Vice TV issued:
VICE STUDIOS & VICE TV ACCLAIMED DOCUSERIES DARK SIDE OF THE RING RETURNS FOR SEASON SEVEN WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED 3-HOUR EXPLORATION OF JEFF JARRETT AND TNA
Nine Episode Season Premiering Tuesday, July 7 on VICE TV Uncovers New Stories in Professional Wrestling’s Dark, Untold History, Featuring Legends Jeff Jarrett, Samoa Joe, The Hardys, and More
NEW YORK (MAY 7, 2026) – VICE Studios and VICE TV today announced top-rated, critically-acclaimed and award-winning docuseries Dark Side of the Ring will return for a seventh season on Tuesday, July 7 at 9pm ET on VICE TV, with two back-to-back episodes followed by new episodes airing weekly. Dark Side of the Ring explores professional wrestling’s darkest untold stories, pulling back the curtain on the only form of entertainment where its stars have to balance two worlds: their in-ring characters and real life.
“Dark Side of the Ring is one of our strongest franchises that speaks to our audience with its gritty exposition of the real emotional and physical costs behind professional wrestling,” said VICE TV President Pete Gaffney. “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.” “Each season, we try to challenge ourselves to go deeper, and season seven is our most ambitious yet,” said Co-Creators and Executive Producers Evan Husney and Jason Eisener. “That’s especially true with our three-part exploration of TNA Wrestling, where Jeff Jarrett’s journey of redemption and resilience gives us a unique lens into the highs, struggles, and lasting impact of the foundational years of the company. It’s a perfect example of how compelling and ultimately human these stories really are."
Season seven of Dark Side of the Ring will kick off with an unprecedented three-part exploration of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA Wrestling) through the tumultuous highs and heartbreaking lows of legendary professional wrestler and promoter Jeff Jarrett, chronicling the rise, internal struggles and lasting legacy of the promotion. This season will also tell the stories of ring icons Paul Orndorff aka “Mr. Wonderful” and Ray Traylor aka “The Big Boss Man;” the brutal, unforgettable clash between Necro Butcher and Samoa Joe, featuring a moment-by-moment breakdown of the infamous 2005 blood-soaked match that altered the trajectory of independent wrestling forever; the groundbreaking career of Missy Hatt, who revolutionized the role of women in wrestling amid a life of scandal, emotional turmoil and addiction; the untold story of Rick Wilson, an exotic dancer with dreams of wrestling stardom lead to a brief rise as an Ultimate Warrior knock-off dubbed “The Renegade,” before this career quickly unraveled into tragedy; and the remarkable yet turbulent journey of one-legged wrestler Zach Gowen.
Since VICE TV launched Dark Side of the Ring in April 2019, the series has entertained wrestling fans and newcomers to the sport with the biggest stories from the last 40 years, giving viewers unprecedented access to wrestling insiders and revealing the brutal truths and often tragic consequences of lives in the squared circle. The series has received numerous Canadian Screen Award nominations, receiving one for Best Picture Editing, Factual. Following the success of Dark Side of the Ring, the Dark Side franchise has expanded to include Dark Side of Football, Dark Side of the 90s, Dark Side of the 2000s, Dark Side of Reality TV, and 2025’s Dark Side of the Cage.
Dark Side of the Ring is a VICE Studios production in partnership with Bell Media’s Crave. Evan Husney is co-creator, executive producer, and writer for the series; Jason Eisener is co-creator, executive producer, and director. Executive Producer for VICE Studios is Guillermo Garcia. Executive Producer for VICE TV is Lee Hoffman. The series is distributed worldwide by VICE Distribution.
About VICE TV:
VICE TV delivers a powerful mix of culture-defining originals, bold entertainment and live alternative sports across television and digital. The Emmy®-winning international television network from VICE Media, in partnership with A+E, is available in 40 million U.S. cable, telco, and satellite homes and to multiple licensees worldwide. To cater to the growing global demand for sports content, in 2025 the network launched a slate of live event programming (Arena Football One, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, LFA, Major League Volleyball, Professional Fighters League) and sports-focused docuseries and specials. Current and previous programming includes VICE Studios’ Dark Side of the Ring, Dark Side of the Cage, Hells Angels, Out of Bounds and United Gangs of America; Chasing Speed from the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA); Don’t Call it a Comeback with host Noah Eagle, from Front Office Sports Studios, Skydance Sports, and NFL Films; NFL Classics: After Further Review, with host Kyle Brandt, from Omaha Productions in association with NFL Films; The Verdict, with host Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo; Pitino: Red Storm Rising and Calipari: Razor’s Edge. For more information, visit VICETV.com; follow VICE TV on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X); find viewing and streaming options here.
About VICE Studios:
VICE Studios, a division of VICE Media, develops, finances and produces premium, award-winning and culture-defining content for the global marketplace. Operating with a full-service production facility, VICE Studios powers scripted, unscripted and branded content that anticipates culture with a distinct bold, authentic, raw and unfiltered VICE lens. The studio is behind the critically-acclaimed Gangs of London, in production for a fourth season on Sky in the UK with the third season currently airing on AMC+. Recent scripted titles include the adrenaline-charged thriller Atomic, for Sky, and the satirical feature Bad Apples, starring Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan. The studio is behind a string of hits for VICE TV including Dark Side of the Ring, Dark Side of the Cage, United Gangs of America, Hells Angels, and Out of Bounds. Other recent unscripted titles include Into the Void (Hulu), Hollywood Hustler: Glitz, Glam, Scam (Prime Video), Pavements (Mubi), Bama Rush (HBO), and Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (Netflix). VICE Studios owns and operates the Cuba Pictures label, behind hit series The Rumour and The Walsh Sisters. At VICE, we take creative risks, challenge convention, and we live to o tell the story.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!