Ahhh this promotion just doesn't get it. After two years what are the main story lines coming out of this episode? Dusty Rhodes and Vince Russo having some sort of problem but they didn't say what it was, having TWO X Division champs an idea so bad that it could have only been booked by Russo.If that wasn't bad enough Jeff Hardy is the next in line to lay down to Double J. Also I don't care how much overbooking and brawling Sabu and Raven do that match is bound to suck because both guys are at least 5 years past there primes. The Ultimate X match itself was the worst one they have done so far and was a major disappointment. Way to go TNA.
Yeah, I used to be excited about TNA's direction. Even about a month ago, I saw some positive details. It's nights like tonight that ruin all of that and make me wonder why they bother.
I'll say one thing nice about NWA-TNA: their tag division is handled better than WWE's. How much better is another thing. But most of that ceases to matter when the World Champion is the big black hole in the company.
Forget Jarrett being the black sheep of TNA, I'm ready to say that I can't recall a good reign by any of the TNA champs, where I thought the champ was doing his job so well that it helped the company's image.
Jeff Hardy is NOT main event material. Not even in TNA wrestling, he isn't. And Monty Brown? I can understand that they've built him up a little, but I don't buy him as anything more than a cheap man's Ahmed Johnson - even if I can understand Brown when he talks.
This isn't even WCW Lite, and I've been a big supporter of TNA all along. They seem to have run out of gas and don't even know what to do or which direction they're taking their product.
Russo gets crapped on for appearing, but I can't defend him. He doesn't justify appearing on the show. I didn't mind him in WCW - he was annoying, but he seemed to have a reason to be there. Now, it's as if he & Dusty (and sometimes Zybysko) are supposed to be seen as the focus of the company, with AJ Styles & Jarrett a close second. You can't just put someone out there on my TV screen and then tell me I'm supposed to care about him. You gotta earn that by writing creative TV and using some imagination.
Originally posted by leggoDusty Rhodes and Vince Russo having some sort of problem but they didn't say what it was
Dusty Rhodes gave Jeff Hardy a title shot without getting Russo's permission, or at least that seems to be it
I think that's the point. They're trying to create suspense, but any idiot who's watched for the past month can figure out the obvious. My reaction is to shrug and say, "Okay... how is that a big deal?" I mean, it just seems a little over-dramatic to me... but whatever. I'm all for creating alternatives to the WWE, but I don't see TNA ever taking off the ground in any significant way. If ROH had the same resources, I might be saying something different here.
But yeah, they can be thankful they've got good tag team & X divisions.
It's a really stupid move to have co-holders of a singles title. But since Russo doesn't think that any of the titles mean anything, well than why not share the wealth? The X division is their signature thing, the idea that they push their high-flyers/cruiserweights more than WWE, so if they screw it up it really hurts their product. It also hurts them when they have abunch of guys in the main event picture that are just former WWE midcarders (who were midcarders for a reason) like Hardy, D'lo, and Jarrett. I've liked the Impact show and I hope that thing work out for TNA, but so far they've given me nothing that I find really interesting at all from a storyline perspective, and it's not like their so far ahead of WWE in the in-ring product that they can make up for that. SO, anyway that's my thoughts on TNA.
Here's something I wrote about TNA pre-PPV yesterday. I think it still fits:
As if TNA were willing to prove me right. Seriously, I had the column written out and all. The one that said, "Hey look, I was wrong back in January. It's only a matter of time before TNA make it big."
Then TNA does their best to remind me that the masterminds behind this organisation are Jeff Jarrett, Vince Russo, Dusty Rhodes and Dutch Mantell. God, my 3-year old sister has more common sense than those four!
Now maybe I'm being a little harsh. I mean, Dusty Rhodes is hardly part of running the place, the Jarretts know better than to let his oversized belly ego run around in power, and Russo is said to be frustrated that he can't have more of his ideas implemented, and the show has actually been reported as good, and sounds as such, over the past several weeks.
Point is: a whole bunch of TNA's viewers can't actually watch the show on account of the recent DirecTV scandal where the PPV distributor pulled all of TNA's PPVs for the foreseeable future. So if you subscribe to DirecTV and no other PPV company, then you can't watch TNA.
The extent of this problem can be seen on PW. We FINALLY hired a PPV recapper for the site, and then found out he couldn't recap until DirecTV and TNA got their act together. Our IMPACT recapper found himself in the same boat.
And yet, TNA go out and blow a large portion of their drawing cards while these fans are away.
- Last week, you get the six-sided cage match. - This week, Ultimate X part trois - Next week, it's looking pretty likely that Raven and Sabu will have their long awaited feud ender. - The week after, Jeff Hardy will probably challenge for the World Title.
These are all aspects of the show that makes people want to buy, and yet DirecTV customers can't do so. So TNA is wasting money, plain and simple. Where they could be pulling in consistently large (for them) buyrates, they insist on playing their trump card when a large portion of potential buyers who are DYING to watch aren't able to.
You'd think the smart man would give consistently good shows that makes the DirecTV customer want the show, but not feel as if they're missing the greatest show, yet still satisfies the paying customer, at a time like this. Plant seeds in the inevitable Styles/Daniels feud, give the buyer some top notch X Division action, maybe even an exciting, if not very important World Title match (Jarrett/Killings rematch, in a Street Fight or something). Make the customer who buys happy, make the customer who can't buy want to do so, and make sure you have enough gas left in the tank for when the DirecTV situation sorts itself out. What do they have after this? Daniels/Styles. Sure it'll be good, but what do you think Jarrett's going to think when he sees low buyrates for all of these major selling points?
"Hmm, I think these fans need more JJ..."
Don't say I didn't warn you. Said JJ isn't a very smart man, this month's proved that in spades.
While all of this reeks of Russo booking, far as anyone knows he has no real power in TNA. All that we see is come up with by Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantell.
If this was the mid 80's and it was Memphis, what they are doing would probably be going over huge with the locals.
But on the national scale it's just stupid. I mean Co-champions? Styles does a freaking Styles Clash from 15 feet up in mid air and he doesnt win the match? What kind of bullshit is that.
I'm glad Directv isn't carrying this. I doubt I would be ordering anyways.
Taking the title off Styles to begin with was the biggest mistake TNA made. Syles was always the one to build the company around.
And Monty Brown? I can understand that they've built him up a little, but I don't buy him as anything more than a cheap man's Ahmed Johnson - even if I can understand Brown when he talks.----- Truer words have NEVER been spoken! By the way, his catchphrase irks me " There are no mountains on the Serengeti." Look above the Serengeti, what do you see? Mt.Kilimanjaro! I know its nitpicking but it is on Thursday and I am bored here at work.
Originally posted by Phantom LordStyles does a freaking Styles Clash from 15 feet up in mid air and he doesnt win the match? What kind of bullshit is that.
I realize you didn't watch, so allow me to explain that pinfalls don't count, so it wasn't like Kazarian kicked out at two or anything.
Also, they don't just award the match to whoever gets off the biggest move.
Keep in mind that this was basically a handicap match with Styles at a disadvantage.
It's no more "bullshit" than, say, Jeff Hardy hitting a swanton off a 15-foot ladder and then not winning the match.
I agree, though, that belt co-holders is stupid. Did Russo book Jericho and Chyna co-holding the IC belt? Hmm.
TNA just seemed like a clusterfuck this week. No organization whatsoever.
Taking the belt off of Styles isn't necessarily a bad move, but the co-champion, as stated several times, is just, well, dumb ...
The tag scene is really cool ... Happy to see the Naturals rewarded by getting to keep the belts. Now if they had a different look instead of the generic Hardy Boyz.
Originally posted by MayhemHappy to see the Naturals rewarded by getting to keep the belts. Now if they had a different look instead of the generic Hardy Boyz.
Originally posted by Phantom LordI understand there were no pinfalls, but the whole reason to put Styles in the X-Division was to build it around him.
Taking the title off him when it's clear he's the most marketable guy they have is stupid.
I disagree, in the storyline Styles was hurt going into a match where it was basically a handicapped situation and he wasn't involved in the decision so I don't know how it hurts him. He has a program to work with Kid Kash and I'm sure he will get the title back. A good chase never hurt a title.
Originally posted by Phantom LordI understand there were no pinfalls, but the whole reason to put Styles in the X-Division was to build it around him.
Taking the title off him when it's clear he's the most marketable guy they have is stupid.
I disagree, in the storyline Styles was hurt going into a match where it was basically a handicapped situation and he wasn't involved in the decision so I don't know how it hurts him. He has a program to work with Kid Kash and I'm sure he will get the title back. A good chase never hurt a title.
But I don't think it's the chase that's showing similarities between TNA's creativity (using the word as loosely as possible) and yon porcelain goddess (the one at the nearest Texaco bathroom). Come on, CO-champion? There are better ideas out there. There has to be, by sheer attrition (this word is appropriate with this context) a good idea would float up. But then, hey, what do we expect?
Originally posted by IagoBut I don't think it's the chase that's showing similarities between TNA's creativity (using the word as loosely as possible) and yon porcelain goddess (the one at the nearest Texaco bathroom). Come on, CO-champion? There are better ideas out there. There has to be, by sheer attrition (this word is appropriate with this context) a good idea would float up. But then, hey, what do we expect?
Well, I guess it gives Shane & Kazarian something to do while Styles deals with Kash. What that something is, I dunno. Fight amongst themselves? Take on D-Ray & Shark Boy? Ahh, possibilities abound.