The Official TNA / Impact / GFW Discussion Thread

[Nedew]

Slash fiction is massively popular with a lot of women. Seriously.

[Self]

Recently heard that TNA's audience is 30% female (compared to UFC's 35% and WWE's 40%) which I find as interesting as I do baffling. Maybe some 'slash' storylines would increase that

[The Celt]

I have heard the same figures used to show how large the female wrestling audience is. I not shocked women do like wrestling, what I am shocked by is wrestling's reluctance to cash in on that market every now and again. I mean John Morrison has a massive female fan base, I'm sure something could be done to make some money off that. Also whatever happened to romance angles and/or female managers? I mean I understand (but don't like) the phasing out of male managers, but one would female managers could be doing more than randomly being thrown on some guy like in the WWE.

[The Final Countdown]

Razor Ramon WAS Tony Montana from the film "Scarface"

I just watched this movie for the first time a month or two ago (sacrilege, I know), and you are 100% correct. It actually made it kind of hard for me to focus on the movie, because I kept waiting for Tony to bust out a Razor's Edge.

 

On Orlando Jordan: I'm not offended, but I don't care about him at all, either, and I don't see Orlando and his "bizarre" behavior bringing anything of value to TNA.

 

On The Pope: Not offended at all, and hadn't even really thought about him in an overly religious context until it was brought up in this topic.

[lazorbeak]

A quick check on wikipedia reveals:

 

Deadpool debut was in 1991, but didn't receive his own comic series until 1997. Reynolds broke out in the late 90s/early 2000s and I assume Deadpool's humour began taking on more and more of Reynolds style.

 

In fact I believe I got that idea of Deadpool/Reynolds from Reynolds himself saying it in a interview (He was very flattered to have Deadpool's humour based on him as a comic book fan).

 

And I agree, Deadpool is a great wrestling character. Good thing he'll be available in the 9000verse when it comes out for TEW10

 

No, Deadpool's humor has absolutely nothing to do with Ryan Reynolds. At all. Ryan Reynolds wasn't even on TV until 1998. By that point, Deadpool was a regular in X-Force and limited series' for over half a decade playing up the goofy, 4th-wall breaking humor before anyone ever heard of Ryan Reynolds.

 

Seriously saying Reynolds influenced Deadpool is like saying John Byrne's She-Hulk was inspired by 30 Rock. Also, for being "mad over," his series was canceled twice for flagging sales, and for several years he and Cable were both featured in a team-up book because neither could sustain a title on their own.

 

And no amount of examples is going to change the fact that no matter how over Lady Gaga is for being a bisexual female pop star, that is not going to generate interest in a bisexual male wrestler. It just isn't going to happen.

[The Celt]

Look, here's what it is for me:

 

The Gaga thing makes OJ different. It's gives him a character who has different motives to other characters in TNA. His character will do things different to others. In Wrestling being as different as possible is good because that allows you to find a niche in the roster that no one else has, and to do things that no else can do.

 

Do I think this gimmick is going to take OJ to the very top? Unlikey, considering TNA rarely gets anyone all the way over from their pushes (Matt Morgan and Hernandez have been pegged for pushes but just keep going around and around in circles.)

 

However, I really wouldn't be surprised if OJ got the global title, held for a while, possible renamed and personalized it and generally had some fun with it. If that works, like properly works out right and he's a bit over, I could see some kind of story bringing him towards the tag titles.

 

 

Bottom line is that I just want to support some being unique and not generic and bland. That's it.

[fatallylost]

You'd be surprised how many straight women enjoy all-male gay porn.

 

I didn't say no women liked it, but, trust me, I worked in that industry, to an extent, for almost 3 years.

 

I never saw, nor heard of one woman buying all male porn. Guys, yes, girls, no.

[Moe Hunter]

Ok Lemme see...

 

Deadpool's humour was legitimately based on Ryan Reynolds and that got mad over.

Flair's "wooh" was taken/stolen from Jerry Lee Lewis

Hart's "Best there ever" was taken/stolen the 1982 film "The Natural"

John Morrison would very much like to Jim Morrison from The Doors

Rob Van Dam started out just trying to be, shock and horror, Jean Claude Van Damme.

 

Matt Hardy has said he'd love to do "The Punisher" as a gimmick but isn't allowed.

 

Razor Ramon WAS Tony Montana from the film "Scarface"

 

But I suppose the most obvious is Sting IS the Crow, from the film, The Crow. It's the exact same character, taken from one medium to another.

 

Look, if you get a character from whatever is hot at the moment, go for it. Make Money Brothers. Gaga is money, so OJ is going to cash in.

So now going to the opposite end of the inapt comparisons... Guess what link all of those examples are missing? The Gender switch you were trying to justify in the first place!

 

Yes, wrestlers take characters from pop culture. Yes there have been female versions of males *within the same genre*. Making a male version of a female from an entirely separate world doesn't equal success, or history, or logic.

 

Look, here's what it is for me:

 

The Gaga thing makes OJ different. It's gives him a character who has different motives to other characters in TNA. His character will do things different to others.

And so far his motives seem to not involve wrestling. He just wants to sit down with some friends on a couch he set up with a fake wall in the audience. Or bring Mardi Grad and a money shot to the ramp. What exactly are these amazing motives he's supposed to have, in a wrestling context? He wants to win the Global Championship so he can have more sex with both genders?! I just don't see it.

[fatallylost]

I would strongly debate the connection between Eric Draven/Crow and Sting.

 

All that is similar is the face paint (or, it was similar, now it only has a color resemblance, as they've made it their own) and the coat.

 

Draven talked. Draven was never betrayed (ala Hogan betraying Sting and the fans) and so on.

 

Also, The Crow is one of my all time faves. So, I loved that they gave Sting the look, but, the character itself had less than, maybe 10% to do with the "gimmick" to the Crow character.

 

But, that may be a side point to have made.

[Linsolv]

And so far his motives seem to not involve wrestling. He just wants to sit down with some friends on a couch he set up with a fake wall in the audience. Or bring Mardi Grad and a money shot to the ramp. What exactly are these amazing motives he's supposed to have, in a wrestling context? He wants to win the Global Championship so he can have more sex with both genders?! I just don't see it.

 

Yeah, see, the more of a champion you are, the more sex permission you get from the government. See, for normal people, you can only have sex a very limited number of times, but for champions, you can get special permission from the government to be in two or more places at once, having sex at the same time. And the closer to WHC you are, the more places you can be at.

[Tag01]

I didn't say no women liked it, but, trust me, I worked in that industry, to an extent, for almost 3 years.

 

I never saw, nor heard of one woman buying all male porn. Guys, yes, girls, no.

 

I've known dudes that love porn, gay and straight. I'd say a decent number of girls I know are at least comfortable with and at most interested in straight porn or lesbian stuff. I've never met a girl in my life, straight, bi, anything, that's interested in gay porn.

[TommyDreamerFan]

I've known dudes that love porn, gay and straight. I'd say a decent number of girls I know are at least comfortable with and at most interested in straight porn or lesbian stuff. I've never met a girl in my life, straight, bi, anything, that's interested in gay porn.

 

wish I could find a girl in general that'll even admit to looking at porn.

[Comradebot]

wish I could find a girl in general that'll even admit to looking at porn.

 

1. Is this really the converstion we're having? There ARE a few younger folks on the board, might wanna change the subject before the freakin' TNA thread gets locked, of all things.

 

2. I know plenty of em'

[Stennick]

So when I think about the TNA scene I wonder who's going to take the title away from AJ. I don't see The Pope doing that this Sunday. I'm sure it'll be RVD or Hardy when the time is right. However I don't think Hardy or RVD need or would even benefit from the championship. I'm more looking at who's young, who's talented, who's marketable. Who's going to be their "homegrown" star. Guys I see that are fairly young (in TNA's case under 40) that have the look, the talent and the last ability to be TNA's "franchise" aside from AJ are Matt Morgan (good look, great size, he can talk), Mr. Anderson not home grown but he's still fairly young, his promos are improving and he's good a good look. Desmond Wolfe he's already shown he can work with the likes of Angle, he's original on the mic and of course young. The Pope the Impact Zone is really getting into this guy I'd like to see how people outside of Orlando react to him so when I'm at the ppv in St. Louis I'll be paying attention to see if his "Pope is Pimpin" spiel is over.

 

So basically TNA's future main even scene meaning guys that could stay in or be at the main event title scene successfully. Styles, Matt Morgan, Mr. Anderson, Desmond Wolfe and The Pope. These guys can talk, work, and have something original about their look or personality.

 

Joe can work but honestly his mic work bores me and when I see him in the ring I don't say "wow that guys got a great champion look" I see "hey theres a pudgy guy submitting people" he's not menacing in the least, his mic work is uninspiring and I just don't see him being able to be a draw. Now obviously in wrestling you never know but in my opinion the guys "star quality" would be low.

 

Guys like RVD and Hardy should be used as fodder to be getting these other guys over. They might have a good run left in 'em but I'm certainly not basing my promotion around a guy like RVD's thats mostly over for his innovative offense when he'll be pushing 40 and Hardy well he's been in the promotion about three different times before leaving for a variety of reasons and possibly the most recent could be drug charges so yeah not exactly the guy to plan for the future with.

 

Roode I like and I think he'll be a good upper mid carder but again not that great of a promo, his look is uninspiring, he's a good worker but nothing unique about him.

 

I used to think Alex Shelly was going to be a huge breakout star but after spending the last 4 years in a tag team that frequently disappears from television I don't see TNA or him resurrecting what could have been. He's a mid card tag team jobber these days and I don't see that changing.

 

Eric Young I've said it before the guy is versatile he's played several different characters well but I just don't think he's got the size/look to be something unique and special. Upper mid card guy and maybe do the whole underdog inspiring world title shot story with but not a guy thats going to be a franchise.

 

Kazarian was a good worker and entertaining seven years ago but honestly now he's bland and he's gone through so many different character changes. I'm of the belief you only get so many failed characters in pro wrestling before its just hard to look at you as a credible guy. He had a good thing going as "the future" but its hard to go back to a gimmick you had seven years ago especially since this IS the future his gimmick talked about then. He's gone on to be an occult lackey for Raven in one of the strangest gimmick pairings ever since not once has the guy ever looked like he would be something like that. Then they stuck him under a mask, and now he's just Kazarian I don't even know what his character is.

 

So yeah TNA has a lot of "talent" as far as in ring goes but I don't see many of them as future "franchise world champions". If even one or two of those guys breaks out though thats enough to elevate everyone else on the roster look at WWF in 1998.

[fatallylost]

wish I could find a girl in general that'll even admit to looking at porn.

 

Sometimes beware what you ask. Not all girls are pretty.

 

Some can be pretty scary.

[ChrisKid]

1. Is this really the converstion we're having? There ARE a few younger folks on the board, might wanna change the subject before the freakin' TNA thread gets locked, of all things.

 

Yo!

[Self]

So now going to the opposite end of the inapt comparisons... Guess what link all of those examples are missing? The Gender switch you were trying to justify in the first place!

 

Yes, wrestlers take characters from pop culture. Yes there have been female versions of males *within the same genre*. Making a male version of a female from an entirely separate world doesn't equal success, or history, or logic.

 

So if a woman wrestler took on a Punisher gimmick, would that automatically fail too?

 

The examples The Celt used aren't perfectly apt, but does that matter? Surely it's a good thing that TNA are trying something different. It's probably going to fail, but not because of a gender swap, but because of bad writing that can't overcome the general unpleasantness of watching two dudes make out, and can't turn the character into a worthy foe for a hero to overcome. Still, it's worth a try in my book.

[Remianen]

It's probably going to fail, but not because of a gender swap, but because of bad writing that can't overcome the general unpleasantness of watching two dudes make out, and can't turn the character into a worthy foe for a hero to overcome. Still, it's worth a try in my book.

 

I defy you to find me a writer who could make two guys making out palatable in this country. I'd really, really like to see someone accomplish the utterly unfathomable.

[Self]

I defy you to find me a writer who could make two guys making out palatable in this country. I'd really, really like to see someone accomplish the utterly unfathomable.

 

You may be right. It may be impossible. However, if I were writing wrestling, I'd give it a shot. It would be a slow step-by-step process though.

 

In this example, with Orlando Jordan, as a heel, the task wouldn't be to make his antics pleasant, but to make the unpleasantness worthwhile. He cavorts and frolics around, using the crowd's homophobia to get heat, then you use that heat to set up a triumphant hero to beat him up. Wrestling.

[The Celt]

I defy you to find me a writer who could make two guys making out palatable in this country. I'd really, really like to see someone accomplish the utterly unfathomable.

 

If you mean in the genre of Entertainment then maybe Will and Grace? Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? The Gay couple in Desperate Housewives (That really sure about that one, don't watch DH), Omar Little in The Wire.

 

 

If you meant in wrestling, someone (I forget who) had a great storyline for a gay character for a TCW game.

 

Basically Chance Fortune and Sammy Back are feuding. Chance is playing a somewhat badass character while Back is doing his dark rock god thing. During the course of the feud Back beginning alluding to things in Chance's personal life. At the peak of things Bach out Chance as begin gay. Chance response is like "Yeah. What of it?". Cue Chance beating Bach regardless This would establish a strong and gay character for the audience who would be on his side. I personally do believe something like that would be an awesome setup for a gay character.

 

And having seen Omar in the Wire, I totally believe that storyline could be easily achieved.

[Linsolv]

I defy you to find me a writer who could make two guys making out palatable in this country. I'd really, really like to see someone accomplish the utterly unfathomable.

 

They tried it for a couple in Spartacus. But as to how well it went over, I can't say; I found it very mildly uncomfortable myself.

[TommyDreamerFan]

If you mean in the genre of Entertainment then maybe Will and Grace? Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? The Gay couple in Desperate Housewives (That really sure about that one, don't watch DH), Omar Little in The Wire.

 

 

If you meant in wrestling, someone (I forget who) had a great storyline for a gay character for a TCW game.

 

Basically Chance Fortune and Sammy Back are feuding. Chance is playing a somewhat badass character while Back is doing his dark rock god thing. During the course of the feud Back beginning alluding to things in Chance's personal life. At the peak of things Bach out Chance as begin gay. Chance response is like "Yeah. What of it?". Cue Chance beating Bach regardless This would establish a strong and gay character for the audience who would be on his side. I personally do believe something like that would be an awesome setup for a gay character.

 

And having seen Omar in the Wire, I totally believe that storyline could be easily achieved.

 

The question is would the crowd warm up to this portrayal of a positive gay rolemodel thats never been done before. In theory, yes, that booking should make him a face. But you try to do this gimmick out in the midwest? I think they'd still boo him just because he's gay.

 

Of course that could bring about a different type of heel, the nWo was the cool heel, this would be the legitimate heel. Kinda like how Bret Hart was a hero to Canada and a heel in america.

[SaySo]

TNA Launching Brand New Show before iMPACT!

 

Source: PWTorch

 

 

TNA and Spike TV will begin airing a new one-hour show called "TNA Reaction" on Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. EST leading into each week's TNA Impact episode at 8:00 p.m. EST.

 

TNA announced details on the show today, saying it will feature a "never-before-seen look at the combustible world of TNA Wrestling with exclusive backstage access and candid interviews featuring the biggest names in wrestling."

[djthefunkchris]

TNA Launching Brand New Show before iMPACT!

 

Source: PWTorch

 

 

TNA and Spike TV will begin airing a new one-hour show called "TNA Reaction" on Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. EST leading into each week's TNA Impact episode at 8:00 p.m. EST.

 

TNA announced details on the show today, saying it will feature a "never-before-seen look at the combustible world of TNA Wrestling with exclusive backstage access and candid interviews featuring the biggest names in wrestling."

 

I hate to say this, but this isn't really a great idea. I don't really know why they keep trying to put in candid interviews and such.

 

If they would just start Impact an hour before Raw, and make it a three hour show, I think they would do alot better...as long as they don't hire another 12 to 15 people.

[dvdWarrior]

I think it'd be much more to their advantage to just accept the fact they're not going to beat Raw anytime soon, move on back to Thursday, and use the new show slot for a 'B' show to build up their undercard and midcard, give them something of a foundation to work with.

 

That's what I would do anyway.