Time to Re-Think the Knockout Division

[TLDD]

Since the begining on the Knockout Division I have been a fan. But as we all know TNA over the years have made many mistakes. They've obviously had mistakes with the writing, production etc. But I believe that they've made a mistake lately by not focusing on the Knockout Division. (Remember when there was talk about giving them their own show?)

A major reason being that history has proven that the Knockouts draw ratings. They have drawn some of the highest rated segments on Impact. They have main evented a few episodes of Impact while putting on some nice hardcore and steel cage matches. Yet as of late they're being phased out. One main reason is that Bruce Pritchard isn't high on womens wrestling. Then the obvious departures of Angelina Love, Velvet Sky and Winter have also hurt this Division. So now what do they do?

What I'd like to see is TNA start a working relationship with Shimmer Women Athletes. Shimmer has talents such as Cheerleader Melissa, Melanie Cruise, Nicole Matthews, Courtney Rush and MsChif plus many more. All of these women are pretty solid in the ring which is one way that they'd help the KO Division.
Obviously Invasion angles are a part of the Wrestling Industry and I believe that a Shimmer Invasion on the KO Division could help this dying division.

This is just something I've been pondering for awhile now and I'd like to see everyone else's opinion

 

[Lowdown]

Women's wrestling really has never been a huge draw in the US. In TNA's case, some of the KO's had or does have a portion of the overall fan base, but not much. With the rumor of Velvet coming back, that could boost the division significantly. Winter was never really over, and not all the KO'S were great in the ring, especially Velvet. Anything dealing with the women always takes a back seat to the main roster of guys. Now I never saw how great the KO division was five or six years ago, but I would imagine it was better than what's been featured recently. At the end of the day, I'm cool with seeing Mickie and Tara go at it, and maybe ODB. Anyone of them can put on a decent match IMO.

 

[THEHEAT]

TNA has not focused on the knockouts in the last year and the Impact ratings have dropped accordingly. From what has been reported, Bruce Pritchard was behind the decision to not renew expiring contracts for some of the ladies, accordingly some of the ladies ask for their release after feeling devalued. After seeing the ratings drop and hearing the out cry from the fans, Dixie Carter stepped in and decided to refocus on the knockouts for the longterm, bringing in Taryn Tarrell, convincing Velvet Sky to resign and talking with Angelina Love and several former and new ladies to join TNA. I beleive the Knockouts Division will be a major part of TNA in 2013 and for many years to come.

 

[Olan]

I am all for the KO Division getting a shot in the arm. The KO division has always been a selling point on what makes it different than The E.
The KO division needs depth. they need to bring on many of the wrestlers you name which I would love or signing some of their recent tryouts. want to give them time? Easy, stop with the Gut Check stuff. Use that time to develop the KO's and give them airtime in matches and s/l's

 

[Slash-LN]

Since the division hardly has anyone in it anymore they should get rid of the KO's tag titles. Having them on ODB and Eric Young is stupid.

Sarita needs to come back from overseas. I don't know if Rosita is with her or not but she needs to come back too.

Bruce should have nothing to do with the ko's and anyone with half a brain should step in and take control. He may not like women's wrestling but the numbers don't lie. The ko's bring in ratings.

I don't know if Shimmer would be willing to work with TNA or not but if they did then it would get them some mainstream exposure.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

While women's wrestling isn't necessarily a "draw" in the US, it has long since been one of TNA's sort of bread and butter components and has regularly been a source for some of their highest ratings over the years. Sort of a no brainer IMO as to whether or not it should get a shot in the arm, though they don't need to add very much by means of new blood at all. They already have Mickie James, Madison Rayne, Tessmacher, Tara, ODB, Gail Kim and Taeler Hendrix. One or two "free agent" acquisitions would round things out nicely, so TNA could effectively run multiple programs within the division that don't all center around the Knockouts title specifically.

 

[ECPirate37]

Hey THEHEAT, where did you get that information? I hope that is all true because I would LOVE for the Knockouts to become featured again. I know a lot of people aren't fans, but I really did enjoy all of the matches. The Mickie James Cage match on Impact is one of the twenty greatest matches I've seen from TNA on an Impact in the 5 years I've been watching it. I would love for Cheerleader Melissa to come back, and Roxxi (as her voodoo version). And if Sarita could come back, I think she should win a championship. I've always been a fan of her. (Other than her dance after every 4th move)

 

[Spinebreaker]

Much like the X-division, TNA have bizarrely got rid of all the talent, leaving the whole thing a shadow of it's former self.

There's about 7 knockouts in the division, 4 of them can actually put on a match that doesn't look AWFUL from start to finish. Years ago, with Roxxi, Kong, ODB, Gail Kim (Who seems to have returned to TNA having lost all her ability to wrestle!) the division had some decent matches. Unfortunately, the ratings were seeing improvement because of Velvet Sky and Angelina Love bending over and Madison Rayne wearing semi-transparent dresses. Don't get me wrong, I like half naked women as much as the next guy, I could happily watch Mickey James in a wonder-woman outfit for hours... But the problem was, Madison, Velvet, Angelina and many others, would follow their gratuitous entrance with utter clumsy, shoddy, botch-ridden atrocities that were terrible.

The division only worked when it had more than 6 wrestlers in it and if 90% were their for their in-ring ability.

 

[Alex]

BRING BACK DAFFNEY!!!!!! (I can dream)


Anyway moving on. It does seem bizarre that, like the X-Division the Knockouts division has become a shell of its former self especially when you realise it was one of TNA's defining characteristics.

While I don't think the inclusion of new (or old) blood would go amiss they need to focus on storylines besides going after the Knockouts championship. Even if people thought the Winter/Angelina Love angle was shit (which it kind of was) at least it was something besides going after the championship. I mean ODB isn't doing anything, have her fued with Madison Rayne because Madison thinks she's not conventionally attractive or something. That's two Knockouts doing something not relating to the title belt.

 

[Kizzani]

The knockout division and Divas division are two of the dumbest ideas ever now. Females wrestlers were not brought in to wrestle they were brought in for some good old fashioned T&A. They have no other use. If they were brought in to wrestle they would all look like Kharma and it would suck.

I know what your going to say that I am wrong I only ask one question then

Why is it that EVERY DIVA/Knockout always goes out and gets a boob job at some point?

 

[DX Mols]

I was actually just thinking if TNA really wanted to spice this sagging division up it would be to go back to the bikini matches, bra and panties matches, etc of the Attitude Era. There's really no reason to ever feature someone like ODB on TV unless she's topless.

It seems the Knockouts were heading in the right direction but lately it's like they disappeared. Taryn Terrell was a nice addition, but so far they have yet to replace Angie Love and Velvet and even lost semi-hottie Daffney.


The new chick from Gut Check is ugly as sin and Madison, Mickie, and Gail are rarely on the show either.

But, it's better then what WWE is doing right now with the Divas. Or not doing is more like it.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think the Knockout Division is something that ultimately reached its peak a long time ago. It's true that women's wrestling isn't really a draw but that the Knockouts have often been featured in the highest rated segments of TNA. However, all in all, the Knockouts haven't been THAT crucial to TNA's ratings. They were drawing in the very low 1s when the Knockout Division started and they're still drawing in the low 1s, sometimes less. So, in the grand scheme of things, I don't think the Knockout Division isn't going to move the ratings needle to any significant degree even if more emphasis is placed on it.

If the various reports I've read about Bruce Pritchard are true, then I wouldn't hold my breath on the Knockout Division really being cranked up. Everything I've read alleges that Pritchard isn't a fan of women's wrestling. If that is indeed the case, then I don't see the Knockouts Division returning to its glory days anytime soon.

 

[SpecialFNK]

blame Bruce Pritchard. what an idiot.

women's "wrestling" is not a draw, but women in wrestling are. IMO they are not there to show off good wrestling moves, they are they because of how they look. but they do need to have wrestling ability.

I have argued this for awhile. I get the counter argument that if people wanted to see hot women they would watch porn. but that's not what it is about.
how many men can watch porn between the hours of say 8 and 11? especially married men. how many men that are wrestling fans are going to watch porn instead of wrestling? if men are watching wrestling, it's a bonus to watch hot women on the same show.

it's a shame what the Knockouts division has become. there aren't that many Knockouts left. it was funny a couple weeks ago when they had a battle royal, with 5 Knockouts! lol that's not a battle royal.
at this point most of the Knockouts action involved the world title. either the champion is wrestling or 2 top contenders for the title are wrestling like last Thursday with Mickie James and Gail Kim. sometimes even when the Knockouts are in action it involves other men, like lately with Tara/Jessie and ODB/EY.
I think it would be nice to see other Knockouts in action. I'm guessing at some point Taryn Terrell will wrestle. I would also like to see more of Taeler Hendrix. we only saw her recently because Gut Check contract winners returned.

 

[THEHEAT]

Hey THEHEAT, where did you get that information? I hope that is all true because I would LOVE for the Knockouts to become featured again. I know a lot of people aren't fans, but I really did enjoy all of the matches. The Mickie James Cage match on Impact is one of the twenty greatest matches I've seen from TNA on an Impact in the 5 years I've been watching it. I would love for Cheerleader Melissa to come back, and Roxxi (as her voodoo version). And if Sarita could come back, I think she should win a championship. I've always been a fan of her. (Other than her dance after every 4th move)

Can't say alot, but a relative of mine from VA is a TNA investor and is a big supporter of the Knockout division.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Can't say alot, but a relative of mine from VA is a TNA investor and is a big supporter of the Knockout division.

How can your relative be an investor in TNA when TNA is a privately held company? The only two shareholders I've heard of in TNA are Bob Carter and Jeff Jarrett with Carter owning somewhere around 73% of the stock and Jarrett owning 27%.

 

[THEHEAT]

There is a group of investors backing the Jarretts, several businessmen in the group are former pro athletes and current entertainers.

 

[Rayne]

How can your relative be an investor in TNA when TNA is a privately held company? The only two shareholders I've heard of in TNA are Bob Carter and Jeff Jarrett with Carter owning somewhere around 73% of the stock and Jarrett owning 27%.

A company can have up to 500 investors before going public. They don't have to go public at 500 investors, but SEC disclosure laws that kick in at that threshold make staying private a pretty foolish decision.

Which says nothing about the veracity of the comment that led to this quote. The last thing you do on this board is say you know someone who works or is affiliated with the industry, because people will never leave you be after that.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I don't know what it means for a lower investor to be a supporter of the Knockouts. Dixie Carter herself has been a supporter of the Knockouts, but look at what they have become recently.

now that Velvet is back, TNA should also bring back Angelina Love. reunite the Beautiful People.

 

[THEHEAT]

He attended wrestling events in the mid atlantic region at several arenas, military installations, armorys, gyms, etc. to evaluate the business before deciding to invest his money. He commented on how well the events were attended when women were on the card versus events that did not have women wrestling. Yes he supports the Knockouts, but not always as wrestlers. He beleives the Knockouts should also be used as managers, escorts for other wrestlers (male and female) and ringside announcers. Currently TNA does not actively utilize the Knockouts in these roles, not talking about doing away with the KO division but also using Knockouts for other roles. Does anyone think TNA should go in that direction?