NWA:TNA 2002

[therockbox]

Writing as I'm reading;

- I liked the Daniels promo. It actually gives him a character as opposed to someone who's just wrestling, and will also hopefully lead to a push for him.

- After the promo he had to win, really. At least you managed to show all the other guys' strengths as well, although I'm surprised Misterio isn't fighting higher up the card. He's one of the biggest names on the roster at the moment.

- lol, women wrestling. Whatever next?

- I wasn't overly keen on the Corino bit. It was a good way to show that he's absolutely shit scared of Shamrock, but at the same time 3 on 2 is still a handicap match. I still think he would've been a little worried.

- Ah, maybe that's why he wasn't worried anymore. Dunno though, we'll see.

- This match just seemed like a way to start something between Styles and Low-Ki. Still, can't go wrong with that. I can see Styles turning heel at some point, because I'm sure the fans will get sick of his placing Japan over TNA.

- The survivor match was really well written. I know it's the longest match you've done in this diary, and it flowed really well. I loved the comparison of Corino's heel tactics to Flair. Malice and Slash out, so yeah, that's why he wasn't scared anymore.

- Ugh, Dusty Rhodes. I'm not entirely sure I like Dusty being on the winning team, even if he entered right at the end. Hopefully we'll see some revenge Corino style next week.

Overall, I enjoyed the show. The promos were good and should help to add a bit extra to the X-Division roster especially, adding more to them than just being guys who can do cool moves.

[probablyoliver]

TNA News & Notes

GrappleFanatics.net

June 21st 2002

TNA officials have announced a small list of superstars who have signed exclusive contracts with TNA Wrestling, and the lengths of which they have signed contracts for:

3 Months - The Road-Warriors

6 Months - Malice, Slash, The Sinister Minister

8 Months - Steve Corino, CW Anderson

12 Months - Sonny Siaki, Jorge Estrada, Jimmy Yang

24 Months - Dusty Rhodes

It's also been reported that TNA should be releasing details of more names of wrestlers who have signed for long time exclusive contracts. It is also believed that many wrestlers have turned down exclusive contracts in order to continue working in the independents, this may be the reason why their is a lack of X-Division stars on the shortlist.

There are conflicting reports making their way around the internet in reference to the Main Event of last weeks TNA event, which saw the team of Steve Corino, CW Anderson, Malice & Slash take on and ultimately fall to the team of Jeff Jarrett, the Road-Warriors and Dusty Rhodes. The match, which had already been altered many times before the event went on air, with Simon Diamond, Johnny Swinger and Ken Shamrock all unable to appear was also changed many times during the show as well. The original plan was to have the Road-Warriors as the Survivors, in order to make them look as monstrous as they had leading up to the match, but was changed to incorporate both the New Church and Dusty Rhodes in the match. However, reports indicate that the match was originally meant to feature a much longer altercation between Jeff Jarrett and Steve Corino, two men whom have been the centre of controversy over the last few weeks. It is still not known if the lack of a fight between the two was a work, set out in similar fashion to the events over the last few weeks, or whether it was a mutual decision between Corino and Jarrett not to wrestle each other. Whatever it was, don't look for TNA to cool the situation and turn the two away from each other, due to Dusty Rhodes being extremely high on the two fighting each other after a small feud. This could make or break TNA, and it's seen as an extremely risky move.

TNA are reportedly interested in creating stronger ties in Japan. On the second TNA show, Ken Shamrock and AJ Styles, who have been working tours with New Japan both said how they'd love to work with Japanese talent on home soil in TNA, and an increase in foreign stars could become a great investment for TNA. Head-Booker; Dusty Rhodes is reportedly very high on the X-Division, and sees it as one of the major selling points of TNA, and with the Japanese talent pool being extremely deep, as well as talented, Rhodes is said to be "extremely excited" at the prospect of bringing in Japanese talent.

But Japan isn't the only place TNA is looking at to increase X-Division talent; TNA is also looking to the Americas for new faces to bring in for the X-Division. Ring of Honor star, Paul London has already been contacted, and he announced on his personal website that he's been asked to come down to Alabama for a try-out match before this weeks show. Whether or not he is picked up full-time remains to be seen, but with a try-out match already scheduled, things are looking good for the young student of Shawn Michaels.

El Gran Apollo, who appeared on the first few TNA shows is expected to be seen more regularly in the coming weeks. The Puerto Rican native is a major prospect for Dusty Rhodes, and on more than one occasion, the American Dream has put Apollo over as a future World Champion. Apollo isn't the most talented individual, but his look and intensity alone far than make up for his lack of pure wrestling skills.

Glenn Gilberti is also expected to play a more prominent role in TNA. In Gilberti's previous appearances for the company, he has shown a great deal of charisma and talent, and he could be easily used both in and out of the TNA ring, either as a wrestler, manager or any kind of personality. Gilberti is another of Dusty's favourites backstage at TNA, and he is said to be an extremely positive force backstage.

NWA:TNA #006

Take the Reigns

www.nwatna.com

June 23rd 2002

Two of the biggest upset victories, and in the same match! Last week featured the biggest and best TNA match in its short history as the team consisting of Jeff Jarrett, Dusty Rhodes and The Road-Warriors defeated the team led by the NWA World Heavyweight Champion himself; Steve Corino, and featuring none other than CW Anderson and the sadistic pairing of Malice and Slash; the New Church; and not only did it end with Jeff Jarrett making the NWA Champion tap, but the New Church single handily proved themselves to be one of the best tag teams around as they pinned the seemingly unstoppable Road-Warriors.

This week, Steve Corino sends his behemoth bodyguard, "The Enforcer" CW Anderson into battle against Jeff Jarrett to get revenge for the defeat Steve Corino received at the hands of Jeff Jarrett last week. One has to question whether the match will be completely fair though, as Corino has shown himself to be a conniving, evil, manipulating champion in the previous weeks. Will Corino's presence allow CW to get the biggest upset of his career, or will Jarrett prove he's NWA World Heavyweight Championship material?

Also, the Road-Warriors will look for revenge as they go against Malice and Slash in tag team action. The Sinister Minister's New Church are on their biggest career high ever after pinning both Road-Warriors this week, but will they be cut out to defeat the Road-Warriors in fair, tag-team action. The Road-Warriors will be pissed off, and they can't wait to get their hands on the New Church, can they continue their rampage through the TNA Tag ranks, or will the New Church get the upper-hand once more?

Low-Ki will also be in action, taking on the mystery opponent, hand-picked by the Flyin' Elvis'. Last week Sonny Siaki and Jorge Estrada defeated Low Ki after his partner; AJ Styles failed to show up, will the element of surprise mean Low Ki's at a disadvantage again, or will the X-Division champion be able to defeat his mystery foe in a fair fight?

The X-Division will also be showcased as Chris Daniels, a man who is now on a one-man mission to X-Division glory faces the fastest Elvis Impersonator in the world; Jimmy Yang. Will Daniels continue his crusade and defeat Yang, or will it be Heartbreak Hotel for Chris Daniels?

All this and more on NWA : Total Non-Stop Action.

Confirmed Matches:

The Road-Warriors vs. The New Church

CW Anderson vs. Jeff Jarrett

Low Ki =X= vs. The Flyin' Elvis' Mystery Opponent

Chris Daniels vs. Jimmy Yang

-

Feedback is welcomed and encouraged.

Edited April 21, 2006 by Ollie Beak

[TGC]

I'm back to review the fifth TNA PPV, but before I begin I need to comment on the losses of Curt Hennig and Elix Skipper that I glossed over in my last mega review. I am sorry to see both go. Hennig could have held a major spot I think in the opening days of TNA. An uppercarder who could have been used in the spot where he still goes over the majority of the iundercard, but not quite good enough to win the NWA World Title. He could have been used to give solid wins for people like JJ, Shamrock, and Corino. Eventually when a younger lower guy gets to the point of being ready to take a shot at the uppercard, he could have been used to see if they were ready to make that transition. I understand losing deadweight, but I don't think you looked into it enough. I think you jumped the gun. As for Skipper, I just can't even begin to see what in the holy hell made you get rid of him. If nothing else a Tag Team would have been good, but even a run in the X Division somewhere in the middle of the pack would have worked. All in all, I think dropping both guys and keeping some of the worthless names you still have might have been a rather large mistake.

Okay, now let's do:

TNA Week 5

-Still not a fan of Acid, but that was one hell of an opening four way match. Obviously Ki vs. Daniels would kick copious amounts of ass, and yet I'm more interested in Daniels pre match comments regarding Styles. A nice feud there would keep both away from the title, and the eventual winner would have a better claim at the belt. Either way, with the exceptio of Acid whom I really just DO NOT LIKE, your X-Division is the cream of this diary. Thankfully you recognize this.

-A Women's Match with no real purpose or focus on a PPV that the fans are paying for? Yor seem to have this wild idea that people won't get pissed and start tuning out when you put complete and utter shit on the card. This isn't a monthly $30 PPV where fans might be a little more tolerant, this is a weekly $10 committment that has no end in sight. Unless you continue to book, and as we get later in the show bait and switch, bad matches, then the fans will see an end in sight when they quit buying the product. There seems to be the idea here by TNA to produce some of the worst shit possible, and for a fledgling company that NEEDS there fanbase to make the committment and not leave them it's some of the most asinine booking and management I've ever come across.

-Corino is holding the NWA World Title and he mentions doing a Madusa? WTF? You want Corino to be the top heel, he should make mention of doing a Franchise. He should remind the fans that this title was already shat upon once, and it wouldn't do it any favors to have it shat upon again. Don't reference a fucking horrid WWF Women's Champion, reference a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and the defining moment for ECW.

-I agree, somehow someway you've managed to get The Flying Elvises over. I actually care. You sick, twisted, evil, yet magnificent bastard. Good job.

-Okay, if AJ doesn't go full blown heel and reveal that he has purposely screwed Ki over you've missed a good shot. I'm not saying it should be done soon, but eventually, after he has fucked Ki over time and time again. Ultra cocky ultra heel AJ is far better than nice happy face AJ.

-TNA mistake number 345687: Don't bring JJ out on his own when the fans aren't responding to him yet, bring him out AT THE SAME TIME as The Road Warriors, so they all three get cheered. This way you convince the fans that JJ is on the same level and page as Animal and Hawk, and eventually they will cheer JJ on his own. That's just McMahonism 101 there my friend.

-Not a bad ME. Not a good ME, but perhaps the most complex one you've ever done. For some reason Malice and Slash with Corino strikes me as a weird and not so good pairing, but maybe that's why it works. Happy to see the horrid Road Warriors do the job. I really dislike them in this diary for some reason. But the fans don't. Niw this is good. Use them and Dusty to get JJ over as a super face. That's smart booking. By the way, what was the reason onscreen that Shamrock no showed? It's never told to the fans, and I'm thinking that it should have been. Overall this might have been your best ME ever, even if I enjoyed previous one's more. This shows exactly what TNA is: A niche company that doesn't realize that their undercard is where the money is at and their uppercard is full of has beens, never was, and never will be's.

-Oh, and the written out promos are fine, but not needed. You did a decent job conveying what needed to be conveyed without writing the promos in full. So it's your call.

All in all I give week five a grade of C+. It was slightly above average, and yet you seem to be languishing a bit. I LOVE JJ and Corino, I LOVE the X-Division, and I LOVE The Elvises, but everything else is just there. Add to it that there is no consistency, something I recognize is planned though, and it leads to a disjointed barely above average status right now. And yet I LOVE the diary. Call me Sybil.

TGC

[Guest Dobbo87]

Ollie, i am impressed with this TNA Diary circa 2002, now i reckon had TNA done all this crazy stuff then i personally reckon that now circa 2006 TNA would be at the same level battling WWE and creating another WWF/wCw war like back in the day.

Keep up the good work DBW. (Y)

[JStarr]

lol, america