Foley to TNA????

[cd213 0]

I hear the ring argument all the time. I have been watching TNA since day one. When they first went to the 6-sided ring, I thought it was weird. I had to get used to it, and find nothing wrong with it now. When I watch old TNA footage, to me it's more weird in a 4-sided ring. I think bringing in new fans, it might hurt, but once you get used to it, it's not that bad. It's like a wrestler with a new look. It takes some getting used to, but after a while, it's the norm.

[luke-o 0]

I still don't get the "6 sided ring makes them look 2nd rate" argument. It's fucking stupid.

[RedJed 0]

Much like Vince McMahon in The WWE, Jarrett gets the final say on what goes on T.V. If anyone wants to blame somebody for stuff happening that you don't like on TNA T.V., blame Jarrett for greenlighting it in the first place. I remember reading in a recent interview with Samoa Joe where he said he believes Russo gets an unfair rap, as he estimated that Russo wan't responsible for 70% of the things that made it the air in TNA, yet he continues to take the brunt of the criticism for stuff he had nothing to do with. Personally, I think this is a power play of sorts to get more money on a new contract from The WWE,(not that I'd blame him for it), but I wouldn't be shocked to see Foley end up in TNA.

 

Yeah, because none of TNA's shows the past 2 years seem like Russo shows at all! I don't know why people in the company are so afraid to admit Russo does the writing. If they don't admit to it, then why is he there? If they think signing Russo makes them look so lame and pathetic, why did they do it in the first place? And I don't know why people never say this, but the reason why TNA will never gain mainstream popularity is because they have that six-sided ring. In the eyes of mainstream wrestling fans, it makes them look 2nd rate and cheesy. I remember tuning in to one of their shows in 2004 when they were on Fox Sports, and I remember seeing that six-sided ring for the first time, and I immediately thought "What the hell is this?!"

 

So I guess that means AAA in Mexico is a second rate company as well, even though their ratings blow the shit out of any american companies, huh?

 

And nobody is afraid to say Russo does the writing, its just that he's on a committee, so he isn't the only writer around in TNA.

[DarKnight 0]

Well, most people assume wrestling has a different style in Mexico, so people won't mind a six-sided ring there. And I don't have a problem with TNA's ring either, as I too got used to it pretty quick, but didn't everybody have a "WTF?" feeling when they first saw that? As for Russo's role in creative, he obviously has to be the main writer, since I can't imagine the other people on their creative team coming up with shades of gray characters, silly and bizarre gimmick matches, and really crazy storylines that make no sense.

[The Truthiness 0]

Well...I know that when Foley almost signed with TNA last time he was looking at a program with Joe designed to get him over as a top guy and out of the X division...

Flash forward and Joe is Champion so one of Foley's "make so and so a top star programs (like his HHH and Orton ones)" wouldn't really work now.

 

I say hire him to be the color guy and then do short special attraction programs for like...Bound for Glory and Lockdown each year. I don't think the matches would be all that good...but I think programs with guys like Angle, Sting or Joe could make for some good TV at least.

 

It was Abyss.

 

[Golgo 13 0]

We got used to the six-sided ring because our scope is larger. For your average US viewer who TNA needs to attract and has only ever watched or knows of WWE it's assumed to be off-putting. So long as we're talking about aesthetics there are some other reasons I can think of, but the current ring is a part of that since it makes everything seem more cramped than it really is.

[cd213 0]

We got used to the six-sided ring because our scope is larger. For your average US viewer who TNA needs to attract and has only ever watched or knows of WWE it's assumed to be off-putting. So long as we're talking about aesthetics there are some other reasons I can think of, but the current ring is a part of that since it makes everything seem more cramped than it really is.

 

I disagree with that. My friends aren't what you'd call smarks. They aren't into reading stories online, or anything like that, and they like the ring. Also, my fiancee's co-worker who is a huge WWE mark saw TNA one day and fell in love with it, and he said he liked it because of how different it was, including the ring, and he too is not what you'd call a smark.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I've said this a million times before, but I think it's the small size of the ring that makes them look second rate. It's much harder to get heat in a tag match since all the face has to do is a tumble towards his corner and he's pretty much there.

[Golgo 13 0]

I'm thinking along the lines of those much further down the chain than your friends. Like I said, though, it's not the current ring alone, but the overall aesthetic feel.

 

I've said this a million times before, but I think it's the small size of the ring that makes them look second rate. It's much harder to get heat in a tag match since all the face has to do is a tumble towards his corner and he's pretty much there.

 

This. It's not the shape of the ring itself, but the size. It's a noticeable problem in tags and other chaotic matches. I think the set and everything could benefit from some updating at this stage.

[cd213 0]

The size certainly is a hinderance (sp?). I really like the six sides, but the ring really should be a little bigger. I think the main problem (outside of the booking) is Orlando. It's about time to start moving out of there. Taking the PPVs out is a start, but now they need to movie IMPACT! out as well. I also like the different entry ways. Realistically, why would faces and heels come out of the same place, when they might run into each other and just fight before they get to the ring. I know that something that has always been done, but i actually like that. And LAX having their own entry way was awesome when they were doing the anti everything, but I like that they are so badass that they still have it.

[DarKnight 0]

Yes, TNA definitely needs to get out of Orlando. Some people who watch TNA for the first time are probably put off by those fans in the arena who cheer heels and boo faces, just because they think its cool, and they don't help the product to get over in the process. I didn't remember the Nashville crowd being like this, since they were traditional wrestling fans, however I do remember the "heel section".

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

The ring does need to be bigger...but I don't think many people still care that it's 6 sided. I don't even notice it anymore...and like CD the two friends that I dragged to see BFG in 06 either didn't notice that the ring was different...or didn't care.

 

Also...on Foley...in his 3rd book he laid out the plans for his almost TNA run that involved a feud with Abyss, a feud with Joe and an eventual title program with Jarrett. He had been interested in "making" Joe since his stuff in RoH that teased such a thing.

[The Truthiness 0]

Yeah, I guess I forgot about Joe, had to read it again.

 

Joe isn't hard to forget about.

[CubbyBr 0]

Also...on Foley...in his 3rd book he laid out the plans for his almost TNA run that involved a feud with Abyss, a feud with Joe and an eventual title program with Jarrett. He had been interested in "making" Joe since his stuff in RoH that teased such a thing.

 

Can you elaborate on that? What were the storylines?

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

That's pretty much all that was really said. The gist of it was that he'd come in and do a program with Abyss since they could do the hardcore stuff that people like Foley for...and it's a no brainer since Abyss is a Mankind knockoff anyway...

 

And then they'd do a program with Joe that I assume (since we're going back to when Joe was super hot in the X division...and this was before guys like Christian and Sting started showing up mind you) would have been Foley doing his best to "make" Joe ala his Orton feud.

 

And then he'd work a title match at some point since he'd be the biggest star the company had at that point in time.

 

In retrospect those could have been some neat programs (and all 3 completely different from hardcore to hard hitting to more oldschool). It's funny how things have changed if he were to join now though...as the top guys in the company are Angle, Sting, Joe, AJ and Booker (and soon to be JJ again) which is a lot of different options. Foley/Angle as brought up is kind of an interesting thought.

[cabbageboy 0]

The 6 sided ring makes tag matches very odd to watch. I don't know what exactly is the legal corner and what constitutes a legal tag with that 6 sides. I actually enjoy a smaller ring though, it gives the action more bounce.

[Celtic Guardian 0]

Mick Foley agrees to terms says the Torch.

 

Mick Foley has agreed to terms with TNA and will debut as soon as he is contractually free to do so. His WWE contract expires within days.

Foley's TNA deal was worked out with help from Spike TV, which may have subsidized the contract. He may end up being involved in other Spike TV projects.

 

The Torch mentioned possible scenarios as a commentator or on-air commissioner though I'd have to think that he would step into the 6-sided ring at some point.

[RedJed 0]

Good to hear Foley will show up here, I think it's a great move. Now if they could only get in RVD too....

 

Foley against Angle, Joe, Jarrett, Styles, and Sting all sound like quality programs to me.

 

I'm wondering if Foley will show up as a counter of sorts to when Nash finally turns on Joe here, as a mentor/confidant/supporter of Joe, only for Joe to likely go heel on him down the road. This is a long term idea though and I wouldnt expect such a thing to happen for a good while. But given the interaction the two had briefly in ROH, I could see the pairing happen again.

 

I wouldnt at all be shocked to see them pencil in Foley in an actual match at BFG either (against whom is anyone's guess, although Christian could turn heel and go against him, and as crazy as it sounds, doing Nash/Foley in a HC match sounds guilty pleasure interesting)

 

On a side note, Foley being brought in begs the question on how they will handle the renewal of several TNA workers coming up here, such as Dudleys, Christian (who apparently WWE is courting a bit to try to get over to Smackdown re-paired with Edge), Awesome Kong, and Nash. If they have to offer potential decent $$$ to Foley to get him in, will they not do the same to keep these others who are all about to be free agents?

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Christian should still have quite a while left IIRC. I believe he signed a new 2 year deal a little under a year ago.

[RedJed 0]

Christian should still have quite a while left IIRC. I believe he signed a new 2 year deal a little under a year ago.

 

Nope, his deal expires next month. There was stuff about it in this week's Observer which just came out today on their site, which is where the WWE interest in Christian (as Edge's sidekick now that the Familia stuff is done) newsbit I mentioned came from also.

 

And while we're at it, from the Observer newsletter as well this week, there is speculation that Lashley may be signing with TNA soon here as well.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

He's been in the company since 2005...that contract would have run out last year.

 

Did he just sign a 1 year deal last year?

[RedJed 0]

He's been in the company since 2005...that contract would have run out last year.

 

Did he just sign a 1 year deal last year?

 

Yeah he must have just did an extension on his previous contract. I edited my previous post regarding that too.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Wow. That sucks. of all the people on the list I really want them to keep Christian.

[DarKnight 0]

Lashley? Do we really need to see him in TNA? And I don't think he has improved like Tomko has either, since I thought Lashley thought about doing MMA, and quitting wrestling. That idea of Christian re-teaming with Edge is a great idea, as those guys the past 3 years have rose to the main event level (even if one was another compnay), and Edge has nothing going on storyline wise, as his feud with Taker is over, his pairing with Vickie is done along with La Familia, and he really has no direction right now. Foley as a commentator in TNA would be good, as is the idea of him being an authority figure, since I have always thought Cornette's character in TNA has been the 2nd worst authority figure character ever (first being Angle as GM in 2004).

[RedJed 0]

I know that Foley reality show could possibly be tied into Spike TV if you think about it (ie "other Spike projects"), who knows, maybe they'll pair it up with Angle as a dual wrestler reality show hour or something goofy like that.

 

Chances are Lashley will, sooner or later, do MMA and some wrestling at the same time. The catch is that he'll have to look credible in MMA for his wrestling career to be successful from this point on, likely.

 

I could see TNA going more this route, or at least wanting to, using guys who also dip into MMA......seems to be a trend....I could see them building a Lashley-Angle feud out of that concept if it ever came down to it.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

That's kind of the thing. If TNA wanted to start presenting matches (or at least match builds) more like Joe vs. Angle at Lockdown (you know...the ONE thing that worked this year...and then they immediately abandoned it) then a guy like Lashley could fit well. Less talking more training and hype videos. Hard hitting matches. That could work. Unfortunately they don't really do that...even though they should since they're top 2 guys are built for it.

[2GOLD 0]

I honestly don't think Christian has any major interest in returning to the WWE unless TNA shafts him. The guy seemed like he enjoyed his free time and was making a nice paycheck while working a much lighter schedule.

 

I can't see TNA shafting him since he is currently one of the youngest top card guys they have. And hell for a while, carried TNA on his back in terms of being the main man. I'm hoping he doesn't go back to the WWE, I don't want to see him once again being the midcard lackey of Edge. He's past that.

 

As for Foley...uggh why? Can't he just retire or something? Now it's going to be him plugging books in TNA. The only positive is the cheap pop "RIGHT HERE IN" can only be used once not counting PPVs.

[Scroby 0]

That idea of Christian re-teaming with Edge is a great idea, as those guys the past 3 years have rose to the main event level (even if one was another compnay), and Edge has nothing going on storyline wise, as his feud with Taker is over, his pairing with Vickie is done along with La Familia, and he really has no direction right now.

No it wouldn't, it'd be horrible. It'd kill Christian so quickly, all WWE would do is make Christian play second fiddle to Edge and that's it. And why would WWE even consider making them into a tag team? "Yeah lets throw the guy whose the top heel on Smackdown into a dead tag divison. That's a great fucking idea!

[DarKnight 0]

That idea of Christian re-teaming with Edge is a great idea, as those guys the past 3 years have rose to the main event level (even if one was another compnay), and Edge has nothing going on storyline wise, as his feud with Taker is over, his pairing with Vickie is done along with La Familia, and he really has no direction right now.

 

No it wouldn't, it'd be horrible. It'd kill Christian so quickly, all WWE would do is make Christian play second fiddle to Edge and that's it. And why would WWE even consider making them into a tag team? "Yeah lets throw the guy whose the top heel on Smackdown into a dead tag divison. That's a great fucking idea!

 

Well, blame HHH. He's the one who's so obsessed with burying Edge.

[The Truthiness 0]

That idea of Christian re-teaming with Edge is a great idea, as those guys the past 3 years have rose to the main event level (even if one was another compnay), and Edge has nothing going on storyline wise, as his feud with Taker is over, his pairing with Vickie is done along with La Familia, and he really has no direction right now.

 

No it wouldn't, it'd be horrible. It'd kill Christian so quickly, all WWE would do is make Christian play second fiddle to Edge and that's it. And why would WWE even consider making them into a tag team? "Yeah lets throw the guy whose the top heel on Smackdown into a dead tag divison. That's a great fucking idea!

 

Well, blame HHH. He's the one who's so obsessed with burying Edge.