TNA: A Rare Opportunity at Redemption

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To say that TNA has lost its way is an understatement. To say that TNA is on the right course is an overstatement. After all, what hasn’t already been said about Impact Wrestling and it’s failure of a wrestling organization? TNA started like all wrestling organizations start, as a good idea. It didn’t always feel like a failed company but it has really been stuck in rut as of recently.

Look at PWG, ROH or Evolve. All of these are good ideas for wrestling companies. I don’t know if any of the three can grow to compete with the mighty WWE, but we know that they all have a chance to be alternatives to the WWE. Sure, they are all in their infancy by comparison, though ROH is much closer than the other two, but they have all followed the proper template to succeed. Establish new ideas and bring in new talent, only utilize aging stars to draw a dollar and let them go on good terms before they wear out their welcome. The best thing those companies did was remember that they were independent companies and not make their goal to compete with the WWE but find their own market within the business. TNA on the other hand, had the goal to compete directly with the WWE considering themselves at times just as important.

TNA tried to play in the big leagues, sure it had Sting and Kurt Angle, but who could blame them? Both men were still in their prime for a long time and able to put on great matches. As much as Sting is a WCW guy, and Angle is a WWE guy, what they did in TNA shouldn’t go uncredited. The same goes for guys such as Kevin Nash, Booker T, Dudley Boys, The Hardys, Rob Van Dam, Scott Hall, Scott Steiner and so on. When you get past  the legends and look at what TNA had, I mean what they really had, it’s unbelievable to think that they failed so miserably to compete directly with the WWE. They had Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Eric Young Bobby Roode, Jay Lethal, and the Motor City Machine Guns to name a few guys who made their biggest impressions in TNA. All of these wrestlers who are heralded as some of the very best in the world, and TNA had them all in their prime. They even had Christian, though he went by Christian Cage, when he was in his prime. He proved to everyone that he was a main event player, then he went back to WWE and they were like, “What’s a TNA? Is that a new disease? Ew gross, Christian has a TNA, Edge wear a condom.”

By all accounts, TNA should be as big as WWE is right now. Ok maybe that was a tad hyperbolic, but they should be huge. They had a great roster. They had enough veterans to bring in the casual fan and a packed list of new fresh faces for the hardcore wrestling fans. However, for some reason the wheels fell off and everyone wondered why.  Now, hindsight is 20/20, but even Hellen Keller can see that modeling an awesome wrestling organization after the WCW is a bad idea. That’s just what TNA did, they started bringin in old veteran talent, which isnt the worst thing but TNA was putting majority of the spotlight on these older guys. Most of these guys were past their prime and performed terribly by this point, but treated like the hottest agents on the market. I mean like when did a walker become the newest best weapon. Names like Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Scott Steiner, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Mick Foley, Ric Flair, the list goes on and the worst, the absolute worst, the Mount Everest of old terrible wrestlers, was Hulk Hogan.

Now, I know that Hulk Hogan is the “Babe Ruth” of wrestling. I know that without his popularity in the 80s the WWE would have never reached the level that it did. I also know that he has always been a garbage wrestler and that Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, and Ricky Steamboat were way better. Randy Savage v Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania III is heads and tails better than the entire collection of Hulk Hogan’s wrestling career, that’s including his surprisingly good match against the Rock at Wrestlemania X8. Don’t get me wrong, Young Joseph was a huge Hulkamaniac, but Young Joseph, was a stupid Idiot. I only liked him because my Uncle loved him, and my mom new about his “Eat Your Vitamins and Say Your Prayers” gimmick and only let me watch wrestling if Hulk Hogan was advertised. My parents hated wrestling, and if they ever found out about the powerful influence of wrestling has when I was a kid, I never would have become the devilishly handsome “Savior of Wrestling” that you worship today. Soon I grew up though, and would realize very quickly that Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit were a heck of a lot better in ring workers than a overly cartoony Hulk Hogan. Anyway, I digress. Hulk Hogan is well known for his backstage politics, whether that be in WWE, WCW, or TNA. TNA would come as no exception. He, and his ever loving testicle fondler Eric Bischoff, would proceed to demolish any ounce of respect that TNA had amongst wrestling fans.

Literally, today TNA wrestling is a joke. Not just because I say so, but because people actually use it as a punchline. Maybe not everyone, but a majority of wrestling fans do. Especially once they changed their name to “Impact Wrestling”. Total Nonstop Action is a terrible wrestling company name, but Impact Wrestling is something you would name your wrestling company if you were a kid playing with toys on a make shift ring that also doubled as your bed. Not that I did that everyday of my childhood…but you know what I’m saying. So TNA would soon go from up and coming promotion to a retirement home for wrestlers no one wanted to see on their TVs anymore, well at least I know I didnt want to see them on my TV anymore. Thus leading to many of its home grown talent deciding to leave. Finally, though, TNA has a chance at Redemption.

Granted, TNA still has major dead weight on its roster today. Most notably, The Hardyz and Bobby Lashley. I know, I know, how dare I insult the Hardy Boyz. No I don’t hate them, in fact I’d love to see them in WWE one day again as a farewell thing. That being said, The Final Deletion is the dumbest ******* thing I have ever seen. It was painful to watch. I know that many of you are probably like, “But it’s never been done!” “It was so original!” “It was so entertaining!” “Broken Matt Hardy is amazing!” “Broken Nero is gonna be great too!” I know you’re thinking that, and I know you’re wrong. I’m entitled to my own opinion, right? That just goes along with the whole, me being better than you thing. Also, what the hell is so great about Jeff Hardy changing his name every 3 days but altering nothing about his move set or characteristics and just adding new facepaint? Somebody, please explain the appeal to all of that. Please, I’ll wait…. nope you’re still wrong. Anyway, TNA really does have a great shot at Redemption here.

Recently the WWE has been releasing talent that fans have loved but WWE has decided had no “it” factor. Apparently “it” doesn’t include huge pops from the crowd and merchandise sales. Three of the most notable releases of late have been that of Damien Sandow, Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes. All three of these men are immense talents, both in the ring and on the mic. All three of those men drew huge reactions from the crowd any time they appeared. TNA has allegedly signed two of those three talents. We know they signed Sandow, who is now appearing as Aron Rex, and that alone is huge. Rex has natural talent on the mic, but more importantly, he has an organic talent to sell the audience. As long as he sells himself as a man who is out to prove naysayers wrong, and not as a whining punk, Aron Rex could be a huge part of making TNA great again.

I’ve yet to see if Cody Rhodes is confirmed, but if it is, GREAT. This is going to ruffle a lot of feathers. I think Cody is the most talented of the Rhodes family. I KNOW! I KNOW! CALM DOWN! That isn’t any disrespect to Dusty or Dustin, they’re great, I love them both. It’s just that Cody has a much better in ring repertoire, and has made gold out of every gimmick the WWE ever gave him. He has so much to bring tot the table and so much charisma that was untapped during his WWE run. Rhodes and Rex on the same program would be and will be great.

Now, there’s a very small chance that TNA could get Wade Barrett. It’s very slim but TNA should be trying their damnedest right now to acquire him. Barrett currently is focusing on his acting career but I’m sure there is still a part of him that itches to get back into the ring. The bare knuckle fighter is a main event talent, if possible, more so than the other two (though I’d probably still give the slight edge to Cody). He is one of those guys who should have been a World Champion during his run at least once but it never happened. I think Barrett showing up in TNA would get the biggest reaction from the wrestling world because unlike the other two wrestlers, he’s actually stayed away from the wrestling scene since leaving the WWE whereas Rhodes and Sandow worked independent wrestling events.

If TNA can successfully snag all three of these stars they have the making of a great storyline that can gain back respect and popularity from the wrestling community. They still need to move on from the Hardyz and Lashley in my opinion, but hey, baby steps. Making these moves could be the start of making TNA look like a legitimate place for great wrestlers to go to prove themselves, you don’t even have to bring in the WWE’s top guys. TNA just has to utilize your homegrown talent and popular talent they snagged from the independents, as well as capitalizing on the occasional poorly utilized mid carder from WWE who should have been a main eventer. Imagine the likes of a frustrated Cesaro leaving WWE, and TNA being able to sign him while he’s still hot…but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Truly though, TNA has finally reached a glimmer of light at the end of their tunnel, the only question is, will they “TNA it” and blow it all to hell? So what do you think? Is TNA fine where it is? Do you enjoy the current product? Do you enjoy The Hardys and Lashley or do you agree with me? Could these acquisitions get TNA to go where it needs be? Or is TNA just over and needs to die already?

Let me know in the comments below.

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For TheWrestlingClassic.com, I’m “The Savior” Joseph Reds