2009 Running Pro Wrestling Thread

Two of Samoa's finest.

 

I don't watch TNA. I've seen glimpses here and there. Very few glimpses. But if it can turn things around and give WWE a run for it's money, then that's better for the sport. Because it'll put the WWE's feet to the fire and hopefully it'll make better shows than the crap we often see every week.

 

There's one rumor going around that TNA could try to get a Monday time slot opposite Raw to try to slug it out with WWE. I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, I think if there's a time to do it, it would be now while Raw is still struggling with crappy guest hosts and TNA is putting on better matches and now adding some bigger names. TNA isn't afraid of violence or of sex, kind of like how WWE was in the '90s. On the other hand, I think it could be suicide to try to go up against WWE while you're still getting horrible ratings where you are. Might be interesting to watch how things develop.

 

There would be no better time to do that, though. What ratings was WCW getting on Saturday nights when it debuted Nitro? I would think TNA has a head-start on WCW in that regard.

They've got the star power (i.e. recognized names) to do it.

 

First things first: They need to be able to a) do shows live and b) do shows outside the Impact Zone. No matter what they do to the place, it's always going to look and feel like WCW syndicated programming. And it's too easy to get results weeks in advance, which undercuts the "anything can happen" vibe that works so well in wrestling (though at least they've done away with trying to do four weeks of TV in three days).

Is Smackdown a better target, or is Friday night so avoidable even TNA won't do it?

TNA doesn't have the base yet to pull it off, I don't think. But if Hogan and others (Flair, ex-Kennedy, RVD, ex-Umaga) come in, at least the ratings should pop back above 1.2 again.

Wonder if they could convince Brock Lesnar to do a limited, between UFC bout schedule? Highly unlikely and he probably doesn't want anything to do with wrestling for a long time if ever, but it'd be a good way to tweak WWE, and he might be good with that.

 

I'm not sure if it's still in effect, but Lesnar had a non-compete clause with the WWE. He tried to wrestle in Japan a couple of years ago and the WWE told him he couldn't.

RVD could be a lot of fun to watch in the X-Division. The rest of them, meh. I'm fearing a return of Brutus the Barber, Butcher, Booty-Man, Man with No Name (and I've missed a couple) Beefcake as well as Hogan bringing a general cheesiness to TNA.

Now, if Hogan tried to be a heel .... maybe it could work.

 

He sued claiming the clause was uneforcable and he won. In fact, he changed the name of his F-5 finisher to The Verdict in Japan soon after. Whether that means he can go to TNA is something I don't know, and it's probably a moo point </joey> anyway, since I can't imagine him coming in.

Probably no chance Beefcake won't be involved in some capacity since he's Hogan's bagman. Probably inoffensive as enhancement talent, but he's not even Kip James at this point. RVD would probably come in as a World title contender, unless Hogan gets there first and the belt becomes a Hogan-Nash-Sting-old guy TBA thing.

Not at first. He's always good for a welcome back pop (just look at his WM match a few years ago against Rock). In a couple of months, that'll go away, and soon after it'll be time to go the black wear route again.

 

RT @FakeAPStylebook: Avoid the archaic term "lunatic." Specify whether the subject suffers from Hulkamania or Macho Madness.

 

Both of their CDs were pretty great. Macho's was endorsed by 50 Cent! Can't go wrong there, of course.

 

Be a man, Hogan!

 

Did I call this one, or what? Maybe the WWE should hire me as a writer.

 

This episode of Raw has been pretty entertaining to me.