Can TNA Wrestling Compete with the World Wrestling Entertainment?

Kurt Angle vs Jeff JarrettImage by simononly via Flickr

Over the course of the last four years TNA Wrestling has attempted to turn itself into a competitor to the WWE. With the acquisition of Kurt Angle this weekend (Sunday 24th September 2006) they have suddenly attracted a lot of extra attention. But is this competing with World Wrestling Entertainment a realistic and achievable goal?

The Creation of TNA Wrestling

Started in 2002 by Jerry Jarrett and his son Jeff Jarrett, TNA Wrestling was created as a result of WWE's complete dominance of the wrestling industry. When WWE acquired WCW in 2001, they made themselves the only national wrestling federation on television.

Jerry Jarrett has indicated that one of the reasons he initially started TNA was to give his son Jeff somewhere to wrestle as personal and political issues with Vince McMahon meant it was extremely unlike Jeff would ever set foot in a WWE ring again.

The initial format for TNA Wrestling was a series of weekly pay per view shows at a low dollar price. It was a unique format that was at once both liberating and limiting. Being on PPV meant that the company could do almost anything it wanted, but it also severely limited it's presence in front of viewers eyes. How do you sell a pay per view if you don't have any television time to market it on?

Since then TNA Wrestling has taken slow but steady steps towards a more mainstream presence. Initially with a show on Fox Sports Network, they have now been airing on Spike TV for about a year and have established a pretty consistent audience. On Sunday 9/24/06 they announced that they had secured a better timeslot for the show iMPACT, moving into primetime at 9PM on Thursday nights.

So, are they ready to compete with WWE? Based on their current product, my answer is a definitive no.

Why TNA Can't Compete With WWE

In its current state TNA, lacks clear direction. It doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. TNA contains a number of unique elements, each of which might be a selling point to some segments of the larger wrestling audience, but to date TNA Wrestling has been completely unable to present those elements in a way that captures interest on a wider scale.

The six-sided ring that TNA uses is primarily a gimmick, but one that at least makes the company visually different to its competition which is a good thing. Similarly the two entrance tunnels, one for faces, one for heels could be an effective technique to cue the crowd into who to cheer for. Unfortunately TNA has completely failed to capitalize on that.

Over the last few years, TNA has attempted to create some signature matches for itself. This has been a reall mixed bag. On the one hand we have the impressive Ultimate X match, but on the other there's the overly confusing King of the Mountain match and then we have the X-Cup which sounds good but has a scoring system that only a calculator could love.

Another tick in the plus column must be the X Division itself. Primarily a cruiserweight division, TNA has done a good job of re-branding it so that it is presenting something that feels different to other wrestling. Unfortunately they have been unable to package the X Division wrestlers in a fashion that will appeal to anyone other than the hardcore wrestling fans.

The only wrestler that TNA has who could be described as a potential breakout star is Samoa Joe and the current creative direction is jeopardizing a year's worth of star making.

There's an additional PR problem that TNA faces. There are a few too many old faces on their shows, people that were stars (in some cases) but are too old to be entirely credible in the main event any more. Using names like Sting and Scott Steiner might get a one off ratings push, but by placing them in title contention TNA makes itself look like WCW 6 years ago.

How To Compete With WWE

So having established why I don't think they are ready to compete with WWE, what do I think they can do to get ready?

Actually I think they have all the necessary elements already in place in the company. The trick to my mind is not to attempt to be WWE or WCW. They don't have the marketing power to go head to head and even in the best case scenario, they won't have that power for at least 4 more years.

What they do have is the talent to win over specific groups of wrestling fans. Those groups combined would probably still not come close to WWE's total demographic, but they would give it enough mindshare to really start building the stars that can make them a competitor.

As I said, TNA Wrestling has the elements it needs it just isn't utilizing them. The X-Division is something that can't be seen elsewhere on tv and it inherently appeals to the hardcore wrestling fan. The sort of person who would go to a Ring of Honor show. On its own though it doesn't appeal to the sort of person who comes to my site once a month to check the latest PPV results. For that you need feuds, not random matches. The same is true for the tag division.

TNA is also in a position to out-hardcore WWE's ECW brand since the TNA schedule is so much lighter than ECW's with few house shows.

But the TNA needs to focus on a handful of feuds at at time and build them properly. They can still pad their PPVs with some amazing workrate matches, so long as the keystone feud matches are there too. I'd suggest they should be overlapping their feud building. Each PPV should probably be the culmination of 3-4 feuds, but the previous 4 week's iMPACT shows can intermingle those big feuds with slowly building issues that will come to the front the following month.

It's a simple enough formula, but actually implementing it... that's much harder.


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Pro Wrestling News - TNA Impact Live May Help TNA

Petey Williams at :en:Lockdown (2007). :en:Fam...Image via Wikipedia

On March 27th TNA put on its first live episode in its history. It was excellent and fun and for once delivered on what TNA had guaranteed. It may have been the most watchable Impact episode since the show first started airing on SpikeTV.

The wrestling matches were very good for TV, by TNA standards. They began with Alex Shelley vs. Johnny Devine, which lasted a 9 minutes and had a clean finish. The match had great action while it lasted and ended up with Devine scoring the pin after his dangerous looking Divine Intervention (double underhook piledriver). The 6-man tag match featuring Petey Williams, Scott Steiner, LAX and their female counterparts was also good, and LAX is building up a lot of steam and continue to demonstrate why they are one of the best tag teams in wrestling. The Kurt Angle MMA-style match with Tomko and A.J. Styles was definitely watchable, partly because of the hard way cut that Tomko suffered, but also because it was done about as well as it could've been. They're trying to mix MMA with pro wrestling, which could have been disastrous, but instead ended up decent at worst.

Booker T vs. Robert Roode was probably the best match either of the two has been involved in since they've been in TNA. The match had an excellent level of intensity throughout, though I didn't like the First Blood match stip, they did well in working with what they were given. The Women's Title match was also an great for a free TV match, though it was rather short at 6 minutes, but that's acceptable because I'm not sure if ODB had the opportunity to set up any spots before the match. Either way, it was a great TV match with yet another clean finish.

Finally, we got to the main event. This was probably the second or third best wrestling match we've ever seen on TNA Impact. It had yet another clean ending. All of the clean finishes on the show made me walk away as a fan feeling satisfied (take note, Vince Russo). Hopefully this will become the norm, though I highly doubt it. They'll have clean finishes one week only to return to the old Vince Russo booking formula of cheap finishes and interference.

TNA didn't seem to have many problems putting on their first live wrestling TV show, either. Granted, the audio was glitchy a few times, but it was just for a couple seconds and was tolerable. Most of the lighting and audio was well done, and it made me happy that they didn't get the chance to overproduce the show. It gave Impact a bit of realism that it's usually sorely lacking. It also made it easier to watch without the camera constantly panning all over the place.

The announcers were even more tolerable than usual. Mike Tenay and Don West, having to improv on the live broadcast, calmed down just a tiny little bit. Though Don West had a few lines that made me want to turn off the TV in frustration, I was mostly able to tune out the announcers the whole episode. Anyone ever consider replacing these old announcers with some younger guys? What about that MMA guy you brought in for this broadcast, he'd be a great replacement for Tenay, West, or both (please, please both).

This show also more clearly defined who was face and who was heel. It's difficult as a wrestling fan if I do not know who I'm to cheer for. It seems like Vince Russo has set up a three-month revolving door for who is good, bad and in between with every wrestler playing musical chairs at each of TNA's quarterly major wrestling Pay-Per-Views. I don't know if Russo's "Cross the Line" experiment can work, with wrestlers displayed in more of a realistic way where there are no truly good or bad people. Either way, if it brings realism back to wrestling that has seemingly disappeared in the last decade, then I'm all for it.


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WWE Raw - Shaquille O'neal VS The Big Show

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Basic Care To Be Taken For Piercing

Many Pieces album coverImage via Wikipedia

The art of anatomy acute dates aback to 5000 years. Till date abounding communities and abounding civilizations accept advantaged in the art of anatomy of anatomy acute for their own reasons. Previously; traditions, community and rituals were the administering armament for anatomy piercing. People advantaged in this art added for religious purposes. But today the trend is perceived in a absolute altered way. The art of anatomy acute is now perceived as a trend, a appearance statement, a affairs or a weapon to aperture out the insubordinate central us. Anatomy acute which was ahead bedfast to a few portions of the anatomy is now performed on abounding anatomy parts. The affliction complex in the action is conceivably the aforementioned but the methods accept bigger in a big way. The accessories acclimated today is far added avant-garde and the action is abundant added scientific.

Before indulging in any anatomy of anatomy piercing, one should allow in absolute research. Only the best professionals accepting abundant acquaintance in the industry should be consulted to. Rather than accepting the acute done from some bounded artery urchins, one should opt for committed acute studios, Tattoo studios and medical experts. One should get his anatomy allotment to be broken able-bodied analyzed afore the absolute acute process. If the allocation to be broken is begin to be too acute or has had any array of abrasion in the past, again that allocation should be abhorred or bigger alternatives should be sought. Even the experts and professionals who accomplish acute should accumulate able-bodied in apperception assertive guidelines and should chase assertive rules. Fresh gloves, ablaze locations, accessible admission to hand-washing facilities, acceptable hygiene, acceptable infection ascendancy practices, antibacterial equipments etc should all be taken affliction of.

Follow-up and guidelines are all-important afterwards acute any allotment of the body. Ice, antibacterial soaps, disinfectants, advantageous food, use of cardboard towels in case of bleeding are all the basal precautions to be followed in the healing aeon of piercing. Application of booze should be abhorred as alcohol-based articles are added decumbent to infection. Use of lotions, creams and moisturizers should be abhorred as they can advance to infection. All the basal affliction should be taken for a acknowledged and comfortable piercing.

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Legends of Wrestling: Hulk Hogan from Hulkamania to the nWo

Most angry admirers may be acquainted of the claimed issues and alfresco of the amphitheatre activity of Hulk Hogan. The afterward history of Hulk Hogan will focus on Hulk Hogan, the wrestler and all his abundant accomplishments in able wrestling.

Hulk Hogan was built-in Terry Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953 in Tampa, Florida. Hogan is the son of Ruth and Peter Bollea. Hogan’s mother was a homemaker and ball teacher, and Hogan’s ancestor was a architecture foreman. Hogan was a bullpen in Little League Baseball and began watching able angry at age 16. Hogan admired “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and was a approved attendee for contest at the Tampa Sportatorium. One those events, Hogan focused on “Superstar” Billy Graham.

Hogan abounding the University of South Florida, afterwards bottomward out. While spending best of his time at a bounded gym, Hogan met pro wrestler Mike Graham, son of pro wrestler and National Angry Alliance President, Eddie Graham. It was Hogan’s concrete attending that bent the absorption of Jack and Gerald Brisco. Together the Brisco’s assertive Hogan to try out for able wrestling. Being a continued time fan, Hogan agreed. In 1976, Mike Graham alien Hogan to Hiro Matsuda who with acrimony asked Hogan about absent to be a wrestler, and advisedly bankrupt one of Hogan’s legs and both his arms.

Within a one year period, Matsuda able Hogan for his aboriginal able bout adjoin Brian Blair in Fort Myers, Florida on August 10, 1977. A abbreviate time following, Bollea wore a affectation and took on the actualization “The Super Destroyer.” A few months after, Bollea abutting Louie Tillet’s Alabama territory, area he teamed with Ed Leslie (aka Brutus Beefcake) and the aggregation of Terry and Ed Boulder.

Hogan appeared on a allocution show, area he sat beside Lou Ferrigno, brilliant of the Incredible Hulk television series. The host commented how Bollea at 6ft 7in at 295 pounds resembled a baby adaptation of the Hulk. From this, Bollea began application the in amphitheatre name of Terry “The Hulk” Boulder.

By May 1979, Bollea had an befalling to battle for the NWA (National Angry Alliance) World Heavyweight Championship. In June of that year, he won the NWA Southeast Heavyweight Championship in Alabama and Tennessee territories by acquisition Ox Baker.

Hulk Hogan – World Angry Federation 1979 – 1980

In backward 1979, Terry Funk alien Bollea to again WWF Chief Vincent J. McMahon. McMahon capital to accord Bollea and Irish name, appropriately the name Hogan was born. He was accustomed the befalling to wrestle, as a heel, Bob Backlund for the WWF Championship.

Hulk Hogan New Japan Pro Angry 1980 – 1983

A lot of Hogan’s aboriginal success was in Japan. He aboriginal appeared in Japan May 13, 1980, while still beneath arrangement with the WWF. On June 2, 1983 Hogan was crowned the aboriginal International Angry Grand Prix (IWGP) clash champ by acquisition Antonio Inoki.

Hulk Hogan – Leaves the WWF and goes to the American Angry Association 1981 – 1983

After filming Rocky III adjoin the wishes of Vince McMahon, Sr., Hogan larboard the WWF and fabricated his admission in the American Angry Association with Johnny Valiant as his manager. This was abbreviate lived as admirers began to adulation Hogan, appropriately the AWA booking aggregation absitively to about-face Hogan babyface. Hogan became the companies top babyface for 1983. Afterwards several business, personal, and artistic conflicts with AWA buyer Verne Gagne, Hogan larboard the AWA and alternate to the WWF, now endemic by Vince McMahon, Jr. (Vincent K. McMahon).

Hulk Hogan allotment to the WWF and the Birth of “Hulkamania” 1983 – 1993

Following the acquirement of the World Angry Federation in 1982, Vince Jr. had big affairs to aggrandize the area aggregation into a civic advance centered about Hogan as the company’s capital superstar attraction. Hogan started as a heel, affiliated with Freddie Blassie. On the January 7, 1984 adventure of Championship Wrestling, Hogan angry babyface by extenuative Bob Backlund from a three-way in amphitheatre assault. This storyline was abbreviate lived, as aloof beneath than three weeks later, Hogan won his aboriginal WWF Championship by pinning the Iron Sheik in Madison Square Garden. Afterward the win, analyst Gorilla Monsoon proclaimed “Hulkamania is here!” Hogan would activate apropos to his admirers as “Hulkamaniacs” during his interviews and alien the training, prayers and vitamins.

Over the abutting years, Hogan became the face of able angry as Vince McMahon pushed the WWF into the pop ability amphitheatre with the Rock ‘n’ Angry Connection on MTV, brining in annal abode actualization attendance, pay-per actualization buys and big television ratings.

Hulk Hogan – Aboriginal appellation administration 1984 – 1988

On the October 5, 1985 copy of Saturday Night’s Capital Event, Hogan auspiciously dedicated the appellation adjoin Nikolai Volkoff in a banderole match.

Throughout 1986, Hogan acknowledged dedicated the appellation adjoin Terry Funk, Don Muraco, King Kong Bundy, Paul Orndorff and Hercules Hernandez. In 1987, Hogan was appointed to avert the appellation adjoin Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III at the Pontiac Silverdome in advanced of a almanac army of over 93,000 fans.

Hogan remained the WWF Best for 1, 474 canicule (Four years and 13 days). He became the third longest active champion. In advanced of 33 actor admirers on the February 5th copy of The Capital Event, Hogan absent the appellation to Andre the Giant afterwards a betray involving Ted DiBiase and adjudicator Dave Hebner. As a result, the WWF appellation was declared abandoned for the aboriginal time in aggregation history. Hulk Hogan had added appellation wins from 1989-1992. He did lose the appellation to the Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI and additionally to the Undertaker at the 1991 Survivor Series.

Hulk Hogan Allotment to the WWF and again leaves the aggregation 1993 – 1994

Hogan alternate to the WWF in January 1993, acceptable his continued time acquaintance Brutus Beefcake from Money Inc. (Ted Dibiase and Irwin R. Schyster). At WrestleMania IX, Hogan challenged WWF Best Yokozuna, acquisition him to win his fifth WWF Championship. At the aboriginal anniversary King of the Amphitheatre Pay-Per Actualization in June of 1993, Hogan dedicated the WWF Championship adjoin Yokozuna. Yokozuna kicked out of Hogan’s signature leg bead finishing move and affianced Hogan afterwards a blinding aggressive attempt from a “Japanese Photographer” (Harvey Wippleman in disguise). This would be Hogan’s aftermost WWF Pay-Per Actualization appearance. Afterwards August 1993, Hogan would sit out the butt of his arrangement which asleep afterwards that year.

Hulk Hogan Makes History: Signs with World Championship Angry (WCW) 1994 – 2000

In June 1994, Hogan active with Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling. Hogan began actualization on WCW TV in July of that year, and in a dream match, acquisition Ric Flair to win his aboriginal WCW Championship at the Bash at the Beach Pay-Per View.

Hulk Hogan turns alleviate and forms the New World Order (nWo) 1996 – 1998

1996 would be a celebrated year for WCW and pro wrestling. WCW admirers began booing Hogan. The Summer of 1996 at the Bash at the Beach Pay-Per View, WCW and Hogan would change the face of able wrestling. During a six man tag, aback Hogan came out from the back, admirers in actualization and watching on pay-per actualization accepted Hogan to save Sting, Lex Lugar and Randy Savage anatomy Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, but instead he gave his acclaimed leg bead on Savage, angry on the fans, abutting with Hall and Nash, appropriately basic the New World Order. The actual abutting night on Live on Monday Nitro from Disney World in Florida, Hogan came out antic a new look. He absolute his bristles black, wore atramentous clothes, alleged himself “Hollywood” Hogan and told the admirers to “stick it” The new band would boss WCW. During best of his nWo run, Hogan would authority the appellation belt on abundant occasions. He would aerosol acrylic the letter of N-W-O on the belt in black.

After Hogan took some time off, he alternate on the January 4, 1999 copy of Monday Nitro in what was believed to be acceptance Hogan was out of the nWo. He challenged Kevin Nash for the WCW title. He regained the appellation in what was alleged the feel blow of doom, in which he poked Nash, and affianced him.

Real activity conflicts with Vince Russo and his abandonment from WCW 1999 – 2000

In February 2000, Hogan became complex in a absolute activity altercation with booker Vince Russo. Hogan was declared to lose the WCW appellation to Jeff Jarrett at Bash at the Beach. Hogan banned to Job to Jarrett. As a result, Hogan filed a aspersion of actualization accusation adjoin Russo. Russo afterwards claimed this was work, Hogan claimed it was a shoot, appropriately Hogan would leave WCW awaiting the lawsuit.

Hogan allotment to the WWF/E 2002 – 2003

Hogan alternate to the WWF/E in February of 2002 alongside Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to ameliorate the New World Order. Soon after, Vince McMahon disbanded the nWo. Hogan took time off and alternate as a babyface, accepting matches with The Rock, Triple H, Kurt Angle and Vince McMahon.

Later in 2003, Hogan would do a “Mr. America” gimmick, in which Hogan wore a affectation to bristles himself afterwards Hogan in a storyline was declared to sit out the blow of his contract. On June 26, 2003 on SmackDown was the aftermost of the “Mr. America” storyline as Hogan had already abdicate in absolute activity and was appear of his WWE arrangement and larboard the company.

Hulk Hogan Facts:

Hogan was called the best requested celebrity of the 1980’s for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Hogan was the aboriginal wrestler to win two Royal Rumble matches in a row.

The 1994 steroids aspersion threatened the business of the WWF. Hogan testified in cloister he acclimated steroids over a 12 year period.

Hogan had a abrupt run the asleep X Angry Federation from 2000-2001

Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 as a 12 time World Champion

Source: Wikipedia, the chargeless encyclopedia, WWE.com and www.hulkhogan.com

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