Fixing TNA is an Easy Task: All They Have To Do is This

Just saw the ratings for the latest episode of TNA Impact, and they dropped to 0.97.  More importantly, they dropped across all key demographics.

(Give the WWE fans a moment to cheer...okay, back to the column)

Within moments the message boards lit up proclaiming the death of TNA and comments of "Hogan must go!" (actually not a bad idea, IMO).  People were stating that it was due to the comments that Eric Bischoff made earlier this week blasting the Internet wrestling community. 

Whatever the case, the fact is that this is not a good sign for a company that was beginning to regain the momentum they lost during the failed Monday night run earlier this year.

However, all is not lost.  Yes, I know we've heard that before, but in reality TNA can use this as an opportunity to realize that certain things work and other ideas just need to go by the wayside.  For example, all of the Jeff Jarrett-Sting/Nash drama is old and tired, though I don't think that was the reason for the drop.

I think what TNA is doing now with the World title tournament (despite the way RVD "lost" it) really irked a lot of fans, yet it can be saved.  Here's how:

Take a look at the picture of the World Title.  At the end of the day, THAT is what should matter most about any promotion, scripted or not.  Just look at all of the admiration thrown towards TNA after the Beer Money-Motor City Machine Guns series. 

Spot monkeys or not, the fact was that people tune in to entertaining contests when there is a championship involved.  Not saying that every feud has to involve a title, but each belt in TNA must be presented as THE primary reason that guys are willing to fight each other, to climb the mountain.

The fact is that this whole "old vs. new" storyline needs to be pushed to the background and the focus needs to simply be on the belts right now.  If TNA is smart enough to understand this, they should set up the title feuds as such:

World Title - Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe

A lot of people complained when four former WWE guys (Angle, Hardy, Anderson, Pope) all won their first round matches in the tournament.  That said, I believe that TNA is setting up an Angle/Hardy matchup for Bound for Glory with the title on the line.

This is a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on the potential feud between Hardy and a returning Samoa Joe, one of TNA's originals.  If the company is serious about building up someone, it should be Joe.  They could have him be the violent heel who just wants to hurt the merchandise-moving fan favorite Hardy while having the tweener Angle show off his tremendous wrestling skills.  Tell me that wouldn't sell a main event!

TV Title - AJ Styles vs. The Pope

Even though these two battled for the World Title at Lockdown, this could be a title feud that really proves if Dinero can carry the ball as a champion.  He may not be a World Title contender yet, he can certainly be the type of face that would help elevate the TV title while other contenders are built up.

X-Division - Douglas Williams vs. Jay Lethal

Lethal has been high on TNA's radar for quite some time, and I think that they should go this route to bring back prestige for the X-Division title.  These two are great wrestlers and can bring it on the mic.  This division is sorely in need of a feud that will remind people of the good old days from five years ago, and these two can do just that.

TNA Tag Team Titles - MCMGs vs. Beer Money

Some feuds are just meant to be.

There you go, four reasons to tune into TNA each week, just to see these guys go at it for the titles while other contenders are being built up.  It's as the old adage goes, the money is in the chase!