News Story of the Year

[Mr. TM]

Nominees:


Hulk Hogan to TNA
Angle Arrested
Hardy Arrested
Umaga dies
Misawa dies
Lou Albano dies
Angle/Jarrett love story
Bryan Danielson to WWE
Shane McMahon resigns
Nigel McGuiness to TNA
Mysterio suspended
Jericho assaults woman for real
Kennedy Fired
Edge Injured




​

Remember: This is in the Non-Spam Section

 

[Mr. TM]

I just finished watching the new Hulk Hogan DVD, and I must say it was a good job. But the thing that got me was the knowledge that this man was now apart of TNA. The once biggest man in wrestling and pop icon was now apart of the upstart promotion that hoped to rival the WWE. Have we heard this story before? Maybe 15 years ago when Hulk Hogan did the same thing to help out a company from the south to become number one?

We can only watch and see if he is able to do it again. Hulk Hogan to TNA was my news story of the year.

 

[X]

Without a doubt it's the death of Misawa, and I'd like to see anyone try to argue otherwise. I mean, imagine if Ric Flair were to die. That's basically the best comparison I can make to those who don't know very much about Misawa or puroresu in general. The man, in my opinion, may just have been the single greatest wrestler, ever. That's from any country during any promotion at any time. The man has been in more five star matches than you could count on your hands and toes, and he personified Japanese wrestling for decades alongside Kobashi and Kawada among others. Misawa was the leading force behind the massive exodus of talent from AJPW after Baba's death, he created NOAH, currently one of the top promotions in Japan, and the man continued to work his ass off in the ring literally until the day that he died. The man deserves to be known not only as a legend, but as a Wrestling God.

Misawa's death was the most important event of this year in wrestling, no doubt about it. Rest in Peace Misawa.

 

[Shocky]

This is a two way race right here. My gut instinct was to go with Hogan and going to TNA. The sheer thought that Hulk Hogan is going to a company like TNA, and has done enough to get that company, and Spike TV to get on board to go up against the WWE on a Monday Night, the thought of this is crazy.

Let's be serious though, Misawa basically collapsing and dying in the ring during an active match at his age is the single most shocking thing to happen (aside from the Benoit Murders) since the WWE buying out WCW. I wouldn't use the Ric Flair analogy, because he's old and people seem to distance themselves from him. Imagine Shawn Michaels just dropping dead on a Monday Night Raw in the middle of the ring.

 

[JGlass]

It was hard for me to decide between Captain Lou's death or Hogan, but I had to go with Hogan to TNA.

First of all, I am not of the generation that remembers Captain Lou Albano. I don't believe I have ever seen a match including him as a wrestler or a manager. I certainly understand he was at some point very important in the business, and I'm sure he has left his mark on the industry, but I just can't relate to him.

Secondly, while his death was sad, it doesn't have the long term implications of Hogan to TNA. I mean... Hulk Hogan is going to TNA! The man who made the WWE all it is today is going to the enemy!

I don't think any of us know what will happen. Some people feared Hogan would go over there and try to relive his glory years, but now they are saying he won't wrestle, so who knows. He brings with him one of the smartest men in wrestling, Eric Bichoff, as well as some very recognizable names, like Ric Flair.

Like I said, no one knows what will happen. Will some long lost WWF and WCW fans tune into TNA in January to see their old friend The Hulkster? Will the disgruntled WWE fans switch over from RAW to TNA's new Monday night show hoping that TNA will bring the blood, sex, and violence that WWE lacks? All I know is this, Bichoff is a good booker, and TNA has some great talents in AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Kurt Angle, and the list goes on. Furthermore, while TNA can put on some real shitfests, they can also elevate their game to the highest of levels.

My prediction? TNA will compete WWE for a short amount of time, anywhere from two weeks to two months depending on how the WWE adapts to having real competition. However, TNA doesn't have the resources to win a long war with the WWE, and will eventually return to where they came from. However, this will be the first time since Vince McMahon bought out WCW that there will be some real competition in the wrestling business, and that is why THIS is the story of the year.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Hulk Hogan going to TNA, hands down. Part of what makes it such a captivating story is the fact that nobody really believed that Hogan would go to TNA. He's talked with them in the past in attempts to get the WWE interested in him but, since the WWE wasn't interested, Hogan figures to try his luck with the upstarts.

It's also exciting because some are hoping for a rekindling of the Monday Night Wars and some are hoping that Hogan's presence will help TNA ascend to another level. I personally doubt it, but that doesn't really matter in this case. It's easily the biggest news story in wrestling this year.

 

[codog99]

Hogan could very well be the key to starting the television wars between TNA and WWE. They needed a big name and this is about as big as it can get. Not to mention the people that Hogan brings with him in the deal could very well bring an older generation of wrestling fans into the fold, giving TNA more support and more exposure.

 

[Dagger Dias]

The News Story of the year? Hogan to TNA. There is no other news story that even comes close because ever since this announcement was made, countless posts have been made with people's predictions about where both TNA and WWE are going to go from here now that Hogan is once again involved with a major wrestling federation. None of the other news stories even come close because Hogan joining TNA has had such a significant result.

 

[SavageTaker]

I want to say that Misawa’s death was the news story of the year but I’m also leaning towards Hogan joining TNA.

Look, I don’t know a ton about puro wrestling but I do know about Misawa. He’s had some amazing matches and rivalries throughout the time he was wrestling. Even at an age in which a lot of wrestlers contemplate retirement, he was still putting on awesome matches. I could go on and on about Misawa but I won’t. Simply put, he’s a legend and an amazing wrestler and him dying was extremely shocking. He was only 46 years old, so he wasn’t very old when he died. And he died unexpectedly. One day he is going to do what he loves to do (wrestle); Suddenly during the match he gets a belly-to-belly suplex and loses consciousness. At the hospital he’s pronounced dead. I don’t think anyone saw this coming at all. No one could have predicted it to happen and I can only imagine how Japanese pro-wrestling fans must have felt once they got the news.

I could write a paragraph about Hogan joining TNA and how big the news were for that…but I don’t think I need to since it’s pretty obvious what I’d write.

Both were very big news, but I’m voting Misawa dying because I think it’s a bigger news than Hogan joining TNA.

 

[Phoenix]

Aside from Hogan and Misawa, I think the one that shocked me was Shane quitting the WWE. No-one truly expected that moment to occur, and much like Hogan joining TNA, there's so much speculation on what he'll do and why he left. I think Shane quitting is definitely one of the big stories to hit this year, especially he's been with the company all his life!

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

I'm basing my vote on which news story will have the greatest impact on the future. Hogan joining TNA should elicit questions of "Why?," rather than responses of "Wow!" If anything, fans of Hogan should be more surprised that Bischoff is in the fold as well.

The most important news story of this year, folks, is Misawa's death. Not only did we lose one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever, but we came to realize that King's Road puroresu has one fatal flaw: it's just too damn dangerous. I thank Misawa for putting on the greatest matches that I have ever seen, but, let's be honest: in the ring, this man probably had his bell rung more times than Steve Young and Trent Green combined. If we add to this the facts that Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama (ages 42 and 40, respectively) are, for all intents and purposes, done for, then we come to the sobering conclusion that some great matches come at too great a cost.

In a few years' time, we will come to see that Misawa's passing away signaled the death knell for the bone-crushing, suplex- and slam-heavy puro that we all love.

 

[AllHailJericho]

I know Misawa's death is the most important, but I didn't know much about so I didn't vote for him. However, everything I've heard about him was nothing but good. R.I.P.
Hogan going to TNA was shocking as well, but Jeff's arrest caught me by surprise. Maybe if it didn't happen a week after he left I wouldn't be as shocked but seeing him battle in great matches with Punk, to a mugshot on the news was the story for me this year.

 

[SuperSteve16]

I Think that the news story of the year should go to Edge becuase his injury was a huge shock. While I know their were more storys that are shocking and there important stories, it was Edge getting inuried that caused a lot of confusion about what would happen to Jericho and who his tag parter was. This would go on to make one of the best tt's this decade

 

[RVDgurl]

In RVDgurl's world, Bryan Danielson leaving ROH for the WWE was by far the biggest news story of the year. It's such a terrible/wonderful thing all at the same time- and completely shocking. I would have bet a large sum of money that Bryan Danielson would retire from wrestling without ever leaving ROH. He was the undisputed king of the indies and most WWE diehards refused to believe that the WWE would ever have any interest in him. In fact, I still refuse to believe that it's true until I see him in a WWE ring.
Time will only tell what kind of success this move holds for Danielson as we are still (impatiently) awaiting his WWE debut.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Jeff Hardy getting arrested seemed like a big deal at the time. I couldn't help but think how WWE have been blessed with a little bit of good look, at least he wasn't in the company when he got busted.

In hindsight, the Hogan announcement was intresting but not that much of a big deal. He won't help TNA as they'll fail to capitalize on his return.

 

[jmt225]

It's definitely Misawa death.

Mitsuharu Misawa is one of the most legendary wrestlers in the history of Puroresu, first of all, but it's not just that, but the fact that the man died right there in the middle of the ring. I mean, you hear stories of that happening on these small little indie shows where there are no cameras to film it, but this happened on a huge show, in front of thousands with cameras rolling, and it happened to a legend of the sport. It's flat out devastating, unbelievable news.

Some of you just don't understand what kind of impact this had for so many people. For those who witnessed it, for the company of NOAH, to the Puroresu World as a whole, it turned things upside down forever, and it ruined some lives, as well. Misawa's family, the poor kid who delivered the move, and even some fans present that night.... those people will never get over this.

June 13, 2009 is easily one of the darkest days in the history of the sport, and what happened that day is easily the news story of 2009.

 

[Tastycles]

Misawa's death was a massive shock, and certainly from an international point of view it was a huge deal. However, on a personal level, I don't watch Japanese wrestling chronologically, so if one of the guys are dead, it doesn't really affect me. To add to that, I don't know anything outside of the matches, so I have no idea what sort of health he had been in. Hogan going to TNA could be a big deal, but it remains to be seen how much of an effect it has. So for me, I went for the most shocking news. I knew Umaga was in a bad way, having been released, but I didn't realise how bad. Umaga's death came as a suprise, and it was also unfortunate, as I really liked him as a wrestler.

 

[gd]

I'd vote for the Misawa thing, but I'm not really exposed to any Japanese wrestling so it isn't a huge deal for me, other than the fact that a man died in the ring, which is obviously horrible.

I went with Hogan/TNA. The biggest wrestler EVAH signs with the WWE's rival company. Have we seen this before? I think so. Obviously, you can't compare TNA to WCW though, it's a completely different situation. However, the mere possiblity that Hogan will help to skyrocket TNA as a company and possibly cause Monday Night Wars 2.0 is pretty big news.

 

[Tenta]

I'm basing my vote on which news story will have the greatest impact on the future.

In which case, I can see the biggest news story being Umaga's death. Again, it adds to the list of so many names who have already died. This story simply isn't going to go away, people. And I'm not particularly even reffering to Umaga's death, but to these continued deaths that occur due to heart disease. Somehow, someway, there's going to be a crackdown on the type of life wrestler's live. Watch, and you'll see. When Congress is looking to have more heads roll, and when more media outlets become sickened by what their seeing, they will turn to this case, I promise you. Maybe not completely, but it's evidence nontheless. It's in the immediate conscious of the media when they think of the WWE. And that, really, could lead to a cleansing of the type of wrestlers live.

Misawa's death is huge, don't get me wrong. But I'm not so sure it's going to cause a crackdown on the Puro style. People may be more sensitive, but soon enough, people will turn to it again. It's what they're raised upon, and how it's always been done. Puro, I think, won't see much of a change. American Wrestling, with the surmounting number of deaths, could.

 

[gd]

In which case, I can see the biggest news story being Umaga's death. Again, it adds to the list of so many names who have already died. This story simply isn't going to go away, people. And I'm not particularly even reffering to Umaga's death, but to these continued deaths that occur due to heart disease. Somehow, someway, there's going to be a crackdown on the type of life wrestler's live. Watch, and you'll see. When Congress is looking to have more heads roll, and when more media outlets become sickened by what their seeing, they will turn to this case, I promise you. Maybe not completely, but it's evidence nontheless. It's in the immediate conscious of the media when they think of the WWE. And that, really, could lead to a cleansing of the type of wrestlers live.

I don't think Umaga's death is going to lead to anything big, at least not in the near future. It's just another random casualty in a long line of deaths that no one really seems to care about. I reckon it'll take either a series of 3 or 4 deaths in a short period of time or a death by a really big name to get enough attention for people to care. Sure, we got the Wellness Policy from Benoit, but if something similar happens again, something will actually have to happen. However, if it continues to be random deaths like Umaga's and Test's that happen only 2 or 3 times a year, people are going to look at it as an anamoly and not bother to do anything about, just like they are doing currently.

 

[Tenta]

I don't think Umaga's death is going to lead to anything big, at least not in the near future. It's just another random casualty in a long line of deaths that no one really seems to care about. I reckon it'll take either a series of 3 or 4 deaths in a short period of time or a death by a really big name to get enough attention for people to care. Sure, we got the Wellness Policy from Benoit, but if something similar happens again, something will actually have to happen. However, if it continues to be random deaths like Umaga's and Test's that happen only 2 or 3 times a year, people are going to look at it as an anamoly and not bother to do anything about, just like they are doing currently.

Right now? Yes, you may be right.

Down the line? It threatens to be the most important thing that can change the spectrum of the business. Warning stories such as this may not mean as much in cases of two or three. But what about the locker room? What might they think of these deaths, which have risen at an astronomical level since the turn of the century. The lifespan of the average wrestler is dwindling, GD. There's absolutely no denying that. And in that will grow to become a story of, "How do we fix it?"

Then, and only then, will this story ever fully reach conclusion. As for now, it hangs over wrestler's heads. Another cloud. As more clouds gather, and threaten the state of the big time promotions, it's only then that wrestlers will come together, and declare that something must be done for professional wrestlers.

Trust me... In the long run, this will be the more impactful story.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I think Hogan going to TNA was more news worthy sense every wrestling web site and every talk show Hogan goes on talks about him joining TNA. Even though they briefly mention it on talk shows. Umaga's death was more important. It shocked the wrestling world since he was so young, and he just returned from an overseas tour.

Legends like Albano and Misawa get coverage on the wrestling sites, but are soon forgotten. Kennedy and Umaga being fired was a huge story at first, then it simmered down eventually. Hardy arrested wasn't really the story of the year since we all saw it coming.

Hogan joining TNA has become huge news over the past few months. TNA are starting a Monday Night War, and WWE is taking notice. Even though it may not turn out to be anything special down the road, for now it is the most talked about and newsworthy story of the year.