Wrestlings fans cannot stop talking of the events that transpired Monday night, as both World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling aired live on the same night. Many dubbed this as the return of the Monday Night Wars, and with good reason... TNA is the modern day WCW.
On October 27, TNAwrestling.com announced that Hulk Hogan had signed with Dixie Carter to join TNA on a full time basis; since then, Hulk Hogan headlined a tour in Australia called "Hulkamania: Let the Battle Begin," with the main event seeing Hulk Hogan take on Ric Flair, Hogan won all four encounters. Over on TNA, Dixie Carter had spoken to the entire TNA roster about stepping up their game because big changes were coming.
Well, after a two month wait, and a long standing series of interviews from TNA wrestlers stating how great things will be now, "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan has finally arrived in TNA. As he stood in the unique 6-sided ring, during the second half hour of a 3-hour live event, Hogan dictated how things were going to run from now on: TNA will provide younger talent a chance to rise in the business; and for those that cannot speak on the mic, or wrestle, they will be fired. In an interview, Hogan claims he will be the McMahon of TNA, I think his actions will resemble someone a little less American.
TNA Wrestling invites the nWo? In the audience were two former members of the infamous New World Order faction, a drugged Sean Waltman (X-Pac) and a drunken Scott Hall (Razor Ramon). The two were invited into the ring, along with Kevin Nash (Disel) who has been in TNA for several years. This reunion of sorts looked to rehash the invasion alliance (WWE owns the nWo name), especially with the addition of Eric Bischoff, but Hogan declined saying "it's a different time." The promo resembled a typical reunion of best friends, when at least one person has changed, Hulk Hogan is now the responsible adult and can no longer party recklessly like he use to back in his heydays. Despite not wanting to reunite the group, Hulk Hogan appeared in TNA with a version of the nWo entrance theme, along with the black beard and blond handle bar mustache of his nWo character. In addition, the ending of the program saw Nash, Hall, and Waltman beat down an angry Mick Foley.
Eric Bischoff partner? Hulk Hogan named Bischoff as his partner for overseeing talent, but with Bischoff being "the golden boy who saved wrestling," in the early stages of WCW Nitro, he'll definitely have a say in what goes on in TNA.
Can TNA beat WWE in ratings? TNA presents a much edgier format than WWE, but its currently a mess of violence without any direction... Hogan and Bischoff are the guys to fix it. In 1995, WCW Nitro was able to out perform WWE in the ratings because of its edgier programing, but when Bischoff was stripped of creative control in '96, changing Nitro from a mature program to a family-friendly show, WWE took out Nitro when it aired its edgier programming, dubbed as the Attitude era. Now that WWE's format is back to TV-PG, you would think that WWE would have faltered this Monday Night? The PG rating allows WWE to focus on story lines and wrestling matches, plus, not only can it be viewed by children, but it retains the interest of its older audience. However, cartoony at times with the revival of DX, fans remain devoted in hopes of seeing the edgier side of Triple-H and Shawn Michaels. TNA, being on SpikeTV, the "man's" channel, can accomplish what ECW and WCW attempted but could not do, remain edgy, direct towards mature audiences, and remain well funded. TNA has the ability to give WWE a run for its money, especially since they allow their Knockouts (women wrestlers) to have a world title and tag team titles, and to actually have strong matches regardless of size, something the WWE has not been willing to do. The other advantage that TNA has over WWE is the willingness/desperation to sign wrestlers who have drug and/or alcohol problems. WWE has a strict Wellness Policy that has seen many wrestlers suspended, even fired, by failing sporadic drug tests.
Will it Work? Hulk Hogan, has obviously been at the start of the WWE, the rise and fall of WCW, and will look to incorporate what he has learned to fight the monopoly Vince McMahon has on televised wrestling. Plus, with the first night issuing a TNA World Title Match as the main event, Kurt Angle challenging AJ Styles was a smart move because these are the two of the brightest stars in the wrestling business. Kurt Angle has wrestled the best in the WWE, and AJ Styles is the best new talent that has risen from the very start in TNA, and is the only one to have captured all of its titles... the equivelent of the Grand Slam Champion. Hogan and Biscoff are willing to give the fans better quality wrestling in a competive world. Will it work? I think the answer is yes, but it will take time.
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