TNA: WRESTLING’S REAL BOOGEYMAN
By Justin Henry

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To me, the greatest of all horror movie demons is Michael Myers, the mask-wearing, knife-wielding Haddonfield resident of the classic Halloween movies. Ever since I saw the original Halloween from my parents’ old VHS collection, I was transfixed on the concept of the immortal villain that stalks in the night.

Having seen every Halloween movie, as well as a few uncut versions, I’ve seen Myers dish out beatings and maulings better than most. By his hands, teenagers and bystanders have been stabbed, slit, bludgeoned, hanged, impaled, and I even saw one guy have his head crushed between Michael’s bare hands.

Umm…..ouch.

By that same token, Myers is seemingly impervious to reciprocated punishment. He’s been shot, beaten, stabbed, and almost burned alive (the latter of which rendered him comatose for ten years). Yet, he still shakes off the attacks, kitchen knife in hand, and runs up a high death count in response.

It’s Myers’ ability to withstand violent measures that would kill an average person hundreds of times over that makes him interesting. The shot may take him down, but there he is, sitting up as if he were the Undertaker, prepared for whatever else you have.

Maybe my liking of Michael Myers explains why I refuse to give up on Total Non-Stop Action.

TNA, in some ways, reminds me of Laurie Strode’s demented half-brother. The most obvious comparison between the two entities is that, no matter how much of a beating TNA takes, it still comes back for more, no matter how tattered and bruised and abrased and scarred its body is.

In 2002, when Jeff and Jerry Jarrett started up TNA as the strongest branch of the National Wrestling Alliance, the scoffing began. TNA signed Scott Hall? BA HA HA! He’s an alcoholic! TNA signed Buff Bagwell! HAAAA! He’s a LOSER! TNA has midgets on their show? LAME!!!!

But the first show on June 19, 2002 went off with very few hitches. After an opening match that highlighted the X Division to come, a main event rumble that determined the first champion (Ken Shamrock), and character segments through the night that defined the likes of Jeff Jarrett and Ron Killings, it seemed like TNA had a solid foundation.

Despite showing promise over the next few months, with a strengthening X Division with AJ Styles, Low Ki, and Jerry Lynn, the rise of tag team sensation America’s Most Wanted, a strong emphasis on fresh names like Malice, Monty Brown, The New Church, Apolo, and others, fans still ripped on TNA; many of whom never having seen a single show.

In 2003, TNA experienced one of their strongest years creatively, with Raven and Jeff Jarrett having a killer World Title feud (which led to a serious increase in buys for the weekly events), AJ Styles becoming champion, Sting debuting, AMW feuding with Triple X over tag team gold, and the creation of the Ultimate X match, there were still many doubters of the company.

This was especially bothersome to fans like me had watched WWE become especially stagnant in 2003, with Triple H never losing, Goldberg being misused, and Raw essentially plummeting in quality. Fans criticized WWE openly, but those same fans said they would never give TNA a chance, because it “probably sucks”.

Over the years, TNA made gains while the quality fluctuated. In 2004, the company finally got a national TV slot, with TNA Impact debuting on FOX Sports Net. It aired on Friday afternoons in much of the country, so it wasn’t exactly the grandest of coups, but it was still something. Later in the year, the company began to pump out three hour pay per views. The first one, Victory Road, was average, but the next several (Final Resolution in January 2005 especially) were among some of the finest work TNA has ever done.

The hits kept on coming. Samoa Joe debuted in June 2005, followed by Rhino a month later. Team 3D would arrive on the debut show of Impact on Spike TV that October. One month after that, Christian refused to re-sign with WWE, and instead headed south to Orlando, ripping his former employer in his first promo (which may explain why WWE’s dicking him over on his push).

As much ground as TNA gained, as well as the many fans they actually did gain, there were still many that insisted that TNA was second rate and was lucky to have survived this long.

In fact, when Kurt Angle jumped to TNA in September 2006, the true colors of many fans shined through.

Angle was released from WWE one month earlier after refusing rehabilitation for what was believed to be a pain killer issue. To many Angle fans, the ones who somehow didn’t notice his voice getting hoarser and arms getting bandier due to spinal injuries, WWE had made a HUGE mistake in letting Angle go, BECAUSE HE’S KURT ANGLE, AND HE’S A FREAKIN’ MACHINE!

One month later, the Olympic hero arrives in TNA, and those same fans were now saying “Angle’s going to die in TNA. He needs help. WWE was just trying to help him.”
While I agree that Angle likely does need help, or at least he needs to slow down, the hate shown for an organization that has given jobs to great workers and has, on many occasions, provided quality storylines (not always, but a number of times) is actually disturbing.

But I can take solace in knowing that, for nine years, there have been many fans that have tried to tear down TNA for no reason except to just simply bleed hate out of their mouths and pores, and TNA, despite many bumps in the road, staggers onward with its pulse intact, staving off the supposed death that fans have predicted since their first show.

Donald Pleasance, who played Michael Myers’ ex-doctor Sam Loomis, would famously lament that Myers could not be killed. I hope one day, those same ‘fans’ realize that TNA lives on despite their biased hatred, and will finally end nine-plus years of wishing for its death.

My only lament of TNA still being alive is that I can’t go back in time to 2002, and bet those fans $1 each that TNA would still be alive in 2011

I’d have enough winnings to buy out the company from the Carters.

(Justin Henry is a freelance writer whose interests are rooted in NFL, MLB, NBA, wrestling, MMA, and entertainment. He can be found on Twitter and on Facebook so check him out)