Yes it works both ways.

It should be noted that he could probably have gotten an exemption wavier – from what I remember of his conviction and the nature and length of his stay he should have qualified for that – but doing so would have required him to apply well in advance.

You believe Hardy is still using then, I take it? LOL!

I don't have an opinion on it either way to be honest.

I do however think the whole "from all accounts he's clean" thing is just a bit flawed. As far as I know no one is testing him and people in his position don't tend to shout their drug use from the roof tops.

* creaks open cobwebbed door *

Hello TNA thread!

Just thought I'd post my thoughts about tonight's Impact.

For me, Galloway's promo worked and it made me excited to see where the character goes. Good luck to him.

The spud / EC3 angle continues to be awesome. Good on those guys.

The Revolution are still terrible. Either do something drastic to make this stable matter or drop it.

Loving heel EY. Great video package bigging him up too.

Finally, Abyss was bloody terrible tonight. Bring back Joseph Parks. That gimmick actually works better now, because the man really does look like he can't wrestle.

Generally the product just doesn't feel like it's going anywhere at the moment, which probably accounts for the lack of internet interest here and elsewhere. Ratings are holding up, but will that last?

TNA have achieved a holding pattern of being a decent weekly wrestling show which more or less makes sense. But can they make the show must see TV? Becuase it isn't really, at the moment.

just looks way too small time.

some of the mid card are not interesting at all

the wrestling is good though. just cant seem to exceited for tna though, i fast fwd most of impact.

TNA has pulled the scheduled Universal Studios TV taping dates in April from their website. As of this writing, the dates are still listed on the Universal site, but they aren’t going to happen. As noted, TNA will be taping Impact Wrestling in Orlando from 3/13-3/16, and the company reportedly emailed talent and notified them of the April change.

Thanks for the update. Hopefully they're going to tape elsewhere. I'm not a fan of Universal.

I think at some point TNA need to find a way to tape ahead less. Aside from it being very difficult to avoid spoilers for six weeks, the current situation also means they can't adapt to what's working on TV and what isn't.

For example, the goddam "Revolution". If Impact was only taped two weeks ahead, they could end this faction, or do something radical to fix it. But as it is, they've got six weeks of it in the can and can't do anything. It must make writing the show like trying to steer an oil tanker.

It would also help for like Jeff Hardy in the UK so he wouldn't have to be off screen for months if it was WWE he would miss one Raw so no need to even mention it.

Plus at this rate if one leaves like Joe he could be on WWE TV before he's left TNA on TV.

lol

I think in a parallel universe Jeff would be a great addition to current WWE. Sadly, in reality I don't think he fits with the current WWE corporate culture and internal politics. Even if they could look past his druggy reputation (which I don't believe they could), they'd book him in a few nostalgia angles and then quickly have him jobbing, and ultimately off TV.

Jeff is actually a good example of why I still believe it's a good thing TNA exists. It's somewhere for talented people to work who don't fit the WWE style and culture, which although successful and capable of delivering great moments, is pretty narrow and very political.

Although Jeff Hardy was in fact successful in WWE and would likely have been substantially more successful if his drug taking hadn't caught up with him. So I don't know that he's the best example of this theory.

Indeed I'd argue that the number of people who have experienced success in TNA that wouldn't or couldn't have achieved success in WWE is actually rather small. Although I'd also argue that this has more to do with the culture prevalent within TNA more than anything else.

Not sure that would be a terrible thing from TNA's perspective. Although I'd assume WWE would almost certainly hold off on bringing someone like Joe off an extra few weeks rather than have that overlap.

That is a big problem they have. I understand why they do it but it's not good. A lot can happen is six weeks and it can't be good for talent on PPA deals.

Angle in TNA: Working & popular.
Angle in WWE: Blackballed.

Hardy in TNA: Working, popular, loads of creative freedom.
Hardy in WWE: Possibly blackballed. At this stage, I honestly think he'd be booked as a nostalgia act for three months, then sporadically appearing weekly jobber. Despite having huge merch and fan favourite potential, he's relatively small and has no pull politically.

Bully in TNA: Top heel.
Bully in WWE: Nostalgia act, instantly asked to pretend last fifteen years haven't happened and all black people are interchangeable.

EY in TNA: Brilliant comedy face. Brilliant manic heel. World champ, albeit ill-advised.
EY in WWE: Unlikely to be signed. Too small. If signed, low status, allowed limited moveset & mic time.

Aries in TNA: Massively over star. Former world champ.
Aries in WWE: Unlikely to be signed. Too small, and probably too opinionated. If signed, low status, allowed limited moveset & mic time.

I could go on. My fingers are getting tired.

I think Jeff could still walk into WWE and find success to be honest. Despite his issues, he's still comes across as a generally likeable guy and didn't leave on bad terms from what I read.

And I don't agree that Angle has been blackballed by WWE. It comes across more they are worried about his former issues and probably his age and at this time they aren't interested in Angle.

Yeah. At this stage I'd actually accept a permanent return to the Impact Zone if it meant the show could be live every week.

I wonder if that's do-able financially? Weekly live Impact from Orlando and four live PPVs on the road each year. Workable model if the sums add up.

I hope you're right, and TBH I'd almost like it to happen. If allowed to be himself I think he
could freshen up the 'fed no end. TNA could survive without him.

I think the fact they aren't doing it means it isn't. They get all their roster in for a week or two and film six weeks worth of material then they don't have to use them again for a while. I can't believe anybody would choose to do what they do if it was viable to do it differently

He's said publicly he wants a final WWE run before her retires and I'm sure something is workable.

Kurt Angle has only been 'blackballed' in the sense that he can't pass the medical tests WWE now requires of all in-ring talent. With that in mind that he's still working for TNA probably isn't a great thing. Indeed one of my biggest issues with TNA at this point is that they're still booking Angle as an active wrestler and letting himself slowly kill himself on their dime. One of the most shockingly responsible things WWE have ever done is insist Kurt Angle slow down (which is why he left the company in the first place because he wasn't happy about that directive).

It also fundamentally misses the point that he was enormously successful in WWE prior to going to TNA so I really don't know how he strengthens this idea that TNA somehow give opportunity and chances to talent that wouldn't or couldn't thrive in WWE. Angle did. That's why TNA signed him.


Once again Jeff Hardy was exceptionally successful in WWE and if it hadn't been for his incredibly public and well documented drug issues he likely would have been even more successful. This notion that its great he has a home in TNA because he couldn't or wouldn't have found success in WWE is patently untrue. And again I'd suggest that TNA hired and pushed the guy despite his incredibly public and well documented drug issues maybe isn't something to be celebrating.


Bully Ray is a 43 year old man. WWE have absolutely no business signing him and pushing him. He was brought back for one night only for a cheap ECW related pop in The Royal Rumble. And again he actually achieved quite considerable success in WWE and ECW prior to going to TNA which is why they signed him.


And absolutely no one imagined that CM Punk, Daniel Bryan or Seth Rollins would amount to anything in the WWE. More than a few people felt it was madness for Prince Devitt/Finn Balor to sign with WWE but all signs so far indicate that's going to work out pretty well for him as well. This notion that these talents can't break through within the WWE is untrue.

So that leaves you with Eric Young. A talent who I don't think should ever have risen beyond comedy mid carder anyway.

I don't think it is.

From all reports he talked to WWE when his last TNA deal was at an end and backed out of negotiations when it became clear they weren't willing to bypass the basic medical testing they now require of all active talent. Its the same thing that (thankfully) killed off Foley's last attempt at a come back. He couldn't/wouldn't be able to pass the impact testing so they can't book him.

I also would be amazed if Angle passed WWE drug testing at this point (unfortunately).

WWE is running out of part timers to sell their PPVs. I'm sure Hardy and Angle would do for a few years. Then maybe a 60 year old Steve Austin return, 50 year old Triple H retirement match.


Still hope yet for WWE lol. ANYTHING APART from rely on their young roster lol.

Go back a few years in TNA's history and look who the top stars were. Probably not the best place to be making jabs at old guys in big stories.

but its a true comment nontheless.

its time to invest in the youth. i dont mind old stars being used at all but its time for a real push now

tna using youth well now and kenny king stands out. but the overall shows are just not....exciting.

Didn't say it wasn't true, I said it's probably not the right place to be making the point.

just chillax and talk to me, i cant go in wwe thread as i am avoiding raw spoilers.

i know you like talking tna, lets talk tna! lol