The v2Wrestling podcast - TNA in the UK, WWE not OK

Welcome back to another edition of the v2 Wrestling podcast and welcome to all of our listeners on TNAsylum.com and the 606v2.com forum.

This week the team is made up of your host Adam, along with regulars Gavin and Paul who come together for a look at TNAs UK shows, what makes a good wrestling promotion and the current state of WWEs booking. 

We kick off the proceedings with Adam reliving his experience of last weeks UK tapings and don’t worry, there are no spoilers to be had (other than the already broken news about the debuts).

We then move on to a listeners question from the v2forum poster, Prometheus who asks:

Since the relaunch, has there been any 3*+ matches?

This leads us on to look back at the highlights of TNA since the relaunce and into the larger topic of, does wrestling really matter or is it the booking around it that is more important?

And that’s our question of the week – What has been the best match of the year on TNA and also, would you rather a promotion with great wrestling but poor booking or a promotion with great booking and average wrestling on display?

We then move on to RAW and look at how we think that both Fast Lane and Wrestlemania is going to pan out. Will Bray fave the Undertaker? Will HHH face the Rock? Will Hunters trolling of the smarks, cause a backlash? All of these questions are answered!

And we leave with our WWE question of the week – who do you think will main event Mania?

Unfortunately, our planned interview with Jeff Jarrett has been postponed but we are still welcoming questions ahead of this interview, along with any other topics you would like the panel to discuss.

To ask a question or answer any of the above, please email us at wrestling@v2journal.com or contact us through twitter or facebook and please make sure to submit any questions you would like us to discuss!

To listen to the show scroll below or download from iTunes here (click)

If you have problem listening to the show on the v2Journal, you can listen directly to the show on http://v2wrestling.podomatic.com/entry/2015-02-03T14_02_15-08_00

Interview with Grado and Al Snow
Interview with Nigel McGuinness
Interview with Gail Kim
Interview with Bram
Interview with Doug Williams
Interview with Rob Terry
Interview with Chris Daniels 
Hulk Hogan retrospective
Interview with TJ Perkins/ Manik
Interview with MVP
Interview with Snitsky
Interview with Austin Aries
Interview with Lex Luger
The latest v2 Wrestling Podcast

Thanks for picking up on the question. I thought it lead to an interesting discussion. And if I look at my original question, I think we were going in the same direction of whether highly rated matches important.

From the Impact's that we've had so far, does the team think there have been any 3 star plus matches? And is the wrestling of sufficient quality for the show to keep drawing.

As a background to that question. I've watched 2 of the 3 Impact episodes so far. And I'd say only the Hardy's / Wolves tag match in the first episode has been of that quality.

I think we are all agreed that the Hardy's / Wolves has been the best so far. I did think of Aries / Low Ki. But I thought it had ended in a run-in, which it kind of seems like we are not allowing as a great match. But maybe I just remembered that wrong.

To be honest, I probably need to listen to the team's thoughts again as there seemed some counter ideas, depending on the person speaking and where the team was in the debate. But I think there were two main paths of thought from the team:

1) That character and story is more important than 5* matches. So (to put words in the teams mouths) they'd rather watch Steph and a Bella after all that build up than Zombie Eddie and Satan Benoit just duking it out to see who's better. ( and yes, I know the team addressed bad women's matches with lots of blown spots)

2) Wins and loses are more important than how they come about.

And I think we only need to go back to the Rumble and these points are born out. Coming out of the Rumble, I'd say over 80% of what I read was about Reigns winning that match. And less than 20% was the triple threat as one of the best matches IMO that WWE has put on for years.

Then we've got the fact that Bryan didn't win. And you know however he'd have gone out, I think him not winning would have the same effect.

Now, while I've said that the team is right and I've even tried to put up some evidence to support the points I think you are making, I'm going to say that's not how it works for me.

So, if WWE has just got over 1 million subscribers for its network, maybe I'm the 1 in a million. But I'd rather watch good action in the ring, than all the stuff around it.

Of course, ideally I'd like both. And there are two shows, Lucha Underground and NXT, which IMO are hitting both those goals.

But then, push comes to shove, if I'm watching another hour or so of wrestling in a week and I had a choice of let's say TNA or AXS's NJPW. I'm going to watch the latter. Because even though I've invested all that time in Kurt Angle over the years and The Hardys, unless Impact is going to give me at least one 3* match at least every other week, I'm not coming back to it. I'm going to be watching two Japanese wrestlers I've probably never seen before.

Having said all of that, I'd also admit this isn't as simple as it sounds. Because if you put together two great technical wrestlers. So, let's say Dean Malenko and Lance Storm. I don't think they are going to get my level of interest, the fan's level of interest, the commentator's level of interest and therefore as good a match as two less technically proficient wrestlers, but ones who could cut a damn good promo and tell a great story, like The Rock and Mankind.

So, apologies for the long and rambly addition and thanks again for answering the question.

If you want one for next week (and I'm not trying to hog the Q&A spot, just interested in the team's thoughts)....

It is apparent that at least 1 of you has The Network. There were comments of watching the upcoming PPV on it and watching old PPVs. So, my question is. Now WWE has rolled the Network out to the UK and it had the free month it says it has hit 1 million subscribers. Does the team think when people start to pay, or Mania has passed that WWE can sustain and grow this number and what, if anything, should WWE be doing to grow that figure?

My Mania main event is still Brock / Reigns.

In my booking at Fastlane I'd have Rollins interfere at the end of the DB / Reigns match when they are both fought to nearly a stand still.  

Bryan is held down by J&J security and is curb stomped by Rollins.  

Reigns is held down by Show and Kane.  After he had a chance to escape, but came back to help DB.  He's about to get curb stomped when Orton makes the save.

The last thing we see in the PPV is DB in a neck brace being taken away by paramedics with commentary saying how bad this looks.

At Mania.  I'd have Reigns go over Brock.  Then I'd have Rollins come down with the briefcase to cash in, he hits Reigns with it. Orton comes out to make the save. Orton gets knocked out by the case. Just as Rollins is about to pin Reigns, Ride of the Valkyrie plays, DB is back.  He makes the save.  He holds up Reigns' hand as the new champ and leads the crowd chanting "Yes, Yes, Yes".

Great answer to both questions, P.

I am going to reflect and then answer though!

Good show guys

Questions for Jeff

What are the aims of GFW as a wrestling brand?

Do they plan to run any more New Japan PPVs or feature any other companies not regularly featured on the US mainstream?

And (if you wish to be controversial) how does Jeff feel about New Japan launching their worldwide streaming service prior to Wrestle Kingdom 9, effectively undercutting GFW by offering the same show for a fraction of the cost

Thanks Adam.

I'm not meaning to troll TNA.  It's just that you advocate for it (which I fully respect) and this is why it doesn't work for me.

As a wrestling viewer, I find going into 2015, I have more choice than ever.  I'll not say the wrestling is the best ever, but I have a wealth of choices.
- Raw & Snackdown
- WWE new and old (with WCW and ECW) PPVs
- NXT
- TNA
- Lucha Underground
- NJPW

So, you got to offer me something good to stand out.  And here's a way I see it.  If someone came to me and said 'I was into wrestling 10, years ago, what should I watch now?'.  I'd ask, what do you like?
- Big arenas, pyro, big men.  Okay WWE is for you
- Loved watching athletes like Bret and Michaels.  Go to NXT
- The TNA x-division throwing themselves around.  Try NXT or Lucha Underground

You see where I'm going?  Unless they say I loved Kurt Angle, what's he doing now?  When do I point someone to TNA?  I guess they try some ECW style every so often, but I'm not seeing what they offer that IMO is not done better elsewhere to the person not already into TNA.

The thing I respect about you, P, is that you gave it a go. Too many people either judge it on the Hogan years, or a 1 show they watched 5 years ago.

At least you watched it for a few weeks and didnt like it - I am absolutely fine with that.

AS to the reasons I watch it - to me, its how WWE used to be and how I want it to be now. With the exception of Reigns/ Lesnar, the action and storylines are very poor. TNA cant help the audience they are drawing and the way they have to film in blocks (too many years of poor decision making has led them to this) but they are trying and by God, do I love a tryer/ underdog.

Since the relaunch, the main thing that has disapppointed have been the matches - hopefully this weeks show (Lockdown) will feature more wrestling as its a PPV that you dont need to P to V.

TNA is an edgier, better written, smaller scale WWE. Its by far from perfect but for me its easier to access that the other shows who do similar things. And I recognise some of the talent. Same reason why I like LU.

Thanks for the thoughtful response.  I have serial record set up on DVR, so I'm not gone.  It's just bottom of my viewing pile.

Here's the thing for me.  For most wrestling fans I think TNA was an option if you didn't like the WWE product.  But there's so many choices now they have to IMO work harder.  

I don't watch Raw.  I have no interest in 30 minutes of exposition at the start of each show.  I might watch an occasional match, but I mostly just consume the WWE PPVs.  So I see the WWE problems, I'm not a WWW mark.  I just find that TNA is not my next option.

I'll be rushing home tonight to catch up on NXT.  So WWE get my money.  I've no problem with that for a good product.  I'll try today or tomorrow to catch up on Lucha.  But that Impact recording is still sat on my DVR from last weekend.

Btw here's a quote from JRs podcast this week re Reigns.  "Sometimes you just get a gut feeling that someone might not be ready."  Yup, years of insight and experience right there for ya [EDIT. Ah, I see you actually have a thread for this now. Cool]

TNA owes me a year of my life. And half hour every Tuesday where I have to pretend I'm listening (Although frankly I've given up on even pretending now)

My son (he’s 9) and I were discussing his dream Wrestlemania on the way to school this morning

He came up with
- Brock vs Roman (World Title)
- Cena vs Rollins
- HHH, Kane, Harper & Big Show vs String, Bryan, Rowan & Ryback (Authority disbands if they loses)
- Wyatt vs Ambrose
- The Usos vs Mizdow (Tag)
- Adam Rose vs The Bunny
- Barrett vs Ziggler (IC)
- Rusev vs Swagger (US)

VDT wrote:My son (he’s 9) and I were discussing his dream Wrestlemania on the way to school this morning

He came up with
- Brock vs Roman (World Title)
- Cena vs Rollins
- HHH, Kane, Harper & Big Show vs String, Bryan, Rowan & Ryback (Authority disbands if they loses)
- Wyatt vs Ambrose
- The Usos vs Mizdow (Tag)
- Adam Rose vs The Bunny
- Barrett vs Ziggler (IC)
- Rusev vs Swagger  (US)

Give that boy the pencil!

Dr Gregory House MD wrote:

VDT wrote:My son (he’s 9) and I were discussing his dream Wrestlemania on the way to school this morning

He came up with
- Brock vs Roman (World Title)
- Cena vs Rollins
- HHH, Kane, Harper & Big Show vs String, Bryan, Rowan & Ryback (Authority disbands if they loses)
- Wyatt vs Ambrose
- The Usos vs Mizdow (Tag)
- Adam Rose vs The Bunny
- Barrett vs Ziggler (IC)
- Rusev vs Swagger  (US)

Give that boy the pencil!

Surely you mean "give that boy a job in WWE creative!"

That new String bloke sounds good, he'll have his opponents tied up in knots.

that joke was ropey, even for you

If he gets blacked up, can he come out to Agadoo

Adam D wrote:
Since the relaunch, the main thing that has disapppointed have been the matches - hopefully this weeks show (Lockdown) will feature more wrestling as its a PPV that you dont need to P to V.

Wow. That was some bump that Jeff took from the top of the cage, and he controlled it pretty well. That's the good news. In bad news, I think Matt and Jeff are the only ones I'm tuning in to watch. I'll see some of the other guys, but everything in this show is far behind those two.

Prometheus wrote:

Adam D wrote:
Since the relaunch, the main thing that has disapppointed have been the matches - hopefully this weeks show (Lockdown) will feature more wrestling as its a PPV that you dont need to P to V.

Wow.  That was some bump that Jeff took from the top of the cage, and he controlled it pretty well.  That's the good news.  In bad news, I think Matt and Jeff are the only ones I'm tuning in to watch.  I'll see some of the other guys, but everything in this show is far behind those two.

I think it was the only way he could get out of the Maximum Impact tour. Can't remember Jeff ever being on a UK tour...wonder why he doesn't like us?

Personally I don't think there is much wrong with the majority of the matches. The quality is okay...but there is rarely anything that really makes you sit up and take notice.

Maybe I've just been watching long enough that there isn't much that surprises me any more. Must admit they're not doing anything new or interesting - just putting new twists on old ideas for the most part.

That said last night's Glasgow show was pretty good. Loved the Al Snow - Grado segment, where Al taunted Grado's mother. Crowd really responded well to that. Also liked the latest instalment in the EC3, Tyrus, Spud, Andrews, Borash saga...mainly because I'm enjoying seeing Spud actually wrestle. He got to show off some nice moves against much bigger guys. That said I'm struggling to see where this is going. If EC3 and Tyrus are eventually going to get their comeuppance, it needs to happen fairly soon, otherwise it'll get old fast. Liked the intervention by Ken Anderson. Hope he comes back for another stint as I always liked him.

Not-so-good parts: the Madison Rayne / Awesome Kong squash match. Also the continuing interference by BDC and The Revolution. Just spoils otherwise good / decent matches with no apparent furthering of either faction's agendas (whatever those are).

For me interference is like any other plot device...use it too much and it becomes annoying, rather than entertaining. Seems to be happening at least 2-3 times every show just lately, which is ridiculous IMO.

Why not have BDC and The Revolution go after each other...or would that be too much of a stretch for the writers?

dyrewolfe wrote:
That said last night's Glasgow show was pretty good. Loved the Al Snow - Grado segment, where Al taunted Grado's mother. Crowd really responded well to that. Also liked the latest instalment in the EC3, Tyrus, Spud, Andrews, Borash saga...mainly because I'm enjoying seeing Spud actually wrestle. He got to show off some nice moves against much bigger guys. That said I'm struggling to see where this is going. If EC3 and Tyrus are eventually going to get their comeuppance, it needs to happen fairly soon, otherwise it'll get old fast. Liked the intervention by Ken Anderson. Hope he comes back for another stint as I always liked him.

Not-so-good parts: the Madison Rayne / Awesome Kong squash match. Also the continuing interference by BDC and The Revolution. Just spoils otherwise good / decent matches with no apparent furthering of either faction's agendas (whatever those are).

For me interference is like any other plot device...use it too much and it becomes annoying, rather than entertaining.

Would be better IMO if BDC and The Revolution went after each other.

I was listening to a podcast at the weekend (not one I'd really recommend, but it filled a 3 hour walk) and they were quite critical of the Snow / Grado event in Edinburgh. The point made was that TNA should have sold its show on the TNA stars, not their British Boot Camp wrestlers. That Grado was never going to fill a 5,000 arena and if people wanted to see him they'd pay £15 for an indy show, not £30 for TNA. Their evidence this had not worked was that they reported the number of people in attendance was around the 1,500 mark and this was a much steeper drop than their other UK events.

Was this show already shown on Challenge TV? Apologies for the daft question, but I'm already about 2 weeks behind after just 4 weeks. And my record series seems to be recording repeats so my DVR is not helping me either.

I'll hopefully get round to watching some. As I've said to Adam, I've nothing against TNA, but to what I enjoy in wrestling they need a couple of solid 3* matches each week, or it is at the bottom of the pecking order of what I watch. Having said that, if they booked Tyrus well (just for the sake of making an easy connection, like Kevin Owens in NXT), I'd be watching the hell out of that.

Last night was the first Glasgow show.

Al snows promo was excellent and the opening match was good too (possibly the best match since it's debut).

Prometheus wrote:

dyrewolfe wrote:
That said last night's Glasgow show was pretty good. Loved the Al Snow - Grado segment, where Al taunted Grado's mother. Crowd really responded well to that. Also liked the latest instalment in the EC3, Tyrus, Spud, Andrews, Borash saga...mainly because I'm enjoying seeing Spud actually wrestle. He got to show off some nice moves against much bigger guys. That said I'm struggling to see where this is going. If EC3 and Tyrus are eventually going to get their comeuppance, it needs to happen fairly soon, otherwise it'll get old fast. Liked the intervention by Ken Anderson. Hope he comes back for another stint as I always liked him.

Not-so-good parts: the Madison Rayne / Awesome Kong squash match. Also the continuing interference by BDC and The Revolution. Just spoils otherwise good / decent matches with no apparent furthering of either faction's agendas (whatever those are).

For me interference is like any other plot device...use it too much and it becomes annoying, rather than entertaining.

Would be better IMO if BDC and The Revolution went after each other.

I was listening to a podcast at the weekend (not one I'd really recommend, but it filled a 3 hour walk) and they were quite critical of the Snow / Grado event in Edinburgh.  The point made was that TNA should have sold its show on the TNA stars, not their British Boot Camp wrestlers.  That Grado was never going to fill a 5,000 arena and if people wanted to see him they'd pay £15 for an indy show, not £30 for TNA.  Their evidence this had not worked was that they reported the number of people in attendance was around the 1,500 mark and this was a much steeper drop than their other UK events.

Was this show already shown on Challenge TV?  Apologies for the daft question, but I'm already about 2 weeks behind after just 4 weeks.  And my record series seems to be recording repeats so my DVR is not helping me either.  

I'll hopefully get round to watching some.  As I've said to Adam, I've nothing against TNA, but to what I enjoy in wrestling they need a couple of solid 3* matches each week, or it is at the bottom of the pecking order of what I watch.  Having said that, if they booked Tyrus well (just for the sake of making an easy connection, like Kevin Owens in NXT), I'd be watching the hell out of that.

I would respectfully disagree with the podcasters.

TNA can sell any of its shows on the strength of its main stars, but I've always thought that one of the main points of Boot Camp was to find British talent they can use on their tours over here.

Seems pretty obvious to me that Brit fans would like to see some "homegrown" stars, as well as the usual names. There is a healthy indy scene over here and they would likely be well known by wrestling fans from other promotions, prior to Boot Camp.

At least, thats how I see it.

Also, the Hydro Arena looked and sonded pretty full...but that may have been down to clever camera work and post-production audio tweaking. As I mentioned the Snow - Grado segment got a great reaction...at least the Scottish fans got behind their guy.

Spud and Andrews are forming a good partnership and I would hope the Manchester and London fans get behind them too.

Not seen any attendance figures. If there were only 1,500 then that is pretty poor. I'd expect a lot more than that at the remaining shows. They have managed to more or less fill Wembley Area on previous tours.