The Persistent Failure of TNA
This past Sunday saw TNA put on a pay per view that achieved something almost unique: I didn’t watch it. Normally, no matter what happens, I watch all of TNA’s pay per views because I know that, however ridiculous and illogical their angles get, however frustrating the lack of progress is, when it comes time for the big show, someone will put on some quality wrestling matches for me. Yet this month I just can’t force myself to watch the show. I gave up on Impact a long time ago, riddled as it is with mind-boggling inconsistencies, matches that are all too brief and an endless pursuit of shocking moments that just leave the viewer saying “but why would he do that?” The monthly pay per view was a different story, until now. So I find myself asking why TNA is seemingly losing me.
First off, I should point out that I want TNA to succeed. I have watched the show since the early days of the weekly pay per views from The Asylum in Nashville. I’ve seen it grow from that adventurous but unsustainable model into a weekly one-hour show with monthly pay per views and then into a two-hour show. During that time the show has, we are told, become profitable despite initially being a total money pit. This apparent progress on the business side of things, however, has not been matched on the creative front, at least not as far as I’m concerned. In fact, as time has gone on I have become increasingly less enthused by the product that TNA offers me. I find myself looking back on those early days with fondness and asking myself the age-old question: where did it all go wrong?
Two answers, in particular, leap to mind. Firstly, there is TNA’s often-cited insistence on copying WWE in everything that they do. For years now, it seems that all TNA have been concerned with is matching Vince McMahon’s corporate juggernaut. They operate a specific business model – two hours of weekly TV with a monthly three hour pay per view – purely because that is how WWE and the defunct WCW operated. Granted, WWE is the most successful promotion in the history of professional wrestling. From that standpoint, only a fool would not try and learn from them. However, the fact that they do things a certain way is not proof that that is the only way to do them. Now, I am well aware that, in the long-term, the weekly pay per views were financially untenable. Nevertheless, purely out of necessity, TNA had actually discovered something great – by not having a monthly pay per view to sell, every show became a big show. The viewer was given the impression that anything could happen on any given night because there was never a sense that the good stuff had to be saved for another, more expensive show.
Furthermore, without a pay per view to deliver every month, TNA had no time limit constraining their angles. They could run a feud for as long or short a time as they pleased because there was no artificial deadline built into their schedule. Instead of making use of these advantages, however, they rushed straight into the standard mode of televised professional wrestling. Jumping straight to monthly pay per views as soon as they secured a TV deal was an act of vanity. Why not take inspiration from an earlier part of WWE history, and run pay per views merely quarterly? Two hour Impact was also a mistake, in my view. Sure, one hour was not enough, especially to build to a pay per view every month. Even so, why not look to break the mould instead of simply copying the competition? I always thought that a ninety-minute show would have served TNA far better. Deliver a show without all of the “moments ago” garbage that WWE serve up and therefore deliver as much action in ninety minutes as WWE serve up in one hundred and twenty.
The most damning indictment of every TNA regime thus far, however, has nothing to do with content, business model or anything else. It is simply this – in almost eight years of existence they have totally and utterly failed to create any new stars. Okay, we might give them AJ Styles but even he, as great as he is, is still presented to this day as a wrestler looking to make it to the top, not as the man on top. Whether associated with Vince Russo, Christian Cage, Kurt Angle or Ric Flair, it seems that Styles is always playing second fiddle to somebody. This is why Hogan is still talking about getting AJ to the next level. Frankly, Styles should have been at the top level for years now. Granted, TNA have never had the audience to make anyone a household name. That is irrelevant. As far as their own product and fan base is concerned, they should have already made Styles the man.
Abyss is a man that TNA have failed to fully utilise, simply because they have always tried to do too much with him. All fans ever wanted from Abyss was what they got when he was paired with Jim Mitchell – a destructive monster. It’s no coincidence that it was that run that saw Abyss win the TNA World Championship. No one cared about his family, the mental hospital, or Abyss being president of first the Mick Foley and then the Hulk Hogan fan clubs. All anyone wanted was a guy who wore a mask, didn’t speak, took insane amounts of punishment and destroyed people. There was no need to over-egg the pudding. The constant tinkering with Abyss’ character has actually robbed the guy of momentum, leaving him less popular than ever.
Christopher Daniels is another man who has been half-heartedly pushed to the top of TNA but never kept there. Maybe it’s his fault – maybe, for all of his undoubted in-ring prowess he just isn’t quite main-event material. Then again, maybe the fault lies with a succession of booking teams who have never allowed him to run with the ball. Like Styles, Daniels is a man who simply needed to be consistently presented as an equal to the big names that TNA have brought in over the years. Instead, he has consistently been presented as not being in their league. Instead of using guys like Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash, Sting, Kurt Angle and so on to give Daniels the rub, TNA have continually used such men to emphasise to the audience that Daniels is not in their league. I don’t blame Steiner, or Sting, or anyone for this. I blame a succession of creative teams who don’t get that people need to be presented as equals before anyone will buy them as such. Look at Sheamus; initially, people protested at his sudden elevation to the top of WWE but the longer he spends being presented as a worthy addition to the top of the card, the more fans there are who buy him.
TNA constantly promise to elevate new talent but somehow, it never seems to happen. Look at Jay Lethal and Frankie Kazarian, to suggest just two good examples. Both of these men are brimming over with talent and both have been, at times, anointed as the coming thing in TNA. It never happens. It is now well over two and a half years since Lethal pinned Kurt Angle cleanly on pay per view, and yet where is he today? Right where he was. At around the same time, Kazarian was seemingly being pushed to the top in TNA, taking part in World Championship matches. Soon after, however, he was bumped back down the card so that he could portray a character from a videogame (you couldn’t make this up) and where is he now? Back in the X-Division, that’s where.
Samoa Joe was a man that many tipped to be TNA’s franchise player and, initially, that’s how it looked like things would play out. Joe was booked simply and naturally as an unstoppable wrecking ball of a wrestler. His matches with Styles and Daniels were the best thing in wrestling at the time and represented the perfect opportunity to elevate all three to the top. Instead, TNA continually hesitated to pull the trigger on Joe, repeatedly bringing him to the brink of something special only to pull away at the last moment. Inevitably, the fans grew tired of this and Joe had to be rehabilitated in order to get over. Still, however, TNA missed opportunities to make the most of him and right now, they are rehabilitating him again. There can be no doubt in anybody’s mind that Samoa Joe, at this moment, is worth less to TNA than he was five years ago when he arrived straight out of Ring of Honor.
One man that TNA did pull the trigger on early was Ron “The Truth” Killings. Now wrestling as R-Truth in WWE, Killings was actually TNA’s second World Heavyweight Champion, defeating Ken Shamrock in August of 2002. However, no sooner had he lost the belt than Killings found himself in the tag team division, where he would stay for several years. By the time he was pushed as a singles wrestler again, his run as champion was almost forgotten – indeed, most of the TNA audience had not seen it, coming as it did in the early days of their weekly pay per views. Although he would regain the title, his fortnight’s reign was barely memorable and, as soon as he had lost the title Killings again found himself in the world of tag team wrestling. Killings may never make it to the top in WWE (then again, he might) but wherever he ends up you may rest assured that he will be booked consistently.
Looking at this month’s main events, we see Jeff Hardy versus Mr Anderson, Sting versus Jeff Jarrett and Rob Van Dam versus AJ Styles. Out of six guys, that’s five who were made elsewhere and one that TNA are still making. For years now TNA have consistently booked their own guys to look inferior to the stars of other promotions – Kevin Nash, Kurt Angle, Christian Cage, Randy Savage and many more. Even worse, they have brought in guys who were never stars and pushed them at the expense of their own guys – D’Lo Brown, Rhino, Raven and so on. These guys are good wrestlers, sure but they are not, and never were, main event material. To push them as such at the expense of younger wrestlers merely emphasises to the fans that your young guys aren’t good enough.
It is this that has led to the constant exodus from TNA. Look at the young talent they have had and let go, or failed to keep, in the last few years: CM Punk, Petey Williams,
Monty Brown, Chris Harris, Matt Bentley, Sonny Siaki, Elix Skipper, Low Ki, Sonjay Dutt, Austin Aries, Eddie Fatu, The Naturals, Shocker and many more. There are the makings of a good roster right there. Meanwhile, in have come the likes of Team 3D, Orlando Jordan, The Band and so on. I’m not necessarily knocking these performers, or saying that they have nothing to offer the show but the fact is that the TNA roster has grown steadily less exciting over the years.
In the meantime, since TNA began trading, WWE have made Randy Orton, John Cena, Jeff Hardy, Batista, Brock Lesnar, Sheamus, CM Punk and even Rob Van Dam. If you don’t believe me about Van Dam, imagine he’d never gone to WWE and had joined TNA some time after they opened. Where do you think he’d be now? In the main event, in the X-Division, or even in the company at all?
Normally, I prefer not to write heavily critical articles. I enjoy wrestling and prefer either to dwell on the positive or consider the more philosophical angles. In this case, however, I feel that I am justified. TNA still have an exciting roster of young talents. With AJ Styles, Matt Morgan, Desmond Wolfe, Eric Young, Homicide and many others they have the guys that could become the stars of tomorrow. I hope Hogan and Bischoff start to make that happen because, thus far, TNA have utterly failed to do so. They cannot continue to fail indefinitely.
Thoughts on Raw and Destination X
To the fans chanting “you can’t wrestle” at John Cena (during a promo) on Raw this week: get over it. Please. They’re not going to fire him. They’re not going to push him down the card. They’re probably not even going to turn him heel. They’re certainly not going to acknowledge your chants. So, if you don’t like Cena please, please just stop watching his segments, quit it with the inane chanting and quit ruining it for the rest of us!
Bret Hart’s promo on Raw went on too long and the crowd seemed to get a bit restless. Given that he didn’t actually have anything new to say, this segment should have been shorter. Really liked the way he finished, though.
Enjoyed the Pete Rose-Kane interaction. Takes me back! Also enjoyed the Kane-HBK match and the interference by Undertaker.
Finally, Kofi is added to Money in the Bank! About time, too. Did ANYONE think Koslov actually stood a chance of qualifying?
Enjoyed Ted and Cody’s little digs at each other. That handicap match was a very well put together segment.
All in all, another strong Raw as we build to Wrestlemania…on Sunday!
As usual, I enjoyed TNA’s latest pay per view offering. Destination X had some great matches but none more than Generation Me versus The Motor City Machine Guns in Ultimate X. The speed and fluidity with which Gen Me work is breathtaking and, while their high-spot filled offence may not be every wrestling fan’s preferred style of wrestling, one has to admit that they are taking it to new levels.
Rob Terry’s match with Magnus was booked sensibly to allow Terry to shine without putting too much pressure on him. Speaking of the British Invasion, Doug Williams had a very strong outing with Shannon Moore. I like the fact that Kazarian has regained his spot at no.1 contender but Moore still has a beef with the champ. The way TNA position multiple potential challengers to their title-holders helps keep the show interesting and unpredictable.
Loved the finish to Abyss-Styles. Sure, we all prefer clean finishes at pay per views but there’s no law that says every main event has to end in a clean finish. Once again, we now have a champ facing several deserving contenders. Abyss has been built up even stronger without hurting the champ. The main thing is that Abyss left Destination X more popular than when he entered it, at least as far as I could tell by listening to the crowd.
Revised ‘Mania predictions:
Still with Cena over Batista.
‘Taker over Michaels.
Edge over Jericho (but harder to call).
Bret over Vince with the Sharpshooter.
Sheamus over Triple H (big call, I know).
Rey Mysterio over CM Punk (think this is a no-brainer).
Randy Orton to win triple threat against Legacy (though I won’t be totally surprised if not).
Still can’t pick a Money in the Bank winner: say, one from McIntyre, Kingston, Christian or, just maybe, MVP.
ShowMiz to retain tag titles.
Looking Back on the Week in Wrestling
There have been plenty of interesting developments this week, so I have decided to do a few quick hits, rather than one long piece. Here goes!
Survivor Series No More
Vince McMahon announced this week that he is retiring the Survivor Series name, feeling that it has outlived its usefulness and is no longer relevant. The Survivor Series that took place in November 2009 will be the twenty-third and last pay per view to go out under that name. A few points occur to me, so here they are. Firstly, why does Vince seem to think that changing the name of a pay per view is the best way to increase buys? Frankly, he could call a pay per view WWE Pukathon and, as long as he offered good matches with well-thought out storylines logical builds, people would buy it. Now, as to the traditional Survivor Series elimination tag matches, maybe he’s right. I will miss them myself, but perhaps they have lost their appeal. Who’s fault, then, is that? Vince is the one who has consistently booked tag team wrestling as an afterthought for years, convincing fans that it is unimportant and not to be taken seriously.
It seems a shame to strip away the history of the company in this way. It’s far more impressive and meaningful to be watching the twenty-third annual instalment of something than it is the first. I will be most surprised if, in twenty-three years time, any of the current pay per views are still running (with the exceptions, obviously, of the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania). I’d suggest to Vince that he stop focussing on cosmetic changes and address the real issues facing his business.
The Road to Wrestlemania
Speaking of Vince focussing on the real issues, he and his creative team have done it again. Almost every year it’s the same. Between the Royal Rumble and ‘Mania, Creative (and the on-screen talent) raise the bar to such an extent that one can only wish that they would write and perform to this standard all year around. Since the Rumble I’ve watched Raw two weeks running for the first time in I don’t know how long. More to the point, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both shows and fully intend to watch again this coming week. The Bret Hart-Vince McMahon storyline is heating up nicely, the “Shawn Michaels is losing it” plot is just awesome, the break-up of Legacy is holding my attention as well. Add to that the return of Edge, the unpredictability of the title scene going into the Elimination Chamber, never mind Wrestlemania and you have a recipe for success. Oh yes, and CM Punk and his Straight Edge Society continue to rule every segment of TV they appear in. Punk instructing his minions “Luke, Serena, bring me Jared from Subway” on Raw this week was hilarious.
The End of WWECW
Should have addressed this last week but Vince’s decision to re-brand the C-show is, frankly, overdue. ECW has produced a lot of good wrestling under the WWE aegis but the viewing figures show that it is just not working. Old ECW fans hate it and newer fans just don’t value it. In a way, winding it up has come at a good time, as the uncertainty over the future of the ECW Championship is playing into the general uncertainty that’s making WWE so enjoyable as we head towards ‘Mania.
Everybody Has a Price
Ted DiBiase is the first inductee into the 2010 class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Awesome! If there is anyone out there who deserves this, it is The Million Dollar Man. A consummate performer both in the ring and with a microphone for many, many years, in his prime DiBiase was as good as it gets. I haven’t the time to really pay tribute to all of his accomplishments here; suffice it to say that I am thrilled that he is going in and am greatly looking forward to this years’ Hall of Fame show.
TNA
For the first time since the Hogan-Bischoff regime took over, the ratings of TNA wobbled a little (although they still stood at the top end of anything the company had achieved before their arrival) last week. However, I have to say that I am once again cautiously optimistic over where TNA is going. Everyone seems to be getting a fair amount of TV time, the right guys are increasingly winning matches, Samoa Joe is back in the main event and the show is beginning to calm down a little from the insane pace it set when Hogan debuted. With the exception of The Nasty Boys, most of TNA is moving in the right direction. Even the Hall-Waltman storyline has the benefit of unpredictability. Granted, the recreation of Montreal recently was unnecessary and disappointing but, by and large, this may work out. The decision to re-brand the March pay per view, Destination X, as an all-X Division show is a great idea, and will really help showcase some of the best high-flying talent in wrestling today. This Sunday’s show, Against All Odds, has some compelling match-ups: The Pope versus Desmond Wolfe, Mr Anderson versus Kurt Angle and, of course, AJ Styles versus Samoa Joe with Eric Bischoff as the guest referee.
Another great idea by TNA is apparently on the way soon, as Dixie Carter tweeted this week that the company would soon announce a UK pay per view. This is awesome news, as WWE fans in the UK have been crying out for a pay per view for years. TNA should make it their policy to give the fans anything they ask for that WWE are not prepared to offer. Having decided to stay on Bravo in the UK TV market, TNA are currently enjoying very high viewing figures. Given the potentially larger audience that they can reach, when compared to WWE, TNA have every chance of becoming the number one wrestling promotion for UK fans.
TNA Maximum Impact, Wembley Arena
So, on Saturday night I attended my second TNA live event, this time the closing show of this year’s Maximum Impact tour. TNA have come a long way since their first UK tour, when I saw them in Brentwood. While they did not fill Wembley Arena, the attendance was certainly very healthy and I would expect they topped the attendance of 8100 that they managed last year. Perhaps more impressive was that, for the most part, these did not seem to be curious WWE fans but, rather, dedicated TNA fans. Consequently, they were loud, enthusiastic and opinionated, factors that, as I have mentioned before, are both a blessing and a curse for the promotion.
The show kicked off in timely fashion with the ever-popular Jeremy Borash doing his usual good job of getting the crowd worked up. If Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan cannot see that this man is good at his job then one questions just how much business they have being in wrestling anymore. Sporadic chants of “Hogan sucks” started early, just to let TNA management know how happy the fans are with the new direction of the company. There was no need to chant “We want six sides” since we were, of course, seeing what might well be the last appearance ever of the six sided ring. The good thing about going to a live event, as opposed to a TV taping, is that the action gets underway quicker, and stays that way. TV tapings are frequently interrupted, especially at the outset, as the promotions attempt to get as many shots as possible of the crowd “going wild”.
The first match that we saw was The Beautiful People versus Taylor Wilde and Sarita, with Hamada as the guest referee. I was a little disappointed not to see Hamada wrestle but the match itself was worthwhile. Wilde and Sarita were in fine form, hitting some nice double team combinations, while The Beautiful People threw some fine tantrums, particularly Velvet. I cannot overstate just how over Velvet Sky is with the TNA faithful! If she had a mind to do so, this woman could probably recruit an army of male wrestling fans large enough to take over the world! The funny thing was that, as much as the audience clearly love Velvet (even chanting exactly that at one point) they still bought into the face-heel dynamic of the match, cheering Taylor and Sarita while booing the heel antics of The Beautiful People. It was the bad girls who got the win in the end, however, when Taylor got sprayed in the face behind Hamada’s back. Soon after the win The Beautiful People managed to antagonise Hamada, who helped Taylor and Sarita remove them, first from the ring, and then from the arena.
Our first singles match of the night was possibly a poor choice of booking. The Pope came out to a great pop but, as soon as his opponent emerged, Pope was turned heel for the evening. London’s very own Desmond Wolfe was the man in question and the crowd made it very clear that they were not going to boo him. I am surprised that the two did not cut promos before the match, since that might have helped turn the crowd. Instead, the two wrestlers reversed roles which somewhat spoiled the match for me. I really enjoyed the match that these two had at Genesis but I find that they work very naturally with Pope as a face and Wolfe as a heel. Wolfe’s nasty, submission-based offence is much more suited to a bad guy, while Pope is just stuffed full of natural charisma. The match was executed very well but did not do it for me. It didn’t help that I was unable to see Wolfe’s entrance, as a pillock in front of me kept waving his England flag about. Firstly, this was one of those stupid flags with “England” written on it, in case we don’t know our own nation’s colours and, secondly, we’re in England. I can see the logic of taking an England flag to the Impact Zone in Orlando and flying it for the English wrestlers but, frankly, I’m pretty sure Desmond already knew which country he was in. Anyway, to the cheers of the crowd, Wolfe got the win here, scoring a three count off of the Tower of London.
Next up was Eric Young teaming up with The War Machine, Rhino. This was supposed to be against the tag champions, Hernandez and Matt Morgan but, since Morgan is rightly and understandably at his father’s side, a substitute was found – none other than Samoa Joe. It was pretty obvious how this match would go. Rhino got a fairly solid pop and several “E-C-Dub” chants but, as one would expect, the fans were firmly behind Supermex and the Samoan Submission Machine in this one. As usual, Hernadez popped the crowd big-time by diving over the top rope and Joe got the win with a muscle buster.
At this point, the show had been fine but not awesome. I felt it still needed to be stepped up a level or two, and it was in the next match. The match in question was a triple threat tag team match between The British Invasion, Team 3D and Beer Money. All of these teams were well over but Beer Money most of all. For my money, they are the best tag team in professional wrestling at the moment and it’s a fairly safe bet that most of the crowd agreed with me. As far as The British Invasion were concerned, this match saw Rob Terry teaming with Brutus Magnus, since Doug Williams was required later on. The match itself was fine, if slightly marred by the unnecessary and infantile chants of “You Can’t Wrestle” that started up every time Terry was in the ring. Beer Money got the win and then Terry went through a table to complete the delight of the crowd. Afterwards, Team 3D did their usual moment where they brought a young child into the ring, in this case called Harry, and gave him a piece of the table, signed by their good selves and Beer Money. Always a nice moment to see, and one of the reasons why 3D remain over with the fans after so long in the business.
After that we had an interval and then it was time for the show to really get serious. The crowd were informed, for the benefit of those who did not already know, that Doug Williams had won the X-Division Championship at the last Impact taping (scheduled to air that night in the UK) and this would be his first title defence – an Ultimate X match, the first of its kind outside American soil. Challenging Williams would be former champion Amazing Red, Chris Sabin, Suicide and Daniels. All five men were extremely over with the crowd, which is amazing when you consider that they’re all too small to draw money. Sorry, I turned into Hulk Hogan there for a moment. The match itself was everything you would hope for, with all five wrestlers hitting signature spots and thrilling the crowd. When Daniels and Suicide began fighting from right on top of the structure itself, the crowd were absolutely mesmerized, not to mention terrified for the safety of both men. Suicide, fittingly, took the biggest bump of the match, falling from the top, but Williams sneakily climbed up, while Daniels was stranded on top of structure, and everyone else was laid out below, to retrieve his belt and retain his title. Outstanding.
With just one match left to go, it was Dixie Carter’s turn to greet us, coming out to what was, at best, a mixed reception. I remember when I first went to see TNA live, that Dixie got a great reception from the crowd. This time, it seemed that many of the crowd were determined to send her a message regarding her recruitment of Hogan and Bischoff. While I sympathise with them, one must bear in mind that, were it not for Dixie, TNA would not exist right now. Possibly, booing her may not be the smartest idea that a TNA fan could have. Anyway, after the usual thanking of the fans and telling us how great we were, Dixie announced that AJ Styles would be defending his title against Kurt Angle, to rapturous applause, increased only by her dismissal of Earl Hebner. This match was, in every sense, a true main event. Two of the best wrestlers in TNA, or any other company, putting on a wrestling clinic. The two men built up slowly, exchanged a series of false finishes, before the inevitable ref bump knocked Slick Johnson out of the ring and brought Earl Hebner back to the match. Hebner, of course, screwed Angle by refusing to count a three after a top-rope Angle Slam, leading to Angle stalking the corrupt official. This allowed Styles to clock Angle with the title belt and led to a recovered Slick making the three count. In the aftermath, Angle saw off Styles and then paid tribute to the crowd, before calling Dixie and all of the faces back to the ring for a final salute.
In conclusion, I feel that every fan felt as if they got their money’s worth, despite the absence of the “big names”. Frankly, I got the impression that most of the fans couldn’t care less that Hogan, Bischoff, Flair, Nash and so on were not there, while I was grateful that Lashley and The Nasty Boys did not show up. It was a pity that Alex Shelley and Matt Morgan were not available but such is life. The two title matches were rightly and unsurprisingly the highlights of the night, even given the fact that most of the audience knew very well who would be winning said matches before they started. It is a testament to the ability of the men concerned that they managed to create a small amount of doubt, even in the mind of a seasoned veteran like myself. The sad thing is that, with Hogan considering putting a stop to house shows until the business is grown to the point he wants it to reach, many fans may be denied this kind of experience for some time to come.
Quick TNA Update
This Saturday I will be at Wembley Arena for the final date of TNA’s Maximum Impact tour. Highlights are set to include a world title match between AJ Styles and Kurt Angle, and the first ever Ultimate X match outside US soil. Obviously, a review will be upcoming here.
Thoughts on TNA Genesis
So, as of last Sunday the first of Hulk Hogan’s TNA pay per views is in the books. Before I get to assessing the show itself, however, I’d like to address one of the most baffling decisions TNA has yet made (or, perhaps, been forced to make) regarding their television coverage. Not long ago, people noticed that TNA was actually the most watched professional wrestling promotion in Britain. True, this was because Impact was broadcast on Bravo, a channel that appears in the basic cable and satellite packages available in the UK, while WWE is broadcast only on Sky Sports, which are premium channels. That is not the point. The point is that TNA was reaching more people than WWE. TNA were also broadcasting all of their pay per views on Bravo, meaning that any UK fan who could watch Impact could also watch the pay per views at no extra cost. While that may seem unfair to US fans, who have to pay considerable amounts for shows like Genesis, it is exactly the way that WWE started doing business in the UK. Over time, however, they have gradually introduced additional charges for pay per views, to the point where UK WWE fans actually pay for the majority of WWE pay per views. No one doubts that, eventually, we will end up paying for all of them.
TNA, however, have opted to abandon that business model. Genesis is the first TNA pay per view available exclusively through BT Vision’s sports on demand service. BT Vision is a broadband-enabled television package that currently has 436’000 subscribers. The potential audience for TNA in the UK just shrunk dramatically. Now, Dixie Carter is by all accounts a smart businesswoman, so I am sure that TNA are getting a good deal here. Nevertheless, it would seem to me, from the outside looking in, that a growing wrestling company like TNA needs viewers above all else. After the US, the UK is one of the biggest markets in the world for wrestling. TNA had a genuine shot at supplanting WWE in the UK, simply because more people were watching them. By moving to BT Vision, they have effectively ensured that they will remain a fringe product, in the UK as well as the US. That is, unless of course, BT Vision can begin to take on the likes of Sky and Virgin Media in the UK TV market. Looks like TNA have just got themselves into another little dog versus the big dog situation!
Anyway, on to the show itself. Genesis opened with an impressive video package emphasising how all of TNA’s stars were born to be wrestlers. Sensible stuff, and the fact that the video showed both “legends” and “TNA originals”, as it were, is one small step towards getting the new audience to look at AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and so on the same way that they do Nash, Sting, Flair and Hogan. Once the show started, we were treated to a redesigned Impact Zone, with a four sided-ring and a ramp all the way to ringside, WCW style. Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff made their way to the ring and were almost immediately drowned out by a chant of “WE WANT SIX SIDES!” Granted, it wasn’t as if the entire audience was joining in but a large section of the audience were vociferously making their voices heard. Which brings me to my next point.
TNA are heading for a serious problem with their live crowd and I only see it getting worse before it gets better. The plus side for the company is that they have a loyal, dedicated band of fans who attend lots of shows and care passionately about the company. The bad news is that these fans are extremely loud and outspoken and they do not seem to be on the same page as the company, as regards many of the changes that the new regime is making. I’ll address this more throughout the post and at the end of it, as well.
Hogan managed to get them to stop the chant eventually, via the foolproof expedient of mentioning Vince McMahon. TNA fans are contractually obligated to boo the words Vince McMahon and “sports-entertainment” whenever they hear them. Unfortunately, they’re also bound to boo the words Vince Russo, and he works for TNA. Hogan cut a basic anti-WWE promo in which he contrasted McMahon-style sports-entertainment with wrestling – the kind of promo that people have been cutting ever since Vince bought his father’s company. Whatever happened to all of those guys? Oh yeah, every one of them wound up out of business, working for Vince, or both. Hopefully, this is not an indication of things to come. Anyway, as damage limitation, it allowed Hogan and Bischoff to leave the ring more or less to cheers.
The cheers continued when Brian Kendrick was revealed as the “mystery opponent” of Amazing Red for the X-Division Championship. Kendrick’s release from WWE had disappointed many, as he has proven that he is a gifted athlete and he had seemed on the verge of breaking through during his last Smackdown run. However, this match didn’t really click. Kendrick worked a mat-based submission style, to contrast with the high-flying daredevil style of Red. The idea and story was good, but the execution was not quite there. Hopefully, that was just down to a bit of rust on Kendrick’s part. The finish was delivered beautifully, however, as Amazing Red hit the Code Red “out of nowhere”, allowing him to keep his championship, but leaving Kendrick credible as a major threat who could easily have won the title on another day.
Second match was Sean Morley (formerly Val Venis) versus Daniels and straightaway the teething problems of the new regime were exposed. Morley, a competent wrestler at worst, is still working his old Val Venis schtick, which is a sports-entertainment character if ever there was one. Daniels, by contrast, despite working as a heel most recently, is a very popular TNA original. The sad thing is that, given the wrestling credentials of both men, this is a match that I was looking forward to. However, booking the gimmicky Morley as the baby-face and the serious wrestler Daniels as the heel seemed to run completely counter to the philosophy Hogan had espoused just minutes before. It was doomed to failure, of course. That loud section of fans booed Morley, cheered Daniels (even after he told them not to) and, to be honest, rather spoiled the match for me. This was still okay but could have been so much better if the crowd had worked with it, rather than against it.
After that it was time to bring the Knockouts in, for chapter forty-two of Tara versus ODB. Personally, I don’t mind seeing the same people wrestle multiple times but I’m getting a mite sick of seeing Tara win the belt and then drop it a week later. This match was two out of three falls, which suggests that it might be the feud-ender. The fact that Tara won it by two falls to zero is also pretty final. This was, frankly, as good a match as the two have had, and most of the crowd still seemed to care about Tara’s victory, despite what that has meant in the past.
Yet another title match followed that, as The British Invasion defended their tag titles against the team of Hernandez and Matt Morgan. I could complain here about how Morgan and Hernandez are being wasted and sidelined here, but frankly, that’s obvious to anybody, so I’ll try and dwell on the positives. The upside here is that the team is over with the fans. Also, the fact that Morgan and Hernandez are both huge baby-faces forces them to change the usual dynamic of tag-team wrestling. Heel teams can’t play “isolate the little guy” here, which may mean we get to see some slightly more unusual matches. This match was entertaining without being outstanding and, frankly, it was not surprising when Morgan got the win with the Carbon Footprint. That’s okay, though. Sometimes it’s good to have a match where you just can’t see how one team can be beaten and have them win. When someone finally does knock off SuperMex and Morgan, it will mean something.
Next up was one of the matches of the night, Desmond Wolfe against The Pope D’Angelo Dinero, once upon a time known as Elijah Burke on Smackdown and ECW. I have no criticisms to make here. The Pope oozes charisma in his promo delivery and Wolfe plays the perfect heel. Wolfe debuted a new look and a new valet tonight. Every movement and mannerism of his was perfect. The match was no disappointment, going a decent length of time, with both men using contrasting but complementary styles and telling a good story of the villainous Wolfe using his technical skills to break The Pope down, while the heroic Pope kept feeding off of the crowd and fighting through the pain. One thing I love is to find myself rooting for the baby-face even when I like the heel and think he should win. So it was here. Even though I really wanted Wolfe to get the win back from their bout on the January 4th Impact, I couldn’t help smiling every time The Pope kicked out. Eventually, however, Wolfe got the pin with one of his typically brutal lariats. The great thing is that this sets up a rubber match. These are the kinds of guys that one worries may be lost in the shuffle of the new TNA. Hopefully, Hogan will see their worth and both will be destined for the main-event.
After that it was supposed to be Hall and Nash against Beer Money. However, Sean Waltman, competing as Syxx-Pac, won a game of scissors-paper-stone against Hall to get the spot in the match. For whatever reason, Hall decided that he couldn’t go that night and, it has to be said, he doesn’t look in good shape right now. The match itself was really good. Whatever people say about Waltman, I’ve always felt that he can go in the ring, and he did so here. Again, Nash has many critics but it may be fairer to say that, given that he is fifty, over three hundred pounds and the amount of surgery he has had, it is almost a miracle that he is still as good as he is. Nothing trumps experience. Beer Money are, of course, just a superb tag team. In another age their future would have been assured but, these days, it’s all about singles wrestlers. Another thing that I’d like to see Hulk fix. Beer Money got the win when Hall wandered down to ring-side and attacked a “fan”, forcing Waltman to leave the ring to try and stop him, and leaving Nash to be double-teamed and pinned. This may well be the end of this NWO storyline, as Nash now has a genuine grievance against his former running buddies.
Nearing the end, now, it was time for a match between Lashley and Abyss that Bischoff had laughably referred to as a “co-main-event”. However, Abyss had taken out Lashley earlier in the show, ostensibly to protect Bischoff. Hogan promised Abyss a mystery opponent but requested that Abyss leave the hardcore stuff in the locker room – Hogan wanted a look at Abyss the wrestler. The mystery opponent turned out, of course, to be Ken Anderson, formerly WWE’s Mr Kennedy. Immediately, he proved that he had lost nothing on the mic, giving us an extremely entertaining “Mr Andersoooon” entrance. However, he soon proved that he had also gained nothing in the ring. From a wrestling standpoint, this was the worst match on the card. Sporadic chants of “over-rated” were directed at Anderson and the pace dragged appallingly. To be fair to Anderson, he has not wrestled a great deal recently, and Abyss was probably not the ideal opponent for him. There’s only so much you can do with a 6’8” 350lb behemoth, after all. The fans were also somewhat confused by the question of how to react. Anderson came out to a baby-face pop, but wrestled like a heel. Then he scored the win using brass knucks hidden in his tights but the announcers barely blinked. So excited were Taz and Tenay over Anderson’s debut, they forgot to point out that he had actually cheated to get the win. I know Russo has always been fond of tweeners, and Anderson is actually suited to that but some consistency would be nice. Anyway, Ken Anderson has genuine star quality. I really, really would love to see Hogan take him to the next level.
Finally, the main event, Kurt Angle challenging AJ Styles for the world title, with the stipulation that, should Angle lose, he would not receive another shot against AJ in 2010. Obviously, this match was very good – how could it not be? Ric Flair’s appearance at ring-side seemed to imply something was up, however, and we finally found out what when Angle laid in the Ankle-Lock. As AJ tried to break out, Angle laid in the full, super-duper, leg-grapevine variant of the hold. Moments before AJ tapped out, however, Flair grabbed the ref and pulled him out of the ring. A furious Angle chased Flair around, before being decked by the recovered AJ. Flair tossed the championship belt to AJ, who seemed to wrestle with some doubts before finally listening to Flair’s exhortations and smacking Angle with it. Flair then threw Earl Hebner back into the ring, so that he could make one of his famous half-conscious counts. AJ was still champion, but Flair had recruited him to the dark side. The finish, of course, sets up a nice story of Angle wanting revenge but not being allowed a shot at AJ because of the stipulation.
All in all, this was an enetertaining show, no better than the shows TNA was putting on before Hogan’s arrival but no worse either and with several starting points for new angles. What to do about those fans, though. At the Impact tapings following this show, a TNA producer actually gave the fans a lecture on what they could and could not do at shows! Some of this was common sense – there’s no need for gang signs or foul language from the audience, obviously. However, the fact that these fans were cheering the “wrong guys” is just tough. WWE have never told audiences that they MUST cheer John Cena, have they? Frankly, if the crowd boo Morley and cheer Daniels, maybe the bookers need to think about their presentation, rather than trying to force the crowd to go along with their wishes.
It’s true that TNA is entering a new era. It’s true that the old fans can’t expect that everything be done to suit them when the goal is to dramatically increase viewer-ship. However, TNA cannot simply disregard the opinions of fans who have loyally supported them for years. If the fans want a six-sided ring, or some of them do, maybe it should be put to a vote, as Jeremy Borash suggested? If the Hogan regime has one flaw that has already become apparent, it is an inability to accept criticism. Dissenting voices are dismissed as “negativity” or “jealousy”. No one, absolutely NO ONE wants to see The Nasty Boys back, but they are still on Impact. Awesome Kong punched Hogan’s friend shock-jock and professional jerk-ass Bubba the Love-Sponge for his comments about Haiti and Hogan dismisses this as being to do with Kong’s “time of the month”. Hogan, your friend said “fuck Haiti” (which he couldn’t even spell right)! The whole wrestling world applauded when Kong chinned him, yet she is the one who has given her notice. Not to mention the fact that, at Genesis, Eric Bischoff took Jeremy Borash off TV indefinitely. Now, granted, this was only a storyline but many people remember an Eric Bischoff comment of 2009, before he was affiliated with TNA, in which he was highly critical of Borash, saying that he had no business being on TV. The point is that Borash, whatever Bischoff may think of his abilities, is widely respected for his abilities as a wrestling interviewer/announcer, bleeds TNA and has been with the company since day one and is popular with the fans.
Genesis is, of course, a beginning, and this TNA Genesis is no different. There is plenty to find, both positive and negative, here and where it will all lead is impossible to say just yet. One thing I do know, however, is that Bischoff and Hogan will have to be open to dissenting opinions if they wish to succeed. We all know that Vince McMahon, during the Attitude Era, pushed guys and story-lines that he didn’t think were any good – DX for example – simply because others did and he needed something. This was the most successful period of his company. If Hogan really wants to hit the heights, he’d better be willing to do the same.
The Monday Night Skirmish – Raw is Bret vs Hogan’s Impact
Now that the dust has settled and the results are in, it’s time to examine the events of Monday, January the 3rd, the most hotly anticipated day of pro wrestling that I can remember in quite some time. Ladies and gentlemen, in the corner to my right, weighing in at almost fifty years of impressive and frequently revised history, the undisputed champion of pro wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment! And, in the corner to my left, the challenger, the little federation that could, Total Non-stop Action! Who would win this Monday night showdown, the first that wrestling had seen since WCW was bought out in 2001? Both sides had, of course, wheeled out their big guns, with Hulk Hogan finally making the TNA debut he originally promised back in 2003, and Bret Hart making his first live appearance on WWE programming since 1997 when something or other happened, I forget the details.
To be honest, the aftermath of these shows is proving almost as fascinating as the build-up was. The two wrestling promotions demonstrated very different approaches on Monday and, perhaps unsurprisingly, fans are thoroughly divided on who was more successful. In terms of TV ratings, initially it seems that both companies have reasons to be cheerful. TNA are already reporting record ratings of over 2 million viewers, while it seems that Raw also enjoyed its most successful rating for some time. TNA achieved their success with a broadcast short on wrestling but long on star power, shocks and unpredictability. WWE went for a show that emphasized internal consistency and ongoing storylines but was arguably more predictable and “tame” than TNA’s offering. Both shows put considerable emphasis on the “historic” nature of the events unfolding. TNA made constant references to the competition, while WWE made no reference whatever to TNA, unless one counts Jericho’s mockery of Hulk Hogan’s poses during his match with DX.
Some time ago, I predicted that, as fans grow more used to the WWE’s PG content, the rift between TNA and WWE fans would begin to widen. I think that we are beginning to see the results of that now. Everywhere I look I see a clear division between fans over which of Monday night’s shows was better. It is not simply that people have their favourites; many people seem convinced that, not only was their favourite show better than the other, it was, in fact, no contest at all. Many of those who enjoyed Impact felt that Raw was just awful and vice versa. Personally, it is hard for me to give any definitive judgement, since Impact has yet to be shown in the UK and, even when it is, will not be aired in its entirety. Therefore, I have had to make do with written reports and a few clips that I have managed to see thanks to the miracle of the internet.
As far as Raw is concerned, I found it the most enjoyable Raw I have watched in some time; that, in itself, is hardly saying a great deal, however, as Raw has consistently been the weakest element of WWE programming at least since Backlash last year. My usual pattern of watching is to watch Smackdown every week without fail, catch ECW and Superstars if I can and ignore Raw. Then, I watch the WWE’s pay per view and usually watch the Raw the next night to see what fall-out there is from the matches I watched on ppv. However, generally this merely reminds me of why I don’t watch Raw and I immediately revert to ignoring it…until the next ppv. This Raw did not have that effect on me. I will watch again next week, which is, surely, the most important goal of episodic programming. We had some good wrestling, some genuine drama and, most shockingly, almost everything on this show made some kind of sense! I don’t expect that to last but here’s hoping.
Obviously, Bret’s interaction with Shawn Michaels at the top of the show was, by far, the most compelling aspect of the show for any long-time wrestling fan. WWE have done a good job of getting Bret, and his past issues, over with the younger elements of their audience, which was illustrated by the strength of the pop that Bret received. Granted, their hug may not have looked terribly sincere but I don’t really care. If this finally lays Montreal to rest, then I think it’s great. Elsewhere, we saw the, possibly unprecedented, sight of Vince McMahon remembering his past storylines and acting based on them. Kofi Kingston had a good match with Randy Orton, DX had a good match with JeriShow and Sheamus had a moderately entertaining match with Evan Bourne. Just on a side note, has ANYONE in history ever hit a more beautiful shooting star press than Bourne?
On the downside, we only saw Bret in three segments, although I did find all three entertaining. The Divas match between Maryse and Bella No1 was appalling. To be honest, though, that was all that I really found poor on the show. The four way for a shot at the US title was perfectly acceptable and set up a match going forward. I always, ALWAYS prefer that wrestlers earn shots at titles rather than just get them awarded. The tribute to Doctor Death was very nice, although it does raise the question as to why WWE could not give a similar tribute to Umaga. All in all, we got an entertaining show with one historic moment, a couple of nice matches and a couple of angles set up for future shows. Characters showed consistency and acted sensibly. That’s good enough for me.
So, as to Impact. Perhaps the biggest shock on this show was the appearance of Jeff Hardy. TNA are taking a hell of a chance on this one, given that Jeff’s drug charges remain unresolved and he will, indeed, face prosecution. Obviously, I hope that he is innocent and beats the rap but we will have to wait and see. What is perhaps more surprising, given that Jeff is now a three-time world champion, is that TNA, having taken the risk of signing him, have opted to use him in a relatively low-profile feud with Homicide. The appearance of The Nasty Boys will have pleased no one but The Nasty Boys while Scott Hall looks terrible these days. Does an NWO reunion really have anything to offer at this stage? As far as I can gather, TNA put together a show that challenged the viewer to keep up, delivered at least one really solid wrestling match (Styles/Angle) and attempted to offer many reasons for the viewer to keep watching. Who is the mystery assailant? What did Ric Flair want with AJ Styles? Will the NWO reform (even though they can’t use that name anymore)? And so on and so forth.
On the downside, the worries of many that Hogan’s arrival would simply lead to renewed pushes for older former WWE and WCW talents at the further expense of TNA’s existing talent roster have in no way been dispelled. The Nasty Boys vs Team 3D? Seriously? Hall gets more screen time than Daniels? Hell, Val Venis, gets more screen time than Daniels! Orlando Jones? The guy is competent, sure, but he was a never-was in WWE – making him a somebody in TNA merely underlines their clear inferiority complex. Ultimately, it’s as you were at TNA. Shows are messy and illogical but also unpredictable. The level of violence and “adult content” is much higher than that on WWE, so which show one prefers will largely depend on what one’s priorities are. TNA have to hope that a good chunk of Monday’s 2 million-odd viewers prize unpredictability and “adult content”. If they do, then they will be tuning in again which, hopefully, will allow talents like Styles, Joe, Daniels, Matt Morgan and Eric Young to take advantage of previously unprecedented levels of publicity.
So, finally, this Monday Night Skirmish is probably not going to re-ignite the Monday Night Wars. I’m not even sure it should. TNA should focus on being a successful show in their own right, not on going head to head with the WWE. What we have seen is proof that there is a potentially much bigger audience for wrestling out there than the two shows are currently attracting. The arrival of Bret and Hulk gives both companies an opportunity to revitalize wrestling in the US. Let’s hope that one or, preferably, both take advantage of it.
What’cha Gonna Do, TNA, When Hulkamania Runs Wild On YOU!
Hot on the heels of Shane McMahon’s shocking departure from the WWE comes a story even more astounding – Hulk Hogan has signed for TNA. It certainly is an exciting time to be a wrestling fan. What’s more, Hogan’s long-time friend, ally, business partner and so on, Eric Bischoff is going with him. It just goes to show that nothing can ever be taken for granted in professional wrestling. I’ve lost count of the number of times Eric Bischoff has been asked, by friends or interviewers, whether or not he would be interested in joining TNA. Over the years, his responses have ranged from (at best) condescending to downright derisive or even contemptuous. Hogan, on the other hand, looked like he was going to TNA at one point, back in 2003. Jeff Jarrett actually flew out to Japan and attacked Hogan with his guitar at a press conference, as the first move in a storyline that would obviously culminate in a Hogan-Jarrett match. However, as the months went on, it became obvious that Hogan was not showing up and most fans probably believed that Hogan had burned his bridges with the company then.
One thing that always impresses me with TNA when it comes to these bombshell announcements is the secrecy that they can maintain. I keep my ear fairly close to the ground when it comes to wrestling but the first I knew about this was when it was a done deal, just as with Kurt Angle’s TNA debut. In this news-hungry age, it really is to TNA’s credit that they can keep things under wraps when they want to. So, the questions now are numerous. Is Hogan’s signing a positive or negative for the company? What does he offer TNA that they don’t already have? What will he actually do for them? What will Eric Bischoff’s role be? What effect will these signings have on TNA’s existing locker room and backstage staff?
Firstly, the immediate impact of Hogan’s signing is overwhelmingly positive. This news has garnered more media attention for TNA than anything they have ever done before. Last night Hulk Hogan was on Larry King live and, as a result, TNA’s name was being put out there for millions of viewers who may well have been utterly unaware of the company before. Obviously, within the wrestling community TNA has become a hotter topic than ever before, with every wrestling website writing about this. Still, it’s that wider impact, that ability Hogan has to take the TNA name to a wider audience than they are able to reach that is the real key. Even so, media attention and publicity is merely a means to an end, not an end in itself. The attention that Hulk’s signing is getting will not last forever and it will be meaningless if TNA do not succeed in transforming it into more viewers.
So, how best to do that? Ultimately, it all comes down to what Hogan’s role is going to be. As yet, we don’t know for certain. At the press conference, all that was said was that Hogan would be a “partner” in TNA. What specific role, or roles, that would entail was not detailed. Hogan himself ducked the question last night when asked if he would actually be wrestling for TNA, although he did give the impression that a lot would depend on how he is able to perform on his upcoming Australian tour. After all, Hogan is getting on now and has years of injuries to contend with. Just how much wrestling he can actually do is questionable. Nevertheless, the fact remains that Hogan’s chief attraction is as a wrestler. People are more likely to pay to see him wrestle than to see him do anything else.
Hogan the wrestler, however, brings both pros and cons. When fans attend a Hogan match these days, they are very much there for an experience, rather than simply to watch a wrestling match. It’s a common accusation levelled at Hogan that he refuses to put anyone over. That certainly seems to be the case but one has to remember that most of the crowd attending a Hogan match don’t want to see him put his opponent over. They want to indulge their love of nostalgia, to get the authentic Hogan experience by seeing him Hulk up, deliver the boot, drop the leg, get the win and pose for the crowd. It’s certainly what I’d want if I went to a Hogan match. In that case, one would think that the best way to settle this is to book Hogan to beat someone who won’t be hurt by the loss, which, generally speaking, means another veteran who has built up a certain aura with the fans. The problem with that is that, given Hogan’s own physical limitations and the fact that they are likely to be shared by another veteran, such a match is not necessarily an enticing prospect. Hogan needs to be in the ring with a younger man who can cover for him but few young wrestlers can seriously afford to lose to a man old enough to be their father. Furthermore, it is absolutely vital that TNA build up their young stars right now, not knock them down. If new viewers tune in to see Hogan, the goal of TNA management must be to persuade those new viewers to keep tuning in to see AJ Styles, Matt Morgan, Samoa Joe, Eric Young and company even after Hogan himself has gone.
Probably the best solution would be to book the Hulkster in tag matches. That way, he can give the rub of his experience and name value to a young wrestler as a tag partner, preferably while another veteran helps get another young guy over on the heel side of the equation. Even then, Hogan’s actual matches should be kept infrequent, special attractions that can be carefully hyped and promoted to attract viewers. Used too often, Hogan’s value would become diluted. Further, the authentic Hogan experience, as thrilling as it can be for the live audience, can become tedious and monotonous for the TV audience if it is over-exposed. Keeping such matches sporadic might also help avoid any discontent that might build in the locker room, should Hogan be simply installed at the top of the card. Hogan’s championship days should be done with by now, although a brief run with the Legends Championship might be appropriate. Finally, by restricting the amount of matches Hogan has, one minimizes the demands on his body.
If Hogan is to be on TV but not wrestling, the logical fit is for him to be given a role as a manager or some kind of authority figure. A role as a wrestler’s manager might be another way of using Hogan’s fame to help a younger wrestler, while also allowing Hogan to have the occasional match teaming with his charge. TNA could even book a tournament where a young wrestler could win the Hulkster’s services as a “manager” or “trainer”. Doing that, or having Hogan “hand-pick” a successor would be a great fillip for a youngster. On the other hand, with Jim Cornette gone from TNA and Jeff Jarrett’s role uncertain, the company could use an on-screen authority figure, as the only man filling that role at the moment is Mick Foley, who seems to switch from hero to villain on an almost weekly basis. Hogan as a decent, fair-minded boss having to contend with interference from shareholder Mick Foley could have potential for some interesting storylines.
Even away from the camera, Hogan could have a positive impact. He has many years of experience in the business and has probably built up a useful bank of knowledge which TNA could draw on. As an “ambassador” for the company he could still help publicise it, in a way similar to that which the WWE had planned for Ric Flair before he left. Then again, according to his long-time friend Bubba the Love Sponge, Hogan will, in fact, be given the booking position. That is to say, he will have total control over the creative element of the show. How this might work is hard to predict. So far as I know, Hogan has not been a booker before, although he has obviously been around the business for long enough to work with a lot of them. In such a role, we would simply have to wait and see whether or not it would be a success. The future of Vince Russo would surely also be in doubt if Hogan is taking up such a position. If Hogan books the shows, does he need a creative team? And, even if he does, will he want Russo, a man he has publicly clashed with on a very personal level, to be a part of it?
If I were in the position of Dixie Carter, however, I would not take Hogan on as booker. Hiring Hogan and then not using him as a part of the show is simply a waste of his attributes. If he is part of the show, then history tells us he shouldn’t be booking it. Obviously, one would want to take advantage of his experience, but I feel that a combination of on-screen authority figure with very occasional matches (say, one at Slammiversary and one at Bound for Glory next year, assuming Hogan is up to them) is the best way to go.
As for Eric Bischoff, again he brings with him a history of strife with Russo and probably one of the most controversial reputations in wrestling. Whatever anyone says about him, however, the man undeniably has a great portfolio of skills and abilities. He could help out in any number of ways, both on and off screen. The one area that most fans might expect him to be involved in, creative, is, I suspect, the one that he is probably least interested in. Should I be proved wrong, however, Bischoff has shown in the past that he can bring some original thinking to that role.
The presence of Hogan and Bischoff will undoubtedly create new tensions within the locker room. Many at TNA have worked with both men before, in WCW and WWE. How will they react? Will they be glad to see them, leave the company in disgust, adopt a wait-and-see attitude? Plus, there are those who have not worked with them to consider. Will AJ Styles be worried by Hogan’s reputation, fearing that this will mean the installation of yet another glass ceiling for him to break through? Or will he be excited by the opportunity to showcase his skills in front of a larger audience than ever before?
Spike TV will obviously be over the moon with Hogan’s arrival. Reportedly, they were already happy with TNA’s ratings but they will, quite rightly, see this as an opportunity to massively increase them. It may be incumbent on TNA to take a strong line with Spike, to remind them that over-exposing Hogan as a short-term ratings spike (pardon the pun) will hurt his potential long-term value to the company. That will depend on Spike themselves, and the plans they have for Hogan but, if they get caught up in all the hype, media circus and Hogan’s own superb self-promotion, and start urging TNA to make Impact The Hulk Hogan Show, they will undoubtedly hurt the product.
Finally, there is the matter of other wrestlers outside TNA to consider. Reportedly, Ric Flair, who is signed up for Hogan’s Australian tour, is already in talks with TNA himself. There may be other wrestlers who, in the past, have not taken TNA seriously as an option but who may change their minds now that Hogan is involved. Plus, we have seen in the past how Hogan likes to look after his friends. Will this appointment mean another run for The Nasty Boys*, for example? Or Ed Leslie, the former Brutus “the Barber” Beefcake? It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility.
Overall, Hogan’s signing could end up being the final piece of the jigsaw that is TNA, or the worst mistake the company has ever made, or anything in between. The potential problems and opportunities he brings with him are just so unpredictable. I suppose we’ll know more shortly; Hogan makes his first appearance on TNA Impact tonight.
*Please, God, no!
TNA Bound For Glory 5 Thoughts
This past Sunday saw TNA celebrating their biggest night of the year with the 5th annual “Bound for Glory” event. Now, since this event has not yet aired in all markets I will not include spoilers here, but I would like to share some of my feelings on the event that is, effectively, TNA’s “Wrestlemania”. Firstly, when it comes to the big show of the year, a promotion should have a loaded card. TNA certainly delivered on that score. We had a main event of Sting vs AJ Styles in a match that would determine not only the destiny of the championship but also, possibly end Sting’s illustrious career. We had the always enticing prospect of Mick Foley in a hardcore match (TNA’s infamous Monster’s Ball) with the monster Abyss. A four-way tag match between Team 3D, Beer Money, Scott Steiner & Booker T and my own homies, The British Invasion, which would be contested under Full Metal Mayhem rules (that’s basically a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match). Not to mention Ultimate X and many more.
Again emphasizing that this is the big show, TNA opted to kick things off with the national anthem. However, the fact that it was played by Zakk Wylde absolutely shredding his guitar meant that this was pretty cool even for non-Americans like myself. After that, as is so often the case, it was the turn of the X-Division to get the party started right. For those of you who may not have seen it, an Ultimate X match is quite a spectacle. Four large pillars are erected at the corners of the ring, and cables are linked between them over the ring to form an x-shape, from which the title belt is suspended. The object is simply to take the belt down from the X. These matches invariably feature a considerable array of high-flying moves, and this one was no exception. Featuring an outstanding line-up of the Motor City Machine Guns, Suicide, Homicide, Daniels and champion, The Amazing Red, this match even featured a couple of moves I’ve never seen before (that doesn’t happen often). It did not take long for the chants of “this is awesome” to begin, although my personal favourite chant was “please don’t die” when a couple of wrestlers got right on top of the structure. If you like high-flying spotfests, you have to see this.
Still, we know that the X-Division can always be relied upon. What about the rest of the card? Well the Knockout’s tag team title match was amusing but brief. Given that this is a new championship, I thought they might give this match a little more time, but it wasn’t to be. Some of the moves looked a little off, and Taylor Wilde looked like she hurt herself during the finish. Also, it has to be said that The Beautiful People are really missing Angelina Love. That woman was just one of the best heels in the business today, and I hope she gets back soon, as the group really misses her charisma.
Next up, the three way match for the Legend’s Championship, champion Kevin Nash defending against the evil leader of the World Elite, Eric Young and Supermex himself, Hernandez. This match was complicated by the fact that Kurt Angle had put a $30000 bounty up on Eric Young, but Young himself was offering Nash $60000 to take out Hernandez. How would all this play out? I won’t say, except to say that the match was enjoyable and showcased all three men well. After that, Full Metal Mayhem. Four tag-teams, two championships, lots of ladders, tables and chairs – this just ruled. Absolutely superb performances in this one, particularly from Scott Steiner and Beer Money.
After that it was back to the women for a three-way championship match which delivered reasonable entertainment without being truly memorable. I expected more from Kong, ODB and Tara. Then it was time for a hard-hitting submission match pitting Bobby Lashley against Samoa Joe. This was a submission match done properly, with each man trying to get submission holds constantly, rather than the idiotic submission matches we see from WWE where men hit their finishing moves and go for a pinfall out of “instinct” because they have apparently forgotten what kind of match they are in. Interesting that Joe actually got most of the cheers even though Lashley was, supposedly, the good guy going into this one. Indeed, that set a pattern for the second half of the show.
Mick Foley vs Abyss saw Mick, unsurprisingly, pick up lots of cheers despite the fact that he had, throughout this storyline, acted like a jerk. I’ve seen some reviewers question the quality of this match, which I find odd since I thought it was excellent. Sure, there’s a horribly botched referee’s count at one point, but there some great moments, including one from Daffney who proved, once again, that she is a hardcore nutter. The crowd seemed into it as well, with the requisite “that was awesome” and “holy sh*t” chants. That brought us to Kurt Angle and Matt Morgan where Kurt’s awesome popularity even encouraged a “Morgan sucks” chant. The funny thing was that the crowd clearly actually liked Morgan. They just liked Angle more. In any case, this was another really good match, that went back and forth and again, showcased each man’s individual talents really well. I’d like to request a rematch, please.
And so to the main event. Would this be Sting’s final match? I can’t answer that, but I can say that this was a fine wrestling match. Styles, as TNA’s top young babyface, got a good reception from the crowd but, in his home state of California, Sting got a massive reaction. His connection with the fans is just incredible. Sting remains in superb shape and obviously has more matches left in him, if he wants to go that way. Styles, of course, is the man of the moment having defeated Kurt Angle last month for the title and deservedly so. This was billed as a potential “passing of the torch”, with the announcers frequently comparing Styles to the young Sting when he faced off against Flair at Clash of Champions. This match wasn’t as good as that one, but it was good enough. A fine end to a fine show.
So, in summation, if you haven’t seen this yet, I’d recommend that you do. It isn’t to everyone’s taste, of course, but I do think this delivers an awful lot. One fan said that this show illustrates how far behind the WWE TNA are, when comparing it negatively to Breaking Point. Personally, I totally disagree with that assessment. While this wasn’t up there with Wrestlemania 17, it was a very good pay-per-view and, for my money, it blew the WWE’s latest offerings away (not that they’ve been terrible, merely reasonable). I suspect that, as the WWE’s PG style becomes more embedded and fans get more used to it, the gulf between TNA and WWE fans will grow wider. TNA, at times, do things that the WWE didn’t even in the wild days of the Attitude era. If you like your wrestling dangerous looking, bloody and wild, TNA is the fed for you.
Marshall Law 