The championship is contested in TNA's X Division, which emphasizes fast-paced, acrobatic wrestling, traditionally featuring cruiserweight wrestlers.

However, heavyweights including Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, and Abyss have also won the championship at various times in the division's history.

The TNA X Division was established on June 19, 2002 at Total Nonstop Action's first weekly PPV event with a Six Man Tag Team match resulting in Jimmy Yang, Jorge Estrada, and Sonny Siaki—collectively known as The Flying Elvises—defeating A.J.

[12] Following Hulk Hogan becoming the new on-screen General Manager in March 2012, the weight limit was ignored on June 10, 2012, at Slammiversary when the 280 lb (130 kg) Samoa Joe was allowed to challenge for the belt.

[13][14] In October 2012, the weight limit was officially repealed when 237 lb (108 kg) Rob Van Dam challenged for, and eventually won, the title at Bound for Glory.

In March 2013, the X Division was given a new set of rules, which meant all matches were wrestled in Triple Threat format, and a new weight limit of 230 lbs.

This proved to be extremely unpopular with fans, and the rules and weight limit were repealed once again in August of that year.

Styles defeated Low Ki, Jerry Lynn, and Psicosis in a Four Way Double Elimination match to be crowned the inaugural champion;[29] this match was announced as being for the NWA X Championship on the onscreen graphic while the ring announcer stated it was for the "NWA–TNA X Championship".

Management Director Jim Cornette stripped Young of the belt and announced the tournament to crown the new champion.

[31] TNA contracted wrestlers Douglas Williams, Kid Kash and Zema Ion were given automatic spots in the first round of the tournament.

[32] The eighth and final spot in the tournament would be filled by the winner of a four-way between the losers of the qualifying matches.

During Christopher Daniels' first reign in mid-2005, he defended the X Division Championship at several Pro Wrestling Guerrilla shows.

[56][57][58] Jeremy Borash and Management Director Jim Cornette, TNA's on-screen authority figure at the time, unveiled the new belt and awarded it to then-champion Chris Sabin.

[56] On July 19, 2013, then TNA President Dixie Carter unveiled a new design for the championship, with blue accents to match the color scheme of the company.

[60] On August 18, 2017, the X Division Championship belt was given a complete overhaul to reflect TNA's short-lived change to the Global Force Wrestling moniker.

Styles, who won the championship by defeating Low Ki, Jerry Lynn, and Psicosis in a Four Way Double Elimination match on June 19, 2002 at TNA's second weekly PPV event.