The Smartest Thing That TNA Ever Did...

[CM Steel]

The smartest thing that TNA ever did...The Main Event Mafia!

The Main Event Mafia stable was a great move (for once) by TNA. Having all members of the faction being former WWF/E guys (except Sting) coming in TNA to invade the company. Like back in WCW when Scott Hall & Kevin Nash came in the way they did. Or even the WCW & ECW invading of the WWF.

The stable consisted: Kurt Angle, Booker T, Kevin Nash, Sting, Scott Steiner, and Samoa Joe came in later sure enough. But what if TNA flipped the script on how to bring up the TNA originals in who people thought were on the losing end of the feud with the Main Event Mafia at the time.

Something different from Fortune, something different from the Immortals. It would have to be the main core of TNA, like how the Corre faction was on WWE Smackdown.

But by far, the smartest thing that TNA ever did...was the Main Event Mafia.

 

[Yandzibar]

I'm not hating on your choice, but there's no way I'll ever agree with that. The best thing TNA ever did was Joe vs. the X-Division. They may not have taken the drama and storyline to it's fullest, but the series of matches during that time were some of the greatest I've witnessed.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

Is this a discussion? You're not really asking people if they agree with you, or if they're supposed to say if they liked the MEM, or if TNA ever did something smarter... What's the purpose of this thread? Moreso, what are you trying to accomplish with it? I'm going to assume self-indulgence since you're not really including others, which is pretty fucking selfish.

Anyway, MEM was actually pretty good, but including Sting in the beginning was awkward at best. It didn't really start to take off until he dropped and became aligned against the Mafia, kind of on the Frontline's side (who technically won, since AJ went over Sting in the BFG title match, even though he'd pseudo-left MEM), and then the big swerve with Samoa Joe. It was actually a pretty good swerve for Russo standards, if you slightly suspend disbelief and forget about Joe's penis-face tattoo. Joe's attacks were never directly shown; the Steiner one was off-camera, the kendo stick to Booker was done with a trashcan over Booker's head (which I GUESS would cushion the blow in theory, but those things are made of aluminum foil and fat girl tampons), and I forget how he whacked Nash but that's besides the point. However, smartest thing TNA ever did? Not even close.

The smartest thing TNA ever did was switch their show from 1 to 2 hours, back in 2007. Angle had debuted about a year before and shit was moving along pretty nicely compared to the stories now, and the 1 hour impact felt almost exactly like WWE's ECW. Three matches, rushing slightly to fit a bit extra in, and a good portion of each episode (I'd say 1/3rd) devoted to promos due to the limited amount of time to progress storylines. Moving to 2 hours made TNA feel a lot less bush-league -- at the time -- and really gave them a chance to showcase their roster.

 

[satchmokilnt]

good god. i hate the way some folk get so uppity about threads without clearly defined questions. i think it would be pretty obvious that the o.p is giving an opinion on what he/she sees as being tna's smartest move. do we agree with the sentiment? if not, what do we see as being their smartest moment? no need to get your knickerbockers in a twist sir. maybe you should think about taking a chill pill, and stop taking a internet messageboard quite so seriously.

anyway, onto the o.p. i must say "smartest moment" may be pushing it. but it was without a doubt, one of tna's finer storylines. many great moments were had. and i think it was a move that was great in its simplicity. you got some of the finest mic workers and biggest names in the industry and gave them the freedom. and, it worked. it ended a bit too quickly in my eyes. but that did seem to be out of their hands. i do think in the future m.e.m will go down as one of the better factions in wrestling. i partially agree with yandzi. but id expand and say that samoa joe's push with his unbeaten run and culminating with the kurt angle showdowns would be my vote for tna's smartest move. well executed over time including some absolute classics, including those masterclasses with aj and daniels.

 

[Vintage]

MEM was just a NWO rehash with the circle kept real tight and only including the 'A' listers. It was indeed good for what it was at the time but it wasn't really anything we haven't seen before. The problem with MEM was there was no real opposition and they actually ended up hurting the company a little with that angle because it wasn't believable that the TNA guys ever had a chance. Frontline looked like jobbers going into that and didn't really gain anything overall. HOWEVER, I enjoyed it and it was and booked fairly well for what it was. There was no denying that you really felt like the TNA guys had to step up their game or they were never going to regain control.

 

[Krossbreed]

smartest thing tna did was make Samoa Joe not talk and not loose...also upon the arrival of kurt angle the angle verses joe feud was really convincing...

dumbest thing tna could do is making flair and hogan align...they took one of wrestlings greatest rivalries and dilluted for a quick immortal storyline.

 

[The Rock Says]

The smartest thing TNA ever did was by far the X-Division. Yea, Ill admit, its a copy of the cruserweight division... but a better copy. At a time where WWE cut out theirs, TNA had one. It was something to seperate them from the competition. It was also their most exciting matches. I stopped watching TNA in 2008, and only breifly see it as im clicking through the channels on thursdays. But when I was a fan, these X-Division matches were always show stealers

 

[nbkush]

the six-sided ring....wrestling is all about gimmicks and this one worked and gave TNA an identity...TNA or Impact (or whatever they are calling themselves) made their brand unique with just "look" of the ring.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

the six-sided ring....wrestling is all about gimmicks and this one worked and gave TNA an identity...TNA or Impact (or whatever they are calling themselves) made their brand unique with just "look" of the ring.

I'd take a good product over a unique looking product.

The smartest thing TNA ever did, in my eyes, was simply having the guts to try to be an alternative to the WWE. Some would say that ROH is doing that by being number three, and I'll correct them by saying that DGUSA is the deserving number three because it's actually good, ROH is irrelevant.

After McMahon bought WCW I feel like a lot of fans were let down and who knows when another promotion would start up and try to climb the ladder again. Not everyone grew up watching the WWE, you know. Thankfully TNA was born sooner rather than later and gave a lot of people some hope and something else to watch. Whether it's 2002 TNA or 2011 TNA, it's always been to alternative to a lot of wrestling fans. And before some jagoff jumps in and tells me it's the same as WWE - being an alternative doesn't mean being different. Pepsi is an alternative to Coke and if you're asking me - I can't taste the fucking difference. But regardless of that, TNA's product is entirely different. If it wasn't like the marks claim it is, then why do they dislike it if it's the same as their favorite company's product? Eh? If I want to bang some chick, and I see a carbon copy of her, chances are I'd want to bang the copy too.

Anyfuck, how they didn't give up thus far is beyond me. And to me, that's the smartest thing. To keep going despite the odds, the bullshit stirrers and of course every naysayer out there who wishes death to TNA.

 

[alexikosalov]

I'd take a good product over a unique looking product.

The smartest thing TNA ever did, in my eyes, was simply having the guts to try to be an alternative to the WWE. Some would say that ROH is doing that by being number three, and I'll correct them by saying that DGUSA is the deserving number three because it's actually good, ROH is irrelevant.

Nothing wrong with wanting to defend your colors, but this is nowhere close to being true. Even the Dragon Gate guys would tell you that.

The smartest thing TNA ever did was sending Jeff Hardy home after the Sting debacle. Taking Dixie Carter off of TV is a very close second. Much like these two examples, at this point, the smartest things TNA can do moving forward is to undo many of the poor decisions they have made. Re-signing Hulk Hogan is not a good sign.

 

[mlp420]

The smartest thing that TNA ever did? Three way tie:

1. Bringing back Jeff Hardy -Thank goodness they weren't stupid enough to let this guy go over some negative attention from the internet (which they're always going to get regardless of what they do.) Way too big a star, and unlike Hogan, He can still go in the ring and he's in the same age range as Styles/Joe/Roode/Storm/Aries ect.

2. Demoting Vince Russo -Putting him back in the role he's best at, with a filter.

3. Not bringing in Paul Heyman. - Had some great ideas...in the 90s. These days, he seems like one of those guys who wants to incorporate elements of MMA into pro wrestling which is the stupidest thing imaginable. His two biggest ideas for TNA he disclosed: Make Daniel Bryan submit everyone on the roster in under a minute. and Eliminate everyone over 40 except one person. That first idea is just plain stupid. As for the second one, TNA doesn't need to give a guy 10% of their company to push their young guys, they can do that themselves, and they are currently. Maybe not as aggressively as he was pushing for, but that's unnecessary.

 

[IHW]

The smartest thing TNA has ever done IS giving Bobby Roode a push.
This sets them up for the future, not the past.
They are starting to show a push with some younger talent. And the best thing they can do is quit putting to much spot light on Hogan-Flair.
I do like Sting, because he has been with TNA for a long time and he can still provide (barely) in the ring.

 

[nbkush]

The smartest thing that TNA ever did? Three way tie:

1. Bringing back Jeff Hardy -Thank goodness they weren't stupid enough to let this guy go over some negative attention from the internet (which they're always going to get regardless of what they do.) Way too big a star, and unlike Hogan, He can still go in the ring and he's in the same age range as Styles/Joe/Roode/Storm/Aries ect.

2. Demoting Vince Russo -Putting him back in the role he's best at, with a filter.

3. Not bringing in Paul Heyman. - Had some great ideas...in the 90s. These days, he seems like one of those guys who wants to incorporate elements of MMA into pro wrestling which is the stupidest thing imaginable. His two biggest ideas for TNA he disclosed: Make Daniel Bryan submit everyone on the roster in under a minute. and Eliminate everyone over 40 except one person. That first idea is just plain stupid. As for the second one, TNA doesn't need to give a guy 10% of their company to push their young guys, they can do that themselves, and they are currently. Maybe not as aggressively as he was pushing for, but that's unnecessary.

I respect your opinion, but I could not disagree with you more....those are the three "worst" things TNA has done....Jeff Hardy is spent, Vince Russo's TNA was more compelling than the Bischoff/Hogan era, and Paul Heyman is a wrestling genius and both of his ideas would have me tuning in

 

[tyler14isnexus]

imo the best thing tna did was the feast or fired match. as for the worst it would be getting rid of the six sided ring imo.

 

[GrandSword]

The Main Event Mafia is arguably the best thing and the worst thing TNA ever did....

The MEM should ahve been this dominant force and then had the young baby face's defeat them and get them over. It was a pefect se up... and yet it seemed that just didn't happen. the mem just dominated and then disappeared.

It staretd well and then fizzled out like so many other stories in the business...

A real shame..

 

[dansaun77]

The smartest thing TNA ever did was go back to tapings and not airing on Monday nights. If they continued trying to compete with WWE with their nonsensical storylines and focus on knockouts, they would be bankrupt and out of business by now. TNA has such a brilliant roster of wrestling talent, yet they continue to want to base their show around promos, 50 and 60 yo veterans who cannot work properly anymore and too many womens matches.

 

[New Hot Fed]

MEM was as annoying as Immortal only it was worse as they kept hugging the spotlight. People miss it now but I remember people saying "oh no not another MEM opening on Impact!".

 

[Kenny Powers]

Smartest thing so far which is obvious to anyone is when TNA changed started going on the road for ppv and Impact. It is a whole different atmosphere with actual wrestling fans that pay to see the product. TNA changing their name to Impact Wrestling (but still keeping the TNA logo) and changing their production values really has elevated them to a major league show. The production has come a long way in the last few years. Ratings aside, just watch a Impact taping compared to a ROH taping. It's like comparing WWE in the early 90's to Smokey Mountain Wrestling.

 

[Dusty Roids]

The MEM was one of the more unoriginal stables the tna has produced. nWo hasbeen/wwe reject stable. I only liked the Team Canada stable.

I think the smartest thing TNA has done has yet to come.