First up, a query:
1. I don't know how many people attend TNA's tapings these days, but the soundstages they use seat between 900 and 1,100.
Jamie Noble either broke or fractured three ribs during the angle that closed Raw. I wonder what this means for the future of The Authority. There's probably another name or two they could use as a "stooge" in Noble's place. How about Brad Maddox or David Otunga?
After Raw, the team of Cena/Reigns/Ambrose beat the team of Rollins/Owens/Kane. That's much more compelling than a Cena vs. Kane singles match.
Chyna (now her legal name) put out a video asking to bury the hatchet with Vince and Triple H. I don't know the likelihood of that happening, although it's probably in all of their best interests to put the past behind them and move forward to have healthy lives.
Everything else from yesterday is after the break.
Brooke Tessmacher and Awesome Kong vs. The Dollhouse has been added to Slammiversary. We're four days from the event and don't have the TNA Champion or #1 Contender in action there. Kurt Angle is on the poster, for crying out loud.
Dr. Tom Prichard discussed Buddy Landel passing away. Dr. Tom has a lot of respect in the business.
Update: Chubby Dudley discussed him, as well.
Austin Aries' TNA contract is set to expire shortly after Slammiversary. What he'll do next is a big topic of discussion. He's definitely one of the best workers they have. I'd love to see him mix it up in NXT, but I don't know if that's a realistic hope.
King Mo talked about his time in TNA, as well as being offered a WWE developmental deal in 2004. I wonder how much TNA spent on a guy who never had a match there.
Hulk Hogan endorsed Kevin Owens and more:
- Breaking into wrestling in the old days was INSANE.
- He's right about doing a much different style in Japan, and it being more effective for him to just be a character with a few moves in the U.S..
- Owens is definitely the real deal. One hell of a pickup by WWE. I hope Austin Aries and Uhaa Nation can make that kind of splash, too.
- Cena should get a lot of credit for elevating the NXT talent lately.
Raw's audience Monday was 3.67 million, which is pretty much where they were before Brock's return. Last week as one-time big boost, and they're more or less back to normal now.
Slammiversary will air live in India at 5 a.m. local time. They should probably put The Revolution on the card in some fashion to appeal to the Khoya fans there.
Several TNA performers will take part in Destination America's Independence Day celebrations. I wouldn't assume this means the two parties will continue to work together after September.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I don't know if Sinclair Broadcasting would want to air a show nationally before they air it on their own channels. I disagree about the show doing really well. They haven't even cracked 300,000 viewers yet, and went down a bit in Week 3. That might be enough for them to be more cost-effective than TNA, but they're definitely not blowing it out of the water ratings-wise.
2. The fans are the ones paying for tickets to the event, and they're tired of seeing Big Show do the same old thing for more or less 15 years. Show's taking up a spot on the show they'd rather see someone else in. As for not being over the hill, Show's 43. That's not "old" per se, but it's certainly old enough to question if he's worth investing in. And how valuable is he really if fans are chanting they don't want to see him anymore? He's definitely still useful as a veteran with credibility, but fans are sending a message about how much screen time he gets. It's their right to tune out and voice their opinions.
3. I like the Bellas well enough. I don't like them being the focal point of the division for such a long time. I'm also ready for Charlotte to arrive. I wouldn't mind if another face Diva came with her, although that would really hamper the division in NXT.
4. Basically, WWE.com is for fans and marks. They want to keep it for that. It'd probably the same if you mentioned TNA.
5. Terms like burial have pretty much lost their meaning because they're used for so many situations. Honestly, PWInsider has fanned those flames in the not-so-distant past with Rusev's push and Bryan's post-Summerslam. Going four PPVs with John Cena is hardly a sign of the company trying to throw you under a bus. Neither is headlining multiple PPVs without losing clean like Bryan did in 2014. Even being booked to lose a lot doesn't necessarily mean you're being buried, as there generally have to be some talents who fill that role. A burial is when the company has heat with you and is trying to send you a message.
More wrestling tomorrow.
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