title challenger Mike Santana for the men; TNA World Champion Trick Williams later joined Saints on the "NXT" men's team.
In the main event of the show, Saints announced that the rest of his team would be comprised of Je'Von Evans and Myles Borne, while Santana announced that he would be joined by Frankie Kazarian, Moose, and Leon Slater. Jacy Jayne announced that she will be joined by Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker, and Lola Vice, conspicuously omitting her own Fatal Influence partner, Fallon Henley, from her selection. Kelani Jordan said that she would be joined by TNA's Knockouts Tag Team Champions, the IInspiration, Jessie McKay and Cassie Lee, as well as Mara Sade, formerly "NXT" star Jakara Jackson.
Each side will come face-to-face during Showdown on October 7, with TNA's Mustafa Ali also due to be challenging for the North American Championship held by Ethan Page and The Hardys will face Dark State in a Winner-Takes-All match for the TNA World and NXT Tag Team Championships.
