TNABaddboi

Spike's got to be thrilled with that.....I wonder if this could lead to the UFC/TNA tandem becoming a permanent Monday fixture down the road. I know the speculation has been that if TNA's moved from Saturdays, they'll get a Thursday night slot, but that's a pretty good showing all around I'd say. Just a thought....

Well the Monday replay scored higher than the Saturday showing for the first time ever, according to PWI. Here's the report:

WWE scheduled the first Saturday Night's Main Event for the day after this show, in Detriot. We knew TNA would be going head-to-head with them on TV, but I didn't think they'd be going head to head in the market. Here's what Mike Johnson wrote:

Well tickets are going on sale tomorrow, so TNA's great experiment will officially begin. Here's what PWI reported: I can't believe they are putting tickets on sale without announcing Christian, Team 3D, Hardy or Sting. I know they are banking on the hometown hero Rhino's title shot to draw in Detroit, but they signed those other guys to be draws, and they'll need them here more than ever. They should also be announced as appearing. Just my two cents....

PWI says TNA got a .8 on Saturday. No Monday ratings are available yet because of the holiday.

I know that building can have a good atmosphere...I drove up there from Atlanta the night Hardy debuted (I'm no Hardy mark....I'd planned the trip before he was leaked as a surprise) and the atmosphere that night was electric, especially for that match and the Truth/Jarrett match. In fact, when I saw the show on TV later, I couldn't believe how dead the crowd sounded, having been there live. I think they didn't mic that crowd well at all. But with that said, because they kicked the freebies out for the post-show anniversary party, I know that 2/3 of that crowd was comped. I was just thinking that TNA might remember that when they pick markets, though with the current format of sold shows, if they can find a Nashville promoter, I'm sure they'd go back.

I think that'd be a great start for them. You gotta think they'll eventually run the building in Buffalo that ECW used to hold their shows in. I'm not sure whether or not they'd do the fairgrounds again, or maybe even Nashville period, since they had to heavily comp those earlier shows.

So for shits and giggles, let's start the guessing game. Whaddaya think they'll draw in Michigan? I'd say if the line-up stays the way it is, they'd get about 1,000. If they add Christian, 3D and Sting, they'll push 1,500.

I've been on an old school WWE kick lately, so I've download a bunch of Hogan era matches recently. Here the ones that I've watched in the past few days: Hogan-Warrior from WM6: This show was my first exposure to wrestling, and this match probably is the reason I'm still watching to this day. Easily one of Warrior's top 3 best matches ever and everything a face/face match should be. Ventura was great on commentary here, not in the telling jokes kinda way he normally was, but in a "wow, we're watching something special" kinda way. Warrior-Savage from WM7: If the Hogan match isn't Warrior's best match ever, than this surely is. And the angle afterwards was everything Kurt/Stephanie could have been, i.e a soap opera-y story that was so dopey that it could only suck in women. Hart-Perfect from Summerslam 1991: This show has always been one of my favorites. I'm not sure why, because the only hot match was this one, but I watched this show so much in my mark days that I ruined the tape. Anyway, this was definitely Bret's coming out party, and knowing the condition of Perfect's back made it all the more enjoyable in my recent viewing. And Bobby Heenan was genius on commentary. Hogan-Undertaker from Survivor Series 91 and Tuesday in Texas: I'd never seen either of these matches until I downloaded them, but it was so interesting watching how much Taker's character changed over the years when I did finally see them. The 92 Rumble Match: Other match I'd heard alot about but never seen. When I finally saw it, I couldn't believe this match didn't make Flair a face. They stacked the deck against him and he overcame all the odds, with Heenan putting him over at every turn and Monsoon talking about how impossible it was. I think if they ran that story with a heel at a Rumble now, they'd be the face by the time we got to Wrestlemania.

TNA issued a release about it today too. Mike Johnson said that they are looking to do 4-6 more shows in the next few months, with the ECW Arena probably being the next stop after Detroit.

PWI says Christian's getting the shot because Sting's not doing the next PPV.

Although with Sting pinning Jarrett, it appeared that they'd headline TNA's next PPV (if history was to be used as an indication), Meltz says Christian's getting the shot (which the past three months of build indicate). Here's what he said: So, do we see the switch here or do they dare risk alienating the Christian fans and keep the chase going, a la Team 3D?

A press release has been issued by one of the sponsors, according to PWI. Here it is:

TNA still hasn't confirmed this show, but the arena's website has it listed on their upcoming events, so I'd assume it's coming soon. Here's the link: http://www.compuwarehockey.com/

Well it's Saturday and there's no primetime special this week, which means we should probably have a OAO Impact thread. This is the last bit of hype for the Final Resolution PPV, which seems to have enjoyed a better build than most TNA shows (maybe I'm just remembering the three weeks between BFG and Genesis). Anyway, here's what TNA's got lined-up for us tonight, from their site of course! Looks like another good line-up from TNA. I wish they'd get away from their two competitive match, two squashes formula though. The show they did with Christian dressed up as Jarrett was a perfect example of a good, squash free Impact. IIRC, even match that week went at least 5 minutes. But I digress...the main event is one of the stronger ones TNA's put out since debuting on Spike. We know the heat will be good, because Christian and Rhino are the most over guys on the roster right now and AMW are probably the only two people besides Jarrett and Konnan drawing legitimate heel heat (and Jarrett's is probably "X-pac go away" heat). This week's six man won't be as good as last week's, but should still be a pretty good match. Lethal's eating a Black Hole Slam and Riley's getting choked out, I'd assume. Anyway, post your before, during and after thought here, and remember to keep it ~SPOILER-FREE~ until show time.

Meltz said they drew about 600. He also said that they are doing another show tonight, only without AJ or Jarrett. Here's what he posted about the show: Meltz also listed an early line-up for the Michigan show. Here's what he posted: More matches, this time from PWI:

I'd forgotten about that segment....that will probably the most interest part of the show. After they made last week's train wreck watchable, I'm pretty sure they can pull the rabbit out of the hat again and make us think that the fans didn't poo-poo AJ's win. But that's if they want to. I get the feeling that eventually they'll just give up and the fans cheer Joe, because short of having him pull a Kurt Angle and bash the country (and we see how well that worked), what else can they do?

Yeah me too...why would they go to show with AJ Styles and AMW in the main events if they were familiar with TNA, unless we except that Jarrett and Team 3D drew them (which I don't think most around here would. ) But either way, that line-up is probably the closest we've come yet to a real TNA house show. Even the show in Canada with Jarrett/Raven only had a few matches that featuring TNA talent...and had some matches that ran counter to TNA's storylines IIRC. This show looks like it was booked by TNA's booking committee. About the only thing missing is Christian.

Apparently they ran what could amount to another "test show" last night in VA, with an almost entirely TNA line-up and Jeremy Borash present and announcing. Here are the results, from PWI:

Meltz said that these matches will be added to Final Resolution: Ron Killings vs. Bobby Roode and the James Boys vs. Diamonds in the Rough. He also said the pre-show matches with The Naturals vs. Apolo & Homicide and Team Canada vs. Lance Hoyt & Kenny King & Jay Lethal.

Well it's Saturday, so I figured I'd start the non-spoiler TNA discussion. Here's the preview for tonight's show, per TNA's site: I'm not sure if I'll love it or hate it, but I'm definitely eager to see this Sting segment....the crowd reactions should make that worth watching alone, if the arena reports are to be believed. Otherwise, it's good to see the Naturals in a prominent match-up on Impact, but I'm sure they're jobbing there. Gotta establish the heels, who'll probably be facing the James Gang on PPV, while the Nats will probably be on the pre-show. I dunno why, but Killings and Roode excites me. I love Killings and like Roode, so hopefully they'll have a good match-up. Hopefully Truth gets to cut his break-out promo soon...there might not be room for him in the main event now, but he clearly deserves a shot to get himself back over enough to be there. Anyway...discuss your thoughts on Impact, before, during and after it airs, right here.

I saw this on PWI: Thoughts?

Saw an interesting question about this show on another board and thought I'd pose it here: Would it be worth lugging the 6 sided ring up there? I remember when they first got them that they order two, so I don't think they'd have to take down the Impact set to do, but still...should they bother or just use a four-sided ring like they did with their "test show" in Canada this September? I think if there goal is to exposure new fans to the TNA product, they almost have to take the 6 sided ring out on the road....b/c you don't wanna risk losing any new fans gained live when they tune into the show and see something totally different than what they saw on the road.

Here's another Sting interview, this time from the Observer:

I'm pretty sure Kazarian quit.