Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk: An Interview with TNA’s “Walking” Superstars
Friday, July 02, 2004
By Luis Arroyave
“When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer,” says the legend of Alexander the Great.
Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment were faced with a similar dilemma ever since rival World Championship Wrestling folded in March of 2001. With no competition, Vince McMahon and the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) had little left to prove after being crowned winner.
Soon the millions tuning in to Monday Night Raw to see Vince McMahon and company compete against WCW every Monday had lost interest watching an unchallenged champion. Viewers began to turn the channel—most likely to watch the delightfully sassy Parkers over on UPN.
Tired of what some believe is a stale product, one wrestling promotion company took it upon themselves to inject new life into professional wrestling. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, NWA TNA quietly earned attention with its weekly pay per view shows consisting of highflying acrobatics and athletic combat.
TNA (which means Total Nonstop Action, pervert) used former WWE, WCW, ECW, and independent wrestlers to create an alternative to the more entertainment based WWE. Putting their bodies and hearts on the line, the wrestlers were able to achieve the ultimate goal for their wrestling promotion—a television contract with Fox Sports Net.
With an elaborate set based in Universal Studios, Impact debuted June 4th to the relief of many. From the very first show it was clear that Impact would emphasize the grappling and combat of professional wrestling, rather than the skits and talking some believe overshadow RAW and Smackdown.
“We’re not going to talk the whole show. That’s one thing we’re not going to do,” TNA superstar AJ Styles tells the Chicago Sports Review. “You’re going to see a lot more wrestling, you’re going to see a lot more grappling, high flying--you name it, we’re going to give it to you.”
From the inception of TNA, AJ Styles has made his presence felt in the world of wrestling with his balance of aerial assault maneuvers and grappling abilities. Famous among wrestling fans for turning down the “coveted” WWE contract, AJ believes the key to a good wrestling show is simply the wrestling itself.
“I think that times run its course as far as people wanting to hear you speak. They want to know if you can wrestle. It’s like a cycle. Back in the day it was all about wrestling. I think it’s coming back around to wrestling.”
Asked to compare TNA and WWE, AJ Styles had this to say.
“There’s no comparison. We’re doing more wrestling. And that’s what people want to see. They’re tired of the talking. Talk the talk, walk the walk. And that’s exactly what we’re out there doing. We’re going to actually wrestle.”
Unlike the WWE’s emphasis on the more massive sized wrestlers, TNA will also feature the high-flying acrobatics of the X-Division. This style of combat known to wrestling fans as the “luchador” style will feature wrestling eye candy for those interested in flips, reversals, and Mexican guys in masks.
Wouldn’t it be great if other Mexican entertainers wore wrestling masks? Like you wouldn’t watch the George Lopez Show if he wore a silver and green mask—please.
One man who sees the great potential of the X-Division over the WWE’s lightweight division is former Survivor villain and current TNA superstar, Jonny Fairplay.
“Vince has shown he has no respect for that division by giving the belt to Jacqueline and Chavo Guerrero Sr.--I mean, it’s almost like he hates that division. With the X Division we bring it to the next level. That’s a huge advantage of TNA versus WWE.”
Jonny Fairplay is best known to Survivor fans for deceiving his cast mates into letting him win a reward challenge by convincing them his grandmother passed away. It was for this and many other antics that he was appointed the “world’s most hated man”, in a shock to most who’ve heard or seen Carrot Top.
Chicagoans, on the other hand, may remember Jonny Fairplay best as the rag doll Chicago Bear’s linebacker Brian Urlacher hurled outside the wrestling ring during a TNA event.
For someone who will be a focal point in making good TV, it is surprising to hear what Fairplay has to say about the skits and constant talking seen weekly in WWE.
“There are very few people that should be allowed to do that. In WWE right now they don’t have a Rock. I don’t think they should throw someone out there to try and do something that is out of their league, out of their range, and hope it’s going to catch. Because if you’re not the Rock you can’t be the Rock.”
As for the look of the Impact show, a timer indicating a time limit for each match will be displayed at the top of the screen.
“It lets people have a sense of a real sporting event,” says TNA superstar D-Lo Brown—one of the big names TNA will use to draw wrestling fans. “It’s like a clock in a football game, you know how much time is left in the fourth quarter. You see the ticker at the top and you know the match has to end soon. So you’re really into the action—you’re sitting there thinking, ‘two minutes left, what’s going to happen?’”
A former WWE intercontinental champion, D-Lo raves about one other innovation that is sure to catch people’s attention—the six-sided ring.
“It’s unique looking. I think it looks great on TV. With Impact and the Pay Per Views being the only shows with a six-sided ring it makes the company more unique.”
Whether these innovations will be enough to compete with the WWE remains to be seen. Maybe they should say their prayers. Maybe they should eat their vitamins.
Nah, it’s been done. Maybe they’ll just wrestle.
credit:
http://www.chicagosportsreview.com/chicago/chicagoview.asp?c=113701
