TNA losing ground quickly
December 18, 2005
BY BLACKJACK BROWN
Not too long ago, TNA Wrestling was on its way to the mainstream. It had national TV clearance, pay-per-views and a fresh concept. But how quickly things can change. Suddenly, TNA is becoming a tired entity, with interest waning by the week.
Talking to fans, the biggest problem is Jeff Jarrett and how he is keeping the TNA title. Watching Jarrett retain the strap show after show makes you think you are back in 1997, watching WCW ''Monday Nitro.'' Never can a title match just end with a winner. Each time, there needs to be some outside interference to help Jarrett avoid the loss. The act is tiresome.
As for bringing in athletes such as Jeff Hardy, the Dudleys and Christian, there is little doubt these men are big stars. But when their pushes keep down the up-and-coming stars, it takes away from the overall effect.
Bottom line: Between the set, Mike Tenay and the match endings, it feels like a rerun of ''Thursday Thunder'' on TBS. It is time for TNA to shake up the announcing team, get some ECW-style booking -- whereby every match had a clear-cut winner so the fans left satisfied -- and get the title around the waist of Samoa Joe,who has proved he can get the job done in the ring.
The pieces are there, but TNA needs to reshuffle the deck to be a legitimate threat to WWE.
AROUND THE RING: It sounds as though The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin are not too happy with the creative direction the WWE has taken during the last few months, and it might keep them from coming back to the company any time soon. ... At WWE ''Armageddon,'' in addition to Randy Orton vs. Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match, Batista and Rey Mysterio will defend their new tag-team title against Big Show and Kane. Also, Juventud will put the cruiserweight title on the line against Kid Kash, and there will be another match in the Benoit/ Booker best-of-seven.
December 18, 2005
BY BLACKJACK BROWN
Not too long ago, TNA Wrestling was on its way to the mainstream. It had national TV clearance, pay-per-views and a fresh concept. But how quickly things can change. Suddenly, TNA is becoming a tired entity, with interest waning by the week.
Talking to fans, the biggest problem is Jeff Jarrett and how he is keeping the TNA title. Watching Jarrett retain the strap show after show makes you think you are back in 1997, watching WCW ''Monday Nitro.'' Never can a title match just end with a winner. Each time, there needs to be some outside interference to help Jarrett avoid the loss. The act is tiresome.
As for bringing in athletes such as Jeff Hardy, the Dudleys and Christian, there is little doubt these men are big stars. But when their pushes keep down the up-and-coming stars, it takes away from the overall effect.
Bottom line: Between the set, Mike Tenay and the match endings, it feels like a rerun of ''Thursday Thunder'' on TBS. It is time for TNA to shake up the announcing team, get some ECW-style booking -- whereby every match had a clear-cut winner so the fans left satisfied -- and get the title around the waist of Samoa Joe,who has proved he can get the job done in the ring.
The pieces are there, but TNA needs to reshuffle the deck to be a legitimate threat to WWE.
AROUND THE RING: It sounds as though The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin are not too happy with the creative direction the WWE has taken during the last few months, and it might keep them from coming back to the company any time soon. ... At WWE ''Armageddon,'' in addition to Randy Orton vs. Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match, Batista and Rey Mysterio will defend their new tag-team title against Big Show and Kane. Also, Juventud will put the cruiserweight title on the line against Kid Kash, and there will be another match in the Benoit/ Booker best-of-seven.
