Dave Sahadi on Between the Ropes

[TNABaddboi 0]

On Wednesday night, September 21, TNA creative director and television production wizard Dave Sahadi joined hosts Brian Fritz and Vito DeNucci (Dickerman on vacation) on Central Florida's Sports Radio 740 The Team to discuss the company's plans for its debut on Spike TV on October 1.

 

Sahadi started by saying how excited the Spike TV officials are about TNA. He told a story as to how the Spike officials watched Mike Tenay and Don West cut a two minute and twenty second promo for international television without a teleprompter and were amazed at how well they did.

 

Dave discussed the signing of the team formerly known as The Dudleys and their involvement in TNA's tag-team division, calling TNA the home of tag-team wrestling. He mentioned how he had lunch with The Dudleys prior to Unbreakable and D-Von noted to him that the atmosphere felt like ECW, only better.

 

He discussed his work in production with TNA, specifically citing the importance of a pay-per-view opening to set the tone for the show. He believes in thinking outside the box, noting how he prefers to try a creative non-wrestling opening that evokes an emotion as opposed to an opening simply focusing on the top matches on the show.

 

Sahadi mentioned how the TNA marketing department wanted the opening for Unbreakable to focus on the recent tragedies in America and a tribute to 9-11. Instead, Sahadi felt 9-11 tributes would be overdone by 8:00pm on Sunday night and wanted to go in a different direction in conjunction with the start of the NFL season that day, utilizing the Howard Cosell-esque voiceover.

 

Dave considered the AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels X Division match at Unbreakable as one of greatest matches he's seen in thirteen years in the business.

 

When asked about starting the new era of TNA with Jeff Jarrett as NWA Champion, he noted that Jeff is not the champion again because they want to label TNA as "Jeff Jarrett's promotion." It's part of a long-term storyline that will play out.

 

He said the first person that appears on the inaugural episode of Spike TV will be the face of TNA and it will NOT be Jeff Jarrett.

 

As for production changes for Impact on Spike TV, Dave said the entranceways at Soundstage 21 have been revamped with better video screens. They plan to revert back to separate entranceways for babyfaces and heels that will be clearly defined. There will be a new animated opening for Impact along with better graphics and bumpers. They are also working on separate entrance videos for each wrestler. 

 

Sahadi talked about the negotiations with WGN earlier in the year, noting they were expecting to start on the network. The plan was to start on Monday nights in late June from 8:00pm-10:00pm, getting the one-hour jump on Raw. But he noted that at the time, they really weren't ready to start on WGN from a production standpoint. He considered it a blessing in disguise that the WGN deal didn't materialize. He prefers Spike TV since the network airs in thirty more million homes than WGN, which is available nowhere in the Northeast, and Spike understands wrestling and is extremely behind TNA at the present time.

 

Dave said there will definitely be a replay of Impact, but it may be changed from the reported midnight on Monday nights timeslot. Other days and times are being discussed. There are also long-term plans for more hours of TNA on Spike if they have "even a modicum of success."

 

Dave mentioned how he recently read where Vince McMahon said he didn't consider TNA a threat at the moment. He found it ironic since TNA regularly receives threatening legal letters from WWE lawyers, noting The Dudleys are forbidden from using the 'Dudley' name, the camouflage ring gear, and the funky glasses. According to Sahadi, WWE is going as far as trying to prevent the Dudleys from using tables in their matches.

 

As an example of WWE paranoia, he talked about how a message was sent to WWE employees last year that anyone talking to Dave Sahadi on company time would be fired. The paranoia was part of the reason he left WWE. He mentioned that he knows WWE watches and critiques everything TNA does and tries to prevent guys from working there, namely Mick Foley.

 

Sahadi noted that Foley told them that Vince McMahon tripled his salary and acquiesced to all of his demands to convince him to stay with WWE. He said Foley would have been huge for TNA because of Mick's track record in and out of the business. He would have helped, but TNA is still about guys like AJ Styles, Chris Daniels, Monty Brown, and Abyss.

 

Sahadi said that while TNA is still progressing from a production standpoint, TNA's in-ring product is far superior to what's presented in WWE. He made it clear that TNA will bill the X Division Champion and NWA Heavyweight Champion on equal footing with a clear distinction between the groups.

 

When asked about Monty Brown, he noted he was recently watching footage of Monty from NFL Films from his days on the Patriots and Bills that will air on October 1. He said Monty is a true professional backstage in the way he carries himself and dresses. He compared his ability to turn up his personality in the ring to how Steve Austin did it.

 

When asked about his days in WWE, he said the company was small when he started, similar to TNA now. He mentioned how the company was two weeks from closing down due to money losses before the 'Attitude' era got hot. Vince wasn't behind it at first, but it saved the company. He said by 1998-99, the company became more corporate. At the time he left, he felt the WWE product had become "stale, trite, and embarrassing."

 

As for the debut edition of Impact on October 1, he said the plan is to cater more to casual fans than the Internet fans. There will be personality pieces on wrestlers, namely Abyss and Monty Brown. There will be some surprises regarding new and returning talent. There will be four to five matches. They won't be pushing the Bound For Glory pay-per-view much just yet. It will be more of a 'This Is Who We Are' program.

credit: PWInsider.com

 

I like the idea of introducing the characters early. TNA has never really given people much of a reason to cheer or boo their wrestlers other than their workrate, and that's not going to get them the response they are looking for. And if the poll on their site is to be believed, AJ Styles will be in the first Impact match because he's way out in front of Jeff Jarrett, Raven, Monty Brown, AMW and the Naturals.

[Carnival 0]

Sounds like he's got the right idea on what needs to be done. Should be interesting.

[Dimensions 0]

I like this guy a lot, he always seems to have the right idea going into things from what I can tell.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Too bad he has nothing whatsoever to do with the creative team.

[Placebo Effect 0]

Whenver Sahadi appears on a show it always ends with TNA and Sahadi looking very good.

[tominator89 0]

WWE trying to prevent the Dudleyz from using tables? Oh please.

[Silence 0]

WWE trying to prevent the Dudleyz from using tables? Oh please.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Now THAT is even more ridiculous than even WWE not allowing The Dudleyz to use their tag team name that was created by ECW instead of WWE.

 

I know WWE bought the ECW library, but WWE still didn't come up with "The Dudley Boys", nor did they come up with fucking TABLES.

[Rendclaw 0]

If the E is going to go that far and I listened to the interview, they are going to lose this lawsuit, which is going to open the floodgates for other wrestlers to get their names/gimmicks back.

 

Good for wrestling as a whole, says I.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Yeah. Using tables isn't a Dudley Boy-exclusive, and it'd also be too hard of a suit to win (for the E, I mean). Because then a few TNA and indy wrestlers that made certain moves popular before they were shown on WWE television could sue and if the E won the suit about using tables, then they'd win the suit about using their moves.

[DangerousDamon 0]

"He said the first person that appears on the inaugural episode of Spike TV will be the face of TNA and it will NOT be Jeff Jarrett."

 

 

AJ?

[Carnival 0]

"He said the first person that appears on the inaugural episode of Spike TV will be the face of TNA and it will NOT be Jeff Jarrett."

 

 

AJ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YES

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

"He said the first person that appears on the inaugural episode of Spike TV will be the face of TNA and it will NOT be Jeff Jarrett."

 

 

AJ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YES

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Why do people automatically assume it's AJ just because he's in the first match? It could be Roderick, his fucking opponent. It could be a guy who comes out to do a promo welcoming everyone to a new era of TNA.

[DangerousDamon 0]

"He said the first person that appears on the inaugural episode of Spike TV will be the face of TNA and it will NOT be Jeff Jarrett."

 

 

AJ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YES

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Why do people automatically assume it's AJ just because he's in the first match? It could be Roderick, his fucking opponent. It could be a guy who comes out to do a promo welcoming everyone to a new era of TNA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Chill man I was just wondering.

[Carnival 0]

Why do people automatically assume it's AJ just because he's in the first match? It could be Roderick, his fucking opponent. It could be a guy who comes out to do a promo welcoming everyone to a new era of TNA.

 

Hardly something worth thinking about. Who cares.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

"He said the first person that appears on the inaugural episode of Spike TV will be the face of TNA and it will NOT be Jeff Jarrett."

 

 

AJ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

YES

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Why do people automatically assume it's AJ just because he's in the first match? It could be Roderick, his fucking opponent. It could be a guy who comes out to do a promo welcoming everyone to a new era of TNA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Chill man I was just wondering.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

No it wasn't directed to you, heh. It was directed to the Jarrett mark.

[Carnival 0]

No it wasn't directed to you, heh. It was directed to the Jarrett mark.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Again who fuckin cares??? I was just directing him to correct place for that discussion. Why do you even post?

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

To annoy you.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Why do people automatically assume it's AJ just because he's in the first match? It could be Roderick, his fucking opponent. It could be a guy who comes out to do a promo welcoming everyone to a new era of TNA.

 

Hardly something worth thinking about. Who cares.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Considering there's a thread about it... clearly people care. Why do YOU post, other than to add unnecessary noise to the threads?

[Carnival 0]

Why do people automatically assume it's AJ just because he's in the first match? It could be Roderick, his fucking opponent. It could be a guy who comes out to do a promo welcoming everyone to a new era of TNA.

 

Hardly something worth thinking about. Who cares.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Considering there's a thread about it... clearly people care. Why do YOU post, other than to add unnecessary noise to the threads?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually there isn't a thread about it. It's just about the first match on the new impact. Like 2 people mentioned shadi's comment. I'm not the one trolling, just posting put downs, I don't have to justify myself to a poster of your caliber.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Show me where I'm trolling? I said that people shouldn't just assume that AJ is the "face" of TNA on the basis of him being the first match. You then went "Who cares?" and proceeded to ask me in a manner that would be interpreted as a put down in "Why do you post?" I then answered, "To annoy you" as a joke answer. And coming from someone of "your caliber", calling me a troll is amusing on many levels.

[Carnival 0]

I said "why do you post?" because you clearly just posted the "face of tna" comment to refute me. All i did was call the link to correct thead "YES". I figure he is, and in my opinion, I don't care enough to over-analyze a comment made by someone on TNA's production crew. You then proceeded you say you were directing the comment at the "Jarrett mark" when I was just redirecting him to the correct thread and nothing more. What I did to warrant any comment in my direction, I have no clue. Maybe if you wanted to start a serious discussion about the matter, you too could benefit from the link I posted.

 

I never claimed to be a high caliber poster, all I said is you aren't either. One thing I don't do is trolling for put downs, like yourself, just ask fishwya or whatever his name is.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Siding with Fishyswa isn't going to help matters for you. However, since this has gone horribly off topic, I'm not going to talk anymore about that. Go Dave Sahadi, I guess.

[Carnival 0]

I was citing him as an example, deffinantly not siding with the man.

 

The topic had run it's corse anyways. It needed this.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I was citing him as an example, deffinantly not siding with the man.

 

The topic had run it's corse anyways. It needed this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh ok gotcha. Look, I really have no problems with you and don't really want trouble. I just wanted to point out that AJ could possibly NOT be the face of TNA. That's all. Then the discussion became a bitchfest between us two. That's why I wanted to cut it off. Cool?

[Carnival 0]

Very cool. I agree with you though on your point that it may not be AJ. Thats why I said "Who cares" cuz i was bitchy and didn't wanna agree with you, but didn't wanna say you were totally wrong, cuz that would make me look extra stupid.

 

It very well could be someone else, maybe a suprise, who knows.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

Get a room.

[Carnival 0]

Get that thing outta your sig.

[Carnival 0]

This one looks good enough. I bet it's cheap. Or at least they can give us an hourly rate.

 

[Guest IttoOgami]

The great irony of all this Dudley name snafu is that the Dudleys themselves were a straight rip off of the Hanson's in SLAP SHOT. Really, Paul Newman had more to do with their creation than paul Heyman.

[Guest Steel_Fury]

Does Vince have something against the Dudleys (other than not wanting them to work for him( or is it just a matter of stomping on NWA TNA?