The Official TNA / Impact / GFW Discussion Thread

[Slagaholic]

I didn't let that slide. It's just that, other the WM storyline and match, Bret Hart hasn't done anything else that embarassing. Hogan and Flair... well, I actually don't crucify them. I might crucify TNA over it, but not Hogan and Flair, because they need the money.

 

He said "WWF" on Raw. He's stumbled through awkward promo after awkward promo after Mania trying to get the Hart Dynasty.

 

It may not have been embarrassing to you since he's Bret Hart, but if he's a rookie talking on the mic like that he doesn't even get a second look. He was never that great on the mic. But now that he's basically asked to act with a script, he's been awful. And they put him in a GM position where he has to talk every week. But let's be honest, he's put in the GM position to get a cheap pop when his music hits.

[Self]

I loved Bret coming back and doing that 3-month build to Wrestlemania. Had it's missteps, but on paper that was awesome (and a good few of his promos were gold). Beyond that, I sort of agree. I don't want to see Bret every week. I was a Hart Foundation mark, and will be until the day I die, but Bret 'The General Manager' Hart does nothing for me.

 

I have little opinion of Flair & Hogan. The only thing I hate about Hogan is that I've had to put up with blubbering sychophantic Abyss. With Flair I'm a little bummed his WWE send-off was all for naught, but whatever. I'm over it now.

[Jaysin]

The new Xplosion intro video

 

What has me a little confused is the inclusion of Suicide in the video. Is someone new going to play him? Who played him during the unveiling of the figures?

 

I'm a Suicide fan, so that bit has intrigued.

 

I hope the show does come back to the US though.

[Slagaholic]

Kiyoshi is Suicide.

[haloed]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Slagaholic" data-cite="Slagaholic" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Kiyoshi is Suicide.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Actually I believe its another Japanese talent that is on loan to TNA from New Japan (?) that is now going to be playing Suicide.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> Although, Kiyoshi may grace out television sets now with Xplosion to be featuring matches.</p>

[Slagaholic]

<p>You're thinking of Kaz Okada. That was the original rumor but he's been working under his own name on the international version of Xplosion. All signs are pointing to Suicide returning TV with Kiyoshi donning the leotard.</p><p> </p><p>

Not quite sure what they're going to do with Okada</p>

[haloed]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Slagaholic" data-cite="Slagaholic" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>You're thinking of Kaz Okada. That was the original rumor but he's been working under his own name on the international version of Xplosion. All signs are pointing to Suicide returning TV with Kiyoshi donning the leotard.<p> </p><p> Not quite sure what they're going to do with Okada</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Ahh, alright. Thanks for the clear up, don't read too many wrestling rumor sites these days except for one currently and I didn't realize Okada was working as himself on the international Xplosion.</p>

[Hyde Hill]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="ampulator" data-cite="ampulator" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>You know, it's surprising people think that I think that WWE is going well. I don't. I hate its direction of much as TNA's. The difference is, TNA has the right idea, but going the wrong way about it. WWE has the wrong idea, but they know what they are doing, and they execute it well. <p> </p><p> As for the product, it's not that TNA has no talent. It does. But its management and booking team absolutely sucks. Seriously, Dixie Carter doing management, and Russo doing booking has been an absolute disaster together.</p><p> </p><p> For my life, I can't see how people enjoyed Hogan's recent stuff in TNA. It makes him look bad, he makes TNA look bad, and it looks pitiful. I almost feel sorry for him.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yep much of that was bad, but now that they have moved back to Thursday and it seems that Bisch is taking a more active role in creative and Hogan and Russo less it has gotten a whole lot better.</p>

[Hyde Hill]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Jaysin" data-cite="Jaysin" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0SoVggd3LQ&feature=player_embedded" rel="external nofollow">The new Xplosion intro video</a><p> </p><p> What has me a little confused is the inclusion of Suicide in the video. Is someone new going to play him? Who played him during the unveiling of the figures?</p><p> </p><p> I'm a Suicide fan, so that bit has intrigued.</p><p> </p><p> I hope the show does come back to the US though.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Kaz played it during the figure unveiling and as said before there was a debate between either Okada or Kiyoshi and they went with Kiyoshi.</p><p> </p><p> Edit: Hmm from the intro you would not think it's a B show given the stars they show.</p>

[Slagaholic]

Definitely looks to be focused around the X-Division.

[Linsolv]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Hyde Hill" data-cite="Hyde Hill" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Kaz played it during the figure unveiling and as said before there was a debate between either Okada or Kiyoshi and they went with Kiyoshi.<p> </p><p> Edit: Hmm from the intro you would not think it's a B show given the stars they show.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> No, you would indeed think it's a B show.</p><p> </p><p> They showed Hardy and RVD, sure, and while they're ME material and being pushed as ME guys, they don't have that Main Event "rarely in serious televised matches" vibe like you tend to get with most main event folks.</p><p> </p><p> It's especially obvious in the E, sure, but even in ROH you tend to see one or two main event guys actually in a match, outside of PPV. In TNA, they tend to have a main eventer or two, and then Jeff and RVD wrestling on most shows.</p>

[ampulator]

What are you trying to prove? That TNA sucks? Boy you're breaking new ground with that one. TNA is (supposedly) squandering their talent? I've never heard anyone say those things before. Get on your Revelation Hats folks!

 

The main problem I have with people like you is that you'll ignore every positive TNA has ever had to just focus on their failures. Now do their failures out-weigh their successes? That's debatable. But have they had many successes? Yes.

 

But you ignore them all because they're not doing as well as you (and even they) think they should be doing.

 

Again you bring up Hogan. Hogan has gotten about 4 minutes of TV time on average per Impact since Lockdown. If not less. TNA has been making a concerted effort to have less Hogan and less Bischoff.

 

It just looks like your complaints are three-months too late. It's a very different show and a very different booking pattern since the infamous March 8th show.

 

But since they're under the banner of TNA, every failure since 2002 is going to manifest itself in the next 6 months. I can't help but get the feeling that if TNA doesn't fail, you'll be disappointed.

I'm not trying to prove anything, except like the WWE, with the talent they have, they should be doing a lot better. I don't need to prove much, except that they have been chasing away people that WANT to watch TNA, but can't because of their flaws, like the WWE.

 

As for being late, yes, I am. But why I didn't complain back then? I was in a "wait-and-see" mode. I wasn't so going to crap on Hogan. That would have been stupid.

 

Now that's it's been 3 months, this is actually the BETTER time to complain. I WANT TNA to succeed. In fact, I want to be WRONG about TNA's direction. I want to absolutely WRONG on my beliefs that it's 2 steps foward, 3 steps backward. I want to be proven wrong. For TNA's sake, I have to be wrong. I want to be converted back.

 

But I'm not wrong. And that saddens me, because TNA could potentially the last and final hope before WWE becomes THE wrestling.

 

He said "WWF" on Raw. He's stumbled through awkward promo after awkward promo after Mania trying to get the Hart Dynasty.

 

It may not have been embarrassing to you since he's Bret Hart, but if he's a rookie talking on the mic like that he doesn't even get a second look. He was never that great on the mic. But now that he's basically asked to act with a script, he's been awful. And they put him in a GM position where he has to talk every week. But let's be honest, he's put in the GM position to get a cheap pop when his music hits.

I can concede that. But Hogan and Flair, I never criticized them. I try... to avoid it, because, in Flair's and Hogan's case, they have... other factors to why they need to do what they need to do. I do really... feel bad for them.

 

As for Bret, he's not a minus or plus for me most of the time, but when he does get my attention, he's more of a plus. That being said, I can't say I disagree with your evidence. You are correct. It just doesn't affect me as much.

[sebsplex]

I don't watch alot of wrestling anymore but Flair and Lethal's recent interactions have been the most entertaining segments I've seen on a wrestling show in years.

 

I actually found wheelchair-bound Flair awesome and have generally really enjoyed seeing him in TNA. I like him as AJ's mentor, although I'm still struggling to accept AJ in that role as it really didn't see necessary when he had so much momentum as a face champion after Bound For Glory. It does seem like Flair is having a blast being such a focal point in the show, which I didn't expect given that he seemed rather disinterested when he first appeared and provided commentary for a Kurt vs AJ. I'd still rather not see him in the ring or juicing, but that hasn't been an issue for a while now, although at some point he and Lethal will no doubt face off.

 

As for Hogan, I don't actually mind him as a face authority figure. Now that he's not creeping into seemingly every storyline and feud, subsequently making himself a key part of them, I don't mind seeing him pop up on screen. Oh and of course not punching out the company's top heels in excruciatingly slow fashion.

[Slagaholic]

<p>TNA is going hard after Paul Heyman. Spike TV has been involved in the negotiations. And if the rumors are true Heyman would be getting involved in both the ECW angle as well as taking over creative. If all this happens, Vince Russo would be leaving creative permanently (which he's been trying to do for months).</p><p> </p><p>

And in the "this could end up being really really ****ty" departmentSpikeTV gave TNA the ability to be more "hardcore"</p><p> </p><p>

If the first happens, I don't mind the second. If the first doesn't happen then the second has the potential to make TNA unwatchable.</p>

[Hyde Hill]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Slagaholic" data-cite="Slagaholic" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>TNA is going hard after Paul Heyman. Spike TV has been involved in the negotiations. And if the rumors are true Heyman would be getting involved in both the ECW angle as well as taking over creative. If all this happens, Vince Russo would be leaving creative permanently (which he's been trying to do for months).<p> </p><p> And in the "this could end up being really really ****ty" departmentSpikeTV gave TNA the ability to be more "hardcore"</p><p> </p><p> If the first happens, I don't mind the second. If the first doesn't happen then the second has the potential to make TNA unwatchable.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> If this report from Gerwick is true then the first part has been discussed over and over but in short if it happens and if Bisch (Format, Production, Marketing) and Heyman ( Creative) can work together it could be great.</p><p> </p><p> On the second really depends what is meant and how TNA would use it. True Hardcore as a main part of a promotion has never drawn very large numbers or profits so they would need to really balance and use it right.</p>

[Slagaholic]

As long as the violence carries it can work.

[Slagaholic]

Oh and it seems Tara/Victoria is coming back. I guess they're giving the Knockouts a pay raise.

[Slagaholic]

TNA Reaction has been removed from SpikeTV's listings. I guess it's 3-hours of TNA on Thursdays then.

[SaySo]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Slagaholic" data-cite="Slagaholic" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>TNA Reaction has been removed from SpikeTV's listings. I guess it's 3-hours of TNA on Thursdays then.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I think they delayed it couple weeks / month from now.</p>

[sebsplex]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Slagaholic" data-cite="Slagaholic" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Oh and it seems Tara/Victoria is coming back. I guess they're giving the Knockouts a pay raise.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> If that's the case, I wonder how they'll deal with the 'retirement' storyline.</p>

[juggaloninjalee]

<p>I think TNA has been watchable for the most part. The womens wrestling bores me but that is just how I am. Lethal is entertaining I admit but he should not be pushed as a future main eventer if you ask me. Just my preference...</p><p> </p><p>

This ECW thing is going to flop bad I think.</p>

[sebsplex]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Hyde Hill" data-cite="Hyde Hill" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>On the second really depends what is meant and how TNA would use it. True Hardcore as a main part of a promotion has never drawn very large numbers or profits so they would need to really balance and use it right.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Beyond Spike refusing to screen James Storm's booze fireball on Hardy, TNA seemed to get away with enough hardcore content as it is. It was only a couple of weeks ago that Wolfe broke a bottle in the ring and glassed Abyss and there's certainly no shying away from blading or blood in general. I may be getting a little mixed up since many TNA ppv's are shot in the Impact Zone, but I'm pretty sure tacks, glass, barbwire, etc have all featured when needed as well as an abundance of street fights and other hardcore themed matches. Unless this is geared towards allowing the knockouts to become a bit more brutal or softening the stance on man-on-woman violence, then I'm a little lost as to how much of a benefit this would be, unless Raven's planning to upset Kurt Angle again and string up Tommy Dreamer.</p>

[alden]

there was time in tna where they were very hardcore. I honestly remember the no man vs woman stuff......i forgot who it was but they hit sharmell and the screen "suddenly went black" for a moment and everyone thought it was a ppv glitch. I think hardcore wrestling has its place but if done with some inteligence and planing. I think abyss is good at it. Although raven would be the man to really bring it back. There is an art to hardcore wrestling. Not many people can do it and still entertain non-hardcore fans.

[Slagaholic]

Shane Helms seems to be heading to TNA.

[LoganRodzen]

I'm really high on Brian Kendrick right now. I really enjoyed him on the microphone tonight and his video packages the past couple of weeks have been cool.