Impact wrestling thread - It's a Don West tribute thread now!

[wrestlingmad]

The best thing was Zema Ion. I love that siren, It's fresh too. More siren!

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Its strange and sad watching TNA these days. Especially the last episode. It was like Blue Peter showed you how to lob together a wrestling program with left overs. They've put Sam Shaw, Rockstar Spud and Derrick Bateman on TV, and its clear as day its because of financial reasons and not because there is any potential in them. I remember in March when they ran that big Chicago arena. The house was packed, the fans were loud and the big names were over. Aces and Eights just came off the big Bully Ray heel turn and it was like "well, it might have been a shit angle, but they are at least over huge". They looked like a real player. Now months later its a shame to see them in a studio no bigger than the one BBC used to film Big Break in. The big appeal TNA used to have was that they'd at least have a go. They've taken so many risks over the years, but at least they gave it a go. They are like a shell of a promotion now, and all you can think is "why didn't they just steady grow over the years". 7 years after they started the really mental shit, they are in a worse position that they were in 2006.

 

For me it all goes back to bringing in Russo the week they had Goldberg negotiating. In 2007, they could have grown so fucking much with Goldberg vs Joe, Joe vs Angle and Goldberg vs Angle. Especially with people in creative who knew what they were doing. Then you could have had Sting as your once a year attraction to wrestle Goldberg or Angle. Because building to something is why people watch wrestling. TV is supposed to be a commercial for the big match down the line, whether it was Hogan and Orndorff at the SkyDome or McMahon and Austin at St Valentines Day Massacre. But there are no pay-per-views in TNA anymore, so what are they building to? Each episode of Impact is an individual shows now. There's nothing to look forward to, so the shows are filled with gimmick matches and comedy. The big criticism in WWE is that they aren't building new stars and they aren't making the matches appealing. And WWE is getting bombarded with shit because of it. Well, those two things are never going to happen in TNA because the format is one that just skips from show to show. As soon as they came off the road, they should have overhauled their format. If TNA are going to go in the same direction when it comes to no PPVs, they need to start making the shows more appealing. Otherwise its just a vanity project that happens to exist.

Edited December 2, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[KingOfMetal]

 

The new and improved Wheel of Dixie

[AshC]

Its strange and sad watching TNA these days. Especially the last episode. It was like Blue Peter showed you how to lob together a wrestling program with left overs. They've put Sam Shaw, Rockstar Spud and Derrick Bateman on TV, and its clear as day its because of financial reasons and not because there is any potential in them. I remember in March when they ran that big Chicago arena. The house was packed, the fans were loud and the big names were over. Aces and Eights just came off the big Bully Ray heel turn and it was like "well, it might have been a shit angle, but they are at least over huge". They looked like a real player. Now months later its a shame to see them in a studio no bigger than the one BBC used to film Big Break in. The big appeal TNA used to have was that they'd at least have a go. They've taken so many risks over the years, but at least they gave it a go. They are like a shell of a promotion now, and all you can think is "why didn't they just steady grow over the years". 7 years after they started the really mental shit, they are in a worse position that they were in 2006.

 

For me it all goes back to bringing in Russo the week they had Goldberg negotiating. In 2007, they could have grown so fucking much with Goldberg vs Joe, Joe vs Angle and Goldberg vs Angle. Especially with people in creative who knew what they were doing. Then you could have had Sting as your once a year attraction to wrestle Goldberg or Angle. Because building to something is why people watch wrestling. TV is supposed to be a commercial for the big match down the line, whether it was Hogan and Orndorff at the SkyDome or McMahon and Austin at St Valentines Day Massacre. But there are no pay-per-views in TNA anymore, so what are they building to? Each episode of Impact is an individual shows now. There's nothing to look forward to, so the shows are filled with gimmick matches and comedy. The big criticism in WWE is that they aren't building new stars and they aren't making the matches appealing. And WWE is getting bombarded with shit because of it. Well, those two things are never going to happen in TNA because the format is one that just skips from show to show. As soon as they came off the road, they should have overhauled their format. If TNA are going to go in the same direction when it comes to no PPVs, they need to start making the shows more appealing. Otherwise its just a vanity project that happens to exist.

 

Siren was good though!

[Buzz Lightyear]

TNA are running a couple of high school shows in January.

 

Bad Influence doing AC Slater and Zack?

Edited December 3, 2013 by Buzz Lightyear

[PSF]

I enjoyed this weeks episode. First full one I've watched all the way through in months. The funeral bit was a bit shit, but only meant to be a bit of fun, offering Angle the beer seemed a bit harsh, but funny. No need for Bully to come in all serious at the end though, didn't really fit too well.

[pgi86]

And your new World Heavyweight champion is:

 

<-- click on 'spoiler' to show/hide the spoiler

Magnus beat Jeff Hardy in the tournament final (with help from Rockstar Spud) and is your new champion.

 

[close spoiler]

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This airs on December 19th in the States.

Edited December 4, 2013 by pgi86

[C-Rock]

I really enjoy watching TNA when I can catch it on TV, more often than not its more entertaining than WWE and TNA feels more about the wrestling than WWE which is refreshing.

 

I think the key to TNA reaching new heights is advertising and marketing better, I think they are making the mistake of bringing 'celebs' and sportsmen from outside of wrestling in to TNA when they should be doing the opposite and getting out in to the main-stream as much as possible. Nobody is going to watch or invest in your product if they don't know it exists, if I where the Carter family or whomever is in charge of that kind of thing I'd plow what ever money affordable into advertising and marketing and think outside the box whilst doing it. There are so many different forms of advertising that TNA are failing to tap in to. The in-ring and entertainment side of things is pretty great obviously they can't match WWE on production side of things but TNA should hide their weakness's and accentuate their positives, like it was mentioned above they should use to their advantage that WWE is now a PG product and try to counter them by becoming more edgy and controversial. There's more to wrestling than wrestling these days and wrestling matches can be found all over the US in indie promotions. TNA should dare to be different and be willing to take chances. I'd personally switch off WWE to watch TNA if they had more attitude, I'm getting tired of WWE's cartoon antics and would much prefer something aimed and driven towards my demographic.

 

WCW is a prime example of how to compete with WWE (and ultimately over-take them for a brief period) Bischoff, for all he is slated etc he did think out-side the box and play dirty in his war against WWE. His WCW product had attitude before WWE had attitude, WWE took a page from their book and as history states WWE took Attitude to a whole new higher and more entertaining level. I'm not sure what the deal was or is between Bischoff and TNA but I'm sure the reason Bischoff hasn't made the same waves is because of 2 reason's he didn't have the Ted Turner cheque-book and he's run out of creative steam (much like Vince McMahon, IMO). There's is still a slight hope for TNA in my opinion if they would only change their thinking which I'm sure is easier said then done.

 

Has everything that can be done in wrestling already been done? is there nothing creative left that can create another boom period for TNA (or WWE for that matter)...I think so. Can WWE still do something to shock the wrestling world? I don't think so, I think that everything that can be done has been done, I think small waves can still be created due to matches that still haven't happened yet that could still happen but I don't think WWE can sustain anything major for a long period of time. The creative tank is running on empty, I think for WWE the PG rating is making things harder for them in a time when its hard enough to be creative. TNA could sneak in the back door and pull out the bag something that would rock the wrestling world....can they? would they? can they afford it?...I don't know but its going to have to be something pretty big because in my opinion wrestling fans have seen everything else over the years, there's nothing left to shock us and now we are just complacent with what we are being served up on a weekly basis.

Edited December 4, 2013 by C-Rock

[KingOfMetal]

It not as simple as being "more edgy and controversial" compared to WWE's PG rating (which people to still get really hung up about for some reason). The turn of the century, i.e. the Attitude Era, was the era of trash TV in the mainstream which is what WWE went with and had a great deal of success with. However, times have changed and WWE is going with that rather than trying to be counter culture by having tits & arse and bad language. Networks pay WWE a shitload of money to have their program on their network, and if they want a PG product that they can sell to families, WWE will oblige

 

TNA has numerous problems that is preventing it from being a legitimate competitor to WWE, and it has nothing to do with being PG, TV-14 or whatever other ratings US TV has:

* WWE - World Wrestling Entertainment, WCW - World Championship Wrestling, ECW - Extreme Championship Wrestling, TNA - Total Nonstop Action. Theres a key word missing from the company name. Even the fucking indies have Wrestling in the name.

* Even with that, trying to then call itself TNA:Impact Wrestling is too long and convoluted, it doesn't roll of the tongue easily. Rules of 3 need to apply and they need the world wreslting in those three.

* As you have said, the Carters are not Ted Turner. Yes they have money behind them, but not the kind that Ted Turner did when WCW was around.

* Going into the mainstream isn't a sure-fire way to then get people to tune into your show. In 2009/2010, TNA had Hulk Hogan on their payroll, he showed up on American Idol (which had in and around 20 million viewers on FOX-one of the biggest networks on US TV, at the time) and Hogan mentioned TNA a grand total of...zero.He the showed up on UFC's Ultimate Fighter Season 10 finale (which scored 2.6 million viewers on the same network that TNA were on) and half heartedly plugged the next Monday Night Wars of scripted pro-wrestling on the legit world of MMA. TNA had the biggest name in the professional wrestling industry ever and didn't use him right in mainstream media to promote their product. Now, things that could have worked against them are:

- Hogan just being Hogan, and making it all about him (but thats another debate entirely)

- Promoting in the wrong places? If you can't get some kind of increased business on the back of an American Idol appearance, where are you going to get it?

- Maybe, just maybe, Wrestling had its time in the big spotlight and now its over

Edited December 4, 2013 by KingOfMetal

[Devon Malcolm]

Each and every single one of C-Rock's stupid posts (and they're all stupid, which really is an amazing effort) can be summed up thus:-

 

1) Bring back the Attitude Era!

2) ??????

3) PROFIT!

[KingOfMetal]

Each and every single one of C-Rock's stupid posts (and they're all stupid, which really is an amazing effort) can be summed up thus:-

 

1) Bring back the Attitude Era!

2) ??????

3) PROFIT!

 

Bad C-Rock, I smack him on the head!

[The Total Package]

I don't know why that after over a decade, that people still want or think the Attitude Era is coming back. The whole reason that happened was because WCW was killing them, they had to do something to stay in business, and as said before, trash tv was the mainstream with stuff like Jerry Springer, South Park etc, all big shows back then. WWE have no threat to there throne now, and probably never will. There is zero reason for them to go back to that format and actually lose money. It's a business, that would be just a silly move, just to please some internet fans that would just torrent or stream your shit anyway.

 

TNA have done everything apart from sign Stone Cold or Cena. They've done edgy, got the girls out to flash a little bit of skin, wrestlers bashing people with guitars and chairs like it's 1999. None of it has worked. TNA is simply the reality of wrestling company not called WWE. Maybe a few years ago you could say TNA could grow into something bigger, but I just don't see that anymore. They will just carry on how they are until Spike decided they no longer want a wrestling TV show.

 

For me WWE and TNA's problem is they just don't have enough interesting characters to make me watch TV or PPV's. What they have now, is a good roster of people that can have good athletic matches every week. While that is impressive, I could care less about a 60 minute iron man match between two people who are dull as a dishwasher, I'd rather watch Hogan vs Vince.

 

It's a problem that has developed over the last 10 years, so there is no easy fix. I suppose it's a bit like trying to rebuild a football team, it will take time and it might not work out anyway.

[Vamp]

Each and every single one of C-Rock's stupid posts (and they're all stupid, which really is an amazing effort) can be summed up thus:-

 

1) Bring back the Attitude Era!

2) ??????

3) PROFIT!

 

I'm not sure that C-Rock's not just having a laugh at us all at this point. Too much of what he says doesn't add up. He fits a little too neatly into the stereotype of the smark of about five (well, probably more) years ago. If he's genuine its nice to have someone who has different views, even if some (or more...) of them don't make sense, but I worry that he's not and he's putting it on...

[Carbomb]

I'd say TNA's biggest problem is lack of consistency - when they get something right, they either fuck it up or don't do enough with it. Aces & Eights are a case in point - there was a lot of buzz in the first few weeks of their showing up, especially on the back of the success of Sons Of Anarchy, and they completely ruined it through several things:

 

1. Bad booking - the A&8s were made to look like chumps far too often and not enough of a threat

2. Under-powering - apart from Bully Ray, there was nobody on that team about whom anyone would, could, give a shit; a bad idea when you're putting them up against Hogan and Sting, and the ultra-slow, stuttering reveal of each member was just disproportionate to the level of star-power they had

3. Bad booking again - they went for weeks on end doing nothing or doing the same old stale shit, instead of pulling off something big.

 

 

More cases in point:

 

Bobby Roode

James Storm

Samoa Joe

Immortal/Fortune

Joe Park

Eric Young

 

With the exception of perhaps Immortal, all those were either red-hot at some point, or you could see them heating up in the near future - and TNA fucked every single one of them up with nonsense. Sure, Bobby Roode has done relatively OK, but when you consider how they'd positioned him previously, you can't help but think they robbed themselves of a perennial main-eventer, perhaps their own Triple H, in favour of making two main-event outsiders, i.e. Roode & Aries. I'd say Aries is probably in TNA now where Daniel Bryan is now in WWE, and he's been there longer. Roode is sort of equivalent to CM Punk.

 

Samoa Joe - so much went wrong there.

 

Joe Park - well, maybe I'm overstating the case, because where realistically could he have gone from his most popular point a few months ago? He's a comedy character.

 

Eric Young - I know this seems odd, but I think he really showed he could hang with the top when he was boss of World Elite. The rest of the stable was a bit pants, but it served to make him look dangerous for a few weeks. Then they just chucked him back down to hit-and-miss comedy.

 

James Storm - well, we all know what happened there. Biggest booking fuck-up I've ever seen them make - and I'm taking Roode's loss to Angle at BFG into account.

 

Immortal - they were never really red-hot, and they didn't look to be at any point, but that's kind of my point: how badly does something have to be booked that a stable led by Hulk fucking Hogan can't get over?

 

 

 

 

These are just a few examples. The fact is we live in an era in which content is more important than it ever was, and the key to getting customers/clients/patrons/viewers is putting out consistently high-quality content. People will keep coming back if they know there's a good chance they'll be rewarded for coming back, and all TNA have done is reward that loyalty with plates of turds. Keep getting stung like that, no-one will want to come back. The internet fans might because they read show reports and might see something that intrigues them for a week, but casual fans won't, full stop.

[UK Kat Von D]

I don't know why that after over a decade, that people still want or think the Attitude Era is coming back. The whole reason that happened was because WCW was killing them, they had to do something to stay in business, and as said before, trash tv was the mainstream with stuff like Jerry Springer, South Park etc, all big shows back then.

 

This is something I think TNA have done better than WWE with for the past few years, they are quite good at feeding off pop culture. All the backstage segments have that hidden camera reality vibe, which is popular these days. It makes it that much easier to buy into the characters if they know the camera is there, and I think it would make it easier for casual fans to get invested. The Aces and Eights were clearly inspired by the popular Sons of Anarchy. Bro Mans are doing a Jersey Shore thing. Bad Influence will make Miley Cyrus jokes. Manic is like a super hero, complete with a separate identity when he backstage without the mask. There are also longer more detailed storylines, much like popular other TV programs which have big long running stories. The problem is the mainstream audience who might appreciate stuff like this don't know they are there