Welcome back to ringside everyone. Let’s jump right into the…
Blast From The Impact! Past
Since Impact is over (for now), it would seem as if Hollyric’s station is showing Impact highlight re-runs. So click here to remember old Impact matches or to see how missed storylines came together.
TNA vs. WWE
Oh man, more stuff from Campbell. We really have to get this joint column done. Let me say that the list Campbell came up with is the best one so far, so kudos to him. Ok, let me once again defend TNA since the Jarrett’s are too busy planning how to put the title back on Jeff.
Match Quality: I am in no way, shape, or form saying Petey Williams is a better athlete than Kurt Angle. I am saying that Petey Williams is an athlete because he can do many things in the ring. I am so glad you brought up Angle vs. Lesnar in the Iron Man Match. If I remember correctly that was the Iron Man Match that took place on Smackdown. That Smackdown was taped in Raleigh, N.C. (where I’m from.) I had ringside seats to that match so minus the first 5 minutes of it (I was getting some nachos) I caught the entire thing. You’re right, they didn’t need to do any cool flashy spots, they told a great story, but lets face it, many wrestling fans are marks. When they channel flip and see a side headlock vs. a springboard moonsault, they would rather watch the match that pulled off the moonsault. I am in no way saying a “Story Telling Match” is better than a “Spot Crazy Match” because it’s not. It is however, more fun to watch. I don’t care for Apolo and Siaki either so we agree there. You met AJ Styles? That’s awesome.
Wrestlers: Oh the Tag Team argument. I say there’s 4 contenders: AMW, Canada, Naturals, 3LK. The rest, sure, they’re throw away. How many contenders are there in the WWE (both brands)? Can’t think of any contenders (I’m sure you’ll give me some though.) Maybe if TNA gets a prime time TV slot, they will develop a mid-card.
Learning From Mistakes: TNA doesn’t make mistakes. Argument over. Ok, I’m just kidding on that one. Siaki and Apolo are losing tag matches to Canada, in no way are they getting pushed. JBL had the title for almost a year and HHH has been the champ 5 Times since the Brand Split. That will most likely turn into 6 after the Hell In A Cell Match with Batista. Jarrett holding the belt forever was a mistake and ummm, I can’t defend TNA on that, they’re just idiot for having Jarrett hold the belt that long.
Characters And Angles: I agree with you once again. TNA needs to do a better job on Faces and Heels. Some of the lower card people do change on a week-to-week basis. Another stupid turn was Erik Watts, very pointless. I agree with the Angles part as well. That was one of my 5 Reasons that TNA should get a Prime Time slot, to come up with better angles.
Production: I know this wasn’t a main point but I just have to say this….Trytan was a waste of production.
Ok Campbell, go ahead, tell me why I’m wrong. This is fun.
Top 5…..TNA vs. WWE Dream Matches
This is the winning answer from The C-Cup because next week I will bring to you a Top 5 that relates to TNA’s Slammiversary PPV. Now for this, I will only use a wrestler once, if not my entire Top 5 would be “AJ vs. Angle/Benoit/Jericho/Eddie/Michaels.”
5. Jeff Jarrett vs Triple H in a “I’m Luckier” Match: Since TNA is the gimmick match king, this is a little gimmick match that I have come up with. Jeff Jarrett is lucky because he is the son of Jerry Jarrett, TNA owner. Triple H is lucky because he married Stephanie McMahon, daughter of Vince McMahon. So everyone agrees both men are pretty lucky. How lucky are they is the question. Why not have a match to find out? They could play a Best Of 5 Series, with every game having to do with luck. The games would be: The Lottery, Slot Machines, Russian Roulette, War (The Card Game), and Sports Betting. Sounds like a fun match to me.
4. America’s Most Wanted vs The Dudley Boyz in a “Normal” Match: Both teams are experienced and very good all around in the ring. AMW is considered the best team in TNA and when used weekly, The Dudleyz were considered the best team in WWE. Plus I wanted to throw in a tag match that means something since the WWE doesn’t.
3. Abyss vs. Batista in a “No DQ” Match: Both men have weakness in this little area called “Wrestling.” I figure why not just let these to big men beat the hell out of each other with anything they want? Should make for a a fun brawl that would at least keep my interest.
2. Elix Skipper/Christopher Daniels/Chris Sabin/Petey Williams vs. Chris Jericho/Kurt Angle/Eddie Guerrero/Shawn Michaels in a “War Games” Match: War Games 4 Life. Also, it’s got to be the double ring that WCW used, that way the “gymnasts” (Happy Campbell?) can jump from ring to ring. This match would rule too because..look who the hell is in it. All 8 men can put on a great show that I would pay to see.
1. AJ Styles vs. Chris Benoit in a “Iron Man” Match: I’m talking 60 minutes here people, not that 30 minute crap TNA pulled at Against All Odds. Think about seeing these two guys going at it for 60 minutes. 60 FRIGGIN MINUTES PEOPLE! These two are arguably the best workers in their respective companies. You always know your getting a ****+ match out of these two. 60 FRGGIN MINUTES! This thing has Match of the Year written all over it.
I didn’t get to use everyone I really wanted to use but I figured I included a pretty complete PPV. You got a quality match, a quality gimmick match, a full-blown brawl, a tag match, and a crazy gimmick match.
Ok now my stupid self didn’t save the e-mail that suggested this Top 5 List. So whoever you are please let me know and send the original e-mail (I remember some of the matches you suggested so anyone trying to fake it, sorry) so I know it’s you. Sorry about that.
The E-Mail Bag
Only 2 e-mails this week, ain’t that a bitch?
This is not a correction on your behalf but one of the e-mail respondents from your 6-3-05 TNA @ ringside said that the NWA title has lost its prestige and was tarnished in the early 90’s by WCW and is never defended out side of orlando.
1st problem with that is well the NWA never lost its prestige after the flair was stripped of the title in 1991 it still existed and was defended oveisley this guy never watch WCW programming and saw the NWA title being defended sepretley from the WCW title. And if it wasn’t for the NWA Title ECW might not have every existed and it is easy to look up the lineage of the title its on several web site including the NWA site TNA site and others.
2. The Title was defended out side of orlando just go to the NWA web site and it will tell you where the champ has title defenses all over the world. Hell just be for Jarrett lost the title to AJ he had defended it over in England. Hell AJ has title defenses all ready set op for the next 2 months out side of TNA.
Also the NWA title is the oldest world title in existence today. WWEs title has only been around since 1963 and for part of the 60’s and 70’s it wasn’t ecen a world title just a company title. oveisley this fan has no sense of wrestling history out side of the WWE.
and another note the guy said the X division title has no prestige because its a young title no shit its a young title but i value it over the WWE’s IC or US or CW title any day.
Also TNA has the NWA world tag team titles which Have a hard history to follow but there were held by some of the greats of Pro Wrestling
Thanks for letting me vent but i’m an old NWA Fan & That Just pissis me Off.
Love the Colom.
-Craze
I believe this e-mail is in respond to the following comment made by Mark in last weeks column:
3. More prestigious titles
Whichever way you view it, the X division title is the big one or the heavyweight one is, both titles have no legit prestige. The NWA heavyweight title was so damaged in the early nineties, it’s lineage is difficult to follow. On different nights, in different cities a wrestler could’ve been the NWA champ as well as the WCW champ. The next night, they may only have been billed as the WCW champ. This is the same title, different belt, that TNA touts around Styles’ waist. The X division title is essentially a cruiserweight championship. Many matches are just thrown together on PPV for this title.
The WWE title has a direct lineage, is well known, and “surprisingly” both of WWE’s heavyweight titles can be defended throughout the world. What I’m trying to say is, WWE’s RAW title is the World heavyweight championship and is actually (or has the potential) to be defended throughout the world. TNA claims to have a World title, yet it never leaves the Orlando area. Big difference.
Thanks Craze for helping me out with the whole history of the title thing. I hate getting into which title is more prestigious. For all I care, the fake belt I bought at Toys-R-Us a few years ago is the real title. I’M THE CHAMP!
Personally I feel TNA is the better company, and here are my top 5 why.
5. Characters! What do we have in the WWE? A stutters, a wigger, a rich New Yorker from Texas, a horny fat man, a horny built man, Triple H and a handful of anti-americans. What stupid characters does TNA have? There characters are just people with different views, they are wrestlers, not storytellers. TNA gives us matches, WWE gives us character development, we learn that Matt Morgan hates being made fun of while we see Jerrell Clark do a 630, what do you prefer?
4. Matches, overall TNA has better matches, AJ vs Jarrett IV > Batista vs Triple H II, Raven vs Waltman > JBL vs Cena II, AMW vs Naturals > Holly/Haas vs MNM, it’s simple.
3. PPV’s, WWE gives us ike 14 a year with only 4 that have work put into them. The brand ones are all kinds of suck, title match, story match…then throw everyone else on the card somewhere. TNA gives us 2-3 awesome matches, great title matches (usually) and uses most of the PPV time while WWE ends like 30-50 minutes early.
2. Champions, TNA has Christopher Daniels holding the best title in North America, the X Title, the Naturals, a great team with a new vision holding the tag titles, and the awesome AJ holding the World Title. What does WWE have? The anti-Triple H, just so Triple H has a reason to main event and win World Title 11, Cena…so he pops the crowd, does he do anything else? Oh ya, gay jokes, he is also a bad rapper and actor…too bad he couldn’t put all his energy into trying to be a decent wrestler…oh well. MNM, I love em, too bad they won the tag titles in there 1st match…shows the tag divison there…Raw is even worse. Shelton…I can’t stand him, he can do things that the WWE won’t allow anyone else on roster to do and won’t tell you there are better things in the indy’s, I mean a springboard bulldog? A Stinger Splash? An Exploder? A leap to the top rope? Pass. OJ is all kinds of terrible. London is the only good champ but is stuck on Velocity.
1. Storytelling, Yes, TNA wins this big time! Triple H takes 20 mintues to say what he says every week, Scott D’Amore takes 2 minutes to say a lot. Chris Masters takes 15 mintues to make someone pass out to a full nelson to look good, Abyss takes 21 seconds to hit 3 awesome moves and win a match. Bitch all you want about TNA’s squashes, they are better than WWE’s Masterlock Challenge, and the long winded promo’s from Triple H and JBL. Besides, who doesn’t love the backstage short interviews that actually mean something?
0. The best thing of all, MOVES! Canadian Destroyer, Angels Wings, Styles Clash, Black Hole Slam, Northern Lariat, Catatonic, 8 Second Ride, Natural Disaster, Showstoppa, 630, Hindu Press, top rope spinny axe kick, Cradle Shock and all those out of nowhere awesome moves. What does WWE have that can match that? I can think of 1…Widow’s Peak.
-Curtis
Thanks for the e-mail. I can’t say that I agree with all of them, but I have stated my point of view on all of them in one column or another. As for Cena, I have stated this a number of times, Cena’s CD is very good I just think he’s limited in his freestyles on the air.
The C-Cup
*Slammiversary Special: TNA is coming up on their 3rd year Anniversary so give me your favorite moment in their existence. Send in your moment with your plug.
Ok, that’s it for this week folks. You can always drop me a line at AMPLine4Life@aol.com and join me next time At Ringside.
