What originally started out as a criticism of the re-launch of Impact has now morphed into a general criticism of TNA’s approach to basically everything. If this veers into an unintelligible rant a lá Ric Flair I apologise, but it’s hard to stay focused when discussing this shambles of a company.
Mick Foley has recently published an apology of sorts for leaving Impact, and in effect, killing the whole angle of the re branding. But to be honest, as much as it hurts to say this Mick, you’re wrong. Sure it would have been better to leave either before this nonsense began, or after Destination X, but in all honesty none of that matters. The good that Mick sees in TNA isn’t related to the product at all, it’s that it was “a very good place to work, full of good people, who treated me and my family very well.”
So the rumour mill has it that the WWE is concerned about how SmackDown is doing and felt that Randy Orton would be a big enough draw to cover the loss of Edge, and how wrong they were. Talk of canceled weekend house shows and lacklustre crowd response to the main eventers all add up to what on the outside looks like a very worrying time for the "B-show".
But let’s take a second and a step back to look at what’s actually happening on the blue brand. We have three credible, former champions competing for the big gold belt, coming off arguably the best match at Over The Limit, and with the current Christian 'heel turn' the feud could go in a new very interesting direction. The heel turn for Christian is a very interesting move on the WWE's part due to the fact he is actually acting less of a heel than Orton has in the last few weeks. Put simply, while still remaining face, Orton has basically been a dick in the feud with Christian and has used circumstances very much to his advantage. Yet Christian will be the one walking out of this feud the bad guy.
Whilst this post will be a break from the usual commentary style of things, and break a more personal note, It’s something that had to be done.
The comment “wrestling is fake, why do you watch it?” is one that most wrestling fans have thrown at them on a regular basis. Like most TV, it has been long established that sports entertainment is written by a team of writers before being acted out in the ring. So why is that any different to your average soap or film?
Lets be honest here, it’s probably safe to say that outside of perhaps people under the age of 12, anyone reading this knows the truth about how real or fake professional wrestling is. So why am I bringing this long discussed and worn out topic up? Well that’s because I just watched the first episode of the new series of Tough Enough, the vehicle in which USA hopes they will be able to find the next WWE superstar, something that might surprise those watching NXT for that exact purpose.
The Jeff Hardy situation at Victory Road has thrown a spotlight on TNA, and it's hardly the one they would have hoped for. With WWE currently engaging Twitter fans with a war of words between The Rock, John Cena and The Miz, the only thing being discussed about TNA is how Jeff Hardy ever made it to the ring.
To be frank, that the decision to cut short the match appeared to take place only after both Hardy and Sting had made their way to the ring was nothing short of ludicrous, showing a stark contrast in levels of professionalism between TNA and the WWE. Does anyone believe that if Jerry Lawler had turned up clearly unfit to compete that he would ever have made it out for his match against The Miz at Elimination Chamber last month? It's unthinkable. Chances are he'd never have left the dressing room. Yet when this situation occurs in TNA, it took until Hardy's entrance music hitting for anyone to realise there was a serious problem.
As you've no doubt gathered from the post below, I was somewhat skeptical of the Undertaker-Triple H match scheduled for Wrestlemania 27.
However, thus far, the WWE seems to have avoided all the traps I feared they would fall into. Triple H has not put his career on the line, and the talk has simply been of both men leaving it all in the ring, which is as it should be. No Holds Barred means we can actually get that. For once it's not to allow someone to win by underhand means legally, it's simply so that the pair can go hell for leather, with no concerns other than giving the audience the best possible match they can.
The following was originally posted on February 23rd, and is copied in here to provide context for the next post.
So, The Undertaker against Triple H looks to be on at Wrestlemania 27. It should be a tremendous match. You've got two of the biggest names and best performers of the last two decades making their long awaited returns. So why don't I want to see it?
It comes down to, as ever, the rumours circulating about Triple H. If they are to be believed, he's wanting to call it a day. Whilst I absolutely think it's the wrong decision if he wants to call it a day, then I can't really argue. He'd be going out, much like his longtime friend Shawn Michaels on top of his game, if you'll excuse the pun. Which is clearly better than continuing long after you have anything to offer, as another friend of his, Scott Hall has done.
