TNA 2001: No Russo, No Problems

[Barry Poppins]

Can You Feel It?

It's May 2001, WCW is dead and bought out by Vince McMahon. Vince however has made a lot of enemies in the wake of this, and a new startup company has been founded by former WCW talents and investors. In a backdoor meeting, Eric Bischoff (representing Fusient Media), Australian millionaire record producer Andrew McManus, Jerry & Jeff Jarrett, and USA Network CEO Kay Klopovitz conspired together to stick it to Vince McMahon's WWF. Bischoff and the Jarretts convinced USA Network and McManus to help buy out several key Time Warner contracts. Bischoff brought in Fusient Media's economic resources following the failed bidding war against Vince McMahon for WCW's purchase.

Now, with the backing of a major television network to rival the WWF, millions of dollars in funding, former high profile WCW stars, and up-and-coming young indy talent, it would seem that the Great Wrestling War continues onto its next great chapter: The TNA Era has begun, can you feel it?

(Yeah so this is just a fun little side project I'm doing, it's not completely believable but I'm just doing it cuz it'll be fun to do and I haven't done a proper TEW btb in a while.)​

 

[Barry Poppins]

Power Structure:

CEO - Eric Bischoff

Vice President of Operations - Jerry Jarrett

Vice President of Talent Relations - Arn Anderson

Vice President of Creative - Jeff Jarrett

Booking Team:

Eric Bischoff

Jeff Jarrett

Terry Taylor

Dutch Mantel

Don Callis

BG James

 

[Barry Poppins]

ROSTER:

IMPACT!:

Heavyweight Division:

Booker T
Buff Bagwell
Curt Hennig
Diamond Dallas Page
Gran Apollo
Jeff Jarrett
Kanyon
Ken Shamrock (On Hiatus)
Konnan
Lance Storm
Lex Luger
Monty Brown
Rick Steiner
Scott Hall
Scott Steiner
Shane Douglas
Sting
Vampiro

X-Division:

Billy Kidman
Christopher Daniels
Juventud Geurrera
Lash Leroux
Prince Iaukea
Rey Mysterio Jr.
Rob Van Dam
Shane Helms

Television Division:

Allan Funk
BG James
Bobby Eaton
Ernest Miller
Glenn Gilbertti
Malice (On Hiatus)
Marc Mero
Mike Sanders
Van Hammer

Hardcore Division:

Bam Bam Bigelow
Kurrgan
Mike Awesome
Norman Smiley
Steve Corino

Tag Team Division:

America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm)
Disciples of the New Age (Devon Storm & David Flair)
Jung Dragons (Jimmy Yang & Kaz Hayashi)
Kronic (Brian Adams & Bryan Clark)
La Cosa Nostra (Big Vito & Johnny The Bull)
Lenny Lane & Lodi Lane
Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke
Mark Jindrak & Shawn Stasiak
Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge & Rocco Rock)
Rene Dupree & Sylvain Grenier

Enhancement Talent Division:

Adam Pearce
Jamie Knoble
John Cena
Julio Dinero
Kid Kash
Kid Romeo
Slash

Knockouts' Division:

Alexis Laree
Allison Danger
April Hunter
Beth Phoenix
Chigusa Nagayo
Daffney
Jazz
Lacey
Lexie Fyfe
Malia Hosaka
Meiko Satomura
Mercedes Martinez
Nikita
Persephone
Shark Tsuchiya
Sharmell
Simply Luscious
Stacy Keibler
Torrie Wilson
Tracy Brooks

Managers:

Dawn Marie (Mark Jindrak & Shawn Stasiak)
Don Callis (Lance Storm, Rene Dupree & Sylvain Grenier)
Elektra (Big Vito, Johnny The Bull, Little Guido, & Tony Mamaluke)
Francine (Shane Douglas)
James Mitchell (David Flair, Devon Storm, Daffney, Kanyon, Malice, & Slash)
Rena Mero (Marc Mero)
Sharmell (Booker T)
Stacy Keibler (N/A)
Torrie Wilson (Shane Helms & Billy Kidman)
Tracy Brooks (Buff Bagwell)
Tylene Buck (Scott Steiner)

Staff:

Arn Anderson (Agent)
Charles Robinson (Referee)
Don West (Commentary)
Eric Bischoff (General Manager)
Jerry Lawler (Interviewer)
Mike Tenay (Commentary)
Nick Patrick (Referee)
Ricky Steamboat (Agent)
Steve Keirn (Agent)
Tony Schiavone (PPV Commentary)

Stables:

Disciples of the New Age (James Mitchell, Kanyon, Malice, David Flair, Devon Storm, Daffney, & Slash)
Don Callis Promotions (Don Callis, Lance Storm, Rene Dupree, & Sylvain Grenier)
The Friendship Brigade (Lash LeRoux, Lenny Lane, Lodi Lane)
La Cosa Nostra (Elektra, Big Vito, Johnny The Bull, Little Guido, & Tony Mamaluke)

X-Plosion!:

Young Lion Division:

Amazing Red
Andy Anderson
Austin Aries
Blue Meanie
Bobby Rude
Elix Skipper
Eric Young
Homicide
Ian Harrison
Jimmy Jacobs
Jimmy Rave
Johnny Curtis
Kenny Omega
Kevin Steen
Low Ki
Matt Sydal
Orlando Jordan
Paul London
Prince Nana
Samoa Joe
Shawn Daivari
Sonjay Dutt
Super Calo

Lion's Tag Division:

Ace Steel & CM Punk
Air Raid (Air Frank "AF" Paris & Air Jones "AJ" Styles)
Bad Attitude (Rick Michaels & David Young)
Danny Doring & Roadkill
Divine Storm (Chris Divine & Quiet Storm)
The Backseat Boyz (Johnny Kashmere & Trent Acid)
The Briscoe Brothers (Mark & Jay)
The Flying Elvises (Sonny Siaki & Jorge Estrada)

Staff:

Dutch Mantell (General Manager)
Ed Ferrara (Commentary)
Hector Guerrero (Agent)
Jeremy Borash (Commentary)
Jesse Hernandez (Referee)
John Cone (Referee)
Terry Taylor (Agent)

 

[Barry Poppins]

Championships:

IMPACT!:

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

TNA X-Division Championship

Current Holder: Billy Kidman (6/27/2001 - )

TNA World Tag Team Championship

TNA Television Championship

TNA Knockouts' World Championship

X-Plosion!:

TNA Young Lion's Championship

TNA Young Lion's Tag Team Championship

 

[Barry Poppins]

Television Shows:

TNA Impact! (LIVE! on Wednesday Evenings)
Airing on: USA Network, CityTV (CAN)

TNA X-Plosion! (Airs on Saturday Evenings)
Airing on: SHOWTIME

Pay-Per-Views
Airing on: DISH Network

Final Resolution
(January 20, 2002)

Against All Odds
(February 17, 2002)

Destination X
(March 17, 2002)

Lockdown
(April 21, 2002)

Slammiversary
(May 19, 2002)

Hard Justice
(June 16, 2002)

No Surrender
(July 15, 2001)

Sacrifice
(August 19, 2001)

Victory Road
(September 16, 2001)

Bound For Glory
(October 21, 2001)

Genesis
(November 18, 2001)

Turning Point
(December 16, 2001)

 

[Barry Poppins]

IMPACT! #1
LIVE! on USA Network and CityTV
May 2, 2001
War Memorial Auditorium
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Attendance: 3,400 (SOLD OUT)

THEME OF TNA IMPACT

Final Rating: 62
Television Rating: 2.53 (1,898,332 Viewers)​

 

[Barry Poppins]

X-Plosion! #1
AIRING on SHOWTIME
May 6, 2001
Georgia Theatre
Athens, Georgia
Attendance: 764

Theme of X-Plosion!

Final Rating: 16
TV Rating: 0.05 (29,278 Viewers)​

 

[Sky]

Kenny Omega losing his first TV match to Orlando Jordan.... worst timeline

 

[Samoa Looch]

Russo watching that Xplosion episode like

Roster looks promising though. Disco carried Van Hammer and Mike Sanders to a passable Match. He clearly needs to be the focus of the product.

 

[Undeadfreak.]

Excited to see how this plays out! Also that young Kenny Omega pic was a jumpscare.

 

[Barry Poppins]

IMPACT! #2
LIVE! on USA Network and CityTV
May 9, 2001
Boutwell Memorial Auditorium
Birmingham, Alabama
Attendance: 3,702

THEME OF TNA IMPACT

​

Final Rating: 77
T.V. Rating: 3.00 (2,255,048 Viewers)​

 

[Barry Poppins]

X-Plosion! #2
AIRING on SHOWTIME
May 12, 2001
Georgia Theatre
Athens, Georgia
Attendance: 764

Theme of X-Plosion!

Final Rating: 21
T.V. Rating: 0.04 (33,980 Viewers)​

 

[Barry Poppins]

"The American Dream"
Dusty Rhodes
(October 12, 1945 - May 12, 2001)​

 

[Barry Poppins]

IMPACT! #3
LIVE! on USA Network and CityTV
May 16, 2001
Columbia Township Auditorium
Columbia, South Carolina
Attendance: 3,072 [SELL OUT]

THEME OF TNA IMPACT

​

Final Rating: 63
T.V. Rating: 2.54 (1,905,580)​

 

[Samoa Looch]

Bischoff shows up -> Show and TV ratings take a dive, after a great show the week before.

Go figure.

But hey... at least the Cat went over that nobody and the crowd's still hot for all those WCW Main Eventers. There are quite a few things going for this TNA promotion.