Video: The Wolves promise to reveal new investor next week

On this week's episode of Impact Wrestling, the recently acquired Wolves (a.k.a. Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) cut a promo promising to reveal the rumoured new investor next week.

That show will mark the beginning of TNA's annual UK tour, with that particular episode emanating live from the Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.

Watch the video below and leave us your thoughts.

News: Doug Williams released from TNA Wrestling

Doug Williams has been released from his contract with TNA Wrestling.

Williams is a multi-time Television, X Division and Tag Team Champion. While not appearing on Impact Wrestling on a weekly basis, he has been acting as a trainer at TNA's developmental ground, Ohio Valley Wrestling. He was notably featured on the recent British Bootcamp series, putting Marty Scurll, Rockstar Spud and the Blossom Twins through their paces.

In response to his release, he tweeted...

"Thank you to all the great fans support during the past four years. Time for bigger and better things...."

and

"A huge shame I won't get the chance to train with Rampage Jackson. What an honour that could have been."

We at Canned Heat wish him all the best in the future.

News: TNA Announce Maximum Impact Tour 2014

TNA IMPACT WRESTLING UK TOUR TICKETS ON SALE FROM MAY 3

Fans can be part of the action, and experience the UK’s most popular wrestling company live, from just £22.50, plus booking fee. Tickets are available via the TNA UK Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tnawrestlinguk, www.gigsandtours.com/tour/tna-wrestling, www.ticketmaster.co.uk or direct from the tour venues. Full details of the UK events are:

Thursday 30 January 2014 
Glasgow Hydro 
0844 811 0051

Friday 31 January 2014 
Manchester Arena 
0844 847 8000

Saturday 01 February 2014 
London Wembley Arena 
0844 815 0815

Sunday 02 February 2014 
Birmingham NIA 
0844 338 8000

TNA IMPACT WRESTLING is broadcast on Challenge in the UK and Ireland every Sunday night at 9pm, as well as on Spike TV in the USA and more than 120 other countries.

The Glasgow event will see TNA IMPACT WRESTLING become the first ever company to put on a wrestling show at the gorgeous new Hydro arena.

TNA President Dixie Carter will be coming to Britain from April 30 – May 2 to host huge fan events in London and Glasgow to launch the MAXIMUM IMPACT VI Tour.

Carter said: “TNA live is something everyone must experience and we’re working hard to make our 2014 Tour extra special for both our amazing long-term fans in the UK and those who will be coming to the arenas to experience a TNA live event for the vey first time.”

The TNA UK Tour launch also includes an exclusive competition with Challenge, where one lucky fan can win a trip for two to Boston to experience TNA Slammiversary live. More details on the fan events and competition can be found at www.challenge.co.uk/wrestling

MEET TNA PRESIDENT DIXIE CARTER IN THE UK

TNA President Dixie Carter is coming to the UK to launch the TNA MAXIMUM IMPACT VI Tour. Dixie will be hosting a huge TNA Tour Launch Party in London on the evening of Tuesday April 30. Taking place at a secret location in the heart of the city centre, between 7.30-10pm, the only way fans can attend is to win tickets.

Tickets can be won via the TNA Wrestling UK Facebook page – www.facebook.com/tnawrestlinguk – during the next week. The party is open to over 18s only. Dixie will also be holding a very special meet & greet and Q&A with fans in Glasgow on Thursday May 2 at 5.30pm.

This event will take place at The Clyde Auditorium (part of the SECC complex), Exhibition Way, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G3 8YW. It will be FREE and open to EVERYONE. No tickets will be required and all ages are welcome. Each fan attending the London or Glasgow events will be given an exclusive ‘Dixie Carter MAXIMUM IMPACT VI Tour’ signing card, while stocks last.

TNA in the UK: Lessons to be Learned

At the tail end of January 2013, TNA Wrestling embarked upon their most ambitious tour yet, with their top tier talent playing to roaring UK crowds at house shows in Dublin, Glasgow and Nottingham. But what was always destined to catch the world's attention were the double TV tapings in Manchester and London. Comprising four whole episodes of Impact Wrestling, the company took care of the entire month of February's programming in a matter of days.

With last Thursday's edition, they finally came to the end of the footage. Whether it be Impact, Xplosion, Backstage Pass or ReAction, the UK is officially in the rear view mirror for another year. However, before embarking upon the next big challenge of permanent road tapings on March 14th in Chicago, I think it important to look back upon these shows with a critical eye and take note of their strengths and weaknesses.

For starters, let me just say that the live experience itself was second to none and I can completely see why TNA feel they need to get out of the Impact Zone in Orlando and out on the road permanently. Crowd reactions are the lifeblood of this industry and as loyal as they've been to Universal Studios, that kindness was never repaid in the volume of it's fans. Blowing such meager in-house showings out of the water, the UK events took interaction between talent and fan to the next level, inspiring a rare level of spontaneity from both sides of the barrier. Where Florida would greet world-class wrestlers like Bobby Roode and Austin Aries with the noise of crickets chirping, the UK gave them a hero's welcome and cheered them vehemently throughout the night. Thus providing a more accurate indicator of popularity than the tone-deaf amusement park patrons they're used to.

Unfortunately, while the roar could be deafening, the presentation of that rabid fanbase left alot to be desired. Production values will always suffer somewhat when taking a product abroad, as costs rise astronomically, requiring small sacrifices where normally there would be none. In this case, the lighting was the main offender. Away from the elaborate lighting rigs of the Impact Zone, TNA struggled, both in illuminating their talent and their crowds. This resulted in the ring almost being in a bright spotlight, whilst surroundings may as well have been pitch black. I'm not usually one for complimenting the WWE, but with their thousands of lights in any given arena, you can see everything from the front row to those up in the nosebleeds. This is where TNA looked most minor-league, with both Manchester and Wembley arenas littered by patches of blur and darkness. They finally had a crowd worth showing us and they physically couldn't.

Speaking of production values, I've heard complaints aimed towards TNA's lack of stage and videoscreens. These criticisms do not hold any weight with me. While we all enjoy the glitz and glamour of a good entrance, in recent years this has gone a long way towards distracting the audience from the true show i.e. what's happening in the ring itself. By reducing entrances to their bare minimum and refocusing on the ringwork, I feel it could benefit the wrestling industry as a whole. It can be something as simple as walking through a black curtain, just as long as the talent coming down to the ring can speak for themselves, whether with words or actions. I fully expect TNA to construct a more elaborate stage for their upcoming live debut in Chicago and all domestic shows going forward. But for now, simplicity works.

As for the content of the shows themselves, the two episode taping format comes with perks and limitations both. While it must be extremely useful, not to mention cost-effective, to be able to film two editions of Impact Wrestling at once, I do wonder whether the combined four hours of story prove to be excessively draining for the wrestlers themselves, the audience watching and the writers scripting. In filming two episodes together, there is a distinct tendency to treat them almost as if they were one giant show, simply split in half. A person will film a promo for show one, setting up a match for show two later in the night. Certain people may miss an entire episode, but no one bats an eyelid, as they are still technically working that same event. Some lucky/unlucky souls may even have to work both. To tape blocks of shows like this, while easier, has to be tightly plotted and planned to the smallest detail. If only to avoid slip ups from absent minded talents who don't know when in the calender they're meant to be speaking from.

The UK tour turned out to be a fantastic trial-run for the new on-the-road taping initiative and I'm sure it was no coincidence that TNA President, Dixie Carter, announced the big move on the very first week's programming. This gave Impact Wrestling a major league feel for, at the very least, these four episodes. However, I can't help but find the timing a tad ridiculous, as for all the good work this past month has done in portraying TNA as a major force in professional wrestling, there is still a worrying period of two weeks back in the tiny Impact Zone before heading out on the road once and for all. They would've done themselves a massive favour by following the tour's lead and diving straight into the Chicago tapings without pause for thought.

On the whole though, I am hugely looking forward to seeing TNA on the road on a weekly basis. If they can translate the skills learnt from the UK tour to their home country, they will already have a solid foundation upon which to build towards future success. I don't think they're quite the powerhouse they'd like to believe they are at this point, but they're making the right noises and it's only a matter of time before they've carved out their portion of the live event scene.

Follow us on Facebook at Canned Heat Wrestling

News: Hogan would have stripped Hardy of TNA Title

During the recent UK tour, Impact Wrestling General Manager, Hulk Hogan, was interviewed by Fighting Spirit Magazine. When asked about current TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Jeff Hardy, and his absence from the high-profile tour, Hogan is quoted...

"Dixie runs the company, but if it was up to me and it had been my decision, Bobby Roode would have been a great champion to have right now. The tour plus a champion makes sense; a tour with no champion doesn't make sense. I choose my battles; some people look at the picture differently to how I do."

This is the second time in recent weeks whereby Hogan has questioned Dixie Carter's management style. At the beginning of the month, he was quoted as saying...


"Is Dixie Carter really in the wrestling business, or this is just a hobby? You either make the move or you don’t. It’s the same place we were with WCW - you either run with the big dogs or be a little dog and stay on the porch. The destiny of this company is in her hands. It can stay TNA, a powerful little company, or she can make the decision to move on to greatness."


Is there dissension in the ranks of TNA Wrestling?

Personally, I wholeheartedly agree with Hulk's latest statement in regard to Jeff Hardy missing the UK tour. It's such a big event in the TNA calender and to have the World Heavyweight Champion missing in action is unforgivable. Upon discovering that Hardy was unable to travel to the UK, the company should have had him drop the Title to the next logical choice, whether it be Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, James Storm, Bully Ray, etc. Infact, on the final show before leaving for the UK, they had the perfect opportunity in his match with Christopher Daniels. Yet they would rather have the Champion absent for an entire month of television.

However, I do not like Hogan's passive-aggressive attitude towards Dixie Carter's management of TNA. It's easy to sit back and claim you would've done things so much better, but at no point does he mention trying to affect change himself. As per usual, it's Hulk putting himself over at the expense of others. Rather than be a team player and accept Hardy's absence, he's run to the press and badmouthed TNA booking. Multiple times.

Follow us on Facebook at Canned Heat Wrestling

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.

Results: TNA Maximum Impact Tour 23/01/2013 - Glasgow, Scotland

Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez defeated Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian.

Rob Van Dam defeated Zema Ion.

Marty Scurll defeated Rockstar Spud.

The Blossom Twins defeated Gail Kim & Tara.

Austin Aries defeated James Storm & Bobby Roode.

Bully Ray defeated Magnus in a No DQ Match.

Kurt Angle & Sting defeated Devon & D.O.C. in a Steel Cage Match.

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

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Results: TNA Maximum Impact Tour 21/01/2013 - Dublin, Ireland

Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez defeated Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian.

Velvet Sky & Miss Tessmacher defeated Tara & Gail Kim.

Rob Van Dam defeated Zema Ion.

James Storm defeated Austin Aries & Bobby Roode in a Handicap Match.

Bully Ray defeated Magnus.

Kurt Angle & Sting defeated Devon & D.O.C. in a Steel Cage Match.

Clem Shoots: Tale of the Absentee World Champion

Coming off a successful defense of his World Heavyweight Championship at Genesis, against the fiercest competition in all the business, Jeff Hardy stands tall atop Impact Wrestling. But despite such a rosey outlook, storm clouds are fast approaching the Charismatic Enigma. His conviction for drug possession from several years prior has reared it's head once again and will prevent him from appearing on any of this week's "Road to Lockdown" UK Tour dates.

If this were simply a regular tour, the loss of such a performer would be no big deal. TNA would quickly draft in a replacement and send fans home just as happy as if Hardy had been there himself. Hell, they've already done it, in drawing Sting out from his International retirement last year and announcing The Icon will fill in for the M.I.A. Champion. However, in this case, this is no regular tour. Four whole episodes of Impact Wrestling will be taped across the shows in Manchester and London. Any other performer and it would be a shame to lose them for a month's worth of TV time, but Hardy is different. Jeff Hardy is the World Heavyweight Champion...who can't travel the World.

Any wrestling promotion worth a damn and their top program will be the top stars challenging to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. Take that away and they're left in a horrendously awkward position. Just what do the stars of Impact Wrestling do for the next four weeks (taking place at the biggest shows of the year)? Ten thousand screaming British fans, twenty if you account for both shows, and you're NOT going to bring the big gold belt everyone's been fighting over? I suppose Austin Aries and Bobby Roode are just going to forget the last year spent chasing exactly that and what, have tea and crumpets in the middle of the ring?

Jeff Hardy not being allowed to travel to the United Kingdom puts TNA and Impact Wrestling in the most undesirable position possible. The scariest thing is that the company have had multiple chances to avoid this incoming iceberg. There was the triple threat main event at Genesis. Absolutely no one would've thought twice about Hardy dropping the World Heavyweight Title in a match where the odds were stacked against him. Yet he retained. Then, worst case scenario, the 'Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels had just earned himself a shot at Hardy's World Title the very same night. But it won't surprise the average wrestling fan to learn *spoiler* Daniels doesn't come out on top of this encounter.

Having missed every opportunity to remove Jeff Hardy as World Heavyweight Champion, we're now left knowing there will be no Champion on the UK Tour or the four weeks of Impact Wrestling stemming from it. To account for the World Champion's absence, TNA have enacted an injury cover story. *spoiler* Aces and Eights will turn their attention towards the Title next week and take Hardy out in brutal fashion.While I will never turn down an opportunity to watch Hardy beaten like a government mule, it's too little, too late.

As (inexplicably) beloved as Jeff Hardy is by the TNA fanbase, I keep coming back to the same conclusion where the UK Tour is concerned - Hardy MUST be stripped of the Title in absentia and the Manchester/London shows used to find a new Champion. We all know how TNA love a good tournament. In the past month alone we've had tournaments for the X Division Title and a 'One Night Only' Tag Team special. Another thing TNA love is crowning a new World Champion at a show "on the road". This creates a much larger scale than by simply doing it in the Impact Zone and that footage will be looked back on for years to come.

Even though these Impact tapings take place over an insanely short amount of time, the company must be represented by that footage for the next month at least. To put their best foot forward, TNA need a World Champion and the American legal system says that can't be Jeff Hardy. He had a good run across Bound for Glory, Turning Point, Final Resolution and Genesis. Hell, I've known wrestlers win a title one month, drop it the next, Hardy has managed four. But if you can't defend the belt for a month, you're as good as forfeit.

Written by Mark Clements

Follow us on Facebook at Canned Heat Wrestling

News: World Champion Jeff Hardy NOT appearing on UK Tour?

Reports suggest that, despite being advertised, TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Jeff Hardy, will NOT be appearing on the UK Tour next week.

His absence stems from the same felony conviction that kept him from appearing on last year's international shows.

This presents an interesting logistical question, as TNA will be forced to explain why their Champion cannot appear on an entire month's worth of programming, set to be filmed in Manchester and London.

Hardy is scheduled to defend his World Heavyweight Championship on the January 24th edition of Impact Wrestling (to be taped tomorrow) against 'The Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels. Throwaway TV match or last minute swerve?

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

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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

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Ringside Report: NBW Southside Wrestling: Ill Manors (30/11/12)

After attending Southside's Supremacy in August there was no chance I was going to miss the natural follow on event which was Ill Manors. SWE have run a number of shows in between the two events; including their 2nd Anniversary show; but this show was billed as SWE vs House Of Pain (HOP) whose rivalry had been boiling over since Supremacy with this seemingly being the 'pay off' event. 

The event took place in a different part of the arena than the last event, presumably down to the fact the event had changed date, with the ring side area feeling more open than last time with dual entrance tunnels  and the ring being lower than normal. Again I was seated at ringside, on the opposite side of the ring to last time, but again on the HOP side which I chose to embrace this time round. 

The show kicked off in similar fashion to last time with Harvey Dale and Diamond Dale Mills taking to the ring to set up the show and start banter between the two sides, with both men being the ring announcer for their sides and responsible for riling up their side of the crowd respectively. Dale is so entertaining on the mic,   is always in character and can draw heat with the best in the business, he reminds me of Paul Heyman and if he keeps up the good work will be one of the biggest characters in the industry.

BBB and El Ligero take things high risk

The first match saw El Ligero pick up the first victory for SWE against Bam Bam Barton. I had previously seen Ligero before in his 1000th match at LCW and he had left a good impression mixing high flying action with comedy and in this match he brought intensity to match the serious nature of the evening. The match was solid but did little to last in the memory with the dueling chants from the crowd taking over a little from the in ring action.

Up next was Max Angelus; who at Supremacy rolled up TNA British Boot Camp contestant Rock Star Spud after being told to lie down by Harvey Dale; against former SWE Champion T-Bone. The two put on a good showing and I was glad to see more of Max this time round, although he played to the HOP side of the crowd despite the underlying issues he seems to have with the organisation, but he picked up the win evening up the scores.

The Predators showing unity

The third match saw the Tag Titles on the line as The Hunter Brothers made their debut for SWE against The Predators. The Champions looked a tighter team than the last time that I saw them as they were now wearing matching ring gear and looked like they had toned up, whilst I had seen the Hunters a couple of times before and have been impressed with the brothers who remind me of the Hardy Boyz circa 1999. 

The match lived up to my expectations as both teams are up there as the best in the country, both teams gave it there all which saw the champs retain their belts although I expect a rematch will be booked for one of the next events.

Robbie X defended his Speed King Championship against Alex Gracie who was defending his Full Throttle belt in a 10 minute time limit match (which is Full Throttle rules). Despite the time limit the two seemed to not want to go 'full throttle' until the second half of the match, once the last minute had been announced Robbie X locked in a few different submission moves but Gracie held on until after the bell without tapping out ending the match in a draw. 

Once the ring bell had rang Max Angelus' music played to bring him out with his MITB briefcase in hand with Harvey Dale yelling at him to win him the title (Speed King) as he wanted it, this caused Max to turn on Dale who threatened to fire him before Max quit and left through the fan entrance. 

Devitt playing to the crowd

The last match of the half was billed as an 'International Dream Match' between ROH's Michael Elgin and New Japan's Prince Devitt, and boy did it live up to it's billing. The two pulled out all the stops to impress the crowd which showed what true pro's they are as they could have done half as much and still put on a excellent match.

Although the two wrestle different styles with Elgin being more power orientated to Devitt's 'high flying', they showed that two different styles can work together really well with risks, reversals and great mat wrestling thrown in. Devitt picked up the win but the real winners were the crowd, I would highly recommend tracking down a copy of this match!

After the intermission it was back to the theme of the night with HOP leading 2 -1 going into the second half, with the odds looking stacked in their favour going into the next match as it was a triple threat match pitting SWE's Nathan Cruz against HOP's 'Diamond' Dave Andrews and the HOP Champion LJ Heron who was billed as a tweener for this due to him wanting to become a full time member of SWE roster. Heron's alliances or lack there of were made clear straight away by helping Cruz clear Andrews out of the ring, who spent the majority of time out of the ring but his personality shone through for me with out bursts like 'come on sunshine' which made him my favourite in the match. The match took on a familiar triple threat formula with two guys in the ring with one outside, with the odd triangle moments thrown in including a three man suplex from the top. Cruz picked up the victory after Heron hit 'Dave' with a spear and Cruz then dispatched  LJ with a punt to pin Andrews.

Up next in the penultimate match of the evening was SC Supreme (HOP) taking on Mad Man Manson in a light hearted affair before the seriousness of the main event. The match was as expected to be with Manson including nipple twists and comedy moves all to aggravate SC, which worked with Supreme taking multiple trips to the outside of the ring to vent his frustration until finally picking up the victory.

Heading into the Main Event, Southside were 3 - 2 up, bringing on the title re-match of Stixx defending against Mark Haskins in a Last Man Standing match. The last time these two faced each other at Supremacy was brutal so expectations were high and these two didn't let down the crowd as they started brawling outside the ring straight away which saw Haskins Irish whipped into a wall and then Stixx take out multiple members of the crowd as he charged at Haskins who avoided contact with a leapfrog. The match found its way into the ring eventually where the action was back and forth until the introduction of a chair which is when all hell broke lose, brutal chair shots, ref bumps and the emptying out of the locker room which saw Robbie X hit a moonsault to the outside of the ring onto the ensemble of wrestlers brawling at ring side.
Once everybody had brawled to the back Haskins put Stixx through a table causing both men to be down, the ref started the count to ten, at the seven mark Haskins started making his way to his feet but was nailed with a chair by Harvey Dale and just before the ten Stixx rolled out of the ring to his feet to be declared the winner and to retain the title.
The match was excellent until the end, I am only able to tell you the ending because that is what I have read online, from my viewpoint I thought Haskins had won after seeing him get up and not seeing Stixx up until after the bell so was slightly confused.

Max celebrates his title win over Stixx with the crowd 

After the match Stixx re-entered the ring to celebrate with Harvey Dale which was short lived as the music  of Max Angelus hit again with him holding the MITB briefcase in hand. After entering the ring Max nailed Stixx with the briefcase and despite Harvey pleading and apologising for his actions against him, he cashed in the title shot to become the new Southside Heavyweight Champion.
Max left the ring with the belt and celebrated with the Southside fans as Stixx lay prone in the ring to end the show.

The show as a whole was solid and the rivalry between the two promotions was stunned into silence with the ending but left open as technically the scores finished at three apiece. The card may not have been as strong as Supremacy but it was still worth the price of admission just for the Devitt / Elgin match, Southside have recently celebrated their second anniversary and from this showing they will be having many more years with quality events; just looking at some of the stars they have lined up for the start of next year is an exciting enough prospect for all British grapple fans.

Words and Photos by @Robbie_G_CH  

TNA Impact Wrestling DVD Wish List

Recently, I have been on a major wrestling DVD kick, watching compilations and documentaries from all the big companies, whether it be WWE, TNA or ROH. To name but a few, I highly enjoyed 'CM Punk: Best in the World', 'Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line', 'The Epic Journey of Dwayne The Rock Johnson' and so on. Some recent, some from years gone by.

Anyway, this got me thinking (a dangerous notion but give me a chance). Last year, TNA pulled off a nifty little trifecta with 'Immortal Forever?', 'Mick Foley: Hardcore Legend' and 'Enigma: The Best of Jeff Hardy Volume 2'. But then...nothing. In the entirety of 2012, TNA have failed to release a single DVD outside of bog standard pay-per-views.

With the market leader, WWE, releasing new DVD sets seemingly every other week, it strikes me that TNA are missing a trick here. Admittedly, it's extremely likely that this lack of new material is down to financial constraints. It's a tough economy and TNA's finances have long been fuel for the rumour mill. But with even a relative small fry like Ring of Honor (no offense) regularly releasing sets to capitalise on their popular stars, TNA could do with pulling their thumb out of their arse and getting a move on.

In this spirit, I thought I'd create a bit of a wish list for TNA. Someone may notice it, someone may not, either way it's all in good fun. First, I'll start with the big obvious proven concepts that'd be sure to sell DVDs like gangbusters. After that, we'll have a bit of a play with the format and name a few nightmarish potentials that'd have you running for the remote. It's Halloween after all, you all deserve a bit of a fright!

Let us begin...

THE WISH LIST

THE GREATEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED: THE BEST OF AUSTIN ARIES

You have to admit, Austin Aries has had an undeniably spectacular past couple of years. Originally on the brink of retirement from professional wrestling, Aries received a call from TNA on the eve of their first spotlight Destination X pay-per-view. They needed recognisable names to bolster their X-Division-only show and who better than A Double. Quickly winning himself a contract, Aries took a hold of the X Division like no other before him and refused to let go. He dominated for a year straight, remaining the undefeated Champion all the way up til this year's Destination X. After a string of impressive David and Goliath contests against larger opponents, Aries had earned the respect of management and the fans alike. Making the decision to have him win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship all the easier. This rags to riches story would be downright inspirational to the common fan, not to mention a wonderful excuse to collect Aries' classic matches against Bully Ray, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, etc. Giving him such a set would also elevate him no end in the eyes of the Impact Wrestling audience. Compilation sets such as this are saved for the heavy hitters, so listing Aries among them not only feels right, but is a huge compliment.

BEER VS MONEY: JAMES STORM VS BOBBY ROODE

Just over a year ago, the most elaborate and thoughtful feud in TNA's decade long history began. Whatever your opinion of the two men in question, they have been the backbone of Impact Wrestling for as long as I can remember. Frankly, it's hard to imagine there was a time before them. As the tag team, Beer Money, they were always entertaining and wouldn't you just know it, so was their breakup. At the time, I would've advised caution, fearing the loss of the hottest tag team in professional wrestling, but knowing how it turned out, I'm glad they pulled the trigger, as the business is better off for it. Out of the ruins of a tag team came the birth of 'The Cowboy', 'The IT Factor' and two legitimate main event talents. Stretching from one Bound for Glory to another, what better story to have immortalised to represent your company than this one. Special mention goes to their epic confrontations at this year's Lockdown and BFG, two classic bouts that hit all the right notes.

WRESTLING MATTERS HERE: THE VERY BEST OF IMPACT WRESTLING

Rather than focus on one or two particular wrestlers, this set would take advantage of the very best matches the Impact Wrestling video library has to offer. Pour in all the love and attention TNA can muster, as this would be a wonderful promotional tool and a travelling billboard to preach the virtues of this product over any other. Going forward from the re-branding of the show in May 2011, there have to be plenty of five star pay-per-view quality TV main events ripe for the picking. Frequently whilst watching an average episode of Impact Wrestling, I'm taken aback by their willingness to give away such a high standard of match on free television instead of spending several weeks or months building up to it. Typically, this attitude springs from their business model being geared towards popping a TV rating over selling the pay-per-view, so to be able to re-use a number of these matches and make some extra coin, I can't see how anyone would argue.

TNA IN THE UK

Over the years, I've seen WWE capitalise on recent UK tours more times than I can count. Such a DVD takes minimal effort on everyone's part, as it's basically repackaging episodes of a show that's already aired in it's completed form. However, I'm not suggesting TNA be quite so lazy with it. The United Kingdom is arguably the most rabid fanbase for TNA Wrestling the world over, America included. No offense to their home country, but how come it's always struggling in the ratings over there and succeeding over here (just saying). This year alone, they had a sellout tour of the UK, in some of the biggest arenas we have to offer. For a product that is usually relegated to a piddly little sound stage in Florida, it never looked grander than in a packed house at Wembley Arena. They taped two episodes of Impact Wrestling at that show and it was by and far the most impressive TNA have ever looked in their ten year history. Following on from such overwhelming success, they'll be repeating the feat in 2013. Only this time, it won't just be the London show that's taped, but the Manchester show as well! Put the four resulting episodes of Impact on a disc and you'll have a professional looking product that could draw even the most cynical viewer in. Here's hoping the content lives up to the surroundings!

THE 'WHEN PIGS FLY' NIGHTMARE LIST

THE CLARE LYNCH STORY: EVERY SORDID DETAIL - Remember this little gem? Yeah, we wish we didn't either! Oh the memories. Where Kaz and Daniels sought to use poor defenseless drug-addled Clare to frame AJ Styles for having an affair with TNA President, Dixie Carter. In a plot so elaborate, it should've been nominated for an Emmy. Just who was this angle designed to get over? It couldn't have been AJ, as it made him look like scum at every opportunity. It couldn't have been Dixie, as she ducked out at first  chance. It couldn't have been Clare, as it damn near ruined her genuine modelling career due to TNA fans' hatemail. Yep, that's right, it put no one over. We spent months watching for nothing.

BROTHERLY LOVE: JOSEPH PARK & THE QUEST FOR ABYSS - Randomly one week, a rather familiar looking individual, albeit more sharply dressed than usual, turned up at the gates to the Impact Zone, demanding to see the person in charge. Who was this fellow, you ask? None other than Abyss himself with a haircut and a new suit. Only he'd clearly gone insane from one too many blows to the head. Instead of 'The Monster' we'd come to know and love, he identified himself as one Joseph Park, a relative of Abyss, looking for his brother, who had mysteriously gone missing months earlier. Ever since then, we've barely had a match out of either persona. They took a man known for taking the sickest bumps and made him...a non-wrestler? Of course, there's the matter of that Black Hole Slam he pulled out of nowhere on Bully Ray, but sssssshhhhhhhhh, we're not supposed to mention that.

BAM! - ODB & ERIC YOUNG IN 'WHERE'S MY CHICKEN?' - Several months ago, 'Showtime' Eric Young finally lived up to his moniker and moved out to Hollywood, where he fronted his own successful nature show. In doing so, he left his Knockout Tag Team Champion partner and Wife, high and dry. Worse still, he said he was coming back with a tub of Chicken any minute now. For weeks, this poor insanely large breasted woman would wait for a different kind of breast and be left wanting. Weeks would pass and no word from EY. Not even a phone call. I can't even imagine the number of voicemails that must've involved on ODB's part. It was a hilarious running joke across the summer, but what the hell does it say about the state of their marriage!

Written by Mark Clements

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