WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with a new blog on jrsbarbq.com with thoughts on TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per-view. As always, you can purchase JR’s BBQ products on WWEshop.com. Here’s what he wrote:
“Impact Wrestling had a solid PPV Sunday night in Arlington, Texas and their roster, which many under rate, stepped up. As I have said many times on my Ross Report podcast, Impact Wrestling has a marketable and potentially winning roster but my issues have been with the ‘play calling’ for the lack or a better term aka the creative booking.
Samoa Joe, Jeff Hardy, and Bully Ray all losing on the same show could be a head scratcher but if it helps get new talents over and legitimately builds for the future then I’m all for it. In other words if there is a long term, definitive plan in place then bravo to TNA.
The Von Erich’s not winning cleanly was perplexing. Please don’t try and sell me the worn out tale that the Von Erich’s are ‘part time and the other talents are not’ argument. The Von Erich’s had as much, if not more to do, with selling the tickets in Arlington than any one on the card so why not get two pops from the pro Von Erich crowd than one? Kevin Von Erich using the Von Erich Iron Claw was a classic touch and I’m happy it was saved for KVE. That’s good booking.
Even though I am of the belief that the authority figure/owner role in pro wrestling is wearing extremely thin in general, it seems obvious that TNA is building to Dixie Carter getting the “Mae Young” table treatment from Bully Ray aka Bubba Dudley. At least, like it or not, there is a creative destination being targeted which is good.
If Impact could produce more weekly, TV shows like their Sunday PPV, and they easily could, then their brand has a chance to regenerate some momentum. In other words, stop with the long, drawn out talking elements and provide the fans what Impact’s talents do best and that is to wrestle. I have much more to say about this particular topic and a potential solution for this matter on this week’s Ross Report podcast which drops Tuesday at 6 pm pacific time.
Every smart promoter that I ever worked with generally booked to his roster’s strengths and did his best to conceal his roster’s weaknesses. Impact Wrestling’s roster strength is bell to bell wrestling.
Speaking generally about the business, why many wrestling promotions don’t want to promote wrestling and would seemingly rather do campy vignettes, sophomoric backstage scenes, and totally unbelievable storylines riddled often times riddled with bad comedy is apparently way above my pay grade. That philosophy that does not cater to their primary demo and their most die hard fan base.
Nonetheless….good job Impact Wrestling and let’s hope that the crowd reaction you received in a fresh market motives you to wrestle more, provide more physicality, more organic drama, and logical storylines in hopes of creating more interest in your brand which is perfectly positioned to be the alternative on national TV in the pro wrestling world.”
