After last week, and my ultra-optimistic take on what may, or may not, happen at Elimination Chamber, this week I felt certain that my dour Scottish genes would kick in once more, and I could give someone a right good kicking.
Certainly there are plenty of candidates. The nominations include:
- Tenay for being Tenay
- Batista for the ‘I got no beef with you’ rubbish with ADR
- HHH for the Yes! thing (movement describes his attempts well)
- Cole JBL and JKL for the app promo…again
There’s a long list.
So I’m just as surprised as anyone to find myself looking at the positives again. In this instance, I’m talking about the upturn in TNA. Some of you are probably thinking “what upturn in TNA?” Some of you may be thinking “what IS TNA?” But since the turn of the year, there have been signs of improvement in TNA, and that is “good for business”.
AJ Styles and Sting are both gone, Jeff Hardy has decided to take a break (for reasons totally unrelated to not being allowed to work in the UK), and surely a company that looked weak 6 months ago would be even weaker after losing three of its top talents, but no! The losses of AJ and Sting have been more than balanced out by the loss of a whole host of underachievers – Boomstick Bradley, Briscoe, Crimson, Matt Morgan, and of course, the wrecking ball that is Hogan, to name but a few.
TNA have now reset themselves and while Dixie still spends way too much time on TV asking people to listen, a new leaner, meaner TNA can grow naturally, and with any luck, present an alternative to those who just want to watch something different.
Magnus as the TNA World Heavyweight Champion makes absolute sense. He’s signed on for 2 years, and the company were preparing for a trip to the UK. Publicity obviously increased with a UK Champ, more tickets were probably sold, and it’s not like he doesn’t look the part.
Joe feuding with him also makes sense. He was a “friend” of Magnus’ in the Mafia, so he feels betrayed that a former member has taken out both the leader of the Mafia and AJ Styles, a TNA original. Joe signed a similar contract at the same time as Magnus, so from a business point of view, it obviously works. MVP arriving makes absolutely no sense, but we can’t have everything, can we?
Bobby Roode is now being used more effectively, helping out Dixie in return for a title shot makes sense, and the face turn when he doesn’t get it, does too.
How many of you thought that you’d read the word “sense” (and that it would fit in) so often in an article about TNA?
There are obvious blots on the horizon as well though.
The Abyss/Joseph Park angle has dragged way too long, Samuel Shaw’s infatuation with Christy Hemme looks like it has no end game, and Bad Influence need to be on TV more, doing what they do best.
Dixie’s not a strong enough person to do the “bad owner” character. Her promo style is too long-winded, and she’s constantly telling people when “this bit is important”. Cut the promo back to only the bits that are important, then you won’t have to flag up that most of it was just filler…
Gunner as the number one contender, well after Joe obviously (who is the number one contender), making Gunner the number two contender (see what I did there? Number two?? Gunner is number two???)… There’s nothing to like about him.
Firstly, he used to shoot people. Secondly, he’s Gunner. Thirdly, he’s currently involved in a feud with Sir Ian Trumps on Twitter and, as such, he’ll never be #wolfieapproved (anyone struggling with that last bit should be ashamed. Ashamed enough to go and listen to MFX Podcast).
And “the professor”, Tenay, is so used to having a heel doing colour commentary that he tried to pick a fight with Borash, who is the biggest babyface ever. When TNA sacked Don West, Tenay was shown up as useless, and nothing he’s done since has done anything to disprove that.
There is however, one person who is making a big difference in TNA.
A man who has been given a chance because of TNA’s financial difficulties, and grabbed that chance with both hands. A man who is fast becoming a contender for the crown that Bad Influence currently wear – Rockstar Spud is fast becoming the most watchable thing on TNA.
As the winner of British Boot Camp, Spud was sent to OVW to learn, but was called up to the main roster, partly to fill the void left by departures, but mostly due to the relationship between the two organisations going south. His arrival as the “Chief of Staff” for Dixie was a bit strange, but boy has he grown into the role.
Spud has those essential ingredients that you need to play the character that he is – he’s not the biggest guy, he’s got no dress sense, he thinks he’s a babyface and he’s got no social skills. He’s the most annoying person you’ve ever met, but worse.
The karaoke scene on his way to see AJ was priceless, and his reaction when Styles caught him was the same. He acts around others, clapping when they speak, shushing the crowd when they boo, doing all the little things that add up to create a character that’s not too far from Bobby “the Brain” Heenan – a toadying sycophant.
But…he grabs your attention, and he won’t let it go.
From the minute he appeared in Glasgow, calling Scotland “England’s ‘B’ team”, Spud dispelled any notion that he might be cheered, while wearing the world’s worst pair of trousers. I’m not someone who generally checks out other men’s trousers, but the diamond check things he was wearing were brilliant. And I was still looking at them when he got attacked by the Wolves.
Fast forward a week, and Spud, wearing less triumphant trousers, interrupts MVP. The Rockstar decides that it’s fine for him to put his hand on the shoulder of TNA’s new investor. MVP’s clearly unhappy with that, and pointedly looks at the offending hand. Spud ignored him and I burst out laughing!
His line after what can only be described as a terse meeting between Dixie and MVP, “he seemed like a bloody nice man” was a thing of beauty, delivered with expert timing, and completely contrary to what had just gone on. Spud managed to steal the show, and save what was a pretty awful spot on the show.
So, by using a little sense and a little man, TNA really are heading in the right direction, although they couldn’t have travelled much further down the wrong one. And they’re doing it at the perfect time.
WWE have a disenchanted fan base, who may be looking for something else. They’re also about to launch a Network which will cost money every month. For those that like their wrestling in a more currency free environment, TNA can be there to provide that alternative.
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