TNA news and notes

[Head Booker]

these come from a dubious source so take them with a grain of salt...

Tate


-Genesis set a new PPV buyrate record for TNA

-Sting wanted to do a clean job for Abyss when he was told they were switching the title but management wouldn't allow it.

-Joe vs Angle was meant to go longer and other talent had been told all night to keep their bouts trim to leave enough room but Angle was calling the match and took it home 15 minutes early,no one knows why

-Homicide competed with a fever at Genesis and was hit so hard by Angle at the Impact tapings on Monday that he lost his hearing,also the titles were unstripped from LAX after the reaction stripping them got at Genesis,this has furthered the belief that they need to start running outside of Orlando

-The planned Turning Point line up is Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe, Abyss vs. Sting vs. Christian for the Heavyweight Title, A.J. Styles vs. Rhino, Christopher Daniels vs. Chris Sabin for the X Title with Jerry Lynn as referee, LAX vs. AMW for the tag team titles in a Flag/Anthem Match and, to appease the ungodly, Traci Brooks vs. Eric Young in a Bikini Contest.

-Nash wants Cornettes role if Cornette leaves which many still think will happen

-TNA aren't upset with Raven over refusing to let them trademark his name

-A1 hasn't been used lately so there was a backstage collection at the last tapings to buy him a flight to the next set of tapings so he can see everyone,ppl chipped in $10 each

-Ron Killings wants a release but Terry Taylor has told him it's not happening

-Christy Hemme and Hoyt are both thinking of getting their hairs done like Killings and she wants an on air role as either his valet or as part of LAX

-Angle apparently told Sabin he was a great worker but looked dirty and wasn't standing out so he suggested he do a gimmick which would make him like Pig Pen from Peanuts,the idea was passed on by management

[Icon Lord Sean "Magic" Fiery]

I don't believe the Homicide losing his hearing part and the Angle telling Chris Sabin to play fuckin Pig Pen... Honestly... Pig Pen?! Chris Sabin deserves so much better.

[Head Booker]

Joe/Angle at Genesis was booked to go 25 minutes, but Angle was told he could go 30 minutes if he thought it would make the match better. Angle hasn't given anyone a reason as to why he went home go early, but the feeling is that he just isn't in good enough shape to go for 25 minutes.

The internal reaction to Genesis was mixed. They felt that they really needed a blow out show to take advantage of the new viewers they hoped they'd have buying the show. There was disappointment over both the LAX vs AMW match and the Shelley and Starr vs Hoyt and Killings matches inparticular. The main event disappointed a lot of people, but that was time issue rather than the quality of what was done, and there's unhappiness over Sting vs Abyss reaction, but that's being blamed on the botched finish. The DQ was supposed to be for Sting throwing Rudy Charles into the barbed wire table, but instead Charles called for the bell after he was thrown to the floor. They were very surprised with the reaction stripping LAX of the titles got.

Spike and TNA are closer than ever following the 1.0 rating for the special. The rating was proof to Spike that TNA can attract new viewers to the station. Spike were obviously aware that the good rating TNA had gotten at 11pm were due to the UFC lead in, but at 9pm there have no build up lead-in audience, as CSI at 8pm is mainly watched by older women, who straight away switch to CBS to watch up to date CSI shows. It's gotten to the point where if they were to go two hours every week Spike would move Ulimate Fighters off Thursdays to another day of the week.

The company is hopeful it's problems with The Dish Network will be sorted out by 12/10. They only get around 4% of their buys from TDN so it's no a huge issue for them, but obviously one they would rather get sorted as soon as possible.

Konnan is getting his hip replaced after the 12/10 PPV.

The TNA show in Monterrey was the largest crowd and gate ever drew for a TNA show, despite only 4,200 or so fans being inside the 14,000 seat arena. The most over guys on the card with the Mexican fans (apart from Konnan and Cibernetico) were Angle, Jarrett and Ron Killings. For some reason there was no TNA merchandise for sale at the event. LAX at the show consisted of Hernandez and Senshi as Homicide was booked for ROH. They have planned a TNA vs AAA show for May. TNA were charging $100 for ringside tickets, with is less than the WWE charges in Mexico ($160) but far more than CMLL charges ($36.35).

The plan is to do as many PPV's from outside Orlando as possible next year. They are desperate to do a border town - ideally Laredo, but that would have to be untill April as there is a WWE house show there in January and the WWE insist that buildings they use don't have any other wrestling shows two months before or after their own. The desire for a border town show comes from wanting a Candanian Stampede type atmostphere with LAX taking the place of the Hart Foundation.

Abyss wiill defend his 1PW title against Runt at the TNA show in Portgual on 1/5.

The general concensus, especailly from X Divison guys, is very negative regarding the current direction and Vince Russo. The reaction to Angle has changed greatly as well. Angle is being very hands on with everyone, talking to everyone about their promo's and matches, which isn't really a bad thing but he's rubbing everyone up the wrong way by constantly telling people backstage he's the greatest wrestler of all time. He's also telling people that he'll be running the company soon enough. Jarrett is still sticking up for Angle 100% as you'd expect.

Scott Steiner isn't even mentioned by anyone backstage anymore, so you've probably seen the last of him.

Raven's new flock will not be called The Movement, but rather will be known as Serotonin.

TNA were fined $225 after the fire that took place on 8/13.

credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter