Black Widow
07-22-2010, 01:03 PM
Since we have been received a lot of email about the 8/8 ECW-themed PPV, here is where the show stands and how it came about, including some items that were previously reported exclusively in the PWInsider.com Elite section over the last week:
The 8/8 TNA Hard Justice PPV became an ECW-themed PPV at last Monday's Impact taping. I was told the company had one direction planned for their angle involving former ECW talents and Dreamer pitched a newer idea and they went with that instead. TNA President Dixie Carter has signed off on Dreamer running the show and it will basically be a one-off ECW show. A lot of people have been pretty impressed with how much trust Dreamer has already been given by management. Dreamer has been contacting talent regarding their availability with Terry Taylor handling the financial end of things.
The PPV will apparently end up with a new title as well. TNA sent a new commercial to their PPV partners several days ago dubbing the 8/8 PPV "Hardcore Justice: One Last Stand." While I have not seen the spot, I am told that the commercial features a brief "ECW" chant. The company will have to be very careful about how they use the ECW letters in regard to the PPV.
Paul Heyman has nothing to do with this angle, so far. My belief is that Heyman wouldn't have gone with this direction, because what does it do to grow the TNA letters and identity (which has been one of his primary criticisms of the company)? I am told that the angle is not a sign that negotiations have ended and the two sides are still talking. I am also told this reunion is NOT the big surprise Dixie Carter has been talking about in regard to changes within the company, either. This basically came together very fast over several days last week as a new independent idea for the PPV.
Talent we have confirmed that have been contacted to work and are expected to appear are Jerry Lynn, Sandman, Sabu, Spike Dudley, The FBI, Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney and Swinger. That said, until contracts are signed, no one is 100% set in stone. Those who were booked were asked to keep their involvement quiet. The hope is to have TNA champion Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn headlining the PPV, but that is not signed and sealed yet. I am told there are multiple plans for the top matches on the show based on what talents will be available. The plan is to announce two or three matches ahead of time and leave the rest of the card as a surprise, since the original company rarely advertised matches for their events.
There's been an interesting response from former ECW talents. Some were said to have gotten choked up and excited for the show based on a promo cut by Tommy Dreamer that will air on Thursday's Impact. Others have taken a "we've been down this road before" tact and see it as just another show. Outside talents who were contacted were said to have responded in one of two ways. Some were said to be extremely thankful for the chance and excited at seeing the old locker room again. Others were trying to pull a money grab and get as much as they could for the appearance. One story making the rounds in Nashville that got a lot of laughs was a talent who has been off television forever playing hardball and refusing to come in unless he was granted a multi-year contract by TNA.
A source close to Shane Douglas has intimated that Douglas was contacted for the event, but has not agreed to terms. I heard a few days ago that Douglas was pitching the idea of wrestling Ric Flair on the show, but I don't see that as happening. That issue has been long since gone and the two did a program in WCW previously. Plus, I don't see that as working on what is supposed to be an "ECW" themed show.
Yoshihiro Tajiri and Super Crazy are booked for Japanese dates on 8/8, so they are absolutely not available for the PPV. Tajiri is working for New Japan that week while Crazy is booked for All Japan Pro Wrestling on a tour that ends on 8/8. I don't expect we'll see Masato Tanaka either as it's likely too close to the show to get a working visa for him to appear.
Talents who had independent bookings that weekend will be flown in on Sunday morning of the PPV while others will be doing a Saturday meet and greet with fans the night before the PPV at the NASCAR restaurant at Universal Citiwalk.
The company is taking a similar stance to the show that WWE did with the first ECW PPV in that they are trying to book everyone they can to help give it an authentic feel, from the wrestlers to the managers to even referees. I would hope someone will reach out to ECW Founder Tod Gordon, as it was criminal he wasn't asked to become involved in the first WWE ECW PPV and was never mentioned beyond a thank you from Paul Heyman. There's talk of paying homage to ECW talents who won't be at the PPV on the show itself as well.
Reports of a Sandman & Dreamer & New Jack vs. Rhino & Richards & Raven tag are without merit.
While this PPV is the only thing currently planned to do something with an "ECW" theme, I am told that there could be additional appearances for some of the talents coming out of it, with them being integrated into TNA storylines. However, nothing is 100% set in stone.
For fans who have asked about attending the PPV, as I have noted previously, the only way to 100% guarantee entry to the PPV is to buy a weekend VIP Package from www.shoptna.com, which also includes a ton of other events and freebies. Between TNA's VIP line, the line of Universal Studios theme park attendees and a general public line outside the park, TNA routinely turns away 100-200 fans from their PPV tapings. Given the amount of interest this PPV has garnered from out of town fans, I expect that number of fans to increase, so if you are dying to go, go for the VIP ticket.
Meanwhile, With so much focus on the theme for the 8/8 TNA Hard Justice PPV, we are wondering what former Extreme Championship Wrestling star do you hope to see on the PPV? Whether it's a cameo or a match or even a promo, who do you want to pay money to see? Some parameters for our Questions: *We've removed those who are under contract to TNA for obvious reasons as well as Former ECW owners Tod Gordon and Paul Heyman. We are only including talents under the rule that they have appeared more than three times for ECW during its original run. As you will see, that leaves us with quite the array of stars.
PWI
The 8/8 TNA Hard Justice PPV became an ECW-themed PPV at last Monday's Impact taping. I was told the company had one direction planned for their angle involving former ECW talents and Dreamer pitched a newer idea and they went with that instead. TNA President Dixie Carter has signed off on Dreamer running the show and it will basically be a one-off ECW show. A lot of people have been pretty impressed with how much trust Dreamer has already been given by management. Dreamer has been contacting talent regarding their availability with Terry Taylor handling the financial end of things.
The PPV will apparently end up with a new title as well. TNA sent a new commercial to their PPV partners several days ago dubbing the 8/8 PPV "Hardcore Justice: One Last Stand." While I have not seen the spot, I am told that the commercial features a brief "ECW" chant. The company will have to be very careful about how they use the ECW letters in regard to the PPV.
Paul Heyman has nothing to do with this angle, so far. My belief is that Heyman wouldn't have gone with this direction, because what does it do to grow the TNA letters and identity (which has been one of his primary criticisms of the company)? I am told that the angle is not a sign that negotiations have ended and the two sides are still talking. I am also told this reunion is NOT the big surprise Dixie Carter has been talking about in regard to changes within the company, either. This basically came together very fast over several days last week as a new independent idea for the PPV.
Talent we have confirmed that have been contacted to work and are expected to appear are Jerry Lynn, Sandman, Sabu, Spike Dudley, The FBI, Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney and Swinger. That said, until contracts are signed, no one is 100% set in stone. Those who were booked were asked to keep their involvement quiet. The hope is to have TNA champion Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn headlining the PPV, but that is not signed and sealed yet. I am told there are multiple plans for the top matches on the show based on what talents will be available. The plan is to announce two or three matches ahead of time and leave the rest of the card as a surprise, since the original company rarely advertised matches for their events.
There's been an interesting response from former ECW talents. Some were said to have gotten choked up and excited for the show based on a promo cut by Tommy Dreamer that will air on Thursday's Impact. Others have taken a "we've been down this road before" tact and see it as just another show. Outside talents who were contacted were said to have responded in one of two ways. Some were said to be extremely thankful for the chance and excited at seeing the old locker room again. Others were trying to pull a money grab and get as much as they could for the appearance. One story making the rounds in Nashville that got a lot of laughs was a talent who has been off television forever playing hardball and refusing to come in unless he was granted a multi-year contract by TNA.
A source close to Shane Douglas has intimated that Douglas was contacted for the event, but has not agreed to terms. I heard a few days ago that Douglas was pitching the idea of wrestling Ric Flair on the show, but I don't see that as happening. That issue has been long since gone and the two did a program in WCW previously. Plus, I don't see that as working on what is supposed to be an "ECW" themed show.
Yoshihiro Tajiri and Super Crazy are booked for Japanese dates on 8/8, so they are absolutely not available for the PPV. Tajiri is working for New Japan that week while Crazy is booked for All Japan Pro Wrestling on a tour that ends on 8/8. I don't expect we'll see Masato Tanaka either as it's likely too close to the show to get a working visa for him to appear.
Talents who had independent bookings that weekend will be flown in on Sunday morning of the PPV while others will be doing a Saturday meet and greet with fans the night before the PPV at the NASCAR restaurant at Universal Citiwalk.
The company is taking a similar stance to the show that WWE did with the first ECW PPV in that they are trying to book everyone they can to help give it an authentic feel, from the wrestlers to the managers to even referees. I would hope someone will reach out to ECW Founder Tod Gordon, as it was criminal he wasn't asked to become involved in the first WWE ECW PPV and was never mentioned beyond a thank you from Paul Heyman. There's talk of paying homage to ECW talents who won't be at the PPV on the show itself as well.
Reports of a Sandman & Dreamer & New Jack vs. Rhino & Richards & Raven tag are without merit.
While this PPV is the only thing currently planned to do something with an "ECW" theme, I am told that there could be additional appearances for some of the talents coming out of it, with them being integrated into TNA storylines. However, nothing is 100% set in stone.
For fans who have asked about attending the PPV, as I have noted previously, the only way to 100% guarantee entry to the PPV is to buy a weekend VIP Package from www.shoptna.com, which also includes a ton of other events and freebies. Between TNA's VIP line, the line of Universal Studios theme park attendees and a general public line outside the park, TNA routinely turns away 100-200 fans from their PPV tapings. Given the amount of interest this PPV has garnered from out of town fans, I expect that number of fans to increase, so if you are dying to go, go for the VIP ticket.
Meanwhile, With so much focus on the theme for the 8/8 TNA Hard Justice PPV, we are wondering what former Extreme Championship Wrestling star do you hope to see on the PPV? Whether it's a cameo or a match or even a promo, who do you want to pay money to see? Some parameters for our Questions: *We've removed those who are under contract to TNA for obvious reasons as well as Former ECW owners Tod Gordon and Paul Heyman. We are only including talents under the rule that they have appeared more than three times for ECW during its original run. As you will see, that leaves us with quite the array of stars.
PWI