The Official TNA / Impact / GFW Discussion Thread

[cappyboy]

Random thoughts out of this week's episode.

 

Thank goodness James Storm changed Manik's look as part of making him a part of this new Revolution. I know I missed the genesis of Manik. But based on what I've been able to see and know over the past nine months I can't envision "Suicide" being too happy that Manik was ripping off his look. Maybe now I can start to care what Manik does rather than looking over my proverbial shoulder for Suicide.

 

I do sure wish someone would get in Kenny King's grill and ask him what "gives him the right to breathe." I get Lashley's role in that stable. I get MVP's. Those two both have bona fides and strong resumes to justify their presence in a group of this one's stature. But King's a comparative nothing. TNA is the only reason the average bear would have any idea who Kenny King even is. Somebody should call him out on that and make him prove his worth.

 

I am so not digging this notion of random shows being labelled as though they are the former PPV's that TNA used to run but doesn't any more. It feels either old-timey or like something who aspires to be bush league would do. These pseudo-PPV's are like something out of my training feds in TEW. Guys like me can do end of month supershows. They are the number two promotion in this country albeit by default and present themselves as big the big time as a WWE. This is pure absurdity. If you had the full slate of regular shows and these pseudo PPV's were Clash of Champions or Saturday Night's Main Event specials, I'd cut them some slack on this. But disguising regular weekly episodes as PPV's is cheesy and ought to be embarassing to them.

 

Going back to Storm and his brewing stable, anybody else itching for them to start showing up in tag action? I'd love to see some Storm & Sanada matches. Or maybe Sanada and Manik as the tag arm of this Revolution. Maybe one of them could get sloppy in Storm's training and The Cowboy could decide he needs to partner up in order to maintain his hold. They need to start expanding their activities in some form or another.

[Jaysin]

Manik wasn't ripping off Suicide, they're the same character. Just a name change.

[Teh_Showtime]

If I'm not mistaken Perkins (who is just great, very underrated) somehow started to don the Suicide mask but eventually was renamed Manik and that's it.

 

It's been great to watch two guys I missed seeing in Kenny King and TJP start getting back on TV and in programs. King's disappearance especially was puzzling, I remember when he was opening shows as Aries' friend during his title run. I've always liked him (and he somehow made Rhett Titus valuable) but it's basically impossible for him to not be a star now.

[Jaysin]

According to kayfabe, TJP had been Suicide the entire time. Kazarian, Daniels, and Kiyoshi all playing the role had been ignored and never officially recognized.

[Teh_Showtime]

Really? I thought renaming the character was signifying the exact opposite. New start with a new guy under the hood, but I guess I can't argue if that's the story they tell

[Jaysin]

Fairly certain the name change was just to get away from the Suicide name since it's a poor choice of name to begin with really.

[cappyboy]

Well regardless of what the story logic was, the Suicide/Manik thing was confusing for those of us viewers who had seen the previous Suicides but had not seen the current version make the name switch. Much better for Manik to look like this and the old Suicide persona and costume to be history if the two aren't going to be fully paired.

[Mootinie]

Fairly certain the name change was just to get away from the Suicide name since it's a poor choice of name to begin with really.

 

I think it was Hogan's decision to remask Perkins as Manik. He wanted to get rid of Suicide after the whole Austin Aries debacle and give Perkins a fresh start with a new name. I think that was how it was explained in kayfabe.

[TakerNGN74]

From what I've heard TNA had to change Suicide's name to Manik because Suicide Prevention groups were coming after TNA and breathing down their necks about having a character with said name. Not sure if that is at all true but it sounds reasonable enough to me.

[Rayelek]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Mootinie" data-cite="Mootinie" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I think it was Hogan's decision to remask Perkins as Manik. He wanted to get rid of Suicide after the whole Austin Aries debacle and give Perkins a fresh start with a new name. I think that was how it was explained in kayfabe.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Pretty sure this is right. I remember Hogan coming out and announcing it because Perkins didn't really speak much. I definitely love the new mask though, it's an awesome look. I hope that Storm's "Revolution" doesn't just limit itself to the X Division though. I've been digging his promos and the changes, but I'd like to see it used to elevate someone rather than refresh Manik and heel turn Sanada. Then again, I can't really think of any midcard guys in TNA besides X Division or tag team guys.</p>

[cappyboy]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Mootinie" data-cite="Mootinie" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div> He wanted to get rid of Suicide after the whole Austin Aries debacle and give Perkins a fresh start with a new name. </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> And the story behind that would be what for those of us who weren't plugged in at that time?</p>

[Teh_Showtime]

I believe the gist of it was Austin Aries dressing as Suicide to sneak his way into an X division title match and then Hogan calling him out on it saying he found the "real" suicide.

[cappyboy]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Teh_Showtime" data-cite="Teh_Showtime" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25170" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I believe the gist of it was Austin Aries dressing as Suicide to sneak his way into an X division title match and then Hogan calling him out on it saying he found the "real" suicide.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> That doesn't sound like the worst storyline in the world. It sounds like something I might play out in TEW if I were doing a Suicide type gimmick. Am I to guess the bad part was more execution of the story than concept?</p>

[Macca316]

Watched the most recent episode of Impact with the Tag Title Series lader match.

 

Maaaaan, that was sick... especially with the sick bumps that Hardy took mainly the power bomb onto the seesaw ladder style set up and the bump right at the end.

 

How is Hardy not in a bloody wheel chair?

[bigtplaystew]

I LOVED MVP vs Low Ki. Fantastic match!

[cappyboy]

I LOVED MVP vs Low Ki. Fantastic match!

 

Indeed. That match could have gone either way and you could taste how much both guys wanted to be in the main event.

 

Aries vs Knux was really good too. I loved how both guys were straying from their typical game plans and showing sides of themselves they usually don't. Knux in particular had me wanting to see him make a run in the X division given the shades of Bam Bam Bigelow he was showing. Impressive speed and agility for a guy that size.

[Rayelek]

I believe the gist of it was Austin Aries dressing as Suicide to sneak his way into an X division title match and then Hogan calling him out on it saying he found the "real" suicide.

 

Yeah, it was a few weeks before Destination X so Aries attacked Suicide backstage, stole the costume and snuck into an X title match Suicide was scheduled for. After winning the match and the title, Hogan came out, announced it wasn't actually Suicide, Aries took off the mask, etc. Aries would lose the X Division title back to Chris Sabin the next week, who would go on to shock a ton of people and beat Bully Ray for the World Title, and Suicide was renamed Manik the next week, I believe.

[cappyboy]

Aries would lose the X Division title back to Chris Sabin the next week, who would go on to shock a ton of people and beat Bully Ray for the World Title, and Suicide was renamed Manik the next week, I believe.

 

So essentially there was no in-story rhyme or reason for Suicide being rebranded as Manik then?

[louissiscool]

So essentially there was no in-story rhyme or reason for Suicide being rebranded as Manik then?

Hogan just said he didn't like it.

[Self]

To be fair, Suicide is a terrible and offensive name for a television character.

[Rickymex]

To be fair, Suicide is a terrible and offensive name for a television character.

 

I just wanted them to bring back Homicide and make them have a match bit it never happened

[cappyboy]

I just wanted them to bring back Homicide and make them have a match bit it never happened

 

That would have been fun to see. Would have to think Homicide would have won but just the commentary alone would be worth the listening.

[Mootinie]

Apparently the Full Metal Mayhem match this week was incredible. Did anybody watch? Does anybody have a link to it? Impact doesn't air till Sundays over here, for some reason

[cappyboy]

Apparently the Full Metal Mayhem match this week was incredible. Did anybody watch? Does anybody have a link to it? Impact doesn't air till Sundays over here, for some reason

 

Can't say. Just finished watching Impact off the DVR and I refused to watch this match. I'll probably look it up at some point down the road to see how good it was. But right now, I'm not happy about in having already happened. With a match this big, the finale of a series of this magnitude, it feels like there is only one appropriate stage for it this time of year. And that stage isn't the go-home show. It's Bound For Glory. This is a match I ought to have to pay for to see in the moment. So until Bound for Glory's over, no Full Metal Mayhem in Cappy Land.

 

And it's not the only title I'm upset about getting the freebie on. I'm also not crazy about Havok being the new Knockouts champ already. Based on the way the events are unfolding on TV, it feels wrong that Gail's already hurt and Havok's the new champion. Considering that feud has taken place this time of year in TV terms, that booking feels like it too should not have unfolded until this Sunday on PPV.

 

In my head, I may understand there are reasons both things happened at the time they did and that we've had both title decisions rendered before the PPV. But my heart couldn't care the f**k less. When I'm watching a show, I want to be as much in the moment as humanly possible. I don't want to think about taping schedules. I don't want to think about the need to cover for an injury that hasn't been brought up on screen yet. While I may understand how things work, I want to be completely markish as it's unfolding on my screen. Parsing s**t can wait until after the TV goes off. You make me think like anything but a mark in the moment, you've failed in these eyes. So even having seen Havok win the belt, they need to sell me on her as champion. They'll have to sell me on whoever won Full Metal Mayhem as tag champ. Because right now, I still feel Gail Kim should be Knockouts champ and the Wolves tag champs. Until further notice, anything else just feels cheap.

[Rayelek]

I'm exceptionally disappointed in the Bound For Glory card, at least from what I've seen. I know they're doing it in conjunction with Wrestle-1, but I don't see a World Title match on the card, and about half of the matches feel like they have no build. For TNA's biggest Pay-Per-View of the year, I believe they could do a lot better.