Impact Support Club House

[JamJam]

Joe should definitely be a big star by now, probably the #2 guy behind AJ Styles. Styles/Joe should've been TNA's Cena/Orton If that makes sense. Not in the sense that they should feud all the time but in the sense that they should've been TNA's two biggest stars. I think Joe can still turn it up in the ring so hopefully they book him well. He was always a favorite of mine.

Also, can we please get rid of Abyss?

 

[Starkist]

I totally get what you're saying, Jam. Somoa Joe & Styles were so over back in the day it was insane.

 

[Dirk]

I like Joe a lot, really I do. I just don't whether I'd put him as a #1 ahead of Roode, Storm or Aries. An occasional WHC run? Sure! He is more than good enough to get better booking than he's getting.

 

[JamJam]

I like Joe a lot, really I do. I just don't whether I'd put him as a #1 ahead of Roode, Storm or Aries. An occasional WHC run? Sure! He is more than good enough to get better booking than he's getting.

Oh yeah, definitely. But back in the day, Joe was definitely the #1 guy for TNA. But wow, if TNA's main event was Roode, Storm, Aries, Joe, Styles, and let's throw in EC3 in there, then that'd be a hell of a main event scene. Not sure what they're doing with Storm since it seems a bit random but I think if they retool him, he'll be a great character for TNA.

So many what if's with TNA.

 

[Dirk]

Not sure what they're doing with Storm since it seems a bit random but I think if they retool him, he'll be a great character for TNA.

Yeah, he's another one that could do well with a push. If the Revolution doesn't get the belt from Roode, something is rotten in the state of Dixieland. Daniels already left without ever being champ. If the same were to happen to Storm...

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

Yeah, he's another one that could do well with a push. If the Revolution doesn't get the belt from Roode, something is rotten in the state of Dixieland. Daniels already left without ever being champ. If the same were to happen to Storm...

Storm's already a former World Champ. He did beat Kurt Angle, didnt he?

 

[The Dragon Saga]

He held it for like a day. I never saw James Storm as a main event caliber guy, definitely not any promotions World Champion. His best runs were in tag teams, he is the Neidhart to Roode's Bret Hart, the difference being TNA decided to keep Neidhart around and hes just gone from one irrelevant program to another since his feud with Roode.

Samoa Joe was the absolute shit back in the day. The pop he got in his debut was insane. Joe was a machine, a walking, talking, ass kicking machine. I still have a feeling he can be the same now, but I don't think he has the motivation and they'd have to book him very strong, which at this juncture is unlikely with the many losses hes taken.

 

[klunderbunker]

Press release on third Destination America TNA show.

Spoiler

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 22, 2014




DESTINATION AMERICA EXPANDS WEEKEND WRESTLING LINEUP WITH

ADDITION OF TNA WRESTLING'S GREATEST MATCHES





(Silver Spring, Md.) – Destination America today announced it is adding TNA WRESTLING'S GREATEST MATCHES to its weekend lineup of wrestling programming. An hour-long show, GREATEST MATCHES presents the most remarkable and unforgettable contests of iconic TNA superstars such as Kurt Angle, Sting, Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson, Samoa Joe and AJ Styles. TNA Wrestling's Greatest Matches debuts with a three episode mini-marathon on Saturday, January 10 beginning at 10 AM ET followed by two new additional premieres on Friday January 16 at 9AM. TNA WRESTLING'S GREATEST MATCHES will continue to premiere in its regular time slot starting January 17 on Saturdays at 12PM.



"We joined forces with TNA because of their rich history with wrestling and have compiled an incredible anthology of TNA WRESTLING'S GREATEST MATCHES to share with our audience," said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. "We're bringing fans and viewers together as we celebrate the wildest, the most intense, and the most jaw-dropping moments in the careers of some of the best professional wrestlers in the world with TNA WRESTLING'S GREATEST MATCHES."



"The legacy of TNA is best celebrated by looking at the amazing moments created by our iconic wrestlers in their finest matches," said TNA president Dixie Carter. "It's why we are so thrilled to bring TNA WRESTLING'S GREATEST MATCHES to the ever-growing lineup on Destination America, the new home for fans looking for professional wrestling at its best."



With a special LIVE broadcast, IMPACT WRESTLING debuts on Destination America on Wednesday, January 7 from 9-11 PM ET, televised from New York City's legendary Manhattan Center. IMPACT WRESTLING moves to its regular time slot on Fridays from 9-11 PM ET beginning January 16 on Destination America. IMPACT WRESTLING: UNLOCKED, with announcer Mike Tenay, will kick off Saturday wrestling with premieres in its permanent (again, regular) time slot on Saturdays from 10 AM-12 PM ET followed by brand-new episodes of TNA WRESTLING'S GREATEST MATCHES at 12PM.





January Airings of TNA Wrestling's Greatest Matches include:

Saturday, January 10

· 10 AM ET: Best of Sting

· 11 AM ET: Best of Kurt Angle

· 12 PM ET: Best of Kurt Angle Part 2



Friday, January 16

· 9 AM ET: Best of Ron Van Dam

· 10 AM ET: Best of Mr. Anderson

Saturday, January 17 at 12 PM ET: Best of Jeff Hardy



Friday, January 23 at 1 PM ET: Best of The Knockouts



Saturday, January 24 at 12 PM ET: Best of Samoa Joe



Saturday, January 31 at 12 PM ET: Best of Bully Ray





About Destination America

Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in more than 57 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation. Destination America features travel, food, adventure, home, and natural history, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters; A Haunting; Mountain Monsters; Buying Alaska; Buying the Bayou; and Railroad Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com, facebook.com/DestinationAmerica, or twitter.com/DestAmerica. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 pay-TV provider reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.



About TNA Entertainment, LLC

TNA Entertainment, LLC, is a privately held sports entertainment company represented by United Talent Agency and based in Nashville, Tenn., specializing in events, products, numerous TV properties, merchandise and music, as well as the management and promotion of professional wrestlers. The roster features such greats as Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle, MVP, Lashley, Magnus, James Storm, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Gail Kim and the lovely and lethal Knockouts, through its highly successful flagship IMPACT WRESTLING weekly broadcast, which will begin airing on Discovery Communications' Destination America in January 2015. The product is the world's most innovative experience in professional wrestling and is broadcast in more than 120 countries. For more information, please visit www.IMPACTWRESTLING.com.



# # #



Please visit the Press Website at press.discovery.com/us/da/programs/impact-wrestling for additional press materials

Follow us on Twitter at @DestAmerica

Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/DestinationAmerica

Visit us online at DestinationAmerica.com



Follow TNA President Dixie Carter @TNADixie

Follow IMPACT WRESTLING @IMPACTWRESTLING

I guess Ron Van Dam is Rob's less drug addicted cousin.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I guess Ron Van Dam is Rob's less drug addicted cousin.

The bastard child of JCVD and Ron Burgundy?

 

[klunderbunker]

Oh and before IDR comes in here to say I'm just nitpicking:

It's a fine idea to introduce the new audience to the top players, but if that's the case, why do a Sting and Bully Ray episode? Maybe they have to fill in some spots?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Again, they were there for like a decade. That's why.

Why do you keep getting so hung up with the fact these guys play for the other side now? That's not relevant to the fact TNA owns a wealth of library footage of their time in TNA. Why would you not capitalize on that, in fact, and show that footage to your new audience?

 

[klunderbunker]

Again, they were there for like a decade. That's why.

Why do you keep getting so hung up with the fact these guys play for the other side now? That's not relevant to the fact TNA owns a wealth of library footage of their time in TNA. Why would you not capitalize on that, in fact, and show that footage to your new audience?

New TNA fan: "Dang these guys are kind of cool. I'd like to see more of them."

Old TNA fan: "They're gone."

New TNA fan: "Oh......well the other guys are good enough I guess."

That's why. You don't show the other guys, there's no disappointment that they're not around. It's good for fans that are going to be around long term, but that's not who TNA needs to play towards.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

The show is about TNA's greatest matches. Why would you obfuscate that by intentionally muting some of your biggest stars, simply because they aren't with the company anymore? This is the same argument we just had over your objection to the Sting/Hogan match being a part of TNA's top-20 countdown.

These events occurred and occurred in a TNA ring. They are as much the part of the fabric of the company's history as other, similar incidents involving performers who may not be there any longer.

If WWE were putting together a "Best of Summer Slam" show with the top-10 matches, why the hell would they intentionally leave out Hart v. Mr. Perfect because neither guy wrestles anymore?

And if your answer is "because WWE isn't trying to buy new fans", my response is the same re: TNA. The new network isn't really about buying new fans either. It's about buying back the old ones with a re-established product. It's pretty clear based on their reach and the market share the WWE holds in the pro-wrestling realm that there's a ceiling as to what TNA can or cannot command by means of eyes.

 

[klunderbunker]

Clarification: I have no problem with it being on the top 20 moments. I had a (minor) problem with it being the thing that closed the episode.

No WWE wouldn't, but they're in a different place than TNA at the moment.

I'd agree on the ceiling, but I put the vast majority of their limits on the management/direction the company takes more often than not than anything else. Tweak some of that stuff and I'd think that ceiling could be expanded.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I don't. Not without another twenty or thirty years of consistent exposure. The only thing that could possibly ever challenge WWE in the wrestling market (as in not MMA or the NFL) is another wrestling company who simply hang around for forty years. By the sheer history of being around, you may just be able to slowly (and I mean slowly) eat away at the dominant market share WWE has. You accomplish this by attacking/targeting new generations of fans who've yet to be sold on either product. Which is why it takes decades, not months, to sway the needle. The fact of the matter is, once you've affixed yourself to a brand, it's incredibly difficult to pry that brand away from someone. I'm living proof of that.

And for what its worth, the cap on their ceiling is a toxic combination of poor management decisions thats lead to serious brand damage among wrestling fans (to the point they're probably not giving it a chance again), a network with a small reach and simply being a company that's still too young to be in a position like WWE was when it soared.

 

[klunderbunker]

I don't. Not without another twenty or thirty years of consistent exposure. The only thing that could possibly ever challenge WWE in the wrestling market (as in not MMA or the NFL) is another wrestling company who simply hang around for forty years. By the sheer history of being around, you may just be able to slowly (and I mean slowly) eat away at the dominant market share WWE has. You accomplish this by attacking/targeting new generations of fans who've yet to be sold on either product. Which is why it takes decades, not months, to sway the needle. The fact of the matter is, once you've affixed yourself to a brand, it's incredibly difficult to pry that brand away from someone. I'm living proof of that.

And for what its worth, the cap on their ceiling is a toxic combination of poor management decisions thats lead to serious brand damage among wrestling fans (to the point they're probably not giving it a chance again), a network with a small reach and simply being a company that's still too young to be in a position like WWE was when it soared.

I'm not talking about challenging WWE as that's virtually impossible at this point. That's not being realistic.

What I'm talking about is being heads and shoulders above everyone else, because that's doable. Look at ROH, which has been around for almost literally the same amount of time. They've jumped up in the last year or two for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is they've been trying something different. TNA has the roster to be a different form of wrestling entertainment.

Look back to 2007 when the company was arguably at its peak. The focus was on fast paced action and basic, well done stories. Having a corrupt authority figure with the personality of a turnip isn't going to make TNA grow. It's going to make them look like WWE Lite, and that's not going to make outsiders care.

Getting people talking about things like Skipper's cage walk, AJ Styles diving over rows of people, Samoa Joe moving like Rey Mysterio and Beer Money vs. the Guns got people talking and paying attention. If TNA were to treat ROH and NJPW and PWG and companies like that as your competition, you can build up more of a following, even if it's online. Get people interested and then their next TV contract might be more valuable. Saying "Hey, look what we used to have" and showing a bunch of guys in their 40s and 50s isn't going to do that.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I'll give you this much — I'd much rather those particular "best of" spots were on a guys like Roode and Storm. I just don't take as much umbrage over the idea of Ray, Sting, etc. having featured spots here. In reality, there are only two guys on the entire list who I think you could make a solid argument against being on the list, and that's RVD and Anderson, who would be better served Roode and Storm, or even AJ Styles, considering the wealth of video footage and incredible matches he's had in the company.

But even RVD had a pretty tremendous run in TNA, so you could fight in favor of him.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'd agree on Anderson. He had some of the most forgettable World Title reigns I've ever seen.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

It's not just that — he just doesn't have the same historic set of matches that you'd want to point to despite the time he's spent with the company. Not next to the other guys listed. There's really only one match in TNA's history that I'd point to Anderson and go "WOW!" over, and that's the Angle match at Lockdown 2010.

 

[Thriller Ant]

It's not just that — he just doesn't have the same historic set of matches that you'd want to point to despite the time he's spent with the company. Not next to the other guys listed. There's really only one match in TNA's history that I'd point to Anderson and go "WOW!" over, and that's the Angle match at Lockdown 2010.

And that's not saying too much, since you could put one of us against Angle at Lockdown and it would be match of the night.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I wouldn't take that away from Anderson. He did a great job, and the lead-up to the match itself was great. Him coming to the ring dressed as a ******ed Angle with the bald cap on is one of the funniest moments in TNA history to me.

But I get what you are saying, and it agree with it in principle. Angle is that good, which doesn't help Anderson's case.

 

[Dirk]

Anderson post-A&8's hasn't been bad...

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Don't forget the Jokers Wild Tag Bout with him and Aries against Spud and Bully Ray - easily one of my favorite bouts of the last few years.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Anderson post-A&8's hasn't been bad...

It's not that he's a bad wrestler. He isn't. I know he isn't popular, but he's a fine working hand, and has had a fairly successful run in TNA despite his forgettable WHC days.

It's that I don't know if I'd have given him his own focus as part of a "greatest matches" segment. Certainly not over Roode or Storm, or even AJ Styles.

 

[Барбоса]

Personally, I have always thought Kenderson was shite.

Even his "great" cage match with Angle did nothing for me.