If you are like me, you went into last Monday night hoping that TNA would turn over a new leaf creatively and showcase what is great about their talent roster to possible new viewers while showing everyone else that this latest change would be for the better. Many online critics as well as knowledgeable viewers like Jim Cornette think that beyond the ratings numbers their show was a creative failure. Honestly I agree that from the booking standpoint, the show was a disaster to anyone not wanting to watch an episode of Nitro from a decade ago. But I thought about it and instead of writing a commentary about how bad I thought their show was I’d write out what I might have done differently. Obviously I am writing this without having to deal with egos or creative control issues but I tried to keep in mind what was realistic, recent TNA history and to only use talent that was already available to TNA. So with that in mind, here is my basic outline of how I would have scripted the show, let me know what you think of my ideas.
The show begins with a video promo similar to the one that aired, but I would have made it just a bit longer and really spotlighting guys like Joe, Styles, Daniels and other “TNA originals†a bit more. From the video after a shot spanning the excited crowd, cut directly to Taz and Mike Tenay who welcome everyone to the show, hype Hogan’s first appearance and announce some of the card for the night.
The first match is MCMG vs. Beer Money vs. British Invasion (c) for the TNA tag-team titles. The match should be fast paced and designed for each team to hit some signature spots so that they and the tag division comes off looking balanced and strong. Towards the end of the match, Kevin Nash comes down and seems to be having issues with the champs but ends up taking out one of the members of Beer Money to remove them from the match, before leaving the ringside area. After another bit of outside interference backfires on the champs, the Guns hit ASCS Rush to win the titles. (commercial break)
Next is a backstage interview with Jeremy Borash and Kurt Angle. Angle puts over Hogan’s arrival as well as TNA’s existing talent before starting to cut a promo on AJ Styles about their upcoming title match at Genesis. The champion interrupts to lay out a challenge to Kurt; he wants to make a statement tonight and wants to know if Kurt feels the same. Kurt agrees and they decide not to wait for the ppv and have their match tonight. Meanwhile, we cut to Beer Money who is now looking around for Nash backstage and after running into Eric Bischoff, they get directed to where he is. (commercial break)
Tara (c) vs. ODB for the Knockout Championship is next and would be a decent amount of time. The finish would see Tara going for the container that her spider is in but ODB takes it away from her before she can open it. The ref steps in to get it out of the ring and Tara capitalizes on the distraction to cheap shot ODB and hit the Widow’s Peak for the win.
After the match we cut backstage to see Nash, Hall and Waltman exiting Nash’s locker room as the camera shows Beer Money laid out inside. Nash makes a smart ass comment about being careful who you go looking for and that he and his buddies are on the way to watch Hogan’s promo. That goes directly into a video package about Hogan and that his first TNA appearance is next. (commercial break)
Hogan comes out and first puts himself over and all that he means to wrestling etc. He then puts over the fans and all that they mean to him and wrestling. Next he talks about TNA, about all the talent and energy that they have and what all three of these forces could mean to the future of the business. Hogan says that he knows that he can’t put TNA on top by himself so he brought some friends with him, and he wants to bring one of them out right now then introduces Jeff Hardy. He puts Jeff over as a big star and Jeff grabs a mic to thank Hogan for the intro and for bringing him back to TNA. Jeff also mentions that how pleased he was with his contract because it includes a guaranteed shot at the TNA title within the first 30 days. He warns AJ Styles and Kurt Angle that no matter who wins their match tonight, that the clock is ticking on their title reign. Hogan puts over the main event for tonight, says he can’t wait to see Jeff get his shot and that competition like this is what TNA is all about. (commercial break)
Christopher Daniels vs. Desmond Wolfe is next on the card and follows a similar format to the opening match in that it is designed to showcase both guys and be a very competitive match. The finish would have Wolfe winning with the Tower of London. (commercial break)
We return to the announce table so that Taz and Tenay can give a recap for anyone who missed something watching Bret Hart on Raw. They intro a video package detailing some of the history behind the X Division and spotlighting some of the current stars featured in it. After the package we get a graphic for an X-Division title match on the next Impact between champion Amazing Red and winner of a title shot via the feast or famine match at the last pay-per-view Rob Terry. A brief video recap of the Feast or Famine match from Final Resolution is shown and that sends us to Christy Hemme who is backstage with Samoa Joe. Christy asks that with Terry cashing in his title shot on next week’s Impact and all the talk tonight about the TNA World title, does he know when he will be using his opportunity? Joe says that he does not know when he’ll cash it in and what should scare the current or future champ is that neither do they. He gives a short but aggressive promo saying that doesn’t care if it is Styles, Angle, Hardy or anyone else has the belt, he is coming for it. (commercial break)
Hernandez vs. Eric Young is next on the card and Young’s TNA Global title would not be on the line. I wouldn’t want this to come off as a total squash but it would be used to spotlight Hernandez more than Young. Towards the end of the match, World Elite members Homicide and Kiyoshi come down to the ring to offer assistance. But as Kiyoshi distract the ref, Homicide seems disinterested in either helping Young or striking Hernandez. Eventually the ref regains control and Hernandez picks up the win. After the match Homicide seems to consider attacking his former LAX partner as well as Young, but chooses to do nothing and leaves alone. (commercial break)
We return with a video package to spotlight the Knockout division. Both titles are spotlighted and each of the knockouts given at least a couple of shots on camera. After the video a graphic is shown for a Knockout’s tag-team title match on the next episode of Impact. This segues into the Beautiful People in the back with JB as they are the challengers in that match and they announce they’ll have a special surprise just to make sure they win. We then get a brief segment with Hogan and Jeff in the back as Hardy is leaving. Hogan then bumps into Bobby Lashley and he puts Lashley over as guy he expects big things of. There might be some welcome to TNA and WWE jokes made but it meant to be a pretty brief segment. (commercial break)
Abyss, Matt Morgan and Suicide vs. Rhyno, D’Angelo Dinero and Scott Steiner is next and is more of an individual showcase than following a classic tag formula. The story of the match is for each man to get some ring time and showcase themselves a bit with no one really getting along before things start to fall apart and turn into a big brawl. As it deteriorates and the action starts to spill outside the ring, we eventually are left with Morgan and Steiner as the legal men and Morgan hits his finisher on Scott for the win. (commercial break)
Jeff Jarrett comes to the ring and cuts a promo about how TNA began, how far it has come, where it can still go and his involvement with all of that. This is interrupted by Mick Foley who comes to the ring to state his and role with the company and share his distrust of the deal with Hogan. And speaking of the Hulkster, he appears (but stays in the entranceway) and lets them both know that things are going to change in TNA and that they can either get on board or get lost. This leads to a brief three way debate over just who has the power in TNA. Eventually Hogan stops the conversation by saying that no one is watching this show to hear them argue about who is in charge so why don’t they adjourn to his office and talk about it so the show can get back to wrestling. (commercial break)
AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle for the TNA world title is the main event and I have no fault with how that match actually went off on the show. The only thing I’d change is not to have Hogan come out afterwards. Instead once the match has finished and Angle and Styles have their moment in the ring, quickly cut to the back and show Hogan entering his office supposedly to chat with Foley and Jarrett only to see them both laid out and Bischoff, Hall, Nash and Waltman waiting for him instead. The camera does not show Hogan’s reaction and instead fades into a commercial for next week’s Impact.
