The OAO LIVE Impact thread (3.27.08)

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

From weekly ppvs, to Fox Sports daytime, to monthly ppvs, to Internet tv, to late night Spike, to prime time Spike, to 2 hour primetime Spike...

 

To LIVE 2 hour prime time Spike...

 

Tomorrow is the first ever live Impact broadcast and this is its thread.

 

We'll do a little blast from the way way past (like...nearly over 4 years now) and I'll write a preview.

 

The NWA TNA Week 301 Preview

 

 

Alex Shelley vs. Johnny Devine

 

According to TNAwrestling.com, this match will open the live Impact. The winner gets a spot in the Xscape match for the X division title at Lockdown. Shelley had better win. The Xscape match (currently featuring Lethal, Dutt and Curry Man) becomes infinitely cooler if the Motor City Machineguns are in it. I'd think that's where they'd be heading with this...even if they are in the doghouse. Something tells me Devine won't be winning the first match of the live era. Match could be real good if they give them time. I'm mainly wondering if going live will affect their TERRIBLE habit of interrupting every match over 3 minutes with a commercial break. So I expect it to get 6 minutes with a 4 minute commercial break. Maybe I shouldn't be that negative. They opened their first primetime Impact with Joe and Daniels getting some time. Of course...this isn't Joe and Daniels.

 

 

Rough Cut part 4

 

We'll also get another edition of Rough Cut with BG and Kip James. I've generally liked these. It's different, and I like that there finding a new way of getting a story accross rather than just having them run in on each other. Plus...it's kept them out of the ring. Of course the "payoff" is them actually getting into the ring...so...yeah. I think that Lockdown should be treated as a last chance for these guys. They've found a way to build to their match that doesn't suck...now they just have to go out and NOT suck ass. If they do they should just be let go on the spot. ...they probably will...

 

 

Karen Angle interview

 

Pass. Actually...no...just pass.

 

 

Scott Steiner, Petey Williams & Rhaka Khan vs. LAX & Salinas

 

I like Steiner and Petey together. I like LAX. Then I realize that none of them have a match on the PPV. Did you know that LAX were the #1 contenders to the TNA tag titles? And Steiner has shots at both the TNA and X titles? Yeah...I don't know either.

 

 

Awesome Kong vs. ???

 

Ah, ??? returns. This will be voted on by viewers through TNA's website during the broadcast. Not a bad idea considering it might retain viewers who interacted...and the women draw the highest ratings anyway. They haven't bothered to tell us who the people up for the vote are. If Gail Kim is in the voting...everyone should vote for her. Kim vs. Kong rules.

 

 

Sting Returns

 

He's back to work limited dates. One of which will be in the Lethal Lockdown. Which is what he'll be telling us tomorrow.

 

 

Joe/Angle hype:

Frank Trigg

 

They're really trying to put over this Angle vs. Joe match as being MMA style aren't they? We've had the Angle MMA challenge...and now MMA fighter Frank Trigg will be LIVE in the Impact zone to offer thoughts on the Joe/Angle main event. I kinda like it. And I kinda don't. I dig that they're trying to make Angle/Joe feel bigger, and different and special. On the other hand...everyone's still afraid that this isn't going to all go down clean in the end. I think TNA is doing all this stuff to kind of wink at the viewer and say "Hey...this time we promise" and if they follow through that's a big thumbs up. If they screw it up...well they don't have that much credability left with fans and it'd be all gone.

 

 

Samoa Joe Interview

 

Joe has a pretaped interview from his "training" in California for the Angle match. He says he won't be back in the Impact zone until he is TNA world champion. I like that...but of course...ONLY IF HE WINS. I'll be honest. I think Joe is winning that match. But can you imagine how many things just go wrong if he doesn't? They're apparently drawing their best house ever to Lockdown...and not only do you kill the town...but your show ends with people pelting the ring with garbage. Of course...they've done that before too...

 

 

Kurt Angle vs. Tomko & AJ Styles

 

More of Angle's preparation for Joe. He says he wants real competition so he's facing Tomko and Styles in 4 one minute rounds. I'm fine with all of this but they've kind of got to be careful. Tomko can't really look weak. Angle definitely can't look weak. Styles can look as weak as they want...but then they go too far into Angle/AJ and I start to get scared that Karen will mess around in Joe/Angle at Lockdown. Angle vs. Styles is definitely on the horizon...I just won't like it if they take away from the Lockdown build to start it now.

 

 

Other Stuff:

 

The video on TNAwrestling.com teases that the "biggest main event in Impact history" will be televised uncut and commercial free. Um..what main event? They can't be serious with Angle and his stooges being that big. The clip offers no insight to what the match is...so we'll assume that its not that (since it was previously announced). As for what it is...who knows. Lots of people aren't wrestling on this show that are in prominant roles at Lockdown (Sting, Christian, Rhino, 3D, Nash) and Tomko and AJ and Angle can always pull double duty since theirs is a sparring session anyway. I'll be really disapointed if it's just the Angle sparring session.

 

...

 

Anyway...discuss and such. I have to work during LIVE Impact tomorrow...so I won't be watching until after midnight on my DVR.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

The show could be a good step into the right direction into getting a bump in buyrates especially with it being live and all, but we'll have to see how TNA handles that. I think they are better suited having adequate editing to really minimize the bad things they do, so it could easily expose the product if they go live. Hopefully that will motivate the bookers to tone down the bad stuff and try to put their best foot forward.

[cd213 0]

Actually at Lockdown it's LAX vs Rock and Rave vs MMG again for the #1 contender spot. LAX are "putting up their shot."

 

Also, last week they said it was Kim and ODB that the fans are to vote for.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

That's whay I get for fast forwarding through the show every thursday.

 

And...everyone vote for Gail Kim.

[Blade2kxx 0]

Yes, please, vote for Gail... SO THE MIGHTY AWESOME KONG CAN DESTROY HER ONCE MORE!

 

HAIL THE MIGHTY AWESOME KONG~!

 

I'm really looking forward to TNA's live debut, as it's either gonna be a great show like many of the old PPVs, or an absolute trainwreck. Entertaining nonetheless.

 

Oh, and it's nice to see you back to save TNA's folder again bps.

[cd213 0]

That's whay I get for fast forwarding through the show every thursday.

 

And...everyone vote for Gail Kim.

 

As much as I love ODB, Kim gets my vote. I think that Kim has the best matches with Kong, and if they decide to put the strap back on Kim, she can have a great feud with ODB of the title. Kong is the only female wrestler (in TNA) that I would like to see wrestle men in TNA, especially Kurt Angle.

[haws bah gawd 0]

Speaking of LAX and Scott Steiner, TNA is the land of forgotten title shots and #1 Contenderships. Abyss must have at least 3 or 4 unused title shots saved up, and I believe Monty Brown had the same amount before he left the company.

[Steviekick 0]

That's whay I get for fast forwarding through the show every thursday.

 

And...everyone vote for Gail Kim.

 

As much as I love ODB, Kim gets my vote. I think that Kim has the best matches with Kong, and if they decide to put the strap back on Kim, she can have a great feud with ODB of the title. Kong is the only female wrestler (in TNA) that I would like to see wrestle men in TNA, especially Kurt Angle.

 

Same here. Kim and Kong are different enough size and stylewise. ODB and Kong look like they're just going to beat the shit out of each other.

[Zack Malibu 0]

According to the WON, LAX is due for a renewed push any day now. There's always been concern about them not having Konnan as a mic piece anymore, but I say let Homicide run roughshod on the mic with his street lingo/trash talk, and have Hernandez say little, if anything. Tried and true formula, but it usually works.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the main event for Impact will be Sting and Christian vs. Team 3D, which they'll promote as Christian rekindling an old rivalry and the first time Sting was on the opposite side of the ring from one of the greatest tag teams of all time.

[haws bah gawd 0]

As much as I enjoy LAX, I'd enjoy them both getting singles pushes. Homicide is a fantastic worker, and could do wonders in the X-Division, while Hernandez reminds me a lot of Mike Awesome. An insanely-huge guy, that's incredibly strong, and way more agile than he has any right to be. I don't see many of the main eventers being able to take a Border Toss, but Hernandez could do well in a singles capacity.

 

LAX is one of the best things TNA has going though.

[CubbyBr 0]

Hopefully with the live format they'll do away with those ridiculous cutaways that they always do.

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

Out of every match they can book, why open the show with Shelly/Devine? I love Shelly, but what the hell is Devine doing in there? And why not just have the MCMG in the opening match?

[BorneAgain 0]

Speaking of LAX, I recall reading a report a few weeks ago that talked about how Booker requested the feud with Robert Roode, and apparently expressed a wish to work with Hernandez as well.

 

Of course that same piece of news mentioned how they were thinking about turning Black Reign face and having him team with Booker again, so we'll see how it goes.

 

 

Edit: Correction, that was Tomko who Booker wanted to work with, not Hernandez. Sorry for that.

[The Dames 0]

Even though there isn't anyone who would make any kind of an impact (no pun intended), I'd like to see TNA pull out some crazy debut or signing that no one saw coming. Something to show that they are LIVE~! and ready to shock the world, something akin to Lex Luger showing up on the 1st Nitro.

 

Almost every current active wrestler is going to be in Orlando this weekend but on the contrary, anyone jumping from WWE to TNA days before Mania is commiting career suicide and anyone jumping from ROH to TNA wouldn't be worth getting excited over unless it was Bryan Danielson. And either way, they'd botch it.

 

Man, I missed the days when I cared about TNA...and when TNA actually cared about me.

 

Dames

 

 

[Zack Malibu 0]

I hadn't heard the rumor on Dustin and Booker, but if anything they need to keep Black Reign far, far away from him. It's wonderful that Goldust got over the way it did but it effectively killed the ability for Dustin Rhodes to get over by any other means. Making Black Reign into the crazy babyface with makeup is just the redux of Booker and Goldust, and they wouldn't be able to do half the stuff that made them an entertaining duo (not to mention Booker is playing a more serious babyface role this time around).

 

Hernandez is a guy who has surprised me, because he never showed much in the past in either ROH, TNA, or Wildside. He had some good offense but for the most part never stood out as anything more than just another hoss. There were noticeable groans when he was rumored and eventually debuted as Homicide's LAX partner, but I think it's safe to say he's shocked everyone. I wouldn't mind him turning heel, maybe with Mitchell as his manager at some point down the line. He'd be an excellent monster heel.

 

A bit-off topic, but talking about big men got me thinking...NBC is making an exception with Matt Morgan's American Gladiators contract that allows him to work TNA still, and TNA is going to push him as an active star to capitalize. Could this finally be the angle that enables them to get Hogan, in some type of crossover deal? Morgan is exactly the type of guy Hogan would want to work with.

[The Dames 0]

NO way, brother.

 

Now that Hogan is going to be faced with a lawsuit for millions of dollars (which he stands a very good chance of losing) plus his divorce, he knows the only way to go is where the MONEH~! is.

 

Which will be jobbing to Vince at WM 25. Hell, I bet Hogan might actually be down with jobbing to Austin finally, but Austin seems to be LOVING the fact that he could be costing Hogan millions by refusing to work with him.

 

Dames

[Toxxic 0]

Matt Morgan's on American Gladiators? As a Gladiator? Obviously I'd heard nothing about that, over here.

 

And I agree with Spike. MCMGs in the first live match is the only real way to go.

[The Dames 0]

Morgan just got signed to be on the 2nd season, which should start airing in April, I heard.

 

Dames

[Toxxic 0]

Well I'd sure be intrigued to see if Morgan's picked up anything that can mean he can work a decent match yet. He's got the mic skills to be big, that's for sure.

[The Dames 0]

You know, for all that I've heard about Matt Morgan's mic skills (especially from his days in the Cornette run OVW), all his time in TNA on the mic has been making matches that make the viewers change the channel...and then gets blamed for his shitty booking the following week.

 

It's not exactly the kind of mic work that makes you sit down and take notice.

 

Dames

[cd213 0]

I liked that they just showed one of the Highlanders, yet no mention was made of it.

[Matt Young 0]

Aw shit. Highlander Robbie is getting fired tomorrow...

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

Heh. He was tryin to cover his face.

[Downhome 0]

While funny as shit, it's still pretty low that they'd do that to the guy.

[Jebus 0]

Just voted...

 

ODB and First Blood are winning

[cd213 0]

I just voted. I'm surprised that Roxy is in second place.

[Downhome 0]

Did D-Von seriously just trip on a cable getting into the ring?

[cd213 0]

What an f'n pop he just got. I don't think I've seen an ovation like that in a LONG time!

[The Truthiness 0]

Why is Sting saving Christian?

[Downhome 0]

Why is Sting saving Christian?

 

Because he is one.