This past week has seen another major shakeup in my favorite wrestling company, TNA. The promotion was one of those things that my son and I watched and shared together. He is still a TNA fan as well. This company has been around for 20 years and is a picture of disfunction from almost day 1.
You would think that TVA would be going well since signing on for a reported $10 Million from AMC and their Thursday Night Impact program. But right now, they have just fired (agreed to mutually depart with) their head writer. They let go of a backstage worker that thought he would be moved onto the writing team. They also gave Tessa Blanchard, according to her, an ultimatum. You are either a TNA wrestler or a CMLL wrestler. She picked CMLL. Rumor has it that TNA is going to hire Brian “Road Dogg” James as their head writer. He quit WWE Creative because he was tired of the politics according to reports.
Let’s be honest here. TNA creative has been full of horrible ideas and implementation. While according to all reports that Tommy Dreamer is a great human being and loves the wrestling industry, at this point of time, TNA needs something new for creative ideas. And I don’t think he was up for the challenge. I am hoping that the rest of creative team is either replaced or can prove that they can make compelling television. Do I think that Road Dogg is the correct decision? I am willing to put my faith in him.
A look at the roster might also give us a clue about TNA problems. First, let’s focus on the positive. If you have Mike Santana, Cedric Alexander, and Mustafa Ali signed and wrestling, you have a cornerstone of what your company should be built on. I love all three of those guys. I am impressed with AJ Francis and the improvement he has made from WWE. I can’t wait to see what he is doing a year from now. KC Navarro is back from injury and killing it in the ring. Leon Slater has great matches every time he is out there. They just resigned Trey Miguel which I think is huge for them, although I don’t think he can go to the big companies because of transgressions he committed earlier in life on the internet. There are the seven wrestlers that I would be revolving the company around, at least in the men’s division.
One of the problems is the reliance on legacy acts for the men’s roster. Brian Myers, The Righteous, Eddie Edwards, Elijah, Eric Young, Frankie Kazarian, Hardy Boys, Moose, Nic Nemeth, and Rosemary seem like they have seen the peaks of their careers. And the problem isn’t that they are wrestling for the promotion, but they are in prominent positions. Myers and Edwards are leading the top heel faction. Memeth is always in the World Title Picture, as are the Hardys. I like these acts, but they need to be the support and giving the rub to new acts. And they either will not or the company will not do that.
As for the women, they have had three knockouts leave so far this year. All 3 asked for their release and received them. This has left a lack of proven talent here. I like Lei Ying Lee as a performer. The promos flipping from broken English to Chinese I don’t think do her any favors. Oh, I cannot wait to not see the Elegance Brand. I hate the act. I like Ash by elegance. Have always like the way she wrestled. And having the Personal Concierge was great when it started. Adding the other two females and Mr. Elegance has killed that act for me. They are comedy. And while it is a necessary thing to have on the card, it shouldn’t be for your top knockout tag team. Bringing Allie back seems like a reversion just to have another tag team with Rosemary. Overall though, I believe that this knockouts division and the unproven talent that they have can gel and become a strength of the promotion. Creative needs to figure it out though.
Two last complaints that I have for what I see on television. Eliminate Santino Marella or Daria Rae. One management character is usually too much. Having two is just nuts. How are we supposed to suspend belief when you have two people that supposedly speak for TNA management and don’t agree? Also, thank you Carlos Silva, but you need to be backstage. I don’t need for you to be out there and present the title belt for title matches. Go back to having the referee giving the belt to the champion. Every once in a while, yes become involved. Oh, and since you are the President of TNA, get rid of one of the management people that speak for TNA.
It has been rumored that TNA is trying to come to a talent agreement with OVW. I would love it except for one thing. You already have a working agreement with WWE that you are getting screwed over with. It would be great if the agreement with WWE was terminated and then you could start having OVW talent start to filter into the TNA roster. I don’t need any more NXT talent showing up in TNA and going for titles. To hell with that. Start getting your talent over and developing into stars. The best thing that this company can do is start investing in themselves and the talent. Yes, they will get raided by WWE and AEW. However, there might be a couple of talents that will stay and fight for the company like AJ Styles and Samoa Joe did until management decided that they weren’t stars that they should build around.
TNA is looking bad at the current moment. They can turn it around, but not in two or three months. Even if Leon Slater and Mike Santana leave for WWE like the rumors that are swirling around say, they have enough to start going on an upward trajectory. A couple fo dedicated teams in both divisions would work wonders and stars can be made out of the roster that is already here. It just depends on the office and what they will allow the talent to become.