TNA Nostalgia Thread

[ItsClobberingTime]

It has to be AJ Styles for me. He was the one guy that seemed to transition from someone who could be a indyrific spot monkey, to a guy who could genuinely carry the company and be something different to the alternative in WWE.I did not really regularly watch TNA until Angle and Joe came in and that picked it up even more for me until he got sloppy.I've been back and watched some older stuff and I definitely missed some great things in the early years.The three-way at Unbreakable still stands up as an amazing match for me, and exactly what TNA can be about.I think now they're at a stable place, the TV show looks fantastic, and they've got a very good mix of new guys and veterans.

[AJS269]

I really like TNA in the second half of 2009 (just before Hogan arrived) , the World Elite showed how good Eric Young could be, we had Veterans and Young talent being pushed, Desmond Wolfe crashed into the company, it was Stings last truly great run, The tag titles meant something, the knockouts was the best it had been talent wise, even Matt Morgan looked great.

[thefallenangel]

There is bloody hundreds of things i could put into this thread.Raven's DebutTNA's Tag Teams (3LK, Beer Money, AMW, Naturals, LaX, MCMG, AJ/Daniels, XXX). Just a shame the tag division seems to be heading downhillRaven's NWA Title runHoyt/Abyss matchesAJ/Daniels/JoeJoe's streak at the startTNA's first PPV back away from the iMPACT zone3D's debutChristian Cage's DebutStings return with the chair, jacket and bat in the ringJeff Hardy's debut with the old man promo'sMonsters Ball 1 + the one with Hardy/Abyss/Monty Brown/Rhino and subsequently Rhino's NWA Title win that nightRaven's head being shaved by Shane DouglasPapparazi ProductionsJay Lethal as Macho Manthere is tons of stuff that is gold i have probably missed too.

[Bellenda Carlisle]

I like TNA a lot, I got back into wrestling with late 90s WCW (after having not watched anything since I was a kid) so for me the unpredictability has always been part of the fun.A place to see my 2 favourite wrestlers ever Angle and Sting after Angle was too AIDS for WWE and Sting won't go there.Gail Kim and Awesome Kong leading the knockouts in a great (albeit short lived) period where what the women were doing was just as well wrestled and booked as the men. Plus the women being better/ taken more seriously in general.Main Event Mafia was one of my favourite angles everAJ Styles being a fucking workhorse for years and providing dozens of 5* matches.Velvet Sky's ring entrance.Scott Steiner's promos.A much needed (for me anyway) place to see some of the more violent & bloody stuff after WWE went PG.Lil Poppa Pump Petey Williams & the Canadian destroyerSamoa Joe and Abyss when they were good monters.Matt Morgan (and a few others) being given a real chance to shine after WWE dropped the ball with them. (lots of times this hasn't worked too and I dont like the way they take every WWE cast off at all but Matt Morgan, Pope etc are ace) Screw you, I like Matt Morgan a lot.ODB when she first appeared I thought she was great.Seeing great indie style "workrate ~" matches mixed in with big WWE style bouts (always loved a bit of variety)I know lots will disagree but I always liked TNA's commentary style too, more relaxed, humourous and focused on the action in the ring rather than their own angles.Beer Money and MCMG being awesome when tag team wrestling was dead in WWE.Tons of insane high spots over the years (I still can't believe Sting, at this stage in his career took a thumbtack bump)

[DeanoTheGame]

I actually think TNA might be my 2nd favourite promotion ever, behind WWE. I definately prefer it to ECW and I missed alot of the good WCW stuff at the time, whereas I've followed TNA since the beginning. So much shit (Rellik! That's Killer backwards!), but also so many highlights. Loved the Angle Alliance/Christian Coalition era, AJ Styles showing he can be a fantastic comedy heel with Karen Jarrett (included a visit to a crocodile park if i remember correctly), and the amazing theme music player on the website where I played Christian Cage's theme constantly. Don West's heel turn was brilliant, the end of 2009 where AJ held the title produced so many fantastic matches and it seemed TNA had finally found some long-term direction and consistency until Hogan/Bischoff arrived and turned the company upside down, bringing in RVD and Hardy and relegating the likes of Daniels and Wolfe (which I still haven't forgiven them for). The Hogan/Bischoff era was patchy for a few months but the past year I've loved it, especially the last few months where they've not featured shite like RVD and Anderson much and focused on building stars like Storm and Roode. It seemed Roode was gonna be 'the guy' for a while, but I actually think it's now Storm who could go on to be a huge mega-star. He is electric, the fans love him and he is probably the most passionate promo guy in the business right now. Honestly, I think TNA should push Storm to the moon.

[Loki]

Why did they ever get rid of Petey Williams? He was class. There have been so many good X Divs over the years they could dip into now to help resurrect the division - Petey, Lethal, Senshi, Matt Bentley. But no - it's always Jerry fucking Lynn they bring back.They should have another Super X Cup - TNA always do tournaments well, and bringing back old stars is always fun.

[PowerButchi]

TNA was total dogshit until about 2005-06, except for the Kings of Wrestling. If you want to watch the Asylum with it's El Leon, midgets wanking in bins, and the Heavy D and Chris Vaughn tag team wrestling with Kevin pissing Northcutt than that's up to you, personally I'd rather not.

[Loki]

You're wrong, Butch, there was some great stuff and lots of fantastic Wrestlecrap stuff too. You're right in that the Kings variously are in most of the best bits though.

 

Jarrett v Bad Guy in a Stretcher Match

[PowerButchi]

There was a real shitload of total gash. All of 2002 for example. Anything Sonny Siaki did. The Hard 10 tournament. Shane Douglas. Nikita Koloff dressed as yet another Mr Wrestling with Vince Russo also dressing as one. Bert Prentice on Xplosion. Harris Brothers. Trytan. The Elite Guard. Erik Watts being pushed when his dad's not in charge. DQ Tag title changes on respective weeks. And many, many more...

[Loki]

Harris Brothers.

Get fucked - Heavy D as security was one of my highlights during those years. He looked twice the size and twice as mean as most of the wrestlers.

[PowerButchi]

The Harris Brothers have never done anything good ever. My vote for one of the worst of all time.

[Loki]

Not a fan of Disciples of Destruction v Phi Delta Slam at Destination X 2005 then?

 

[PowerButchi]

Idea of hell. I honestly can't think of one time since 1994 when I first saw the Harris Boys on TV that I've enjoyed them in the slightest. I suppose I didn't mind DOA when I was 13, but that was more because biker gangs are cool not because Ron and Don rocked my world.

[The King Of Swing]

Best thing about TNA's shit era(s) is Russo in a shoot interview claiming he had no creative input in TNA and then in the same fucking interview claiming credit for the S.E.X. angle.As for the Harris Boys only time I have ever been able to tolerate them is as Raven's lackeys.

[Joey Joe Joe Jr]

This thread has led me to have a Nostalgia TNA Sunday, currently watching Turning Point 04 (with all the TWC ads too!) and it really has a bit of everything, hugely enjoyable and I still have the Six Sides of Steel main event to come which is a fucking great match.