WON News + Notes, 27th November

[The Decemberists 0]

The story of the week is that TNA delivered a lot of good wrestling, but the questionable booking left a bad after taste which took away from the product.

 

When Sting was told he was going to lose the title on a DQ he said it was stupid and asked to lose the title clean as he felt that was best for business. He was told no - he had to lose by DQ.

 

TNA worry too much about the ratings. UFC have proven that even with a 1.0 rating you can get big, big buyrates if you're actually any good at promoting your PPVs. The Thursday special did not do a record viewership, but the PPV a few days later did do a record buyrate, or at least came very close.

 

The ratings pattern for the two hour special was;

Nash vignette, Team 3D vs Naturals = + 83,000

VKM vs VKM = + 70,000

Cage vs Rhino = - 59,000

AJ vs Daniels vs Sabin = - 12,000

Angle vs Abyss = + 140,000

 

The Angle vs Joe match went 13:31. However, the plan was for it to go at least 20. Everyone on the undercard had it made very clear to them that they could not go long under any circumstance. However! During the match, Angle just decided that that they'd gone on long enough and made the call to go to the finish. Angle refusing a handshake and heeling wasn't a bad idea, but would've been much better if they hadn't already done two handshakes earlier in the show. The match itself was great for what it was, but wasn't long enough to live up to the hype fully.

 

Meltzer says that they probably did the right finish. The build to the match was based around finding out 'the best wrestler in the world', and seeing as that's how Angle is being marketed, and how he's the face of the company he really did have to win the mythical 'best in the world' title in his first major PPV match.

 

Genesis Star Ratings

VKM vs Movement = *

Naturals vs Lethal and Dutt = **1/4

Daniels vs Sabin = ***1/2

Hoyt + Killings vs Shelley + Starr = *1/2

Cage vs AJ = ***3/4

LAX vs AMW = **1/2

Abyss vs Sting = **1/4

Angle vs Joe = ****1/4

 

 

There was a press conference on 11/14 in Monterrey to promote the 11/25 show at the Arena. Abismo Negro was there since he was due to be working on the show and Konnan attacked him. The promoters are very worried as at press time they've old sold 1,000 tickets in a 14,000 seat arena, which is bad even for a Mexican advance. The promoters are desperate to try and get Sting on the card in the hope he'd sell some tickets, but it's very unlikely to happen. The blame is that Impact has only been on TV there for a few weeks and despite getting strong ratings most fans aren't familiar with the characters. AAA has pulled Cibernetico, Negro and La Parka off the show, so there's no AAA talent to help draw.

 

Nash has been telling friends he has an eye on Cornette's figuehead commissioner as the feeling is that Cornette won't last long with Russo and there's a race to see who quits first between Jim and Vince.

 

Christian Cage is listed as one of the top three stars of a horror movie called 'Dark Rising' from director Andrew Cymek.

 

There is more undercard unhappiness than ever before, pretty much all thanks to Russo and his booking of them.

 

Lance Hoyt and Christy Hemme have suggested to the bookers that they get their hair braided and go with Ron Killings as a tag team and manager. Killings himself has asked for a release but Terry Taylor told him they won't let him go so he can go to the WWE.

 

Because he hasn't been used much they were talking about taking up a collection of $10 each to fly A-1 into the next tapings so he can see everyone.

 

Johnny Devine may be getting a new name.

 

Angle told Sabin he was a great wrestler but didn't like his look, and suggested he should have food and dirt all over him like 'Pig Pen' from the Peanuts shorts. A lot of people who were initally excited about Angle's creative involvment were shaking their heads at that one.

 

Jeremy Borash has been removed from doing the interviews. There was a problem with his look and some people didn't like his style. He has been replaced with someone named Letitia; described as 'a worse Rebecca DiPietro'. To quote Meltzer, "Has the world gone mad? Why does the interviewer have to be a pretty girl if she's incompetent and doesn't know how to do the role. She was super nervous aside from not having a clue how to do the job..."

 

They're doing a storyline where when Abyss was a child something really terrible happened to him, and Tomko knew him as a child and knows the secret and has told Christian. They are so scared of calling Tomko 'Problem Solver' Christian can only refer to him as 'the man who solves my problems'.

 

The card for Turning Point

Joe vs Angle II

Abyss vs Sting vs Christian for the NWA title

LAX vs AMW for the NWA tag titles and the winners get their flag raised and national anthem played

AJ Styles vs Rhino

Daniels vs Sabin for the X title with Jerry Lynn as ref

Traci Brooks vs Eric Young in a bikini contest. In case you missed that, it's Traci Brooks vs Eric Young in a bikini contest

[CheesalaIsGood 0]

Thanks for posting this.

 

 

Too bad it nothing but bad news. Damn, TNA is at the make or break point.

[humongous2002 0]

Thank you dude, that Kurtie is going insane in the membrane.

[Guest SoZe]

"Because he hasn't been used much they were talking about taking up a collection of $10 each to fly A-1 into the next tapings so he can see everyone."

 

 

This promotion is fucking fascinating.

[Ginger Snaps 0]

Jeremy Borash has been removed from doing the interviews. There was a problem with his look and some people didn't like his style. He has been replaced with someone named Letitia; described as 'a worse Rebecca DiPietro'. To quote Meltzer, "Has the world gone mad? Why does the interviewer have to be a pretty girl if she's incompetent and doesn't know how to do the role."

 

Because the WWE is doing it.

 

Angle vs. Joe II? Good, they can job Joe all over again and make him even less important.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yeah, the move with Borash seems like TNA is just trying to copy WWE's formula, which is the complete opposite of what they should be doing.

 

Also, it's apparent Abyss is TNA's Kane, but do they have to be any more obvious about it?

[LucharesuFan619 0]

Decembrists, thanks very much for putting these notes up, I appreciate it.

 

Angle told Sabin he was a great wrestler but didn't like his look, and suggested he should have food and dirt all over him like 'Pig Pen' from the Peanuts shorts.

 

I dunno, I kinda have trouble believing this, it's almost too out there...like Juvi leaving WWE to get involved in the bird seed business.

[2GOLD 0]

All this news made me do was slap my forehead as hard as possible. I gave him the benefit of the doubt but its now extremely obvious that Russo is still the wrestling cancer he was to WCW.

[CubbyBr 0]

Jeremy Borash has been removed from doing the interviews. There was a problem with his look and some people didn't like his style. He has been replaced with someone named Letitia; described as 'a worse Rebecca DiPietro'. To quote Meltzer, "Has the world gone mad? Why does the interviewer have to be a pretty girl if she's incompetent and doesn't know how to do the role."

\

 

LoL I love the fact that Tenay and West have the right look to be announcers but Borash doesn't have the right look to be a backstage interviewer.

[MrRant 0]

I swear both of these companies are run retarded monkeys.

[Insanity 0]

Sucks for Borash. I like how TNA tries to stray away from WWE's negatives when they do the exact same thing and worse. What a stupid company. Anyway, thanks for posting these as always.

[2GOLD 0]

I swear both of these companies are run retarded monkeys.

 

Come on, retarded monkeys could do so much better than this.

Also, thank you for posting this.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

"Hmmm...our ratings are stagnant. Let's fire the somewhat handsome guy who's usually on screen for no more than 60 seconds per episode, but leave the two guys who look like the uncles you always avoided at your family reunion. That should boost up those Nielsen numbers."

[gWIL 0]

TNA is in such bad shape from Russo that they've had two record-setting PPVs for themselves despite keeping the same audience.

[Guest CWMwasmurdered]

Personally I'd love to see a Pig Pen character. Gail Kim and Traci Brooks can do a Patty and Marcy(?) storyline.

[Ginger Snaps 0]

TNA is in such bad shape from Russo that they've had two record-setting PPVs for themselves despite keeping the same audience.

 

Take Kurt Angle out of those PPVs and you would probably have dramatically different buy numbers.

[luke-o 0]

Thanks for posting these.

 

Even i cant defend these bits of news. And i always try had to get TNA's back.

 

I wonder why i bother sometimes.

[Man Who Sold The World 0]

I wonder if there will ever be a boom period again. Seems like every booker has been put on Auto-Pilot. Maybe ROH will wise up and make a run for the big time.

 

I mean, TNA has all the weapons and refuses to use them. It's brainless, I can't figure it out. Maybe there's something going on we're not being told. Because this is fucking ridiculous. You have fucking Jim Cornette and you'd rather use Vince Russo. Maybe I'm getting too old for this.

 

Seems like these "writers" (and i'm referring to both WWE and TNA) need to *STOP* living in the past. Have some love for this business! Jeez.

[The Buzz 0]

You'd think when the champion(Sting)...doesn't want to lose by DQ they'd let him lose clean. Considering it's usually the opposite happening, and the DQ finish usually turns out horribly.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

TNA is in such bad shape from Russo that they've had two record-setting PPVs for themselves despite keeping the same audience.

 

Take Kurt Angle out of those PPVs and you would probably have dramatically different buy numbers.

I'd like to think that nobody would seriously try to give Russo any sort of credit with the buys for Bound For Glory or Genesis. Kurt Angle was the dynamic that boosted the buys for BFG and Genesis.

 

As much of a problem as Russo is, and he is a problem, as much blame should go with Jarrett and Mantell for not putting their foot down and stopping some of this nonsense from making the air.

[Si82 0]

Thanks for posting these man.

 

Sting wants to lose clean but they say he has to lose on a DQ, why exactly? Why did the match have to end in a DQ? It just doesn't make any sense. And lets not forget that the idea went down like a lead balloon on the show itself.

 

Also, has Kurt Angle lost his mind recently?

[snuffbox 0]

Yes.

[Hawk 34 0]

I wonder if there will ever be a boom period again. Seems like every booker has been put on Auto-Pilot. Maybe ROH will wise up and make a run for the big time.

 

Why? ROH is making more money now then they would with a "big time" run. It's built for a niche market. When you have a devoted fanbase that will keep buying the stuff as long as you give them what they want (in this case, quality wrestling and LOGICAL, creative, simple storylines with an emphasis on smart booking and long term planning), the well won't dry out.

 

Also, once again people need to stop blaming Russo. Russo is like 6th on the pecking order. It's like blaming Gerwirtz for WWE's problems.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

A couple of notes not mentioned here. At the Impact tapings when they did an angle with Sting calling Abyss "Chris", his real name, Abyss had questioned his friends about it as he didn't think it was a good idea, but was told it wouldn't matter as it was just happening once. Also, Christopher Daniels was going to call Rhino "Terry", again his real name, but Rhino complained about it enough that D'Amore went to the booking team and got that line taken out.

[Hawk 34 0]

Hold on, Rhino's whole character is that of a pissed off blue collar kid from Detroit. Naturally, someone would call him by his given name as opposed to his ring/fighter name. That makes sense to an extent.

 

Abyss, is a monster with a dark mysterious past. However, Sting openly calls him Chris. More dumbfuckery from TNA.

[tominator89 0]

Being referred to as Mick helped launch Foley's career. Never know, maybe this will lead to some sort of character development for Abyss.

[GODSON 0]

There's three great newsbites from this thread.

 

1. TNA got their two biggest buyrates back to back.

 

2. Abyss finally has a backstory that will be exposed. I never understood his character or where he came from. They finally add another dynamic to his character.

 

3.Borash is OUT. Borash is worst than all the divas. I'm glad he's gone.

[Guest droptoehold]

There's three great newsbites from this thread.

 

3.Borash is OUT. Borash is worst than all the divas. I'm glad he's gone.

 

he embodies the minor league feel to the show

 

btw

 

thanks for posting these

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

There's three great newsbites from this thread.

 

3.Borash is OUT. Borash is worst than all the divas. I'm glad he's gone.

 

he embodies the minor league feel to the show

Of all the things that make TNA look minor league, Jeremy Borash is way down on the list.

[Hawk 34 0]

There's three great newsbites from this thread.

 

3.Borash is OUT. Borash is worst than all the divas. I'm glad he's gone.

 

he embodies the minor league feel to the show

 

 

The horrible and desperate attempt to emulate 1999 WWF embodies the minor league feel.