DeMarco’s Steps To Success: TNA Impact Wrestling Moves To Destination America

TNA’s Impact Wrestling is moving to Destination America and everyone has an opinion! This includes 411’s Greg DeMarco, dedicates his first ever Steps To Success to the company that can be a true WWE alternative.

Welcome to a new addition to my regular rotation, Steps To Success! S2S debuts by covering the wrestling program everyone loves to hate (on)—TNA’s Impact Wrestling!

You’re likely reading this on Thanksgiving, because after turkey and football we really don’t have much to do but read the internet! In the past I’ve brought things I was thankful for, but this is my fourth Thanksgiving at 411Mania…how many times can I embed The Great Muta vs. Jushin Liger in “The One With Kishin Liger,” Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle in “The One At WrestleMania,” and talk about Ring of Honor as “The One Who Became #2?”

But one thing I am thankful for is the announcement that TNA Wrestling has signed a new television deal, this time with Discovery’s Destination America. Is it a good move?

Yes.

Not because there will be more viewers. (There won’t be.)

Not because there will be more money. (There won’t be.)

Not because there will be more exposure for TNA. (There won’t be.)

This is a good move because it keeps TNA running, and that’s better for wrestling in general.

So precisely what is going to happen when TNA moves to Destination America?

Who the hell knows!?!?!?

Below you’ll find my Steps To Success for TNA as they make the big move across the cable listing to Destination America. These may not be the steps TNA wants to take, but they are the steps TNA needs to take.

For starters…

Drop The Zeroes…From The High Priced Paychecks

Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy are extremely talented individuals, and proven draws.

For WWE.

In the long run, what have they really done for TNA? Now there may have been some small gains thanks to those two, but I can’t imagine it justified their paychecks. And with the move to a new network, I don’t think those two men will being in the viewers.

That it doesn’t stop there. Tommy Dreamer probably comes cheap (and he gets to promote House of Hardcore), but he’s old and not needed by TNA. Mr. Anderson? Time to go back to GREEN BAY WISONSIN! Bully Ray? He’s already gone and he should stay there. MVP? That doesn’t stand for Most Valuable Payout, does it? Nope. He ain’t worth whatever you’re paying him.

TNA is getting less money from Destination America, and they can’t afford to waste it. On top of that, I seriously doubt Discovery Networks will be kicking in for any contracts like Spike TV did.

And it likely goes without saying, but we should be done with any Bellator fighters not named Bobby Lashley…although I do hope Lashley is still around.

If you shouldn’t have those guys, who should you have???

It’s Time To Truly Build New Stars

TNA currently has, and has really always had, some great talent at its disposal. It’s time to build brand new stars on the new network. Chief among them are The Wolves of Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards. When TNA signed The Wolves they snagged one of the world’s best tag teams.

And judging by how they used them (up until their last tag title loss), TNA knows it. The Wolves were actually booked very well until the last set of tapings.

It doesn’t stop there, either. Manik…Tigre Uno…Bram…Brittany…Sam Shaw…Havok…Tyrus…Sanada…The Menagerie…TNA is full of talent that no one else has, talent that can really set their product apart. It’s time to let that talent soar.

But that doesn’t mean they should ignore some of their existing top tier talent…

Finish Bobby Roode & James Storm’s Unfinished Business

Storm vs. Roode is the kind of feud that never really ends. They were the best of friends, and they were the worst of enemies. Determination brought them together and jealousy tore them apart. Storm supported Roode’s journey through the first Bound For Glory Series, but Roode didn’t support Storm’s impromptu world title win.

This point assumes Lockdown will still happen, either as a PPV, TV special or even web-based-stream. Regardless of the medium, one thing is for certain: it should be built around World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode and James Storm.

Bobby Roode and James Storm are amazing sports entertainers. Both men are great characters. Both men can deliver strong promos. Both men are outstanding storytellers in the ring.

It’s time for Bobby Roode and James Storm to claim their rightful positions atop the TNA roster, put the company on their shoulders and be the feud for the company’s first year on Destination America. It shouldn’t end at Lockdown, even though Storm should win the title there. These guys need to feud over the title, turning it into the center of their hatred.

That makes everything—the world title, both men, and TNA as a whole—seem more important.

Storm & Roode aren’t the only talents TNA should focus on, either…

Revitalize Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe is one of the most talented wrestlers in the entire world. He’s also one of the most unique. TNA needs that.

Since his 2005 TNA debut, Samoa Joe held nine championships, including a run as TNA World Champion. Despite coming up through Ring of Honor, Joe should be considered a homegrown talent for TNA.

It obviously hasn’t been all good for Joe—and in reality it hasn’t been all good for anyone associated with TNA. But Joe has been the focal point of the company in the past, and he can do it again.

As for “major players,” there is one man left to focus on, and he might be “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived…”

Center A Major Angle Around Austin Aries

It’s no secret that I am a huge Austin Aries fan—have been since I first watched Ring of Honor in 2005. Aries is among the best wrestlers around, both on the microphone and in the ring. TNA themselves doubted Austin Aries’ popularity when they turned him heel on the road to his Bound For Glory main event against Jeff Hardy.

I was at Bound For Glory, and TNA carted Aries out before the show started so he could cut a heel promo. It came of as TNA thinking no one knew who Aries was. Instead we were chanting his name and treating him as one of the biggest faces on the roster. But that was always TNA’s problem…the two most over guys at Phoenix’s Bound For Glory were Austin Aries and AJ Styles. But the show focused more on Hulk Hogan, Sting and Jeff Hardy.

But before Bound For Glory, TNA showed their faith in Austin Aries when they had him surprisingly end Bobby Roode’s record breaking world title run, and did so in dramatic fashion. No one picked Aries to his Destination X title match with Roode.

No one except me, that is!

TNA needs to focus on their in-ring product, and Aries should lead that charge. He doesn’t need a belt, just the self-appointed championship of “Greatest Wrestler That Ever Lived.” Let him feud with Kurt Angle, and let him win. It’s an easy sell, and it’s a great way to draw in a new audience.

But the company does need more than 4 wrestlers…

Sign More Independent Talent

TNA needs to bring in more independent talent like Joey Ryan (who was there before), Candice LaRae (pictured above, with Ryan), Johnny Gargano, Matt Sydal (who likely isn’t under contract to ROH), and others. They need to focus on existing guys like The BroMans, Sanada, Manik and The Wolves, who I mentioned before.

The need to be the alternative that wrestling fans are calling for. They’re going to a network that will be harder to find, and finding them will take time. That’s the time to build up new names, get them ready for when people start finding Impact Wrestling. Make people seek out Destination America by creating a word-of-mouth buzz around a product that’s worth seeking out. That’s how you make TNA different.

Oh, and about that whole “TNA” thing…

Stop Being “TNA”

It’s time to get rid of their stupid name, and all the bad memories that go along with it. TNA wrestling? Really? The phrase “Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling” died a long time ago, and it should go away permanently. I know the official name of the company is “TNA Entertainment, LLC,” and if you need to keep that, fine. But never show or mention it on television again. It’s all Impact Wrestling, all the time.

And when you change the name, change the game. Bring back 24/7/365 access, use the website and Destination America to show the wrestlers in different lights. Get footage of the talent from the indies. Make the fans excited for a wrestler’s debut.

And finally, if I may submit two “wish list” requests…

Get AJ Styles Back, And Never Show Dixie On TV Again

AJ Styles is quite possibly the greatest wrestler on earth (just change his finisher), and Dixie Carter is quite possibly the worst character to ever appear on wrestling-related television.

This is a no-brainer.

The Carters used to indicate that the world needed them. This isn’t true at all, but one thing is—the wrestling world needs Impact Wrestling. We need an alternative, we need a place for new talent to perform on television, and the WWE needs some form of competition…even if it’s a company that can’t even compete.

Impact Wrestling is moving to Destination America, and we all need this to work.

Greg DeMarco is a wrestling fan of over 30 years and has also worked on the independent circuit as a promoter, announcer, character and booker. Greg a weekly contributor at 411Mania.com, applying his opinionated style to the world of pro wrestling on Sundays and Thursdays.

He began writing for 411Mania in October 2010 and has been pissing readers off ever since!

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