TNA Sacrifice thoughts
Just a couple weeks ago, who would have believed that the person who got the biggest reaction on a pay-per-view by a major wrestling company in 2011 would be … Chyna?
I’m not sure what that says about the state of TNA and the fans at the Impact Zone, but Chyna was indeed treated like a superstar at Sunday night’s Sacrifice pay-per-view.
The crowd also was more into the Chyna and Kurt Angle versus Jeff and Karen Jarrett mixed tag match than any other bout on the show, and from purely an entertainment standpoint, it was the best match on the card.
Chyna was rusty and she didn’t do a whole lot in the match, but she didn’t need to. It will be interesting to see if she continues to have a role in TNA or if she was just brought in for one shot.
There were four title matches on the card, and in each one the champion retained, including TNA world champion Sting beating Rob Van Dam clean to set up a showdown with Mr. Anderson at Slammiversary next month.
Overall, Sacrifice was solid, but it wasn’t a can’t-miss show. All the results made sense – with Tommy Dreamer defeating A.J. Styles the one glaring exception – although there were still some logic gaps as far as the psychology in a couple of matches.
Personally, I was disappointed that Matt Morgan – who is one of the most over stars in the company – was nowhere to be found on the pay-per-view. That shouldn’t happen. I certainly would rather have seen a match between Morgan and Scott Steiner than Brian Kendrick versus Robbie E.
Here is a match-by-match look at the show:
TNA world champion Sting defeated Rob Van Dam (12:39): Mr. Anderson sat in on commentary and surprisingly was not very good. A significant portion of the match took place outside the ring, which was an effective way of hiding Sting’s physical limitations. RVD carried the match but Sting also worked hard. The finish was anti-climactic and there was no real build to it. Sting went for a Scorpion Death Drop, but RVD appeared to drop too soon and it looked bad. Sting realized it and hit the move again to score the winning pinfall. I thought for sure RVD was going to kick out, but he didn’t. Losing clean like that in the center of the ring made RVD look kind of weak. After the match, RVD raised Sting’s hand and the two embraced. Anderson then got in the ring and he and Sting had a stare-down as the show went off the air.
Kurt Angle and Chyna defeated Jeff and Karen Jarrett (10:15): Early in the show, Karen came out with a walking boot and on crutches trying to get out of the match, but Mick Foley saw through the ruse and said that the match would take place as advertised. There was a “Chyna’s gonna kill you” chant early in the contest, as the fans were dying to see Chyna gets her hands on Karen. Just two minutes into the match, Chyna – who did not look nearly as physically imposing as she did during her WWE days – was tagged in, but Karen refused to get in the ring with her. While Karen stalled, Jeff got in the ring and attacked Angle, and it was somehow explained that Jeff and Angle were still legal because Jeff never tagged in Karen. The rules of a mixed tag match have always been that once a tag is made, a tag on the other side of the ring is unnecessary. With Karen being so terrified of facing Chyna, it also didn’t make sense that the Jarretts didn’t simply just walk to the back and take a countout loss, or that Jeff didn’t just intentionally fail to kick out of one of Angle’s pin attempts (Karen was screaming for him to kick out at one point in the match as if it would be the worst thing in the world if they lost). There was nothing at stake if the Jarretts were defeated, so why wouldn’t the heels take the easy way out? Oh well.
Angle and Jeff carried the match and worked well together as they always do. At the 4-minute mark, Angle carried his ex-wife over to the corner to tag in Chyna, but before he could get there, Jeff chop-blocked him and Karen landed hard on the mat. However, she immediately got right up and ran across the ring to her corner. So despite being married to two high-level pro wrestlers for more than a decade, she has no idea how to sell. Chyna finally tagged in around the 8-minute mark. She lost her balance executing a sloppy-looking bodyslam on Jeff, but she followed it with a decent suplex. Chyna then splashed Karen in the corner, hit the Pedigree on her and applied the ankle lock. Jeff grabbed Karen’s hand to prevent her from tapping – again, why? – but Angle then caught him in an ankle lock as well. Karen tapped out and the crowd popped. That was a fun match.
TNA world tag team champions Beer Money defeated Matt Hardy and Chris Harris (13:46): It was funny hearing Taz talk about how Hardy had “hoodwinked everyone” by making them think his brother Jeff was going to be his partner when it was really Harris. Yeah, Matt sure pulled a real coup with that one. Harris, who was wearing his America’s Most Wanted ring gear, looked really out of shape. Perhaps Hardy chose Harris to be his partner because he thought standing next to Harris would make him look like Randy Orton by comparison. The story of the match was that Harris wanted no part of his former AMW tag partner James Storm. The finish saw Storm and Robert Roode set up for their DWI finisher on Harris, but Storm changed his mind, and he and Roode performed the Death Sentence (AMW’s old finisher) for the win. Hardy walked out on Harris while that was going on. Harris was not impressive at all and I doubt that we’ll see him in TNA going forward.
Tommy Dreamer defeated A.J. Styles in a no-disqualification match (13:01): Dreamer pinning Styles on a TNA pay-per-view at this stage of their careers is an absolute joke. As for the match itself, it was a good brawl. They worked hard, battling through the crowd and using various weapons. At one point, Dreamer hit Styles with a sign that split Styles open hardway on the side of his head. At approximately the 12-minute mark, Bully Ray came out and hit Styles in the head with a chain. Before he could do any further damage, however, Daniels ran him off. I thought for sure that Styles was going to win in spite of the interference – thus adding to the tension between Ray and Dreamer and getting Styles ready for his inevitable grudge match against Ray – but Dreamer hit a weak-looking piledriver on a table and covered Styles for the three count. Unbelievable.
Crimson defeated Abyss (10:34): This was a decent big-man match that saw Crimson make a good accounting of himself as he continued his undefeated streak. Near the 7-minute mark, Abyss got the board with nails from under the ring, but Crimson speared him for a near fall before he could use it. A couple minutes later, Crimson got another near fall on a double-underhook DDT. Abyss responded with a Vader bomb for a two-count. With Crimson in the corner, Abyss charged at him from the other side of the ring, but Crimson moved at the last second. He then hit Red Sky (sky-high powerbomb) for the victory.
TNA Knockouts champion Mickie James defeated Madison Rayne (6:50): The stipulation was that if James won, Tara would no longer have to be subservient to Rayne and could continue her career in TNA. That made no sense to begin with, as why would James care about helping her bitter rival, who, oh by the way, ran her over with a motorcycle last month? It made even less sense that Tara was conflicted before and during the match about who she was rooting for. Shouldn’t it have been a no-brainer that she would want James to win? I seem to recall her mouthing “thank you” a couple weeks ago when James announced the stipulation. Whatever. After being ordered to stay away from ringside by Rayne before then match, Tara came out at the start of the match anyway. At about the 4-minute mark, Rayne got her loaded black glove from underneath the ring, but Tara took it from her before she could use it. James attempted a DDT, but Rayne countered with a roll-up and held the tights for a near fall. James then went for a Thesz Press off the top rope, but Rayne ducked and James took out the referee. Tara entered the ring wearing the loaded glove and acted like she didn’t know who to use it on. She eventually KO’d Rayne, and James covered her for the victory. Even though Tara’s indecision was illogical, at least TNA didn’t go for a nonsensical swerve and have Tara hit James and remain with Rayne.
TNA X Division champion Kazarian defeated Max Buck (11:18): From an in-ring standpoint, this was the best match of the night. The crowd wasn’t into it early on, and there were even a few people chanting “boring.” However, Kazarian and Buck won them over, as the chant during the latter stages of the match was “This is wrestling.” The turning point as far as getting the fans fired up occurred around the 8-minute mark, when Buck hit a Blockbuster-type move for a good near fall. Less than a minute later, Buck scored another near fall after landing a 450 Splash. At about the 10-minute mark, Kazarian hit a sick-looking sunset flip into a powerbomb over the top rope that slammed Buck’s head off the floor. After Buck blocked Kazarian’s Fade to Black finisher for a third time, Kazarian nailed him with the Shining Wizard for the win.
Mexican America defeated Ink Inc. (9:34): Shannon Moore of Ink Inc. was the star of this match, which opened the show. He performed several impressive high-flying moves, including an Asai Moonsault off the middle rope onto Mexican America’s Hernandez on the floor. Moore and partner Jesse Neal were setting up for the Mooregasm, but Rosita’s interference prevented them from executing it. Moore grabbed her by the hair and threatened her, but Neal stepped in and prevented Moore from hitting her. That distraction allowed Anarquia to pull Moore out of the ring, and Hernandez then hit what appeared to be a variation of The Gordbuster on Neal for the win. The finisher was impressive, as Neal appeared to land face-first hard on the mat. Although there seemed to be some dissension between Moore and Neal over Rosita near the end of the match, the two partners left the ring together.
Brian Kendrick defeated Robbie E. (6:42): Kendrick cut a good promo before the match talking – in his own unique way – about the plight of the X Division competitors in TNA. Kendrick wrestled almost the entire match wearing his white satin robe, which looked silly. The action here was fine but Robbie E. just isn’t over, and that made it hard to get into the match. Kendrick – who had a bloody mouth as the result of taking a stiff kick – got the win after countering a neckbreaker attempt and landing a flying kick.
Comments
It's too bad about Robbie E. getting stuck with his awful gimmick and hair. The man has some real talent. It's also a shame for AJ styles being booked in an upper midcard match instead of the title bout for yet another few months.
Posted by: Bryan | May 16, 2011 3:36 PM
Your PPV must have cut out early because Anderson got on the mic and told Sting he had something in store for him on next weeks Impact.
I hope all the people who say you are a WWE mark and you bash TNA every chance you get have noticed that you are now plunking down you're hard earned money to watch A.J Styles job To Tommy Dreamer. I was crying for my money back after that one.
Why was A.J not fighting Bully Ray? Why did anyone think it was a good idea to inject Dreammer into what was becoming a hot feud? It boggels the mind.
Posted by: Andre the Midget | May 16, 2011 4:49 PM
People lose matches clean. That doesn't neccessarily make them look weak. You win some, you lose some. That's the way pro wrestling should be.
RESPONSE FROM KE: I don't have a problem with a clean finish, but if a top babyface like RVD is going to lose there has to be a better build to it than what they did here.
Posted by: Rob Watkins | May 16, 2011 5:25 PM
"Personally, I was disappointed that Matt Morgan – who is one of the most over stars in the company – was nowhere to be found on the pay-per-view. That shouldn’t happen. I certainly would rather have seen a match between Morgan and Scott Steiner than Brian Kendrick versus Robbie E."
I heard on Sunday that Scott Steiner was not going to be able to make the pay-per-view. I didn't hear them address the situation during the ppv, and it was disappointing that they couldn't find a replacement for Matt Morgan. Why didn't they have Matt Morgan address the crowd and tell everyone that Scott Steiner is scared, and he is opening a challenge to anyone in the back? That way he can keep his momentum going.
Posted by: Brian | May 16, 2011 5:34 PM
I thought Chyna did a good job considering she's probably very rusty. I think her pop was similiar to the reaction Diesel and Booker T got at The Royal Rumble. People remember and they like to see those faces from the past interact in the present. I'm sure they can find something for her to do moving forward, even if it's just part-time.
As for the rest of Sacrifice. Enjoyed Beer Money as usual. I enjoyed the knockouts, even though it didn't make much sense. I'm liking what I'm seeing from Crimson. He's a very intriguing up and comer. He's raw but he could have a future in WWE, since TNA will probably find a way to screw it up with him.
Surprised Sting beat RVD clean, but atleast this knocks RVD out of the main event picture. Now we've got to get Sting out of it, and get Matt Morgan and Bobby Roode in. Again I'm a Sting fan going back to his UWF days, but he shouldn't be in the World Title mix pushing 60. I can go on youtube and watch the best of Sting any time. And Mr. Anderson was terrible on commentary of that match, which surprised me.
It's still not believable that Max Buck could beat Kazarian. It's obvious right now with Jay Lethal gone, that Kazarian clearly out classes the rest of the division. So just let the real cruiserweights have the X-Division title and get Kazarian involved with the TV title, and add some much needed credibility to that belt.
Tommy Dreamer must be one of the greatest ass kissers in pro wrestling history. No Matt Morgan, no Scott Steiner, no Velvet Sky, no Mr. Anderson in a match, yet Tommy Dreamer gets on a pay per view, and not only does he get to appear on the pay per view, he gets a victory over the most legitimate big time star in TNA in AJ Syles. Utterly rediculous.
To make it worse, you've got Tazz talking about how Tommy Dreamer has more big match experience than AJ, and he obviously doesn't know the history of TNA, when AJ Styles was basically all they had and he helped carry that company in it's early days. A multiple time World Champion, and one of the faces of your company, no way should AJ Styles ever lose to a Tommy Dreamer, even with outside interference.
Posted by: Maurice B. | May 16, 2011 6:06 PM
Anything TNA related isn't even watchable anymore so with that in mind I have a pressing question for you...
Who should replace Steve Carell (Michael Scott) in The Office?
Posted by: Shammers | May 16, 2011 7:35 PM
AJ Styles loose to Dreamer, Sting-RVD-Anderson neverending saga, Hulk Hogan Immortals ala NWO, Matt Morgan doens't given the ball, This is why I don't watch Impact anymore. TNA was fine before Hulk Hogan came in, now they are garbage. Enough said
Posted by: AIRA | May 16, 2011 11:46 PM
TNA Sacrifice was a decent show, but the main event lacked real drama. I suppose getting RVD out of the title picture was the real goal. That said, Sting is a good moral leader for TNA but he needs to drop the belt to a younger guy.
I loved the Angle-Chyna match against the Jarretts. For me, Karen Angle has done a great job playing the spoiled brat queen. I think TNA can milk this angle for months. And it certainly will allow Chyna to have a major role in TNA if they see fit to sign her long term.
The X division finally got a match on PPV and I thought it was decent. I think it would be wise for TNA to focus on the X division and build that mid-card up.
The Knockouts are still really excellent, the best women out there in terms of wrestling talent. I don't think Kong or Kharma as she is now known can save the DIVAs in WWE.
The tag team match with Beer Money hopefully will lead to Robert Roode going solo. I really think that Roode should be and will be the TNA Champion at some point. The guy has great mic skills, a great look and can wrestle.
Finally, I was disgusted that Tommy Dreamer got the win over AJ Styles. If TNA wants to draw fans, they need to push Styles, Morgan and Roode. This could be the triumvirate that could lead TNA to glory. I did not mention Mr. Anderson because his entire persona has grown old and his commentary was horrible last night. Give him his title shot and then send him back to the mid-card where he belongs.
Overall, TNA needs to improve the story lines and get the heck out of the Impact Zone. If we had events that were taped in arenas or live, it would enhance the product.
Posted by: MS | May 17, 2011 12:27 AM
Your analysis of the match between Beer Money and Hardy and Harris made me laugh aloud. Well played sir, well played.
Posted by: Jon | May 17, 2011 7:03 AM
Yeah...that was a continuance of the dissapointments of the last iMPACT, instead of the continuance of some of the positive momentum we'd seen in the weeks of iMPACT preceding--and not a good sign as far as TNA breaking the glass ceiling that almost seemed it was starting to happen.
I'd actually expand on Mr. Eck's bewilderment at Anderson's commentary during the title match---anyone who regularly reads the comments here knows that I am an Anderson mark---However, as being a mark is suspending disbelief because of the quality of the character----I was pulled completely out of liking Anderson during his horrible commentary, (he had the computer---was he being fed lines or directions on it directly--or was he ad-libbing with bullet points fed to him via the laptop?)--and combined with his inappropriate comments on the preceding iMPACT--I all of a sudden am having trouble working up any enthusiasm for him--which is saying a lot because I'd looked previously at him as one of the guys leading TNA into the future. The big thing is that all of a sudden--he doesn't say or do anything funny anymore--this was the heart of the a@@hole character--that he was insultingly funny and likably brash---not annoyingly unfunny and apparently ignorant.
I agree on the Sting/RVD finish. This was inexplicable. Sting had his string of defenses to cap off his career with and his part in the program as far as coutering Hogan and pushing for the "young guys in the back" was well done. To then have him unbelievably defend with a clean finish against a man three times his superior at this point is not only dumb--but kills momentum. There was a great story waiting to happen as far as RVD's superior in-ring ability vs. Anderson's promo ability and and in-ring toughness minus in-ring polish that TNA had already touched on and that was a natural for a good program.
I didn't like Morgan's absence--but didn't hate Kendrick. I liked the in-ring storytelling as far as him being whacked out and trying to simultaneously befriend and injure everybody like some deranged hippy prone to strange fits of violence.(Hebner refusing to raise his hand after the match and just getting the hell away from him was funny.) Kendrick was plain good, no matter the rest.
All in all, the problem seemed to me that these were not PPV matches, but matches that could have taken place on iMPACT, and even then would not have equaled the quality of some of the things that we saw in the last few weeks with the exception of the equally vapid go-home show.
We've all said WTF with TNA before, but go##amnit, they were actually improved beyond anything we'd ever seen before the debacle of the last iMPACT and this mediocre PPV. Now we've left RVD in the crapper---we've somehow managed to compromise Anderson's push---we've disappeared Morgan again---we've let Jeff Jarrett steal the spotlight from more worthy angles, (yes that's a pun), with a guest appearance that views like a fifteen minute gimmick---and yes--I'm an ECW fan from before they got a T.V. or PPV deal--and what a load of crap to have Dreamer beat Styles. It was bad enough that the angle extended past just having Dreamer attack A.J. out of threat of firing to add heat to Ray. Now not only has Dreamer been mis-booked in a PPV, he has actually beaten A.J. for no explicable reason. His old-school working class cred is quickly evaporating under a real-life heat of being another old man who can't understand that he needs to get out of the way. Ray re-invented himself and got a pass---Dreamer and Sting have not, and shouldn't believe--I think especially in Dreamer's case---that because Ray did, they can too. I'm just really deflated by the overall mediocrity---and the nadir of certain points. I do believe that, like drug addicts, if they make the decision to just STOP being morons at TNA creative, that they can still build on the better things they've been doing lately--but they have to STOP the same old crap right quick. It's like if we give Russo and the rest an inch of approval and praise--they then take a mile soiled with their own self-deluded horse-dung.
Posted by: DumbSmark | May 17, 2011 9:52 AM
I totally agree with AIRA. TNA used to be really cool. The X division was great with the MCMGs, Homicide, Suicide, ect. The World Elite was sweet. Now, you have former WWE castaways as the top stars. A few thoughts about the modern state of TNA:
1- Enough with WWE castoffs in championship matches. (With exception for Matt Morgan who never really got his run in WWE) I am tired of seeing RVD (And I was a huge fan of his during the Invasion era), Mr Anderson, Fat Hardy, ect.
2- Speaking of WWE castoffs, its time to let Taz go. He is a HORRIBLE announcer.
3- It time for Hogan and Bischoff to ride into the sunset and Hogan to retire. The whole Immortal story line smells worse than compost on a 90 degree day.
4- What happened to the X division???? They let Jay Lethal go and now its getting worse. Robbie E needs a new gimmick. Who is under the suicide mask now?
5- What happened to the knockout division??? Before you had good talent but now its WWE castoffs and women who would probably survive if thrown off the side of a boat.
6- Where is Douglas Williams, the sadistic (leader of world elite) Eric Young, Brutus Magnus, and Desmond Wolfe?
Posted by: Peter | May 17, 2011 12:07 PM
TNA or IMPACT Wrestling, whatever they want to call themselves, was a much better product before Hogan/Bischoff showed up. I found it more enjoyable. Oh well. I just fast forward past Hogan when he talks now.
Posted by: gary | May 17, 2011 1:38 PM
You've probably heard this by now, but the word going around is that Stiener didn't appear on the PPV because he wants more money.
Posted by: Ken Raining | May 17, 2011 2:13 PM
It's time for Vince McMahon to do a TNA raid.
Matt Morgan , Douglas Williams, Beer Money, Ken Anderson, and Madison Rayne, (or better yet all of the Beautiful People) and just for laughs Mike Tenay, they can make his a backstage announcer/interviewer guy.
At that point TNA would be dead.
Posted by: Evan Benz | May 17, 2011 2:14 PM
@ Peter:
Rumour has it that Desmond Wolfe has HepC, and may be forced to retire because of it.
Posted by: Pb | May 17, 2011 4:34 PM
I just don't get Russo, Hogan or Bischoff and their fascination with tired worn out acts from 1999 as the crux of their stroy lines.
I'd be fine if Sting was brought in kind of like Taker where he wasn't champion, but rather a larger than life type figure that wrestled sporadically. I like what the WWE is doing with the Rock. He's not an every story line figure, and is being billed for a 1 time mege show. Kind of like when Sugar Ray Leonard came back to fight Hagler (I know I am dating myself).
But the nonsense with Chyna, Hogan, Flair (my idol growing up, and my cringe factor as an adult), Hall (sad), Waltman (note....hair band clothes were out in 1999, let alone 2011), etc..
Why Morgan isn't more of a focus is beyond me. Same with Roode.
There is talent on that roster, but the big issue is there is a fear factor in turning it over to them.
I've written it before and I will write it again....Russo, Hogan and Bischoff are one trick ponies and they will keep the same stuff churning over and over again trying to recreate magic that was once in a lifetime.
Posted by: Dan | May 17, 2011 4:44 PM
@ Peter
Most of your comments are more than justified----but RVD and Taz aren't exactly WWE castoffs---they are ECW stars who happened to get caught in the fallout of ECW and WCW being absorbed by McMahon.
Everybody has different tastes for things, but I actually find Taz to be pretty entertaining. He has a dry sense of humor, and a sometimes deadpan and understated delivery of some of his best material.
Actually, I'd have to say because it isn't mentioned that much that Taz and Tenay work fairly well together. They're not the Brain and Gorilla, but they work well off from each other, and Taz's sometimes bizarre humor coupled with Tenay's well-put over "serious announcer" schtick sometimes saves matches for me that otherwise would be horrible.
(iMPACT two weeks ago...Tenay--"Now it's Velvet in the ring.." Taz: "We're getting a little female on female action here...we just had a little male on male.."(mumbling)"well--for people who like that kind of thing. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's okay to be different...")
Posted by: DumbSmark | May 17, 2011 4:44 PM
The reason Steiner was not apart of the show was he was headlining an independent show in Canada, where he is that company's champion. What does this say about TNA?
Posted by: mjk | May 17, 2011 7:46 PM
@DumbSmark:
I think I dont like taz because he says some really off the wall things. I grew up with some awesome announcers like Joey Styles, JR, Jerry Lawler and Paul Heyman.
ECW was cool.....for two years (97, 98). But all this ECW nostalgia is getting to be too much. Tommy Dreamer was good......in his fued with Raven only. RVD was great in his early fued with Jeff Hardy during the Invasion era and then WWE really did not know what to do with him except for make him say "Dude" alot. I grew up in an area where we got to see ECW during the 90s at 1 am on what was Empire Sports in Buffalo. I cant do the nostalgia of pay per views for ECW anymore. The first ONS was enough for me. And even then WWE had to ruin it. I miss the MNW and really wish that TNA (or Impact, or whatever hogan wants to call it tomorrow) will get their junk in order and start trying to write legitimate wresting and push guys who can legitimately carry the company. Like Matt Morgan or Robert Roode. Its time for Hogan to bring back the six sided rings and the Ultimate X matches. Its time to stand out again from the PG WWE and compete with Vince. Stop making people like AJ do the job to Tommy Dreamer. Stop pushing characters like Robbie E. Bring back the home grown talent and push them to the moon. Anderson may be the number one contender but we all know it should be Morgan. And why, for the last two years or so, do they give Matt Morgan momentum and then stop? Any TNA fan knows that he is championship material. Give him the gold!!!!! Dixie Carter, take your company back!!!! Jeff Jarrett, stop with the crappy matches and take your company back from a 58 year old former world champion and his cronie and bring back the TNA we love and miss!!!!
Posted by: Peter | May 17, 2011 9:03 PM
WWE is on top because of the original ECW... think about it. WCW was killing the WWF with their product from mid 96-spring of 98. WWF had to re-define themselves with their "attitude era" by stealing what the original ECW had been doing with their product... it's just a shame ECW didn't have the money/more financial saavy to compete with WWF or WCW, and everything was taken from them - creative ideas, talent, etc....
Paul Heyman took nothing and turned it into something... people still talk about ECW to this day so obviously it made an impact
Anyways, if TNA wants to really compete with WWE, suggest they go with a Paul Heyman for behind the scenes full creative control and have someone else in there with money smarts...... but we know Paul Heyman will never accept and TNA will never go with him (or be able to obtain him if he agreed to come in) as long as the WCW regime is in TNA
Posted by: Jon | May 18, 2011 8:52 AM
I'm pretty sure that TNA is now just Impact Wrestling, which is a welcome change from Hogan/Bishoff's talk no action wrestling. Maybe Russo will get to book some matches, he really does need to be the Vince McMahon of Impact, as in he should have the last say.
Posted by: Bob | May 18, 2011 8:55 AM
@Evan Benz:
I agree. A raid by Vince should take Morgan, Robert Roode, Samoa Joe, Velvet Sky, AJ (why should TNA keep him if he is frequently going to job to Tommy Dreamer?). I agree about Mike Tenay. Maybe they can use him on smackdown
Posted by: peter | May 18, 2011 9:24 AM
@ Peter
I agree with most of your sentiments completely---I wasn't really trying to exhibit an ECW nostalgia--just pointing out a gripe I have that no wrestler is seen or has been seen as being "over" until he or she has worked for WWE. I've never given McMahon much credit for his "product" and never will if he keeps up the same control freak issues.
Your exposition on RVD sums it up for me---RVD was fine until WWE had him say "Dude" a lot and didn't focus on his character---Vince has done this to every wrestler that comes his way that he didn't have a personal hand in creating. It allows him to constantly assert the dominance and control of his own company over the sake of good wrestling and of giving credence to people who have earned props wihout his help. Same goes for Taz. I started attending ECW shows as soon as they started up--and if you were there too, then you know how bad-a@@ Taz was then---hardly anybody had that kind of in-ring menace and ability--(his bridging suplexes are still amazing by any standard)--yet when he went to WWE he was one-dimensionalized, and booked to look inferior to WWE folks like Stone Cold and HHH.
I explain all of that just to say that I don't think RVD and Taz are rightly considered WWE castoffs--they're ECW main eventers--who had to work for WWE for awhile because there was no other place to go. Again--I'm not calling for nostalgia--and I would rather not see Dreamer on my screen either---but I don't like when wrestling history gets re-written by McMahon--(witness his erasure of Chris Benoit from existence---yeah the guy did a horrible thing--but the mere ability of Vince to just erase history and to have new generations of fans likely to never know the name as a result is a chilling display of a sort of power that nobody should have. To me it's in the long-run more disturbing than anything Benoit did himself.)
Anyway, I agree with you on most points--especially about Morgan--although you don't want to trust Jarrett--he's a long-time collaborator with the Bischoff crew--and there is nobody as shamelessly self-promoting as Jeff Jarrett. What the company really needs is a brand new creative team that has no ties to any former company or era.
Posted by: DumbSmark | May 18, 2011 10:23 AM
@DumbSmark:
I agree with you. Taz was awesome in ECW. Especially his fued with Bam Bam. But WWE killed his character. I was watching RAW from 2001 and noticed that he took the most whippings from Stone Cold when he was in the alliance. Was there a reason for that?
I hate how Vince forgets certain wrestlers. Why is Owen Hart not in the hall of fame? Why ignore Benoit if he had one of the greatest wrestlemania matches of all time. I have a hard time watching Raw and smackdown and I want to see the TNA that I grew to like. Not ken anderson acting like a brat.
Posted by: peter | May 19, 2011 8:44 AM
@ Peter
You're dead on about Hart--and I think it links to Benoit. If something calls to mind an incident that Vince feels tarnishes his precious marketing image--he just pretends it didn't happen--whether it negates a performer's hard work and sacrifice or not. Hart is more grievous than Benoit because he didn't do anything wrong except participate in a poorly planned stunt.
I think Taz took the most beatdowns from Stone Cold because he had the ECW rep. It made Austin, in Vince's eyes, look that much more tough--except that it isn't clear why Taz couldn't have kept his character and he and Stone Cold could have BOTH occupied top postitions as bad-a@@es---except when you're Vince, a control freak--and you can't stand to think anybody might create something equal to your own creations. It's apparent at this point that he has some kind of mental and emotional issues with control. (and we could note that it doesn't really make HHH or Austin look that tough to beat up Taz when he was never booked to be as tough in Vince's company as in ECW in the first place).
Your reason for pulling for TNA is the same as mine. Vince needs a competitor. The most compelling era in his company that he ever pulled off was when he had to honestly compete with WCW and had to go outside his own box and try new things and give chances to wrestlers that were over with the fans organically--instead of pushing his premade action figures. The ironic thing is that Benoit, Guerrero and Jericho---the nails in WCW's coffin, were brought to WWE precisely because Nash, Bischoff, Hogan and the rest started playing the same "I know best" games that Vince plays--and Vince took three fan faves that were being misused and let them loose. It's on record that most of Jericho's ideas in WCW were very much his own--and he built himself--(his "conspiracy victim" gimmick remains one of wrestling's funniest moments for me).
As soon as competition was gone, Vince waited until he had milked his ECW and WCW acquisitions for all they were worth--(in the process de-legitimizing their accomplishments---It's a mark of how brainwashed he keeps his younger fans that Heyman and the Alliance went over as heels for speaking the truth about Vince's company)---he then went back to his old games--and hung the primary colors and Super-American gimmick on Cena that he hung on Hogan twenty years previous--and went right back to square one. Vince, without competition, has ideas like Doink the Clown, or taking a talent like Orton and making him a mindless, one-dimensional marketing gimmick for ten year olds with the whole "Viper" thing. There's a way that could work--but not by having him writhe around like a snake and having his theme song explain to people who apparently have three firing brain cells that he hears "voices" his head.
TNA, unfortunately, under the current regime, thinks and acts a lot like McMahon. I like Ken Anderson's current character less and less all the time---but I think it's more that I don't like the way he's being portrayed. Last year, Anderson's a@@hole character was funny and articulate, (remember the James Storm joke? "Hey, Quick Draw McGraw...there are two types of people who wear glasses inside...blind people..and douchebags"...), and he was a joy to watch and mark out for. Now he is bland and whiny and not funny. I don't think that's Ken Anderson the wrestler's fault. I think we can link it back to TNA creative. If it wasn't broke, why fix it? It's not clear with some of these people.
The Wars convinced all of them of their own brilliance--and we as fans STILL suffer, because they can't understand how ten years of declining interest in wrestling and slipping ratings means that the best things they did were linked to how WE as fans wanted them. They were competing, and trying new ideas and characters--when the fans liked one--it was a no-brainer to keep it rolling however it worked. Now they all believe, like Moses, that they were the ones who brought water from the rock. It's working out fantastically at both companies, isn't it?
Posted by: DumbSmark | May 19, 2011 1:05 PM
Seriously, why is the title still on Sting? All due respect to Steve Borden, but the 'Wrestling Matters' shtick wears a little thin with a 52-year-old World Champion cleanly beating everyone in sight.
Talking of the title picture..... where are the heels? On the face side we have Sting, Anderson, RVD, Morgan, Angle and Styles all potentially in the main-event picture, and Joe and Roode deserving to be in there too. I'm not even sure who is the top heel in the company these days. Bully Ray? Jarrett? Matt Hardy had a great PPV match with RVD not long ago, but doesn't seem to be anywhere near consideration for a PPV main event.
And if we must continue to have face vs face for the title, how about Styles vs RVD? We saw it a year ago with Styles as heel, but that doesn't stop me wanting to see it again. Styles vs Morgan would make me happy too.
Posted by: Starbjuck | May 19, 2011 2:38 PM
@DumbSmark:
Finally, someone who remembers the Invasion era!!! I really enjoyed that era only because of some of the matchups. The way they treated Taz and RVD is the same way Vince treated DDP and Booker T. I hated that they took a great wrestler like DDP and made him into a stalker. Or how they took the WCW champion and made him look like, as booker would say, a chump. I agree with you about Vince. He is so out of touch with the fans. Yeah, we like John Cena, but we dont believe he is godlike. Yeah, we liked DX back in 98 and their reunion years later, yet the jokes and seeing Triple H win with Shawn Michaels help. Remember, WWE had AJ Styles, Robert Roode, and Samoa Joe for dark matches. I really feel that was a huge win for TNA. But my point is that it shows how Vince is very narrow sighted. He pushes people down our throats and then wonders why people dont take him seriously. He goes away from the term wrestling and calls it entertainment. Its nothing new, its just the same junk we saw in the late 80s and early 90s. Geared for kids and going away from the demographic that made it. I want to see, and keep hoping to see, TNA come up with a story line that just catches on with everyone and makes alot of new stars as well as showing off all the TNA talent that has been carrying the company. Vince needs competition. And most of all, he needs to give credit to some. Some like Owen Hart, Chris Beniot, Randy Savage, ect. Induct them into the hall of fame. They made money for you and fans still appreciate their wrestling.
One of the things I really like about this blog is that most of my facebook friends are not into wrestling so its an opportunity to voice my opinion. Thank you for having it and keep up the good work.
Posted by: peter | May 20, 2011 1:17 PM