Be TNA....

[CuddleBuns84]

I heard that phrase a while ago. It's meaning was... Don't be WCW, WWF. or ECW. Be TNA.

Great idea, but most people pointed out, that it was to cliche. To general, not very descriptive.

Very true on the parts of the people who have that opinion.

So how does TNA, be TNA?

My opinion:

Seperate the Tag Team division, and the X-division. Make them their own unique division. Meaning: The Tag Team division and the X-Division titles aren't mid-card attractions, but in fact considered Main Event status for their division.

Treat those titles like they matter. Not just props. Don't make it where, the World Heavyweight Championship is the only major prize in TNA.

This way TNA could be know more for wrestling.

That was my opinion however. I'm sure most of the people on this website would like to include their input.

How would you make TNA, Be TNA?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

What you're asking for is essentially weight classes, the way you see classes create superstars in the UFC that are more often than not associated within that class alone (though performers do often slot up or down by gaining/losing weight).

I'm not sure the same would fly in pro-wrestling, because the "Heavyweight" division is almost always going to feature more "premiere" talent than the X Division or a "Middle Weight" division. For example: would you honestly pay for a PPV knowing that Kazarian v. Robbie E was the headlining event?

 

[nbkush]

I think its a great idea. The belts are "props". No shame in that. Good props help to make for a good story. That being said, they should be used and used effectively. It has nothing to do with "weight classes". Afterall, this entertainment is not a competition sport. It's all about the story and how it's presented.

 

[Dzone]

I'd like it if TNA almost flipped from the 3, occasionally the Heavyweight division is your main story, then the X-Division then the Tag Division. It would give other people a chance to headline but to do this I'd suggest bringing the X-Division/Tag Division back up to scratch with not necessarily more signing but more pushes in those divisions.

An example being Crimson and Red could feature in the Heavyweight division and X-Division respectively but also maybe the tag division sometimes when you need a fresh duo to go against the tag champions.

 

[thegreekhero]

I agree with you on the division seperation. Before Hogan, TNA was ALOT about the X-Division. A bunch of the most extreme stuff in pro wrestling history occured in TNA's X-Division [Ultimate X Match.]

Also, BRING BACK THE SIX-SIDED RING! I know it's not a TNA original, but it's one of the things that made TNA different from WWE, and it's a major fator considering that TNA is the WWE's #1 competition.

And get rid of the geezers! Hogan, Flair, Bischoff. TNA [was] mainly about the younger talent that are the future of pro wrestling [Styles, Kazarian, Robbie E, MCMG, Amazing Red, etc.] That's also another thing that made TNA more entertaining.

Now, TNA is just something to watch on Thursday's when RAW/SmackDown! isn't on. [and WWE Superstars, if you have Time Warner Cable]

 

[UnBEARaBULLfan]

TNA can be TNA by focusing more on actual wrestling, they say the are none stop action then be that give us an hour and forty minutes of wrestling and maybe twenty minutes of talking, have less of a focus on crappy segments like the Jarrett/Angel stuff and give us more wrestling, sence they like to use twitter so much have that be the way they get there fueds going, less talk more wrestling

Have more of a focus on the titles so they dont just seem like their props, the TV title should be defended every week thats why its the TV title its ment to be defended on tv like AA,Tully Blanchard,and Dusty Rhoads and others did.

The X division title should be defended in triple threat form and gimmick matches all the time its ment to be extream(not hardcore) high flying spot fest matches.

nothing wrong with the tag division maybe add a few more teams thats all.

The hvywht title should be defended against a variety of contenders not just the same people over and over (Hardy,Anderson,RVD,Angel) theirs no reason why people like Roode,Storm,Bully Ray,Devon,Crimson, and others shouldn't get a title shot, you dont have to be in a fued with someone for the title to be defended, Fair did it all the time, save the main fueds for the ppv so we're not worn out on the participants before the ppv's.

those are just a few ways TNA could be TNA.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

See, that's not how TNA can be TNA. That's how TNA can be what you want to see.

TNA was never a WCW, a WWE, an ECW etc. TNA is TNA. They incorporate some ideas from WCW, from WWE, from ECW and that makes people think that they're trying to be those companies. Eric Bischoff stole the nWo Idea from some Japanese promotion. Was he trying to make WCW that Japanese promotion? Heck no. He got the idea, had his own twist on it and luckily enough it worked. That's wrestling for ya. Some ideas work, some don't. TNA's the company where most ideas don't. Period. They're great on paper, but the execution is most of the time so poor that it nullifies the creativity or excitement.

It would also help if the IWC didn't ridicule TNA for EVERY single thing they do.

It's just like being an actor, a musician or an artist. You see something an actor does and it inspires you, you like it and you do it because it works. Put your twist on it and see what happens. You hear a song, it inspires you, you like the beat, you like the style, you put your own twist on it. You like a painting, you like the way it's done, you like the colors - you try to do it yourself.

That's all TNA's been doing. Did they incorporate WCW/WWE storylines into their product? Absolutely. Did most of them bomb? Absolutely. Does that mean that they should stop doing it? Absolutely ... not. A lot of "home grown" TNA storylines and product decisions didn't work as well. It's just how it is.

TNA is not WWE, WCW, ECW fucking Chikara or anything like that. TNA has been TNA since day ONE. They've been the place with the potential, the promise, the ideas and the poor, poor execution. They have an identity, all they need to do is polish what they have right now and eliminate all the irksome mistakes they make.

However, as far as your view of what TNA should be - I couldn't agree more. I really don't think there's a person that wouldn't like that. It's how pro wrestling should be, and for some crazy reason it's not, and I don't think it has been. I don't think the Tag-Team Division and the Cruiserweights have been considered Main Event material, ever, which is a pity because 99% of the time the boys that wrestle in the X-Division and the Tag Division are better wrestlers than the Main Eventers.

The belts have been props for years. It's a tough task to complete, but it can be done if TNA or WWE for that matter really focuses on them. To me, the best way to increase the prestige of a belt is to have amazing matches for it. Look at The Guns and Beer Money, these guys cut like one promo, there really wasn't any storyline behind this aside from "We're both great, but who's greater", and that's pretty much the thing that makes people watch. These guys were LEGIT, they REALLY were both great, and it's hard for any fan to decide who's the better of the two teams on the spot. They had AMAZING matches over the tag-titles and they became something.

Same goes for the TV Title. AJ and Doug tore the house down and the belt was finally more than a piece of tin on a red strap. Unfortunately, now it's not even that.

 

[SpecialFNK]

TNA should have the main focus on the X division? isn't that what they had before?

you could suggest make it down to most of the show is wrestling. you then make wrestling fans happy, but I don't think you would draw a lot of casual fans. ratings would likely at least stay where they are, or drop IMO.

TNA could have more focus on the X division, but the world heavy weight title is still the #1 goal. a wrestlers #1 goal is always the world heavy weight championship regardless of what promotion it is.

I don't think TNA should be different just to be different from WWE.

there is always a lot of comparison to WCW, but I don't think that's a bad thing. there was a significant time period in which WCW was getting higher ratings than WWE.
one of the things I remember about watching on the DVD The Rise and Fall of WCW, was Bischoff talking about using real names. this was when Scott Hall and the Kevin Nash first appeared. I think something like that could be awesome! real names, or at least close to real names. Crimson for example. what does that name do for him? I think he could be much better if he was just "Tommy Mercer". it makes him more real. how many MMA/UFC/ect use cartoon type character names? none.

 

[achromat666]

TNA is in a unique position in that they have a lot more presence then Indy promotions, and have more known talent but lack the real power to do a tremendous amount with it.

Yes TNA is TNA using tools borrowed from ECW, WCW, and the WWE and that in and of itself isn't bad, but it also isn't elevating them. I don't mean in being the #2 show ala WCW, because that's not possible. It needs to stop being the home of every wayward star down on his luck if they can't use them, and stop being the home of recycled gimmicks that don't work.

They have talent with an ECW/ WCW Cruiserwieght division speed and wow factor, they have WWE/ WCW style mid and upper carders that are supposed to carry the stories and help keep people in the seats, but ultimately their identity is tied to the homegrown talent. The ones that helped give them any kind of presence when the company was just starting. Whether the rest of the talent stays or goes these are the people that help to offer them an identity. A.J. Sabin, Abyss, Lethal, Kazarian, and others are part of TNA's lifeblood.

A big part of this comes from the misnomer that they will one day be on the same level as the WWE, and I don't see how that possible. They don't have the capital, the presence, the buy rates or the talent pool in all areas the WWE possesses. ECW lasted as long as it did under the direction of one person who knew how to work with the talent he had, but lacked the money to keep things running or keep the talent working. WCW went under despite having the talent and money but had no cohesion and constant fighting in the back.

TNA has a rare chance to learn from all of these stories, but thanks to the influx from talent from both companies mentioned and the WWE, and not having the cohesion necessary to give the company a focus or direction they are at present not primed to move anywhere.

The taking of other companies talent has only gotten them so far and in many ways set them back. Flair? Steiner? Hogan? Bischoff? Who are these guys going to elevate? Legends they may all be (minus Bischoff), but their credibility is far less then it used to be, and it isn't doing any favors for anyone. Including themselves.

What makes TNA? well originally the letters stood for Total Nonstop Action. and there was plenty of it with enough story to not overcrowd what was going on in the ring. That is TNA. Let them be that TNA without all the baggage.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

See, the problem is, TNA was the TNA everyone wants it to be now. It had all the wrestling, they were pushing their homegrown talent because that's all they had, they had a few storylines here and there, the place looked different, it felt different, it WAS much more different.

And where did that take them? Drop the IWC shit, drop the stupid mentality - where did all of this take them? Nowhere. The ratings they got back then were half of what they're getting right now, in the last 2-3 years. And it was in the last 2-3 years when they started changing it up and becoming more of what the casual fan would appreciate. They had Sting, Steiner, Nash, Angle, the "WWE Rejects", the company was showing some growing.

See, ROH has that dumb mentality that wrestling is the only thing that's good and that's that. ROH is fucking dying, there will be no ROH in a year if they don't wisen up. TNA should never, EVER listen to the type of fans that like Ring of Honor or the Independent Scene more than they like the Mainstream companies. We, the IWC, are the last thing TNA should even give a shit about. We all come here, we all bitch about WWE, TNA, and we are ALL wrong. I'm wrong for hating WWE, the usual TNA haters are wrong for hating TNA. Both products are not bad. One of them is watched by more than 3 million people every week, and the other one is watched by a million and a half. They're doing something right. We hate the companies because they're not doing what WE want them to be doing. It's VERY subjective. We basically bicker about personal tastes. I like the Double J/Angle fiesta, most people don't. They're wrong, I'm not. They're not, I'm wrong. Someone's gonna be fucking disappointed. How about .. all of us?

As much as people don't want to admit it, TNA has changed, the product is not as fast paced and crazy as it used to be wrestling wise, it's storyline heavy and has a few decent matches here and there. That's the way it will be. Don't like it, don't watch it. TNA is in the right direction, Bischoff and Hogan, as much heat as they get, have stirred TNA in the right direction. They have some dumb storylines going, and once they see that the fans don't like them, they won't do something similiar to that ever again. If there's one thing TNA's done since Hogan and Bischoff, is that they learn from their mistakes and do it quickly, while WWE learns from their mistakes after a decade. Youth Movement, NOW you figured it out.

Currently, the TNA product can't even hope to rival WWE's, especially during WrestleMania time. It's under construction, they're still trying to figure out what they want to do and how they want to do it. Growing pains are a part of the development of a young company like TNA.

 

[ABMorales787]

What is it with people's sick obsession with turning TNA into UFC Wrestling? Tag Team's exist in pro wrestling to give a sense of uniqueness on cards and so not every match has the same one on one dynamic. The X Division is supposed to be the signature crowd sparker of TNA. To start the crowd off at the beginning of PPV's. If the X Division title headline's a few PPV's what's that say about the Heavyweight title and the top stars that are supposed to hold it? Yeah, I know it headlined a PPV. But look at that. ONE. Other than that, there was the time all the titles were fought for in one match. TNA is TNA because it's called TNA. Not because it's a bad mutation of MMA and wrestling.

 

[CuddleBuns84]

Well, everyone, thanks for the sweet in-put.

However, I didn't want to turn TNA into the UFC. I just think that set divisions would make more sense.

Now, I remember some of the best Pay-per-views didn't have the world title as it's main event. Example: Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog for the IC belt. Great match.

I wouldn't mind seeing the best matches towards the end on the card. Paul Heyman said it best during an interview he had with AOL Fanhouse. (This was during Hardcore Justice and the Whole F'n Show.)

The best match of the whole F'n Show was the tag team bout between the Motorcity Machine Guns and Beer Money. It was a good match.

Heyman pointed out, that they should of been pushing that match all night long. Make a big deal about those guys, and push that talent. Instead we had a lame heavyweight title bout with RVD and Abyss.

Now the way I look at it is... X-division and Tag Team titles should be treated like the world heavyweight title. The reason why, is it can push the talent. Make a haven for tag teams and crusierweights. Make it an environment for good wrestling.

And yes, if you had two good crusierweights who can put on a good match,and make people excited for the pay-per-view, I would pay for it. Nothing wrong showing the wrestling world the talent you have.

Anyways thanks for most of your replies.

 

[Calderownz]

The simple way to "be TNA" is just that. Quite simple.

Everyone in charge of TNA needs to stop trying to remind people of ANYTHING that has happened in wrestling... EVER. Including, for the most part, early TNA.

Start over fresh. Work on the future.

They can take some of the great aspects of early TNA, focus on the X Division, so on and so forth. For the most part, however, they need to focus SOLELY on the future.

Emphasis on the X Division. Emphasis on young, bright talent. Emphasis on the edgy material in a productive, responsible way. Emphasis on being counter-WWE. Meaning, do what they don't do. Don't do what they do. They have longer money. You'll always fall short.

Get rid of meaningless titles (basically, Women's Tag Titles.)

Stop trying to shock. Try building stock.