Bleacher Report - Articles by Adam Testa

Queen of the Ring: New Book Introduces Mildred Burke, Women's Wrestling Pioneer

Adam Testa — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:13:25 -0400

Buried deep in the annals of women’s professional wrestling history, hidden beneath the glitz and glamour of modern-day showmanship, lays the story of a true pioneer, one who paved a path for generations of competitors to follow.

Known as Muscles and the Kansas Cyclone, Mildred Burke dedicated her life to professional wrestling, creating and often struggling to maintain an outlet and opportunity for women to persevere in a sport dominated by muscle-bound, chauvinistic men.

Set against a scene of a Great Depression Era New Mexico Indian reservation, a young Burke, born Mildred Bliss on Aug. 5, 1915, found herself 18 years old, pregnant and slaving hours at a restaurant attempting to support herself and her unborn child.

With a sweeping marriage proposal, Burke found herself on the fast track out of the West, headed to Kansas City, Mo., where her destiny would take form.

It was there she discovered the art of professional wrestling and met Billy Wolfe, the Missouri state wrestling champion who would become her manager, groom, and eventual nemesis.

From Kansas City, Burke’s career would undergo a metamorphosis, transforming into a story for the ages, one complete with a championship reign spanning three decades, a fight against the monopolizing National Wrestling Alliance and a twisted story of romance involving her abusive manager, as well as his grown son.

Burke’s story, however, had also become one largely lost through the ages, preserved only in the minds of those who witnessed her grace the squared circle or appear on the pages of magazines and newspapers across the country.

Her story was one lost in time, until now.

For five years, Jeff Leen, head of the Washington Post’s investigative unit, traveled the country, researched legal documents and scoured the pages of Burke’s unpublished biography to uncover the true story professional wrestling’s female pioneer.

Leen’s work culminated in the publication of his second book, "The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend," released this week by Atlantic Monthly Press.

“I wanted to try to treat the subject really seriously and report to the ground truth on something that hadn’t been reported,” Leen said. “I wanted to do more than interview several people and ask their memories.”

Bonding with Burke

“To me, she was almost like a superhero character.”

Leen’s journey into the pro wrestling arena followed a much different path than that of his subject.

Raised in 1960s St. Louis, oft considered “the world capital of pro wrestling” at the time, Leen followed the careers and tales of legendary characters such as Harley Race and Dick the Bruiser.

Promoter Sam Muchnick ruled St. Louis and led the city in securing a concrete spot in the rich history of sports entertainment.

A young Leen flipped the pages of various wrestling magazines, always noticing that “in the back, there was this woman flexing her muscles.” The woman, featured alongside the women she trained, managed and wrestled, was none other than Burke, by that point a retired champion.

“She had this incredible reputation,” Leen said.

As the years passed, Leen grew older and professional wrestling underwent its own metamorphosis. Television came into play, and showmanship and extravagant stunts took precedence in the wrestling ring.

His days of following wrestling closely dissipated alongside many independent territories as they became nothing more than memories.

In 1989, Leen co-authored his first book, "Kings of Cocaine: An Astonishing True Story of Murder, Money and Corruption," with Guy Gugliotta. The book, based off a series of investigative articles the duo completed for the Miami Herald, exposed the inner workings of a Columbian drug cartel.

After completing “Kings,” Leen desired to pursue a second book, and memories of Burke’s rise through the wrestling ranks often resonated in his mind. But it wasn’t until 10 years later that he would seriously begin pondering the possibility, and five years after that before he’d begin the research phase of the project.

Using his nights, weekends and time off from the Washington Post, Leen launched his own personal investigation into the life and legacy of Mildred Burke, who had died on Valentine’s Day 1989.

Leen’s quest for information led him across the country to locales extending from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana to courthouses in Columbus, Ohio, and Kansas City, Mo., to the Library of Congress and National Archives in Washington, D.C.

At Notre Dame, he spent a week researching and analyzing a 100-cubic-feet collection of materials that once belonged to famed wrestling promoter Jack Pfefer.

He also scanned newspaper and magazine clippings at the Library of Congress and tracked a lawsuit filed against the National Wrestling Alliance by the U.S. Department of Justice through the National Archives.

Missing pieces of the puzzle of Burke’s life tale were added when her son granted Leen permission to use her unpublished biographical manuscript.

“They thought it was a good story to begin with,” Leen said of the publishers to whom he pitched his idea. “All of it combined to make it something they wanted to do.”

Creating a legacy

“She had to do it in one of the toughest businesses there was.”

Hailing from Leen’s native St. Louis, Lou Thesz dominated the national professional wrestling scene in the early- to mid-20th Century, laying claim the National Wrestling Alliance championship for a combined length extending beyond 10 years, an unprecedented feat of the time.

But as much as Thesz meant to men’s professional wrestling, Burke meant the same (if not more) to the other gender’s side of the sport.

Under Burke’s reign, which included being recognized as the world’s women’s wrestling champion from 1936 to 1956, women often stole newspaper and magazine headlines from their male counterparts.

A Feb. 21, 1989, Los Angeles Times article regarding Burke’s death reads, “She claimed to have won 150 matches against men and more than 5,000 against women without losing. But, of course, in professional wrestling the outcome isn’t always decided on the mat.”

Several critics wouldn’t hesitate climbing on board with like-minded criticism, as a stigma of planned competition and predetermined outcomes continues to cloud the sports entertainment atmosphere today.

But Leen argues Burke, standing at 5 feet, 2 inches and weighing 132 pounds at her best physique, faced unprecedented challenges and struggles both inside and out of the wrestling ring.

“She broke the barrier. Before her, there wasn’t an established attraction in arenas for women’s wrestling,” he said. “She worked tremendously hard to create herself, to build her body, to create this glamorous look in the ring… Nobody gave that to her.”

In the “golden days” of wrestling, women were also held to the same, higher standards as men, which meant Burke and the women she fought against and alongside needed to be the best possible technical wrestlers.

For the champion, an added sense of alertness and preparedness also had to exist in the event an opponent (or even an ally) may attempt a double-crossing maneuver and legitimately steal the title.

In 1947, an Associated Press poll named Burke the No. 6 female athlete in the world, an unprecedented level of recognition for any wrestler, man or woman.

But, in those days, and especially in wrestling, talent alone wasn’t enough to create a star.

Burke married promoter Billy Wolfe, nearly 20 years her elder, to position herself better in the ranks of the wrestling world.

Wolfe openly cheated on Burke, reportedly sleeping with nearly every woman he managed and promoted, but Burke accepted the fact and become involved in a side relationship of her own, with her stepson, Wolfe’s child from a previous marriage.

“He had a lot of good ideas, and he was an important part of the success of this,” Leen said of Wolfe, who organized the first mud wrestling match in modern history.

In a 1951 automobile accident, Burke broke five vertebrae and suffered several internal injuries, and many viewed the tragic accident as the end of a career. But, defiant against the odds, Burke returned to the ring only four months later.

By this time, a battle brewing between Burke and Wolfe had reached its boiling point, which serves as the climax of Leen’s book, when Wolfe wanted to replace Burke with the beauty Nell Stewart. Burke refused and a physical fight between her and Wolfe erupted.

The result of this altercation was the booking of a “shooting match,” or a legitimate wrestling contest without the choreography and theatrics of a planned match, between Burke and one of Wolfe’s other performers, June Byers.

“This was actually for the title and for control of the business,” Leen said.

“Ultimately it’s about what price you’re willing to pay for respect, and in the end, she paid the price.”

No comparisons

“I was surprised at how rich and interesting the history of professional wrestling is in America.”

Through his research, Leen learned more about wrestling than could fit in one book, but his goal was to ensure “Queen” was more than a story about professional wrestling.

It’s a story about a woman fighting for power, equality and survival in one of the toughest businesses in the country, during some of the toughest times in America’s past, from the Great Depression to World War II, when the business floundered as men fought overseas rather than at home on a four-sided canvas mat.

“This is really a Midwestern book about Midwestern people,” Leen said. “I’m not even sure if people on the East Coast will get the same out of it as us Midwesterners.”

Leen follows Burke’s story through her death in 1989, but he recognizes the storied tale of women in wrestling continues. In the afterward of his book, he examines the issues of more modern professional and amateur wrestling.

Five thousand females currently wrestle on their high school teams, and in 2006, Michaela Hutchison of Alaska became the first female to win a state wrestling championship.

“They’re proving girls can wrestle if they train,” Leen said.

As for the women in today’s professional wrestling scene, he only had one sentence to say: “There’s a few of them who are talented, but none of them are Mildred Burke.”

“The Queen of the Ring: Sex, Muscles, Diamonds, and the Making of an American Legend” is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers where books are normally sold. Listing price for the book is $25.

TNA is Cleaning House: Could the Latest Shake-Ups Improve Its Product?

Adam Testa — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:45:37 -0400

Rumors always run rampant through the Internet wrestling community, and fans have not been at a loss for discussion topics since reports broke that TNA founder Jeff Jarrett was allegedly shacking up with Karen Angle.

At first, no one knew what to think or—in the spirit of TNA's willingness to exploit such emotional topics as the death of Jarrett's wife—what to believe.

Was this all part of a big storyline leading to yet another feud between Jarrett and Karen's ex-husband, Olympic gold medalist and current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle.

Or was this a situation of reality being stranger than fiction? After all, TNA had only months ago finished a storyline in which A.J. Styles was having an affair with Karen, at the time still married to Kurt.

The truth of the matter remains to be seen, as neither Jarrett nor Karen Angle have come out publicly to address the issue.

But within the confines of TNA headquarters, changes are being made that seem to add a sense of validity to the claims and allegations being tossed around.

According to reports on various pro wrestling news sites, those TNA employees with close ties to Jarrett are being removed from their positions and Angle, whose contract is set to expire this fall, is demanding more of a role in the backstage dealings of the televised product.

Creative team member Dutch Mantel, who has been with TNA since its beginnings in 2002, and agent Savio Vega, both close friends of Jarrett, have been released from the company.

Reports also speculate that other close friends of Jarrett—including B.G. James, referee Slick Johnson and even Jim Cornette—are also worried about the stability of their roles in the company.

James, who wrestled in the WWE as Jesse James of D-X fame, left his role as an active wrestler earlier this year to focus on backstage efforts. Johnson continues to serve as a referee, and Cornette has been oddly absent from television for quite a while.

Rumors have also surfaced there may be some changes to the commentary table coming soon. Don West and Mike Tenay have been with the company since its foundation.

Right now, everyone seems focused on trying to figure out what exactly is going on, which is most definitely an important step in forming a legitimate game plan, but it also never hurts to look forward to the future.

The question many seem to be overlooking at present is what impact these changes may have on the overall product in TNA.

One doesn't have to look far to find someone with an opinion that the company has grown stale and lame or that it has sunk deep to the depths of the sea of professional wrestling, floating only slightly above the lost-forever World Championship Wrestling.

A change of scenery might not be all that bad in TNA right now.

As stated before, many of the people who are believed to be affected by these changes have been with the company since its beginning. While this gives them an unrivaled sense of familiarity with the product, it also creates a perceived sense of burnout.

Could it possibly be that these guys have gotten burned out or run out of their own ideas? Could they be reaching into a bag of magic tricks only to find out fellow creative team member Vince Russo replaced all their cards with options from his playbook?

New faces will hopefully mean new ideas and a new direction for TNA. The creative team has needed to be shaken up for a while, and a full-fledged replacement of nearly the whole team could be the solution.

If it takes new writers six months to really get into the swing of things before they begin to turn things around, that's still a better option for the fans than experiencing six months of the same drivel that's falling off Ted Turner's dinner table onto the board room table in Nashville.

As for Angle, as long as he doesn't develop a self-serving mindset, it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring him into the creative process. He's no stranger to the business and likely has several ideas that could help elevate TNA to the next level.

No one would want to see Angle consistently winning the world title or holding every title in TNA (again), but if he's willing to truly help build and put over the stars of tomorrow like James Storm, Robert Roode, and Matt Morgan, let him have a shot.

All Jarrett's stroke has given us has been continuous pushes of men past their primes capturing gold they have no business holding, while simulataneously destroying the credibility of his own homegrown stars.

In regard to the announce team, again, one would be hard pressed to find anyone opposed to change.

Don West has become a thorn in many people's sides, and TNA currently has at least three guys who could play the role of color commentator much better and more proficiently.

TNA should adopt a three-man announce team, comprised of any combination of Mike Tenay, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, and Taz. Tenay should stay involved, as he is quite proficient as a play-by-play announcer, and any of the others would fit in nicely.

Two of the others could even be used as heel and face commentators, while Tenay remained neutral, focusing on the in-ring action rather than the storyline antics.

In conclusion, it's always unfortunate to see anyone lose their job. But men with the resumes and stature of Mantel and Vega should easily be able to find work somewhere.

But these changes may end up being for the best in terms of producing a creative, fresh product for both the wrestlers and the fans to enjoy.

Here's to hoping things begin to turn around in TNA. It would be nice to do it without any more job loss, but in order for that to happen, each employee in the company needs to be prepared to step it up, give 100 percent, and prove their worthy to be employed there.

Source for rumors and reports: tnawrestlingnews.com

A Night at the Indies: Featuring Kevin Thorn and Kip James

Adam Testa — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:19:22 -0400

There's something inherently special about a local, independent wrestling show.

Sure, the glamour of the lights, pyro and superb sound systems are missing, but the atmosphere of the show more than shines through.

Last night, I attended my second indy show, also my fourth live wrestling experience. The show was also my first sponsored by All-American Pro Wrestling, a local promotion I've had my eye on for a while.

I can't even remember the name of the promotion that sponsored the other indy show I attended about three years ago, and my other live experiences were a WWE Raw house about five years ago and TNA's Bound for Glory IV last October.

While last night's show cannot compare to BFG, I almost have to give it an edge compared to my WWE house show experience.

Standing about four feet from the ring, surrounded by adorable youth falling right into the professional wrestling scheme, excitement abounded, despite the fact I only really know two wrestlers on the card, main eventers Kevin Thorn and TNA's Kip James.

I was joined by my friend Dylan and his two sons, Holden and Jonas, ages six and four. The kids had never seen wrestling, not even on television, but they were captivated by the events unfolding before their eyes.

Going against my wrestling norm, we all joined the rest of the crowd in cheering the faces and jaunting the heels.

During the main event, a young boy standing next to me in the crowd kept asking me what Kevin Thorn's name was so that he could keep yelling eight-year-old insults at him. It was hard not to be entertained by the crowd's youth who bought right into supporting the hero and antagonizing the villain.

Will any of the men we watched square off in the ring, with the exception of Thorn and James, ever step into a ring against Randy Orton, Kurt Angle, A.J. Styles or John Cena? Probably not.

But can you question the amount of heart and soul those same competitors showed for the business, the fans and the sport? Absolutely not.

Though they were only performing for a crowd of a couple hundred on the concourse of a minor league baseball stadium (it was Pro Wrestling Night at the Southern Illinois Miners game), each man who entered the squared circle gave all he had to entertain those in attendance.

And entertain they did.

Here's a run down of what happened during the show, with some commentary on interesting aspects of the wrestlers, their gimmicks, the crowd and the matches themselves.

Curly d. "Homicidal" Steven Davis

Davis, a heel, entered the ring to a loud chorus of boos, actually a surprising amount given the size of the audience and the nature of the promotion. This was the first sign I got of how dedicated and supportive the AAPW fans can be.

Curly, a man with 86 Three Stooges tattoos on his body, played the role of the babyface extremely well. He's apparently one of the promotion's newest faces, and it seems he could have a bright future with the company, as more fans were rocking Curly T-shirts than those supporting nationally known wrestlers.

Curly's gimmick is as simple as it is obvious. He plays a Three Stooges character, taunting his opponent in the ring with goofy moves and a light-hearted approach. He even uses the illegal eye poke as a move.

While his gimmick may seem as silly and pointless as Nick Dinsmore's Eugene persona, I can attest it's a much more enjoyable character to see in the ring.

The referee of this match, who also reffed some of the other matches, received a massive amount of heel heat, and I could not figure out why.

He didn't display any heel characteristics, and he didn't really help out the heels in their matches.

But then, I thought about it more, and I realized they announced him as being a former TNA official, and it all made sense.

NWA Central States Champion Mark Sterling d. "Dynamo" Evan Gelistico

Dynamo, one of AAPW's resident high flyers, put up a fight against Sterling, who was originally scheduled to face 450-lb. Mississippi Madman, who bears a resemble to men like Mark Henry and Viscera.

Fans were really behind Gelistico, who kept his high flying routine to a limited move-set, given the relatively small ring and the close proximity of the crowd on the outside.

A pretty entertaining match ends when Sterling trips Gelistico up on the top rope, causing a between-the-legs drop onto the turnbuckle followed up with a Death Valley Driver for the pin.

Old School Thunder d. Rage to Retain the AAPW Tag Team Championship

Outside of the main event, this was my personal favorite match of the night.

Old School Thunder, comprised of Ax Allwardt and "Thunderbolt" Brandon Walker with manager Gaylord Stevens, took on the team of Rage, who came out in Southern Illinois Miners baseball jerseys with their faces painted black and white.

One of the men in Rage was Mike Masters, whose mug I recall seeing on many AAPW posters in the past, but I'm not sure of his teammate or manager's names.

Rage put up a fight, and had the titles won on several occasions but the ref was distracted by the heel champions.

The match ended when Stevens put a chair in the ring and Allwardt used it on Masters behind the ref's back. I saw the chair after the match and can guarantee it was not a prop chair, and judging from the cracking noise coming off Masters' head, that shot had to hurt.

Anyone that wants to say pro wrestling is all fake can contact Masters here and ask him for yourself how that chair shot felt.

After the match, Rage's manager challenged Old School Thunder to a rematch in September in which the titles will be defended under Horsemen rules: any two members of Rage against any two members of Old School Thunder.

This match and the hype for the upcoming rematch alone was enough to motivate me to go to the Herrin show on Sept. 12.

Edmund "Livewire" McGuire d. Carnage

This was a pretty straightforward match, but the crowd was really behind hometown hero Livewire.

One thing I could have done without was the introduction of Carnage, a masked wrestler, being from "Parts Unknown."

That gimmick is totally overplayed, especially being that it would also be used 10 minutes later to introduce Thorn, a character where it's more appropriate.

Guys like Thorn, Kane and the Undertaker have long-established gimmicks and fancier wardrobes that fit the bill. Carnage wore a silk mask or something over his face and did not have the vibe of being a mysterious beast from beyond this realm.

The end of the match came when Livewire tried to unmask Carnage, who got distracted trying to fix his mask. This allowed Livewire to get some quick offense and a school boy pin for the victory.

Main Event: Kip James d. Kevin Thorn

It was this match that drew my desire to attend the show, and I'm glad it did.

The rest of the show was great and gave me a new outlet of local professional wrestling to seriously consider following, and this match gave the audience what they came to see.

Thorn came to the ring first, portraying his heel persona. He cut a heel promo bashing the people of Southern Illinois and said "just like the Grizzlies would do to the Miners," he was going to destroy Kip James.

The crowd really got into booing Thorn, and it was highly interesting to hear the 80-year-old man in front of me throwing out homosexual references and other slurs at Thorn. Guess you can never be too old for the pro wrestling spirit.

After Thorn ended his promo, everyone awaited the arrival of Kip James. I tried to start a "T-N-A" chant, but all I seemed to get were weird looks and moms laughing at me. Damn moms.

I was curious what entrance music James would use: if it would be the Beautiful People entrance, the VKM entrance or something else altogether.

What I got was: "Are you ready? You think you can tell us what to do? You think you can tell us what to wear? You think you're better? While you'd better get ready..."

I was kind of surprised at first and then became even more shocked and curious when they introduced him not as Kip James but as Billy Gunn, the character he played in his WWE days.

Can he use that persona? Is it copyrighted by WWE? Does Dixie Carter know?

Of course, Billy Gunn was part of one of the most over stables in history while Kip James has been the Beautiful People's fashionista and lost a match with Awesome Kong...who can blame him?

Anyway, the match started as a comedy routine with James mocking Thorn. At one point, someone even said, "This is a wrestling match," and James replied, "Really? I thought it was a comedy act."

Anyway, they lock it up a little and James got in a great clock on Thorn's face sending him out of the ring. Thorn retreats to the back, saying he's giving up after only taking one hit.

As James and the ref begin the count-out, Thorn re-emerged in a catcher's mask and pads. I really liked the way they incorporated baseball into the whole show since it was, you know, at a baseball game.

This guy in the crowd yelled, "We always knew you were a catcher," and not even Thorn could resist smiling in response. It was possibly the line of the night from the crowd.

Anyway, the two put on a really good match, which came to a finishing sequence that saw James tune up and hit Sweet Chin Music on Thorn, who responded by giving James a Pedigree.

In the end, James hit Thorn with a Fame-Ass-Er for the victory. He then headed to the back, leaving Thorn in the ring.

Thorn got up, still acting dazed and cut a face promo to send the fans home happy. He got on the mic and said, "Just like the Grizzlies are going to, I just got my butt kicked."

He then called James back out, and they attempted to do the D-X entrance theme, you know the, "For the thousands in attendance and the millions watching at home on TV..."

Thorn blew it, which James called him out on, and they shared some laughs in the ring. James then led the audience in a chant of, "If you're not down with that, I've got two words for ya..."

With a loud chant of "Suck It!" and crossed arms in the air, the show came to an end. Both men stayed around taking photos and signing autographs for the crowd.

Coming out of that match, I made two observations: James needs to be completely repackaged with a babyface gimmick and put back on TV, and someone, anyone with a television program, needs to sign Thorn to a deal. That man is beast.

Well, with that, the story of my indy wrestling experience comes to a close. In the end, it started downpouring and the baseball game got delayed. My friend, his kids and I left before the first pitch, but we still have no regrets in going.

I spent $16 to have a good time, see quality wrestling and introduce two new youngsters to the world of sports entertainment. It was $16 well spent, even without the baseball.

I'd like to take this opportunity to send a special thank you and a shout-out to the staff and owners of All-American Pro Wrestling for a remarkable experience. Here's hoping I'll see in you September when Rage will hopefully capture the tag titles and "Serial Thriller" Shane Rich attempts to regain the AAPW Heavyweight title from Shawn Schultz.

For anyone reading this article, I hope this inspires you to explore the world of wrestling outside the WWE, TNA and ROH, and to share your experiences with us. There's a wide world of wrestling out there, and we'd all love to learn more about your local promotions.

Photo Credit: The photo on this story is Dynamo Evan Gelistico and Mark Sterling. It was taken by a friend and co-worker, Alan Rogers of The Southern Illinoisan newspaper.

Misfiring Machine Guns: TNA's Most Wasted Tag Team

Adam Testa — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:33:17 -0400

On Thursday night's 200th episode of TNA Impact, the Motor City Machine Guns were featured in a brief segment that many may have missed.

At one point during a six-Knockout tag team match featuring ODB, Tara and Awesome Kong against Angelina Love, Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne, the cameras cut to Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin standing the crowd.

Sabin and Shelley were holding signs that said "Conspiracy Victims" and "Yes, We Still Work Here."

It's the latter that caught my attention more because after watching recent TNA shows, I had begun to wonder what had happened to my boys from Detroit.

Since I began watching TNA in 2007, the Motor City Machine Guns have been one of my favorite tag teams in modern professional wrestling.

The only professional wrestling T-shirt I've ever bought is the Guns shirt I donned at Bound for Glory IV, as I cheered on Sabin and Shelley in a steel asylum match; the same shirt I'm preparing to put on to attend an indy show.

From the beginning, I saw potential in the Guns. They had skills, athleticism and the ability to keep me entertained. The last item there is something that I'd noticed had been missing from most tag team wrestling lately.

I watched and waited for the Guns to capture TNA tag team gold. The sad truth of the matter is that I'm still waiting.

Rumors of backstage attitudes and problems with management abounded. This appeared to be the reason the Guns weren't being pushed.

Around the launch of the Main Event Mafia storyline, the Guns seemed to be better positioned. They began a slow heel turn and began to disrespect the TNA Originals and new Executive Shareholder Mick Foley.

It was clear the Guns wouldn't become part of the Mafia, but they had potential to become a successful by-product of the stable's creation.

What happened in the end?

Sabin and Shelley never even really had a full-blown heel turn and Shelley wound up wearing a turkey suit on Thanksgiving.

In January, they won the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championships from the team of Naito and Yujiro, who came to TNA as Team No Limit.

It seemed like a long-term program could be developing between the two teams, a program that could have unfolded on both American and Japanese soil.

Instead, the program lasted all of about a month and had the Latin American Xchange thrown in as well.

After that, the Guns continued to float around TNA, joining singles competition. Shelley would capture the X Division title, which he would later lose to Suicide at Destination X.

That would lead to yet another program with potential for the Guns, one in which they joined Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed (who were in a very weird semi-heel turn at the moment) in attempting to unmask Suicide.

It seems TNA's creative team eventually just gave up on this storyline and had Suicide drop the title to LAX's Homicide instead.

Maybe the creative team realized in the end they would have to tell fans that Kaz is the man under Suicide's mask, which would create yet another mammoth-sized plot hole in TNA's booking.

One would think with all these plot holes running rampant in TNA, someone would have struck oil by now...

But, anyway, the Guns continued to be absent until their little appearance this Thursday night, one some bloggers are already calling a recycling of a Chris Jericho WCW angle... Yes, that's exactly what TNA needs: more comparisons to WCW.

I, for one, hope to see this develop into something more. People may be quickly judging what this appearance means, and I admit, maybe I'm jumping the gun (no pun intended) on thinking it will be part of a bigger story angle.

The question becomes where will it lead? Will it lead to the return of babyface Shelley and Sabin, where they draw the pity of the fans? Or will it lead to a push the team has long deserved as full-fledged heels joining in the parade of superstars going against TNA management?

TNA dropped the ball by not creating a Beer Money vs. Machine Guns feud, so one can only hope that may be in the cards for the future.

Allow Beer Money to recapture the gold from the Main Event Mafia and then have the Guns attack them, setting up a long-term program ending with Sabin and Shelley sharing gold.

Both men have proven their ability to be solo champions; now just let them shine together.

The Guns have worked hard, stepped up their games and won over fans, such as myself. Now TNA, I stand before you and beg to give them more than a turkey suit for their troubles.

TNA has a reputation as being the superior brand of tag team wrestling, and if company officials want to maintain that reputation, the Guns offer a surefire (pun intended this time) means of making it happen.

Here's to hoping we'll see gold on the Guns before the end of 2009. It's what we want; it's what they deserve.

TNA True Impact: Newest Stable Not What The Doctor Ordered

Adam Testa — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:59:47 -0400

Three stables, but only one to call their own

Stables have always been an enjoyable part of professional wrestling.

WCW had classics like the nWo and the Four Horsemen. WWE has had more recent successes such as Evolution and DX. Then there's TNA.

Through the past seven years, TNA has had its fair share of stables as well.

Some, like Team Canada and the Angle Alliance/Christian Coalition, served their storyline purposes and accomplished their goal.

Others, well, not so much.

For the past several months, the Main Event Mafia, consisting of Kurt Angle, Sting, Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, and Booker T, has been a thorn in not only the sides of TNA management but also TNA fans.

But that's a story for another day. Tonight, it's the time to discuss the other stables of TNA, including one that developed more tonight.

Add these two stables to the Mafia, and it seems like things could be shaping up for TNA's superstars.

Of course, doing that math would be like adding two plus two and getting five as an answer.

Let's start with the British Invasion, the best of TNA's three stables in terms of this article's criteria.

At the core of the group is Brutus Magnus, a former Gladiators competitor from the U.K. that TNA President Dixie Carer remains hellbent on pushing to the top.

Magnus has been tagging with fellow Brit Doug Williams, as they've engaged in a feud with multiple tag teams including LAX, Beer Money and Team 3D.

They're supported by big man Rob Terry, and they even have "business associates" in Sheik Abdul Bashir and Kiyoshi. This is what can be considered a decent stable.

At the very least, it promotes a number of wrestlers who have made names for themselves in America as members of the TNA roster (or who are in the process of doing so).

Now, let's look at the other stable developing in TNA: Dr. Stevie and his patients.

This stable is nowhere near the level of the Main Event Mafia, but in reality, it's Mafia Lite.

Kurt Angle: WWE superstar
Kevin Nash: WWE/WCW Superstar
Scott Steiner: WWE/WCW Superstar
Sting: WCW Superstar
Booker T: WCW/WWE Superstar

Compare that to the following:
Dr. Stevie Richards: ECW/WWE Superstar
Daffney: WCW Superstar
Raven: WWE/WCW/ECW Superstar

Why does it seem that TNA refuses to push its own homegrown superstars?

Why aren't guys like Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed and others being put into stables? Heck, why can't Sabin and Shelley even get a shot with the tag team titles?

The entire purpose of a legitimate stable is to create new stars, but it seems that TNA remains more concerned about shoving stars built in other companies down our throats in these factions.

Sure, Stevie and crew are going to be feuding with Abyss, but given the way that character has been treated recently, Abyss will almost assuredly lose the war and become buried further in the grave that the TNA originals' pushes seem to be becoming.

And a large part of this feud is based around Abyss' relationship with Lauren Brooke, the backstage interviewer.

You see, a good female aspect needs to be added to this feud for Daffney's involvement to remain relevant. But Lauren? Seriously?

Yes, Taylor Wilde is a part of it, too, but did you see her blind date segment? She came off as more of a stereotypical sorority girl than the ones that call themselves Mi Pi Sexy.

Raven should be embarrassed he returned to TNA under these circumstances. Yes, it's a return to the "big leagues" for the former NWA/TNA World Heavyweight Champion, but with a role like this one, he's got a vast amount of potential to be released within the next few months.

The Dr. Stevie gimmick has not gotten over with the crowd, and it's not really worth it to keep shoving it down fans throats. They get enough of the washed up stars from other companies in the main event each week.

TNA, please do us, the fans, a favor and end this stable before it ever really begins.

Get rid of Richards. Use Raven to put over some young guys. Allow Daffney a chance in the Knockouts title scene. Let Abyss go back to being a heartless monster with potential. Leave Lauren backstage. Find something new for Wilde.

Those are the doctor's orders, and it's a prescription that would be okay for TNA to overdose on.

How Professional Wrestling Fulfills the Desires of a Man's Heart

Adam Testa — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:12:53 -0400

Defending one's passion for professional wrestling is never an easy task.

Those who don't understand the value of sports entertainment question why men—from young boys to middle-aged business professionals and beyond, enjoy the weekly antics of World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling or the allure of a local independent show.

Wrestling's fake, they'll argue. It's a bunch of half-naked men grabbing one another, they'll cry out in defense of their own homophobic vibes.

It's just dumb, they'll retort if they have no better answer.

And, as fans of all ages and backgrounds, we all have our own defenses.

Sure it's predetermined, but look at the athleticism. Even if you don't like the story lines, you've got to respect what these superstars put their bodies through. I used to watch it with my dad and it reminds me of him. It's just entertaining.

All logical answers.

But also all overplayed.

The real answer to why we enjoy professional wrestling the way we do may be found at a much deeper level. A passion for this brand of sports entertainment may be embedded deep in our hearts as men.

Let it be noted that the following discussion will pertain primarily to male wrestling fans. Women readers should not be discouraged; this may help you understand those around you who enjoy wrestling, possibly those who brought you on board.

And in the end, you can find yourself as part of this too, but we'll reach that part of our journey soon enough.

In his book "Wild at Heart," well-respected Christian author John Eldridge states the case that when God made Adam, he instilled three core desires into his heart and those desires have been passed down through countless generations.

Deep within each man's heart lives these three primary desires:

1. To have a battle to fight

2. An adventure to live

3. A beauty to rescue

Through the millenia and countless cultural shifts, man has lost much of the focus on these desires and they often remain dormant through his entire life.

Society has presented man with a different societal norm; one that requires men to be calm, passionate, nice and in many ways, feminine as Eldridge contends.

In "Wild at Heart," Eldridge uses many examples of young boys and men living out these desires: a 6-year-old boy decked out in cowboy attire with his toy pistols at his side; an elder Southern gentleman recounting his story of nearly being swept away in a tidal wide at sea and the history of great explorers, willing to take the chances and fight the beliefs of the time a la Magellan and Christopher Columbus.

But, in many ways, the three desires Eldridge believes live in all of us can be brought to life; at least vicariously, through our passion for professional wrestling.

Think back to your individual childhoods or even the teen-age years, when you first discovered the glory of professional wrestling.

Yes, at the time many of us were much less exposed to the inner workings of sports entertainment and allowed ourselves to be swept up in the excitement.

The memories of my early passion for wrestling don't go back very far.

Unfortunately, as a side effect of that passion, I've taken one too many shots to the head with heavy objects like text books and even brick walls to remember those early days.

But talk about having an adventure to live. Being on the giving or receiving end of a Rock Bottom on a trampoline or emulating a hardcore match with impromptu items in the living room.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Even when fans, especially younger ones, aren't physically living out the adventure themselves, they're doing it vicariously through the superstars they see on television.

And that's where the battle to fight ties in as well.

If wrestling companies have done one thing right through the years, it's provide fans with a hero to cheer for, a hero to support, a hero to envision fighting alongside.

Now, the type of heroes children admire has changed as wrestling has progressed but that passion to be a superstar has never diminished.

Whether it was children who wanted to be Stone Cold Steve Austin— likely much to their parents' chagrin or those who want to be John Cena; everyone wanted to be someone in that ring.

And then, there's the final desire: a beauty to rescue.

How many times have wrestling story lines dealt with winning the heart of a lovely woman or rescuing her from some kind of danger?

These storylines have been a staple of professional wrestling for years, but has anyone stopped to wonder why?

Through time, wrestling officials have realized the connections that fans have with these types of stories and as Eldridge points out, are those desires live in the hearts of all men.

Sure, in modern times women of wrestling have been somewhat downgraded into being used to elicit sexual impulses from male audiences; but while this may be true, women would still play a prominent role in men's fandom if they weren't used as purely scantily clad eye candy.

And while on the topic of women, let's discuss their roles in this whole scenario.

In "Wild at Heart," Eldridge addresses the perspective of women by saying they have at least two natural, supplemental desires built into their hearts: to be a part of the adventure and to be the beauty.

I can't speak for all the female wrestling fans out there, but for many, I believe these desires are either consciously or subconsciously at work in their passion for sports entertainment.

Females often want to "hang with the guys," especially at certain phases in their development cycles and what better way to integrate oneself than undergo a complete immersion into one of their most passionate hobbies?

And as mentioned above, the women of wrestling are often being fought over.

What makes a woman feel more special than having multiple adorers challenging for her affection?

Think of the somewhat recent TNA storyline involving Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and So Cal Val where Lethal and Val developed a relationship and she became the happiest woman on Earth.

Then, at the wedding, a second man, Dutt, announced his feelings for her, too. In the following weeks, Val watched as two men did battle for her affection, making her both the beauty being fought for and a part of the adventure.

Yes, this storyline is scripted but the same principles apply in real life.

Not to claim that most engagements and marriages end badly, but look at the high divorce rates in America.

Obviously the women were not feeling part of the adventure and like the beauty with their original spouse.

So now, here we come to the conclusion.

Many readers may disagree with these theories, but if you're one of them, do yourself a favor and stop and think about it for a while.

Let the thoughts of your wrestling roots mull around your mind for days.

If you still disagree, to each his own, but maybe you will realize the three desires living in your own heart and find other ways to capitalize on them outside of wrestling.

But whenever a man's feeling that pit in his heart and stomach growing in desperation, he knows he can always turn to the world of sports entertainment to find his battle to fight, his adventure to live, and his beauty to rescue.

TNA True Impact No. 6: A Guide to Improving The 'Main Event Scene'

Adam Testa — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:51:42 -0400

There's a simple solution to improving the main event scene in TNA: Eliminate it.

The seven-year-old company used to pride itself on being an alternative to the WWE. In recent months, much of that focus seems to have been lost.

Tuning into Impact! each week seems like watching another two hours of typical pro wrestling programming. Sure, when you look closer you see a highly superior tag team division and a more wrestling-oriented women's division.

But, as a whole, there's not much difference about the day-in and day-out appearances of the two rival companies. But it wasn't always that way.

There was a time when TNA focused on its X-Division, which blew even the best of cruiserweight divisions out of the water. The company was built around these stars, and it truly offered wrestling fans an alternative.

A feud between A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels easily found its way into the pages of TNA, and arguably pro wrestling, history. These match-ups offered some of the finest moments in TNA's relatively short tenure.

Then the company found itself in a position to begin making major acquisitions from rival companies. Superstars like Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Scott Steiner, Sting, Booker T, Rhino, the Dudley Boys, Christian and many others found their way to TNA.

These men brought with them name value, face recognition and the ability to draw new fans to the company. It seemed only logical to thrust them to the top, to push them into the main event scene and have them surrounding the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

But, as the months continued to pass, these men remained at the top, passing around the world title between them. Sure, Samoa Joe had the belt for a few months, but for a long time it's been in the hands of Angle, Sting and now Mick Foley.

Critics and fans alike have asked when these veterans will pass the torch to the younger stars, and many fully believe the failure will be the eventually downfall of TNA Wrestling, ala World Championship Wrestling.

But here's a new view point, a perspective where these stars can remain in the World Heavyweight title hunt without bringing an entire company down around themselves.

Eliminating perceptions

Wrestling fans everywhere refer to the elusive "Main Event Scene."

Whether talking about how the Main Event Mafia has ruined TNA's "main event scene" or how Triple H and Batista need to drop out of the WWE "main event scene," the phrase is out there.

But what really defines a "main event scene?" Is it the group of wrestlers competing for their respective company's world titles? That appears to be the case.

In reality, the "main event scene" is merely a perception. It's the stained glass window through which fans view sports entertainment.

If TNA truly desires to differentiate itself from WWE, it needs to change the perception of what a "main event scene" is really about.

With outstanding athletes in the X, Knockout and Tag Team divisions, why not allow these performers a chance to shine in the company spotlight?

Making an Impact

Why does every episode of Impact feel the need to end with a match or segment promoting the top championship feud in the company?

Lately, it's been all about the Main Event Mafia, Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley. Even though Nash, Steiner and Booker T aren't in the title feud, they're all around it.

This week, we saw video of Foley assaulting Jeff Jarrett. The week before, the Main Event Mafia beat Jarrett, Foley, Samoa Joe and Daniels. The week before, Joe and Styles lost to Nash and Booker, Before that, it was Jarrett losing to Steiner.

Notice a trend?

The Impact main event should be a chance to showcase all the elements of the company that make TNA great. Not every show needs to focus around the top storyline in the company.

Why not allow an episode of Impact to focus around a tournament for the X-Division Championship?

Have four matches that showcase that division, and make one of them the main event for the evening. Make it a match featuring the likes of Jay Lethal, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Christopher Daniels, Eric Young—guys with talent who aren't ready for a world title reign.

Just because they're not ready to hold world title gold doesn't mean they're not ready to main event a weekly television program.

Have matches featuring the tag team division headline another episode of Impact. Heck, I'd even go as far as to say I've seen women's matches that could headline a show. Kong vs. Kim produced some Impact main event worthy matches, for sure.

And don't let it end there. Allow other matches to take the top spot at pay-per-views and have the World Heavyweight Title take a backseat for once.

Allow a high-quality X-Division match to headline Destination X. Allow the blow-off of a blood feud between two top tag teams to headline another.

Fresh faces

In addition to mixing up the perceived "main event scene," this will also allow some fresh faces to enter the World Heavyweight title race, something fans and critics have practically been begging to see.

If you have a stellar main event lined up, the world title match can be used as a secondary headliner and allow guys stuck in the traditional midcard to step up and compete on the ground.

Let Team 3D and Beer Money settle it all in a tables match at Hard Justice, while Mick Foley defends against Eric Young in a world title match. If it was Lockdown, Slammiversary or Bound for Glory, I wouldn't expect to see Young challenging for gold, but who knows if he can handle it if he's never given a chance.

The veterans need to work more with the young guys than with each other. That's how the future stars of the company will be built, but a simple structural reorganization could help preserve the company in the short term.

Not every show needs to end with a top belt storyline. These angles need a presence on every show, but it doesn't need to be the dominant factor.

In closing

TNA needs to go back to its roots and promote what it does best - offer an alternative to continuously seeing Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton and other big guys brawl in the ring.

There's more to wrestling that watching the big mean brawl in one-on-one matches, and that's where TNA can capitalize.

The company has all the assets it needs to survive; it just needs to utilize them better.

Here's to hoping once the Main Event Mafia angle goes away the company will reorganize itself and refocus on providing an alternative for fans everywhere. Big names are one way to draw in new fans, but so is outstanding wrestling, and that's something TNA can truly provide if they choose.

TNA Knockouts Korner No. 5: Do We Need a Knockouts Monster's Ball?

Adam Testa — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:07:49 -0400

The women of TNA's Knockouts Division have proven they're willing to go all out to entertain the fans.

We've seen women fighting in a cage, competing in ladder matches, and taking it extreme with a variety of weapons in hardcore matches.

These women have shown audiences everywhere they're about more than dance-offs and bra and panties matches, and now, TNA is stepping up to the plate again.

At this month's Sacrifice pay-per-view, the women of the Knockouts Division will participate in their first Monster's Ball match.

The question has become: Is it necessary, or beneficial, for women to put themselves through these matches?

Monster's Ball

When the Monster's Ball matches started, it was under the premise that all the participants, usually four of them, were locked away for 24 hours prior to the match with no food or human interaction.

This was supposed to unleash the monster inside of the men and lead them to become brutal savages.

Then, that gimmick kind of wore off, and Monster's Ball became one big hardcore brawl.

Last year, at Bound for Glory, TNA decided to turn the annual Monster's Ball into a tag team battle, pitting Team 3D vs. Matt Morgan and Abyss vs. Beer Money, Inc vs. LAX.

Many fans questioned the decision of making it a tag team match, but being there live in person in Chicago, I can testify for the amazingness that was that match.

Without drifting too far back to one of the greatest nights of my life, it was me and the guy next to me who started the "Flaming Tables" chant in between chants of "We Want Tables."

Anyway, the match transitioned well to tag teams, but will it be able to do the same with the women?

The set-up

This match has basically been started because of a brewing feud between Daffney, apparently trying to establish herself as a psychotic heel, and Taylor Wilde.

On Impact Thursday night, Wilde was supposed to meet a "blind date" for dinner, but it ended up being Daffney, who attacked Wilde in the restaurant and challenged her to Monster's Ball.

If the match will continue in the spirit of Monster's Balls past, there will be two other competitors added. Roxxi would have been a likely candidate because of her hardcore nature and alliance with Wilde, but her release from the company prevents that.

There's just not that many other females who seem like they would fit into this match. ODB will likely be added somehow, possibly by having an interaction between her and Daffney as well.

But who would be the fourth? Angelina Love and Awesome Kong are tied up in their title match, as are Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne who will almost assuredly help Love retain the gold.

Christy Hemme is still out with injury, and no one really wants to see Rhaka Khan or Sojourner Bolt.

That leaves one realistic option: Abyss will be the fourth competitor.

While it's unlikely, TNA may try to pull it off. But for right now, let's ignore that thought and hope it goes away.

Women with weapons

Last year, in an interview with ODB, she told me that women shouldn't be going through all these extreme matches.

"We put the T and A in TNA," she said. But TNA continues to do it. Why?

Money and shock value.

Everyone wants to see women do more than dance and look pretty, and TNA tries to maximize that. It may work out for them, as long they don't take it too far.

Let the women have an all-out brawl, but for Pete's sake, we don't need to see women being put through flaming tables or being laid out on a bed of thumb tacks.

Here's to hoping we'll see an interesting match with some exciting moments. Let's hope it doesn't come across as overly cheesy, overly brutal, or completely underwhelming.

Without knowing all the participants, it's hard to gauge who will win, but if it boils down to just being Wilde and Daffney, TNA should retract the use of the name Monster's Ball and save it for those special occasions each year.

In closing

A little hardcore in the women's division can help bring attention to the company and its women, but it can also be a very damaging maneuver.

Let's hope this ends well. More analysis may be coming in a general Sacrifice preview, once the card has been finalized.

TNA True Impact No. 5: Who The Heck Is In Charge of TNA?

Adam Testa — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:36:26 -0400

Critics of TNA have many questions.

Who's a heel and who's a face?

Why is Mick Foley the champ?

Why is the company not pushing its homegrown stars?

But lately, no one seems to be asking the obvious question: Who the heck is in charge of TNA?

Let's take a ride on the merry-go-round called TNA leadship.

Jim Cornette

Through the years, TNA had used several different people as the face of TNA management.

A board of directors "controlled" everything, but none of them were ever shown. They all acted through a figurehead icon.

TNA struck gold by putting Jim Cornette, arguably one of the best talkers in the business, in that position.

He ran the company better than any of the WWE general managers, made people laugh and took care of business when the time called for it.

He made matches, he stripped champions of their gold and he tormented the heels.
Cornette became a character who fans looked forward to seeing each week, and he always kept them entertained.

Then, the guitars started appearing in the ring, helping guys like A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe win matches.

Everyone knew it could only mean one thing...

Jeff Jarrett

After a nearly two-year absence from the six-sided ring after the death of his wife, Jeff Jarrett returned to action last fall.

But when the King of the Mountain returned to TNA, he brought with him a new title (not championship, title): founder of TNA Wrestling.

Everyone already knew Jarrett had founded the company with his father, but it was never revealed in storylines (a la HHH and Stephanie McMahon's marriage in the WWE).

In a time of brewing contention amongst the TNA Originals and the industry veterans, Jarrett found himself in a position to take the helm.

He began booking matches, primarily involving this brewing feud.

But as things developed more and more, Jarrett's on-screen character assumed more of a leadership position.

And before long, the doors opened for another man, a legend in his own right, to enter the power structure of TNA.

Mick Foley

After leaving the WWE commentary booth to head to TNA, the hardcore legend Mick Foley debuted as TNA's new "executive shareholder."

No one really understood what this new role meant, nor did they care because it simply meant that Foley had become TNA's newest big name acquisition.

At first, he played a supporting role to Jarrett and began a storyline with Kurt Angle. He carried a few smaller feuds, including a brief one with Alex Shelley of the Motor City Machineguns.

But before long, Foley began booking matches and making decisions himself. He became another player in the power structure of the company.

Then, at the Lockdown pay-per-view, Foley did the unthinkable and became the TNA World Heavyweight Champion. More on that later.

Traci Brooks

Deciding to take a break from in-ring action, Traci Brooks was appointed the "knockout law" by Cornette.

She was put in charge of maintaining peace and stability in the knockouts division.
But this never really took off, and before long, Brooks had all but disappeared from television all together.

If not for her relationship with Kaz, believed by many to be a future star in the company, she might not even be employed still.

Mystery Investor

Several months back TNA began releasing text messages about a new female investor who would be buying into the company.

This happened shortly after the Mick Foley acquisition, and fans began wondering who it could be.

Some people believed it would be Karen Angle's return to the company following her separation from Kurt. Others thought it would be Jenna Morasco, the Survivor winner who was rumored to join the company.

Well, in the end, fans never got an answer, as this plan failed to materialize, probably for the betterment of the company.

Dixie Carter

While she's never involved with storylines, this story wouldn't be complete without mentioning Dixie Carter, president of TNA.

In real life, she and her family's company are major investors in the company and have much backstage control.

She's not really riding the merry-go-round of kayfabe leadership, but she deserves recognition for her work in the real day-to-day operations and success of the company.

Vince Russo

He really has no relevance to this article, but people blame him for everything, so he might as well be in charge. Right?

So what's the deal?

Well, it seems as if the TNA merry-go-round will keep on spinning for a while longer, as things get more complicated and convoluted in TNA.

The following may be a spoiler, so skip the italicized portion of this if you don't want to know what's ahead:

Foley will be defending his championship in a fatal four-way match at Sacrifice against Angle, Sting and Jarrett. That puts two of TNA's top leaders in a title match. Where's the sense in that?

Cornette has not been nearly as involved as before, and that's something that needs to be rectified immediately. Cornette needs to have a major presence in TNA television weekly.

Karen Angle likely won't be returning, and Jenna Morasco is involved with Kevin Nash and Sharmell right now.

So who the heck is in charge? Who knows.

But something needs to be done. TNA needs a better authority figure. Here's a possible scenario, but bear with me as it does involved adding another face to the televised equation.

The future

Carter should make an appearance on TNA television, revealing herself as the company's president, but stressing it as a special appearance.

She should inform a group of people in the ring (including Jarrett and Foley) that TNA management has been extremely disappointed in the way things have fallen apart in the company.

Then, she can call Cornette outand tell him that he's back in charge, and it doesn't matter who founded the company or who owns the most stock.

It's her company and she can do what she wants. The past is the past, and Cornette has the power to move things forward.

This could present an opportunity to use Cornette as the heel general manager and have him feud with the likes of Jarrett, or they could turn Jarrett heel and have his be the disgruntled TNA founder who has been stripped of what he believes is rightfully his own.

After the fall of the Main Event Mafia, this could be the next war to brew in TNA, with each Jarrett and Cornette taking people on their side.

In closing

This scenario may not be the best option, but it's a way to clear things up in the management picture.

Or there's always the other option: allow myself and a select group of Bleacher Creatures to run the company our own way, both on and off the screen. First orders of business: bring back Petey Williams and Roxxi, can Rhaka Khan, and get the belt off Mick Foley.

Who's with me?

Judgment Day Breakdown: Christian Vs. Jack Swagger

Adam Testa — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:51:05 -0400

As WWE heads into Judgment Day Sunday, all eyes are (or at least should be) on ECW Champion Christian and his challenger Jack Swagger.

The predictability of an Edge vs. Jeff Hardy title match and low expectations for the kick-off match of a Batista vs. Randy Orton feud leave much to be desired.

Hardy has reportedly requested a break, so expect some kind of injury storyline to take him out of action for a few actions.

Orton became the latest champ to join the merry-go-round called the WWE title crowd, and Vince McMahon reportedly wants to keep the belt on him for a while.

With this being the first match of what will likely be a drawn out feud, expect interference from Legacy and possibly the McMahons (including HHH).

Now, that's not to say there's no predictability to a Christian vs. Swagger rematch, but these two men have shown they can work together in the ring and provide a solid, entertaining match.

With this likely being their last solo match-up for a while, let's breakdown what's at stake, and what could possibly happen when these two stars from the Land of the Extreme lock horns.

Christian

Since the captain of charisma returned to WWE from TNA, fans have whined and complained that Christian has landed on ECW.

Everyone expected him to re-debut on Raw or Smackdown, and many fans salivated at the thoughts of a feud with former partner Edge.

Most importantly, they all saw Christian as a future world champion. He earned gold on ECW, and stayed put during the annual draft. Christian is home to stay on ECW.

As the champion of the brand, Christian brings a bit more prestige and name value to ECW. In a sea of up-and-coming superstars, he holds the gold and draws in the casual fans who recognize him from his previous stint with the company and his time with TNA.

Christian can provide a sense of leadership to guys like Swagger, Tyson Kidd and Evan Bourne. He can be their veteran sherpa on their quest up the WWE mountain.

But at the same time, Christian is building his own reputation, his own fan base and his own capability to hold the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship.

Swagger

Upon his arrival with the company, many fans doubted Swagger's potential for development because of his lisp.

This ludicrous viewpoint has proven not to be a hurdle, as Swagger captured ECW gold very early in his tenure with WWE. It's clear they want him to be a future star.

But all good things must come to an end, and Swagger passed the belt on to Christian. Now, he needs to drop out of the title picture and find a new feud to help build his name and his character.

A feud with Finlay could do wonders for Swagger, the All-American American. Using his character (and real life) base as a college wrestling champion, a feud with the Belfast Brawler could be quite entertaining.

But alas, Swagger could also find himself in the title picture for at least one more month. ECW Original Tommy Dreamer has announced his plans to retire if he doesn't win the championship by June 6, one day before the Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

Expect to see Dreamer competing at that PPV. But how appealing would a Christian vs. Dreamer match be? Not very exciting at all; that's not the match that will increase buyrates.

The solution involves Swagger, but more on that to come.

Passing judgment

When the dust settles Sunday, there will be only one ECW champion, but it's possible there will be up to three top contenders.

Count on Christian winning the match, but don't be surprised if there's outside involvement from the likes of Dreamer and one of ECW's newest acquisitions, Vladamir Kozlov.

Kozlov needs something to do in ECW, and it's clear McMahon wants him at the top, so expect to see him entering the title picture. Again, a Christian vs. Kozlov match wouldn't see too well.

But what about a fatal-four way extreme rules extravaganza featuring Christian, Swagger, Dreamer and Kozlov? Now that might get some fans interested.

And all one could hope for is that at one point, Kozlov would lay out Dreamer, grab a mic and say, "If he dies, he dies." If you don't know that reference, you don't know classic American film.

Anyway, the bottom line is to expect Christian to emerge from Judgment Day with the belt still around his waist and expect the title scene to get a little more interested as we head into June.

Note to loyal readers: This article does not mean I have abandoned my TNA pride in favor of becoming a mindless WWE mark. This was a request from the B/R staff, and I felt it was my obligation to fulfill it. Rest assured, the usual TNA columns will return soon, and you can recommence with your mindless bashing then. Thanks.

Discovering a Pro Wrestling Passion Amidst an Inland Hurricane

Adam Testa — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:43:15 -0400

These past few days have felt like a trip back to my childhood.

Curfews set for 8 p.m. Being in bed before the sun even set. No video games.

And most sadly, no professional wrestling.

No, this time there were no nagging parents yelling about the violence or telling my friends and I we needed to stop clotheslining each other on the trampoline.

This time, the wrestling simply wasn't there.

On Friday afternoon, the Midwest was hit with what the National Weather Service originally coined "an inland hurricane."

I live in Southern Illinois, the area hit the most. We lost an 87-year-old man who was killed when a tree knocked him down the steps of his basements, numerous houses are destroyed and many people's lives will never fully recover.

Much of the region still does not have electricity. It's been more than four days since the storm struck, and many of us—including myself—are still in the dark. My work office has power back, so I stole the quick opportunity to write this on my lunch break.

As many of my fellow wrestling community Bleacher Creatures already know, I'm a professional journalist. That means I've been at the heart of the storm, the core of the damage for days.

I've seen the devastation and talked to those affected. I haven't had a day off since last Monday, and will only have one day off between now and next Wednesday.

I've needed time to relax and do something light-hearted. The result is this article.

On Friday, my mind was on the storm. We had to get coverage of everything going on around us and cover the news. I didn't have time to think about what Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy and Edge were up to on Smackdown.

Then came Saturday, and the peak of the recovery efforts beginning, and again, I had little time to think about Bryan Danielson, the Briscoes and Jimmy Jacobs.

By Sunday, when things began to calm down and I had time to collect thoughts, I realized how much wrestling I had missed. It was a lame thought for many people, but in order to stay on top of things around here, you have to know what's going on.

Monday passed, no Raw. Now it's Tuesday and there likely won't be any ECW on my television set. With any luck, my television and TiVo will be operational by Thursday, so I won't have to miss the best two hours of pro wrestling television this week (and no, I'm not referencing the first run and reply of WWE Superstars).

As I have periodically found Internet access, B/R has been one of the first sites I check. When my editor was pounding away on editing copies, I checked in a few glances at stories from Sulayaman, Ray and Daris.

Sorry to those of you I didn't mention or have a chance to catch right now, but I'll get back into everything when I have electricity at home.

But, as I sat there in the local community college office using my cell phone to call electric companies and sneaking peaks at articles about the Intercontinental Title, Mickie James and our love of pro wrestling, I realized two things:

1. As ashamed as I may be to admit it to new people I meet, I truly love pro wrestling. There's just something about being able to catch it each week and follow the superstars like jocks cover their favorite baseball or basketball team is truly an amazing experience.

2. I have officially become a member of the Bleacher Report community. There was an article a few days or so ago about the five stages of B/R membership, and I agree with it more than ever.

I have become addicted to this site and to the intelligent discussions and debates we can have. Whenever I'm in the mood for a good chat, I know I can hit up Daris, Shane, Demetrus, Ray and countless others. And JLB is always there for a good back-and-forth debate.

Now, if I didn't mention you, please don't take it personally. You all have a place in this community, and I respect all of you and love to hear from you, even those TNA haters out there who like to swamp me with ill-reasoned explanations on why WWE is better than TNA. You all know who you are. =)

Anyway, this diatribe has continued long enough. I just wanted to let everyone know what's happened here and share a bit of my experiences with you.

Now, more than ever, I am proud to be a pro wrestling fan and a member of this community. We don't realize the joys we get from the simple things in life - including eight hours of men and women beating the living hell out of one another - until it's gone.

Hopefully I'll be back on here full time soon, especially so Demetrus and I can continue our Brand Battle, but in the meantime, keep everyone who has been affected by this disaster in your thoughts and prayers.

Maybe the dust has settled, the trees have been removed from their homes, FEMA has left the region and everything has returned to normal, they will also sit down at the TV, tune to USA, SiFi, My Network TV, WGN or Spike TV and allow themselves to escape the difficulties of every day life and find themselves in our world.

Until I return...

TNA X-Factor No. 2: Will Hernandez's Injury Allow Homicide To Shine?

Adam Testa — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:33:34 -0400

In the world of professional wrestling, real-life injuries always seem to happen at the worst possible time.

Such is the case for TNA's Hernandez, one half of the ever popular Latin American Xchange, better known as LAX.

The agile big man suffered a neck injury and has to undergo surgery. Reports give conflicting schedules as to his recovery time, but his official Web site lists it at six to nine months.

This is very unfortunate for Hernandez, as he was in possession of a World Heavyweight title rematch that he won in the Feast or Fired competition. He had previously cashed in against Sting, but the Main Event Mafia interfered.

Now, by the time Hernandez returns, it will either be right before the next Feast or Fired competition or it could even be after it. Very unfortunate timing.

If Hernandez comes back early in the expected time, say six months, or if he pulls as Batista/John Cena and returns early, there's a chance he could cash in before the next competition.

How much of a shock would it be to see Hernandez return, cash in the case and become the company's top champion? The fans would go wild.

But, alas, this isn't a column about Hernandez but rather his tag team partner Homicide, who is also in possession of a Feast or Fired case.

X-Division all-star?

Homicide has earned a shot a the X-Division Championship through his Feast or Fired prize.

But, given the storyline that took Hernandez out, it seems Homicide will first have to focus on fending off the British Invasion, who attacked Hernandez backstage and left him injured.

The time spent feuding with Brutus Magnus and company will allow the company to develop a legitimate feud for Suicide, who will then lose the X-Division title to a heel wrestler.

With a heel holding the belt, Homicide will be able to cash in, pummel the villain and become a hero for the people.

This could even then be rolled into an ongoing feud with the British Invasion. Have him feud with Magnus for the belt. The two could likely put on some stellar matches, as they offer different styles that could blend well.

Having Homicide hold the X-Division title for several months could help elevate him to the next level.

It's a shame Salinas is gone, or she could be kept as his manager. LAX didn't work the best when she and Hector Guerrero were around, but Salinas could work well accompanying Homicide as a solo guy.

What's next?

An X-Division run could elevate Homicide to the next level, where he'd be able to float in the upper midcard for a while.

He could easily fit in with guys like A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe given a little more time to develop as a solo act.

Many people would probably like to see LAX reunited as a tag team when Hernandez returns, but the duo should take some time apart for a bit.

They both have the potential to thrive in solo careers, and this injury and return angle may be the catalyst for great things to come.

Not saying LAX should never reunite, but make it something more special for the fans when it's two top solo stars coming back together for another run as a team.

Here's hoping the best for Hernandez during his recovery. His surgery was said to have gone well, so keep him in our thoughts and prayers as he recovers.

And when he returns to the six-sided ring, expect to see big things from both the big man and his LAX amigo Homicide.

Brand Battle No. 1: The Main Event Scene

Adam Testa — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:28:03 -0400

Ten people will fight. Nine will die.

Wait, that's not the tag line for this brand new Bleacher Report exclusive series. That was the slogan for The Condemned, starring Stone Cold Steve Austin.

But alas, this new series will bring about a similar competition. Two companies will enter, but at the end of the day, only one will stand with its hand raised in victory.

It all began a few weeks ago on the Internet's No. 1 wrestling talk show, "Hit the Ropes" (check it out every Wednesday).

In a tag team battle of brand superiority, I partnered with Daris Brown to represent TNA and take on Demetrus Strokes and Shane Howard representing the WWE.

Demetrus and I have decided to continue that battle, right here on the cyber pages of B/R. So without further ado, we begin the at-least-10-round gauntlet battle of brand superiority.

You will play a major role in choosing the winner. Each part of the series will have a poll, but please, pay attention to how the voting should work.

This site, as well as the Internet, is filled with WWE marks. Therefore, you are not voting for which company is superior in the respective topical area of the week, but rather who made the better argument in defense of his company of choice, Demetrus or I.

We have instituted a rule of using limited criticisms of the opposition and focusing more on our respective companies, so keep that in mind.

Now let's get to it in our first issue of Brand Battle, focusing on the "Main Event Scene."

Adam's Case for TNA

The main event scene in TNA blends experience, name recognition, cult followings, and up-and-coming all-stars.

From big name, Hall of Fame-worthy wrestlers including Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash, and Mick Foley to young guns like Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, and Christopher Daniels, this company has got it all.

Top feuds in TNA generally keep fans on the edge of their seats and wondering where things head next.

Jarrett and Angle have been engaged in a heated blood feud since last fall, and the Main Event Mafia has become a dominating force, leaving fans wondering where the TNA Universe will end up.

While TNA has kept its championship belt on established superstars since Bound for Glory IV in October 2008, younger stars have been pushed as well, and new stars were tested in the main event scene.

“Black Machismo” Jay Lethal and Kaz have shown what they’ve got in the top spots, and LAX’s Hernandez had a great showing in a title match.

In coming months, the company will likely continue to push more of their homegrown (or home-developed) stars toward the main event.

By the end of 2009, it’s almost guaranteed that Styles or Joe (if not both) will hold top gold again. Lethal could be built up as a legitimate challenger again, and a recently returned Daniels could stand to make a huge impact

Many have questioned the booking decisions of TNA’s main event matches recently, but the company is positioned to redeem itself in the coming months.

Booking has allegedly been set through October, so the company has a solid plan in place for the future.

By mixing experience and name recognition with skill and vitality, TNA has created a solid main event scene that will continue to blossom as the company grows and develops.

Demetrus' Case for WWE

The WWE’s main event scene consists of a group of superstars who have it all: charisma, in-ring ability, and the marketability to sell merchandise.

With the WWE focusing on establishing each brand as its own since the draft, let's examine each brand's main event stars.

ECW, having the lighter roster, really only has two main event stars: ECW Champion Christian and Jack Swagger.

Christian is a seasoned veteran who has held titles in both the WWE and TNA.

Swagger is a young star who received a huge push from the start, and it’s paying dividends. Swagger gets plenty of heat from the fans and is the top heel on ECW.

SmackDown’s main event stars consist of World Champion Edge, Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, and The Undertaker.

Like ECW, SmackDown’s stars are a mixture of relatively young talent and veterans.

The veterans are still able to put on a quality match, as evidenced by the Undertaker versus HBK classic at WrestleMania 25.

Raw’s main event scene is led by WWE Champion Randy Orton, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Batista, John Cena, and Big Show.

Do you see the trend here?

TNA’s main event scene consists solely of guys well into their 40s who were huge stars in their heyday, but now their time has passed.

Their young talent, like A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe, were once champions, but TNA has put them on the back burner for the more “established” stars.

So what’s the difference in the main event scene of TNA and WWE?

The WWE has done a great job of incorporating younger stars with some of their older veterans.

This gives the WWE a chance to establish new stars while they learn from the veterans.

This scenario leads to better matches and an overall better product.

TNA Knockouts Korner No. 4: How TNA Dropped the Ball with Roxxi

Adam Testa — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:15:36 -0400

TNA has delivered itself a stunning blow by releasing Roxxi from her contract, but will it be enough of a self-inflicted wound to take down an already weakened women's division?

A year ago (more or less), TNA was on top of the wrestling world with its Knockouts Dvision. Gail Kim and Awesome Kong continued to battle for the championship, while The Beautiful People tormented the likes of ODB and Taylor Wilde.

Now Kim has returned to WWE; ODB has basically been reduced to a comedy act; Kong has been turned from a monster heel into a babyface; and The Beautiful People are still in recovery from a string of bad creative decisions.

And now Roxxi has become another casualty in the scenario.

The Voodoo Queen

My TNA fandom doesn't extend back but about two years, and when I started watching, Roxxi was known as the "Voodoo Queen" Roxxi Laveaux, the manager of the Voodoo Kin Mafia (VKM), B.G. and Kip James.

In this role, Roxxi didn't make much of an impact in TNA. She didn't seem to draw fans, though her patented Voodoo Drop drew attention from the fans.

Seeds were planted for VKM to split when B.G. James won a "Feast or Fired" case and a World Tag Team Title shot and chose his father to be his partner instead of Kip James.

Roxxi was fired by the duo and went on for a while continuing her Voodoo Queen gimmick. She became a babyface persona and began to get over with the crowd, even winning the Queen of the Cage match at Lockdown 2008.

Roxxi continued to gain a fan base, and she kept improving and improving. Then came the fateful Sacrifice pay-per-view, where she would truly find a place in the heart of many fans.

The ladder match that changed it all

At Sacrifice 2008, the knockouts competed in the first ever Makeover Battle Royale.

The match started as a gauntlet match, with the final two women competing in a ladder match. The winner would receive a title shot, and the loser would have her head shaved.

Gail Kim, one of the final two competitors along with Roxxi, had won immunity, meaning if she lost, the third finalist would suffer the head shaving. That woman, at the peak of her heel heat, was Angelina Love.

In the end, Love screwed Roxxi out of a win. Following the match, fans everywhere watched in horror (or sick fantasy fulfilled for some weird guys out there) as she made the ultimate sacrifice for a woman and gave up her hair... and she had a lot of it.

As the hair was trimmed away, a cut suffered during the match continued to bleed, and Roxxi's blood poured everywhere.

Fans thought this would be the start of something big. It should have been the start of a massive push, as Roxxi suddenly found herself on top of the women's division (if not the entire company) in terms of fan support.

It was a push she deserved. It was push she had earned. It was a push that never came.

A hardcore failure

Roxxi found some success after making her sacrifice, but fans kept wanting more.

What they got instead was a gimmick change. The former Voodoo Queen became The Hardcore Knockout, a punk rock-inspired Roxxi who swore worse than a sailor.

The new character was not who Roxxi needed to be. It was not a character that connected with the fans.

To put it bluntly, TNA dropped the ball with Roxxi.

Roxxi should have been a woman with vengeance on the mind. She should have been seeking vicious retribution on the people who cost her her hair, and her dignity.

Sure, she tried to get back at The Beautiful People by teaming with Wilde and recruiting a Sarah Palin look-alike to lead them on and eventually drop a load of crap on Love and Velvet Sky.

In doing so, TNA essentially dropped a load of crap on their fans as well.

Now she's gone

Roxxi has now left TNA, a zero-time champion.

Yes, the woman who connected with the fans and made a huge sacrifice for the company has left without ever holding gold.

Since Kim left to return to the WWE, fans have wondered who could carry the women's division on their shoulders. That woman was Roxxi.

Not the Hardcore Knockout Roxxi, but the Roxxi that should have been. She had the potential, she had the fan base, and she had the skill. She had everything it would have taken.

Just like after the loss of Kim, the division will go on. But it will now be facing an even steeper mountain to climb, looking for new faces to carry the division. Life will go on, but it won't be what it could have been.

If WWE wants to step things up, they should reach out to Roxxi. It would give the fans a chance to see her on television still and give the company another woman to be proud of having aboard.

R.I.P. Roxxi in TNA. Here's to hoping we see you again soon.

TNA True Impact No. 4: Will Jeff Hardy Return to TNA?

Adam Testa — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:23:10 -0400

Reports have surfaced that the Charismatic Enigma Jeff Hardy has told WWE he doesn't want to renew his contract when it expires this summer.

He's apparently telling people he's burnt out of wrestling and wants to focus on other parts of his life.

But the truth of the matter is that he will need to continue to collect a paycheck.

TNA can offer Hardy a more relaxed schedule, a boatload of money, and an almost guaranteed push, since he's one of the most popular entertainers in all of wrestling.

Don't be surprised to see Hardy making his return to TNA soon, but also recognize the company should have reservations about bringing him back.

What Hardy brings to TNA

Many critics will say TNA's efforts to re-sign Hardy just fit the company mold of taking stars from other companies and pushing them rather than homegrown talent.

The main difference here is Hardy's age and star power.

People criticize TNA for pushing stars like Mick Foley, Sting, Kevin Nash, and Scott Steiner because they are undoubtedly past their primes. But Hardy is something different.

At age 31, Hardy is on top of his world in wrestling right now. He finally captured his first major championship, despite holding it for a short period of time, and the fans continue to swoon for him.

Bringing Jeff Hardy back to TNA would likely bring many of his fans with him, hopefully providing TNA's continuously increasing ratings with a nice bump.

In his first run in TNA, Hardy feuded with the likes of A.J. Styles, Jeff Jarrett, and Abyss. All of these men have developed much more in the time since then and could recreate some amazing work with Hardy.

TNA's reservations

While Hardy brings with him star power and potential, he also brings quite a bit of baggage.

Hardy has been known to have problems with drugs and alcohol. He's been suspended twice by the WWE for violating its wellness policy and was removed from an airplane for being too intoxicated.

If he gets caught again in his final three months or so with the WWE, he will be getting a pink slip and a boot out the door, which would make critics of TNA attack the fact they signed a person with known drug problems.

The other issue arising from Hardy's last stint in TNA is that he was suspended twice for no-showing at pay-per-views.

He missed Hard Justice and Turning Point in 2005, citing travel difficulties.

Hardy's fans will argue that he's changed his life and that both of these problems shouldn't be issues any more. This may be true, or it may not be. Time will tell.

In closing

Hardy's TNA return could create quite a buzz in the wrestling world and may help many loyal WWE fans at least check out TNA.

The move would be a good one for both the company and for Hardy, but only if he can prove he's more responsible.

Hardy shouldn't necessarily hold gold early in his return, but it should be something considered down the line.

TNA True Impact No. 3: What's Next For Foley? Will He Join the Mafia?

Adam Testa — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:31:28 -0400

At TNA's Lockdown pay-per-view, three championships changed hands, but one stands out among the crowd.

Many people expected Angelina Love to win the Knockouts' title and Team 3D to leave Philadelphia with tag title gold, but no one expected Mick Foley to pull out the win over Sting to become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion.

The 43-year-old Foley joins Sting, Kurt Angle, and Samoa Joe as the fourth man to hold the belt since TNA and NWA split apart.

But with any hope, Foley won't be holding on to the belt for too long.

In his last years with WWE, Foley wrestled occasionally, despite being "retired." When doing so, he was always willing to put over the younger stars and that's an option here.

There are three main potential scenarios that could stem from Foley's championship reign. Let's examine.

Foley joins the Main Event Mafia

Two of the top potential storyline moments involve Mick Foley aligning himself with Angle, Booker T, Scott Steiner, and Kevin Nash. Note that the name Sting does not appear on that list.

After the events of Sunday, Foley turns full-blown heel, fully resurrecting the Cactus Jack persona.

He and the Mafia cut a promo on Impact and they welcome him in with open arms. In the main event, the Mafia turn on Sting and literally kick him out of the group and the Impact Zone.

From here, there are two potential storylines.

One involves Foley defending the title against Sting (preferably on Impact rather than at May's Sacrifice pay-per-view). Sting aligns himself with the Frontline.

Once Foley defeats Sting, he moves on to another Frontline star—this time either A.J. Styles or Samoa Joe.

A.J. should go over and earn his first TNA World Heavyweight Title (he was a NWA World Champion previously), but it's more likely Joe will become a two-time champion.

Under this story angle, Foley continues his tradition of passing the torch to a younger star and allows the belt to transition hands rather quickly.

No one wants to see who everyone should agree is past his prime of wrestling—carry the belt into Slammiversary.

The other story angle (no pun intended) is that Foley gives the belt to Angle, who has desperately wanted to regain his gold for a long time.

Foley could admit he's past his ability to wrestle every week and lie down to Angle in a match to pass off the belt.

If TNA is trying to keep Angle around when his contract expires later this year, a third heavyweight title run isn't out of the picture.

Foley would also generate some major heel heat lying down to Angle, which could spark a feud between TNA's executive shareholder and the company's founder.

Foley doesn't join the Main Event Mafia, but brings gold to the Frontline

The other option isn't as detailed and the likely path to go from here.

Foley takes the championship to the Frontline and brings a sense of momentum to their cause.

The Mafia could still kick Sting to the curb, saying he is no longer valuable without his gold. He could even come over and join Foley on the Frontline side.

This story arc may create some generic face/heel matchups for the belt, likely culminating again in Angle's third championship reign.

In closing

TNA threw a major curveball Sunday and has the potential to build off it. Bring Foley to the Mafia and align him with Angle. Make him one of the most hated men in TNA.

Let him feud with Jarrett.

Let the fans win this one by not seeing a past-his-prime Foley carry the belt for months. Rather, help put over the younger guys.

Expect to see Joe, Angle, or A.J. take the belt from Foley and that's the order of probability.

Until next time...

WWE Superstars: A Not-So-Surprising Disappointment

Adam Testa — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:23:42 -0400

On Thursday night, WWE debuted its fourth and newest weekly series, WWE Superstars.

Many writers here on B/R and across the Internet saw promise in this new show, believing its purpose was to provide 60 minutes of "storyline free wrestling."

I personally never really bought that promise, and after Thursday's debut, no one should.

Let's look at how the show went down, shall we?

Undertaker defeats Matt Hardy by Count out

When this match started, there was potential to see some quality wrestling not being impacted by storyline necessities.

The match itself was decent, but a count-out finish for the first match on the premiere episode of a new show? Lame.

They could have done a disqualification finish and let Matt attack 'Taker with a weapon or something like that. But, alas, the DQ finish was saved for a match later in the night.

And what happens after the match? A fight breaks out between brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy.

We're about 12 minutes into the show and that whole storyline free matter has gone out the window. Were you surprised? I wasn't.

Christian defeats Finlay, earning the right to face Jack Swagger at Backlash

Wait, wait, wait.

The put the final match of a three-match series to determine the No. 1 contender for the ECW title on a show that's supposed to be storyline free? Makes perfect sense.

This match started as a fatal fourway two weeks ago and Mark Henry was pinned and eliminated. In a triple-threat match this week, Tommy Dreamer was eliminated.

And rather than building this match for next week's main event on ECW, it was added here, where it could be promoted as storyline free.

Well, to be honest, maybe the ECW title, the Intercontinental title and the U.S. titles all belong on this show because they rarely have storylines involved with them any more.

Main Event: Cody Rhodes defeats Shane McMahon by DQ

Props to the WWE for creating a show hyping dream matches between fans and delivering a main event including the half-rate son of a Hall of Famer and the son of the company's owner who has no business being in the ring.

I don't even feel the need to rant about this match violating the storyline free nature of the hyped WWE Superstars.

This match should not have been a main event caliber match. This match maybe should have opened the show and let Taker and Hardy fight a real match to the finish for the main event.

There was no purpose to this match other than having Shane do his one "I can impress the fans" move of the Coast-to-Coast.

And on a final note about this match, why would you close out your first main event with a DQ finish? It just makes no sense.

In closing

Anyone wondering why Vince McMahon was afraid to put this show head-to-head with TNA Impact should have their answer. Expect this show to disappear within six months to a year.

That's honestly the best we can hope for.

DVD Review: Jeff Jarrett, King of the Mountain Collection

Adam Testa — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:35:38 -0400

"Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain"

Documentary: 4/5
Match Selection: 4.5/5
Organization: 3.5/5
Appeal: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

From his attack on country music star Toby Keith at the company's inaugural pay-per-view to the first match of a blood feud with Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett has had one of the most storied careers in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

And it's a story captured on TNA's first major biographical DVD release, "Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain," set for release Tuesday.

The four-disc set tells the story of Jarrett's pro wrestling career, covering his early days in regional territories, the rise and fall of World Championship Wrestling and his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment.

Documentary

An in-depth interview with Jarrett allows viewers to also learn about the history of TNA Wrestling, the struggles of launching a new company and blending family life with running a wrestling company.

Jarrett and other TNA stars and officials pay tribute to Jarrett's wife Jill, who died of cancer in May 2007, eight years to the day after the death of wrestler Owen Hart, a close friend of Jarrett.

Listening to Jarrett's accounts of losing his loved wife and a dear friend, viewers feel a personal connection to the King of the Mountain one would never expect to feel through watching an televised wrestling show.

Watching Jarrett tell these stories, especially those dealing with Jill, who it's clear he loved dearly, it's hard to hold back emotions, leaving even grown men susceptible to tears.

Jarrett also uses the interview as a way to set the record straight on certain issues, including his departure from WWE (WWF at the time) and the famous "fishing trip" story of how TNA came to be.

And while one may expect Jarrett to take the opportunity to bash his competition, he actually has high praise for several members of the WWE roster and staff.

He tells it like it is, putting over those he finds worthy and putting down those he finds not, for example saying Chyna "didn't know her a** from a hole in the ground" when he lost the Intercontinental Title to her in his departure match from WWF.

Match Selection

"King of the Mountain" offers a tremendous collection of nearly 30 matches, including five matches from 1986-1988.

Viewers get to see Jarrett's first television appearance, as a referee; his second match, against Tony Falk; and bouts with Hector Guerrero, Jerry Lawler, Gary Young, and Cactus Jack.

These classic matches add a nice touch of nostalgia to the collection, but the heart and soul of the DVD comes in the matches from TNA between 2002-2008.

It all starts with a championship gauntlet to crown the NWA World Champion (a match involving Toby Keith) and ends with Jarrett's return match against Kurt Angle at Bound for Glory IV.

But the real glory is contained in between. Matches involving A.J. Styles and Ron "The Truth" Killings top the pack, while countless other matches against the likes of Raven, Rhino, Jeff Hardy, Sting round out a nice selection of well-picked matches.

Only one match, featuring Jarrett wrestling Hacksaw Jim Duggan, seemed out of place among the quality-packed collection.

While it may seem Jarrett's DVD would be filled with matches he won, this is not the case. There is a mixture of Jarrett wins and losses, but Jarrett looks good even in the losses.

As someone, possibly Jim Cornette, said in the documentary, Jarrett has the ability to make anyone in the ring with him look good, and this shows through in the selected matches.

Organization

TNA has adopted a organizational style for its DVDs that feature the documentary segments broken up by matches and segments.

This same system was used on the "Knocked Out" DVD, and possibly others as well.

This system has mixed advantages and disadvantages. It allows for breaks in the interview segments, which can keep the audience entertained for a more extended period.

But it also makes it difficult to quickly find a match if one just wants to watch it or show it to a friend.

The other option would be to put individual matches as separate scenes on some of the DVDs and the documentary as its own disc. Under this system, though, many people may not enjoy the entire documentary feature.

Early on, this organizational system can seem odd and even annoying, but by the end, it makes sense and is a welcome change.

If TNA can continue to tweak this system and make for more smooth transitions, they'll be well positioned for future DVD releases.

Appeal

One of this DVD's biggest advantages is its mass appeal, possessing the ability to attract hardcore TNA fans, casual wrestling fans yet to really discover the product, and those new to wrestling altogether.

TNA fans will appreciate the collection of great matches featuring current and past TNA superstars and learning the history of the company, if they didn't already know or hadn't seen "The History of TNA: Year One."

For casual fans, this could be the attracting factor to TNA. The DVD provides a snapshot of what the company has to offer, including two of its signature matches, Lethal Lockdown and King of the Mountain.

Fans of the WWE will also see where some of their favorite superstars grew their careers or thrived in a different environment. Ron Killings dominated in TNA before heading back to the WWE and being saddled in the lower midcard as R-Truth.

New fans interested in learning wrestling have the chance to learn about TNA's history and its product. The DVD will introduce them to many of the new (and familiar) faces they would see in TNA.

Overall

This four-disc collection has a retail price of $30, but Amazon has it discounted for $21.50. At either price, the DVD is worth a buy for casual or hardcore wrestling fans.

New fans really wanting to dive in head first would also do well to dish out the money for this collection.

The DVD provides a great story, quality matches and a sense of personal connection to Jarrett and the struggles he's gone through in his life. Many people know the name Jeff Jarrett, but this is really a chance to meet the man himself.

Anyone who watches this DVD in its entirety will almost assuredly walk away with new-found respect for Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain, founder of TNA and 10-time world champion.

TNA True Impact No. 2: Will Lockdown Be A Letdown?

Adam Testa — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:06:17 -0400

Since last Sunday, the Internet Wrestling Community, including our home right here at B/R, has been abuzz with chatter and opinions about the letdown that was WWE's Wrestlemania XXV.

Aside from the Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker match, the entire card seemed to let people down. But if you've so much as clicked on this site since Sunday, you've no doubt seen at least 25 postings about that.

So let's get on to the real question: Will TNA be able to capitalize on the essential failure that was the 25th anniversary at the so-called "Grandest Stage of All," or will Lockdown fall into the letdown category as well?

To begin, let's take a look at what's confirmed so far (not including spoilers from recent tapings yet to air).

Eric Young vs. Danny Bonaduce

The match-up between TNA's resident comedy act and the loud-mouthed comedian has been moved to a dark match position. TNA officials reportedly believe it wouldn't fit with the serious tone of the rest of the show.

However, I would have loved to see this match. I may not have paid for the pay-per-view to solely watch this, but I thought it had potential to provide some entertainment.

At least the live crowd in Philadelphia will get to see it. And hey, I'd rather see something like this be made into a dark match than a tag team title unification match the company had been hyping for about two months, but I digress.

TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sting (c) vs. Mick Foley

This match has potential. Many people may look at this match-up and see two guys beyond their prime fighting for the title, but hey, as I mentioned before Taker and HBK stole Wrestlemania, and they're both well beyond their prime.

The build-up of this match has been phenomenal, to say the least. Foley has unleashed a more psychotic side in TNA, and he and Sting have both provided some amazing promos hyping the bout.

TNA has been teasing company founder Jeff Jarrett possibly siding with the Main Event Mafia, and it would be a possibility. It would set up for a Jarrett vs. Foley feud that could be fought more in the front office than the ring.

But I just don't see it happening. I think the TNA fans are more excited to see Jarrett continue his blood feud with Kurt Angle to than go after Mick Foley.

I expect to see Sting retain the title here. Foley doesn't seem like he wants to be in the ring enough at this point to carry the gold, which is perfectly fine as long as he carries on the amazing work he's done outside the ring since coming to TNA.

One fear with the build-up of this match could be that it won't live up to the hype (a la HHH vs. Randy Orton at WM 25). But rest assured, both these men will pull out all the stops to put on a great match.

TNA World Tag Team and IWGP World Tag Team Championships Match: Team 3D (IWGP champs) vs. Beer Money Inc. (TNA champs)

This match could be the show stealer. It has a boatload of potential, and the build-up has been pretty good with Beer Money beginning to show respect to Team 3D.

Both teams will work hard to make this a memorable match, especially Team 3D because of the show being in Philly, home of the original ECW.

There are two equally possible outcomes of this match, in my opinion.

One has Team 3D walking away with both championships. The Philly crowd will go completely insane if this happens, and it would be a truly remarkable site to see. Team 3D (likely joined by several ECW originals) hoisting the belts high as the crowd chants "E-C-W! E-C-W!"

The other option is some kind of oddball finish that sees both teams retain their respective titles, or possibly even switch them. Both teams could go for the pin at the exact same time and both earn three-counts.

James Storm and Robert Roode have been great champions and should continue to hold the belts, but Team 3D deserves to be recognized in Philly. I say let them both shine, but I'm not sure things will play out that way.

Some of the actions of late hint at a possible Beer Money face turn, which makes sense because they are arguably the most over tag team with the fans, but TNA needs the cheating, cocky heels to stick around and keep the gold.

Lethal Lockdown: Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Booker T, and Kevin Nash) vs. Team Jarrett (Jeff Jarrett, Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles and TBA)

This is the only hint of spoilers you'll find here: The fourth member of Jarrett's team will be an awesome addition and will have the fans excited. But that's all I'm saying about that.

Jarrett and Angle have been engaged in an on-going, heated rivalry that's been drawn out rather than spilling all the beans at once. It has had tremendous build, and the Lethal Lockdown might start the next chapter.

Samoa Joe and his new "Nation of Violence" routine has attacked Steiner and Sharmell, Booker's wife, in recent weeks. Putting the three of those guys in the ring should be good, as they're all good with in-ring storytelling.

Styles also stripped Booker of his Legends Title, which helps promote in-ring action between those two.

Kevin Nash really seems to be the odd man out, aside from his role as a member of the Main Event Mafia. Jarrett's other teammate will fit into the overall storyline nicely, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

This match will be solid, but it likely won't be a match of the night winner.

Xscape Match for the X-Division Title: Suicide (c) vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Kiyoshi

Expect this match to be filled with high spots and fast-paced action.

Lethal and Consequences, who often act as the tag team of Lethal Consequences, have the obvious advantage of being partners. However, I don't expect either of them to walk out with the gold.

This match is going to Suicide, who will retain his title. As said before, expect a lot of excitement in this match.

Doomsday Chamber of Blood Match: Abyss vs. Matt Morgan

With a match name like that, we can only hope this will be the end of the Abyss and Morgan feud.

The duo started as an oddball tag team, before Morgan turned into the narcissistic heel and attacked his partner.

Now, Abyss is visiting with his "therapist" Dr. Stevie (Richards). This feud has run its course, and this should be the capstone match, putting the final nail in the coffin.

Morgan has a huge future ahead of him. He needs the win in this match, and the feud, to carry him on to bigger things. Therefore, I see Morgan walking out of this match the winner, beating Abyss despite interference from Richards.

After this, Morgan should be elevated to a more prominent opponent (nothing against Abyss, his status in the company rankings just isn't very high right now). Maybe a feud with A.J. Styles could be in the works.

Expect Morgan to win and the feud to come to a merciful end.

TNA Knockouts Title Match: Awesome Kong (c) vs. Angelina Love vs. Taylor Wilde

Awesome Kong's babyface turn could be the key to determining how this match will play out.

TNA may decide to keep the belt on her and have her as the babyface champion. Kong wouldn't fit the role of the face chasing the belt well, but she could be the fan-supported dominant face.

In a future column, I'll write more about Kong's face turn.

The other option would be to have Raisha Saeed turn on Kong during the match and cost her the title. They could then have a short fued before Kong decimates Saeed in a "Loser Leaves the USA" match, where the loser has to return to Japan (or wherever they say they trained and/or lived).

This would allow Saeed to become Cheerleader Melissa and pretend Saeed never existed, much to the pleasure of many TNA fans.

I'm really mixed on this one, and this would be a good place for TNA to throw a curveball at the fans. Taylor has a pretty stale run as champ, Kong needs to be developed as a fan and Love has been regaining some lost stock in recent weeks.

No predictions here. Anything is possible with TNA, and especially the Knockouts.

Queen of the Cage: ODB vs. Daffney vs. Madison Rayne vs. Sojourner Bolt

Of the four competitors in this match, Rayne and Daffney have been getting the biggest pushes lately. Rayne aligned herself with the Beautiful People and Daffney revealed herself after being saddled with the lame Gov. Sarah Palin gimmick.

ODB has been partnered up with Cody Deaner, which puts her in less of a serious title contender role. And Bolt hasn't connected with the crowd or done anything surprisingly wonderful.

Bottom line, expect either Rayne or Daffney to win. Right now, I would put my money on Rayne earning the honor and cutting Daffney's hair after the match.

I really hope this whole hair cutting routine will help set up for a second Makeover Battle Royale at Sacrifice in May.

On an interesting side note, when I interviewed ODB in October, I asked about the knockouts stepping up and competing in cage matches and ladder matches. She said she's not a huge fan of these type matches, as the women are meant to be the "T and A" of TNA.

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match: Motor City Machineguns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) (c) vs. LAX (Homicide and Hernandez) vs. No Limit (Naito and Yujiro)

LAX seems out of place in this match, if you ask me.

MCMG and No Limit should be duking it out over the belts by themselves. Sabin and Shelley won the belts in Japan, and they will now be defending on their home turf.

A feud between these two teams should develop more before No Limit takes back the gold that belongs to them. Hopefully, though, they will get a bit of a rub from being in the ring with two of the most popular teams in TNA.

Expect the Guns to retain in a match featuring some amazing spots.

Will Lockdown be a Letdown?

With this much of a stellar line-up, it's hard to imagine Lockdown will fail to impress and please the fans.

TNA has declared Lockdown as one of its primary pay-per-views of the year, and therefore, expect them to pull out the stops.

You'd also better believe TNA officials know how letdown fans were with Wrestlemania and recognize their ability to capitalize by putting on an amazing Lockdown.

Expect greatness when TNA's top stars enter the six sides of steel April 19.

TNA Knockouts Korner No. 3: Changing The Face of The Beautiful People

Adam Testa — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 09:53:00 -0400

After a month's absence, I have returned to Bleacher Report and am hoping to be here on a much more regular basis. Now, enough of that intro, let's get back to the exploration of the hottest topics, issues in TNA Wrestling today.

In this edition of Knockouts Korner, we're going to be talking about the upcoming May Sacrifice pay-per-view and how last year's event and recent events help shape it's outcome and shake up the TNA scene for good.

Let's get started.

Ultimate Sacrifice

Last year at TNA's May PPV Sacrifice, the Knockouts competed in the first-ever Makeover Battle Royale, in which Gail Kim won the No. 1 contender spot for the Knockouts title and Roxxi had her head shaved.

Following the match, everyone thought a huge push would be in line for the former Voodoo Queen, and many thought she'd hold the title belt by the end of the year.

Instead, Roxxi got a gimmick change and saddled with a mediocre push and placement in a storyline involving a Sarah Palin impersonator.

Doesn't seem like good pay off for the sacrifice she made, if you ask me.

But this year could be different. If TNA chooses to do a second Makeover Battle Royale, there's a lot of potential, primarily involving the Beautiful People, and it's being foreshadowed now.

Balding the Beautiful People

Since Madison Rayne has joined the ranks of the Beautiful People, we have seen her being "initiated" into the group, which has taken on more of the sorority approach, with Cute Kip being relegated to the behind-the-scenes employment line.

Rayne and her counterparts Angelina Love and Velvet Sky have been cutting other knockouts' hair, or at least attempting to. With this year's Sacrifice set for May 24 at the Impact Zone, these "initiation tasks" could be a foreshadowing for the next battle royale.

If that's the case, there's huge opportunity to change the face of the Beautiful People, and possibly the Knockouts division as a whole.

Here we go

The match goes on, with the Beautiful People pretty much dominating. Rayne gets eliminated fairly early, however, she stays at ringside cheering on her counterparts.

The final three people in the match are Love, Sky and whichever babyface they're battling at the time (I suggest Taylor Wilde).

Getting caught up in the excitement, Love and Sky eliminate Wilde, meaning they must now wrestle to a pinfall to see who gets the title shot and who ever loses gets their head shaved.

They start freaking out and trying to figure out how to handle the situation. Finally, they agree to just walk away and not officially end the match.

As they start to leave the ring, Traci Brooks' music hits.

She comes out and declares that as Knockout Law, she's decided the match must continue to a pinfall finish or they'll both have their head shaved.

Love starts arguing with the referee and distracting him, and as she does, Rayne sneaks into the ring and lays out Sky with a chair. Love turns around, sees Sky on the ground and gets the pinfall 1-2-3. She and Rayne then leave the ring celebrating, as a dizzy Sky comes to and realizes what happened.

As Sky gets her head shaved, both heel and babyface Knockouts come out trying to comfort her for what happened, but she goes ballistic on everyone. It's not clear after Sacrifice if she'll remain a heel or have a babyface turn.

On Impact the next week, Sky calls out her Beautiful People cohorts, who seem sympathetic. Love tells Sky that it was just business and something had to happen. She goes on an egotistical rant about how she's the more beautiful of the Beautiful People and says Sky will have to take sabbatical from the group until she can get her beauty back.

During a match between Love and Wilde later that night, Sky comes out and tries to attack Love with a pair of scissors, but she's stopped by Rayne, who gives her the paper bag treatment.

Wilde clears the ring and comes to Sky's aid, calling out the other babyface knockouts.

Over the next few weeks, Sky continues to resist help from Wilde and company but slowly becomes more accepting. This prevents her from having an instantaneous face turn and better fits her character. She can even try to keep making herself the alpha babyface and claiming she's more qualified than the rest of them.

While Love feuds with champion Awesome Kong (now a fan favorite babyface), Sky begins seeking retribution on Rayne. After several months, Sky wins the feud and becomes one of the top babyface knockouts on the roster, possibly even holding gold for a short period of time.

While TNA may not want to split up the ever-hot Beautiful People, this would be a way to shake things up and split up the team in a clever way that wouldn't include a generic face turn for any of them.

There could also be a double-turn and someone else could join the Beautiful People, though in my opinion, the group could thrive with Love, Rayne and a male presence (not a fashionista like Cute Kip but rather a love interest character, which will come up in a future column).

TNA True Impact No.1: No Need for a New Midcard Championship

Adam Testa — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:26:44 -0500

True Impact

Edition No. 1

By Adam Testa

Welcome to "True Impact," an exploration all of things TNA. While issues relating to the X-Division and the Knockouts may be included in this column to paint the bigger picture, more detailed accounts of those groups can be found in my other columns here on B/R, "TNA X-Factor" and "Knockouts Korner."

Becoming Legends

With many TNA stars stuck in the upper-midcard with no real championship to fight for, the Internet wresting community has long been abuzz about adding a new title belt to the company. The perfect solution, however, is sitting right in front of everyone's faces.

To begin, let's look at TNA's current titles and the roles they play in the company:

World Heavyweight Championship: Since the relationship between TNA and NWA ended, only Kurt Angle, Sting and Samoa Joe have held the company's top strap. This belt is reserved for the top man in the company who's capable of carrying TNA on his shoulders.

X-Division Championship

Many associate this title with the dead-and-buried Cruiserweight Championship of the WCW glory days, but the X-Division title really represents something different. The belt shouldn't just be for high-fliers. The division's motto says it's not about weight limits, it's about no limits; and that's the way it should be. But with that said, there are still some individuals who wouldn't seem right if they had the X-Division strap around their waist.

World Tag Team Championships

With a successful tag team division, TNA knows how to use this division and its title to build stars and prepare them for more success in their solo careers. Samoa Joe, Sting, Kurt Angle, and A.J. Styles have all held the gold. Other teams in the division right now, including Beer Money, Inc. and LAX, are being developed for eventual solo careers.

Legends Championship

Booker T introduced this title as part of the Main Event Mafia storyline, and he has been the only person to hold it. The belt has not been defended much, and when it has, it was against a departing Christian Cage and Shane Sewell. It now seems that A.J. Styles will be challenging for the belt, which presents a new opportunity.

With those four titles, in addition to the Knockouts Championship, TNA does not need to create a new belt, or resurrect an old one, for those upper-midcard stars to shine and hold gold. Here's one solution, but keep in mind, any of the names included here can be replaced with other superstars.

A.J. Styles challenges Booker T for the Legends Title, either at Destination X or Lockdown, if they want the feud to continue and be drawn out. A.J., a legitimate TNA legend, holds the belt for awhile and willingly defends it more frequently than Booker.

After Styles makes several defenses against legendary wrestlers like Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner, an upper-midcard heel (ala Robert Roode, James Storm or Matt Morgan) attack Styles during a match or a promo. They declare that he's not fit to hold the legendary title, and it belongs in the hands of a legend in the making.

While he may not win on the first attempt, this challenger sparks the interest of several other wrestlers backstage, who all begin to believe the belt will help them on their way to becoming a legend.

A quick look through the TNA roster shows the following guys would seem appropriate to be fighting for the title: Abyss, A.J. Styles, Booker T, Eric Young, Hernandez, James Storm, Jay Lethal, Kevin Nash, Kip James (with a new gimmick), Matt Morgan, Rhino, Robert Roode, Samoa Joe, Scott Steiner, Sonjay Dutt, Brother Ray, Brother Devon, and others. This list is not meant to be all inclusive.

This mix of wrestlers would allow both legitimate legends and "future" legends to be competing for the title. The hard part for TNA would be to not bury any one of its divisions with only two hours of weekly programming.

The important thing for fans and management to remember is that a program for each title does not need to be featured on every episode and crossover is allowed. The World Heavyweight Title angle should be a weekly staple, but matches and segments for the X-Division and Legends titles could alternate.

Please remember, too, that people can be utilized in more than one division. Beer Money, Inc., could still be the World Tag Team champs while Roode or Storm challenged for the Legends title. Shelley is currently being used both as the X-Division champ and with Sabin in their tag team, but that's a matter for an upcoming edition of "TNA X-Factor."

Final Thoughts

Those individuals who believe TNA needs to add another title to its list needs to sit back and evaluate the potential of the existing championships. If the creative team could get the juices flowing, the potential is endless.

TNA Knockouts Korner #2: Worthy of Gold?

Adam Testa — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:57:00 -0500

Since Gail Kim was crowned the first Knockout Champion in October 2007, three different women have held the gold. Awesome Kong became the first two-time champion, beating both Kim and Taylor Wilde for the belt. She currently holds the gold strap. With Kim gone to WWE (where she has yet to debut), the Knockouts Division has been left in an awkward place, and things haven't seemed the same. But despite what many critics say, there are plenty of women on the TNA roster capable of holding the belt. Following is a look at 15 knockouts on the roster, their chances of holding championship gold and what it will take for them to reach the top of the division. Excluded are Karen Angle and Lauren Brooke.

Begin Slideshow

TNA Knockouts Korner #1: Sojourner Bolt, Beautiful People, Date with ODB

Adam Testa — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 04:29:02 -0500

Knockout Korner: Edition #1

By Adam Testa

Welcome to the first edition of Knockout Korner. Some of you probably saw my first column "X-Factor" on the site yesterday. I hope to have a couple of columns going at any given time to foster healthy discussion about the TNA product.

I hope to eventually develop a regular schedule for these things to keep you guys informed and to keep myself motivated to write them.

I encourage everyone to provide feedback, ask questions, provide suggestions and flat out tell me if you disagree. Let's go.

Bolting up the Ladder

Sojourner Bolt. I first saw her wrestle a real match at Bound for Glory 2008 in Chicago when she teamed with Eric Young to face the Rock and Rave Infection in a dark match before the show.

I thought she showed potential, but to be honest, I didn't even recognize her from her prior squash matches as part of Awesome Kong's open challenge.

After signing a full-time deal with TNA, Bolt seemed to be just another babyface knockout brought into to job to the stars of what is arguably the best women's wrestling division in the world.

She teamed with Christy Hemme (who was turning face herself) in a loss to the Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky) and then lost to Hemme in singles competition.

After the loss to Hemme, Bolt attacked the fiery redhead and found herself in the midst of a heel turn. She was soon paired up with Kong, Raisha Saeed and Rhaka Khan, collectively known as the Kongtourage.

None of Kong's associates have really seemed to get over with the crowd, and TNA even experimented with making Khan a face (though that lasted about two weeks).

On this past week's edition of Impact, we saw Bolt win a nine-knockout gauntlet match to become the number one contender for Kong's title. This creates an interesting scenario that raises some questions about the future of Bolt and the Kongtourage.

One option, the less favorable in my mind, is to turn Bolt back into a face and have her try to legitimately challenge Kong.

Another option is this: Bolt refuses to cash in her title shot. She claims that she will take the shot when she is ready, and no one can force her to do it sooner.

Others including ODB, Roxxi, Taylor Wilde and even the new Madison Rayne could say they want a shot at Kong's title, but Bolt, Saeed and Khan could argue that no one gets a shot until Bolt gets hers.

This would allow Kong time to recuperate from injuries and just relax for a couple of weeks as she's coming off some injuries. The face knockouts could repeatedly challenge for Bolt's number one title spot but keep coming up short because of the other Kongtourage members.

In the end, Knockout Law Traci Brooks could get involved and force Bolt to put the title shot on the line.

This could develop into a storyline involving at least six knockouts (Bolt, Saeed, Khan and some combination of ODB, Roxxi, Hemme, Wilde and Rayne). It would also give Kong the break that she needs.

No matter what the story angle ends up as, Bolt needs to stay a heel and stay an ally of Kong.

A Beautiful Letdown

Six months ago, the Beautiful People were undoubtedly one of the hottest commodities in TNA Wrestling. And no guys, I don't mean that in the obvious way.

Love and Sky could draw heel heat from the audience better than many of the male heels could do. They knew how to work an audience, they knew how to work in the ring and they seemed to be on top of the world. Then something horrible went wrong, and it can be summed up in two words: Sarah Palin.

When TNA invited the former Republican vice presidential candidate to appear, it seemed like a smart publicity stunt. The move garnered national attention and made headlines. It seemed to be a success...until the imposter showed up.

TNA brought in WCW's Daffney to play Palin, and she wound up in a horrid story angle with the Beautiful People.

Love and Sky went from legitimate Knockouts title contenders to dumb blonds with no heat at all. The Beautiful People fell down the ladder and took their reputation with them.

The angle ended with Daffney (in cahoots with Wilde and Roxxi) repeatedly tricking the Beautiful People into very filthy situations.

The whole thing could have been saved had Daffney revealed herself and joined the roster as a full-time face. But instead, TNA still has her playing the Palin impostor.

This week saw Love and Sky returning to their old selves, and we just need to hope they can recapitalize on what they had going. A strong feud with them and some of the face knockouts could overshadow the title if it was well-crafted enough.

They have a long way to climb back up the ladder now, but it should be easy enough for the beautiful duo.

Final Thoughts

TNA has begun a contest where one lucky fan will win a date with ODB. To enter, you have to submit a YouTube video explaining why you should go on the date.

To me, this is a double-edged sword. First, it's sad to think the creative team has nothing better for ODB's character to be doing right now than this. But secondly, it is great they are promoting fan interaction, especially of this level.

I had the opportunity to interview ODB last year, and I think she could be an awesome person to hang out with and meet.

She really seemed like her character comes across as, and she said that's because that's really who she is "just with the volume turned way up."

To those of you vying for that date, best of luck to you.

Testa is a professional journalist in Illinois and a wrestling fan. Contact him at adamtesta@gmail.com.

TNA X-Factor #1: Lethal Consequences, Frontline, Petey Williams

Adam Testa — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:07:58 -0500

The X Factor
Edition #1
By Adam Testa

Welcome to the first edition of "The X Factor," a new weekly column looking at TNA Wrestling's fast-paced, no-limits X-Division. I have been an on-and-off wrestling fan for probably about 12 years and have watched TNA for a little more than a year.

Enough about me, let's get to the column.

X-Factor

My goal for this column is to generate conversation and thoughtful debates about the status of the X-Division, where it stands now and what can be done with it in the future. We'll look at the past, the present and the future. I encourage everyone to share thoughts with me, and I will begin including your responses in future editions.

Dealing with the Lethal Consequences

When the Main Event Mafia versus Frontline angle began, it seemed as if the X-Division wrestlers may play a large role in it. A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe were at the forefront of the Frontline (and both are former X-Division Champions), but more importantly, guys like "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal, Eric Young and Petey Williams seemed to be getting large roles.

Well, soon the Frontline became centered around guys like Team 3D and Rhino, and many of the X-Division guys seemed to fall by the wayside. Then came Feast or Fired. Jay Lethal won one of the briefcases, which had people wondering if he may have been the one with the heavyweight title shot (or even the X-Division shot to bring some gold to the Frontline).

Instead, Lethal had won the Tag Team Title shot. It was announced through TNA Mobile he would be picking Consequences Creed as his partner, which seemed like a logical pick because of their Frontline relationship.

At first, the pairing seemed awkward and like they won the titles from Beer Money only to give them something to do. Then they abruptly lost the titles back only days later. I, for one, questioned what the point of it even was, but in the weeks since then, I have come to accept Lethal Consequences as a legitimate-seeming tag team.

Their match with the Motor City Machineguns on Impact this week was great, and it's highly likely we could see a developing feud between the two teams as a result of Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley's behaviors lately. How great would it be to see all four men in the Ultimate X match next month duking out their distaste for one another?

At first, the somewhat random pairing of Lethal and Consequences didn't really make sense to me. TNA's tag division is pretty stable, and they didn't really need another oddball team.

But since then, I have come to accept the fact we're going to have to face the Lethal Consequences in the coming months. I wouldn't be surprised to see the title straps around these two again soon.

Lost in the Shuffle?

Earlier, I touched on the Main Event Mafia versus Frontline storyline and its original focus on the X-Division stars. While I still like the story arc, and for the most part think it's been effective, it's a shame the X-Division guys have gotten so buried in it.

If they have picked up a single win, they have been few and far between.

At first, the storyline seemed like it was a way for TNA to promote its homegrown stars (most of whom are X-Division wrestlers). However, when Team 3D and Rhino took the helm, things began to change.

Nothing against Brothers Ray and Devon or Rhino, but they're not the ones who TNA need to be pushing. They are great assets to the company, but I personally think 3D should have joined the Mafia, and Rhino should have played a supporting role to Joe, A.J., Lethal, Williams and the others. After all, wasn't it just about one year ago that Team 3D was trying to kill the X-Division? And now, all of a sudden they are on the same side in TNA's brewing war?

With the apparent falling out between Sting and Kurt Angle, it seems likely that Sting may even join the side of the Frontline soon. Let's just hope this doesn't further bury the X-Division stars who deserve the attention.

Guys like Lethal, Young and Homicide could be picking up some wins over the Mafia, even if it requires help from the teammates. Babyfaces aren't supposed to cheat to win, but since when has evening the odds been considered cheating?

Wishing Williams Well

As most people probably already know, Petey Williams has been released from TNA Wrestling. His last match will be on this Thursday's Impact, but I won't release the spoilers.

This week, we saw him lose to his one-time mentor Scott Steiner in a "Headdress on a Pole" match, meaning Petey had to drop his Steiner-esque gimmick. The match was better than expected and even saw Steiner pull off a "Frankensteiner" (just after we saw him pull the Steiner Screwdriver out of his bag at Against All Odds).

Williams' requested release is a great loss for TNA, but we can only hope he may return to televised wrestling soon. Whether he ends up in WWE or Ring of Honor (which recently got its own television deal), we wish him the best and hope to see him return soon.

Final Thoughts

Thank you to everyone for reading the first edition of "The X-Factor." I hope to be able to write weekly. Please contact me with any questions, comments or concerns. If you have any topics you'd like to see explored, feel free to suggest those as well.

Testa is a professional journalist in Illinois and a wrestling fan. Contact him at adamtesta@gmail.com.