Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Add Reply
1 year ago in TNA
Topic Started: Mar 17 2008, 02:24 PM (313 Views)
Chaotic Vision6
Member Avatar
Gabe Sockpuppet
[ *  *  * ]
By: Bryan Alvarez
The Fight Network
bryanalvarez@f4wonline.com

By the time most of you read this, Sunday's latest generic TNA PPV will have concluded. I thought it would be interesting today to look back at their February PPV last year and see how much things have changed, or not changed, in this company.

The first thing of note is that prior to starting this column I was not entirely sure what the name of this PPV was. My guess was "Against All Odds". A quick glance at the TNA website confirmed that this was correct. This is actually a positive for TNA, because last year despite all their hype my headline story in Figure Four Weekly reviewing the show read: "A TNA PPV airs".

Let's look at the planned line-up for this year's show before heading back in time. Scheduled to take place at press time is Kurt Angle vs. Christian for the TNA Title with Samoa Joe, who is in the middle of intense contract renegotiations in storyline, as special referee; Awesome Kong vs. ODB for the TNA Women's Title; Motor City Machine Guns & Jay Lethal vs. Team 3-D & Johnny Devine in a match where if the heels win the X-Division is no more, and if the babyfaces win then Team 3-D cannot wrestle in TNA unless they weigh under 275 pounds. It took weeks for this stipulation to be made clear, and even the wrestlers and announcers were confused at one point; Abyss vs. Judas Mesias in Barbed Wire Massacre II, which they booked before confirming that such a match would be allowed in South Carolina, and because it's not they had to pre-tape it in Orlando and pretend that it was taking place live; AJ Styles & Tomko, who hate each other, vs. BG James & Bullet Bob Armstrong for the Tag Titles; Robert Roode vs. Booker T; Scott Steiner vs. Petey Williams with both an X-Title and World Title shot on the line; James Storm vs. Eric Young in a wrestling match to determine who is the Drinking Champion of TNA (don't ask); and Traci Brooks vs. Peyton Banks, which after all the months of Traci vs. Robert Roode had the most nearly non-existent build of anything you ever saw.

THAT IS THIS YEAR. But what about 2007?

The first thing I note upon looking back is that apparently many fans called this the worst TNA PPV of all time. Even I, who has been driven crazy by this promotion, did not see it as such, noting at the time that there was at least some good wrestling on the show. That's the thing with TNA, as bad as the booking and such can be you still are usually guaranteed some good wrestling on the PPVs, and I've been told the house shows are actually the absolute best of the promotion. Unfortunately, nobody attends those.

One of the main storylines on the show was that Scott Steiner had joined the Christian Coalition (do you remember any of this?) and he was already having problems with Tomko. So yes, a full year ago we still had the issue of everyone on the show hating each other.

One of the problems with TNA is that they assume fans know everything. In the opener, LAX vs. Team 3-D in a Little Italy Streetfight, random Mexicans hit the ring near the finish and we were told, as if the entire world should know, that these were members of the "Latino Nation". This was news to me and everyone else, but life just moved on. Despite all the run-ins, LAX still beat Team 3-D clean with a border toss. So there were run-ins for the sake of having run-ins. Saw the same thing on Impact this week.

Austin Starr beat Senshi in a surprisingly average match. "This was like taking Senshi and Austin Starr out of ROH and asking them to do a TV match for WWE Heat," I wrote at the time. At least they got to wrestle, even if it was watered down. That is a plus. The bad news is that they started an angle with Starr and Bob Backlund afterwards, and Bob was dragging him out of the building when suddenly it was TO THE BACK~! for a segment with Christian, Steiner and Tomko all yelling at each other. The more things change…

We get bad comedy in TNA today but it has been worse, such as in the Christy vs. Fat Oily Guy match that went on third, which involved the fat oily guy getting naked and the hot girl keeping all her clothes on.

Lance Hoyt with David Eckstein faced Dale Torborg with AJ Pierzynski. This had been built up strong on TV, so strong that when it started the fans chanted "BASEBALL SUCKS!" It was one of TNA's many attempts to get very localized Nashville-centric sports or entertainment stars and hope that the rest of the country cares at all. They never do. Match was horrible to boot.

Throughout the show they had a bunch of storylines where Traci was trying to seduce Eric Young, and each ended with "TO BE CONTINUED" appearing on the screen, much like each episode of Impact these days is considered such art that it must be given a fancy title after the opening video package.

AJ Styles and Rhino had a good match, the best on the show so far, with the chain stipulation. This was back when TNA had this habit of taking guys who could have great matches and then add some sort of gimmick or stipulation so that they would have to FIGHT to have a good match. In fact, that was the gimmick here, that AJ had to get a key and unlock himself so that he'd be able to do high-flying. In 2007, AJ was booked as a great wrestler. In 2008, he's largely a clown. Advantage: 2007.

Chris Sabin beat Jerry Lynn in another good match. I can never call a PPV the worst of all time if we at least get some good wrestling.

James Storm & Jacqueline beat Petey Williams & Gail Kim in a fine match that played into the ongoing Storm vs. Petey storyline from that period. It is interesting that at this point last year, Petey was being pushed as a serious wrestler, a fellow who, Mike Tenay said, had grown into a man right before our eyes. Now he's a comedy figure. There seems to be a trend here.

The wacky Abyss match last year was a PRISON YARD MATCH with Sting that also had something to do with the whole "WHO IS ABYSS' FATHER?" storyline. So yes, this storyline has been ongoing for an entire YEAR and still no one cares.

So the main event this year was Angle vs. Christian for the title with Joe as special referee. And what was the main event in 2007? Why, Angle vs. Christian for the title with Joe as the special ringside enforcer! It was every TNA finish we've ever seen with ref bumps, interference, dudes running in, etc., and after Christian won following an utter schmozz Don West screamed, and I quote: “THIS IS A BUNCH OF CRAP! THIS JUST SUCKS! THIS JUST SUCKS!”

One year ago at this time, with one hour of Impact per week as opposed to two, TNA broke their viewership record, doing a 1.12 rating and 1.6 million viewers. This week, now with an EXTRA HOUR~! of prime time first-run television, they did a 1.11 rating and 1.6 million viewers. A look back shows that, for the most part, nothing has changed, and it's further proof that if you don't change anything you shouldn't expect things to be any different. I should note that there is one big change from last year, though, and that is that buyrate numbers are lower. There is a message here.


By Bran Alvarez

I think that is a good point. I wasn't happy with the direction of TNA a year ago and it has progressivley been the same junk since except less Jeff Jarrett.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dr. Strangelove
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Are you saying we need to see more of Jeff Jarrett?

TNA really misses him.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Exponent
Member Avatar
The Italian Stallion
[ *  *  * ]
I enjoy TNA a lot more now than exactly one year ago. I agree with PeoplesChamp, though. We need more Jarrett.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
the White John Cena 2.5
Brainsack
[ *  *  * ]
I hate it when people bash AJ now, he actually has character. I'd rather have "I'm prince AJ, I love Karen Angle but have a loyalty to Kurt" over "I'm phenomenal, I do cool shit in the ring" or for Petey Williams I'd rather have "I'm the definition of defintion" over "I do a flip piledriver, yea, that's right, I do a flip piledriver."


Otherwise I agree, I HATE Abyss, his storyline is so fucking stupid and it's dragged on way too much. TNA does suck, I try to at least watch 1 Impact a month, and everytime, I'm left shaking my head.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Magic Rat
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Yeah, I really can't stand the AJ hate. He's proving himself to be more talented that we previously thought. He can talk. Yeah, he's annoying, but I, for one, find it funny and it works I think. And I hate the Petey Williams gimmick, mainly cause it's boring and old, but I love the nickname. Definition of Definition ftw in name only.

And this Abyss storyline is a sleeper for worst of all time imo.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dr. Strangelove
Member Avatar
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
I thought Petey Willliams' nickname is "Maple Leaf Muscle."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Exponent
Member Avatar
The Italian Stallion
[ *  *  * ]
He's got both. I prefer Maple Leaf Muscle, but they're both cool imo.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
the White John Cena 2.5
Brainsack
[ *  *  * ]
I think that Petey is also a slight spoof of Masters with his entrance and music.

I think that Petey should get caught for roids, and Steiner asks him how he could be such an immoral idiot.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
DealsFor.me - The best sales, coupons, and discounts for you
« Previous Topic · Pro Wrestling General Discussion · Next Topic »
Add Reply