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" The Gravel Pit "
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Wrestling
From the Outside (10.22.03)
Posted by Bryan "bps 'The Truth' 21" Staebell on Oct 22, 2003, 00:51
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Bound For Cancellation
Hulk Hogan is having surgery on 10/31 so the “Bound For Glory” show is off. I don’t know how they’ll explain that on the show. The deal with Hogan is still there...but he won’t be able to work for a while. Basically...no 3 hour show this year.
Negatives:
1. How is TNA going to explain this? They announced that there WAS a show on 11/30, and now there isn’t. Their announcement had nothing to do with Hogan coming in...and either way cancelling a show because of one guy is small time.
2. I wanted to see the show.
3. They’ll probably still put Jarrett over tonight. More on this later.
Positives:
1. Gives them time to promote it and find a location. The decision to do it right away left them rushing.
2. Dutch Mantel. I’d love to see his booking over a couple months as opposed to a couple weeks.
So...the show could end up better than it would be if it ran next month...but they have a *LOT* of explaining to do.
There’s no word on what they’ll do now. I guess we’ll just have to see what happens. I expect we’ll see the 3 hour supercard early next year...with or without Hogan.
I’ll say it right now. Jarrett can’t win the title tonight. He. Just. Can’t. Not only would a win almost singlehandedly wash away all the bad booking Styles’ reign has encountered...but the booking leading into the match SHOULD end with Styles going over. Right now they’ve made it into “Russo is gone...so Styles can’t win”. They have the chance to turn that into “Holy crap. Styles is the shit” in one night. More importantly...no one wants to see Jarrett win...but most excepted it as necessary with the upcoming Hogan/Jarrett feud. Well...Hogan ain’t coming any time soon. How bad would Jarrett’s title reign BE for the next few months? He has NO opponents, and NO ONE wants to see him with the belt. Sure they could run a Dusty Rhodes/Jeff Jarrett feud...but what do you do after that? The idea of Dusty’s title shot has already been used up with AJ. There is *NO* positive in Jarrett winning tomorrow. All it does is piss of the loyal fans, while leading to three months (or more) of treading water. The worst part is that EVERYONE KNOWS HE’S WINNING. You can shock people tonight and make AJ a much stronger champion than he was going in. We lost our Supercard...reward us with an unexpected surprise that will please nearly everyone.
Rob Van Dam
The speculation has already begun on the future of everybody’s favorite superstar. The outspoken WWE superstar’s contract doesn’t run out until early next summer...but questions about whether he’ll re-sign have already surfaced. It is no secret that RVD has spent the majority of his time in the WWE being unhappy with his role, he’s said as much every time he’s near a microphone. Every major news site has discussed the story (apparently WWE has offered him an extension...which obviously he hasn’t signed yet). Some believe that he’ll eventually re-sign because that’s what everyone does. Others think he only opened his comic shop so he has something to do once his contract is over. One site went so far as to speculate that RVD will not re-sign so that he can cut back on his schedule working weekly TNA shows and taking tours of Japan. The belief is also that the WWE put the Intercontinental Title on him as some kind of good faith gesture to get him to re-up his deal.
As a fan of both RVD (one of my 3 favorite wrestlers along with the Truth and Chris Sabin) and TNA...I obviously want him to get out as soon as possible. If he does stay with the WWE no one can really complain about his constant burials and overall poor use...as he would have fully known what he was signing up for. I fully believe that if WWE offered him a full release tomorrow, RVD would be gone. The question is what Vince and company can offer him to make him stay. It’s unlikely that they’ll throw a boatload of money his way, as business isn’t exactly booming. I don’t think for a second that RVD can use TNA as leverage either. If Vince thought RVD was at all important he wouldn’t have gone out of his way to destroy him for the last year and a half. The only thing that I think could convince RVD to stay (outside of a boatload of money) would be a guaranteed World Title reign. There aren’t many wrestlers that are more in tune with their fans than RVD is...and by that I mean he knows everyone who chants his name wants him to finally win the big one. Is that enough to make him choose to stay? I think it might be...unless he’s already decided he’s had enough.
If, come late June or so, RVD does end up in TNA...that would obviously be a huge deal. Unlike Raven and D-Lo Brown (who were fired), RVD would be the first person to actually choose TNA over WWE. I don’t think there would be that much argument in the idea that RVD would also be TNA’s biggest star (unless Hogan is still around...which I highly doubt). Would signing RVD turn TNA into a big success? No. What RVD does have, however, is an extremely loyal and vocal fanbase that would follow him there and increase business. Is RVD a draw in the WWE? No. But I can’t name one other non main event pushed star that could do more for TNA.
This is obviously a pretty major story that will continue to get more interesting every time RVD gives an interview and the closer we get to June. I’ll continue to comment on anything that happens regarding RVD’s future even though he isn’t a TNA guy as this is a big story waiting to happen. Of course, he could sign tomorrow and this would all be meaningless...but somehow I doubt it.
Last Week
I enjoyed last week more than most seemed to. I really dig Mantel. I can’t help it. You could see the difference last week. TNA is becoming a well rounded, well formed, well planned out 2 hours with interesting storylines. Last week’s lineup didn’t look good...but I enjoyed almost the whole show (any segment that involves Watts wrestling, Don Harris returning and Goldylocks appearing is a bad one). They’re still in search of their first blow away match since the Super X Cup...but they’ll get there. Mantel is building a foundation that should eliminate the up and down nature of TNA (where one week is good and the next is crap).
The opening 6 man was more enjoyable than it should have been. I was really into it...which doesn’t usually happen when I don’t like some of the wrestlers in the match.
Daniels vs. Shane was much better than Shane vs. Sabin was...completely because of Daniels.
The Hogan/Jarrett footage was great...but it’s meaningless now.
I LOVED THE RUSSO/JARRETT SEGMENT. There. I said it. It made complete sense to me and was the logical blowoff to their feud. Russo was beaten and desperate and finally tried to take out the problem with everything he had left. Of course he failed and was left for dead. I don’t understand how people were so against this segment...but I thought it was perfect.
Northcutt vs. Watts was the lowpoint of the show.
There were some sweet moves in the X division 4 way and the match was MUCH better than most last minute X messes usually are. Sonjay Dutt was worlds about the others...and that’s why he’s back already this week.
Diamond and Swinger vs. Roadkill and Doring wasn’t that good. At least the surprise was a nice one and the crowd was into it.
I also really liked Abyss vs. Kid Kash. It was basically a squash...but it basically...should have been.
Slash and Vampiro vs. Punk and Julio was fun while it lasted...but it was really short. Odd considering the show ended 10 minutes early.
I am very pleased with the direction of the company at this point, and hope that it won’t be heavily affected by the Hogan injury (unless AJ retains of course).
Obligatory Preview
Sonny Siaki, Ekmo and Legend vs. Three Live Kru
Anytime I get to see The Truth on pay per view is a good time. I’d assume that the Kru is jobbing...but I’ve thought that before and instead we’ve gotten no contests. Why they are so protected I’ll never know. I hope that Mantel sees Killings as above this group. He’s not a good worker...but he just looks like a star. He’s not terrible in the ring...so his charisma should count for something. He needs a push.
Sonjay Dutt vs. Kid Kash
Dutt being brought in right away is a good thing. He could be a fantastic addition to the X division. I don’t see Kash jobbing two weeks in a row...but he could if the Abyss story isn’t over with. Since Abyss doesn’t have a match...I’ll talk about him here. More than anyone on the TNA roster, Dutch Mantel is familiar with Abyss. He booked him in the IWA (which is where Abyss came from...and if you read my IWA TV report you’d know he had a real good match with Legend on this weeks show). I wonder if the Kash/Abyss feud is over just because last week was really Dutch’s first full show. I think big things could be in store for Abyss. Then again...the feud could continue. I’m content either way.
Raven vs. Slash
This was supposed to happen last week, but Slash and Vampiro “injured” Raven. I still say this could be a real good, bloody, brutal match if they give it time. Slash is clearly below Raven...but not to the point where a squash makes sense here.
America’s Most Wanted vs. ???
Gilberti promised a surprise team for AMW this week. We have no idea who it is, but I’d put my money on the Naturals (Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas). They aren’t “name” guys so it would be an initial disappointment...but everything I’ve read tells me the match would be great. They had a match at the NWA anniversary show that was supposed to be great (and I’ve heard the same about a match they had on Xplosion a few weeks back).
Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger vs. Danny Doring and Roadkill
Doring and Roadkill won a non-title match last week. They’ll lose here.
Michael Shane vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Chris Sabin
I wanted to see Daniels vs. Sabin one on one... Shane is back to wasting my time again. Interestingly...I think Shane could lose the title now that they aren’t building towards the (rumored) Ultimate X 2 at the 3 hour show. He might not lose it here...but his days are numbered.
AJ Styles vs. Jeff Jarrett
They better change the finish. Match should be good until the ending gets screwy.
Other Stuff
That’s going to be the whole card, but I’m sure we’ll hear something about the Hogan injury/Bound for Glory situation.
The card looks good. We should be treated to a few good matches and some interesting storylines. I’m interested to see the main event now that I don’t know for sure that Jarrett is winning. I’m just setting myself up for disappointment...but go AJ!
Until next week you can find me at bps21@msn.com
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