Stone Cold Challenge: What If Stone Cold Steve Austin Joined TNA?

First of all let me clarify—I do not mean this literally—he never will join TNA. The question though asks what if TNA was to make a character akin to that of Stone Cold. In almost one move, TNA could revolutionise its program and begin to seriously challenge the WWE.

Wrestling in the 1990s was transformed by the emergence of Stone Cold and the Attitude Era. Cartoon wrestlers were out, hardcore storylines were in and the ratings soared.

Not all of what was created was of course successful but the phenomenon of Steve Austin was. All over the world, people watched wrestling again—where before they had only heard of Hulk Hogan and maybe Randy Savage—now they knew of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

The WWE became mainstream entertainment once again and figures grew to over eight million by mid 1999. The hugely popular and talented Rock came and consolidated what Austin had created. Suddenly the WWE was unstoppable and within two years, WCW was gone.

Today the story is very different, we have a franchise but its PG. Arguments on this have already taken place so no need to elaborate but John Cena has not revolutionised wrestling in quite the same way.

He is a strong character and certainly very popular but its not resulted in increased viewers quite like that of the Stone Cold era.

Switch over to TNA and there is an opportunity to do so. They have gained some success with the likes of Mr Anderson, Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy but nothing that brings new fans to wrestling. The non-PG element allows for blood, swearing and hardcore violence - all factors that helped create Stone Cold.

Any attempt of course to produce a parody will fail and Sharkboy is testament to that but TNA has a chance to produce characters that are not bound by traditional PG values. Someone that is new and excites the wrestling world.

TNA has a strong line-up (if used effectively) but it just seems to lack that extra something that will win over the WWE loyalists as well as neutral fans.

Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Mr Anderson, Motor City, Beer Money, Desmond Wolfe, Generation Me, The Pope, Amazing Red—superstars all. Top this line-up with a Stone Cold phenomenon and suddenly TNA becomes unmissable.

Wrestling fans love unpredictable action—they want to be surprised. Too much in wrestling today is lazy and complacent. Maybe the lack of competition for the WWE has fostered these feelings. They are making good money and are an excellent company but I can not help but feel that they could be doing so much better.

In order to succeed, TNA is doing everything to succeed—maybe even trying too hard. But with consistency, some restructuring and a little Stone Cold-eque magic, they can become a credible organisation.

If they begin to do well as a result, the WWE will respond and suddenly we have a proper second coming of the Monday Night Wars, albeit with TNA on Thursdays.