TNA Scraps Two Championships

[Jack-Hammer]

About a week or so ago, it was reported that TNA has scrapped the Knockouts Tag Team Championship. The reasons, according to PWInsider.com, are that TNA doesn't feel they have enough Knockouts on the roster to make the titles meaningful. The other reason is that there are so many different concepts going on, such as Gut Check & the BFG Series, that TNA thought they needed to remove certain things in order to keep IW from being cluttered.

It's also been reported that, as of today, TNA is also dropping the Television Championship. The report didn't specifically state if it'd been dropped for latter reason as the KO tag titles, but it's pretty likely. The company feels that they can always reactivate the title at a later time.

I'm surprised it's taken this long for them to retire the KO tag titles. There've never been enough teams in the Knockout Division to warrant their creation in the first place. As for the TV title, I would say that this leaves a big hole in TNA's mid-card title picture. However, when you think about it, there's been a hole there when it comes to the TV title for more than a year now. So unless they decide to create a new title, then nothing's really changed since any mid-carder in TNA over the 220 or 225 pound mark has no chance of a title feud.

 

[TheMessenger]

Agreed, no reason for the Knockout tag titles right now. What with 5-6 women in the division. I wish the Knockouts division was big enough and active enough to support a 2nd title.

Not very surprised that the TV title has been retired for now. When they bring it back, I think it should be a new belt. In the meantime, this leaves the promotion with three titles - world, X and Knockouts. I think they need a secondary title like WWE's Intercontinental title just to give more wrestlers something to fight over and as a stepping stone to the world title. They COULD have done this with the TV title, but failed to, unfortunately.

 

[Mustang Sally]

The longer time goes on, the more TNA seems to be making the logical decisions.

The first one, of course, was to stop trying to go head-to-head with WWE. The second was to streamline the bloated roster of performers; a process that continues today. Now, they're reducing the number of championships, an intelligent move that increases the value of the ones that remain. Especially for a smaller organization, they're realizing that if too many people can hold a title of their own, it will be harder to drum up interest in seeing the others defended.

I don't know whether it was hard experience or different people in management who've brought about these sensible changes, but they're well-advised and valuable toward keeping TNA a viable wrestling company.

Good stuff.

 

[The Butcher]

No brainers here. The TV title's identity crisis is finally over. If they should ever try to resuscitate it, I wouldn't mind seeing them go the route of an Internet Championship. Not to infringe on Zack Ryder's gimmick, but I think he was dethroned a long time ago anyway. In our online world, it's something to consider. Crown the champ on TV and give him good exposure, but only have the title defended in impactwrestling.com exclusive matches. Might catch on, might not, but the idea has long intrigued me.

 

[Dagger Dias]

IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!

The Television/Global/Legends Championship was never needed to begin with. Now more wrestlers can fight for the X Division Championship. That should have been the only midcare belt in the federation and I fully expect to see MUCH better feuds for it with the useless other title being gone. I am very glad that TNA made this decision. Absolutely fantastic choice and I support it completely. Moving forward though, they have GOT to use this as an opportunity to improve the X Division Championship's prestige. This is a perfect time to begin heading in that direction.

As happy as I am about the Television/Global/Legends Championship finally going away, I am ten times happier that the Knockout Tag Team Championship is being done away with. I loved Taylor & Sarita's run with it, as well as when The Beautiful People held it with the Freebird Rule in place. Other than that it was 100% useless. I won't even start on how worthless Eric Young made it. I'm just happy it is gone. This needed to happen years ago.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Fine by me on both accounts.

As has already been mentioned regarding the Knockouts tag titles, does this really need an explanation? We're talking about titles that were won and defended what, four times, since they were put in place? They never had the depth in the Knockouts division from the start to support them, let alone the last two years, or however long it's been that an absentee Eric Young and ODB have been "holding" them.

The Television title on the other hand still has value, but it has very little value right now with Gut Check, Open Fight Night, the Bound For Glory series and three other championships to account for on a monthly basis. Despite the shitty history from Legends to Global to Television, it can still be a factor down the line if they choose to resurrect it, but right now there's just no market for it, especially with Abyss being the title holder while he's still busy being a character who only shows up when Joe Park snaps.

 

[closet_fan]

Agreed, no reason for the Knockout tag titles right now. What with 5-6 women in the division. I wish the Knockouts division was big enough and active enough to support a 2nd title.

Not very surprised that the TV title has been retired for now. When they bring it back, I think it should be a new belt. In the meantime, this leaves the promotion with three titles - world, X and Knockouts. I think they need a secondary title like WWE's Intercontinental title just to give more wrestlers something to fight over and as a stepping stone to the world title. They COULD have done this with the TV title, but failed to, unfortunately.

Isn't that what the X-Division title is?

 

[TheMessenger]

Not necessarily, because not everyone who could compete for the world title could compete for the X title. Magnus and Matt Morgan to cite just two examples.

 

[Aquaman6686]

I don't get why they dropped the Television Championship. TV titles are great in theory, and TNA dropping their #2 title makes no sense in my book.

 

[Cereal Killer]

IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!

The Television/Global/Legends Championship was never needed to begin with. Now more wrestlers can fight for the X Division Championship. That should have been the only midcare belt in the federation and I fully expect to see MUCH better feuds for it with the useless other title being gone. I am very glad that TNA made this decision. Absolutely fantastic choice and I support it completely. Moving forward though, they have GOT to use this as an opportunity to improve the X Division Championship's prestige. This is a perfect time to begin heading in that direction.

To be fair, this doesn't mean that there will be more competitors for the X-division championship. To be an X-division competitor, you have to be below 230lb. Most guys in TNA weigh more than that.

Isn't that what the X-Division title is?

In a way, but again, there's a weight limit.

I agree with a lot of the the opinions on the TV Title, but there are too many World Title competitors. With all of those guys, plus the X-division, the Tag-teams and the Knockouts, is there really any space for a Mid-card championship? The only solution is more TV time, where they could turn Xplosion to their second show. Not a brand with a brand split or anything like that, but as their second show, just like Smackdown was to Raw in the Attitude era; same roster wich is practically equal to the first show.

The only solution for Mid-carders, is have them face each other in well built feuds (they may not have to appear every week, as there are now several episodes for Impact before PPV's), place them in tag-teams or have them face Heavyweight stars, which can't fit in the Heavyweight division for a period of time. So if you wanted Hernandez over, you could have him feud with someone like Samoa Joe, or keep him in a tag-team. But after 8 or 9 years, I don't think that is the right move for that guy. The point is, push mid-carders by having them face each other, place them in the X/tag-team divisions, or you might have them go for a heavyweight guy. Take Magnus for example; he was in a tag-team (British invasion and with Samoa Joe), went in the mid weight division feuding with Samoa Joe and the mediocre guys from Aces and eights, and is now in the Bound For Glory series and the Main Event Mafia.

Now the problem with this, is that the heavyweight division may start to get packed out, so the only solution would be moving some guys up and down divisions for a small period of time. Like how Roode and Aries were taken down to the tag division for a bit, and how RVD was taken to the X-division. But that was for too long.

 

[King Patrick Star]

I guess I’ll be the one (and probably the only one) to say it. This is a bad idea!! I’m going to do this in 2 parts, so if you really don’t want to read about my opinion on the Female Red Straps, you can skip ahead to the Male Red Strap. Is it a coincidence that TNA got rid of all the 3 of their Red Straps??

The TNA KnockOuts Tag Team Championship

The TNA KnockOuts Tag Team Championship is what separated TNA from the WWE. They actually gave the Women of TNA a second spotlight. The TNA KnockOuts Tag Team Championship Title Belts were made for the original Beautiful People. I really wish Velvet Sky and Angelina Love held them together at least once during its run.

Now look at this list of KnockOuts Tag Teams from the inaugural KnockOuts Tag Team Championship Tournament:

Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed
The Main Event Mafia (Sharmell and Traci Brooks)
Sarita and Taylor Wilde
Alissa Flash and Daffney
The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky)
Madison Rayne and Roxxi
Hamada and Sojournor Bolt
Christy Hemme and Tara

Now look at this list of KnockOuts Tag Team Champions:

Sarita and Taylor Wilde
Awesome Kong and Hamada
The Beautiful People (Lacey Von Erich, Madison Rayne, and Velvet Sky)
Hamada and Taylor Wilde
Angelina Love and Winter
Mexican America (Rosita and Sarita)
TnT (Brooke Tessmacher and Tara)
Gail Kim and Madison Rayne

How do you go from 15 teams (granted they are composed of only 20 different KnockOuts, but that’s beside to point) to having only 8 KnockOuts?? Look, if anything, they should have at least kept it around and just made 4 teams out of the 8 KnockOuts they currently have. I would have gone with:

Gail Kim and Mickie James (that’s like the female version of Rated RKO / Main Event Mafia / “A Team of World Champions”)
ODB and Lei’D Tapa (Vet and Rookie thing)
Tara and Miss Tessmacher (the return of TnT)
Velvet Sky and Taryn Terrell (the new Vicious and Delicious)

I know. It was a huge mistake to have ODB and EY win the TNA KnockOuts Tag Team Championship. It was a funny idea at the time, but they should have dropped the Titles immediately. I would have tried my best to get Hamada or Raisha Saeed to come back with a mystery partner, that partner being, Awesome Kong. From there, I would have used the KO Tag Titles the way it should have always been used, as the KO Mid-Card Title. TNA is back to where they started.

TNA Television Championship

At first it was the TNA Legends Title. I loved it!! I loved the use of the nameplate. I was really hoping this was a Title solely for Legends of Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment. In my opinion, it actually started out that way, up until “serious” Eric Young changed it to the Global Title.

When EY changed it to the Global Title, I thought, okay, having a Legends only Title may not work in the long run, but having a Global Title as a counter to the Intercontinental / United States Title should. I mean, after all, Global is just another way of saying World or Intercontinental, but without saying World or Intercontinental. I thought it was perfect to be TNA Mid-Card Title. I even had the crazy notion that the WWE Championship = the TNA Championship, whereas the World Championship = the TNA Global Championship. I know.

When A.J. Styles changed it to the Television title, all the hope and confusion disappeared. This Red Strap was defiantly TNA’s IC / US Belt. You see, to me, the term “Television Title” doesn’t remind me of ECW’s Mid-Card Championship. It reminds me of WCW’s Lower-Card Championship, 3rd tier, if you will, very European Championship sounding.

Yes, the Le-Glo-Vision Championship Title Belt has gone through 3 name changes thanks to EY and AJ, then died and then was brought back to life thanks to the whole Devon TNA contract thing, but I don’t think they should have retired it. It was my favorite Championship Belt in TNA, cause of the nameplate, among other reasons. Now what happens to the losers of the Bound For glory Series and those that aren’t even in the Series?? Again, TNA is back to where it started.

I hope TNA, at the very least, does the right thing and give the Red Strap back to King Booker T. HAHA!! Oh screw it, I got my Belts, I don’t care anymore what they do on TV.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

Haha it's funny I was going to make a "Should the TV title be scrapped" thread. Well I welcome the decision. The title was never that prestigious and was always the #3 belt in my eyes.

Guys don't have to have a belt to feud. Besides those who aren't eligible for the X-Division can always be in the tag team division which I think we can all agree needs more teams.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Obviously I'm fully supportive of the decision to scrap the Knockout Tag Team titles. This should never have existed in the first place because they never at any point had the depth on the female side to support it. When their final title holders were a male and a female comedy duo, you know the title is ready to be abolished.

I don't agree with the decision to scrap the TV title though. There's nothing wrong with having more than one mid card title belt. After all, the WWE, which is the prototype to go by, has two. Personally I'd much prefer to see them scrap the absolute waste of time that Gut Check and Open Mic and nonsense like this is, and instead focus on having a second mid card belt of significance. As evidenced by the recent wave of cuts, Gut Check is not an efficient use of their limited TV time. But having a strong mid card scene involving the X-Division, and a second group in a larger weight class feuding over a second mid card belt, I think that would be best. Far better than a bunch of anonymous nobodies who get cut shortly thereafter.

 

[Lowdown]

I agree on all counts about the KO tag belts; just plain useless. Now the TV title I'm not sure should be put on the shelf. However I do feel that if it's ever reinstated, a name change could be good. It's not a prestige thing really, but being that it hasn't been defended weekly since Devon's first run with it, it really shouldn't be considered a "television" title. Couldn't they call it the US belt, or does WWE have the rights to that name? But at some point, it should make a comeback, and perhaps treated as an important championship.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I don't agree with the decision to scrap the TV title though. There's nothing wrong with having more than one mid card title belt. After all, the WWE, which is the prototype to go by, has two. Personally I'd much prefer to see them scrap the absolute waste of time that Gut Check and Open Mic and nonsense like this is, and instead focus on having a second mid card belt of significance. As evidenced by the recent wave of cuts, Gut Check is not an efficient use of their limited TV time. But having a strong mid card scene involving the X-Division, and a second group in a larger weight class feuding over a second mid card belt, I think that would be best. Far better than a bunch of anonymous nobodies who get cut shortly thereafter.

Well, remember, the title hasn't been "scrapped" according to the report in the OP. It's been scraped for now with the understanding that if TNA finds room for it in the future, it could return.

Remember as well that the current title holder is Abyss, who isn't actually a full-time character at the moment, and with the Bound For Glory series, Gut Check, Open Fight Night and three other championships to book around from now until October, I'm not sure there's even an opportunity to add him back in either.

Gut Check is a completely fruitless endeavor that's given them very little positive production, but it doesn't seem they're losing it any time soon.

 

[newwaveknight]

The fact that it took them THIS long to scrap the KO Tag Titles is pretty astonishing.

I still feel that there should be at least one other title set. Here's an idea, why not an X-Division Tag Team Championship? The Cruiserweight Tag Titles was one of the ONLY good ideas Russo had in WCW (I know "Russo" and "good ideas" sounds like an oxymoron). It might be a little late to bring in something like that, since there aren't as many X-Division guys anymore, but it would at least be worth a shot AND a reason to make some new tag teams (I'm a fan of stables and tag teams, in case people who follow my other posts can't tell).

 

[ABMorales787]

Where's this "TV title has been scrapped" news being based on? Abyss is still listed as the champion and its still up on the roster page.

Personally, I wouldn't have it vacated. Just watch how after the BFG Series some guys end up with nothing to do. The same thing happened last year and Joe and Magnus found something to do in that title. The only with that belt is who they've picked to hold the blasted thing. Guys like Samoa Joe, Magnus, James Storm and such end up lingering with no storylines and fucking Robbie E and Devon are the one's who end up with the belt. The only issue that belt ever had was one caused by TNA just seemingly not giving a damn about it.

 

[New Hot Fed]

Obviously I'm fully supportive of the decision to scrap the Knockout Tag Team titles. This should never have existed in the first place because they never at any point had the depth on the female side to support it. When their final title holders were a male and a female comedy duo, you know the title is ready to be abolished.

I don't agree with the decision to scrap the TV title though. There's nothing wrong with having more than one mid card title belt. After all, the WWE, which is the prototype to go by, has two. Personally I'd much prefer to see them scrap the absolute waste of time that Gut Check and Open Mic and nonsense like this is, and instead focus on having a second mid card belt of significance. As evidenced by the recent wave of cuts, Gut Check is not an efficient use of their limited TV time. But having a strong mid card scene involving the X-Division, and a second group in a larger weight class feuding over a second mid card belt, I think that would be best. Far better than a bunch of anonymous nobodies who get cut shortly thereafter.

And personaly the X division is not even a mid-card title, it's a gimmick title. You're talking about flip-floppers being involved in the 3-way matchs. That's not really a secondary title, that's not really like the IC title or the US title. A secondary title is perfect for top-guys-to-be or top guys that can't make it to the World title. Cause not everybody has to be World champ or World champ material. They also have the X title be a stepping stone to the World title at Destination X but what about the stepping stone for guys that are not short agile guys? There's not a lot of place to go other than maybe apply your trade in tag teams a la Gunner is doing right now.

What makes me mad is that it's a missed opportunity. There's a lot of stuff TNA come up with that is good, (I disagree with you about Open Fight Night, that is a fun concept) but I hate that when they don't know what to do with something, they scrap it, instead of having an open mind. It's like they like their own ideas but don't know how to cope with something that was there before?

Also not everybody has to be involved in the big storyline of the moment a la Aces & 8s vs MEM. Now we have the BFG series so everyone does something but there are times during the year where not the whole roster is fighting a single common threat and a secondary title like the TV belt could be used to start a feud between two guys that have nothing to do at that point in time. It's simple but I think so effective, guy #1 wants to beat the guy #2(cause he has a belt)he provok him, champ takes issue with it, blows are thrown, we have a feud. It could be between two guys that have never fought each other before. And you rarely see that in TNA. Last time that happened was between Kenny King and Sabin when Sabin challenged him and it came off very well.

 

[MWRedskins]

First things first......the Knockouts Tag Team titles being scrapped was too little, too late. those belts should've been scrapped with the Beautiful People, Winter and countless others were either fired, let go or not brought back. that division is VERY small and needs more knockouts and that's just for the TNA Knockouts title!!! to create a Tag Team division with a lockerroom of about 8 knockouts isnt the wisest thing to do.

As for TNA Television title, i like that the belt is gone as it doesnt have any prestige, BUT i do think TNA should get another belt sometime down the line, maybe after BFG or at BFG in some type of tournament and use THAT title as a stepping stone type of title. i would name it after a country and possibly have the tournament in that country and use it similar to how WCW used it's US Heavyweight title in his old days....the TV title being gone is fine with me, but i feel they do need a real mid card title.

Isn't that what the X-Division title is?

firstly no that's not what it does because while it could be used as a stepping stone to push a guy like Chris Sabin, it's also got it's flaws. one flaw is that lately the matches dont get an entrance which hurts and another flaw is it's hard to build a feud with triple threat matches always happening and third, there's a weight limit which hurts it's ability to be called a midcard title. i think a midcard title should be a title that any wrestler (big or small) can win that can help carry them up the ladder eventually. the X-Division title (for now) reminds me of the WCW Crusierweight championship. great matches, but wasnt and isnt a mid card title. i think TNA should create a title that is designed to be used to help push a guy like a Magnus to a main event title match.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I don't agree with scrapping the TV title even if just for now. that means right now TNA has the world heavyweight championship, and the cruiser weight (X division) championship.
where is the mid card championship?
don't even try to tell me the X division is the mid card championship right now when it has a weight limit limited to cruiser weight wrestlers.

I do think the TV title needs a better name. TV makes it too similar to the TV title from WCW, which itself was a meaningless title. TNA needs something like the United States/Intercontinental championship.

now if TNA would scrap the weight limit and allow anyone to be in the division I think it would make it much better. I think that's what should have been done already. especially when you consider the X division champion can cash in for the heavyweight title. they could have used that to get a more legit match this year than Chris Sabin. nothing against Sabin, I just don't believe him being a heavyweight title contender right now.

 

[tvcolosi]

I always thought a women's tag team title was a little overkill. At the time people thought that making X-division tag belts was a better idea since they had so many guys. Look at the X division now, they put a weight limit on it and made all matches 3-ways. Only 3 guys on the roster currently compete in the division, Kenny King, ManiK/Suicide, and Sabin. Aries, Daniels and Kazarian would qualify but they are in the BFG series right now. Aries in the x-division seemed to be a one time only thing to get Sabin and "option C" over so he could challenge Bully. So now the title is vacant and only 2 guys are in the mix.

The next "live" show is Destination X andI think its fair to guess they will put the title on someone that night in an Ultimate X match, but who will they use? So they will have to bring in at least 1 guy if not 3-4 for that match and pay them. Why does TNA give at least 1 or 2 segments a week to guys that aren't with them full time? All this nonsense and they can't pay there regulars on time? I would say use Wes Brisoe and/or Garrett Bishoff in there but they both are so green they might die in a dangerous spot fest that it's likely to be.

Don't get me started on Gut Check which puts on a whole match, vignettes and back stage stuff with 2 guys who aren't even in the promotion! Zack Ryder's buddy and Skid Mark Van Hammer get ample TV time in back to back weeks but you don't have a place for Crimson, Morgan, Joey Ryan and York who you let go last week? I want TNA to do good but they have made some strange decisions in the last 6-8 months

 

[MINISTRYrising]

So glad to see TNA have finally dropped the Knockouts Tag Titles. With there bearly being enough Knockouts to warrent a singles title, Having Tag titles also seems completely pointless.

As far as the TV title is concerned, I can't really say I will miss it. Sure it leaves the Mid card guys with nothing to compete for, But if TNA were to change the X division title back to being about no limits and not weight limits then this would easily solve the problem.