Total Nonstop Weekly – 08.21.09

Columns, Ratings, Top Story

Welcome back to your source for everything that is TNA. It’s Total Nonstop Weekly and this week I have some news that will most likely get me a restraining order to quit publishing news that could be detrimental to the success or the failure of certain individuals. This week’s format will be slightly different. Instead of dedicating a single section for TNA videos, I’ll put them in random places. I apologize for the lateness, but I just got full-time where I work and I was putting in extra hours this week to fill the gaps, but I’ll make up for it as we go along.

But first off…let’s go Rapid Fire!

TNA Rapid Fire

TNA has signed Hamada to a contract and will be debuting on iMPACT shortly.

Abyss has Twitter. Tweet away twits.

Dixie Carter will be making her TNA iMPACT debut next week on Spike TV.

TNA will be debuting a TNA Knockout’s Tag Team Championship beginning with a tournament next week on iMPACT.

Bobby Lashley has a new nickname: “The Boss”. Insert your witty joke here.

Webmatch: Kyoshi v. Homicide

This week has been quite busy in the news front as there are three huge stories generating buzz. It’s the end of the week and I’m sure you had your fill of at least one of these stories, so I’ll be very brief.

WDKD: What Did Kurt Do?

Last Saturday, Kurt Angle was arrested for violating a PFA (or what I want to call it, a restraining order) that was placed on him hours before by his estranged ex-girlfriend, Trenesha Biggers (TAFKA Rhaka Khan). He also got caught with possession of HGH, driving on a suspended license, and harassment. With a rap sheet like that, the media turned their attention away from Michael Vick’s signing with the Philadelphia Eagles and focused on Kurt Angle as being the home wrecker in this scenario. The arrest threw the IWC into a frenzy as it was unknown if Angle would make it to Orlando in time for TNA Hard Justice.

The frenzy would subside once Angle was allowed to post bail and take the next flight out to Orlando. It remains to be seen what happens in this ongoing investigation as we’ve only heard from Angle and his attorney regarding the matter. Biggers has yet to comment on the happenings and will most likely not comment since it may end up costing herself in the long run. The rundown is that Angle was forced to leave his home and Biggers was allowed to stay. However this came to be is not known since its one thing to kick someone out of the house, but to kick the homeowner out is another thing.

With Angle released on bond, speculation came to be that Angle would drop the title, but we forget that with TNA being a private company (unlike the WWE), TNA doesn’t have to explain anything to anybody, so by using that logic, Kurt Angle is still champion.

If Randy Orton can emit feces into random handbags, be an asshole in real-life, and get injured every so often be a WWE Champion, Kurt Angle can be a TNA World Champion for living the troubled life of being a celebrity.

Long story short, Kurt Angle is a victim of his own success. Angle has already spoken that he has proof that Biggers was the one following him so he could purposely get in trouble for violating the restraining order. The next few weeks will surely be interesting to say the least.

My prediction: Angle gets cleared of the possession charges and the violating of the PFA, but faces a fine for driving with a suspended license. Also, we will most likely never see Trenesha Biggers in a wrestling ring for any wrestling promotion because this ordeal will have a negative impact on her character. It’s a sad reality, but we never seen Amy Weber in TNA (or anywhere else for that matter) after she left the WWE over claims of harassment from Randy Orton.

Hermie’s Hotseat with Christy Hemme

Spike TV & TNA Extend Partnership

In a press release by both TNA & Spike TV, it was confirmed that TNA iMPACT would continue to air on Spike TV through 2012. Included in the deal is the weekly production of iMPACT and ten one-hour specials from time to time. This is perceived to be a good deal for both TNA and Spike TV, who has been happy with TNA’s ratings as of late. Things seem to be heading to the right direction for Total Nonstop Action. The news garnered interest within the entertainment industry and it will be interesting to see how TNA does in the next three years.

TNA Makes Some Changes

At the TNA iMPACT tapings, there was one notable difference as Don West was not in the color commentator seat. After sitting alongside Mike Tenay for seven years, Don West moved up the corporate ladder. Don West is now in charge of merchandise development and sales initiatives. This is up his alley as he has knowledge in merchandising and sales. His replacement is none other than Taz, who has years of experience calling the action for WWE. The mood has changed within the broadcast position.

TNA Hard Justice Recap

PK has the live coverage for TNA Hard Justice. In case you didn’t spend the $30 or find a stream, here are the results.

Daniels wins the Steel Asylum Match
Abyss d. Jethro Holliday
Hernandez d. Big Rob Terry
The British Invasion d. Beer Money, Inc.
ODB & Cody Deaner d. Velvet Sky & Angelina Love (Deaner pins Sky; new Knockout Champion?)
Samoa Joe d. Homicide (New X-Division Champion)
Booker T & Scott Steiner d. Team 3-D
Kevin Nash d. Mick Foley (New Legends Champion)
Kurt Angle d. Sting & Matt Morgan

Critical Critique: “A Modest Blog apologizing for thinking highly of TNA”

This won’t be a regular feature of Total Nonstop Weekly, but when another Pulse Wrestling writer writes something about TNA that I can come up with a rebuttal to, this will be the place you will see it. I call it the Critical Critique. This week, I’m going to critically critique Pulse Glazer’s Modest Blog on apologizing for thinking highly of TNA.

Pulse Glazer responds to TNA’s recent move on keeping the TNA World Title on Kurt Angle despite his arrest the day prior. He brings up Kurt’s past with the WWE and how he was let go for his abuse towards painkillers and for not being in the right frame of mind. He made a point that some of the readers made about this being a prime time for Matt Morgan to be main event material.

Before I begin, I have to begin by saying that I’m not high on Matt Morgan as a main eventer at this moment. He does have the talent, but he hasn’t had the chance to prove himself on a continuous basis. He wrestled AJ Styles three times to earn the shot at Hard Justice, but I’m easily convinced that AJ Styles is the Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair of TNA and he could wrestle a broomstick to a three star or higher match. Matt Morgan is growing on me, so it will be a matter of time when I can believe that Morgan is main event material.

Angle retained the title not because TNA doesn’t care about what Angle did, but because that was the plan at that time. Right now, Angle is not in jail, so why should TNA alter their plans? Sure, Rob Van Dam was caught with pot before and the WWE decided to have RVD drop the ECW Title shortly after the news broke. WWE is a publicly traded company and had they kept RVD as a champion, it would send sound waves that would hurt WWE in the long run. TNA is the exact opposite. They are a private company and as was noted by their official spokesman not having any comment regarding Angle’s arrest shows that TNA can maintain their leverage because they only have to answer to the viewers watching their program and Spike TV. If Kurt Angle would have to serve jail time for his actions, then yes, I would envision seeing them move the title off Kurt and taking him off TV for awhile.

I always believe in the “innocent until proven guilty” logic that everyone who is accused has. Angle’s arrest isn’t an admission of guilt and had TNA went ahead and took the title off Kurt only to find out that Angle wasn’t guilty…it would make TNA look bad.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

I do agree that TNA does need to make new stars, but Pulse Glazer obviously missed the plethora of stars that were made when The British Invasion, Sheik Abdul Bashir, Kyoshi, and Eric Young formed the World Elite. That faction has the backing of the Main Event Mafia. There’s your stars being made right there. Eric Young was in limbo for the longest of time…being dicked around by creative and stripped of the titles he ever held due to lack of creative reasoning. Matt Morgan being in his first PPV main event is proof that he is going to be a star. It wasn’t expected by anyone that Matt would win the title in his first PPV main event. He made a good showing and he made a good showing the following iMPACT, so the star in Morgan is still shining and it will be a matter of time before he becomes the next top guy in TNA.

Agree or Disagree? Sound off in the comments!

iMPACT ThrowDown

No recaps this week; just results.

Beer Money d. The British Invasion
Angelina Love d. Madison Rayne
Samoa Joe d. Homicide
Tracy Brooks d. Awesome Kong, Sarita, & Christy Hemme
“The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero d. Consequences Creed
Team 3D d. Matt Morgan & Kurt Angle

The Grade for iMPACT: B+ (Good things happened this week and it was noticeable with this week’s show.)

TNA Rating News

Last week’s iMPACT scored a 1.1 rating and as was just reported on the internet, this week’s iMPACT scored a 1.2. Next week should be interesting with Dixie Carter’s TNA iMPACT debut.

Also on Pulse Wrestling

Chris Morgado debuts on the Pulse discussing his love for wrestling.
Will Pruett returns this week discussing the evolution of Tables, Ladders, & Chairs.
Dale Clarke discusses the renewed focus in WWE’s Tag Team Division.
Michael O’Mahony debuts the Poll Position. Poll Position is an interactive weekly poll in the Inside Pulse Forums where a question is asked in the forums and you the reader choose from a variety of options to express your opinion. Each week, Michael will discuss the voting results and posts the next week’s question. It’s a good read.

And for more news from your favorite promotions, look no further than Pulse Wrestling as we have more news than you can shake a stick at.

Ring of Honor
World Wrestling Entertainment
Indies

That’s all from me this week. I won’t be here Monday for RAW, but you’ll love my replacement for this week. I will be back next Friday for more TNA news, rumors, and everything else from Total Nonstop Action! Until next time, it’s always good to be a fan.

Paul Marshall has been with Pulse Wrestling since September 2007. He currently does a weekly WWE Column titled "This Week In 'E". Follow him on Twitter here.