Has TNA Become the Opposite of What it Once Was?

[RedRegan1005]

I don’t post as often as I would like, so if this thread has been done to much feel free to get rid of it or just ignore. I’ve had this idea running around my mind and thought I could use the opinion of some fellow wrestling fans.
I remember a time when people use to say that two things made TNA great. One, they put on better wrestling matches than WWE, and two, they had fresher younger talent. Well over the last year or so I feel like TNA and WWE has completely switched places. TNA’s overall wrestling product has become middle of the road at best and they couldn’t create a star to save their life. They managed to kill the momentum of James Storm who I believe had the ability to be the hottest star in TNA history. They went through the whole gutcheck debacle and didn't even make a solid midcard star. It seems like they’ll take any storyline and find a way to make either Sting, or Hulk Hogan the center of attention. All of the TNA originals that people use to rave about (Styles, Joe, etc.) are up there in age and in my eyes were never given the reigns to be that guy for TNA. On the other side of things WWE has actually done pretty well over the last year in bringing in fresh new talent and putting on quality weekly wrestling matches. I don’t think TNA has always been this way, but ever sense the Hogan Regime came in I feel like match quality has been down, and there has been zero attempt to create new main event stars. They've managed to kill the momentum of anyone who it seem could have been a fresh new star for the company (Bobby Roode, James Storm, etc.)
Maybe it’s just me who feels this way, but that’s just how I’m seeing it right now. Feel free to destroy me with your responses if you think I’m wrong. Let me know what you think.

 

[Sweettre15]

I definitely agree there because as an example - Austin Aries. Whose one of the most over guys in TNA especially when he was champion. The second Jeff Hardy returns to the company from rehab, he gets the belt handed to him and Aries gets knocked down the card. Then James Storm's booking just becomes downright directionless, and Bobby Roode has also sadly been knocked down the card because TNA wants the belt on guys like Bubba Ray Dudley. Another example is when Zema Ion was getting pushed as a top X-division guy and then they suddenly decide RVD should hold that title.

It's just stupid how TNA brass are just too lazy to build their own stars. Dixie's stupid answers in her recent interview proves that.

 

[SydTinDad]

To claim TNA has become the opposite of what it once was, would elude to the fact they were ever good in the first place.

Look, I have said this for years...............Dixie Carter is an absolute dolt and does not belong in the business. She brings nothing to the table and belongs dancing on a pole somewhere.

TNA was an interesting concept PRE-Dummy (I mean, Dixie). Now, it's just "there". Sort of like a skin tag.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I definitely agree there because as an example - Austin Aries. Whose one of the most over guys in TNA especially when he was champion. The second Jeff Hardy returns to the company from rehab, he gets the belt handed to him and Aries gets knocked down the card. Then James Storm's booking just becomes downright directionless, and Bobby Roode has also sadly been knocked down the card because TNA wants the belt on guys like Bubba Ray Dudley. Another example is when Zema Ion was getting pushed as a top X-division guy and then they suddenly decide RVD should hold that title.

It's just stupid how TNA brass are just too lazy to build their own stars. Dixie's stupid answers in her recent interview proves that.

Isn't Bobby Roode the leader of a faction right now? A faction consisting of two TNA guys TNA has steadily built up over the last year? Isn't Bobby Roode one of the top guys in the BFG series? You know, alongside Magnus. A young TNA guy who is currently getting his biggest push yet.

Isn't another guy in the top four called Samoa Joe? Another member of the Main Event mafia who has done fairly well for himself in the last 6 or so months? Joe was shit before TNA started pushing him again, now he's somewhat credible.

Austin Aries is another guy TNA has kept relevant for a good two years. AJ Styles clearly got a reboot and is seemingly on his way to another World Title reign.

Magnus, AJ, Aries, Roode, Daniels, Kazarian, Manik, Joe, Sabin, Bully Ray (he's more of a TNA guy than he's a WWE guy at this point) - among others - are all the focal point of the show.

Jeff Hardy is just "there". He just got bumped out of the top four in the BFG series and doesn't even have a storyline. Sting is out of the title picture, he wrestles once a month. Kurt is off fixing his issues. Hogan doesn't wrestle. RVD is gone.

The way I see it, you're stuck in 2009 or any other year when WWE "rejects" would take the spots of guys TNA built themselves. Re-read the guys I mentioned above. That's TNA in 2013. Whatever other bullshit argument you have is just that - bullshit.

All you've got is James Storm. James Storm who went from TNA World Champion to random storylines guy to tag-team Champion. In case you haven't been watching, people realized how stale Storm was getting two months into his giant push. He was another Mr.Anderson. One trick pony. Meanwhile guys like Roode, Aries and Bully were trailblazing and being entertaining while Storm was the fifth wheel.

He's lucky he's even some type of Champion at this point.

Other than that, TNA right now is BRIMMING with guys TNA created, so I don't see a reason to bitch about that anymore. ALL the top guys are TNA guys. ALL the Champions are TNA guys. ALL their contenders are TNA guys. ALL the featured guys are TNA guys.

Is Aries not a TNA guy? Is AJ not a TNA guy? Is Bully not a TNA guy? Is Roode not a TNA guy? Is Kazarian not a TNA guy? Is Manik not a TNA guy? Is Daniels not a TNA guy? Is Joe not a TNA guy? Is Magnus not a TNA guy?

If anything, TNA is pushing their own guys now than they were before. Look at the fucking roster. The only "WWE Reject" right now is Hardy and he's largely irrelevant.

As far as TNA putting on the better matches, that's very subjective. Now, I don't know what forums you were reading some years ago, but all I was reading about the "good TNA" was how much of a spot fest everything was, how these guys couldn't tell a story, they had no gimmicks and they relied on Holy Shit moments only. WWE was better because they told stories in their matches while TNA guys just flied around the ring.

NOW, apparently, we're switching the argument to fit our narrative. Now TNA was apparently great before. How come none of you were there in 2005-7-8 to claim the in-ring product is so good? TNA was getting buried for that in-ring product.

Then, post 2009 these guys focus more on story and character rather than spots which is why the X-Division died down, and now the matches are worse.

Are they? We can pull this in either direction. I think TNA matches are better overall while WWE has a couple of people who can pull off a match and then the rest is not very exciting. Others can say the same thing only in reverse.

All I know is that the complaint that TNA isn't pushing their own guys is absolute BULLSHIT and that the in-ring product is in no ways worse than what it used to be a few years ago. You still get your occasional good match every now and then, just as you do in the WWE.

TNA has kept their wrestling quality the same, however the WWE improved it lately I feel. Maybe that's why the OP feels things have switched. They haven't, only WWE got better at it.

 

[Sweettre15]

Isn't Bobby Roode the leader of a faction right now? A faction consisting of two TNA guys TNA has steadily built up over the last year? Isn't Bobby Roode one of the top guys in the BFG series? You know, alongside Magnus. A young TNA guy who is currently getting his biggest push yet.

Bobby Roode, sure he's on a team right now but what is that going to lead to? Nothing like Aries and Roode's tag team where they could barely win matches to save their lives?

Isn't another guy in the top four called Samoa Joe? Another member of the Main Event mafia who has done fairly well for himself in the last 6 or so months? Joe was shit before TNA started pushing him again, now he's somewhat credible.

Sure but it stills come off as Sting being the center of attention in that done to death faction that he was in before.

Austin Aries is another guy TNA has kept relevant for a good two years. AJ Styles clearly got a reboot and is seemingly on his way to another World Title reign.

Which sounds good so far but we'll see where that goes when the smoke is clear.

Jeff Hardy is just "there". He just got bumped out of the top four in the BFG series and doesn't even have a storyline. Sting is out of the title picture, he wrestles once a month. Kurt is off fixing his issues. Hogan doesn't wrestle. RVD is gone.

This was an example of what happened JUST LAST YEAR. Did Jeff Hardy not get handed the belt when he came back in 2012 or not? and did he or did he not also become a transitional champion for Bubba Ray Dudley? Never mind the example of RVD taking the belt off of Zema Ion last year.

The way I see it, you're stuck in 2009 or any other year when WWE "rejects" would take the spots of guys TNA built themselves. Re-read the guys I mentioned above. That's TNA in 2013. Whatever other bullshit argument you have is just that - bullshit.

Maybe it's the fact that you're head is so far up TNA's ass that you get butthurt when anyone criticizes it's product.

Other than that, TNA right now is BRIMMING with guys TNA created, so I don't see a reason to bitch about that anymore. ALL the top guys are TNA guys. ALL the Champions are TNA guys. ALL their contenders are TNA guys. ALL the featured guys are TNA guys.

Since when is Bubba Ray a "TNA guy?"

Is Aries not a TNA guy? Is AJ not a TNA guy? Is Bully not a TNA guy? Is Roode not a TNA guy? Is Kazarian not a TNA guy? Is Manik not a TNA guy? Is Daniels not a TNA guy? Is Joe not a TNA guy? Is Magnus not a TNA guy?

All of those guys are TNA guys expect Bully Ray whom is primarily a former ECW/WWE guy.

Manik doesnt even have a feud, Only time will tell where Kazarian, Daniels, and Roode's angle is going, There is no indication that their will be anything for Joe to do besides the inevitable Aces N Eight vs MEM tag match.

If anything, TNA is pushing their own guys now than they were before. Look at the fucking roster. The only "WWE Reject" right now is Hardy and he's largely irrelevant.

Do the names Mr.Kennedy, Mike Knox, and Bubba Ray not ring a bell?

As far as TNA putting on the better matches, that's very subjective. Now, I don't know what forums you were reading some years ago, but all I was reading about the "good TNA" was how much of a spot fest everything was, how these guys couldn't tell a story, they had no gimmicks and they relied on Holy Shit moments only. WWE was better because they told stories in their matches while TNA guys just flied around the ring.

NOW, apparently, we're switching the argument to fit our narrative. Now TNA was apparently great before. How come none of you were there in 2005-7-8 to claim the in-ring product is so good? TNA was getting buried for that in-ring product

I wasnt partaking in that much Internet wrestling discussion back then but I DID enjoy most AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels matches, AJ Styles vs Kurt Angle, Kurt Angle vs Samoa Joe, the three way match with Samoa Joe, Styles, and Daniels, I saw potential in Bobby Roode, James Storm, The Motor City Machine guns etc etc and I enjoyed the feud Gail Kim had with Awesome Kong. My main problem then was when they turned former WWE guys in overbearing presences or when Jeff Jarrett himself was an overbearing presence on screen. So you can chill the fuck out with that shit.


Overall, the in-ring product of TNA can be really good when they avoid the clusterfuck matches like the one at Hardcore Justice or any shitty matches involving Wes Brisco and Garrett Bischoff. And the overall product was making good progress during the time when the most emphasis was on Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, James Storm, Zema Ion etc etc. The only real blunder was that Claire Lynch crap and this was when the Aces N Eights was in its early stages.

Never mind that this Aces N Eights storyline is ass and there have been WAY TOO MANY back to back Stable Wars in TNA.

 

[Earth Wind Fire and Steel]

To be honest with you TNA has become a lot more WWE like in the past couple of years. When I first started watching TNA the first thing I remember was an Elix Skipper performing an insane huricarrana off the top of a six sided cage. Raven was given a true limelight and really shone and for a good year or so I was really believing in the brand.

Then Hogan/Bischoff came in and the product has become stagnant. The X-Division has become more of mid-card belt with next to no relevance and they dropped the six sided ring. I think those were elements that what gave TNA a different alternative to the audience. Aswell I think TNA need a real breakout star. Someone who becomes a superstar and becomes the face of the company. How many wrestlers on the TNA roster apart from Kurt Angle could you see becoming a household name? Nobody to be honest. I cant imagine your AJ Styles, Samoa Joe's, Bobby Roode's getting to that level.
I couldnt see any of these guy's getting a run with a major in WWE. Doesn't matter how talented they are they don't draw any emotion from the crowd its dead for most of they're matches. There not marketable guys either and can't work a mic.
I read a lot of people saying its the 'WWE's graveyard' well some people have a point with some talent bit I think if Kurt Angle snapped his fingers WWE would have him main eventing 'Mania next year. And you've got to think Bully Ray's re-invented himself in TNA and has become a bigger star than ever.

 

[MCMG]

I think this is true to some extent. When I first started watching TNA I was impressed with the quality of wrestling. From the X-division to tag-teams as well as the main-event it was packed with great matches. They were definitely focused on putting on great matches. Furthermore, there was a great emphasis on gimmick matches, every week we were guaranteed at least one and a couple on PPV. They seem to have moved away from that which is something I can't understand.

TNA were putting on great matches meaning I found it more entertaining than WWE. At one point I looked forward to an episode of Impact more than Smackdown or even Raw because I knew there was going to be some fantastic matches. WWE has improved in recent years and, in my opinion, TNA has regressed.

As for the younger stars; I still think that TNA give opportunities to some of their less proven stars. Sabin was just world champ, Magnus is heavily involved in the main storyline and there are a few guys in Aces and Eights. The thing that I have a problem with is that they have completely misused guys they built so well. Storm, Roode, Aries, Kaz, Daniels, Styles have done very little in the last few months. What is the point in having so much talent in the tag-team division yet guys Devon and Luke Gallows were heavily involved in the main-storyline. Now the latter are gone, I hope they begin to use their roster a better and give us a higher quality of matches.

 

[GameOver]

i agree totally and it's my same belief as someone that was watching 8yrs or so ago it was a much better product then, there were so many great talent, teams galore, stories for everyone and NONSTOP ACTION, now its the the WCW/WWE style of go nowhere change everything every episode with no ryme or reason and above all less emphasis on "rasslin" and more on social media

 

[joduke41]

I like Bubba Ray as the champion,but I do think they should push the younger guys more. I mean hell,Green Bay cut Brett Farve and they are still a good team. Maybe a bad analogy but I think the point is the same. Aries and Roode was a great angle. But as long as Hogan is there,the older guys are gonna rule. The younger guys put on better matches. They aren't as beat up as the older guys are. One of the things I loved about WCW before they went under was pushing the cruiserweight division. Most of those guys were and still are household names. Its really sad because I think it has a lot to do with the old guys not wanting to fade away.

 

[enviousdominous]

When TNA came around, it wasn't difficult to look better than what the WWE was giving us at the time. I could either watch a six man tag featuring insane moves from Elix Skipper, AJ Styles and for a little while there CM Punk, or I could flip over to the WWE and umm cringe uncomfortably while HHH does his best impression of a talented performer. I honestly don't think TNA could have looked worse than that god awful "Evolution" gimmick where a haggard Ric Flair is looking like a neglected burn victim on X, Randy was still trying to figure out how to speak English, Batista had half the move-set of Kevin Nash and HHH was having sex with dead bodies. All in all, it was like watching an episode of Jackass if the entire cast quit before filming and had to be replaced by the cast of American Gladiators. Not a whole lot of actual wrestling going on.

TNA had something to prove, and their biggest star was Jeff Jarrett. I think that having a limited set of resources inspired them to put on a huge show in spite of what they were lacking physically. The performers had courage and their shows were consistently five star all the way, or they may have just looked that way as being compared to the garbage that the WWE was filming on a weekly basis would make a Charles Manson family reunion seem tasteful.

The WWE seemed to learn their lesson. HHH is a fucking idiot when it comes to writing his own material. They seemed to do a lot better after deciding NOT to let him run amok in a blind effort to inspire the Eugene character.

TNA forgot what made them great, and took the low road to being a more talked about program. They hired Hogan, case closed. There were other foolish acquisitions, too many to name to be honest. Not to mention the fact that TNA doesn't seem to give a rats ass if their talent embarrasses themselves in the public eye. Hogan stands out because of the level of which he proved nay-sayers like me correct. I knew he would bomb, I just didn't realize how toxic his idiocy would have been.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

Bobby Roode, sure he's on a team right now but what is that going to lead to? Nothing like Aries and Roode's tag team where they could barely win matches to save their lives?

I don't know what it will lead to. Neither do you. Right now, though? They're relevant and they're fresh. It's likely Roode will feud with Styles if he wins the Championship. Or Daniels will. Either way, if any of those guys feuds with the soon-to-be Champion, EGO will be involved which means more TV time for all.

Sure but it stills come off as Sting being the center of attention in that done to death faction that he was in before.

How? How does Sting seem like the center of attention when he wrestles once a month and is not even proclaimed as their leader. Just because he's there? For fuck's sake, man, Magnus gets more TV time than Sting these days.

Which sounds good so far but we'll see where that goes when the smoke is clear.

Yes, we will see where that goes. Until then let's not condemn things before they happened, hm?

This was an example of what happened JUST LAST YEAR. Did Jeff Hardy not get handed the belt when he came back in 2012 or not? and did he or did he not also become a transitional champion for Bubba Ray Dudley? Never mind the example of RVD taking the belt off of Zema Ion last year.

Last year? You'll bring up things that happened a year ago? Yes, last year Jeff won the belt. But then he lost it. And then other things happened. Let's talk about what's going on in TNA RIGHT NOW. Your thread is about current TNA vs Old TNA right? How everything switched? Follow your own topic, please.

Maybe it's the fact that you're head is so far up TNA's ass that you get butthurt when anyone criticizes it's product.

I do get butt hurt when people criticize the product. I get more butt hurt when I see moronic opinions. I've went off on people in the exact same way in the WWE section. It's not a TNA thing, it's a "I hate bigots" thing.

Since when is Bubba Ray a "TNA guy?"

Since he signed with them. He's been with TNA longer than he's been with WWF/E or ECW. It's been eight years, pal. The "WWE guy" stigma left him three years ago. Only people like you hold on to that shit.

If you try the "well WWE and ECW made him" bullshit - true. He was famous for two gimmicks in WWE and ECW. The Bully Ray gimmick however was created in TNA. His latest reincarnation. Plus he's been in TNA longer than the other two places, so - TNA guy by all accounts. Just because he worked for a company doesn't mean he's bound to it for life.

All of those guys are TNA guys expect Bully Ray whom is primarily a former ECW/WWE guy.

He's primarily a TNA guy, less a WWE/ECW guy.

Manik doesnt even have a feud, Only time will tell where Kazarian, Daniels, and Roode's angle is going, There is no indication that their will be anything for Joe to do besides the inevitable Aces N Eight vs MEM tag match.

1. Manik is a Champion and one of the better parts of the show.

2. Kazarian went from a boring X-Division guy to a guy who can now cut nice promos, put together a match and be relevant. If time is an indicator, he's only getting better.

3. Yes, their angle is going.

4. There is no indication that there will be nothing for Samoa Joe either so let's focus on what we know and leave the theories for later.

Do the names Mr.Kennedy, Mike Knox, and Bubba Ray not ring a bell?

This is Anderson's first relevant situation in 2 years, Mike Knox is a fucking extra at this point and for the thousandth time - Bully Ray is a TNA guy.

Why did you even make this thread? You're trying so fucking hard to turn everything into a negative development. No room for optimism or at least objectivity.

Currently, TNA is RAN by TNA guys. Period. Argue it all you want, it's a fact you can't change. Match quality is a personal preference. Roster 90% TNA guys, 10% WWE/ECW/WCW guys who are not involved in anything serious.

 

[Sweettre15]

Last year? You'll bring up things that happened a year ago? Yes, last year Jeff won the belt. But then he lost it. And then other things happened. Let's talk about what's going on in TNA RIGHT NOW. Your thread is about current TNA vs Old TNA right? How everything switched? Follow your own topic, please.

1. I'm not the OP of this thread jackass. I simply made a comment that you got butthurt reading.

2. I brought up 2012 because it wasn't that long ago and the angles of the end of that year lead to the things happening currently.

Since he signed with them. He's been with TNA longer than he's been with WWF/E or ECW. It's been eight years, pal. The "WWE guy" stigma left him three years ago. Only people like you hold on to that shit.

The question is: Would TNA have signed him if he wasn't a TNA guy? With their track record, I highly doubt it. Never mind him getting the keys to the kingdom.

1. Manik is a Champion and one of the better parts of the show.

2. Kazarian went from a boring X-Division guy to a guy who can now cut nice promos, put together a match and be relevant. If time is an indicator, he's only getting better.

3. Yes, their angle is going.

4. There is no indication that there will be nothing for Samoa Joe either so let's focus on what we know and leave the theories for later.

Sorry If I must repeat this question but again....Where are they going with this? Will they have worthwhile angles to be involved in or just another faction with directionless booking?

Why did you even make this thread? You're trying so fucking hard to turn everything into a negative development. No room for optimism or at least objectivity.

I didn't make the thread moron for the last time. You basically saw my POST on this thread and got your panties in a bunch. It's funny that an adamant TNA defender like yourself is bitching about Objectivity

This is Anderson's first relevant situation in 2 years, Mike Knox is a fucking extra at this point and for the thousandth time - Bully Ray is a TNA guy

And again...Would TNA have given him the keys to the kingdom if it wasn't for his career in ECW or WWE? And let's be honest former WWE stars have always been given the keys to the kingdom in TNA.


So just in case your butthurtness clouds your vision again....I ......AM ......NOT.....The OP.....OF......THIS......FUCKING......THREAD.

 

[Spencesc11]

How to fix TNA

1) get rid of Hogan
2) Have AJ Styles win the TNA Title at Bound for Glory to eliminate Aces & Eights once and for all
3) Bring back "Beer Money" - both Storm and Roode were at their best together. Make them heel as it will draw more heat that way.
4) Start an epic feud between Styles and Aries (these 2 can bring the house down)
5) Go back to the 6 sided ring. (It made you unique so why did you get rid of it).