On raw we saw a solid tag title match between the two highest profile WWE tag teams in a long time and the historic return of Bret Hart. However, for the first time since March 21st 2001 Monday Night belonged to another wrestling promotion.
I'm going to be honest that was a horrible effort TNA put on. The first hour especially X division match was an abortion. Most of the returns are people that will not only have zero positive effect but will actually probably hurt the promotion (Nasty Boys and Orlando Jordan whats up?) and none of the matches had enough time. TNA was advertising hogan on Raw instead of Jeff Hardy(you know the guy who was WWE champion last summer, selling more merc than any1 else on the WWE roster at the time, and who's defection even surprised Vince McMahn). That being said it was still a fun show. It was kinetic and had me wanting to see what was next. On raw there was literally history being made and i just wanted to flip back to Impact.
While fun and gaining an impressive rating(for TNA) they should be embarrassed. This was the most important show they have ever produced and they really needed to put their best foot forward instead they just showed all their weaknesses. Their ADD logically deprived booking, over reliance on has beens and just overall wasting the talent of some of the most gifted athletes in the world.
Let's start with their advertising campaign. While, probably the most aggressive one they've ever pulled off they only focused on Hulk Hogan. Hulk Hogan is a big deal but you can't build your promotion around him in 2009. They really needed to announce more matches before the show and hype the hell out of them, especially the world title match. Also they have a pay per view coming up that could use some building to as well. TNA has all the tools they could possibly need except the ability to think.
Next,the returns. Acquiring Jeff hardy is a big deal and Ric Flair adds prestige to any promotion he works for. Shanon Moore and the afore mentioned Nasty Boys and Orlando Jordan aren't as positive especially when their are much bigger stars they could set their sights on. Lita would have been a much better choice to bring in with Hardy than Moore. Ken Kennedy, RVD, the Briscos, A Train(he got better) and Mistico all would have been excellent additions to the TNA roster. The jury is still out on Val Venus. I like him but his best days are behind him. Still, he would make a good tag partner for Matt Morgan.
The first match is always the most or second most important match of any given show and that has never been more true then this one. This impact was an attempt to lure new viewers to TNA and those new fan's first impression of TNA is a bunch of talented guys that they have ever seen before going at it in a steel cage for 2 minutes before a dq. Bad TNA, bad!
I would have gone a different route. A fatal four way match for the #1 contendership at Genesis between Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Daniels and Desmond Wolfe. These are four guys TNA has been trying to build their promotion around and I think It would be a good idea to put them out first and for most so that new fans can identify TNA with these four guys, not blah. Kurt Angle is a household name and currently a face new fans shouldn't have too much a problem getting behind Especially, when overcoming the odds against these three very talented heels. It would also be a much bigger deal if Jeff may his debut saving Kurt Angle from a three on one beat down that could set up a potential feud with either of these three guys. I would also have AJ out on commentary and while that isn't his strong point the champ needs to be a focal point of this show and needs to be on camera every chance TNA gets.
When will wrestling promotions learn that if you can't give a match 10 minutes its best to just leave the match off the card. Matches like Matt Morgan/Hernandez vs Raven/Dr. Stevie, Samoa Joe vs Abyss, Steel Asylum, Dinerio vs Desmond Wolfe and Tara vs. ODB were just thrown together, not even given a chance to develop and won't lead anywhere. Instead of the steel asylum match I would have just had a one on one match between the Amazing Red and Homicide for the X division title where homicide would get the title win. Instead of the Hernandez/Morgan vs Raven/Dr. Stevie I would have had Hernandez/Morgan /Dinero/Abyss vs the World Elite with a screwy finish leading to hogan giving Abyss/Morgan a tag title shot at Genesis, Hernandez getting a shot at Eric Young's global championship and Dinerio a shot at Homicides x division championship. Tara and ODB should have been left to Genesis.
With Angle being moved to the opening match that would leave the world title match open. Bobby Lashley would have been a perfect replacement. He just recently won a tournament giving him a title shot, signed with strike force and being a former WWE star gives him name recognition enough to justify a title shot against A.J. Having Ric Flair come out was a good idea but they should have put him on commentary, it would create a big match atmosphere having one of the great legends on commentary putting these two guys over.
One last thing, if you want to unmask a masked assailant and swerve the audience you should do it on the live episode and not the taped episode the week later. Imagine this, the masked assailant attacks AJ, Bobby Lashley sets up a spear leading the audience to think he's going to help AJ, Bobby Lashley then tells the masked man to get out of the way and spears AJ going heel in the process. The two them beat up on AJ till Ric Flair pulls A.J. out of the ring. The masked man unmasks himself. The lights dim. A mic falls from the ceiling. He says "The Future of pro wrestling has arrived and his name is Anderson...Anderson!".
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