"TNA iMPACT!" March 8, 2010 Talkback (Spoilers)

[The Penguin]

This thread is to discuss tonight's iMPACT! only. Spoilers for RAW are not appropriate here as all may not be able to watch the show this evening. Put another way: No RAW Spoilers!

"WWE RAW" Talkback (Spoilers)

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling makes history yet again as they make the official move to Monday nights. TVGuide.com indicates that there will be an overrun and the show will also replay in its normal Thursday slot. After what we saw on YouTube this weekend, what will happen in the first five minutes?

TONIGHT (MONDAY): “TNA iMPACT!” MAKES HISTORY ON SPIKE TV

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling’s Flagship Series Will Air Live Every Other Week From Universal Studios In Orlando, Fl.

“TNA iMPACT!,” Spike TV’s highly-rated two-hour weekly series, is moving from Thursday nights to Monday nights beginning Monday, March 8 (9:00-11:00pm ET/PT), it was announced by TNA President Dixie Carter and legendary pop culture icon Hulk Hogan at a press conference at the “TNA iMPACT! Zone” at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Tonight, March 8, the huge main event of the epic broadcast will feature Hulk Hogan's return to the ring as he teams with Abyss to face TNA World Heavyweight Champion "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and the legendary "Nature Boy" Ric Flair!

Plus, "The Icon" Sting has signed a new contract with TNA Wrestling and will be at Monday's historic broadcast on SpikeTV!

“TNA iMPACT!” will air live on March 8, with subsequent telecasts live every other week. The series features many of the biggest names in wrestling including Hogan, Ric Flair, Mick Foley and Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, as well as the hottest young talent in the industry: TNA World Heavyweight Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, “The Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe and “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan.

The first ever Monday live “TNA iMPACT” broadcast on Spike TV, ran as a three-hour special head-to-head against WWE RAW on Monday, January 4, 2010, and drew a franchise-record 2.2 million viewers. Two wrestling companies have not broadcast head-to-head weekly since the “Monday Night Wars” in the late 1990’s between WWE and WCW.

“On January 4 wrestling fans showed us they’re ready for a new professional wrestling alternative on Monday nights, and we’re answering that call. Bringing ‘iMPACT!’ to Mondays is our most exciting move yet in a year that’s already been filled with huge milestones for TNA” said Carter.

"Monday nights are now officially the best night of the week to be a fan of professional wrestling," Hogan said. "My mantra has been 'change is coming' since partnering with Dixie Carter and TNA Wrestling. This change is great for the business and all fans of professional wrestling will benefit because of it."

"TNA iMPACT! has emerged as one of cable's top performers with young men, said Spike TV President Kevin Kay. "With NFL Football off the television schedule and with "TNA iMPACT’s" expanding roster of top wrestling talent, we see this as an opportunity to tap into the millions of wrestling fans on Monday nights."

[The Penguin]

This thread is to discuss tonight's iMPACT! only. Spoilers for RAW are not appropriate here as all may not be able to watch the show this evening. Put another way: No RAW Spoilers!

"WWE RAW" Talkback (Spoilers)

[TnAdct1]

Talk about typical "overblown hype". The first five minutes is nothing more than the start of the Hulk/Abyss vs. Flair/Styles match

Does someone in the audience hate Spoony, given the "Hall Rules" sign in the audience?

Ugh, it's pre-nWo Hogan era WCW all over again, with Hogan having to be the "main hero" and Sting coming out to beat up Hogan and Abyss.

P. S. It's official: I really need a DVR, since there's no way I can flip back and forth between this, Raw, and 24.

[Jin Kazama]

So THAT was the "Make Sure You Watch The First Five Minutes"? For a crappy non-match, a blatantly obvious heel turn, and eight shots of Brooke Hogan?

And, lo and behold, we get it AGAIN later on in the show?

You're really not making the choice that hard here, TNA. I've been barely paying attention to Raw when it's on now, and if this is the alternative, I'd rather just not watch wrestling at all.

[Rawr]

so after not watching TNA for awhile now....


the first 5 mins were rather awful.... the only good thing was heel sting.... seeing as heel sting is the best sting.

hopefully it picks up later in the show... (atlease the x-division match right now is semi-interesting... seeing as i've always had a weak spot for a three way fight)

[email2003]

Wow! How much heat can Sting create tonight? He attacks everyone and kept beating down RVD like a dog tonight.

Aghhh! AJ is wearing the short tights again. Never did like his old look.

Why the heck is Doug Williams still X Division Champ!? He can't hang with the X Division wrestlers. He seems out of place.

Well, so far we have RVD and Shannon Moore debuting on TNA tonight. I still think it's a great show so far.

[Jin Kazama]

Well, they've rebounded well. They're still about even on good/bad, but the good is kind of outweighing the bad. The X-Division title match was good, despite the outcome (Shannon Moore? Seriously?), and the Knockouts Tag Title match was good, despite how we got there (the fact that Bubba is there, but Kong isn't really speaks for the companies priorities).

I'm not one of those people that felt RVD was the best thing ever to happen to wrestling, but I do have to admit that I've never not liked the guy. He's never really disappointed me, and he brings a kind of fun energy about him, which I like.

I hate to use such an overused analogy, but they really are reminding me of WCW, but in a good way. How the main event storylines are terrible, but the rest of the card is decent-to-great. Just a shame that AJ Styles is mixed up in the "crap" part right now.

[email2003]

Also, good god Shannon Moore looks like a freak! WTH happened to him over these years?

[email2003]

Jeff Hardy reappears yet again!!

[Jin Kazama]

Yay. Jeff Hardy shows up. So he can make one appearance and then never show up again for three months like he did last time.

Of which that comment was intended jokingly, until the fact comes up that it could happen. Since Hardy is still facing jail time.

Not like I can blame him, though. If TNA's stupid enough to shell out the cash to have him there, it's their fault if it all blows up in their faces.

[hobbyfan]

What worked:

Sting tries being a heel again. It didn't last long when he was part of the Main Event Mafia, and I don't see it lasting very long this time. However, if you want an explanation for his actions tonight, I have a theory:

Sting is sick & tired of Dixie spending her money to bring in "names" when she doesn't need to. He was there when Bischoff was spending Ted Turner's money like water out of a fountain, and we all know how that ended. He doesn't want to see the same thing happen again, and yet, here's Dixie, spending money to sign Jeff Hardy (questionable, given his legal problems), Rob Van Dam, and bringing back Shannon Moore, who brought back his "Prince of Punk"/"Reject" look from 2005-6. Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it.

X title match. So Frankie Kazarian's not a draw on PPV, and Shannon Moore is? Did RVD hand out bongs to Dixie & Bischoff? Unless Frankie's about to follow his bride Traci out the door.....! If this was a singles match, I'd have an argument to prove that Doug Williams can hang with the rest of the guys in the division, but this was a typical three-way.

Angle-Anderson. Kurt did get the dog tag back, didn't he? Flipping back and forth, I couldn't see everything reach their conclusions. Should be a good match at Destination X.

Hogan brings back the red & yellow. 'Nuff said.

What didn't work:

Women's tag team 3-way. So they strip Hamada/Kong of the titles, even though Hamada's still on the roster, and instead of letting her pick a new partner, they send Hamada to the sidelines? Stupid. Worse than that, the Skank Sisters need an illegal assist from Daffney, who wants a shot at Tara's title. Good luck with that. I'm sorry, but I can't accept this.

Jarrett vs. Beer Money. Storm & Roode turn heel and sell out to Bischoff. Lame. They may not be able to use the NWO name in TNA, but Bischoff's able to recruit people on whims. The whole good cop/bad cop thing with Hogan & Bischoff is just lame as well. Hogan has no clue---we think---of what Bischoff is up to.

Too much Brooke. 'Nuff said.

Yay. Jeff Hardy shows up. So he can make one appearance and then never show up again for three months like he did last time.

Of which that comment was intended jokingly, until the fact comes up that it could happen. Since Hardy is still facing jail time.

Not like I can blame him, though. If TNA's stupid enough to shell out the cash to have him there, it's their fault if it all blows up in their faces.

Exactly. TNA is desperate for attention and will take anything that comes along (from the WWE waiver wire).

[The Penguin]

Especially in the first hour, I was really pretty happy with TNA. As the second hour got going things just went kind of downhill if you ask me. I had a good feeling about the show and then is just started to turn into what I haven’t really cared for about iMPACT! even after Hogan & Bischoff arrived. I’ll be interested to see if the quarter hour ratings continue their decline of the last several weeks with the main event being the least watched segment. At the very least, the feel of the show is great with things taking place in real time rather than Impact Zone and backstage segments being pieced together to make the show. The alternate weeks are apparently going to be live to tape, as in they will be taped in order as if they are live which sounds great to me.

Leading with the main event has been done before, so that’s perfectly fine with me, but I don’t think it deserved a boring YouTube video surrounding the first five minutes with mystery. Tell them Hogan/Abyss-Flair/Styles is kicking off the show and people will be sure to tune in if that’s what they’re tuning in for.

Sting attacking Hogan was a bit of a shocker, but after the comments made about his dedication it’s not surprising. His mini confrontation with Dixie was interesting. Stinger was right about not owing her anything though. She owes him. Big time.

The Flair/Styles interview and Abyss screaming “Why Sting?!! Why Sting?!!” was certainly a contrast in demeanor.

Wow, Hulk’s girlfriend Jennifer looks like she could be Brooke’s mom or older sister. Some have said it’s freaky, but really, I’d say that Hulk just goes for blondes. He went for a blonde years ago and got a blonde daughter. Then he found a new woman. She’s a bit younger (late 30s I believe), but I don’t think it’s a reason to pick on him.

Doug Williams is not an incapable wrestler, but the idea of him being X Division Champion still disgusts me a little bit so I was a bit let down that after all the energy from the three-way promo off and Bischoff that he won. Happy to see Shannon Moore back though. A run-in like that and then booked for a title match? Moore’s never had it so good.

Dixie’s “He’ll find out when everyone else does” regarding Sting’s opponent made no sense. If she had told JB right there, that would have been when everyone found out! Phrasing that a different way would have been better.

I don’t know that I’m totally sold on having chick tag belts, but I’m glad to have the title situation resolved. I’m also glad to have the team that if you ask me should have won the tournament—The Beautiful People as champions. They were the only real team at the time and should have helped build the other teams around them. Poor JB doesn’t usually wear a suit and he suffered for it backstage.

Pope’s interview certainly didn’t go how he expected. Wolfe seemed to be acting like the chain had some previous meaning, but if it did, I certainly don’t remember it.

It’s great to have RVD show up, but first they made Sting look like a tool and then they made Van Dam look like an idiot. One guy with a very impressive resume got beat quickly and then the other guy turned his back to a man with a weapon within reach that was hardly incapacitated. They could have gotten the end result of RVD laying and Sting assaulting referees without such a pathetic set-up.

Then he got even worse with Hogan being held back by Bubba the Love Sponge and security while Sting continued to assault Van Dam. I suppose you could try to say Bubba brought them out there, but where’s the security to protect a helpless RVD from the guy with the bat?!!

There are few thins as annoying as angry, indignant Mike Tenay and he was back in full force after that mess with RVD, Sting and Hogan was over. I don’t need to see that programmed attempt at emotion.

Following that with Nash & Young coming out for their pre-hyped ‘comments on the Band’ was not the way to bring things back up after that display. Nash basically saying ‘you’re not allowed in, but we know you’re here’ was kind of lame. Then you had security show up and stand behind Nash & Young, making it look like they were there to protect them from Hall & Syxx-Pac which should not be what they want to portray. Stand in the middle but to the side, fellas. I will admit I liked Hall’s “starting to get cool” comment. Does this mean we all have to cheer for Nash next Sunday?

Bischoff clearing the ring to finally allow Young to beat down Pac was extremely satisfying. It was short and it put a smile on my face. After Sunday, I don’t expect we will have to see Waltman again. Ever.

I’m not really feeling how heavy America and the troops are playing into this feud between a guy from Pittsburgh and a guy from Green Bay, but the troops surrounding ringside was not the disaster I expected. I figured their attempted beatdown would either get Anderson hurt or look incredibly fake, but it was okay. Anderson’s Captain America shirt was noticed and appreciated.

The thing Bubba the Love Sponge doesn’t apparently remember is that this is at least Earl Hebner’s fourth chance.

Not really a fan of the Jarrett-Beer Money handicap match. It’s sad that other than the main event this was the only real match in hour two. I just wasn’t really feeling this. Mick as the ref was a bit confusing, but it mostly worked.

Of course, I would have chosen to have that match go even longer rather than to have Hulk give Brooke a pep talk.

So if I don’t like the main event, can I take it up with Rent-A-Center? Have some sponsors, WWE does, but don’t slap their name on a specific match.

Every time I see it, I hate A.J.’s Flair hoodie robe more and more. You know who else had a robe to match Ric? “Little Naitch” Charles Robinson. Not a class A.J. should want to put himself in.

The main event was fine, but I felt almost uncomfortable watching Hogan brutalize Flair. It just seemed wrong. The assorted run-ins made it feel like how TNA main events always used to end. I’d pretty much forgotten that Pope-Wolfe was supposed to be on the show by the time they came back out. Jeff showing up in the overrun doesn’t really make that big of a splash if you ask me. He seemed out of place after everything that had happened before he showed up. Abyss got the pin going into his PPV main event against the World Champion and then TNA buried it with three run-ins.

Also, good god Shannon Moore looks like a freak! WTH happened to him over these years?

He probably has another tattoo or two, but as already mentioned, this is not a new look for him.

Women's tag team 3-way. So they strip Hamada/Kong of the titles, even though Hamada's still on the roster, and instead of letting her pick a new partner, they send Hamada to the sidelines? Stupid.

I actually think it was the right call. With Kong leaving, TNA didn't want to call a lot attention to it, so they had to blame Kong & Hamada as a team. That team was all about Kong, Hamada isn't interesting enough to get to chose a new partner. Who she's going to pick? ODB?

You're the guy whose all about enforcing rules and stripping people of titles on a whim, the 30-day defense clause seems like a pretty legitimate reason.

[hobbyfan]

I actually think it was the right call. With Kong leaving, TNA didn't want to call a lot attention to it, so they had to blame Kong & Hamada as a team. That team was all about Kong, Hamada isn't interesting enough to get to chose a new partner. Who she's going to pick? ODB?

You're the guy whose all about enforcing rules and stripping people of titles on a whim, the 30-day defense clause seems like a pretty legitimate reason.

Aye, very true, but Kong leaving was due to cronyism (Huckster covering for his pal Blubber the Heat Sponge), and not enough attention was ever given to Hamada as a single to begin with. I hated the finish, which of course had Russo's fingerprints all over it. Daffney? A title contender vs. Tara?

[Jin Kazama]

Daffney? A title contender vs. Tara?

They've been setting that up for weeks. Daffney beat the crap out of Tara about two weeks ago, using weapons and everything. Then did the same to ODB the week after to further the message to her. She's made it very clear she's after the Knockouts title, so her interfering to cost Tara the match wasn't exactly out of left field.

[Mesousa]

Exactly. TNA is desperate for attention and will take anything that comes along (from the WWE waiver wire).

Desperate? Really? It's the Monday Night Wars, guys, so expect desesperation from both companies.

[hobbyfan]

War? What is it good for? In this case, to quote Edwin Starr, absolutely nothing!!!

I mentioned earlier Bischoff & Hogan doing the good cop/bad cop thing. Why not take that ball and run with it? Hogan wants to do the right thing for the company, but Bischoff wants to ruin it from within and rebuild it the way he rebuilt WCW in the mid-90's. That's a story that virtually writes itself, except that it'd get ruined halfway through the first week.

[Wonderwall]

Desperate? Really? It's the Monday Night Wars, guys, so expect desesperation from both companies.

I doubt WWE feels desperate. Anything they do now is just for Mania which they always try to make feel a little more special when they build to it. TNA sure as they are in a position to gain or lose at this point.

I only caught the beginning, X division match, at part of the end. The start was kind strange, Sting just showed up and then they announce they're gonna do it again later in the night. I felt that could've been better but I was expecting something far worse( like Jan. 4th ).

X title match seemed alright but I didn't catch the finish. The second go around for the tag match was kind of funny as it was two massively slow guys fighting for a bit. Though as slow as it was Hogan and Flair can really get a crowd into something and that's not just because of who they are. I think all wrestlers should learn to do that as it's becoming a lost art almost.

[ToonFaithful]

I didn't catch the first Monday Night Wars and I wanna ask this question, did the WWE ever mention WCW back then? Yes, the invasion era but before that.

[Mesousa]

I didn't catch the first Monday Night Wars and I wanna ask this question, did the WWE ever mention WCW back then? Yes, the invasion era but before that.

Well, brifly at times, yes, and coincidentally, when it's WCW mentioning WWF on the other hand...is pretty much the reason why it slowly died 2 years after that.

[Azrayel]

Daffney? A title contender vs. Tara?

But Daffney is zombie hot (seriously she is) and deserves to get some attention more than Tara. Tara has made that title have no prestige in its name. Its a shame Alissa Flash is gone she could have done well as a champ

Anyways the first hour was pretty good the second hour had a bunch of meh in it. The new opening video sucked I don't want to see guys spininng around all day and I couldn't really hear the song since I was also trying to see what Raw had to say.

The first match was lame but I was a tad bit suprised that Sting turned heel. I thought how Sting kept getting closer to them he was going to hit them soon but he didn't, and did it a bit later and thats where I was suprised because it seemed that he wasn't going to do it at all. Also I like how AJ and Abyss reverted back to their old attires. Its about time is all I have to say.

Triple threat for x division title match was pretty good, but Williams shouldn't have won, he was getting beat on the whole match. Kaz and Daniels looked good at there tonight with the in ring action and the talking on the mic, it was hard for me to decide who I wanted to have win.

Shannon Moore coming out was all that big, and I didn't like his Reject gimmick then and I certainly do not like it now.

The Beautiful People vs Tara and Angelina Love vs Sarita and Taylor Wilde was decent. Beautiful People did a better match then they usually do, because normally in there matches it looks like they got some power ranger action going on.

I didn't like how RVD beat sting so fast but I was happy to see RVD's presence.

Beer Money turning heel is good. Seeing as they wrestler better and get noticed better as heel to me, but I just didn't like this match. What was ref Slick Johnson doing out there?

D'Angelo Dinero and Desmond Wolfe feud I think would work out smoothly. Dinero certainly has proved himself he can keep up with the main eventers and Wolfe is cool (wish TNA used him better)

Angle vs Anderson segment was alright. They've done better.

Main event was ok. Why is Wolfe still helpinbg Flair and AJ? I don't mind it, but I don't really see the need as to why he is there. Hardy I kinda thought he would come tonight since Moore was there and so it's nice to see Hardy back.