Professional wrestling has many institutions that make up
its very foundation. Since the 1979, Pro
Wrestling Illustrated has been one of those very foundations. It comes from a family of magazines that I’m
sure many wrestlers have read from in their youth. In the early days of PWI, there was the
almighty National Wrestling Alliance, the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE)
coming into its own, and the influential – but somewhat forgotten – American Wrestling
Alliance. Several organizations made
claims of sanctioning a legitimate World Heavyweight championship. However, nothing validated that claim like
the recognition from PWI.
Over the years, PWI has given this distinction to various
championships. WCW had it until its
eventual demise after Survivor Series 2001.
The AWA actually lost theirs during the time when Larry Zbysko and Mr.
Saito were trading the championship (need I say more?). ECW went bankrupt and so went it’s
recognition. Others had their own reasons for losing the
recognition. Ultimately, the WWE has
kept theirs and is recognized but PWI as the only World wrestling championship
in the business today. And although the WWE
has gone on record by saying that they are in a place where they do not
recognize themselves as wrestling company and are competing with television
shows instead of wrestling events, the fact is that they put on a wrestling
event better than almost anybody in the world.
The only thing I’ve seen that rivals or surpasses it on all levels is
New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom.
The most recent organization to lose its World title status
has been Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
I can remember when they first got their World championship status. It was during Christian’s reign as World
champion. They’d been knocking at the door
and had convinced A LOT of us that they had the potential to compete on equal
footing with the Machine. However, years
of bad decisions, reports of mismanagement and Vince pulling out his checkbook
have killed that façade. It’s safe to
say that no one in pro wrestling looks at TNA as having a globally-recognized World
championship anymore. Having a World
title status snatched away from a fed is almost like a death knell. The AWA didn’t last too many months after PWI
stripped them of their identity. The NWA
has benefitted from AIWF’s poor attempt at establishing a wrestling
network. But since losing its World
title status almost ten years ago, it has been working twice as hard to reclaim
its former global glory.
So where does TNA go from here?
Check out some of the things that have happened in TNA since
2015.
·
GLOBAL FORCE INVASION: The most significant thing had to be the
partnership of TNA and Global Force Wrestling.
Although Jeff Jarrett co-founded TNA, some people actually viewed him
coming back as a detriment to the company.
Global Force and TNA attempted an invasion angle that saw what a lot of
us thought would happen. Why? Maybe because it attempted to mirror the
WWF/WCW Invasion angle of 15 years ago.
Whether it was a success or failure is anyone’s call. However, TNA looked like it got the worst end
of that stick.
·
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON WITH RING OF HONOR: TNA would go to Destination America. They were initially given A LOT of TV
time. It was done to catch people up on
TNA. Eventually, they were only given
the two-hour slot for IMPACT WRESTLING.
Soon after, Ring of Honor secured a deal with DA and became a lead-in
for IMPACT. The differences in the two
shows were painfully obvious. Both shows
would leave Destination America, but I think this interaction helped ROH usurp
TNA as North America’s second best wrestling company. On a side note, Josh Matthews became their
lead commentator. I’m sorry, but he is better
in a backstage interviewer role. I think
he does something with social media for TNA.
That’s where he should stay:
behind the scenes. He’s just not
a good lead announcer.
·
WORLD TITLE SITUATION: Ethan Carter III was Derrick Bateman in
WWE. However, he went to TNA and became
Dixie Carter’s nephew. He’s a hard
worker with a great look and one of the best choices for a World champion ever
in the company. However, TNA screwed
that up with a World title tournament that saw ECIII regain the belt only to
lose it to Matt Hardy. ECIII was TNA’s
best argument for regaining its World title status with PWI and they screwed
that all to hell.
·
DISMISSALS AND DEPARTURES: James Storm flirted with the idea of
wrestling for WWE NXT, but returned to TNA soon after. Awesome Kong was sent packing after a run-in
with Matt Hardy’s wife. Not smart,
TNA. Velvet Sky gave her notice and left
the company. Finally, NXT has proven to
be a greener pasture for former World champions Bobby Roode, Eric Young, Austin
Aries and new NXT champion Samoa Joe – who left TNA almost one year ago. So
many people leaving and doing better elsewhere could speak volumes about the
company.
I guess now the question is what are the positives for
TNA? Well, they have moved their offices
to another place. The departures open
the door for younger guys to establish themselves. Mike Bennett and Maria have gone to TNA as
well. Some would see Drew Galloway as
the World champion as a good thing for TNA.
That’s kind of hard to say and none of it is Drew’s fault. TNA does have an established global
presence. How strong and profitable it
is might be anyone’s guess. TNA does
have somewhat of a global network, but networks only work if you can leverage
those relationships to your benefit. The
true test of this will be if the higher-ups at TNA can use this champion to
establish a fruitful international network.
Beyond all of that, TNA needs to establish a positive and intriguing identity.
Will TNA sink or swim?
I guess we’ll all find out within the next 12 months.
Fin.
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