One and only week 20 thread

[Guest Raven_Effect01]

Ugh, Russo's back again on TV. Well, we'll see how this goes starting next Wednesday.

[Guest Slapnuts00]

you thought Lynn red was 5*? I better watch again. More closely.

From what I saw it was flawless. Smooth reversals, realistic close falls, succesful high spots and sick bumps. Rey/Eddy a similarily structured match from HH97 gets ***** and is praised by most as the best cruiser match in America. I just saw that match again earlier today. It was very good, I thought Red/Lynn was better. By that standard I say it deserves 5* and is TNA's best match to date.

[Guest Slapnuts00]

As for Russo, I too am willing to give him another chance, he truly pulled off a swerve there, but in WCW his first week or so of both times in charge were fresh and exciting too. I say as long as there are still 5 star crusier matches and intense title matches, without raunchy and hokey segments like this week, I more than welcome Russo's suprises. But I fear he'll put himself on TV and give 20 minute shoot interviews...

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

Lynn/Styles from 2 weeks ago was better than this week's Lynn/Red, as it BROUGHT THE EMOTION~! as well as building off of past matches. Plus, it had INTENSITY~!

 

Honestly, I think Rey/Eddie from Havoc '97 is overrated. It's a good match, true, and Eddie shows why he's so great at being a dick heel, but it isn't better than, or as good as IMO, Jericho/Malenko from just a few months later.

 

I'd give tonight's show an 8.5/10. Weak start, solid middle, and extremely good ending.

 

Russo is back...they swerved us all. Now they can gloat and gloat and gloat.

 

Wow...Russo actually makes me WANT to watch next week...

[Guest dreamer420]

I thought the Truth/Jarrett match was perfect, up until the Russo shit. I'd give it ****

 

The X Title match was brilliant as well and should elevate Red more.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Russo only plays to the net fans cause they're the only ones who give a shit about him

 

Red will never have a ***** match...he's a spot monkey and guys like Red have really hurt wrestling with all the moves where they break each other's neck every other move and kick out...takes away from any realism.

 

TNA won't be getting my $10 with Russo on tv

[Guest Slapnuts00]

Russo only plays to the net fans cause they're the only ones who give a shit about him

 

Red will never have a ***** match...he's a spot monkey and guys like Red have really hurt wrestling with all the moves where they break each other's neck every other move and kick out...takes away from any realism.

 

TNA won't be getting my $10 with Russo on tv

um, did you even see the match? He wasn't a spot monkey at all in this match, Lynn kept the flow very well.

[Guest BoboBrazil]

Russo is the king of swerves! I like Russo's on screen character so I might have to start watching again. He can be the manager for some of the guys who can't work the mic, which is almost their whole roster.

[Guest Cataclysm911]

Why is there not more bitching? Fucking Vince Russo showed up and helped Jeff fucking Jarrett win the title.. and you guys are basically like "I'll allow it."

 

Are you so desperate to find an alternative to the WWE that you are now blind to garbage?

 

I agree with the guy who said that Amazing Red and people with styles similar to him have ruined wrestling. I think that the internet has made it worse too. When the business was exposed, it lost a lot of its fun.

 

I miss the days when Boston Crabs, Figure-Four Leglocks, a normal DDT and a Piledriver were finishes. Now we got fucking high angle three quarter corkscrew missle ddt breakers that get two counts, and get botched every other match.

 

It sucks.

[Guest cabbageboy]

Tough shit says I.

 

You know what is really hilarious? When I saw all this stuff with BC/April/Bruce and then Road Dogg saying he was gonna beat up a faggot, and THEN a lez angle with Goldy and April (whoa!), I jokingly said "Man Russo has just GOT to be back."

 

And then Mr. Wrestling III unmasked and it was Russo????!!!! I have to admit I was shocked to hell, I heard he was gone from the NWA. I think he and Jarrett are in on this thing together and leaked word that Russo was ousted in a power struggle.

 

I wouldn't say Lynn/Red is the best NWA TNA match I've seen (I'd give that to Lynn/Styles/Loki, the regular match, not ladder). Sadly I have not seen the Eddie/Rey match mentioned here so I can't compare. Anyone got Havoc 97?

 

I enjoyed the hell out this show tonight. How many times can you say that there is a good world title match/feud, a good secondary (X in this case) match, and a crazy tag title feud...all on the same show?

 

There were some missed spots in the fist 30m or so (Malice's horrid spot cracked me up) and a couple of squashes. But seriously, this show seemed a great mix of old style NWA booking (tag titles, world title), bad ass WCW/ECW style cruiser stuff, and trashy Russo angles.

 

Call me crazy but I actually like this Brian Lawler stuff. Anyone think he'll be like Dreamer and start having 3 ways with Goldy and April?

[Guest BifEverchad]

BEST TNA show I've seen so far. Wonderfully booked show. The beginning started out a bit slow, but served its purpose. By the time we got to the tag title match, it picked up. The tag match had great psycology as those four guys delivered once again. The X Title match was awesome as well, but could have went another 5 minutes or so in my opinion, but again it was great. Perfect story telling by both guys as they played the veteran vs the rising star path. The Main Event was definately the icing on the cake, and reminded me of the old school NWA Title match from back in the day. The Flair-like blade job by Jarrett by impressive and the Vinnie Ru finish shocked us ALL. HUGE thumbs up to TNA on this one, and I can not wait until next week!

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I loved the show.

 

The three title matches were tremendous.

 

I never saw the ending coming, and even as a Russo disliker...I marked out.

 

So fiendishly clever.

 

Of course it only caters to the internet...but as they conceded long ago, the internet is pretty much the only place their fanbase coes from.

 

Jaw dropping ending to a wonderful show.

 

...except Malice falling off the top rope.

 

Hosses stay grounded!

[Guest RedJed]

I caught the replay shortly ago, and I was really impressed with the last hour of the show. Those three title matches were really solid.

 

First, the Russo thing. I say this..........if they keep him in the proposed role of helping with promos, etc and leave it at that while having him as an old screen character that is NOT booking his own angles and promos, then it works great for me. Russo's on-screen stuff in WCW never bothered me until he started trying to overshadow talent........like I said as long as he's not booking himself, it works. He's a hell of an on-screen character, IMHO. Needless to say I was like most of you here in that I was completely taken back and shocked when it was revealed as him. Talk about a swerve.....no matter how it was done (legitimate heat that got resolved recently here between the parties or be it a complete work by both sides done by just not having Russo not be at the shows the past few weeks) it was actually pretty damn creative, I give them that. First actual time in TNA that made me think they really put their thinking caps on here.

 

World title match reeked of oldschool and I loved it. Jarrett juiced really good there, and carried this entire match to a ****, which is saying alot.

 

Xtitle match was definately not a ***** IMO, but it was still very good, probably a **** as well. I couldn't say it was flawless because there actually was a few slow dragging moments and Red fumbled around occasionally too. Still a really fun match, for sure. Finish ruled all.

 

Tag title match was probably the worst of their 3 bouts, but it still was good enough to keep this feud hot with the faces going apeshit after the match. *** for sure.......I really hope they bring out the first TNA cage match for this feud at some point, or something else solid for a gimmick match.

 

Hmmm, different twist to the April-Lawler thing this week. First thing I thought when this happened was ECW when they did the Beulah-Kimona angle. Hell, both of these gals are hot so this might work if they can keep the angle hot (so to speak lol). This gives Goldy an in-ring character too, which is not a bad thing. Have fuckin Borash do the backstage interviews from now on, and have West duel-role in color and ring announcing.

 

As for the rest of the matches, I thought they weren't too great, but the last hour made up for it. Opener was full of spots that led absolutely nowhere. Malice squash, well it was what it was. The three way X division match looked so amateur thanks to Estrada. He needs to get away from the X division guys if he is going to blow spots all the time like this.

 

REALLY looking forward to next week now, they did the perfect ending with the Russo thing and Jarrett looking like he shit his pants, and then ending it. This could go a bunch of ways, and lead to different heel-face roles for everyone involved. I would assume that what will happen is Russo as the heel here feuding with both Jarrett and Truth in some capacity, with him bringing in Sanders or Corino maybe to feud with Jarrett. Finally it looks like we have an storyline as the focal point of the promotion that might actually work if done right. They could even go in a direction that has Russo and a crew of his almost trying to make TNA a more New School type deal, with guys like Jarrett being the oldschoolers trying to fight for tradition.

[Guest eirejmcmahon]

I can't believe that there are people here claiming that Vince Russo appearing as an on-screen character is a hook to buyers.

 

If the same thing happened on Raw or Smackdown, you'd be (rightly) pissed.

 

edited to add : And let's not forget that Mister Wrestling III (and thus, Vince Russo) has a title shot.

[Guest eirejmcmahon]

Best. Match. Ever. *****

Oh come on!

 

Five stars my arse.

[Guest RedJed]

I can't believe that there are people here claiming that Vince Russo appearing as an on-screen character is a hook to buyers.

 

If the same thing happened on Raw or Smackdown, you'd be (rightly) pissed.

 

edited to add : And let's not forget that Mister Wrestling III (and thus, Vince Russo) has a title shot.

I never said he was a hook for potential buyers, I just know he was a hook in my case since I followed his character in WCW, thats all.

 

Honestly if he showed up on-screen in WWE, I would mark out just the same.

 

And I don't think he ever signed that contract yet to wrestle the world champ, so just relax. They'll probably blow it off.

[Guest The Last Free Voice]

how did he keep it quiet?

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Mr/. Wrestling IIIs title shot was only for a shot against the Truth.

 

something that eirej would know if he watched the show anymore instead of just coming in here to put down the results he reads.

[Guest RedJed]

Mr/. Wrestling IIIs title shot was only for a shot against the Truth.

 

something that eirej would know if he watched the show anymore instead of just coming in here to put down the results he reads.

Ohhh Bps with a left hook.........lol

 

So true though

[Guest eirejmcmahon]

Mr/. Wrestling IIIs title shot was only for a shot against the Truth.

We'll see how it plays out bps.

 

You're now paying for a show in which Vince Russo isn't just an on screen character, but a central one at that.

 

Nice use of language from James too, by the way.