Konnan Shoots on TNA

[A.J.]

Source: Wrestlezone

Former WCW & TNA star Konnan made an appearance on Wrestling Observer Live with Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez on Sunday night (July 8) discussing his departure from TNA Wrestling and speaking out in the media regarding the Chris Benoit situation. Here are some highlights:

- On leaving TNA, Konnan said it was a combination of five years of lies building up and not getting paid enough money.

- He added that not being helped with his health issues also caused him to make his decision. Konnan said he came into TNA with a hip problem and the excuse he got from TNA was that he already had a bad hip. Konnan told them it got worse working for them.

- Konnan said when it was time for him to get the hip replacement surgery, TNA did loan him the money, but wanted it all paid back in full. He said they also offered to loan him money for his kidney transplant as well, but again wanted to be paid back in full.

- He said that TNA always disrespected and briefly mentioned some racial tension.

- Konnan said he could never understand why when he would go to TNA and would ask for more money why that would tell him they couldn't, but were re-signing Christian Cage and giving Kurt Angle and Sting huge contracts.

- He said since he had somewhere else to go (AAA), he just left.

- Konnan said he told Homicide and Hernandez not to leave TNA because he was. He gave them his reasons for leaving having been there since day one and now being broke. "I decided to quit. Enough was enough," said Konnan.

- He added that Dixie Carter has her head in the sand and is oblivious to the problems with TNA. Konnan said that she complains about Jeff Jarrett all the time, but never pulls the trigger and gets him out of there.

- "All of the talent is frustrated there. No one watches the show," said Konnan. He added that the mid-card guys in the X Division are buried so bad and the people in power don't care.

- Said BG James, Kip James and Senshi have all asked for releases from TNA, but the company won't give it to them. He said he just straight up quit and they can't obligate him to work for them since TNA deals don't work like that.
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From what i can see Konnan was very bitter about how TNA treated him about his hip surgery and many other things. Konnan is good in all but he is no Cage or Angle and i feel he doesn't deserve that kind of money. I think he feels getting this out will let more people know about the TNA politics but any company has them. Though he is right about a few things like the X-division is getting buried and they need to let those guys showcase what they can do.

So any thoughts on what Konnan said?

 

[justinsayne]

Yeah he sounds a tad bit bitter, but he also makes it sound like TNA is being run like WCW was, which is not a good thing, btw what does he mean by "TNA deals don't work that way", if he can just straight up quit then why can't VKM & Senshi?

 

[Slyfox696]

- He added that not being helped with his health issues also caused him to make his decision. Konnan said he came into TNA with a hip problem and the excuse he got from TNA was that he already had a bad hip. Konnan told them it got worse working for them.

- Konnan said when it was time for him to get the hip replacement surgery, TNA did loan him the money, but wanted it all paid back in full. He said they also offered to loan him money for his kidney transplant as well, but again wanted to be paid back in full.

- "All of the talent is frustrated there. No one watches the show," said Konnan. He added that the mid-card guys in the X Division are buried so bad and the people in power don't care.

I don't have a problem with Konnan at all, but the preceding quotes just make him sound like an idiot.

TNA wanted him to pay back their LOAN to him? Wow, those bastards. Konnan should have just gone to a bank and have a bank loan him the money. I'm sure they wouldn't have made him pay it all back...or with interest.

Nobody watches the show? TNA is getting some of its highest ratings ever, they're traveling across the company and PPV buys are as strong as always.

And, he talks about how he wanted more money, got refused, but there was money to pay guys like Sting, Angle and Christian. Well, K-Dawg, that's probably because they actually wrestled. Not just talked into a microphone. That, and people pay to see those guys. Nobody pays to see Konnan.


I realize this is a paraphrased highlight of an interview, but it makes him look terribly ignorant.

 

[justinsayne]

Nobody watches the show? TNA is getting some of its highest ratings ever, they're traveling across the company and PPV buys are as strong as always.

I think he meant no one in the back, meaning the talent, watches the show

and I too thought the comments he made about TNA wanting him to pay back the loans they gave him in full were kind of ******ed, last time I checked the whole idea behind a loan is to barrow money then pay it back over time

 

[Slyfox696]

I think he meant no one in the back, meaning the talent, watches the show

I thought about that too after I posted. If that is the case, then that is on the other wrestlers, not the company. It's not TNA's fault the other guys aren't worried about what's going on other than their own part. Obviously, something TNA's doing is working.

 

[justinsayne]

Well if talent backstage isn't happy because they fill they arn't getting enough of a push, then they should all relize that they only have one hour of tv a week to try and make everybody happy, and just deal with it already, now if the same thing where happining in WWE then they would have no excuse seeing as how they have five hours of tv time a week

 

[Moon Knight]

Not shocking, It's nice to finally see someone shed some light on how TNA is run. It's obvious that TNA is being very badly run and a lot of people are not happy, Carter needs to step up and fix these issues before this eats them up.


Talent not watching? That is a bad sign that morale is low and the talent is just so disgusted with the product they won't watch it...who's fault is this? And if Carter hates Jarrett why is he still there? Most of all why hasn't Russo been canned? And half the issue is that the X title IS MID CARD! That shouldn't be and some of their other talent like Roode can't hold it, they need to get a real mid card belt and use the X division a bit better or can it.


Right now I don't blame him, the matches have dropped off, the storylines are terrible and still no 2nd hour...I would have left to. Things don't look good from TNALand! They need to shape up, Vampiro left and hammered the company complaining of asskissing going on backstage. Not good.


As for the loan, he wasn't looking for a loan but for the company to pay for his needs. WWE does this a lot, like with Paul Bearer. But what did he expect? TNA isn't as rich as WWE...but they do give the idea they can pay for more with those huge sting contracts.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Definitely an interesting read. He's right about a lot of stuff, but then in other areas he sounds - like you've already pointed out - idiotic.

Quite frankly, I couldn't care less about VKM wanting to leave. They've been more stale than even 3D. Maybe. However, I think it would be a big shame if Senshi were to leave. He's a great talent and it'd be shame for him to have to go back to being an indie-only wrestler. That's probably linked to TNA burying the X Division, like Konnan pointed out. The X Division is pretty much where all of TNA's most talented (and alternative) wrestlers lie and how is it used? To put over "Black Machismo" and as a springboard for Joe. I don't have a problem with Joe as X Champion, it's just that he's obviously not really legitimately holding it. Basically, it's being used as an IC title, when it should be being used on the same level as the Heavyweight title.

 

[MrBurgess]

YOu know what I think that Konan is somewhat delusional. He has actually convinced himself that he is alot bigger star in the US than he actually is. Konan is a midcard talent at best in the US, even if he is a mexican legend, his legacy in legacy in Mexico doesn't mean shit in the US. I like LAX because of the actual wrestlers Homicide and Hernandez not because of Konan. The fact is alot of the TNA originals think that they are owed something just because they were there, but you know what the ones who are actually owed something aren't complaining (styles, daniels, harris, storm etc.). The fact no wrestling company lives or dies because of one wrestler coming in or leaving. This serves true in WWE and also for TNA. People like Konan and Killings are delusional and if they aren't happy then I am glad that they are gone from TNA. As matter of fact TNA is at a point of growing so they don't need people there that don't want to be there.

 

[X]

I just wanted to add something here. Konnan ladies and gentlemen, is a legend. One of the greats. An instant hall-of-famer in a just world. You go to Mexico, everyone, even people who don't like wrestling, know who Konnan is. That's how big he is. He's like the Stone Cold of Mexico, with guys like Santo & Mascaras being the Hulk Hogans.

As for the loan thing...if you get injured on the job, as Konnan claims to be and apparently was, then your employers need to pay for it. Thats basic law 101. TNA however is quite a bit cheap. Konnan I think just didn't want to be there anymore at all, as I would agree that TNA has been really doing the same exact things and stories for the last few years on repeat. Once they get two hours though, I think we'll see a large resurgence in the quality of the show. As it is, I already love it, and tune in every week for my fix of damn good wrestling, something I can only seem to get with a few wrestlers on Smackdown from the WWE.

 

[Shocky]

I have always felt that Konnan is a glorified cry baby. I'm not knocking his in-ring ability, or his mic skills, but damn, any time something goes wrong, Konnan is one of the first to pop off at the mouth and bitch about the industry, yet he is still compelled to perform for it.

I feel for Konnan and his health problems, but they are his health problems. If he had a bad hip before signing with TNA, and then bitched about them not paying for it as it degenerated, then maybe, just maybe, his ass should have taken the time off to heal himself up.

With the Kidney problems, I'm not sure what the cause of it was, I've heard theories on it. Some have said that years of rampant drug and alchohal abuse have ruined them, and if that is the case, then why should TNA front the bill for Konnan destroying his own body? It is Konnan's personal responsibility. Konnan didn't bust his Kidneys in TNA in a match, so why should TNA be held responsible for paying his medical bills?

TNA offered to give Konnan a loan, but expected the money back. What the hell is wrong with that, nothing. It's business, and if Konnan doesn't understand business, then he needs to get out of the business world. If it was a legit injury caused in a TNA ring, then it becomes a different story, but this isn't the case. TNA offered, Konnan rejected it, that's on Konnan.

This would be like the Undertaker, while healing from his bicep injury, discovers that he needs a new Kidney. Why should the WWE have to pay for something that happened to the Undertaker while away from the ring?, It makes no sense.

Konnan, I feel, is pissed about not getting over in the USA, or getting that big push that Misterio or Guerrero got. The thing is, Misterio and Guerrero have way more talent and charisma then Konnan. Konnan is always the first to bitch about the industry not paying guys, not taking care of guys, blah blah, wah wah. Why the hell would WCW, TNA, or WWE get behind a guy that is nothing more then a cancer in the locker room. Konnan feels taht simply because he was great in Mexico, that that should translate into superstardom in the United States, and it simply doesn't work that way. Grow up Konnan, get over it, and move on with your life.

Honestly, the guy thinks he deserves Cage, Angle, or Sting money, give me a fuckign break. Honestly, has Konnan ever gotten anyone to say, hey, I'm going to order that pay per view, because Konnan is wrestling. I sure as hell haven't.

If VKM leaves, don't let the ass hit them on the way out the door. Honestly, those guys ahve attributed zero to the business the last 9 years, so it's time for them to find a retirement home.

As for the X-Division, sorry, but it is the second tier. All companies should be built around the heavyweight division, like it or not. They are the draws to the company, and the lighter guys are the guys that build up to that point. I love the X-Division as much as anyone else, but if someone could honestly make an arguement that Chris Sabin deserves teh spotlight more then Christian Cage, I would call them crazy. Say what you will about TNA and "burying" the X-Division, but ratings don't lie, and the ratings indicate they like the heavyweights more right now. It proves, right now, that Angle is a draw, like him or not.

I take most things that Konnan says to be meaningless. It's another bitter, old ass wrestler that is ten years past his prime, and is only good occassionally on a stick to put the younger guys over.

 

[Mad Metal]

Most said here seems to fit the reports we get on how a good number of people in TNA are upset and wants out, even though the backstage area in TNA is not as much disclosed as the WWE backstage area is. It also seems as if people aren't happy with the way TNA is using their money and treating guys like Angle and Cage very well while someone like Konnan who got hurt even worse while working for TNA isn't getting the correct treatment. I'd be bitter too but all I can say is that's how it works in TNA. Like it? Stay. If not.... leave.

 

[Shocky]

I agree with most of that post MadMetal, but Konnan didn't get injured working for TNA. He abused his body most of his life living and partying like a rock star. Using all sorts of illicit drugs and drinking alcohol to the wee morning hours of the day doesn't say healthy life style. Cage, for all intents and purposes throughout his career, has been a straight arrow. Kurt Angle, while addicted to pain killers, has at least made an effort to clean himself up. Konnan sits back and bitches about all this, probably still with a 40 in one hand, and a blount in the other, all the while on dialysis.