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

[Jizzlobber]

Where would people rank 2013 as a year for TNA thus far in relation to previous years? For me, it's not reached the same level it was at in 2012, largely due to the overwhelming presence of the Aces and Eights. It is however massively better than the shit fest that was 2010 and 2011. They are a million miles away from their peak of 05-07, despite the roster having a far greater amount of star power in 2013.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

2007 was probably the worst year they've ever had. It was a fucking horrendous period.On the star power front, it would depend what you call star power. In 2013, is anyone on the TNA roster better off than they were previously? An argument could be made everyone outside of Bully Ray was a bigger star previously than they currently are. I think the current roster is the worst they've had in about 9 years. There's a lack of babyfaces and heels in every division and their big names have done every conceivable angle and played every role. What could you do with this lot?

Edited June 10, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[Maverick]

Yeah outside of the main players they don't really have anyone I could see making the step up for them except maybe Magnus, they used to be pretty good at having a decent mid-card but their talent is so thin they've ended up bringing back a few X division guys they decided weren't good enough years ago to make up the numbers. They really could do with investing in a few name someone like Masters or a few up and comers from the indies (who I don't know.)

[Magnum]

I thought 2007 was decent - it was the first year I properly got into TNA, and the little Christian/AJ/Steiner/Tomko stable was my favourite thing in wrestling around that time. That and the LAX/3D feud and Bobby Roode's pound shop Ted Dibiase act probably kept me interested in wrestling at a point when WWE TV really started to go to shit without the Edge/Cena feud to save it. My least favourite period of TNA was probably that point between the end of the MEM and the start of Hogan/Bischoff. They started throwing loads of shit against the wall, but it was all shit that smelled really shitty to me - Matt Morgan, Hernandez in his horrible little green and white shorts, and serious Eric Young and a load of little Japanese blokes seemed to be getting all the TV time. Wrestling in general was just awful around that point.

[Maverick]

I too loved all that Christian Co-Alition and Angle Alliance stuff they did, really brought AJ on as a character aswell, his comedy bits with Christian were great, wouldn't mind seeing Christian back in TNA if WWE aren't going to do anything with him.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

All I remember from 2007 is Pacman Jones, Kurt Angle stalking Sting's kid at football practice (at 11'o clock on a Thursday night), the electrified cage match, Homicide putting Bubba Rays uncles head in an oven, young stud Christopher Daniels failing in a singles push with Sting, Judas Mesias, The Sinister Minister being all over TV, Chris Harris vs James Storm in a blindfold match, the whole botching of Bobby Roode's singles push, Booker T, Test and Rikishi showing up. Whenever I think of TNA being shit 2007 always seems to pop up into my head.

 

When I think of TNA being great, I always think of this video

Edited June 10, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[Sexy Dad]

Was the Booker T vs Bobby Roode feud in 2007? I remember that time period being a particularly strange transition from what I thought TNA was about at the time.I'm not as compelled to watch Impact this year and have only really watched it in fits and starts since Hardy won the title at BFG last year. When Roode and Aries had their reigns I wanted to see every exchange they had on the microphone, every match they were involved in and every title defence. The two men were on the form of their lives and it made for great viewing every week. 2012 was class. Since Hardy's reign, Aces and Eights dominating the whole show and Bully winning the gold leading to a similar segment every week, no must see feuds and the likes of Storm, Aries, Roode, AJ and Angle being diluted to skip worthy I just struggle to find a reason to watch at the moment. Overall I'd say in 2013, TNA are sticking with a clear direction but there isn't enough actually going on so I'd rank it below 2010 which despite being highly questionable was must see in terms if just for what was going to happen next. It's better than 2011 for the most part though, meaningless title reigns from Sting and Angle as well as Anderson and his many turns and 'asshole phase' making for naff viewing contribute largely to that. Can't comment on the years previous though as I only really watched the pay per views.

Edited June 10, 2013 by thesimonbegz

[Arch Stanton]

2007 was the year that Big Poppa Pump was ripping the piss out of Team 3D, which is still one of my highlights of TNA's existence.I have to agree that the roster they have today is possibly the weakest they have ever had (well since the early days).

[hitman89762000]

Plus ya had kevin nash being pissed at samoa joe for that shoot promo at scott hall back in 07

[wandshogun09]

Rampage talks TNA, the debut, meeting Hulk Hogan;

Jackson grew up a wrestling fan in Memphis, where Saturday morning wrestling on the NBC affiliate with local superstar Jerry Lawler and iconic announcer Lance Russell, was almost a cultural institution, for years the most popular locally produced television show in the market. He's talked about going to the matches on Monday nights at the Mid-South Coliseum. But wrestling has changed greatly from the 80s, and he hasn't watched it in years and is just starting to catch up. "I don't know a lot about that world," he said. "I used to watch that as a kid before I got into MMA. That's why I used to do all those slams before I got addicted to knocking people out. I haven't watched it in a couple of years. From what I heard, the fans liked it (his first segment with Angle). Now I have to get used to people telling me what to do. TNA is kind of crazy. They tell me to do an interview, Kurt Angle interrupted my interview. I didn't know:"While the idea Jackson wasn't aware Angle was coming out to confront him is difficult to take seriously, it is likely true that nobody exactly knows where his role is going because they don't know his learning curve, how fans will react long-term, or anything else. But Jackson did get a chance to meet a childhood hero in Hulk Hogan, who at 59, is still the face of that organization. He said he didn't act like a fanboy to Hogan, because of his own experience meeting fans."If a fan is cool, I'm cool with him," he said. "A fan could turn into a friend. But some people act super weird, and they make it uncomfortable for you. All you want to do is get out of there. What I learned from that experience is to be yourself... Hogan's cool, he gave me a few pointers backstage. I didn't act like a fan, but I was star struck."Like with fighting, there's no real timetable on his pro wrestling. What he has said is you won't be seeing him doing some of the high flying moves that a lot of pro wrestlers do."I'm sure I'll beat up my body, it's the same thing people told me about MMA," he said. "I don't plan on being one of those pro wrestlers doing all that crazy stuff. I'm coming into the game with a few injuries. I'm just looking to entertain everybody. I am different from other stuff. I can't do all that high flying."As far as when and what he's doing next, he said they haven't told him."Everything is brand new, they haven't told me anything," he said. "They don't know. They think I might learn it faster because I grew up watching it and pretending to be a pro wrestler as a kid, watching it for 17 years. Maybe I'll get it faster than others, or maybe not."

[PowerButchi]

Didn't Rampage lose his arse with Pro-Wrestling because he was sonned by the Undertaker or something? Massive JYD ripoff, as he is.

[PowerButchi]

Also, Magnus has the worst music in wrestling, easily.It's a shit song as it is, but the way it kicks in after the British Invasion intro makes it sound worse, and the fact that it's unwalkable down the aisle...

[Loki]

Magnus definitely needs some better music to help this push. He's absolutely ready though - seems the most likely candidate for a first British World Champion at this stage.Having finally watched Slammiversary, I thought it was a good PPV overall, with some ace matches, including the women's match which was a real gear shift for them. Reminded me of Kim's classic brawl with Jackie in a cage, that won the case for a Knockout division in the first place. The 6 man tag was fantastic, TNA does tag wrestling really, really well. I think Dirty Heels against Storm/Gunner will keep us all warm for the next 6 months.I've been kind of hoping that Jay Bradley was going to be a prospect, but he turned up at the PPV in the same bland ring gear in the same bland shape as his debut. That coupled with the fact that he's 32 already, unless somebody gets him a proper gym workout, a tan and some trousers he won't get far for me.You really get the impression that the Hall Of Fame is Dixie's pet project and everyone is too polite to tell her it's a bit rude - Sting mentioned in an intervgiew the other day that it felt like "being put out to pasture", and Angle looked decidedly conflicted about his induction.Bully v Hogan at BGF then? As Ian's said on more than one occasion, TNA are nearly out of faces.

[pgi86]

Gut Check Challenge update: "Bad Bones" John Klinger and "Portugal's Perfect Athlete" Shanna are the two people in the lead and keep on bumping each other off the top spot so it seems to be a very close contest between those two. If you have preference as to which one of those two you want to see get a televised Gut Check (and potentially win a TNA contract) then you might want to head over to the site, register and vote while there's still time. Edited June 12, 2013 by pgi86

[PSF]

Bully v Hogan at BGF then? As Ian's said on more than one occasion, TNA are nearly out of faces.

Seems that way, but that means Bully losing the belt or Hogan winning the BFG series. The only person I can see Bully losing the belt to is Chris Sabin when he trades in, but that can't seriously happen.....can it??? Edited June 12, 2013 by PSF