Backstage Tensions at Hardcore Justice?

[Bigrog25]

By Jason Powell

There was a major argument between Hulk Hogan and TNA head writer Vince Russo at the Hardcore Justice pay-per-view last Sunday regarding the finish of the Kurt Angle vs. Sting main event. Hogan was frustrated enough that he was telling people that Russo doesn't know anything because he's never been a wrestler.*

Hogan and Russo made up at the Impact Wrestling taping on Monday. However, there has been noticeable tension among some of the power players in the company at the three days of Impact Wrestling tapings that followed.


UPDATE:
Since I posted this story on Wednesday, I was told that Hogan and Russo were actually still going over the finish with Sting and Kurt Angle as the Hardcore Justice event was taking place. Several people have stated that the tension between the power players in the company did more damage to the already poor locker room morale.

My question for everyone is, what do you think Hogan/Russo were arguing about? What will be the ramifications from this incident? Will all be made well as they seemed to do at the IW taping, or could this be the straw that breaks the camels back in regards of Russo or Hogan getting the boot? Personally, from everything I hear, Russo is slowly but surely being pushed out by Hogan/Bischoff/ even now Jarrett.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I wouldn't put too much stock in this. Tensions are apparently always flaring up at TNA shows. At least it's always reported that way. I'd believe it given the amount of different personalities and philosophies there. However I don't know how much it really matters.

Hogan probably wanted to pull a Wrestlemania 9 and win the strap or some shit. Not really but it'd b funny. In all likelihood it was probably that Hogan didn't want Angle to be an alley with him. Too many big fishes in one place if you know what I mean.

 

[ABMorales787]

Dirtsheets are always throwing stories about backstage disputes and low morale in TNA yet when currently signed workers speak in public, they boast about how motivated they are. Stepford smiles or not, I'd rather believe the actual people of the company than the people who have had a rather lousy track record as of late.

 

[This Is My Name Thank You]

There's also a report on this on another site stating about how EB made the X division guys redo a match up becuase he didn't like the original finish.

And as of this the power struggle has been talked about last year and it is tending to get old. Maybe its true or maybe its not. It comes down to Dixie Carter and wether she needs Russo or Hogan an CO. It is sad in genreal because I am a fan of TNA/IW and wish these reports weren't surfaced as much. It really can kill and hurt the morale of the locker room. I mean who wants to work for a company where upper management can't get along? I would not personally as the negaitive sprial will eventually lead downwards. An thats what it seems to be doing now.

I enjoy what Hogan has done so far an I enjoyed Russo before Hogan joined. Do i prefer them guys not really, no. But they are there and hopefully they can work things out or either that Dixie comes in and she makes the choice on who stays or not. Eventually something will break and I hope it doesn't hurt TNA/IW in the long run.

Side note Do you think TNA wanted to originally call themselves Impact Wrestling Championship??? instead of Impact Wrestling???

 

[Poop Master Flex]

My question for everyone is, what do you think Hogan/Russo were arguing about?

Chances are they were fighting over who should win, I bet Hogan said Sting should and Russo said Angle should. My guess is they weren't agreeing who was leaving that night champion or else it wouldn't have went far. Either that or there was a disagreement over the finish (maybe someone wanted Angle to win clean and the other one wanted some lame run in finish). Outside of that I don't see them arguing huge.

What will be the ramifications from this incident?

There will definitely be no ramifications for this incident. Sure morale was damaged a bit but its already pretty bad from what I can hear, sounds like no one is happy in TNA at the current moment. Hogan or Russo definitely won't get disciplined, for some reason TNA acts like these to are irreplaceable (something I laugh at) but they are both expendable assets (or liabilities) at this point. Besides they made up so at this point there is no real reason to discipline them for arguing over a finish.

Will all be made well as they seemed to do at the IW taping, or could this be the straw that breaks the camels back in regards of Russo or Hogan getting the boot?

Like I said above, neither guy is going anywhere, they are both treated like they are gods by TNA management so I don't see anything happening. If both would have been booted it would have happened already so neither guy is going anywhere or getting disciplined unless it got to a point where Hogan refused to work with Russo, in that case they would drop Russo for Hogan in a second.

 

[blkshp]

Eh, I wouldn't read too much into dirt sheets, but at the same time I wouldn't believe the talent when they say "everythings great" either. If they want to stay employed they have to tow the company line...unless they want to pull a Matt Hardy at the end of his WWE days. In this situation, the truth usually comes from the middle ground, yes management will argue over direction, but the talent wants to put on a good show regardless. As for Hogan vs. Russo, I'm a writer myself. My writing partner and I argue over storylines ALL the time. Fact is we have the same goals, but tend to want to get there in different ways. So we end up either choosing the direction that creates the best opportunity for a bigger payoff or we split the difference. The creative process can be an ugly one, so there HAS to be respect between the parties. That's the real question: does Hogan and Russo have respect for each other? I guess we'll see.

 

[ChiefAlot]

Hogan has ALOT going on right now. And in Impact he wants to be the VKM. Everything must go through him. But I see most of what Hogan is doing and some of it could be distracting. I would say if this doesnt work itself out within a few months then 1 or both of them are gone.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

I am more of the feeling that Bischoff and Jarrett play peacemaker more often than not between Russo and Hogan. We know Hogan and Russo were at each others throats in WCW all the time. These two guys have verbally had snide remarks on Twitter toward each other on again and off again for two years since Hogan came in.

I just dont think anything has changed from the norm over the last two years and it seems like everyone in TNA Management has buried the hatchet and are trying to help TNA get to the top except Hogan and Russo. Something will give sooner or later, it's just a matter of when one will make the move.

 

[New Hot Fed]

The tension might be of the perception of him(Hogan as character). Hogan wants to turn face and be a face when he faces Sting at BFG. Heck Sting has turned into the Joker just to make Hogan realise that Hogan is on the wrong path and he needs to see the light of day. Yet so far we have seen nothing from Hogan about a change of mind. And the way he acted in the Sting-Angle match with his intervention he still came out like a heel. Maybe he wanted to come off less of a heel?

 

[marker]

There's also a report on this on another site stating about how EB made the X division guys redo a match up becuase he didn't like the original finish.

I think this is the link:
http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/headlines/Russo__Hogan_Involved_In_Heated_Argument.php

 

[SyStEm0v3r1dE]

whatever happened between russo and hogan its all about ego. Fact of the matter is that even though hogan is 30 years past his prime. He still thinks he should be a top guy and its actually quite sad that he is incapable of stepping away from the spotlight.

 

[Bigrog25]

This isn't a Hogan bashing thread, please take that garbage to another thread. Especially when I can sit here and point out how full of shit you are. That is not fact, that's your opinion, I haven't seen anything from hogan in IW that has him pushing himself as the "top guy" as you put it. He has wrestled ONE time for IW, and looks as though he will wrestle ONE more time as a favor to sting. That's TWO matches since signing there, and neither one has/will be for the belt, so how is he making himself the top guy? He's only been used sparingly for the most part. Of course he's going to be involved in the top storylines, it's like when McMahon shows up on tv, it ain't for the mid level stories, if you're not going to use his character in top storylines why would you even bring him in? It's Hulk Hogan for Christ's sake!!!

 

[mlp420]

whatever happened between russo and hogan its all about ego. Fact of the matter is that even though hogan is 30 years past his prime. He still thinks he should be a top guy and its actually quite sad that he is incapable of stepping away from the spotlight.

Two problems with that. Number one, 30 years ago was 1981. I don't think Hogan was even in the WWE at that point, let alone past his prime. You wanna say 20 years past his prime? That was around the time he main evented WM vs The Warrior at the Skydome so even that's a stretch. Doesn't matter anyway, as he's not even a wrestler anymore. It's almost as dumb as saying Lawler is past his prime.

 

[SyStEm0v3r1dE]

ok yea you got me there my mistake i just he is getting kind of annoying he is pretty much doing the same promos like he did in wcw when they did the nwo storyline thats all this whole immortal thing really is with hogan playing a bit of a different role