Column: Point-Counter Point- The Real iMPACT! vs. The Hardcore Truth Report by Zach Fenell on 08/21/2008 at 02:55 PM
As you know with my column (The Real iMPACT!) I (Brandon Vokac) have always brought up topic that are going on in TNA and have told you how I feel about them and I still have more to talk about. The problem is that it can get boring hearing one person tell you what’s wrong with something time and time again. So I decided to bring someone in to discuss the topics with me so you can hear not just mine but also his opinions. So, I asked Zach Fenell, writer of The Hardcore Truth, to discuss these topics with me, so that we can discuss some of the problems in TNA.
Point-Counter Point- The Real iMPACT! vs. The Hardcore Truth
Topic #1: What Has Happened to the "Phenomenal" AJ Styles?
Brandon: Ever since AJ turned heel he stopped putting on the great matches we’ve come to see him put on. We all know that when someone turns “heel” that they tone down the “phenomenal” moves that they do and use “dirty” move instead but even after AJ has turned back “face” he still hasn’t picked back up the “phenomenal” moves he can do. I remember reading Zach’s column and reading that he may have thought that AJ is past his prime and I do not agree with that. I think the problem lies within where he is at. Right now he’s a feud with Kurt Angle and these are suppose to be some really great matches but they just haven’t delivered like we would have hoped (with the exception of the Last Man Standing Match at Hard Justice). The problem is that Kurt isn’t the type of athlete that AJ is. Kurt is older now and can still move around great in the ring but he’s not as quick and agile as AJ is now. AJ need to wrestle with wrestlers that are as quick and agile as he is and I think that could bring him back to being phenomenal. That is why I think that AJ should return to the x-division. He can wrestle the great matches we know he can and can help build up the x-division by putting over guys like Sheik Abdul Bashir, Consequences Creed, and even help the more experience guys like Sonjay Dutt, Petey Williams, and Jay Lethal. I think that if you put Jay Lethal against AJ Styles for the X-Division Title, that could be the best match on the PPV card and could help put Jay Lethal into a main event status. I still think that AJ should be put in one World Title feud (and possible a short World Title run) before going back to the x-division.
Zach: The question of what happened to the “Phenomenal” AJ Styles was relevant back in the days of The Christian Coalition and Angle Alliance when Styles was showcased on Impact! dressing up in ridiculous outfits. Ever since AJ broke away from Angle and he tossed his crown away, Styles returned to his “phenomenal” self. Back when AJ was made to look like a goon, many of us including myself questioned the direction of AJ Styles. However, as we have seen in recent months, everything TNA did with Styles has only made him a stronger competitor. Before being made to look like a goof, fans had grown tired of AJ and started getting behind a new hero, Samoa Joe. AJ’s time as a lacky rejuvenated the fans interest in him. Not to mention, before he was pretty poor on the mike and his work with Christian Cage changed all that. So, what happened to the “Phenomenal” AJ Styles? The answer is simple: he has only improved.
Topic #2: When Should Christopher Daniels return to TNA?
Brandon: Even with how well the Curry Man character has gone over people still wanna know when Christopher Daniels should return. While, like many, I do like the Curry Man character but I liked Christopher Daniels a lot better. I liked where they were going with him before they “released” him. I loved that he was back together with Triple X and that he had this “higher power” he was following. I think that TNA should bring him back soon and use him in a big way. I think that they should bring him back to feud with Samoa Joe and AJ Styles for the World Title. As I wrote in one of columns I thought that Chris should attack Joe in Curry Man attire, and then pull off his mask to reveal that it’s been him all along or have him beat up Curry Man and steal his clothes to keep the Curry Man character going. The next week he would explain that for the past year he’s been doing the Curry Man gimmick in TNA just to get on TV, and while he’s been there, he’s seen Joe rise to the top and steal his spot at the top of TNA or just the last part about him watching Joe rise to the top of TNA while he’s been at home. He then demands a title shot. Joe comes out and says that he earned everything that he’s gotten so far in TNA, and if he wanted a title shot all he had to do was be a man and ask him face to face but he already promised the next title shot to…AJ Styles. Joe then says that he’s a fighting champ and is willing to face both for the title. AJ Styles could be beat Samoa Joe and Chris Daniels, after using the spiral tap on Joe while he has Chris in the coquina clutch and right before Daniels is about to tap a he hits it and pins Joe to win. The next month they have a rematch and Chris Daniels beats Joe and AJ to win his first title, after the ref if taken out Joe makes AJ tap to the coquina clutch but the ref doesn’t see it and Chris hits Joe over the head with a chair and pins AJ after the angel’s wings. Then the three could compete in the first ever three way 60 Minute Iron Man Match: Joe challenges both AJ and Daniels to this match because he’s pissed that he was within an inch of retaining and regaining the title at the past two PPVs; Joe comes back to win the title after he was losing to Daniels: 2 and AJ: 2 with five minutes left. Joe beats AJ after using a muscle buster off the top rope that knocks AJ out of the match, and then makes Daniels tap out to the coquina clutch with 1 second left. This gives Chris a chance to prove he belongs in the main event and can give AJ one last runs at the top, as well while putting on several great matches.
Zach: As internet wrestling fans, I’m sure we all know Christopher Daniels is the man behind the mask of Curryman (if you didn’t know, sorry to spoil the fun). Therefore, the real question is when should Curryman be written off and Daniels return? Each fan of professional wrestling will have a different opinion on this depending on their personal likes and dislikes. If you like comedy, you want to see Curryman stick around awhile but if you are strictly about the best in-ring action possible, you want to see Christopher Daniels back ASAP. Although I like to think of myself as somebody who prefers awesome in-ring action, I have enjoyed the Curryman character immensely and want to keep seeing him for a little while. However it would be nice to see him break away from Eric Young and Shark Boy so he can wrestle more. Heck, let Curryman win the X-Division Championship and then pull off the mask to reveal he is really Daniels. This would be a great way to bring back the “fired” Christopher Daniels.
Topic #3: Why is it when a team is at the Top of the Tag Team Division, TNA always feels the need to break them up?
Brandon: I wanna know why is it when a team is at the Top of the Tag Team Division, TNA always feels the need to break them up? TNA does this as well as WWE. Both feel the need to destroy a great tag team just so that they can push the one they think can be great or because they don’t have anything for them to so they have them turn on each other for crappy feud. I don’t mind when teams break up but it’s when they are at the top and they do it that p*sses me off. Right now they wanna break up LAX, why? They are the best tag team in TNA and can still be great if they get rid of Hector Guerrero as the mouth piece and let them talk themselves and regain the street thug mentality while still being faces. One of the biggest problems I had with TNA breaking up a team was with AMW. When they had James Storm turn on him it was suppose to create a great hardcore back n forth feud but instead we got three months of Storm vs. Petey Williams, one of the worst matches I’ve ever seen at Lockdown between Strom and Harris, and one great match between the two at Sacrifice. I would have liked it if they just decided to go there separate ways and leave the door open for an AMW return. Have Chris become a main eventer, while Storm is in mid-card feuds and the have Storm jump Chris in a rage of jealousy of what he’s become with out him and then they feud for a couple of months and then a year later have them return as a team again.
Zach: This is a great question, not only for TNA but the professional wrestling industry as a whole. The bottom line is tag team wrestling is a lost art in today’s world of professional wrestling. How many career tag teams are out there any more? The only one I can truly think of is Team 3D/The Dudley Boys, whatever you want to call them. Personally, I love the dynamic of tag team wrestling and wish it was treated with more respect. World Tag Team Championships should be on an equal level with the World Heavyweight Title rather then being made to look like another secondary title. If tag titles are the “world” titles of a separate division, than World Tag Team Championship matches should be able to main event PPVs without someone giving a strange look. Bottom line is tag teams do not last these days because tag team wrestling is a lost art.
Topic #4: Should TNA bring in Mick Foley or Ric Flair? If so, what should be their role?
Brandon: I think it would be great if they brought in one or both. I think that they could bring Ric in to face Sting at Bound for Glory next year for Sting’s last match and they could bring in Mick to be a commentator and or to wrestle with the likes of Abyss and Samoa Joe. I think that if you can bring in both to help put over guys, then yes they should brought in.
Zach:This question all depends on the role Mick Foley or Ric Flair would serve in TNA. Both are certified legends of professional wrestling but what could they bring to TNA? I would love to see Mick Foley come in as a part-time wrestler because there are so many dream matches he could be a part of. The one that comes to mind first is Abyss versus Mick Foley, today’s hardcore freak versus yesterday’s hardcore hero. It could even fit together with Abyss’s current storyline where he is shying away from using weapons. Foley could come in and drag the hardcore back out of Abyss.
Regarding Ric Flair, I would like to see the current creative team get pushed to the side allowing Flair to take over as head booker. Another good role for Flair would be as an addition to the commentating team of Mike Tenay and Don West. TNA announcers desperately needs a change. Outside of those two roles, I have no interest to see Flair in TNA especially if he wrestles. Flair had such a great send off from the WWE, I do not want to see anything taint it.
Topic #5: Is there any Independent, International, or former WWE talent that TNA should sign?
Brandon: I think that TNA should try to “raid the pantry”, so to speak, of ROH and some International talent. I think that if TNA could bring in Bryan Danielson, Nigel McGuinness, Roderick Strong, Briscoe Brothers, or Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black of Age of the Fall it would give them the young “homegrown” talent TNA wants to have. As far as International talent goes I’d like to see Alex Koslov, Milano Collection A.T., Speed Muscle (Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino), and Volador, Jr. of the World X Cup return as well as Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuji Nagata, and Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (the tag team, Team 3D faced on the global iMPACT! Show/DVD). Also, if TNA brought in some female wrestling talent that would be great too.
Zach: Overall TNA has so much talent already under contract that they do not need to sign anyone else but a few names do come to my mind. Firstly, Little Guido, as I mentioned in this week’s edition of The Hardcore Truth. He never really had a chance to shine in the WWE because of his size and he would be a perfect addition to the somewhat lacking X-Division. Another former ECW star and recently released WWE wrestler who did not receive a fair shake in the WWE is Stevie Richards. If TNA brought in a midcard title like a Television title, than Richards would be a good addition. Otherwise, there is not enough room for him to properly shine in TNA. Finally, The Briscoe Brothers come to mind. I believe right now one is injured but the addition of that the Briscoes would help strengthen TNA’s tag team division.
To end this Point-Counter Point Column, Zach and I have made three predictions of what we will see upcoming in TNA.
Brandon:
1.) The Main Event for No Surrender will have Samoa Joe, Booker T, AJ Styles, and Kurt Angle and will include a debut and someone turning on someone
2.) TNA will sign four wrestlers that will make a big impact; one for the Heavyweight Division, one for the X- Division, and one team for the Tag Team Division
3.) Matt Morgan will turn heel and become a main eventer
Zach:
1.) Dixie Carter will resign Sting, for more than he is worth.
2.) Traci Brooks will become a corrupt official in the Knockouts division.
3.) Matt Morgan will have at least one big PPV match after competing in several more squash matches on Impact!
Want to share your opinion with Zach or I? Just make the proper click! E-mail Zach or E-mail Brandon.
