This was playing on my mind a couple of nights ago, but really though ever since Vince took over the then WWF from his father, the WWF had no challenges. In the 1980's, WWE basically took out every territory in their way - Georgia Championship Wrestling, Championship Wrestling Florida, World Class Wrestling in Texas and alike. By the 1980's, the AWA (American Wrestling Association) was struggling to stay afloat only to go bankrupt by 1990, while Jim Crockett Promotions was bought out by Ted Turner in 1988. JCP would become World Championship Wrestling in 1990.
The WWF was, at that time, the pinnacle of the business, there was no other company out there that looked like a threat, yes WCW was there but they were still under the NWA banner until 1993 when WCW ended its relationship with the NWA and went on its own. It wasn't until 1994 when Hulk Hogan joined the company that WCW started to make strides.
Eastern Championship Wrestling came around in 1992 as another NWA affiliate until they left the NWA banner in 1994 and dropped the Eastern and became Extreme Championship Wrestling. ECW changed the focus of this business by making it more edgy.
WCW by late 1995 created WCW Nitro and right there and then, the Monday Night Wars began and yes WCW was WWE's biggest threat that it had ever faced. No one in the past had given WWF a run for their money - AWA went bankrupt, NWA fell into a heap and all the other territories (FCW, GCW, WCCW) fell in WWF's hands like putty.
WWF used ECW, by having a type of trading system with them, for example guys like Aldo Montoya and Rad Radford were given to ECW in trade for say a Cactus Jack or Steve Austin. Fact is, ECW and WWF had an alliance and it wouldn’t surprise me if WWF kept ECW afloat throughout most of the 1990’s especially with how many talents WWF was able to invest in from ECW – Steve Austin, Cactus Jack, Taz and the Dudley Boyz.
WCW, let’s be honest, near put WWF out of business but if it wasn’t for ECW, WWF would have been. As time went on and WCW’s gimmicks became repetitive, especially with the many times they kept resurrecting the New World Order, it in the long run hurt them and WWF was able to finally take control of the ratings and Vince finally did what he wanted to do for years, buy out his competition.
Now fast forward to now – 2013. TNA has been around for 11 years, beginning in 2002 as an alternative to WWE and really who would’ve thought TNA would’ve lasted as long as they have. They have had many ups and downs but what is starting to make sense to me is, Vince McMahon sees these guys as a threat especially with him trying to block certain arenas from using TNA.
As of what I said on another news article: “I think WWE are a little scared. Let's be serious here, do you really believe Vince McMahon wants another WCW on his hands? Hell it took Vince years to finally put WCW to its death bed.
TNA could be a big threat, they've got the talent to do so, yes people might think TNA are filled with ex-WWE guys but fact is, they are filled with ex-WWE guys who, at one point or another, were on top of the WWE like Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam and the list goes on. TNA's main problem has been it's been stuck in the same boring arena, like WWE had done years ago when it was doing Raw. Once TNA moves away, I believe at first the ratings will be the same, but if TNA can up the ante in the company, ratings will be coming to them.”
And I stand by what I said the last thing Vince wants is another WCW on his hands. TNA has the talent, they have what it takes, every company starts out small.
The WWE, then World Wide Wrestling Federation began in 1963, after it had a falling out with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and it wasn’t until 1984 when they (WWE) finally became a wrestling phenomenon as they would take pro wrestling to a whole new level, while every other company struggled, WWF thrived. 21 years it took for the WWE to be the number 1 wrestling promotion in America.
WCW, they rose to prominence in a shorter time frame, becoming the number 1 company in 1996, yes JCP began in the 1930’s (under a whole different name) but as soon as Turner bought them out from the Crockett’s in 1988, World Champion Wrestling struggled at first but as soon as Turner brought in Eric Bischoff, as well as the hiring of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, The Outsiders and co., WCW became the biggest threat in town.
ECW, though never became the number 1 promotion, did move away from being just another indie promotion. They changed the landscape of professional wrestling by moving away from the family friendly business to a more risqué type product with hardcore matches galore, half naked women running around and alike.
TNA, has been the number two company since its inception, it became the new place for discarded wrestlers to go and even though it’s taken them 11 years to finally be where they are; they have the potential to really give WWE a run for its money.
They have some great talent mixed with some legends of the past; Austin Aries, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Bobby Roode, James Storm and then you have guys like Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, the Dudley Boyz. It’s what WWE is really lacking at the moment, TNA does have some familiar names but those familiar names are doing what’s right for business and that is getting guys like Aries, Roode and Storm noticed.
TNA moving away from the Impact Zone, I don’t believe at the beginning it will do them much favour but if they keep at it and get there brand out there, things may change and they may change for the better. WWE, for too long has been the King of American wrestling, I for one would love to see a change; when WWE gets pushed and kicked to the curb, they come back fighting and I’m so certain TNA can do that.
Moving from the Impact Zone is a good decision because really when fans hear names like Kurt Angle, Sting, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson, Bully Ray and Hulk Hogan come to town, it will garner fans interests straight away especially those who grew up watching these guys perform throughout their childhood.
TNA has taken it’s time, but I’m certain in another few years, if things go the right way for them, we may see yet another war, this time between TNA and the WWE and I for one, would love to see it.
Like the saying goes, nothing stays on top forever and that even applies to WWE.
The WWF was, at that time, the pinnacle of the business, there was no other company out there that looked like a threat, yes WCW was there but they were still under the NWA banner until 1993 when WCW ended its relationship with the NWA and went on its own. It wasn't until 1994 when Hulk Hogan joined the company that WCW started to make strides.
Eastern Championship Wrestling came around in 1992 as another NWA affiliate until they left the NWA banner in 1994 and dropped the Eastern and became Extreme Championship Wrestling. ECW changed the focus of this business by making it more edgy.
WCW by late 1995 created WCW Nitro and right there and then, the Monday Night Wars began and yes WCW was WWE's biggest threat that it had ever faced. No one in the past had given WWF a run for their money - AWA went bankrupt, NWA fell into a heap and all the other territories (FCW, GCW, WCCW) fell in WWF's hands like putty.
WWF used ECW, by having a type of trading system with them, for example guys like Aldo Montoya and Rad Radford were given to ECW in trade for say a Cactus Jack or Steve Austin. Fact is, ECW and WWF had an alliance and it wouldn’t surprise me if WWF kept ECW afloat throughout most of the 1990’s especially with how many talents WWF was able to invest in from ECW – Steve Austin, Cactus Jack, Taz and the Dudley Boyz.
WCW, let’s be honest, near put WWF out of business but if it wasn’t for ECW, WWF would have been. As time went on and WCW’s gimmicks became repetitive, especially with the many times they kept resurrecting the New World Order, it in the long run hurt them and WWF was able to finally take control of the ratings and Vince finally did what he wanted to do for years, buy out his competition.
Now fast forward to now – 2013. TNA has been around for 11 years, beginning in 2002 as an alternative to WWE and really who would’ve thought TNA would’ve lasted as long as they have. They have had many ups and downs but what is starting to make sense to me is, Vince McMahon sees these guys as a threat especially with him trying to block certain arenas from using TNA.
As of what I said on another news article: “I think WWE are a little scared. Let's be serious here, do you really believe Vince McMahon wants another WCW on his hands? Hell it took Vince years to finally put WCW to its death bed.
TNA could be a big threat, they've got the talent to do so, yes people might think TNA are filled with ex-WWE guys but fact is, they are filled with ex-WWE guys who, at one point or another, were on top of the WWE like Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam and the list goes on. TNA's main problem has been it's been stuck in the same boring arena, like WWE had done years ago when it was doing Raw. Once TNA moves away, I believe at first the ratings will be the same, but if TNA can up the ante in the company, ratings will be coming to them.”
And I stand by what I said the last thing Vince wants is another WCW on his hands. TNA has the talent, they have what it takes, every company starts out small.
The WWE, then World Wide Wrestling Federation began in 1963, after it had a falling out with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and it wasn’t until 1984 when they (WWE) finally became a wrestling phenomenon as they would take pro wrestling to a whole new level, while every other company struggled, WWF thrived. 21 years it took for the WWE to be the number 1 wrestling promotion in America.
WCW, they rose to prominence in a shorter time frame, becoming the number 1 company in 1996, yes JCP began in the 1930’s (under a whole different name) but as soon as Turner bought them out from the Crockett’s in 1988, World Champion Wrestling struggled at first but as soon as Turner brought in Eric Bischoff, as well as the hiring of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, The Outsiders and co., WCW became the biggest threat in town.
ECW, though never became the number 1 promotion, did move away from being just another indie promotion. They changed the landscape of professional wrestling by moving away from the family friendly business to a more risqué type product with hardcore matches galore, half naked women running around and alike.
TNA, has been the number two company since its inception, it became the new place for discarded wrestlers to go and even though it’s taken them 11 years to finally be where they are; they have the potential to really give WWE a run for its money.
They have some great talent mixed with some legends of the past; Austin Aries, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Bobby Roode, James Storm and then you have guys like Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, the Dudley Boyz. It’s what WWE is really lacking at the moment, TNA does have some familiar names but those familiar names are doing what’s right for business and that is getting guys like Aries, Roode and Storm noticed.
TNA moving away from the Impact Zone, I don’t believe at the beginning it will do them much favour but if they keep at it and get there brand out there, things may change and they may change for the better. WWE, for too long has been the King of American wrestling, I for one would love to see a change; when WWE gets pushed and kicked to the curb, they come back fighting and I’m so certain TNA can do that.
Moving from the Impact Zone is a good decision because really when fans hear names like Kurt Angle, Sting, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson, Bully Ray and Hulk Hogan come to town, it will garner fans interests straight away especially those who grew up watching these guys perform throughout their childhood.
TNA has taken it’s time, but I’m certain in another few years, if things go the right way for them, we may see yet another war, this time between TNA and the WWE and I for one, would love to see it.
Like the saying goes, nothing stays on top forever and that even applies to WWE.
