Hogan & Other Top Names in TNA

[shanezam203]

I was watching an old Desire video I have for Hogan and saw a few LONG cheering ovations he got during some of his returns & a look in his eyes (while in WWE) I don't know if he gets in TNA.

Similar other top names like Rick Flair & Kurt Angle may experience it too going from WWE to TNA. I was at the Chicago Raw with Hogan and Rock going into their Wrestlemania match and it was like nothing I ever experienced.

I like to watch TNA, I watch it every week. Their goal is to pry grow to a point WWE is or was at years ago. Has anyone gone to a TNA show and experienced huge ovations from the crowd? What keeps Hogan and others in TNA and not back to WWE?

Hogan Desire Video

 

[akathelaw]

There's no chance Hogan gets the ovations he once did, definitely not in the Impact Zone. It's a small venue with a strange crowd dynamic of a few die-hard fans and a lot of oblivious tourists. The southern crowds in actual arenas from Impact's road shows were a lot better. Those shows really had the feel of a WCW event. Too bad TNA can't figure out how to counter-program properly, every week a WWE fan grows tired of Vince's style but TNA's is just as bad.

 

[LilShippy97_WWE]

Its simple to me, these people like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair arent going to get a huge pop like WWE because its a down grade in their career. People go to TNA from WWE when they are washed up, or a drug addict and fired from WWE. The people that go to TNA from WWE are usually washed up and out of their prime. Only a few I could even think of that werent... Mr. Kennedy..... Maybe you could argue Jeff Hardy.

 

[wrestlingclassic!]

Just like WCW, TNA is trying to compete for the big spot with WWE. WCW enlisted many of WWE's rising and old talents to help promote the company and take it to the big time; just exactly what TNA is trying to do.

Hulk Hogan is a man with a lot of history. I believe he jumped at TNA for the opportunity to help jump start a company with a lot of fresh talent and take it to the big time. Without TNA, we would have never have seen national attention from people like Mickie James, Kharma (Awesome Kong), CM Punk, or even the main event championship reigns of the likes of Christian.

I believe it to be absolutely necessary for two companies to have rivals. When WCW was purchased by WWE, I believe there was a drop in talent and story-lines. There wasn't anything to thrive against.

I do miss the old Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, & others, but I am glad they are taking the step to help aid TNA.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

One of the things that I think helps is that TNA doesn't have super restrictive contracts. From what I have read they aren't exclusive and are barely a step above a pay per appearance contract, they are free to compete for other organizations excluding WWE. That allows certain guys to still compete for other promotions when they aren't being utilized as often. If I'm not mistaken there were a handful of guys, RVD included who recently wrestled a string of matches for Konan's promotion down in Mexico to help them gain some momentum

 

[SpecialFNK]

I don't think anyone in TNA would get the same big crown reactions as the top stars in WWE, because the crowds just as not as big in TNA. they don't get the same big crowds because they don't even book places as big.

I think it was either at BFG or the Impact after the most recent BFG when Hogan turned back face. he got a big crowd reaction then.

there are the contract situations mentioned, but also TNA wrestlers don't have to work as often. many times they tape Impact Wrestling on back to back (to back) nights, and then the wrestlers have weeks off. really light schedule. likely because of the holidays (Christmas/New Years) but the 4 episodes in TNA since the most recent PPV were all taped in 3 nights. TNA taped 4 shows in 3 nights with 1 night taping 2 shows.

 

[shanezam203]

"Van Dam, who turned 41 years old last month, performed for WWE from 2001 to 2007. Should RVD return to WWE, he would join a select group of former WWE world champions—Booker T, Kevin Nash and Mick Foley—who joined TNA and ultimately returned to the Stamford based organization."

Reading today Rob Van Damn may be coming back to WWE, my question again is why these guys leave WWE & what do they expect while in TNA? you mentioned the desire to help make a small company BIG and other advantages to the light schedule, I appreciate that... it's just so difficult to compete with the WWE.

I WISH they had more competition like the Monday night Wars days! Hogan, Nash and Hall going to WCW to form the NWO was great. But them going back and forth to TNA to me is just because they want a change of pace...

 

[BarryHorowitzfanclub]

Its simple to me, these people like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair arent going to get a huge pop like WWE because its a down grade in their career. People go to TNA from WWE when they are washed up, or a drug addict and fired from WWE. The people that go to TNA from WWE are usually washed up and out of their prime. Only a few I could even think of that werent... Mr. Kennedy..... Maybe you could argue Jeff Hardy.

"maybe Jeff Hardy?"

Doesn't he epitomize the "washed up" AND "drugged out"? Unless he straightens his life out, he's going to go the way of Scott Hall and Jake Roberts. Enjoy those $500 barn appearances.

 

[Lowdown]

Without TNA, we would have never have seen national attention from people like Mickie James, Kharma (Awesome Kong), CM Punk, or even the main event championship reigns of the likes of Christian.

You bring up interesting points. But in the case of Mickie, she become more known once she got to WWE. She did cut her teeth in TNA so I guess her following started to blossom from there. But I know a lot of people dislike all the ex-WWE talent migrating over to TNA and taking away spots for the homegrown talent. But one has to admit that reading or hearing that Ric Flair and Hogan being on TNA TV would draw most casual wrestling fans in to watch.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

You bring up interesting points. But in the case of Mickie, she become more known once she got to WWE. She did cut her teeth in TNA so I guess her following started to blossom from there. But I know a lot of people dislike all the ex-WWE talent migrating over to TNA and taking away spots for the homegrown talent. But one has to admit that reading or hearing that Ric Flair and Hogan being on TNA TV would draw most casual wrestling fans in to watch.

It seems a lot of things are all about the casual fans these days.

A lot of MMA purists hated when Brock came in and are more than happy to see him go. He did however appeal to the casual fan and helped the sport gain new fans.

Its a shame when he shun your diehards just for the sake of making a profit but thats pretty much the way the world works these days

 

[shanezam203]

"maybe Jeff Hardy?"

Doesn't he epitomize the "washed up" AND "drugged out"? Unless he straightens his life out, he's going to go the way of Scott Hall and Jake Roberts. Enjoy those $500 barn appearances.

Yeah, I may try to get Jeff Hardy to come to my cousins bar mitzvah in June.