Every second that any combination of Sting, Flair, and Hogan are on TNA programming, there is a feeling of "epic" quality. It is History unfolding before your eyes. Hogan uses himself as a catalyst to promote lots of angles within the company, so of the three, he is the only one that MAY be over-saturated. But he is so good, it doesnt matter.
Flair's whole TNA run has been earth-shatteringly good. He wrestles just about as often as he should wrestle, and, no matter how old he is, he is still drenched with charisma. Every on-screen performance he has had, including programs with Abyss, Jay Lethal, managing AJ Styles & Fortune, as Hogan's consigliere in Immortal, etc., he is perfect in all of the roles, a master of his craft indeed. Also, at 63 years old, he is in GREAT shape. He is more jacked and imposing than most of the X-division, and he is in much better shape than his farewell run in WWE!
Sting, since Hogan's interjection into the company and storyline has been equally awesome to watch. I got shivers at his brief heel run when Hogan was mock face in the beginning. He has wrestled through a bad shoulder injury, and held the world title seemingly, when nobody else could. The Joker mystique that Sting has added to his character would be far more interesting to me if he took it further, and went darker. Sting is most interesting when he is misunderstood by the audience. This was the main catalyst for the success of his crow gimic back in 96-97. He is not what he was in the ring, but he is still moving well and putting on quality matches. If this is truly his last great run, I would like to see him tone his muscles more and remove the T-shirt, but at this point, I am thankful for every minute of TV time he has.
Hogan, is at the top of his game as a mouthpeice for TNA. He can flip the switch and become fan favorite at any minute he wants. Every wrestler lucky enough to be directly linked in an angle with him, gets a good rub because of it. He is the best in the company at playing the live audience, and Sting and Hogan are right behind him. Also, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Hogan has been prepping for at least 1 more markee match for SEVERAL years. He is twice as jacked as Hollywood Hogan was in 96-98. Hogan is also a master of Kayfabe and he has given you a lifetime worth of evidence for this. I do not think "his back is going to give out"...he wants you to think it will. It is all part of the show.
Anybody who was a die-hard fan of the nWo Hogan v. Sting fued has to be interested in the current TNA scenario. The backstage scene where facepaint-less sting questioned Hulk Hogan's legacy for his children, and then smeared the red paint on Hogans face was the best vignette I have seen in years. Two legends, hinting at settling old scores, that NEED to be settled, not just for them and their characters, not just for TNA and their fans, but for a legion of WCW fans who have been waiting for a very long time, checking in to the world of wrestling here and there, just to make sure they won't miss out on any possible closure to the nWo psyche, the virtue of Hulk Hogan, and anybody who ever fell under that umbrella of storyline. Since the moment Hulk Hogan first came to WCW his shadow has loomed large over one man in particular, the Stinger. It is also significant to note that Starrcade 97' essentially killed the great mystique that crow Sting built the entire year. No fast count, no pay-off of good over evil, and no great run for the Sting character post Starrcade.
Bound For Glory, Sting v. Hogan will work not only as a draw, but also as a catalyst for the future of the company. If Sting is able to strike a nerve in Hogan and re-draw the powers of Hulkamania, then there is no telling the momentum that this could give to the TNA program. It is a compelling story, the hero, disgraced, and redeemed by old rival. Anything in WWE storylines this good, authentic, and American? This conversion may happen at Bound For Glory, but I wouldn't mind if it happened slowly, over perhaps more than one match between Sting and Hogan built over several months if not upwards of a year.
I have joined this messageboard because I have scourged the internet looking for any sort of a positive buzz on TNA from the IWC, particularly the work of the Legends in TNA. How about some love for Scott Steiner? His body is awesome, his wrestling smooth and psychological. He's doing frankensteiners again for christ's sake!! No love?
It should be noted that I have never done anything like this before (posting on wrestling forums). I have had a casual love of wrestling for many years that has slipped into obsessive love at certain points, when programming was particularly strong. This is definitely one of those moments.
Flair, unable to restrain himself when Sting kissed Hogan a few weeks back on IMPACT, was PRICELESS!! It was so true to his character, and perfect for the angle they are building. I also loved the F-bomb from Flair, it brought realism and passion into the story. "Take it serious" he yelled when off mic...this is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant...young talent will not do little things like this, or "get it" until IWC starts to show and spread love for the work of the Legends, love that is much deserved. How about Sting letting Hogan beat him up in the back??? The build of this fued has been great, and it is owed to the community of fans that are still, in some sad way, waiting for the true showdown between Sting and Hogan that never happened in Starrcade 97, nor at SuperBrawl a few months later, nor during Sting's brief heel turn in WCW.
If I were writing TNA storylines, I would have Sting vs. Hogan at BFG be a brutal squash, so bad in fact, that it turns Sting heel, just out of sheer sympathy for Hogans "bad back". Sting needs to "kill" Hogan in order for him to be born again, and killing even an evil Hulk Hogan will be enough to cement the heel turn that Sting has never been able to realize at any point in his career. Let Immortal fall apart, and turn sting into the Joker-inspired anarchist terrorist he ought to be, and let him be an anti-anti-hero, constantly trying to show the fans the true darkside of their own nature. Let him be the most brutal he has been in his career. Let Sting's last run be memorable because it was ORIGINAL and different. A man true only to his own sense of justice and morality, running amuck in TNA while Hogan sits at home and re-charges the batteries of hulkamania. Let TNA become a place of chaos without Hogan, and Bischoff scared off, or useless in trying to deal with the mad Sting, who now after destroying hogan is drunk with bloodlust. Bring Hogan back to TNA a few months later as the hero, fullfilling Sting's ultimate wish, to get the real Hulk Hogan back, even if it means turning himself into a devil. Then you have the match of the century, Sting v. Hogan, once and for all, Hogan now a christ-like character literally risen from the ashes to redeem himself and save TNA. Bill it as the last match of both of their careers and let it be the last match of both their careers, let them both bleed. Let Hogan power out of the deathlock, after two arm drops, and let him hulk up and pin sting, bringing himself full circle. Let Sting retire knowing he is #2 to Hulks #1, and that he is at least responsible for the redemption of the only wrestler in the world that was better than him.
Asides from the whole nWo angle you mean? Or how about the way that this feud has been positioned - that HH and EB were the cancer that ultimately destroyed his old home WCW and now they've come into TNA / IW and he is trying to prevent lightning striking twice?
that's your prerogative but don't pretend that this IS the PPV and don't act as if this nature of match hasn't been done before and done VERY successfully!
Hogan's portrayed as the boss, and a heel at that, of course it makes perfect sense for the Dirtiest Player In The Game to be aligned with him.