Welcome.

And welcome everyone to the Slam Fest! It’s been some time since my last column, and after reading previous columns from fellow writers, I decided that I’d better get another column out there.

I began writing this column a day before were entered into 2009, then had to focus on other items, before making my way back to the column. First of all, I’d like to talk about the year that was 2008, a year that, for me, was truly wonderful, and wrestling wise it’s been a while since I’ve actually enjoyed what I’ve seen from January through to December. I’m talking about TNA by the way.

TNA just has what I’m looking for in wrestling, its coherent, wrestling-focused, and not over-loaded with unnecessary content – thought I’ll be honest, Impact! could do with taking out some of those adverts for wrestlers and teams, one week I fast-forwarded through about twenty minutes of advertising before I came to the next match.

WWE on the other hand does not have what I’m looking for, the last full WWE show I watched was the RAW XV Anniversary show – a good show by the way – but after that, I carried on with TNA. I’ll something with all of you, I’ve never been fully behind WWE. As a kid I was never among the Hulk Hogan crowd, and WCW was the show I watched. I’m not saying that all my life I’ve been against WWE, it’s just that my tastes in wrestling have always gone elsewhere. And TNA is more my style. Hey, I’m not saying that WWE haven’t had a good bunch of shows, or matches or angles since buying-out WCW, I would happily write out a list of the stuff I’ve enjoyed. But WWE just doesn’t have what I like to see in wrestling, I don’t feel drawn-in, if I were to watch WWE, it would be me sat looking at the television, but not watching it. In one of my previous columns, I mentioned how most of the time, WWE has pay-per-views that focus entirely on the Heavyweight titles, while every other title gets bumped. Take this year’s Royal Rumble, only the Women’s Championship was there, every other match was a World Heavyweight title match. Now you’ll all likely say that, that’s because they are the big belts. Yes, but does that mean that all those other belts don’t deserve any of the spotlight? What happened to the Intercontinental Championship being the belt that everyone fought over, their intentions on using it as the next step towards greater glories? Wasn’t that the belt that Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Triple H and The Rock all go after before they embarked further? I recall Royal Rumbles that featured that belt been on the card, along with a Tag Team Championship match and perhaps even one-or-two non-title matches before the Rumble itself. But, WWE doesn’t book like that. I watch wrestling to see more than just one division.

Now I could go on and attempt to answer every criticism TNA has thrown at it. But at the end of the day, for every complaint you can thrown at TNA, you can through just as many at WWE. In my opinion, WWE is more about the drama, TNA is more about the wrestling. People say the MEM is just another nWo faction, or Millionaire’s Club-style team. Well the nWo was all about Hogan being angry with his treatment at the hands of the WCW fans, whilst the whole New Blood angle was about the cocky young guys trying to oust the veterans. MEM is all about attitudes, how the young don’t seem to respect the old, despite the protests from the former. I like the way Sting’s not been portrayed as a full heel, but rather, he appears to question his decisions. Better than that, I love how Sting has gone against making this whole angle about money verses youth, by going out and putting the focus on his opinion of new wrestlers, and how he’d be elsewhere if it was all about the money. Putting Angle in the position of lead heel was the smart choice, Sting’s far better when he leans towards the babyface side, rather than being a heel.

The way TNA came into 2008, still gets me going. There was so much drive and momentum that I was a regular visitor to their website and kept an eye on their video postings. It’s been quite some time since January was that exciting. What I’m talking about was the wealth of storylines and how simply good the wrestling was. You know that feeling you get when it feels like everyone’s really giving it their all, and are really into it? Well that’s what I saw back in January of last year. My favorites would have to include Team 3D vs. the X Division. I haven’t enjoyed watching those 2 (Devon and Ray) for some time, it felt like watching them old-school style, and I was happy to see the X Division involved in such a good quality angle. Secondly, it was the Heavyweight Championship, with Angle and his cohorts against Samoa Joe and Christian. It was fun watching Angle be the boss, while A.J. Styles tried to choose which side he was on. I even found myself enjoying Tomko’s matches and promos, the guy really does have a talent, I suppose it depends on what material you’re asked to work with. But what I’ve enjoyed the most from day 1 of 2008, right the way through to now, is the continued development of the Knockouts Division. It was a shame to see Gail Kim go, but the Knockouts have continued to go from strength-to-strength, with newcomers like Taylor Wilde and the new-look Roxxi. That’s a division worth talking about, the matches and angles are superb in my opinion; and best of all, they are all wrestling based. I would like to see the Beautiful People get back into the ring and do some wrestling though, and I’d like to see some more action concerning who’s going after the belt as right now t seems to centre around Awesome Kong and company, going around beating people they take a disliking to.

The one issue I’ve had with TNA, is that following the conclusion to the Team 3D VS. X Division angle, the X Division itself seemed to stay in the slow lane when compared to the other divisions. Petey Williams reign didn’t get the division going which is a shame given how good the guy is. Right now, the X Division seems to be regaining that drive that brought it into 2008, so hopefully we’ll see it back on form for the 2009 – and give Maple Leaf Muscle more screen time. I think having MMG at the centre of the division right now makes for entertaining viewing, the guys can really carry a match and their characters don’t feel one-dimensional. I’d like to see them stay as a tag team and win some of that gold, but right now this is an angle that I’m interested in.

I am sorry to see Christian go, I really believe he had it better in TNA, from a fan’s perspective. With TNA, it felt refreshing, like you’d never seen him before, and as said before, his feud with Angle and promos with A.J. at the start of 2008, were very entertaining. But, with his departure, we at last are seeing one of the most undervalued wrestlers (in my opinion) take the spotlight, and that’s Rhino. At last the guy’s got something to do, and he’s doing it better that anyone else could. Letting him be the mouthpiece for the Front Line and lending his experience to the younger guys is both spine-tingling when you think back to all he’s done, and respectful at the same time. Rhino’s been a very undervalued wrestler from my perspective, and I’m overjoyed to see him at last taking centre-stage. In fact, that’s one of the main aspects I like about this angle, how it reflects and references what these guys have experienced, Team 3D belong amongst the Frontline because they went through the trials, the squashes and general put-downs that gave them the experiences need to keep moving.

Well, if you haven’t got it by now, 2008 has been the year that’s brought me back in wrestling and in a big way. Since November of 2007, I’ve gradually seen my love of the mainstream show’s been rekindled. And, from a humble wrestling fan’s point of view, who’s just out to be entertained and excited, after 2008, I’ll be looking to TNA to give me what I’m looking for in 2009. I would, however, like to just say a little piece about the general attitude between fans, just let it go. Really does it matter if you watch TNA and someone else watches WWE, yeah be into your brand but don’t let it become an excuse to have an attitude. I don’t watch WWE because I prefer what TNA has to offer. That’s it. And just remember, if it hadn’t have been for Vince McMahon taking a risk back in 1985, wrestling might not what it is today.

Take care everyone.