The 4-sided ring vs 6-sided ring Discussion thread

[Reddannihilation]

The idea of a convertible ring is pretty interesting. As you mentioned the X-division rely on it. I really wouldn't want them to ditch the Asylum although six-sides of steel isn't really any different from a regular cage. But other gimmick matches I think will take a hit are Ultimate X and Raven's Clockwork Orange House Of Fun match. Sure that second one isn't used all that often but it's a unique match which I think relies on the ring. So yes I would support a convertible ring, but I still feel that there's really no need for a 4-sided ring unless it's just to please traditionalists.

 

[Skorpiunz]

The idea of a convertible ring is pretty interesting. As you mentioned the X-division rely on it. I really wouldn't want them to ditch the Asylum although six-sides of steel isn't really any different from a regular cage. But other gimmick matches I think will take a hit are Ultimate X and Raven's Clockwork Orange House Of Fun match. Sure that second one isn't used all that often but it's a unique match which I think relies on the ring. So yes I would support a convertible ring, but I still feel that there's really no need for a 4-sided ring unless it's just to please traditionalists.

Yes agreed completely, but unfortunately the rumors are that TNA has ordered a square ring, hogan doesn't like complex polygons, probably because he cant count how many sides there are, and that the six sided ring would be destroyed on an episode of impact. In the fairness of both drawing attention and satisfying loyals, its a great idea.

 

[SickJames]

I prefer 4 sided rings. I dont really like TNA (i watched only because of MNWII Monday)
But I dont not want TNA to succeed, I do want it to keep the MNWII going cause that's just cool for all of us

But I really just wanted to ask exactly what did you have in mind when you said convertible ring? like the ring ropes and ring post? or the mat? what exactly would be retracting and folding away? or do you mean from the inside?

I just wanted a deeper explanation of your idea

but back on the topic I say have 4 sides and bring in 6 sides for certain gimmick matches at some PPVs or special shows every now and then

 

[Toroc102]

EH, I don't think this is a big deal at all, I never really got the 6 sided ring in the first place and I don't see how it does or doesn't benefit the X-Division.

I guess thats all I really have to say about that, umm, I think a normal ring will make TNA look more big time, and don't really think even the most Hardcore TNA fans are going to give to much of a care after about a month.

 

[Xtreme_Animlas2314]

As a wrestling fan watching since the late 80's all the way up to now. TNA needs to keep the six sided ring! I mean its a little different then all other company except for mexico in some areas I believe and of course MMA/UFC. I mean after I watch Lucha Libre a few times at my grandmother house and of course it was in Spanish like ten years ago or so. I remember the different ring they were using. For smaller athletic guys it does benefit for them the best. Everyone that has been with TNA since the six sided ring, I believe is ok and comfortable with it except for a few divas and older talents that barely wrestled in the ring before. As a fan TNA needs to keep because if they don't it will be like a new WCW version and things really slowly go back to the old days and TNA may lose the battle and then what do we have to show for it. WWE until someone else can start another promotion.

I'm just saying and I hope for the best but destorying a ring that help put TNA on the map just because Hogan and Eric doesn't like is just a joke. I mean if you honestly take a vote with everyone in the company and no one can get in trouble for voting wrong. I believe the six sided ring would stay hands down.

Then again maybe we will have a feud going sort of like the Frontline and Main Event Mafia but instead it will be Hogan and his crew with a few old and young guys with the four sided ring vs Jarrett and Foley with everyone else in TNA with the six sided ring. After the feud is all over with the Jarrett team with the six sided ring should win the war. This will slowly put all of hogan people out of TNA and then Hogan can just stay in the back and do his job that he is getting paid for.

We will just have to wait and see.!!

 

[mral82]

If they get rid of the 6 sides it won't help ratings. I hope they don't get rid of it cause that's what they went to as a WWE alternative. I think Hogan needs to keep the ring the same not change it cause it's not the ring that's the rating's pooper it's their production value. It looks so WCW Saturday Night or WCW Pro the way it's done. So work on your production TNA don't worry so much on the 6 Sided Ring cause it's koolio in my book. I guess they don't like it to be diff from WWE but try to make it look like WWE Lite.

Keep the 6 sides cause these matches would look R-Tard w/o it:
6 Sides Of Steel
Terrordome
Lethal Lockdown
The Whole Lockdown PPV
Ultimate X
Raven's Clockwork House Of Fun
Any X Division Match
Elevation X

So Hogan quit ego trippin and keep the 6 Sides

 

[JakeFontaine]

As a indy wrestler I can tell you guys from experience the 6 sided ring while looking cool hinders a little bit.You cant really get momentum for moves off the ropes as easy as you can with the four sided.They had matches like clockwork house of orange and Ultimate X can still be done as you only had two cables going to the for corners anyway.Six sides of steel glorified cage match. Also the six sides take up an extra two rows could be used for ticket increases.

 

[WHAT]

i think the 6-sided ring is stupid and definitely needs to be replaced. yeah it's good for X-division matches but that's about it. Does anyone else besides me notice how much SLOWER the matches are in TNA compared to WWE. I think the 6-sided ring significantly slows down the pace of the matches and makes it less believable. While flipping between the shows last nite, i felt (besides the kurt angle match), that TNA simply cant compete with the production of Raw.

all in all, get rid of the 6-sided ring if you want to be taken seriously

 

[Reddannihilation]

Yes agreed completely, but unfortunately the rumors are that TNA has ordered a square ring, hogan doesn't like complex polygons, probably because he cant count how many sides there are, and that the six sided ring would be destroyed on an episode of impact. In the fairness of both drawing attention and satisfying loyals, its a great idea.

I'm kinda interested to see how they'll pull that off, the only thing I can see would be Angle suplexing that tub of lard Brian Knobbs with the ring collapsing ala Big Show and Lesnar. Either that or the Old World Order burning it down or something.

 

[Theo Mays]

The six sided ring is unique to TNA. I don't want to see them get rid of it, but I don't think it'll be such a big deal going to the traditional 4 sided ring. It gives guys some more room to move around and do some more exciting stuff. I'm neither for nor against. Whatever decision TNA makes, I'll back. I am interested if they do indeed switch as to how they are going to destroy the 6 sided ring.

 

[Skorpiunz]

Everyone is missing the point of the post!!!
There's already a six sided ring vs 4 sided argument.
I'm saying: WIth technology nowadays. Why not have a ring that they can convert into different styles. Its a genius way to bring tradition and innovation together!!!

 

[Supersayin]

Keep the 6 sided ring, it actually improves the wrestler. Look athe wrestlers in WWE and look how slow they are and boring. With the 6 sided ring you get some good fast paced action. Even the heavyweights are fast, for example Matt morgan and Hernendaz.

 

[andres torti]

Well i dont like the sided ring.I think its looks funny and dont know the real reasing why it has been used by TNA.I like it original,and thats the square circle.I think that people who didnt watched TNA before they would like it more with a Square circel,and i think that people who allways wathed TNA with the six sides dont really care if they change it,so why not change it.TNA has to begin a new era,maybe its a good idea.

 

[jaxx]

This IMO is a good idea, because the 6 sided ring is not the selling point of TNA, its the athletes. A four sided ring will allow matches to flow more smoothly and if you notice the ropes on the 6 sided ring has no give to them so its hard for wrestlers to come off of them to gain momentum for a move on an opponent.

Now I don't know if they can come up with a changeable ring, but i would keep the six sided ring for ppv such as lockdown and ultimate x matches. Doing this would make the matches more special and more exciting, because you'll only see this ring for those matches and it continues to give TNA its uniqueness among other promotions.

 

[Razor]

OH GOD! Changing a part of their product to allow more fans to appreciate and understand the product, thereby bringing in more revenue?!?!?!?! Fuck that, TNA. Stay with that 6-sided ring. I don't care if you want to change it or not. My feeling that you should keep the fucking ring the same obviously trumps the ideas of someone who has kept a wrestling company afloat for many years. /sarcasm

The adjustable ring sounds superfluous and unneeded. It would have to have a way to completely take out the extra two sides, no? Then add them back in a way that is fast enough to be completed during a commercial break and/or a promo? Janky. Not only is it janky, I'd have to call it jankety.

TNA has to make a decision. Either have the 6-sided ring, or go with a 4-sided ring. Whichever way they go, they should be fine. The wrestling talent is obviously there. It's not like AJ Styles is going to suddenly forget how to wrestle if they take out 2 sides. However, they shouldn't flip flop on the idea. Come up with a choice, and stick with it. If that means taking your 1990s wrestlers and having them dismantle the ring, thereby replacing it with a 4-sided ring, then so be it. Hell, it'd get Hogan hella heat if anything.

 

[NSL]

So he's getting rid of it anyway

I'm not a fan of this, and as many other TNA fans have already said, the X Division, and a lot of the gimmick matches, would just look wrong in a four sided ring. It started in a four-sided ring, but it's been adapted for the ring they're working in, and that's how almost everyone who watches now is used to it.

Taking the extra sides away will slow down a lot of the matches, and makes a lot of the usual TNA spots look awkward.

 

[D-Man]

It just seems to me that the WWE and other pugilistic sports (not to mention the symbol of the legacy of professional wrestling) have a four-sided ring and the UFC tossed themselves into an octagon (8-sided ring, for the morons). Now, since TNA was making a feeble attempt to become a hybrid of both of these sports, they decided to "Hit the one in the middle" and adjust to a six-sided ring. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

And that's what I feel a new audience sees when they turn on TNA. For fans of the WWE, the UFC, or other pugilistic sports, the TNA six-sided ring just looks like a circus-act in a desperation attempt to temporarily halt the channel surfers for a minute to get noticed.

And to address NSL's last statement:

Taking the extra sides away will slow down a lot of the matches

I never saw any problems with WCW's or WWE's Cruiserweight matches from the past. Are you merely speaking of TNA's unique match-types?

 

[NSL]

And to address NSL's last statement:

I never saw any problems with WCW's or WWE's Cruiserweight matches from the past. Are you merely speaking of TNA's unique match-types?

WWE? You liked those matches? Really? WCW also had a smaller ring, and guys like Jericho, Rey, Juvi, Chavo, and Eddie flying all over. Add in guys like Liger, Pillman, Steamboat, and you have quite a class.

TNA's X Division has some bigger guys (Homicide, Suicide), and guys that are good, but get the added help from the extra turnbuckles (Red, Lethal, Creed).

I do also mean the gimmick matches. The Ultimate X wouldn't be the same over 4 corners, and the Six Sides Of Steel would obviously be a thing of the past. You can also count out Steel Asylum, which has had some high spots over the years.

 

[D-Man]

WWE? You liked those matches?

Actually, yeah. WCW's Cruiserweight matches were some of the most humble and exciting matches I've ever seen. It reminded me of college football... they just seemed to work harder because they had a lot more to prove. In the CW's case, they were a new division and really wanted to put their stamp on the business in a larger stage. They succeeded in ECW and WCW... maybe not so much in the WWE.

I do also mean the gimmick matches. The Ultimate X wouldn't be the same over 4 corners,

Not necessarily true. Draw lines across the ring from the four corners and you've got an "X". I can't see how it would hurt the match.

and the Six Sides Of Steel would obviously be a thing of the past.

What would suffer here? The name? It's just a fucking cage match. TNA's just happened to have six sides because... well... the ring had six sides.

You can also count out Steel Asylum, which has had some high spots over the years.

I disagree here, too. The cage could EASILY be adjusted to become a four corner cage on the outside with a contoured roof that comes to a point with an opening in the middle for competitors to climb out of. But either way, Monday night's match showed the flaws in this gimmick, so I don't see why it's of such importance when a regular cage match will suffice.

 

[NSL]

What would suffer here? The name? It's just a fucking cage match. TNA's just happened to have six sides because... well... the ring had six sides.

I'm going to assume you've never seen the older cage matches...

Because there's more sides, and they're smaller, the cage has a lot less give, and being simply whipped into the ropes can draw blood. If you take 2 sides away, you get something a bit more like the cage from ECW, where every time someone climbed the ropes, it looked like the cage was going to collapse into the crowd.

I disagree here, too. The cage could EASILY be adjusted to become a four corner cage on the outside with a contoured roof that comes to a point with an opening in the middle for competitors to climb out of. But either way, Monday night's match showed the flaws in this gimmick, so I don't see why it's of such importance when a regular cage match will suffice.

It sucked Monday because Homicide's fat ass couldn't climb the cage. It works when guys like Daniels and Kaz win it.

 

[D-Man]

It sucked Monday because Homicide's fat ass couldn't climb the cage. It works when guys like Daniels and Kaz win it.

Agreed. Even I will admit that match has a great concept... on paper. Climbing a Hell-In-A-Cell-esq cage in order to escape from a tiny hole at the top is very interesting, but also extremely difficult to pull off, as it was proven on Monday night.

First of all, the climb is so awkward that it would be difficult for just about anyone to get out there. Secondly, they have to do it AFTER a spot-saturated, spot-monkey-filled matchup?? It's like making the wrestlers do a 200ft rope climb after doing about 500 push-ups. Sure, it looks great if someone is able to complete the task... but the odds are severely stacked against them.

 

[Thriller Ant]

I read this and was devastated. The 6-sided ring was TNA's "thing" and was one of the major things that showed it as different from the competition, whether that be WWE or the indy companies like ROH.

Like NSL said, the gimmick matches will suffer. The 6 sides of steel had much less give than cage matches in WWE, and most of their other gimmick match settings such as the Steel Asylum, Ultimate X, etc. will have to be replaced to fit the 4 sided ring. D-Man, the first Ultimate X match actually took place when they used a traditional ring, but it doesn't allow as many spots as it's 6 sided counterpart.

As much as I will miss it, it looks as though the 6 sided ring is no more. Hopefully Hogan knows what he is doing, because many TNA fans will miss it. I know I will.

 

[NSL]

D-Man, the first Ultimate X match actually took place when they used a traditional ring, but it doesn't allow as many spots as it's 6 sided counterpart.

One of the major differences is that the distance from the corner to the center is a lot shorter in a four sided ring, and that takes away all the close calls you usually get, as well as the chases you would get from two guys trying to get to the belt.

Scaling a rope for 10 feet across the ring is a major difference from 14-15 feet, especially when you're going for 20 minutes, and going through all the high impact spots leading to it.

 

[X]

Thank fucking GOD the six sided ring is going away. Yeah, I know, it's unique and all that nonsense and blah blah X-Division blah blah blah, who cares? You think the X-Division was exciting to watch because of the fucking dimensions of the ring they were wrestling in? No. The only plus that the six-sided ring has was that the ropes/cables were more sturdy and easier to springboard off of. That's literally it.

Your average fan tuning in and seeing a six sided ring...they're going to laugh, and change the channel, just as I did when I first saw TNA years ago. While I've grown accustomed to it, it still doesn't make it a good concept. It's silly and serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Bringing back a four sided ring makes the promotion look more respectable, and I can't wait to see it.

Thank Goodness the six sided ring is going away.

 

[D-Man]

Your average fan tuning in and seeing a six sided ring...they're going to laugh, and change the channel, just as I did when I first saw TNA years ago. While I've grown accustomed to it, it still doesn't make it a good concept. It's silly and serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Bringing back a four sided ring makes the promotion look more respectable, and I can't wait to see it.

Thank Goodness the six sided ring is going away.

Holy shit, X... we agree on something.

I also remember when the concept was first brought to television... after laughing my ass off, I tried to really see what kinds of advantages it brought to the product. I saw little to none.

Even to this day, I slowly pay attention to when wrestlers in TNA run the ropes and barely bounce off them. It looks awkward when even wrestlers like Abyss can seem to get any spring off them. This is because it's tied down in too many places and there isn't enough slack to allow wrestlers to bounce when they run the ropes. It seems that it's being used as more of a purpose to support the spot-moneky, flip-happy wrestlers other than traditional wrestlers who run the ropes. They're nothing more than a smoke and mirrors concept that makes you do a double-take.