From The Inside

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Greetings and happy Friday to you and yours. Lots of news and juicy gossip this week so let's get to it.

 

I don't really know where to start with this last Wednesday's program, other than the fact that it was our most successful effort to date, and very symbolic of what is to come for us in the future.

 

While the program was universally praised from even the harshest of critics, and it was one of my top five favorite programs to date for our company, the reality of the situation is that what we witnessed Wednesday night was something much bigger than another chapter in the weekly series of solid programs we deliver. Let me explain

 

For many of us that have been involved with TNA since we opened our offices, the last 14 months have been the hardest, most taxing months of our lives. The roller coaster ride of personal sacrifice it has taken to get TNA off the ground is nothing short of remarkable. Several of us dropped everything we had to move to Nashville and get behind a project that was perceived as "so out of the box" that it was destined to fail. I'll never forget the feeling I would get when certain net writers deemed our concept as a certain failure, while we logged in 80 hour work weeks to try and prove them wrong. Nearly everyone wrote us off as another one of the many startups promising big things and delivering nothing short of a complete disaster, then quietly disappearing into the sunset of bounced checks and empty promises.

 

With time, TNA developed a following, largely through the word of mouth of fans who simply wanted something different. The program tried on many different creative coats, searching for the right formula, evolving on nearly a weekly basis.

 

While I have never doubted the renegade spirit of our promotion, I feel that for the first time on a large scale, the wrestling world stopped, looked, and recognized TNA not only as a promotion worthy of supporting, but a promotion to be taken seriously. Very seriously.

 

While our business plan is anything but traditional, fans in much larger numbers than ever before are accepting our unconventional approach. After all, for the cost of a traditional monthly wrestling PPV, you get four weekly two hour programs from TNA. The decision has become a no brainer for many wrestling fans.

 

For many of the wrestlers, announcers, and office people who have dedicated so much time and effort to this project since day one, our show Wednesday night was a milestone. A culmination of hard work and sacrifice, and one of many milestones we will work towards as we continue to grow.

 

While we couldn't have been happier with the overwhelming response to our show Wednesday night, TNA has always been a promotion that has never looked back. Our focus is on the future, and the demands and expectations we place on ourselves and our talent will only help raise the bar we continue to elevate. We never look back, because the next time we have to ask our fans to support a true wrestling alternative is never more than seven days away.

 

Tickets will be going on sale soon for the TNA One Year Anniversary Show set to take place on June 18th. Word has already gotten out about the event, and we are hearing about fans making plans to fly in from all over the country for this one. Even a contingent of UK fans are planning on making the trip. More on this event as it develops.

 

Former TNN President Brian Hughes has been brought on board to assist with the television side of TNA. Adding Hughes to the TNA team is being looked at as a huge acquisition. He was backstage Wednesday night.

 

Hats off to Mike Tenay and Don West, who many are hailing as the best announce team in professional wrestling today. Don West has picked up this business faster than anyone I've ever seen, and I am so impressed with Tenay that I have openly told him I am going to steal some of his preparation techniques for my upcoming play-by-play for the WWA PPV.

 

Congratulations to Jeff Jarret and Raven for delivering, and even more so, living up to the incredible expectations put on them for such a hyped bout. So often in this business, you hear things hyped and hyped, to the point where many fans are conditioned to be disappointed. That was not the case here, as Jarrett/Raven will go down as one of the biggest main event matches of the year. I remember asking TNA officials if I could declare this to be the "Biggest Match in TNA History" when making the video packages, and discussing the implications of making such a declaration. Making a claim like that puts everything on the line, and can either help build a trust with fans or send them down the long road of wrestling's empty promises. They delivered. Congratulations to both men.

 

TNA officials have let it be known that the magic word from here on out is commitment. The company will commit to those to do so in return on all levels, plain and simple.

 

Hats off to D'Lo Brown and AJ Styles who have become an absolutely incredible tag team. While their combined efforts have been simply amazing, don't expect these two to drop their singles career.

 

On the flipside, it looks as though Harris and Storm have resolved their differences and are back as a tag team. Thank God. If more people would have seen them in 2002, there is no doubt in my mind they would have swept any and all tag team of the year awards. They are simply incredible.

 

The Nashville Scene has written perhaps the most extensive and inside article ever done on NWA TNA. You can read it at www.nashvillescene.com

 

What makes a great title match? A solid champion and a challenger with enough momentum on their side to have people convinced they are going to see a title switch. We saw it with Raven, and we saw it before with AJ Styles. Now, the question is who will be Jarretts next opponent? Can Raven rebound? Will Styles jump back into the picture? Or will there be a wildcard in the mix to get the next shot? We will find out Wednesday night as we crown a new #1 contender for the NWA World Title. Who will it be? Guesses are running rampant. I can't wait to see!

 

I, like so many others, were shocked and very saddened to learn about the passing of Elizabeth Heulette yesterday. I last saw Liz in December on the WWA Europe tour, and enjoyed passing the time talking on some of those long bus rides together. Miss Elizabeth was always a symbol of class in this business, and her character never compromised throughout her career. My deepest sympathies go out to all who are suffering from this very tragic loss.

 

What are TNA stars listening to these days? Trinity lists the new Justin Timberlake and Eminem CDs as her favorites, as well as Goldylock's new CD which has grown on me quite a bit as well. Ron Killings says you'll find 2 Pac, Eminem, Juvenile, Dr. Dre, and a new group called Head Planet Earth in his CD changer. Jerry Lynn is into death metal, and lists Dark Tranquility, In Flames, and those wacky kids from Suffocation as his favorites. I've been listening lately to Coldplay, Audioslave, and Tommy Lee's Methods of Mayhem CD, which may be the best workout music I've ever heard if turned up loud enough. A surprising number of TNA stars are big on MP3s and burn their own CDs.

 

The girl that attacked Miss Lollipop was Tracy Brookshaw from Canada.

 

Shannon Ward (aka the former Daffney) worked TNA under a mask as Shark Girl this past Wednesday night in a match taped for Xplosion. Ward makes history as the first female competitor in wrestling history to join the ranks of Dean Baldwin and John Tenta as people who's wrestling characters pattern themselves after fish.

 

I can confirm that it will be NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett vs. WWA World Champion Sting in a unification bout to take place in Auckland, NZ at WWA's "The Reckoning" PPV later this month.

 

Chris Sabin once again delivered a solid effort this past week. Although he missed a very high risk dive during the program, it only goes to show how difficult a move like that can be. Keep your eye on Sabin, he is fantastic.

 

Did you miss last week's historic show? If you did, don't fret. If you have DirecTV, or can break into someone's house that does, DirecTV will be offering an all day ticket for Raven/Jarrett this Monday. Here's an idea get our PPV replay at 9 pm EST Monday night and flip back and fourth. It will be like old times!

 

The newest issue of Total Wrestling (www.totalwrestling.co.uk) has a 4 page photo gallery on NWA-TNA & a one pager on Sandman in the cage with one of the TNA gals. You will be able to pick up this magazine at a very large number of Barnes & Noble, B.Dalton, and Hastings locations at the end of May on a monthly basis.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Christopher Daniels get a strong singles push in TNA. TNA officials, and pretty much the rest of the free world that viewed the match, were completely blown away with the tag team contest Daniels and Skipper had two weeks ago against Jerry Lynn and Red. His match with Jerry Lynn this past week was fantastic as well.

 

In a business that often foolishly looks at the internet as a hindrance rather than a strong resource, I have made it a priority to recognize some of the very talented writers out there on the net. This week I would like to recognize James Guttman on his absolutely fantastic piece about TNA, WWE and the state of the wrestling business. Please take the time to read this. You can check it out here. http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publish/arti...icle_3601.shtml

 

After some over exaggerated reports on problems in negotiations with Sabu, the Bombay native made a surprise appearance Wednesday night, only the way he can. When he is on his game, there are very few as exciting as Sabu. TNA is a promotion perfectly suited for a talent like Sabu, and I can't wait to see what he will do in TNA.

 

Congratulations to Amazing Red, who has become the second wrestler to hold multiple titles in TNA. Red and Lynn are the World Tag Team Champions, and Red defeated Kid Kash to win the X-Division title last Wednesday night.

 

The factions that have broken off in TNA should make for some exciting matches. TNA has four different distinguishable factions that were showcased in the opening match from this past Wednesday night. I smell some upcoming gang warfare!

 

An estimated 1100+ people were turned away from the Asylum this past Wednesday night. The line to get in stretched the length of the enormous state fairgrounds parking lot, and several people were even cited for scalping ringside seats. On a humorous note, Donna Summer, who was in town visiting at the time, was with a group of people who were turned away, but after a quick phone call the problem was resolved.

 

That is all 'From the Inside' - have a great weekend and we will see you back for "Anarchy in the Asylum" this Wednesday night.

 

Jeremy Borash

[email protected]

[Guest Slapnuts00]

TNA officials have let it be known that the magic word from here on out is commitment. The company will commit to those to do so in return on all levels, plain and simple.

 

That's definitely a message to be read into. I was disappointed and critical too when Raven didnt win the title, but if his deal was expiring that night and he wasn't commiting to a new deal at the time, there's no reason for TNA to take a chance with their world title.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

I know it's just my crackheaded self thinking this, but do you thin TNA might be paranoid in the least about giving the title to a person who was in WWE as recently as January? I mean, it was awfully quick and odd how Raven was released from WWE and then went to TNA. Perhaps they were worried about their champion being re-signed with WWE?

 

Once again, wild conjecture on my part, but there are people who think Vince sent Russo and Ferrara to ruin WCW.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Now...we know that Sting has to lose that WWA title because he already told McMAnus that this was his last tour for them.

 

Are they just going to absorb it into the NWA title? Or will they do a nonfinish and he'll lose it later? Or will JJ win it and they won't even acknowledge it on TNA and he'll just defend it for the WWA since he goes over there all the time anyway?

[Guest Tony149]

Now...we know that Sting has to lose that WWA title because he already told McMAnus that this was his last tour for them.

 

Are they just going to absorb it into the NWA title? Or will they do a nonfinish and he'll lose it later? Or will JJ win it and they won't even acknowledge it on TNA and he'll just defend it for the WWA since he goes over there all the time anyway?

I think that's going to be TNA's "fuck you" to WWE. Why? I don't know. But I get the feeling they'll try to get a rub on the NWA title as they show JJ pinning Sting. If Sting loses, I expect to see it shown.

[Guest j.o.b. squad]

Are they just going to absorb it into the NWA title? Or will they do a nonfinish and he'll lose it later? Or will JJ win it and they won't even acknowledge it on TNA and he'll just defend it for the WWA since he goes over there all the time anyway?

i woude go with win but no acknoledgement they have had people on who held other nwa titles but they said nothing about their titles(rave and estrada)

[Guest Galactic Gigolo]

And it is hed (Planet Earth) you bleach blonde bitch!

[syxx2001 0]

I know it's just my crackheaded self thinking this, but do you thin TNA might be paranoid in the least about giving the title to a person who was in WWE as recently as January? I mean, it was awfully quick and odd how Raven was released from WWE and then went to TNA. Perhaps they were worried about their champion being re-signed with WWE?

 

thats not what they were thinking. if raven had one more match or appearence left on his contract and they gave him the belt and then he decided to "think it over" (signing a new contract), it would be fucked up. cause raven could have said "hold on, let me think about it" for 5 months and would have been able to keep the belt. or he could have went over to mlw, who does have a national 10 pm central time tv show and pulled a madusa or shane douglas and threw the belt in the trash or something. its a long shot, but its better to be safe than sorry. better to keep the promotion from crumbling than pleasing 5 fans.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

Besides, Raven publicly blasted WWE on more than one occasion. Why would he even WANT to go back, especially when he makes more in the indies?

[syxx2001 0]

i never said anything about him going back to the wwf. i said he could have won the title, and not signed a new contract. then they would have been fucked.

[Astro101 0]

Maybe it's all part of Raven's masterplan and he is really working for WWE afterall!

[Guest tank_abbott]

Dean Baldwin ?

[Guest Dying Fetus]

Dean Baldwin ?

Shark Boy

[Guest tank_abbott]

Thanks for the clarification

 

 

and with a name like that...thanx for reminding me of my 4 dead siblings