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

[PowerButchi]

Well, they got it right with Christian York (I would have used someone else, but you know what I mean), last throw of the dice, always nearly made it, now he's made it, and now...

 

Well, he's off TV isn't he. And OVW's no fucking good to him, he was there in 99 for fucks sake.

 

Imagine if they brought in Gallows, or Carlito or Compton or Masters through the Gut Check saying "It's my last crack at the big time". People would get behind them, and it'd get over to shit. And they're good enough to carry it as well. But they'd rather pay someone $200 an appearance who'd pay their own bus fare. How much do you reckon Crimson is on in OVW? It's probably less than dole.

 

A lot of Gut Check is hearing people's stories.

 

Masters - Picked up a tree out of the ground to save my mother from a fire.

 

Gallows - I walked away from an NCAA Scholarship because I wanted to not play football but be Dusty Rhodes, as I told my coaches.

 

Compton - I dealt with terrorist attacks in Nigeria for this business, didn't get paid, and also I'm the funniest man in wrestling. And me and Gallows will PUNCH HIM IN THE BALLS.

 

 

TNA are idiots. Gut Check is BUILT for a story froma WWEK mid carder who's achieved but is "on his arse". Or even someone like Scorpio who can go better than pretty much anyone yet is touching 50 saying "I want to see if I can still go with the young guys". Fuck, or even give someone like Jesse Neal another go. Gut Check could make for the best Rocky stories. What do TNA do? Christian fucking York.

Edited June 29, 2013 by PowerButchi

[IANdrewDiceClay]

I think the biggest worry for TNA is they wanted a lot of guys to do their One Night Only PPVs and they had trouble finding people who would work for them. Their reputation is so fucked within the industry and there's this stigma that if you go there your career is over.

 

I keep saying this but letting Alex Shelley go was it for me. Who the fuck thought that was a good idea? Alex Shelley was one of the best guys they've ever had on any of their rosters over the last decade. He looked great, he's only just turned 30, he takes pride in his appearances, his outfits are class, he can talk, he's funny, he's got that vibe about him that Matt and Jeff Hardy had in their primes, where kids, women and teenagers can be into him. Also he's amazing in the ring. They gave the belt to Austin Aries, which was great. Aries is a awesome wrestler. But if he's got a chance at the title, Alex Shelley should be holding the belt now by that logic. Because Shelley's got more upside than Aries or Roode or James Storm (and possibly Jeff Hardy since its a fairly level playing field in TNA). Shelley will probably be snapped up by WWE in the next year as well. Its the same old story. Adrian Neville, El Generico, Antonio Cesaro, Daniel Bryan all got away because they didn't go for them. El Generico was having tryout matches for them so they could have a look at him. He wanted to go as well. The blokes tearing it up on NXT right now. What did they need to look at? Just watch a video of him like WWE did and ask around about his attitude.

Edited June 29, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[PowerButchi]

Well, Alex Shelley didn't want to work for

[hitman89762000]

Is Spud still under contract with them? I remember him showing up and US viewers burying his size, look and accent and especially his name. I mean thats not his fault. They put him on TV even though the fans had no idea who he was over there. Same with Mark Haskins when he debuted as a MYSTERY OPPONENT on a nostalgia show. You have to present these people better than that. You have to protect people who have so many things going against them.

 

Yeah spuds still with them but in ovw.

[Kyle]

I think the biggest worry for TNA is they wanted a lot of guys to do their One Night Only PPVs and they had trouble finding people who would work for them. Their reputation is so fucked within the industry and there's this stigma that if you go there your career is over.

 

I keep saying this but letting Alex Shelley go was it for me. Who the fuck thought that was a good idea? Alex Shelley was one of the best guys they've ever had on any of their rosters over the last decade. He looked great, he's only just turned 30, he takes pride in his appearances, his outfits are class, he can talk, he's funny, he's got that vibe about him that Matt and Jeff Hardy had in their primes, where kids, women and teenagers can be into him. Also he's amazing in the ring. They gave the belt to Austin Aries, which was great. Aries is a awesome wrestler. But if he's got a chance at the title, Alex Shelley should be holding the belt now by that logic. Because Shelley's got more upside than Aries or Roode or James Storm (and possibly Jeff Hardy since its a fairly level playing field in TNA). Shelley will probably be snapped up by WWE in the next year as well. Its the same old story. Adrian Neville, El Generico, Antonio Cesaro, Daniel Bryan all got away because they didn't go for them. El Generico was having tryout matches for them so they could have a look at him. He wanted to go as well. The blokes tearing it up on NXT right now. What did they need to look at? Just watch a video of him like WWE did and ask around about his attitude.

 

I think this stigma with TNA that you are talking about is starting to develope with ROH as well. Just think WWE has recently passed up on signing Adam Cole, Mike Bennett and The Briscoes. It's become the same thing where people are unlikely to ever join WWE due to loyalty or WWE thinking they're not worth the time. Gone are the days of when you had guys like Punk, Bryan, Bourne, Rollins and the KOW who appealed to WWE. I think now if WWE wants some Indy talents who are different from the norm they find more appeal in signing talent from groups like DG USA/Evolve.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Kyle

[Vamp]

I don't really know what you're trying to say but I do know that if I were TNA or the WWE there's no way in fucking hell I'd sign the Briscoes. The WWE's got plenty of arseholes working in the company, but you don't want completely stupid arseholes.

 

The truth is TNA managed to get people to buy that they were some kind of alternative to the WWE. They weren't but people bought it. Then they signed and pushed a bunch of guys who were counting down the days until they could get back to the WWE and pretended that this was TNA giving them their due. And then those people left as soon as they could. And then they did each and every one of the suggestions the fans made. The fans believed that going live, going on the road, etc. would somehow make the company bigger. Of course it didn't. And now why would you believe in TNA? They should have held back on some of them. They weren't to know that really. But a fan who says "oh if they just went live they'd be bigger" is better than a fan who goes "oh they went live. Didn't do much. Guess they'll never get bigger." When TNA were smaller they managed to get people to think they could be bigger. Now that they've tried to become bigger and its evident just how small they are.

 

It probably wouldn't help them financially and Spike probably wouldn't like it but I think the best thing TNA could do to improve their shows is drop the second hour. They don't have a good enough roster, they've gone through all their possible fresh matches, they've made their x-division into a complete joke and they shit on their product with the Gut Check, and RAW, which most of their fans probably watch, is three fucking hours. Going to an hour would help combat all of that. They could even push themselves as an actual alternative again. "Bored of a slow three hour show, watch iMPACT, you're one hour thrill ride of wrestling." How much faster would their show then seem? How much less filler would it have? I wouldn't give Game of Thrones or Mad Men two hours each week, and I think they're quality television, why the buggery would I give TNA two hours?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

I think this stigma with TNA that you are talking about is starting to develope with ROH as well. Just think WWE has recently passed up on signing Adam Cole, Mike Bennett and The Briscoes. It's become the same thing where people are unlikely to ever join WWE due to loyalty or WWE thinking they're not worth the time. Gone are the days of when you had guys like Punk, Bryan, Bourne, Rollins and the KOW who appealed to WWE. I think now if WWE wants some Indy talents who are different from the norm they find more appeal in signing talent from groups like DG USA/Evolve.

That's down to contracts more than anything else. Its easier to snap up DG USA guys because ROH's roster is contracted to a certain period of time. They took Generico. And to be honest, there isn't much talent there anymore. WWE aren't going to take the likes of Matt Hardy and Cliff Compton back. There's few ready for it. There's a gap between people who are past to point ever going to WWE and guys who aren't ready yet. Michael Elgin will probably be on his way to WWE eventually. Last I heard, Mike Bennett is still going once he gets all the gas out of his system (just look at how his body has changed over the last few months) and the Briscoes were supposedly offered deals before the "shoot the gays" tweet. Its why they are waiting until August to return to Ring of Honor. They are going to see if the offer is still there before signing a new deal. I doubt it is now. I have no clue why they didn't sign Adam Cole. He totally looked like someone they go for.

 

ROH's biggest assets are the women. Maria a star, obviously, but Scarlett Bordaux is so talented I reckon. She's well nice first of all. Let's get that out of the road, but her expressions and reactions are great, she's super comfortable doing whatever and she can sing! She's the star of that Truth Martini video everyone is raving about. I think she's going to WWE eventually. She's great.

Edited June 29, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[pgi86]

I think this stigma with TNA that you are talking about is starting to develope with ROH as well. Just think WWE has recently passed up on signing Adam Cole, Mike Bennett and The Briscoes. It's become the same thing where people are unlikely to ever join WWE due to loyalty or WWE thinking they're not worth the time. Gone are the days of when you had guys like Punk, Bryan, Bourne, Rollins and the KOW who appealed to WWE. I think now if WWE wants some Indy talents who are different from the norm they find more appeal in signing talent from groups like DG USA/Evolve.

That's down to contracts more than anything else. Its easier to snap up DG USA guys because ROH's roster is contracted to a certain period of time.

 

Plenty of DGUSA guys have contracts as well (usually 2-year ones). Off the top of my head: Callihan and I think Moxley had it, Gargano & Nese have it right now, etc. However, Gabe's policy is that if WWE wants a guy he'd let him out of the contract. ROH's policy was the same for a long time too, but I'm not sure if it still is.

Edited June 29, 2013 by pgi86

[IANdrewDiceClay]

DGUSA have contracts as well (usually 2-year ones). However, Gabe's policy is that if WWE wants a guy he'd let him out of the contract. ROH's policy was the same for a long time too, but I'm not sure if it still is.

Because nobody would sign a contract for a non-televised wrestling promotion if they couldn't leave to go to a bigger promotion. Dragon Gate USA/Evolve aren't much of anything in the grand scheme of things. Ring of Honor's owners aren't going to let you go if you are under contract. They have a TV show to produce. And Dragon Gate would be the same if they had to produce a weekly TV show

Edited June 29, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[Arch Stanton]

Wow, just Googled Scarlett Bourdeaux, never heard of her before. She looks fantastic.

[Loki]

I like the way they'd sell then KICK OUT WITH ENERGY before a 2 count.

 

Adam Pearce didn't get through The Gut Check, remember. ADAM FUCKING PEARCE, the kind of person TNA could really do with.

 

According to Ian, Pearce doesn't want to work for TNA. So that probably explains why he didn't "win" a full time contract.

 

It would seem that TNA's low-carders get paid less than a successful indy wrestler, so the best indy guys don't want to work on the bottom of TNA's card. So TNA either has to hire in main event (or well-known WWE mid card) talent, or just grab randoms off the indies and hope they turn out to be good.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

According to Ian, Pearce doesn't want to work for TNA. So that probably explains why he didn't "win" a full time contract.

I dont remember saying that in regards to Adam Pearce. At his age and with his look, he has no future in wrestling in regards to any big promotions. TNA's probably the only option for him at this stage of the game. Same as Aries and Kenny King.

Edited June 29, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[pgi86]

After last night's Impact tapings, the full Main Event Mafia crew has been revealed. It's:

 

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

Sting, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Magnus & Rampage Jackson

 

[close spoiler]

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[CTXRussomark]

I really, really wish the A&8's angle would just hurry up and be over with. More than ever it's like a dark cloud just dragging the entire show down, and now that the MEM are back it means twice as much time dedicated to the angle. Bully Ray is fantastic in his role but he'd be just as great without the group. It wouldn't be so bad if the rest of the guys were only used as backup for Bully Ray but I have no interest in seeing any of the other scrubs in actual matches.

[300]

The one thing that seems better in TNA than WWE is the knockouts. I really like Taryn Terrell, Triple H should sign her back up. Didn't she beat up Drew McIntyre?