I've never really been a fan of TNA, tbh. I did watch it for a while in 2009, as I was intirigued as to why Mick Foley was being interviewed by some Borash bloke whilst flicking through the TV one night. So in a span of a days, I caught on TNA in a few months. This is when the Main Event Mafia were around, Mick Foley was a Champion, Beer Money were still a team and engaging in epic battles with the Dudleys (in fact the tag division back then was epic itself), Awesome Kong dominating the Knockouts, the Feat or Fired suitcase deal where Curry Man got sacked. After a while though, I must have lost interest or I just forgot to tune into the next show, once I was up-to-date.
So fast-forward a few years (I've watched WWE since I was a youngster and I still do, which would explain my usual viewing habits). I heard here and there about the changes in TNA - the real-life triangle of Angle, Jarrett & Karen and Hogan joining were the main ones I heard. But mostly talk of this Aces & Eights angle. In fact, the first I saw of it was on Botchamania, when Devon had a mask ripped off, which seemingly surprised Bubba (who had facepaint), Sting and Hogan - prompting "this is awkward chants" from the fans, which is probably why it was on Botchamania.
I glanced at a few comments in here over the months and other news sites, but it wasn't until Bubba winning the title at Lockdown and declaring himself the mastermind, that my interest was spiked. Of course, being the uneducated baffoon that I am, I barged on here and in the Bully Ray Becomes Champion thread, ran my mouth about how Bully being a main eventer was laughable, that it was obvious that he and Devon were in cahoots along, etc, etc. Thankfully (either because nobody cared or my post got lost in the shuffle), there was only one quoted response.
Having read a few articles on Wikipedia, it seemed that I had missed A LOT since 2009. Like the good sir (name already forgotten, apologies) pointed out in his reply to my foolish rant, I missed the ascension of Bully Ray and that I couldn't expect to jump into watching TNA again, after something like a 3 year gap.
So I decided two weeks ago to go back and catch-up on TNA from what I've missed. Having no clue where to start, I opted for the Impact Wrestling brand change - beginning May 2011. Where Beer Money were still the tag champs, Jeff was in rehab, Bubba was now called Bully Ray, Sabin was injured, Beer Money were in some group called Fortune, there was another stable called Immortal with Hogan & Bischoff, Crimson's undefeated record, etc, etc.
I found various websites that still have Impact videos online (via dailymotion & youtube) and watched all PPV highlights videos on youtube. Skipping through the matches until the winner (which was painful to do at first, as I often missed things happening in the middle of a match) and only watching interviews and segments and promos, I managed to get up to date with TNA in just under two weeks. Wednesday 13th March to earlier today. Any free time I had (which ticked my girlfriend off most of the time, I can tell you), I devoted to catching up with TNA.
So I see the ascension of Bully Ray, why Brooke Hogan was even in TNA to begin with, the break-up of Beer Money and the ascension of both Storm & Roode, the arrival and acension of Austin Aires, demise of Eric Bischoff (I knew his kid was in A&8's before he appeared at the "bent ref" Jackson James, having read about it somewhere before the start of the catch-up), the seeds planting Aces and Eights.
Whilst the thought of Bully being Champion is still hard to get my head round, it makes sense that he's in the group and it's leader. He is a fantastic heel. At first, he was just annoying but his "do you know who I am", the calvezilla and "twittah fire machine" schtick was just gold. The sucking-up to Hogan for all that time just didn't fit - although was that really the case that it was see-through or did I just let the fact that I knew he was the leader cloud my judgment? Either way, he's definately deserved Main Event status and I'm sure he'll be a worthy Champion in time. Bullies are heels, not suck-up faces.
Although at one point, having got to Bound for Glory 2011 and seeing Hogan v Sting - I thought about stopping and restarting from when Hogan joined TNA in January 2010, then I could see the slow takeover and screw-job of Hogan & Bischoff on Dixie. But then realising that the dual-factions angle were coming to an end and the fact that I missed when were together(!!!), I thought it was best to carry on.
I have to add before I forget, that I absolutely LOVED the Isane Icon gimmick and Sting pulled it off brilliantly. Definately gave the character a much-needed change at the time.
Oh and one thing has remained the same (if not gotten worse) is Taz on commentary. He's gotten progressively worse and now that he's a member of Aces and Eights (his reveal at the wedding being a "what the bloody hell?!" moment), he's unbearable - especially the "heh heh" grunts whenever A&8's appear on screen.
Last question(s): what the hell has happened to the tag division and X division? In fact when I first started this catch-up, it was those two that made TNA great!!
Soooo, I am now up to date with TNA and I thought it'd be interesting to let you guys know, see what your opinions are (although I am expecting either the usual flaming or a tumbleweed to drift across anytime soon). Whether or not I'll remember to watch Impact on a Friday morning and keep up, remains to be seen. But then what the hell was the point of the last two weeks if I'm not going to do that?!
So fast-forward a few years (I've watched WWE since I was a youngster and I still do, which would explain my usual viewing habits). I heard here and there about the changes in TNA - the real-life triangle of Angle, Jarrett & Karen and Hogan joining were the main ones I heard. But mostly talk of this Aces & Eights angle. In fact, the first I saw of it was on Botchamania, when Devon had a mask ripped off, which seemingly surprised Bubba (who had facepaint), Sting and Hogan - prompting "this is awkward chants" from the fans, which is probably why it was on Botchamania.
I glanced at a few comments in here over the months and other news sites, but it wasn't until Bubba winning the title at Lockdown and declaring himself the mastermind, that my interest was spiked. Of course, being the uneducated baffoon that I am, I barged on here and in the Bully Ray Becomes Champion thread, ran my mouth about how Bully being a main eventer was laughable, that it was obvious that he and Devon were in cahoots along, etc, etc. Thankfully (either because nobody cared or my post got lost in the shuffle), there was only one quoted response.
Having read a few articles on Wikipedia, it seemed that I had missed A LOT since 2009. Like the good sir (name already forgotten, apologies) pointed out in his reply to my foolish rant, I missed the ascension of Bully Ray and that I couldn't expect to jump into watching TNA again, after something like a 3 year gap.
So I decided two weeks ago to go back and catch-up on TNA from what I've missed. Having no clue where to start, I opted for the Impact Wrestling brand change - beginning May 2011. Where Beer Money were still the tag champs, Jeff was in rehab, Bubba was now called Bully Ray, Sabin was injured, Beer Money were in some group called Fortune, there was another stable called Immortal with Hogan & Bischoff, Crimson's undefeated record, etc, etc.
I found various websites that still have Impact videos online (via dailymotion & youtube) and watched all PPV highlights videos on youtube. Skipping through the matches until the winner (which was painful to do at first, as I often missed things happening in the middle of a match) and only watching interviews and segments and promos, I managed to get up to date with TNA in just under two weeks. Wednesday 13th March to earlier today. Any free time I had (which ticked my girlfriend off most of the time, I can tell you), I devoted to catching up with TNA.
So I see the ascension of Bully Ray, why Brooke Hogan was even in TNA to begin with, the break-up of Beer Money and the ascension of both Storm & Roode, the arrival and acension of Austin Aires, demise of Eric Bischoff (I knew his kid was in A&8's before he appeared at the "bent ref" Jackson James, having read about it somewhere before the start of the catch-up), the seeds planting Aces and Eights.
Whilst the thought of Bully being Champion is still hard to get my head round, it makes sense that he's in the group and it's leader. He is a fantastic heel. At first, he was just annoying but his "do you know who I am", the calvezilla and "twittah fire machine" schtick was just gold. The sucking-up to Hogan for all that time just didn't fit - although was that really the case that it was see-through or did I just let the fact that I knew he was the leader cloud my judgment? Either way, he's definately deserved Main Event status and I'm sure he'll be a worthy Champion in time. Bullies are heels, not suck-up faces.
Although at one point, having got to Bound for Glory 2011 and seeing Hogan v Sting - I thought about stopping and restarting from when Hogan joined TNA in January 2010, then I could see the slow takeover and screw-job of Hogan & Bischoff on Dixie. But then realising that the dual-factions angle were coming to an end and the fact that I missed when were together(!!!), I thought it was best to carry on.
I have to add before I forget, that I absolutely LOVED the Isane Icon gimmick and Sting pulled it off brilliantly. Definately gave the character a much-needed change at the time.
Oh and one thing has remained the same (if not gotten worse) is Taz on commentary. He's gotten progressively worse and now that he's a member of Aces and Eights (his reveal at the wedding being a "what the bloody hell?!" moment), he's unbearable - especially the "heh heh" grunts whenever A&8's appear on screen.
Last question(s): what the hell has happened to the tag division and X division? In fact when I first started this catch-up, it was those two that made TNA great!!
Soooo, I am now up to date with TNA and I thought it'd be interesting to let you guys know, see what your opinions are (although I am expecting either the usual flaming or a tumbleweed to drift across anytime soon). Whether or not I'll remember to watch Impact on a Friday morning and keep up, remains to be seen. But then what the hell was the point of the last two weeks if I'm not going to do that?!