Drinking, Girls > TNA
Oct 11, 2005 2:10:24 GMT -5
Post by tafkaga on Oct 11, 2005 2:10:24 GMT -5
I appreciate TNA as being an alternative to WWE... but I have to chime in and agree with you guys about the "great wrestling" thing. I think modern day fans have got this idea that the guy who does the most flips and takes the most bumps are the best wrestlers. And likewise, the matches with the most flips, hardest bumps, and the most fast and furious non-stop action are the best matches. None of those things make what I'd call a great wrestling match. Sure, they can make it entertaining....but spotfests are not "great wrestling". I'd compare them more to ballroom dancing or gymnastics.
Great wrestlers and great wrestling matches come from guys like Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Randy Savage, and Bret Hart.... guys who can carry big worthless wrestlers like the Ultimate Warrior or Kevin Nash to 5 star matches and make you feel every bit of the drama from your seat. None of those guys do what you'd call "high risk" moves by today's standards, but any one of those wrestlers in their prime could wrestle circles around 98% of the TNA roster. But that's when wrestling was just about building up memorable feuds and putting on a great show....before the "smart" fan decided that everyone needed to be a Chris Benoit or Eddie Guerrero. Now what we have in TNA are to a great deal just spotfests.
The wrestling business is constantly evolving (or devolving as many would say) and it usually evolves in a way that alienates a lot of the older fans. Go back a few decades and you'll see the fans of Bruno Sammartino's era who thought that the Hulk Hogans and Ultimate Warriors turned pro wrestling into a spoof of itself. Then take fans of that era and you'll find many who absolutely hated the "Attitude Era". Take fans of the "Attitude Era" and many of them have completely stopped watching or hate what they see now. Then there are the fans who have just jumped on board in the last few years who would yawn at a classic Flair/Steamboat match but pee their pants with excitement for a Jeff Hardy spotfest.
So in conclusion...coming from a guy who still thinks the best era in wrestling was Rock'N'Wrestling and the 1980's NWA... I think TNA wrestlers are very athletically gifted. But great athlete/ability to pull off high risk spots does not equal great wrestler in my book.
Great wrestlers and great wrestling matches come from guys like Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Randy Savage, and Bret Hart.... guys who can carry big worthless wrestlers like the Ultimate Warrior or Kevin Nash to 5 star matches and make you feel every bit of the drama from your seat. None of those guys do what you'd call "high risk" moves by today's standards, but any one of those wrestlers in their prime could wrestle circles around 98% of the TNA roster. But that's when wrestling was just about building up memorable feuds and putting on a great show....before the "smart" fan decided that everyone needed to be a Chris Benoit or Eddie Guerrero. Now what we have in TNA are to a great deal just spotfests.
The wrestling business is constantly evolving (or devolving as many would say) and it usually evolves in a way that alienates a lot of the older fans. Go back a few decades and you'll see the fans of Bruno Sammartino's era who thought that the Hulk Hogans and Ultimate Warriors turned pro wrestling into a spoof of itself. Then take fans of that era and you'll find many who absolutely hated the "Attitude Era". Take fans of the "Attitude Era" and many of them have completely stopped watching or hate what they see now. Then there are the fans who have just jumped on board in the last few years who would yawn at a classic Flair/Steamboat match but pee their pants with excitement for a Jeff Hardy spotfest.
So in conclusion...coming from a guy who still thinks the best era in wrestling was Rock'N'Wrestling and the 1980's NWA... I think TNA wrestlers are very athletically gifted. But great athlete/ability to pull off high risk spots does not equal great wrestler in my book.
