I've got a question

[BRAT]

I started watching the WWE programming in 2012 so I'm a new one here.
For the last few days,I have been watching some classic TNA matches(2004-2008). And to tell the truth,I m enjoying it much more than i do with WWE nowadays.

This may have come because I like the kind of brutality TNA had around that time. Nevertheless, I want to ask you if there was some kind of WWE vs TNA in the ratings,or generally if the TNA product was more interesting than WWE's.I'm talking about 2004 until 2008-9

 

[Logisticalbooker86]

Unfortunately for wrestling fans everywhere, TNA has never been in a position to challenge WWE for ratings supremacy. This is not TNA's fault, they have been around for about 13 years, while the WWE brand is generations old. WWE has created a fan base that generally accepts whatever it puts out, to the point even the most fair criticism is met with the horrible "If you don't like it, don't watch" argument.

Still, Impact Wrestling has seen so many changes and reboots over the past few years that most WWE fanboys consider them internet fodder. TNA attempted to go head-to-head with WWE on Monday nights in 2010, the results were disastrous. None of this should be taken as me badmouthing TNA, as nothing would please me more than a company giving the McMahon's a kick in the ass.

The bottom line is, WWE has a complete stranglehold on wrestling in North America. With WWE rebuilding NXT to (seemingly) hook smart fans, they nearly have all the markets cornered. This is not a good thing for fans or wrestlers.

I do not even watch Impact Wrestling on a casual basis, but I am not idiotic enough to wish for its demise. Nothing would benefit wrestling in North America more than a growth in interest of TNA.

 

[The Samoan Heritage]

I would watch 08-09 as well, the Main Event Mafia was a great group. For me TNA had a better product from 06-09 than wwe. (And are also having a better product this entire year as well)
There was a time TNA tried to compete with Wwe and they got demolished. They got some of the highest ratings in companies history when going up against wwe but they got beat. If you ask the WZ IWC they will claim that Wwe wasn't worried about TNA being competition but when TNA had there 1st "Monday Night War" show to counteract them Wwe brought back BRET HART(after decades of never speaking to each other).
As L.Booker86 said Wwe basically has a tight hold on the wrestling industry and its going to take a pretty long time for anyone to become true competition to Wwe.
In ratings TNA has 0 chance of ever competing with wwe, but in overall product TNA has beaten wwe a couple of times (Not necessarily in consecutive years).
So I would say for me TNA has been better from 06-09 and in 15'.

 

[Wald]

I'd more pick out feuds for you to watch than actual shows as often TNA's main problem was its inconsistency.

Check out the Kurt Angle v Samoa Joe programme from 2007. From the same year go watch Gail Kim v Awesome Kong's feud too, that one really changed up women's wrestling. The three-way feud between AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels over first the X-Division belt and then the world title was insanely good as well.

I'd also look into Raven's title win in 2005 and the 2010 feud between the Motor City Machine Guns and Beer Money.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I'd say that the product was more intense in physicality, and the roster as a whole was very varied, full of different colorful personalities and pound for pound better than WWE's roster. That's what got me into TNA. I started watching regularly in 2009. The Motor City Machine guns tipped the scales for me.

I turned it on and immediately loved it. It felt different, but also familiar. I loved seeing faces I recognize but also guys like Shelley and Sabin I never even heard of before. And the fact that these guys I never heard were before were actually damn good made me think that this company might be damn good as well. Up to that point I assumed anyone that's good is in the WWE. TNA showed me that that's bullshit.

So yes, wrestling wise the product in that time period was not only better than the WWE, it was better than any company has put out since WCW folded. Plus the company was and still is more free, people adlib and storylines flow freely. Crazy shit happens and weird things take place but that's part of not having every single line and movement scripted prior to taping.

TNA rocked back then. It still does.

 

[ECW]

One of the reasons you may have enjoyed TNA more is that they are more free-wheeling and they have been a long time. Much of what wrestlers in the WWE say on the mic is scripted and some guys can carry it off but most do not.

As far as the actual wrestling goes, don't look the the WWE for innovative moves and new string wrestling. TNA used to do that well but, lately, the innovators have been ROH and even Lucha Underground. The WWE sticks with the tried and true. They may repackage it every now and then and a new guy may bring something else but as for their big guns coming up with new stuff, it ain't happening. This may be why you enjoy the old TNA so much. I did too.