Ringside Report: TNA Wrestling: Road To Lockdown Tour: Nottingham (24/01/12)

Written by @Robbie_G_CH
Full set of pictures can be seen on Facebook

'TNA in the UK' has taken over Challenge TV this February with four Impact's recorded in Manchester and London as well as a few specials entitled 'Backstage Pass' which will feature backstage footage and matches from the other non televised dates of the January UK tour, so this seems the right time to give my views on the Nottingham leg of the tour.

The show was held in the same venue as last year, Nottingham's Capital FM Arena, with the layout being identical to the point where it felt like I had walked in the next day rather than a whole year later. The arena was unfortunately little over half full; likely a victim of the two dates that are hosting the Impact recordings; with many completely empty blocks around the upper tiers.

Jeremy Borash was the host of the evening, taking over ring announcing duties from the absent Christy Hemme and worked the crowd well with his ever-present enthusiasm. There were a few local independent wrestlers around the ring side area such as Stixx and LCW Champion L.J. Heron, in which I later found out that Nottingham based promotion 'House of Pain' had helped with all of the ring setup.

In the first match of the evening the TNA Tag Team champions Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez beat Bad Influence (Daniels & Kazarian) to retain the Tag Titles. The crowd was very vocal in support for Chavo, who rubbed this in Daniels's face with a 'Who can get the loudest cheer?' contest to start the match. Bad Influence quickly gained the upper hand with Daniels dominating the in-ring action as Kaz showboated to the crowd with his back to the action. Daniels repeatedly gave Chavo's arm to his partner until Guerrero reversed, allowing Kaz to put Daniels in an armbar, only realising his error when the champions appeared in front of him. The action continued back and forth until the heels took control again until the eventual hot tag. One highlighted spot was Hernandez holding Kazarian in a suplex while Chavo bounced Daniels's head off all four turnbuckles. Chavo picked up the victory after hitting the frogsplash. The match did it's job as it got the crowd going ready for the rest of the evenings matches, it's just a shame that the masses view Chavo as a big deal due to his involvement in WWE.

Earl Hebner was introduced to the crowd and there were only a few "You screwed Bret" chants heard. JB then talked up British Boot Camp and brought out the winner of the show, Rockstar Spud, and his fellow competitor, "Party" Marty. Both got good reactions, but Spud took the role of heel as they locked up once again to take each other on.

After a minute of action, Spud got into an argument with Hebner that instigated the "Bret" chant they were looking for. Marty slapped Hebner's hand in a "naughty child" manor and then Hebner revealed his "Yes I Did" t-shirt which is his staple at house shows. The match was very similar to the one they had on the last episode of Bootcamp, but without Marty's dive to the outside and with Spud picking up the pinfall by hooking Marty's trunks.

To carry on the 'Bootcamp' theme the next match featured the Blossom Twin's taking on the tandem of Gail Kim and Tara, but out first was the special guest referee Velvet Sky who 'let the pigeons loose' in Nottingham. The match was fairly back and forth with some impressive spots such as Tara putting one of the Blossoms in the tarantula. The heels soon started to dominate the match with Tara being very vocal making some hilarious taunts at the twins. The Blossoms picked up the victory after switching places behind Sky's back as Tara and Gail had a falling out. After the match, the Blossoms felt the anger of the defeated heels until Velvet stepped in and took both of them out. 

The arena erupted when Rob Van Dam's music hit to bring him out for a defence of the X Division Championship against Zema Ion who got a less favourable "who are ya" chant.  After a back and forth, Zema went to use his hairspray to "straighten up," but the can was taken from him by RVD, who proceeded to do Hebner's "hair" and then random crowd members. RVD hit his signature moves to please the crowd and picked up the victory after hitting the Five-Star Frogsplash leaping over Earl Hebner in the process. RVD seemed fresh in this match which is something that hasn't been said for a number of years but unfortunately that was short lived when it was brought to my attention the two had an identical match the night before. As the two made there way to the back it was announced that it was time for the intermission. 

After the break Austin Aries made his way to the ring to a good crowd reaction while Bobby Roode came to the ring to his old music ("Off The Chain" with lyrics) and accompanied by darts player Paul Nicholson, it may seem like a random pairing but the two met last summer and shared some PR dates. James Storm then came to the ring to a huge reaction and took to the mic, he said the next match should have been a three-way, but after the heels double teamed him last night he wanted it changed to a tag match. Magnus was then introduced with new intro music and video to another loud hometown reaction. 

Storm spent the majority of the match in the ring. Aries and Roode were their usual excellent selfs and to keep up with their recent comedy moments. There was a spot where the heels crashed into one another out of the corner, Roode fell first arse-up with Aries falling on him, and then both exited the ring sharply looking disgusted at one another. The match spilled to the outside on one occasion. Storm brought about the end of the match by hitting the Last Call Superkick on Aries - after a previous failed attempt - and then tagged in Magnus, who hit the elbow of the top rope for the pinfall.

Spot the Wrestler - Storm and Magnus in the crowd

After the match, Storm took to the mic again, working the crowd with "Beer" chants. He then proceeded to run into the crowd while the cage started to be put in place for the main event. After posing with fans in various parts of the crowd and spraying lots of beer, Storm and Magnus then made their way to the back with JB taking over microphone duties. Working the crowd, Borash announced that the show was being recorded for 'Backstage Pass' although not much of the footage actually made it to the show. After doing a couple of laps of the crowd, announcing random 'famous' people in the crowd and asking people who their favourite football teams are, showing that JB has a better grasp of British culture than many Americans, the cage was finally in place for the "Main Event of the Evening." 

The steel cage match was oddly announced as being No DQ. I wasn't sure if you could get disqualified in a cage? Aces & Eights made their way to the ring down the entrance ramp for a change; a fair amount of heat for the pair of Devon and DOC. The arena was then plunged into darkness and exploded for Kurt Angle's entrance with Sting receiving an even bigger pop, clearly the loudest of the night.

Tables and Cages

Mike Knox took out Angle from behind as Sting took to the ring two-on-one, which is where the logic in booking comes undone, as the same happened the night before and Kurt didn't learn unlike Storm earlier in the night. Aces soon overpowered Sting as Angle struggled to get into the ring as Knox kept taking him out. Angle eventually made his way into the ring, but after hitting the Angle Slam another masked member of the biker gang hit the ring with hammer in hand to take Angle out. The Olympian kicked out of a pin attempt and after the introduction of a table, Bully Ray hit the ring to a massive reaction to make the save. DOC was eventually put through a table by Sting and Angle who picked up the pin.

Post-match, the heels soon left as the faces stayed in the ring to close the show, Bully took the mic and hailed both Angle and Sting as legends. After working the crowd into a frenzy, they pulled a kid into the ring and gave him a piece of the table, which they all signed. They left the crowd to go home happy.

Overall, the show was solid, but didn't quite match up to last year with a focus on the British stars at the expense of other roster members, the most notable name missing beside Hardy was Samoa Joe. The Aries/Roode vs. Storm/Magnus match was the match of the night, with Marty vs. Spud claiming second place for me. 

The merchandise being sold didn't make much sense, with numerous t shirts available for wrestlers not at the event such as Jeff Hardy, Hogan,  Mr Anderson and A.J. Styles, I know they are fan favourites but when they edge out any merchandise of wrestlers working the show it seems a bit unfair. 

TNA will return to these shores again the same time next year, but the rows of empty seats are on obvious reason why TNA won't be returning to Nottingham, favoring Birmingham instead.

Review: TNA British Boot Camp Episode 4

Sorry for the lateness of this review everyone, as always, life intervened. Look for coverage tomorrow of episodes 5 and 6 aka the big finale. But for now, let's catch up with last week's peak behind the backstage curtain that is British Boot Camp!

Kicking the show off, we find the Blossom twins being treated to a makeover by the best stylists the industry has to offer. As to be expected, they had a whale of a time. When do women being pampered not! Slowly but surely, the men were brought in to gaze upon the ladies revamped beauty. Well, I say gaze, it's more of a gawp really. Rockstar Spud thought them both to be "pretty fit", while Party Marty clearly had his eye on one Blossom in particular. Just don't ask which, as I'm still in the dark on that front (as I imagine I always will be, sorry girls!). Now, instead of which one has a fringe and the other not, they've switched things up with a pair of straighteners and curling tongs. It definitely improved their look and brought them one step closer to the image of a TNA Knockout.

Rejoined by the always classy TNA President, Dixie Carter, the Campers were whisked away to a fancy restaurant called The Palm. A notorious celebrity hotspot, it's walls are positively covered in signatures. In a rare moment of humility, the boys were both hit by the surreal nature of where they were and just who they were dining with. It never hurts to massage the ego of your future boss. There may be hope for them yet! But let's not get carried away, there are plenty more situations for the boys to make colossal asses of themselves...and it just so happens...upon toasting their success, Marty and Spud down their glasses of wine like a pint down the local!

Pulling out her trusty iPad, Dixie proceeded to school the Campers as to how to present themselves. Not just at the dinner table, but the night before at TNA's signature event, Bound for Glory. Having the footage of their brief appearance on camera all cued up, she played it to them for the first time. Working her way around the table, she correctly called Spud out for being a little too emphatic and desperate in his few seconds of fame. A rockstar's behaviour, it was not. Very smartly, she also pointed out just what a negative reaction the sight of Spud mugging for the camera had on the Blossoms. As I mentioned in the last review, the twins were entirely thrown by the manic ball of energy to their side and damn near winced their way through the brief moment of TV time. Fortunately, they recovered well, blowing kisses to the audience, pulling their proverbial iron from the fire at the last moment. Marty was the most confident of the group, assuming his gesture of "number one" would win over the audience. However, he was soon deflated to realise he'd been chewing gum throughout the entire shot and looked worryingly unprofessional.

With no clear winner from group's first official TNA appearance, there was only one way to decide this - a drinking contest. And who better to preside, than "The Cowboy" himself, James Storm. Only a day removed from his bloody Bound for Glory victory over "The It Factor" Bobby Roode, his forehead was covered entirely by a huge plaster. Probably the only thing keeping his brain from spilling out after such a deep blading the night before. Frankly, heavy drinking after blood loss like that, it's a wonder he was still standing! But where the Cowboy could take his liquor, the Brits were, in his own words, "pretty pissed".

The night's festivities began with the group rewatching Storm's match from the night before and the reactions were absolutely classic. The brutality was making all of them shy away in terror, with Spud quoted as saying "I've never seen someone bleed so much before". Whether any of the Campers have such dedication to their craft, it remains to be seen. Pitching in his opinion of the potentials, Storm thought the Blossoms may be in for a tough time, listing countless world class Knockouts on the TNA roster. As for the boys, he immediately pegged Marty Scurll as the ladies' man, and wouldn't you just know it, yet another TNA legend calling Spud out as a good guy and alot of fun. I don't think there's any acting to be done where Scurll is involved, but Spud has been downright schizophrenic throughout this entire process. When a camera is in his face, it's almost as if his mind explodes and he becomes the insufferable prat we've all been watching. But keep him behind closed doors and ask him to bond with his fellow wrestler, they all come away fans of the Rockstar.

As the party continued, the Campers apprehensively tried their hand at a Nashville tradition - the mechanical bull! Clearly spurred on by their excessive intake of alcohol, they all stepped up to the plate...and they all failed abysmally. For professional wrestlers, these guys are lacking any sense of balance whatsoever! I do, however, admire their delusional belief in their own abilities. Lots of embarrassing fun was had that night and it didn't end at riding a bull, although that depends on what you've heard about Marty...

That's right, ladies and gentleman. Put enough alcohol down his neck and boy does he Blossom! For the first time in the six week process, the twins show a difference of opinion, as Hannah gladly snogs Marty's face off! Their fellow contestants watched on in horror, almost more so than at James Storm's bloodletting. Particularly, the victim's sister, Holly. But like a car crash, you just can't take your eyes off it. Frequently turning her gaze back to the lovebirds, Holly sure did take in the show.

Last, but not least, ACTUAL WRESTLING!!! Just when you were thinking that British Boot Camp was all about copping off and getting drunk, TNA throw a curve ball and feature wrestlers wrestling. It's a radical approach, but I'll see where it leads. And where it leads is Ohio Valley Wrestling, the long time developmental ground for WWE and more recently TNA. CM Punk, John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Mickie James, Tara, etc. All the superstars you watch on a weekly basis, they once came through the doors at OVW.

The instructors putting the Campers through their paces were none other than Al Snow and Doug Williams, two veritable legends of the sport and current TNA agents. Beginning with a few easy mindgames, Snow was tying the desperately respectful Spud in knots. By the time he worked his way round to Marty, the contestants were falling into a remarkably nervous cliche patter. Scurll talked of how much he'd sacrificed to get there, just what Al's heard a thousand times over from every other rookie in the business. Finally, Snow posed an interesting question to the Blossoms - what happens if one is more successful than the other? No good answer to that question, but the awkward looks between the pair were hilarious.

Doug Williams then took over for basic drills, asking them to run the ropes for a few minutes. The biggest surprise of the episode had to be, at this late a stage in the game, they were doing it wrong! Both Marty and Spud were putting their full body weight against the ropes, with no care or consideration if something were to go wrong. Al Snow correctly pointed out that they should be grabbing the top rope and leaning into it. The last thing you want to be seeing in the fourth episode out of a series of six is that the contestants can't do the simplest of maneuvers!

Join me back here tomorrow for the reviews of the final two episodes of British Boot Camp. Who will be the lucky Camper to win the prized TNA contract and appear weekly on Impact Wrestling? Guesses in the feedback!

Written by Mark Clements

Follow Canned Heat Wrestling on Facebook

Review: TNA British Boot Camp Episode 3

Welcome back to our weekly look at the reality show everyone in professional wrestling is talking about! This episode focused on the contestants' journey to Phoenix, Arizona for TNA's biggest show of the year, Bound for Glory. While there, they also bear witness to the induction of the Icon, Sting, into the brand new Hall of Fame. Not to mention, meeting numerous stars of Impact Wrestling in the process.

The sheer scale of these events worked wonders in impressing upon the audience, as well as the contestants, just how important this competition actually is. To have genuine icons wandering the halls and treating the contestants as colleagues, to walk out on that Bound for Glory stage and take in the entire width and breadth of the arena, to know just what is expected of them when they become the newest TNA Superstar. Before this, the contestants had only been to small independent shows and in the case of their "training" with Rollerball Rocco, a single ring in an empty storage unit. Whereas a packed arena, housing thousands of screaming fans, being seen live all over the world...this contest just got real.

In the first of what became a series of meet and greets, the Campers (it's a thing now, go with it) were introduced to long-time TNA Knockout and Ring Announcer, Christy Hemme. Having seen the gorgeous redhead at a live show, I know just how enthusiastic this living-dynamo can be. So you can imagine my surprise when one meeting with Rockstar Spud could send her slinking away in disgust! Rather than politely introducing himself, the joker of the group decided to make an impression by telling Hemme that Party Marty has a poster of her on his wall. If he'd left it there and it was simply a joke about Scurll being a fanboy, everything would've been fine and dandy. Instead, Spud pushed things one step too far and shook his fist in the air, hinting his co-competitor likes to masturbate to said poster! Oh my god. That was so embarrassing, even I felt the shame emanating from the screen. I apologise for my fellow Brit, Christy, we're not all like that, I swear. Saying it out loud, I mean. We're probably all still thinking it.

This bad behaviour continued well into their interaction with the TNA fanbase, bordering on unprofessional. In a rare moment, the boys ire turned towards the Blossoms, who everyone wanted their picture with (and who can blame them). Each time a fan would pass by Spud in favour of the Blossoms, he'd sneer, make rude comments and clap sarcastically. To look at the expressions on the fan's face, he was not impressed and in a distinct rush to get away from the Rockstar! I'm all for solid character work in professional wrestling, but when it comes to the fans, you have to win them over, face and heel alike, and make sure they had a good time. Whereas Spud was making such a stink, he was ruining the mood for everyone involved.

The single success story in Spud's one man charm offensive seems to be none other than multiple-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle! The fan-favourite took time out of his evening at the Hall of Fame ceremony to sit down with the young prospects and weed the future legends from the jobbers. Wouldn't you just know it, Spud impressed him! The miniature menace made a risque joke about having ripped his jacket during a bowel movement and that it was a shame because it was his Dad's favourite suit, which brought Angle out in fits of laughter. I maybe would've saved that material for a couple more minutes into knowing him, but if the best wrestler in the world is impressed, who are we to argue! Although, this is the man that's currently impressed by Wes Brisco, Garret Bischoff and once told Chris Sabin his next gimmick should be Pig-Pen from Peanuts. Mr Angle has his hits and misses, we'll wait and see with this one.

However, some sound advice did come in the form of the man of the evening himself - Sting! Passing the Campers in the hall after his induction, he stopped to wish them all good luck in the contest and that the key to success in this industry...longevity. Deceptively simple answer, yet really makes you think. How many of the greats that we worship at the feet of now, only got there because they outlasted the competition? With both Hogan and Sting standing tall at nearly three decades a piece, it's safe to say they climbed the mountain and they sure as hell aren't coming down!

The MANY photo-shoot segments were most definitely the highlight of the show, as the contestants true personalities began to shine through...and not always in a good way. Away from their icons, the Campers' pretense of civility fell away and in some cases, outright hostility broke out. The Blossom Twins were as professional and mature as ever, but the same could not be said of the boys. We'd already gotten glimpses of their pre-existing problems in episodes one and two, but here, the one-upmanship boiled over. Both Marty and Spud attempted to sabotage the other's shoot, whether it be with a playful pair of fingers over the head or the more drastic mooning (which was more of Spud than I ever needed to see!).

Almost a co-star of the episode, TNA President Dixie Carter's shadow loomed large over our Fab Four. No less than three times in the space of a half hour show, the group were called to meet with her. The repetition didn't do any favours for the structure of the show, but she's such a strong presence, I'm happy to see Dixie taking a firm hand with potential employees. Although, with Jeremy Borash running back and forth fetching them, he's coming off like Jonathan from 30 Rock. Does he have a desk outside Dixie's office and runs around adoringly while she sits inside drinking Scotch? What am I saying, OF COURSE that happens!

Finally, the Campers were escorted to their seats at the ringside of Bound for Glory 2012! Having been promised guaranteed television time by Dixie earlier in the night, all four were on best behaviour and clearly on the lookout for cameras for their big moment. If you can remember from watching the pay-per-view live all those months ago, it eventually came during the entrances for the Knockouts Championship match. Swinging the camera away from Tara and Tessmacher, we caught a quick glimpse of the group. Spud chewed scenery with the best of them, so much so, the Blossoms were mildly distracted and almost missed their cue entirely. They did recover though, blowing the audience at home a pair of kisses, before Marty signed off at the end. It was only a quick moment in the grand scheme of things, but you can tell it's going to be watched back by upper management and analysed ad infinitum, perhaps more harshly than it should.

At the end of the day, this episode exposes an interesting flaw in the premise, commonly referred to as "squeaky wheel gets the oil". The majority of the focus went on Rockstar Spud, but not because he's the better wrestler or the better speaker or the better publicist, simply because he's making the most noise. In drowning out Marty Scurll and the Blossom Twins, Spud could win this competition for all the wrong reasons. Hannah and Holly should most likely win on merit, but by being quiet and not causing a fuss, they're drifting to the back of the pack and not being noticed nearly enough. A problem that could very well be solved next week as the trailer teases potential romance between Fringe-Blossom and Party Marty. Could this be the perfect match in and out of the ring?

Written by Mark Clements

Follow Canned Heat Wrestling on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canned-Heat-Wrestling/225595667504614

Review: TNA British Boot Camp Episodes 1 & 2

Long neglected, the British wrestling scene has been crying out for a little attention from it's mainstream American cousin. Finally, after a deluge of UK talent through their ranks over the past ten years, TNA Wrestling have sat up and taken notice. In their first joint production with Challenge TV, their UK home, TNA have gathered the cream of the crop from all over the country and chosen four lucky independent wrestlers for greatness. Those four being Hannah & Holly aka The Blossom Twins, Rockstar Spud and Party Marty Scurll.

The first episode kicks off in similar fashion to the trailer that's been kicking around the internet for the past couple of months. Dixie Carter and Hulk Hogan quickly set up the premise of the show, before cutting across to footage of the launch party, where all four contestants were announced and introduced to the raucous crowd. These fifteen minutes which constituted the first half were fairly by the numbers and entirely introductory by nature. This is so and so, smile, wave for the camera and oh, don't they have such an inspirational story. Marty and Spud were largely just two macho guys saying "I wanted to be a wrestler, so I am one". However, I did like the Blossoms far more personal touch of walking the cameras around the school where they work and talked about how they'd used the concept of professional wrestling to reach out to a troubled child.

The second half of the first episode was where the reality aspect really kicked in full force, as the contestants were whisked away from the launch party to have a little drink and get to know one another properly. I say "little" drink ironically, as all four seemed worse for wear by only eight in the evening. Particularly, Marty and Spud, who were slurring words, swearing incoherently and starting fights with each other over who had the most Twitter followers. I admit, I found the fight between the two to be hilarious. I don't value Twitter in the slightest, so to see two grown men resort to fisticuffs because of it, you couldn't stop me laughing. Spud came off worse from the segment, having retreated on his lonesome to do some moody solitary drinking. However, anyone with two brain cells to rub together could tell Marty had done his fair share to instigate the situation. And this is only the night of the launch party!

Ending the episode with the looming threat of training in the morning, we were finally introduced to the trainer of British Boot Camp, Rollerball Rocco. A legit UK Legend, he received no end of praise from Hulk Hogan, TNA Announcer Mike Tenay and even a swanky staged entrance to emphasise his importance. However, while Scurll and the Blossoms were giving him their full attention and respect, Rockstar Spud was away with the fairies. Still feeling hungover (or still drunk?) from the bender that ended mere hours before, the premiere episode ended with the sight of Spud puking his guts up behind a dumpster and a less than impressed Legend looking on.

I have to say, that is a hell of a ballsy note to end your premiere on! Your contestants all hate each other, one of them is so drunk he may not be able to compete and a veteran stands on looking disgusted with the state of the current generation. Spud, in particular, is going to be feeling the repercussions of that mistake for episodes to come. Not just from the judges at TNA, but from we the viewers. My Canned Heat co-writer assures me Spud is a nice guy and not nearly as bad as portrayed on-camera, but the disrespect he showed by turning up hungover is a fairly stinging place from which to start.

But never fear, Episode 2 was a mere commercial break away! Cracking on with the contestant's training, which was actually far more of a one-off evaluation, we were first treated to the Blossom Twins going one on one. They were utterly convincing as TNA Knockouts from the get-go, landing some extremely hard hitting moves on one another. There were occasional mistakes in the course of the montage, usually resulting from the pair running the ropes against each other, but I think that was more down to the fact they're used to working together as a team, rather than against each other. The biggest botch involved one of the girls attempting a dropkick, but their sibling pulled away, causing the original to land awkwardly (don't you dare ask me which was which!). However, Rocco, and the editing itself, made it clear we should appreciate the Blossoms working through a potential injury rather than giving in. A dangerous move that could cause further damage later down the line, but I'm not going to be the one to tell a wrestler to get out of the ring and rest up!

Now it was the boys' turn. Spud and Marty took to the ring like a dose of salt, both still clearly wound up from the night before. Whether it was because of Spud's hangover or Marty's talent, the latter of the two fiercely dominated, tying his opponent in knots. The video package was definitely not in Spud's favour, as Scurll placed him in submission maneuver after submission maneuver, looking extremely painful in the process. Believing Marty to be sabotaging his chances, Spud bolted from the ring, making a sharp exit to the outside. He threw a major hissy fit before Rocco could catch up and talk some sense into him. Just how much of this was real will always be in doubt due to kayfabe, but I can see both sides of the argument. One one hand, professional wrestling is a complimentary art-form and requires both men to work in unison to make each other look good, whereas Scurll was intentionally squashing Spud. On the other hand, why shouldn't Marty do everything to improve his own chances? This isn't the big show yet, this is a training ring in the arse end of nowhere, of course you can embarrass your opponent to make yourself look dominant. Rockstar Spud should've been doing the exact same thing! I did find this unwillingness to take the lead slightly troubling whilst watching Spud. Even in his later sparring with Rocco, he wasn't dictating the pace like a ring general should. Instead, he was selling bump after bump after bump. I can't remember a single offensive move landed in the entire segment. There's a word for that - Jobber.

After a thorough workout for the contestant's bodies, we come to one for their minds. Firstly, TNA wanted to know how each of them would deal with the press. The majority of the group carried themselves with the appropriate decorum, fielding numerous newspaper, radio and television interviews (look out for WrestleTalk's Patrick Lennon!). The one glaring exception was Party Marty, who lived up to his nickname in all the worst ways. When asked about his opinion of TNA President, Dixie Carter, Marty replied he "definitely would" *slaps forehead*. In a national forum, one of the stars of the show is quoted as wanting to shag the boss! Urgh. Stupidity doesn't quite cover it. I'm sure he meant it in the most flattering way possible, if the most flattering way possible is to violate the woman who signs your cheques. Try looking her in the eyes at the next Christmas party, I dare you. It's almost as bad as when he said on WrestleTalk he "definitely would" when talking about Mickie James, his best friend Magnus' girlfriend! For future reference, life is not a series of questions as to who you would sleep with!

Anyway, moving on, they've spent the day running their mouths in the press, so now it's time to run their mouths in the ring of a local wrestling promotion. Taking over the show for the evening, the always lovable Jeremy Borash introduced each talent one by one (or two in the case of the Blossoms) and asked them to cut a show-stopping promo that'll get the crowd riled up, either in support or baying for their blood. First come, first served, we have Rockstar Spud. Cutting a fairly convincing heel promo, he opens with a memorable line about "for a building i've never stepped foot in, you all seem to know who i am". A good blend of cockiness and confidence, oozing with smarm. Something tells me he's used it before. Next up came the Blossom Twins, who before they could even finish a sentence, had the microphone ripped from their hands by Spud, who wasn't quite finished as it turns out. The lines the Blossoms retaliated with were slightly laboured and forced, but when they started physically pushing Spud and backing him into a corner, the crowd went nuts and were clearly praying for a woman on man beating not seen since Awesome Kong. Finally, we come to "Party" Marty Scurll, who the audience obviously knew beforehand and ate up his schtick in spades. He didn't even have to say anything particularly clever, but his name was being chanted above everything else. The most inspired part of his promo being when he told Spud "I thought there was an age limit of 14 to get in here?", which kicked off a massive "You're not 14" chant.

Ultimately, a solid beginning for TNA's first experiment in reality television. Having two episodes air one after the other was a good move, as one on it's own could have felt anemic (a problem they may still face with further week's programming). Both the boys' images took severe hits with various moments making them look like pretentious prats, yet the innate maturity of the Blossom Twins kept everything grounded and added a certain degree of heart to proceedings. The girls have taken an early lead for me, but if the boys can get their personalities in check, we may have a competition yet.

Written by Mark Clements

Follow Canned Heat on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canned-Heat/225595667504614

Trash Talking: TNA British Boot Camp

In September TNA announced that they would be pairing up with Challenge TV to create a new television show exclusive to the channel called TNA British Boot Camp. The show air in December and will be a six part series which will follow four British wrestlers who are looking to crack the American market, they will enter TNA's developmental system, receive training from the likes of Rollerball Rocco and 'The Immortal' Hulk Hogan and will wrestle in the Impact zone in an aim to impress judges who will include Dixie Carter. The 'winners' of the show will be awarded a contract with TNA and a spot on the Maximum Impact tour in January. 

The Finalists

We're not entirely sure of the details but the four wrestlers who have been put through to the show are being labelled as 'finalists', these are Rockstar Spud, Marty Scurll and The Blossom Twins.

Scurll facing off against LDRS team mate Zack Sabre Jr 

Scurll is well known as half of the tag team LDRS of New School with Zack Sabre Jr, with the pair becoming one of the best teams in the country, but solo Marty has also shown he is also one of the best cruiserweights which shows as he became the first ever Southside Speed King Champion and is also the IPW:UK Cruiserweight Champion.

Rockstar Spud is considered the smallest wrestler in the UK but don't let his size fool you as he is highly decorated in with many championships from many different promotions and is one of the best mic workers on the scene.

The Blossom Twins make up the finalists, Hannah and Holly have worked for TNA's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling and have both held the OVW Women's Championship as well as being apart of Pro-Wrestling EVE and wrestling some of the best females around including the likes of Mickie James.

Guest Opinion 

Recently I had the chance to talk to Southside Wrestling promoter Ben Auld and took the opportunity to ask him his opinions regarding the new show... 

"The show is a good idea, it is exciting that British Wrestling is getting out there and receiving main stream publicity and that people will see it being on a channel that is heavily linked with TNA anyway." 

Rockstar Spud knows how to work the crowd

When asked about the finalists Ben replied "I'm surprised they have only selected four, I would have thought it would have been more but without knowing the details of the show it may not fit what they are after, there is plenty of talent who could have made it including the likes of Stixx, El Ligero, Noam Dar, MK McKinnen, Nikki Storm and Alpha Female to name just a few. The cruiserweights in the UK are excellent which is probably why they have chosen two, especially as there are not many top heavyweights compared to the US market. The four that have been picked are likely to be seen as having more of an all-round package with Spud being one of the best talkers and cleverest workers in the industry, Marty being on of the best wrestlers and the Blossom Twins being a unique pairing as well as being two of the best females."

As pleased as Ben is for the wrestlers as a promoter he has some concerns for his own business... "there may be a negative impact on the business as I may lose some of my biggest names, there is a chance that Marty may have to pull out of shows that he is already scheduled for and being my Speed King Champion it is difficult to change plans, especially when championship matches are booked.There are possible advantages however due to the greater exposure received, if the show is a success then having Marty and Spud on the card could be a major draw for fans who don't usually pay attention to the UK scene although Spud has already demanded his wages are quadrupled". 

With it being unclear how the show will actually be won Ben struggled picking an overall winner... "I can't help but think Spud but I'm unsure, he's a better talker but it depends on the criteria they are being judged against, all four can wrestle and shouldn't have any issues adapting to the US, from a promotion stand point I don't want to lose my talent but on the other side I would like one of my guys to make it to the big time, we are all friends and I want to see them all do well."

It's good to see more British wrestlers being given the chance to shine, there is a great deal of talent that people don't see unless they go to the UK promotions shows, some of the finalists are still booked to be on some shows including some Southside shows and I highly advise to go check them out as well as some of the other great talents on the card.

Hopefully 'Bootcamp' wont be a one off but will become a yearly showcase for talent and will put the British market back on the map!

@Robbie_G_CH

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special thanks to Ben Auld - http://www.southsidewrestling.co.uk/home