As I was watching TNA impact on Thursday nights, I have noticed they talk a lot about how different they are than the WWE. I guess in some ways they are. TNA has only had one show (or brand, if that’s what the WWE wants to call it). TNA not only has a women’s (knockout) division, but they actually have good wrestlers, not just some chicks that look hot. They have a real tag team division, not just a couple of dudes they threw together. But the more I watch, the more I notice that things there aren’t all that different.
I’m sure I'm not that only who has noticed that a lot of the wrestlers who are getting a big push on TNA right now are the same guys who were made famous in the WWE. Most of the guys working in upper management for them are WWE guys. Vince Russo is the head writer at TNA. Vince Russo made his name as the head writer in WWE during the big huge swing in the pro wrestling business, “The Attitude Era”. Eric Bischoff, former president of WCW, and behind the scenes worker in WWE, is now an executive producer with the authority to book matches, in TNA. Even Hulk Hogan, who single handedly popularized the pro wrestling business in the 80s and early 90s, is involved in TNA in a backstage capacity.
Now let’s talk about championships. In the begging of this company, Jeff Jarrett was the owner, and because of that, he was always the world champion. But since Jarrett lost his power in the company and he is now just another regular wrestler, he has not been champion. Since that time, there have been 10 champions (7-TNA, 3-NWA). Of those 10 men, including the current champion, 8 of them at one point in their careers, were or still are WWE wrestlers. And that is just the World heavyweight championship. Let’s not get into the other championships in TNA
The reason I am writing this blog in particular, is because I thought TNA would be an alternative to WWE. They have some great wrestlers who have not made a name for themselves in WWE, that I wish they would give a chance to be stars. In the finals of the most recent world heavyweight championship tournament all of the final four wrestlers were from the WWE. When you have a roster full of young up and coming guys, I would think you would give them the push. I have made it no secret that I am a huge fan of WWE, but there are times when I like what I see out of TNA. I thought I would be seeing the future of pro wrestling, but the more I watch the more it looks like what I saw on Monday and Friday nights, 3-4 years ago.
AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What happened with Ja-double R, e double-T? Why isn't he the owner anymore? And is Sting still involved?
ReplyDeleteIf they are TRULY going to copy the WWE, why not just be OPEN about ripping off the storylines, but fix what was wrong with them the first time around, with newer, fresher wrestlers and maybe make the opponent of the storyline the person it was originally about. Like the nWo but have the enemy be Hogan and Nash?
Well 1st, I believe Jarrett had to sell, because he may know wrestling, but he does not know business. The company was failing mightly before, at least now, they are on tv, which is what you need if you are gonna be a successful wrestling company(as you can tell from the fact that their are at least 4 companies out there, but you have only heard of 2). I don't think Jeff knew what all was involved with running a company. Sting is still invovled but not much.
ReplyDeleteAnd that was WCW that stole storylines.