Pro Wrestling: When It Started to Go Wrong for TNA and How It's Now Recovering

It was January 4, 2010, and we thought we were in for the second coming of the Monday night wars.

Of course, things didn't exactly turn out as planned, and we instead saw a downfall for TNA that it just now seems to be recovering from. 

TNA has done many things wrong since this date, all of which got away from what TNA Wrestling was meant to be: different. 

Now, a year and a half later, wrestling truly does matter once again, and TNA seems to be going in the right direction.

So, what better time than now to look back at how it went wrong for the company and how they are just now getting around to fix things?  

Segment One: The Hype, the Steel Asylum and Hardy's Debut

What I liked:

I liked the opening, as it made it seem like this was a big deal. It hyped the debut of Hulk Hogan and the match card, and the live feeling is something you just can't beat. Overall, it just made it feel important—which is something TNA fails to do at times, inside the often dead iMPACT Zone. 

As always, the X-Division also delivered inside what was the last Six-Sides of Steel, since Hogan and Bischoff opted for the more traditional four sided ring. While I think people made too much out of the switch, taking away six sides really took away part of TNA's identity.

What I didn't like:

In hind sight, Bubba The Love Sponge really was not needed. He cost the company (Awesome Kong) more than he brought it (wasted TV segments).

Jeff Hardy overshadowed the X-Division, which was the beginning of the division not getting the spotlight it so rightfully deserves. Signing Hardy was a mistake in and of itself.

And for the icing on the cake, the end of the match was classic Vince Russo booking.

How it's now being fixed:

Bubba and Hardy are now gone and the focus has been put back on the X-Division, with the upcoming Destination X pay-per-view.

Not to mention the six-sided ring is making a return for one night.  

Segment Two: Nash's Interview, Knockouts Match, Flair's Arrival

What I liked:

The knockouts match wasn't half bad, despite being rather short. I like Tara's spider gimmick much better than whatever she has now. I mean, does she even have a gimmick?

ODB is a very good wrestler—which it seems is rare for Knockouts or Divas.

What I didn't like:

Kevin Nash's interview was pointless. It was TNA trying to recreate the New World Order (NWO), which fell horribly on it's face. I believe this time could have been used for a match or something–or anything other than Kevin Nash, honestly.

The signing of Ric Flair was good for "the honeymoon" period so-to-speak, but it has gone downhill. Since he split from Fortune he has rarely been seen, but he has been at the center of backstage drama. 

How it's now being fixed:

ODB is back, currently feuding with Velvet Sky...and the stiff, old Kevin Nash is gone. 

Segment Three: Foley Banned, Lashley Requests Release, Strip Poker from the BP

What I liked:

Strip poker got the gimmick of the Beautiful People across very well, although I think TNA let it take up too much time.

What I didn't like:

Bobby Lashley in TNA was nothing short of a trainwreck, as MMA was his first priority. To add to that, I just find him as a much better face than heel.

Mick Foley being banned from the iMPACT Zone was an attempt to create a rivalry between him and Bischoff, Hogan and even Dixie Carter. Sadly, this plan failed.  

How it's now being fixed:

Both Lashley and Foley never really found a comfortable spot in TNA, and they are now gone.  

Segment Four & Five: Scott Hall & Sean Waltman Banned, Hogan Nears Arena

What I liked:

Eric Bischoff getting out of his limo and into Hogan's was a nice touch. It created more anticipation for who was with the Hulk. 

What I disliked:

Scott Hall and Sean Waltman are just two other names that never panned out in TNA—Hall because of serious medical issues, and Waltman because he was never really utilized properly. 

Why does Hulk Hogan need police escorts? Does he never leave his house?

TNA obviously didn't think that one through.

How it's now being fixed:

Hall and Waltman are gone, what else can be said?

For the segment five video, click here. 

Segment Six: Hogan & Bischoff Debut, Calls out Hall & Waltman, Sting in Raftors

What I liked:

I believe TNA created a nice moment, only for Hogan to feed us a bunch of garbage.

Sting, who had not been seen for months, was spotted in the raftors. It created an interesting storyline, in which he would begin to see right through Hogan and Bischoff's games.  

What I didn't like:

As I mentioned earlier, trying to recreate the NWO was an epic failure. This was a perfect example of TNA attempting to do something that was popular in the past.

How it's now being fixed:

Hogan and Bischoff have been getting less television time in favor of wrestling. Meanwhile, Hall, Waltman and Nash—as previously mentioned—are gone.

Segment Seven & Eight: Knockouts Tag, MCMG Attacked, Venis Meets the BP

What I liked:

Awesome Kong, of course. Kong made the Knockouts division something different, which is something TNA is still lacking to this day—and WWE has gained (when Kong eventually returns from pregnancy).

It was a nice match, and I think that while Sarita is better as a heel, her in-ring is more entertaining as a face. 

What I didn't like:

I liked all of the match...but Val Venis, really?

Just another failed attempt to rekindle the past, except Venis wasn't all that great then.

The attacks didn't do it for me, they just squashed talents. Later in the show Rhino was attacked, which you can view here.    

How it's now being fixed:

Val Venis is gone!

To see the conclusion of the match, click here.

Segment Nine: Foley, Nasty Boys, Tag Match, Pope/Wolfe, Jordan Debut

What I liked:

The Pope is gold both in the ring and on the mic, and we got a chance to see that in this segment. His match with Desmond Wolfe was a fantastic technical wrestling match. It's just too bad neither are used much these days.

The tag team match with Matt Morgan and Hernandez was a simple squash, but it did showcase how truly dominant they could be as a team.

What I didn't like:

The Nasty Boys flopped. Orlando Jordan flopped horribly. 

How it's now being fixed:

The Pope is someone who has been used a little more, but deserves much better than he's currently getting in TNA.

The Nasty Boys are gone, while Jordan is never used. 

Segment Eleven (Ten Was Linked Earlier): Styles Interview, Jeff Jarrett Speaks

What I liked:

The AJ Styles interview was a nice touch, and a good way to change his match with Kurt Angle from Genesis to iMPACT's main event!

What I disliked:

The Hogan/Jarrett segment wasn't really needed. Once again I say this could have been used to get younger talent over instead.

The Mick Foley segments were really too much in an angle that failed.

How it's being fixed:

Less talking, more wrestling in 2011.

Segment Twelve: Hardy/Moore, Abyss/Samoa Joe, Beer Money Attacked

What I liked:

The Jeff Hardy and Shannon Moore segment was short and sweet. It really got you interested in what they were up to.

Abyss and Samoa Joe had a very good match, with Joe really showing his mobility. This shows that with the right opponent Abyss can put on a solid match.

I also liked the Eric Bischoff and Cristal segment. Bischoff made it kind of funny.  

What I disliked:

Beer Money being attacked was once again unnecessary, especially when it was supposed to build up the second coming of the NWO, which failed. 

How it's now being fixed:

Samoa Joe isn't being fixed, rather has been buried since this point. However, his feud with Kazarian has piqued my interest.

Segment Thirteen: More Nasty Boys, Kurt Angle Interview, Hardy & Moore

What I liked:

Kurt Angle getting television time never disappoints, and this time was no different.

I liked Jeff Hardy and Shannon Moore with the girls. It made Hardy seem like a really big deal, which he was at the time.

What I disliked:

I talked about the Nasty Boys earlier, so no need to rehash things.

How it's being fixed:

The Nasty Boys are gone, but everybody in this segment is likely in worse shape now. 

To view the Nasty Boys trashing Team 3D's locker room and the beginning on AJ Styles and Kurt Angle's match, click here. 

Main Event: AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

The rest of the match will be on the final slide.

What I liked:

This match was a match of the year candidate. 

What I disliked: 

AJ not shaking Kurt's hand at the end was a preview to AJ's failed heel turn. Styles is just born to be a face, not a heel. 

Rest of Styles/Angle, Thanks for Reading

Thanks for sitting through this long roller coaster ride that was a look back at TNA's move to Monday nights. 

I am looking forward to what TNA has in store, because it is finally getting back to it's core. While that isn't to say TNA hasn't had good moments over the past year and a half, but as a wrestling fan, I sure hope the best is yet to come.