As we've seen in the past couple of weeks, TNA's Main Event Mafia (MEM) has looked powerful and stronger than any other faction that has been around the wrestling world in the past few years.
From giving stellar promos to leaving bodies laying in the ring, they have without a doubt caught the attention of everyone on the roster and everyone watching at home. Credit must be given where it’s due, and that is to the TNA booking team.
During last week's broadcast of Impact Scott Steiner had some harsh words to say about the younger TNA wrestlers (TNA Originals). This promo seemed to be very legit. Many veterans in TNA feel that way about the younger talent. Needless to say, The Mafia came out looking like a million bucks.
On the other hand, the TNA Originals were made to look like “average Joe” computer nerds who have long ways to go before becoming men. If that wasn't enough, at last Sunday’s Turning Point PPV the MEM won every single one of their bouts against the TNA Originals. If that's TNA's vision of where they want this angle heading now, they are doing a very good job at it.
They did exactly what needed to be done in order to elevate this angle and set the tone of dominance and power of the MEM. Right now the MEM has all the credibility in the world. They look untouchable.
When TNA feels its time for the babyfaces to start their comeback, the TNA Originals will have to strike with full force. They will have to step it up and show how bright they can shine. They are going to have to make the audience believe that they are superior then the MEM in every aspect. They might be able to outwrestle the veterans, but that alone won’t get the fans fully behind them. They need to prove themselves outside of the ring.
Attitude, confidence, character and charisma on the microphone is what will take them that one level higher. It’s what they need to have in order for the fans to get behind them. Right now, they don’t have much of that. The MEM is looking too good and most fans would rather cheer them than the TNA Originals.
The two babyfaces that have gotten the chance to speak during the course of this feud so far have been A.J Styles and Samoa Joe. Joe is good on the microphone but isn’t at the level of members of the MEM. He seems to have one mode; angry mode. A mode that gets boring and stale very fast.
A.J Styles, while a phenomenal wrestler in the ring, is average at best on the stick. Even though both of these performers have shown a great amount of improvement in that aspect they still have plenty of room for more.
Now, the TNA booking team will script this angle to the best of their abilities and will book the TNA Originals to beat the members of the MEM in the end. But, if after this angle is done the fans are still cheering for the MEM over the TNA Originals, it will show that the babyfaces are at fault and did not step it up the way they should have.
13 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Johnny Rayge 7 months ago
Let us pray it's not going to turn out to be another N.W.O. In the sense that it starts off entertaining and then they don't know when it's they're time to hang em up. If MEM is still around in 4 years im over T.N.A lol.
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Chuck N 7 months ago
I don't think that will happen. When the nWo was created they idea from the beginning was to put the nWo over and make money with them. They were very successful with them. Once it got out of control was when they decided to start putting over young talent.
It's different with the MEM. They were brought into the picture specifically to put over the young talent. That's the mind set that TNA Creative has from the beginning.
The reason why they are going on top now is because they need to put some heat on the babyfaces so they can look good making their comeback.
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James Johnson 7 months ago
4 years eh Johnny, lol! I think Sting is in for 2009 then (maybe) he will hang up his wrestling
boots and go back to God, his family and his real estate business and it will be very doubtful
that he will ever return to the wrestling game but I doubt that we will see him leave wrestling
as a heel!
As for the other MEM members their days are numbered too, so this is all really an effort by
the older guys to finally put the younger guys over-eventually, and look how Sting doesn't get
very involved in MEM's dirty business, just sits back and watches and waits! Come on everyone
this is some pretty good entertainment here!
,
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The Boston Hooligan 7 months ago
I think personally this is a great oppurtunity for TNA to show case their young stars. The MEM looks good but let us not have the MEM be exactly like NWO. I want to see the young guys come out on top. Last night's impact in the TNA Heavyweight championship was a great contest. Jay Lethal is a great young guy to showcase. This hopefully will work out for TNA.
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Robert Matthews 7 months ago
The reason the MEM is so good on the mic is that they have been around the business for years and years and years. Nash and Sting especially have been around for as long as I can remember. And given enough to time to recuperate between bouts they can still go at it with the best in the business.
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Jason Iovanna 7 months ago
You must be joking. This article can't be serious. Evolution is by far the best faction the past decade. Mem is a graveyard of has beens that are too injured to wrestle a full time schedule. Tna creative is atrocious. Russo, who brought down wcw, will bring down tna
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Chuck N 7 months ago
No, I wasn't joking.
I won't say that Evolution wasn't a strong faction, but the MEM is looking just as strong and in my opinion cut better promos all around. Kurt Angle and Booker T still wrestle their best game today. Sting and Steiner still put on strong matches. Kevin Nash is the only one who can't wrestle the way he once could but as long as he can cut good promos hes good to go.
You obviously don't know what brought down WCW.
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Jason Iovanna 7 months ago
You obviously don't know anything period. WCW wasn't in the best position when Russo took over, but they weren't in the worst position. Did you even live through the wars? You clearly have no idea what you are talking about and I clearly do. I would suggest not living in a fantasy world and realize that TNA has practically no buyrates for PPVs, impact ratings are in the toilet, and talent is leaving by the boatload. There is purely no evidence to support any of your cases.
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Jason Iovanna 7 months ago
You are entitled to your opinions but opinions are usually backed up with strong cases, facts, and numbers. The WWE still put over their veterans because they actually contributed to where wrestling is today. TNA's veterans are WWE layoffs with axes to grind. The only person in that group I respect is Sting. I mean it's there in clear daylight. How can TNA expect to keep talent and stay in business if they can't appeal to a wider audience. I mean it's pathetic.
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Chuck N 7 months ago
I was there during the Monday Night wars. I didn't just read about it like most internet fans today.
You are going to tell me that you actually believe that Vince Russo in the few months that he was there put WCW out of business? Bro, Eric Bischoff and Ted Turner themselves will tell you that you're wrong. The network wanted nothing to do with wrestling anymore. That company could have still been brought back up. Actually, the numbers they were doing at the time of their death were higher than the numbers Smackdown! gets today.
I have no idea you say? Ok, let's see here. Spike TV and TNA say they're very happy with those ratings. But, you say they are in the toilet? Why? Because they're not RAW ratings? WWE is the greatest wrestling company in the world. They are by a far margin #1. It's not really fair to compare the 2 companies in numbers. That doesn't mean that TNA isn't successful.
You say that the talent is leaving in boatloads? Who left? Christian? That's a boat load?
The veterans that are in TNA certainly contributed to the business in a great way. Kevin Nash with the whole nWo angle. Kurt angle just being an amazing wrestler (had the greatest match in RAW history and also main evented WrestleMania a few years back). Sting was the face of WCW at its peak.
TNA hasn't appealed to a wider audience because of lack of promotion. They know that. They have said they don't want to invest a ton of money on promotion in big shots. They decided to do it step by step. I think I've backed up my points with enough facts. If those weren't enough I have more:
They've been around for over 6 years. They have TV deals in various contries in the world. They just had a pretty successful tour of the UK and are going back for an even greater one. With little advertising they have been able to attract a decent sized TV audience. They've been able to hold on to that audience which is not very easy to do now a days. This year they announced that they started to turn in a MAJOR PROFIT. A profit so major that they started paying back Panda Energy for the money they initially invested in them. Sounds pretty successful to me.
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Chuck N 7 months ago
No. Here to stay as the profitable and successful wrestling promotion they are.
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Jason Iovanna 7 months ago
How do you explain this from wrestling observer newsletter?
"Next year will be an interesting spring for TNA as there will be many contracts expiring. Kurt Angle and Rhino will headline the list of expiring contracts. WWE has shown interest in expiring TNA contracts, and it’s expected if there's an offer on the table from WWE that they would sign. Kurt Angle has expressed interest in signing with a MMA promotion, so don't expect him to resign with TNA."
That's cause they don't want to be a part of a #2 company.
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Chuck N 7 months ago
You do know that Dave Meltzer's newsletter isn't the Gospel right?
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