The Scar Will Become A Symbol

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The landscape of professional wrestling for the most part has been one dominated by one: The WWE. We all know its history and everything so we'll skip that aspect.

 

In terms of competition as well, for the most part you know the history of WCW and ECW. But following the death of those two promotions, a new national challenger to Vince entered the arena. Created by The Jarretts, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling began as NWA TNA, a throwback to Memphis and CWA type shows, help on weekly PPV's from the "legendary" Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The promotion was able to gain a somewhat successful foothold in the industry, mainly as they were the only "national" opponent of the WWE. In it's early days, the ranks were populated by many former WWE and WCW stars like Jeff Jarrett (naturally), Ron "The Truth" Killings, Scott Hall, Raven and numerous others. However what TNA did right was their X Division, a throwback to the legendary NJPW Jr. Heavyweight Division of the mid nineties, pushing young stars like AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Low Ki and numerous others. TNA in it's early days was a good alternate but in the end seemingly was destined to be nothing but small time.

 

However, this idea was seemingly set to change when the promotion was purchased from Jerry Jarrett in mid 2003, with a majority of ownership going to Panda Energy. Many were shocked to see Jarrett be sent home, as many see him as one of the few who could realistically compete successfully against the WWE, with his son Jeff siding with Panda. Panda Energy's goal was to make TNA on the same level as WWE and Dixie Carter, the daughter of CEO Bob Carter became the head of TNA. The promotion enjoyed much greater success, landing stars like Sting and Randy Savage to show up. TNA also became the first non WWE promotion to run regular PPV's since 2001. TNA even managed to land a TV show in "TNA Impact" which was to air in prime time on Fox Sports Net.

 

The problem of the deal went hand and hand with the problem of the Fox Sports Net system. Since FSN was regional (FSN New York, FSN Northeast, FNC Bay Area, Etc) there was no set lineup and thusly not a set time where the show could air on the same time in prime time weekly on all the networks. The deal then changed to a Friday slot at 4PM. TNA put a healthy majority of it's money into this deal, which quickly fizzeled and after nearly 3 months on air, "TNA Impact" was canceled.

 

TNA was attempting to land a cable deal on another network but seemingly none would take them, not convinced by the "sketchy" job Carter was doing. The Panda Energy board was not happy. Several key TNA backstage players quit and moved to the WWE. Carter scrambeled. Their sudden bail on PPV networks when they did the network show left a bad taste in their mouth and returning to the weekly PPV show was not going to happen. They initially attempted to run shows and put them on their website, but after 3 weeks, they realized profits on that way were unlikely. Some within the company sensed the end was near. The death nail for Carter was when ex WWE stars BG "Road Dogg" James, Billy Gunn, Sean Waltman, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash all defected from TNA to the WWE under Carter's nose and the fact all were pushed as major stars in TNA didn't help.

 

Following this, as of May 7th, 2005, Dixie Carter was removed by Panda Energy as head of TNA Wrestling and the company was put up for sale. Staff and wrestlers were all basically told the company was going to fold. Many wrestling journalists believed the WWE would most likely eat the scraps of the company and take the few they could actually use on their rosters. In the hearts of wrestling purists, if TNA failed, wrestling would fail as well.

 

But who would have thought that a billionaire, a former WWE star who had become a cult favorite and Jerry Jarrett himself would spark not only the saving grace of one promotion but a resurrection of another

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The May 15th TNA Pay Per View "Hard Justice" went on as planned, ending with AJ Styles defeating Jeff Jarrett for the NWA Title. Many within the company believed it would be their final show. Several stars including Dallas Page, Ron Killings and Jeff Hardy all opted out of their contracts, with Page retiring, Killings signing a WWE devolpmental contract and Hardy taking "time off". TNA continue to put on shows, with Panda Energy allowing for the company to go to June's Slammiversary event. In late May, rumors of a sale began to swirl around the locker room. Names like Ted Turner, Vince Russo, Rupert Murdoch and even Vince McMahon were all thrown around. McMahon himself even addresssed possibly buying TNA in an interview saying "Whenever a potential purchase looks promising to myself and the company, we always consider it."

 

But on June 1st, the TNA Wrestling website revealed a very vague message.

 

We here at TNA Wrestling would like to formally annonce that Total Non Stop Action Wrestling and TNA Entertainment LLC has been sold. At press time, we have been instructed not to announce to new owners and managment team. We have learned that the new owner and team will address the TNA staff, wrestlers and fans at Slammiversary concerning the future of TNA.

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The wrestling world waited with anticipation for Slammiversary to find out the future of TNA Wrestling. For the most part, no one in the company had any idea what was going on and what was happening and who the buyer was. The show ran the way it was susposed to under Carter and Dutch Mantell's interim rule. The show itself was rather lackluster in overall actions sans the main event and X Division title match.

 

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-Shocker defeated Alex Shelley following a Folding Power Bomb

 

-Elix Skipper defeated Amazing Red, Shark Boy and Zack Gowan in a 4 Way Dance following the Playmaker on Red

 

-Trytan defeated Sonny Siaki and Apollo in a handicapped match following a Chokeslam on Siaki

 

-NWA World Tag Team Champions The Naturals (Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens) defeated Team Canada (Petey Williams and Eric Young) following a run in by America's Most Wanted

 

-America's Most Wanted defeated The Naturals and Team Canada in an impropteu 3 Way Dance.

 

-TNA X Division Champion Christopher Daniels defeated Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin and Michael Shane in an Ultimate X Match for the TNA X Division Title by retriving the belt.

 

-Main Event for NWA World Heavyweight Title: © AJ Styles defeated Raven, Abyss, Monty Brown, Bobby Roode and Lance Hoyt in a King Of The Mountain Match by hanging the title last.

 

As Styles breifly celebrated with the title, he soon enough left the ring allowing Mike Tenay to enter the ring with mic in hand.

 

Mike Tenay: Wrestling fans as you all know for the past several months, the affairs of TNA Wrestling have been in major diseray. And the future of TNA itself has been put in doubt. As you all know TNA Entertainment was put up for sale and many names from both the wrestling and entertainment world have been linked to TNA. Names like Turner, Bischoff, Murdoch, Hogan, Russo and even McMahon. But as many of you know, TNA has a new owner and he is here tonight. Ladies and gentlemen I present to you all, and get ready because it's going to be a bumpy ride, the new owner of TNA Entertainment......MARK CUBAN!!!

 

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Cuban made his waydown the aisle to a huge applause from the crowd. He entered the ring and shook hands with Tenay as a huge "CUBAN" exhoed throughout the Impact Zone. After taking in the applause, an all smiles Cuban raises up the mic.

 

Cuban: Thank you everyone. Thank you. Yes, I am the new owner of TNA Entertainment. You see ever since I was little I have always been a wrestling fan. And throughout the years I have been watching, I have seen all it's changes, what's worked and what doesn't. Many times I have talked to my good friend Vince McMahon about business, because it's something the 2 of us do well. And he has always told when opportunity knocks to always answer it. And that's what I did. And to my good friend Vince McMahon, I just want to announce....I'm in the wrestling business. (Huge pop). You see in my experiences, being the best is what counts and the same will go here. But just like what I did when I purchased the best damn team in the NBA...the Dallas Mavericks...things are going to change around here. I'm not going to spoil anything but everything you knew about here is going to change. First thing is the name, from now on, we're not TNA Wrestling from now on we...you know what I'll stop there. This is leading me to my first announcement, this coming Tuesday at 12 noon in New York City, its going to be a world wide press conference concerning this deal. NBC, CBS, Fox, AP, Reuters, they're all going to be there. And there me and my team are going to full unveil our big big plans for TNA. A world wide media audience will see what all you fans have known that right here is the place to be. We're gonna be simulcasting this on the TNA website as well as live on HDNET. And if you don't have HDNet, demand it from your cable providers, trust me here. Guys, stay tuned because we, you, me, my guys and everyone back there are gonna change the wrestling world forever starting this Tuesday, thank you and good night.

 

Cuban droped the mic to a huge "Cuban" and "TNA" chant as he waved to and bowed to the crowd as the PPV went off the air.

 

And with one single live promo, Mark Cuban did the same thing that Ted Turner did to Vince McMahon nearly 20 years earlier. The only question was could he fare better than Turner?

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Official TNA/NWA Press Release Concerning Cuban Purchase

 

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Mark Cuban steps into the ring. Billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of 2929 Entertainment, the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and CEO of HDNet announced he has purchased Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling (TNA), the world's fastest rising wrestling promotion from Panda Energy. Cuban has announced the promotion would be thusly changing it's name to the National Wrestling Alliance and the company would be debuting 2 new television programs on Spike TV and Cuban's HDNET. The announcements took place earlier today in New York at a major press conference in Midtown.

 

"The purchase of TNA and it's rebranding into the NWA is a major event in the history of professional wrestling and I am proud to be a part of it" said Cuban, alongside his partners in the project Jerry Jarrett, Jim Cornette and Ricky Steamboat. "We plan on brining a new kind of wrestling fans haven't seen in a while or even ever. None of the stuff you see on other wrestling sows, we're about the old school and evolving it into something you've never seen. We're bringing wrestling back to the way it should be. Giving it back it's respect and due it deserves".

 

Cuban announced that the general duties of the NWA would fall to his "wrestling team" headed by 3 legends in the sport: former promoter and cofounder of TNA Jerry Jarrett, legendary promoter and manager Jim Cornette and iconic wrestler Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.

 

"With Mark behind us as well as the name of the NWA, I think we're going to be in great shape" said Jarrett. "Me and Ricky both know the kind of stuff that happens at the other place, we've seen and lived through so many mistakes there so we know. And also you've got something Vince McMahon has been fearing all his life, a billionaire who gave control to 3 actually smart people of their wrestling company" said Cornette.

 

Cuban also announced that the NWA will have a television presence on 2 different networks in Spike TV and Cuban's HDNet. "The Spike deal is a major one for us, but as we literly just finished it up a few hours ago, we're not going to discuss formalities with that. But the NWA will be on HDNet starting this Monday at 8PM where we will be airing a one hour "Best Of NWA TNA" showing the best matches in TNA history but will also include segments hyping the return of the NWA."

 

Cuban and his team announced that the NWA would be having a 2 month "restart" period but will end as the NWA presents it's first new PPV event called "Genesis" hailing from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA. "Atlanta was always considered one of the real homes of the NWA. It's seen all the greats pass by. Rhodes, Flair, Sting, Koloff, Steamboat, Midnights, all of them. The Omni was a mecca there for wrestling. I can't think of a better place for the NWA to state that it's back and here to stay" said Cornette.

 

Cuban announced that unlike fellow billionaire head of the WWE Vince McMahon, he won't be stepping in the ring anytime soon. "Me? Nah, don't worry you won't see me much. ha ha. Only if things really get out of hand and these guys can't handle it".

 

 

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TNA/NWA Press Conference News: How/Why they changed the name, World Title vacated and more

 

by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

 

As we've been reporting all day, Mark Cuban formally announced at a huge press conference at Trump Towers that he had purchased TNA Wrestling and it's parent company TNA Entertainment. In this press conference he introduced his "Wrestling team" of Jerry Jarrett, Jim Cornette and Ricky Steamboat and announced several things including a name change and 2 seperate TV deals. Here we will break down everything we've heard/know concerning all the doings.

 

-The first obvious issue is the change of the name of the promotion from Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling to the iconic National Wrestling Alliance. This apparently started with Cuban, who reportedly hated the name and thought of it as "dumb" and "unsellable". He wondered why couldn't they use the NWA name as they were using their titles. This leads to the story we broke yesterday that now former NWA President Bob Trobich sold an "undisclosed" amount stake of the NWA to Cuban. We can reveal that he sold an 95% stake in the NWA, essentially selling Cuban the entire NWA. We've already heard that NWA Board is being restructured as several NWA Affiliates have either left, been asked to leave or shut down operations. Our source has told us the smaller groups are expected to be like feeder feds with the champions defending their titles there at various points throughout a year. We also expect a new logo in the near future as well.

 

-The second big issue was Cuban's introduction of his wrestling "team" of Jerry Jarrett, Jim Cornette and Ricky Steamboat. We've been old Jarrett and Cornette came to Cuban with the propsal to buy TNA and the duo are the real force behind the purchase. Steamboat came along following his release from the WWE. The 3 are going to be the heads of the wrestling aspect of the promotion. It's thought Cornette will be booking and Steamboat will be an agent but this can easily change. We have learned that this is not the entire "team" as several other names are being rumored to be on their way in.

 

-Up next is the "relaunch" issue. We can confirm the company is taking two months off to restructure nearly every aspect of the company. New sets and things of that ilk are currently being built. As for the roster, expect major changes. Firstly as it was alluded to, AJ Styles vacated the NWA World Title and the title will most likely be filled at "Genesis". I can confirm Styles along with Abyss, Monty Brown, Christopher Daniels, America's Most Wanted, The Naturals, Raven and a few others will stay on. One notable name which is surprisingly rumored not to return is Jeff Jarrett, who has had problems with his father following his ousting. But I can also confirm that the 2 were seen talking during the last TNA PPV and seemed to be cvil. We have heard that quite a few new roster members will be on their way, including quite a few victims of the Black Tuesday massacre at the WWE. Even announcers and referees aren't sure of their position. We have heard that several notable wrestling and MMA announcers have been asked about interest in the group.

 

-Everything else: It seems as though the Spike TV deal is slid as they refused to comment on it. There's talk they are going to be a touring promotion which would be a completely new thing for them. The "Best of NWA TNA" will be an hour long with replays throughout the week. They will also replay TNA PPV's on HDNet on weekends until the "Genesis" PPV. There was a buzz of geniune buzz in the room for this. I really think this NWA business may in fact work.

[Oldschool]

I have to say you might be the king of theback stories! This looks just as good

[dse81]

Looking really good!

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NWA announces "Glory Road" main event for "Genesis"

 

by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

 

In an interesting move today, NWA owner Mark Cuban and NWA "representative" Jim Cornette announced on both the NWA Website and during the first edition of HDNet's "Best of NWA/TNA" that the main event of the first NWA PPV "Genesis" from the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA will be a "Glory Road" match to determine a new NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The rules for this bout will start off as a 25 man battle royal and when it gets down to the final 10 men in the match it will go into ganulet match rules. Cuban and Cornette announced the first 5 entrants in the match, being AJ Styles, Monty Brown, Abyss, Raven and El Hijo Del Santo. All were expected except Hijo Del Santo. We have been told Hijo Del Santo has agreed to an extended stay in the NWA as he is currently freelancing in Mexico following his departure from CMLL. Cuban and Cornette also announced that the NWA World Tag Team Titles will also be decided in a 4 Corners match as NWA World Tag Team Champions The Naturals will defend their titles against America's Most Wanted, Team Canada and a mystery team, which the 2 claim the spot is open to "any team who thinks they can hang against the best in the NWA". Cuban and Cornette announced more entrants and more news on the NWA to be aired next week's edition of "Best Of NWA/TNA".

 

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As June turned into July the NWA continued to move ahead. Their roster looked to be getting more and more complete with a healthy majority of the TNA locker room returning. Including to the the shagrin of the fans Jeff Jarrett. But backstage many changes were very much visable. Gone were Russo, Mantell and a majority of the old staff were gone. Cornette and Jarrett brought in new blood to take over writing and agent duties including Tully Blanchard, Chavo Guerrero Sr and several others. And names like Piper, Rhodes and Race were all in talks about potential roles. Mike Tenay remained with the company as did Don West but in a different compacity. But a new announcing staff was to be put together. Interestlingly, former WWE announcer Sean Mooney announced he was in talks to come into the NWA. The world was that the product was to deliver a hybrid type of booking style presenting the best wrestling possible but with realistic and well written storylines. The WWE however was not pleased with the whole Cuban owning the NWA issue as McMahon considered a friend and saw this as a reduplication of what happened with Ted Turner. He instructed his men to keep an eye on the NWA. The NWA's interest was seemingly rather hot but that temperature suddenly increased when the NWA website was hacked and across the main page was one simple phrase.

 

 

The Scar Will Become A Symbol

[Save_Us.Necro]

Hey all, if possible can this get closed/deleted...I need more planning with this one and plan on doing it again. As for my dynasty status, peep the upcoming poll.