Travicity
12-12-2010, 12:16 AM
Strikes & Bumps: What TNA Does Right Part 1: Opening Matches
Let’s be honest, I don’t get to use TNA and Right in a title very often but I will say that even though I am very critical of the TNA product, I wanted to point out what I feel is done correctly by TNA that is not done by the WWE or Ring of Honor. Yes I know I can practically hear the fingers typing those hate messages I’m going to be getting. Going forward I want to point out that I have a definite idea about how a wrestling show should be produced and how the matches should be broken down etc and that sometimes it can sound very old school, but I also include some of the very current edgy style of booking that I’ve seen from some of the best bookers such as Gabe Sapolsky and the always controversial Paul Heyman over the years. Let’s get down to what I mean. The opening match of a show, be it TV or PPV, should typically showcase lesser known talent who can put on a helluva match and get the crowd instantly into the product without over shining the main event persay. The reason I say persay is because it can be better than the main event in certain ways and not be better in other ways. For example a gimmick match can open a show as long as it isn’t the same gimmick as the main event and doesn’t have same drama as the main event though it can still have more high spots and just get the crowd pumped up.
TNA has usually made their opening matches X Division matches whether it be for the X Division title or not. They high fliers don’t tend to have the same in depth feuds that the heavyweights get but they serve their purpose in that they get the crowd into the show and hoping that they are going to see more action for the rest of the night. That is what the X Division should be doing for TNA but it would be great if they could stop putting X Division title matches in the openings so that the fans would take the title belt more seriously as they did before. Even the focus on the tag team division lately with showcases of Ink Inc against the MCMG and Generation Me have been great ways to open the show and then it would seem they are allowing the X Division title to get some main event time in the first hour with Jay Lethal and Robbie E usually closing out the first hour making the title seem more than just opening match fodder.
The X Division guys who really have started to just become name talent such as The Motor City Machine Guns and Generation ME are great to have in those opening slots because they can provide a feud that is action packed and will give the crowd the feeling that they got their money’s worth. Even though when they are at the “ Impact Arena” they aren’t making any money off of that but that’s another story. The paying audience for their PPVs usually like the opening matches and it used to be during the 2005-2007 that TNA usually had better in ring PPVs than WWE. Lately that has not been true as many of the WWE PPVs have featured great opening matches much in thanks to Daniel Bryan and them actually focusing on younger talent that has a lot of experience in the ring. TNA though can still focus on this and really bring that feeling back. Final Resolution is of course bringing some very fun matches for us and as of this writing it hasn’t happened yet.
But they have announced that the opening match for the PPV will be Ink Inc vs. Beer Money and while I know not many net fans are high on Jesse Neal I think he serves his purpose as the power of Inc Ink very well. Beer money by far are two of the most talented guys in wrestling and both should have very good careers whether they stay in TNA or eventually go to WWE. James Storm in particular to me has charisma in loads and Robert Roode, while sometimes bland on the mic, reminds me of an Anr Anderson in that he has that intangible that you take him seriously in the ring no matter what. Shannon Moore of course is the high flier of all four men and should provide for some highlight reel moments while Jesse can handle both of Beer Money in terms of setting up spots and using some great power moves to counteract Robert Roode. It should be a great opening match for TNA Final Resolution will probably get the crowd pumped for the rest of the show. Whether they can keep that momentum going is something I’ll write about later on.
WWE has been doing this as well. Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan have given WWE some of the best opening matches in recent memory for the largest promotion in the United States. But still WWE is plagued with the thought that opening match guys are meant to stay in that range of talent. They understand that smaller more athletic guys are going to give the fans great matches, but in terms of putting them in main event feuds they shouldn’t hold their breath unless their name is Rey Mysterio. But that is neither here nor there and most fans already know about what Vince considers main event talent.
The booking of a wrestling show is an art form that not many can replicate although many pretend they have the understanding of what it takes. One of the reasons Ring of Honor built the reputation tat they had was that they had great matches almost from the opening of the show to the end. While that’s great it doesn’t provide a good reason for fans to buy PPVs as odd as that sounds. Yes you should get your money’s worth but if you provide greatness all the time then the fans feel they can skip certain PPVs because they know they are always going to get great matches all the time. A PPV and a TV show opening match should be thought of differently because of this. You want a PPV opening match to be just slightly lower than the quality of a TV main event meaning that the opening match of a TV show should be short and sweet. Possibly one high spot but not more then that unless you are high lighting one of the talents in the match and are going to have a solid 7-10 minute match. TNA tends to only have opening matches last about 5- 7 minutes and it gets the show off to a great start. Obviously there are always exceptions and they have main event talent in opening matches that last about 7 - 10 and even then the fans feel like they are getting a great quality show, especially if the main event spot is not going to be a match but a brawl or clusterf*ck. TNA has been able to avoid this with understanding what they feel are important feuds and which are actually going to be opening the show. They provide some great in ring moments, but only if they could follow that momentum on through the rest of the show.
Overall I’m still not huge on TNA but I did feel the want to get the sentiment out there that I am not biased against TNA at all. I am against what I feel is shitty wrestling and it just so happens that sometimes TNA gives me nothing but that. But hopefully this gives the readers the idea that I’m not going out of my way to bash TNA just for the sake of it and that I recognize what they do well and will defend them as much as I blast them.
Chris Gee Schoon Tong
Let’s be honest, I don’t get to use TNA and Right in a title very often but I will say that even though I am very critical of the TNA product, I wanted to point out what I feel is done correctly by TNA that is not done by the WWE or Ring of Honor. Yes I know I can practically hear the fingers typing those hate messages I’m going to be getting. Going forward I want to point out that I have a definite idea about how a wrestling show should be produced and how the matches should be broken down etc and that sometimes it can sound very old school, but I also include some of the very current edgy style of booking that I’ve seen from some of the best bookers such as Gabe Sapolsky and the always controversial Paul Heyman over the years. Let’s get down to what I mean. The opening match of a show, be it TV or PPV, should typically showcase lesser known talent who can put on a helluva match and get the crowd instantly into the product without over shining the main event persay. The reason I say persay is because it can be better than the main event in certain ways and not be better in other ways. For example a gimmick match can open a show as long as it isn’t the same gimmick as the main event and doesn’t have same drama as the main event though it can still have more high spots and just get the crowd pumped up.
TNA has usually made their opening matches X Division matches whether it be for the X Division title or not. They high fliers don’t tend to have the same in depth feuds that the heavyweights get but they serve their purpose in that they get the crowd into the show and hoping that they are going to see more action for the rest of the night. That is what the X Division should be doing for TNA but it would be great if they could stop putting X Division title matches in the openings so that the fans would take the title belt more seriously as they did before. Even the focus on the tag team division lately with showcases of Ink Inc against the MCMG and Generation Me have been great ways to open the show and then it would seem they are allowing the X Division title to get some main event time in the first hour with Jay Lethal and Robbie E usually closing out the first hour making the title seem more than just opening match fodder.
The X Division guys who really have started to just become name talent such as The Motor City Machine Guns and Generation ME are great to have in those opening slots because they can provide a feud that is action packed and will give the crowd the feeling that they got their money’s worth. Even though when they are at the “ Impact Arena” they aren’t making any money off of that but that’s another story. The paying audience for their PPVs usually like the opening matches and it used to be during the 2005-2007 that TNA usually had better in ring PPVs than WWE. Lately that has not been true as many of the WWE PPVs have featured great opening matches much in thanks to Daniel Bryan and them actually focusing on younger talent that has a lot of experience in the ring. TNA though can still focus on this and really bring that feeling back. Final Resolution is of course bringing some very fun matches for us and as of this writing it hasn’t happened yet.
But they have announced that the opening match for the PPV will be Ink Inc vs. Beer Money and while I know not many net fans are high on Jesse Neal I think he serves his purpose as the power of Inc Ink very well. Beer money by far are two of the most talented guys in wrestling and both should have very good careers whether they stay in TNA or eventually go to WWE. James Storm in particular to me has charisma in loads and Robert Roode, while sometimes bland on the mic, reminds me of an Anr Anderson in that he has that intangible that you take him seriously in the ring no matter what. Shannon Moore of course is the high flier of all four men and should provide for some highlight reel moments while Jesse can handle both of Beer Money in terms of setting up spots and using some great power moves to counteract Robert Roode. It should be a great opening match for TNA Final Resolution will probably get the crowd pumped for the rest of the show. Whether they can keep that momentum going is something I’ll write about later on.
WWE has been doing this as well. Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan have given WWE some of the best opening matches in recent memory for the largest promotion in the United States. But still WWE is plagued with the thought that opening match guys are meant to stay in that range of talent. They understand that smaller more athletic guys are going to give the fans great matches, but in terms of putting them in main event feuds they shouldn’t hold their breath unless their name is Rey Mysterio. But that is neither here nor there and most fans already know about what Vince considers main event talent.
The booking of a wrestling show is an art form that not many can replicate although many pretend they have the understanding of what it takes. One of the reasons Ring of Honor built the reputation tat they had was that they had great matches almost from the opening of the show to the end. While that’s great it doesn’t provide a good reason for fans to buy PPVs as odd as that sounds. Yes you should get your money’s worth but if you provide greatness all the time then the fans feel they can skip certain PPVs because they know they are always going to get great matches all the time. A PPV and a TV show opening match should be thought of differently because of this. You want a PPV opening match to be just slightly lower than the quality of a TV main event meaning that the opening match of a TV show should be short and sweet. Possibly one high spot but not more then that unless you are high lighting one of the talents in the match and are going to have a solid 7-10 minute match. TNA tends to only have opening matches last about 5- 7 minutes and it gets the show off to a great start. Obviously there are always exceptions and they have main event talent in opening matches that last about 7 - 10 and even then the fans feel like they are getting a great quality show, especially if the main event spot is not going to be a match but a brawl or clusterf*ck. TNA has been able to avoid this with understanding what they feel are important feuds and which are actually going to be opening the show. They provide some great in ring moments, but only if they could follow that momentum on through the rest of the show.
Overall I’m still not huge on TNA but I did feel the want to get the sentiment out there that I am not biased against TNA at all. I am against what I feel is shitty wrestling and it just so happens that sometimes TNA gives me nothing but that. But hopefully this gives the readers the idea that I’m not going out of my way to bash TNA just for the sake of it and that I recognize what they do well and will defend them as much as I blast them.
Chris Gee Schoon Tong