Is anyone watching tna or should anyone be watching tna

Coming off a wwe raw on Monday that had several long poorly executed and written terribly skits between gallows, Anderson, new day, sasha banks, Nia Jax and Alicia fox at times you felt there has to be an alternative to this.

What if there was a wrestling show that was simple but effective that focused on in ring work with well timed and properly executed promos? What if there was a gritty edgy wrestling show that had continuity to its storylines and built stars with programs that captivated an audience? Tna impact is not the answer. Holy smokes is it not the answer. But; it should be, it could be. Tna has the ability to be a legitimate mainstay number 2 brand in North America but they are in an interesting gray area where the mainstream doesn't know them and the die hard fan base doesn't appreciate them like they do some major indy or international wrestling promotions.
The very first thing I would do if I was tasked with fixing tna impact is separating my product as much as I pull from the name tna wrestling. The name is stupid, it was a cheap and juvenile way to draw attention to itself at the brands inception. All of this time later not only is it still stupid but it is now attached to so much failure and embarrassment that literally any name (wrestling related) would be an improvement. The name is tainted and it is tainting the product. But, how do you just change the name? Easily. Bound for glory, tna's only current pay per view, that will be headlined by the champion Bobby Lashley versus EC3. Bobby Lashley wins the match to retain the title when Billy Corgan, real president of the company, enters the ring and demands the tna championship. He then states that starting right now tna is dead and this title dies with it. We gladly bury that name and tonight crown Bobby Lashley the very first impact pro wrestling heavyweight champion. This scene could be similar to Shane Douglas throwing down the nwa title to inaugurate extreme championship wrestling and it's first champion. Change all the television graphics,  websites and merchandise to reflect impact pro wrestling and never look back from tna, ever.
Monday night raw averages approximately  3 plus million viewers per week, smackdown averages slightly less on Tuesday nights. Both shows have the power of the wwe machine behind them with rosters full of worldwide well known superstars.  Tna is on the pop tv network, which is not in HD, and averages a little more then 300,000 viewers weekly. The show features a handful of known commodities like Bobby Lashley, drew Galloway  and the re-energized and revamped broken hardy brothers. The roster is rounded off with a mixture of "tna mainstays" and young performers with potential. Tna has to accept the fact that they are not wwe and when they attempt to be wwe they are a bad version of the worst of wwe. Trying to out-circus the circus has been a failing formula for them for years. However, based on what is really trending highly right now with the die hard fan base such as cruiserweight classic tournament, nxt, new japan perhaps impact should look to be a more old school gritty wrestling show. Make the performers less cartoonish and take a darker more real approach with characters and storylines, it seems like no acts are more over than Broken Matt Hardy and Brother Nero who are certainly dark and twisted.  Also liked are the decay which is a very dark team and all of the success of champion Bobby Lashley is based on him being "real" and legitimate.  So, why not offer more product like this?  I don't want tna to do more of the final deletion videos because while entertaining those will be very easy to overdo and make unwatchable. But, perhaps more characters that are themselves turned up or feuds and rivalries based on realistic situations that can focus on and enhance the in ring ability I don't believe that could hurt this product.  With only 300,000 plus viewers there is an opportunity to grow tna even among the die hard fans and offering a simplier, more direct story with physical and psychological in ring work could bring the wrestling fans back to the brand.
Reports indicate that tna is in a better financial situation than previous times, which is great, they need to spend the added investment money to better the brand.  The production value of the show has to be made better.  People won't care about your product until it seems important and it won't seem important until it looks top notch.  The lighting, the arena, the camera production all have to give off the perception that tna is professional and a big deal because soon enough perception is reality.  So many people trash tna without even watching it anymore because they saw enough of the low rate over produced ridiculousness before that they will always equate that to tna.  Don Draper once said, "if you don't like what people are talking about then change the conversation".  Tna needs to change the conversation and the best way to do this is improve the production by presenting something that people will equate quality with.  Also, the commentary on the impact show is hurting the show. 

DeAngelo Dinero is not a commentator and Josh Mathews cannot lead a team.  He loses control of Pope (who is awful) and comes across like not only does he have something better to do but he might be doing it while announcing.  He is so handicapped by Pope and doesn't have the ability to make the two of them a fluent tandem, his emotion seems so fake and phoned in, he doesn't help the matches flow together to tell a story (in his defense not all matches in tna do that) and from what I understand he is texting and tweeting while doing commentary!  Which is the best way to describe him as a commentator: it seems like he is texting and tweeting during his job; like he is distant and distracted from what he is supposed to be doing and it effects his ability to even sub par work.  But, what are the options at commentator for tna?  I really don't think jim ross is interested but if you wanted to go with an outsider what about Joey Styles?  Styles is a cult favorite who has tons of energy and emotion specializes in calling the action in the ring and lends credibility to the brand.  A Joey Styles commentated show is probably more enjoyable than a non Joey Styles commentated show, especially in tna with a product he can get behind.  Is Mike Tenay still with the company?  Remember that tna had a completely serviceable lead commentator that they put on the shelf for Josh Mathews?  Tenay called the action and led the broadcast in a very safe way but his name and knowledge gave credibility to what you were watching.  He would be an excellent choice especially given the right color man to go back and forth with.  Color commentators?  What about Al Snow?  The guy knows the brand, knows the product, knows the business and has proven he can be a character.  I feel he may not have as many goofy catchphrases as Dinero but can be twice as entertaining and has the ability to offer insight that would add to the match which may help someone get over.  If you wanted to stay in house for a lead commentator why not Jeremy Borash? Borash has a more intimate understanding of the brand than anyone else, he understands the characters, he is a neutral voice who has an inexpiable passion for tna, he can work with almost anyone and does a really good job. 

Jeremy Borash replacing Josh Mathews would be a huge improvement that would make television better but I also bet would get the wrestlers over, stories over and brand over so much more than currently.  If your new broadcast team is Jeremy Borash and Al Snow tna has spent zero extra dollars to improve their show (and they already did it by leaps and bounds) but they have to spend that money on the talent roster.  The roster is not terrible but needs more familiar faces even for the die hard fans and the talent is out there.  Wrestling Observer reported that Cody Rhodes has brokered a deal (not a contract) that allows him to work bot TNA and ROH television.  This is excellent news for fans if tna is not afraid to broker more of these deals, but get them in writing.  If I had my way, which I don't, I would try to convince ROH and TNA to merge; if these two companies combined resources they would have the perfect mix of serious technical grapplers, characters, comic relief and so much athletic talent that the sky could be the limit on the potential that brand could have.  Maybe, with this

Cody Rhodes deal, ROH and TNA would be willing to work together a little bit.  With the addition of Cody Rhodes, recently added Aron Rex (Damien Sandow) I would probably go after wrestlers that have not been with wwe for a little while.  I would look at guys like Carlito, Chris Masters, and people that didn't sign deals with wwe during the CWC (to bolster the x division) offering them non-exclusive contracts so they pay can be less and the talent doesn't feel like they are being slighted.  I would also really try to bring back MVP, I know he left tna for certain reasons, but MVP is a big time talent that has wrestled all over the world for the biggest promotions and has a multitude of knowledge to offer young wrestlers.  He can still work, his name still has a lot of value, he can teach and he does a podcast, the VIP Lounge that gets exposure nationwide.  I would offer MVP the keys to the castle from a future perspective and use him as in ring talent first but try to also transition into behind the scenes production and creative. 

MVP has seen a lot of changes in pro wrestling and seems to be ahead of the curve socially and has a head for the wrestling business.  I would offer a similar deal to Tommy Dreamer suggesting that he wrestle as he wants but would try to transition his house of hardcore as a developmental brand for tna so that they can start creating a farm system to continually build their future.  Dreamer seems like a very smart guy and could offer young up and coming guys seasoning to be ready for the main brand, just like nxt without training wrestlers.  Which leads to bringing back Bully Ray to television being he was the most over character in the last several years.  Give bully the freedom to be Bully Ray and let him end his career as a top guy.  Also, allow the Dudley Boys to create a pipeline from their wrestling school to tna.  It seems to make sense that someone may train at the Dudley's school, gain experience at House of Hardcore and eventually debut in tna already knowing the systems, expectations and nuances of the promotion.  TNA needs to use these veterans in the wrestling world (beyond my few suggestions) as behind the scene decision makers and creative minds because they came up at a time where wrestlers had freedom to learn what worked and what didn't work, had the passengers seat to the decision making and brand building of ecw, wcw and wwe at each brands zenith of success. That is a resource that a lot of wrestlers share and I believe; based on interviews, perspective and reading, that the right guys have the ability to run a successful major wrestling brand.  Tna needs to tap into that to create something special that will pull fans to their product and get they could get behind it.  I would, however, put proven executives in executive non-wrestling positions.
The current creative, production and delivery of the tna brand needs adjusted.  As massive as that sounds i don't think it is far fetched to fix and probably fairly soon.  TNA doesn't really have house shows and only runs one live pay per view a year.  All they have to focus on is television.  So, you refocus the creative on simpler more realistic story that are meant to develop over time and build towards big shows.  Allow certain aspects of the story to live organically and then react to the natural direction that the talent is given the freedom to take it.  Allow the wrestlers to be wrestlers not actors.  Give them bullet points and give them opportunities to get over with the crowd based on who they are and how believable they are.  Giving freedom to wrestlers allows them to sink or swim; work with the sinkers and showcase the swimmers.  Tighten up the in ring action by producing matches that do not push everyone towards crash and burn after crash and burn.  Tna wrestles for the replays when they should be wrestling for the memorable match.  Generate matches that tell stories, create emotion and allow the audience to be invested in everyone involved; not just your move now my move now your move and i dive then you dive and then film it like it is special.  Like every week instead of tuning into a show I am watching an event. Focus on everything making sense and building so by the end of the match the crowd was emotionally invested and want to see the particular performers involved not just any other guy doing flips.  Lastly, tna needs better television exposure!  In the worst way.

  I'm sure there are a lot of people that see pop tv as a good channel but tna needs to be on a reputable network to seem like a reputable wrestling promotion.  I'm glad tna is able to be on tv but if anyone is satisfied with them being on pop tv then that person should be given up on and not part of the future.  Being on that channel is embarrassing, being cancelled by Destination America is embarrassing, and frankly, tna can't afford anymore embarrassment.  Someone should be working around the clock to get on a channel that people recognize that could offer them a good lead in and people are able to find so they can watch regularly.
  If it feels like a big deal then the audience will believe it is a big deal, if the commentators make it sound like a big deal the audience will believe it is a big deal and if the brand makes the fans believe it is a big deal then it will actually be a big deal.  I would build my tv following establishing a firm viewership growth before considering a traveling show but that has to become a goal.  Aside from the revenue source house shows make you seem like a commodity that people are interested in and a great way to gauge the level of interest in performers and stories without crashing and burning on television.  Finally, the ultimate goal has to be getting back to at least quarterly pay per views.  Pay per views that can draw an audience creating a buzz for the next show and the next show.  If in 5 years tna is putting on 12 live pay per views per year and there is interest that would be a true triumph.  Tna success will certainly not happen overnight but the ship needs righted and it doesn't seem that incredibly far fetched that it could happen; but that is just this mark's remarks.

That is just this marks remarks and if you like what I have to say or you would like to tell me what you think please subscribe to this blog, like the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/amarkremarks and follow on twitter @amarkremarks thank you very much and please keep supporting.

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The curious case of brock lesnar

Brock Lesnar is a special attraction in professional wrestling. He is chiseled out of granite, he is a legit bad ass and his performances have a big event feel. Lesnar came on the scene destroying guys left and right throwing around massive men with cat like quickness. His meteoric rise within the ranks of wwe was that of no other man. Brock had the ncaa championship pedigree with Goliath like strength and a George Nada kick ass attitude.
He was clearly the next big thing in professional wrestling. Until, he decided not to be. Lesnar was not suited for road life with all of its ups and downs tempting all of its "demons". So, he quit. Lesnar gave his notice going into a huge match with Bill goldberg, who was also finishing up wwe, at wrestlemania 20. Goldberg versus lesnar was the irresistable force taking on the immovable object but the crowd, knowing both men were leaving, never gave the match a chance and the epic battle that could have been became an infamous gaff at wrestlemania.

Lesnar tried football not playing since high school and was the final cut player of the Minnesota Vikings. He wrestled in Japan with limited motivation and won the iwgp title mainly because of his look and reputation but wasn't long for trips to japan. Then brock lesnar found ufc and even with a debut loss people were pretty certain this guy would find some success inside of the octagon. Lesnar decimated heath hearring, overwhelmed randy couture, destroyed frank mir and withstood Shane carwin.  Brock was chiseled out of granite could seemingly take people down controlling them at will and becoming one of ufc's most marketable stars. Unfortunately, a contest against Cain Velazquez and a very dangerous life threatening battle with diverticulitis ended his mma career. Immediately after brock announced his retirement after a loss to Alistair overeem the buzz began about a wwe return.

Lesnar made a triumphant return to wwe Monday night raw after wrestlemania 29 and has become a destroyer ever since.  He has left superstars like John cena, triple h, the Undertaker,  Roman Reigns and most recently randy Orton in a heap as lesnar stood victorious. In a typical brock lesnar match the crowd goes bananas for the spectacle that is the beast incarnate welcoming his prey to suplex city. Lesnar brings a real feel to each of his matches as was proven when he cut randy Orton wide open, hard way, with a stiff elbow shot. Lesnar, who tried his best to protect Orton left a gash in Randy's head that needed 10 staples to close up. However, the reaction I saw after the summerslam match was a need for something new from brock lesnar. It seemed like people are beginning to sour on the prototypical brock match of suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex, suplex and f5 for the win. Randy Orton is a top star representing one half of the newly separated brands and he got almost no offense what so ever and was made to look like a meager bum against raw's beast. Plus, lesnar then f5'ed the commissioner of the smackdown brand leaving raw to look far superior to the smackdown brand, which needs to appear strong. The question has to be asked is brock lesnar's shelf life coming to an end? If the answer is yes then wwe has to use lesnar's next big time challenge (wrestlemania) as a means to create a new major star. Lesnar had to be signed by wwe with the intention to build a new big time guy, lesnar has been booked starting at wrestlemania when broke the streak to build a new big time guy and a win over lesnar would certainly build a new big time guy. Everyone has a suggestion as to who should receive the big win and I am no different. Seth Rollins is an established top guy, Roman Reigns is an established top guy and with Kevin owens just winning the universal championship he will quickly become an established top guy. I believe the win should be given to someone who can gain the most; a guy who has the experience to handle the big win but is also unestablished to the wwe universe while also being believable and real so that the wwe universe will accept as a legitimate entity. Samoa joe is the best and most deserving challenger to defeat brock lesnar. A motivated joe can be credible, big enough and agile enough to match up with brock making it an epic battle. Samoa joe has the ability to handle the physicality of brock and believability to topple the conqueror. Samoa joe will step directly into the new monster role creating fresh match ups in the wwe with guys joe has already had high profile matches with on the independent and international level. Brock Lesnar does have a shelf life and I believe with his ped usage found in the ufc, the info of his special treatment being discovered as well as his act in wwe reaching a plateau the time to pull the trigger on a lesnar loss catapulting a challenger to the top of the card. Samoa joe is the guy, the time and venue is wrestlemania. The match would be a huge spectacle and the result would help change the landscape of the wwe for the future allowing samoa joe to end his career where he belongs: a top spot on the biggest professional wrestling promotion in the world; but, that's  just this mark's remarks.

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Summerslam preview or what should happen at Summerslam

The wwe is offering us Summerslam next weekend and the card is stacked!  It is expected to be four plus hours of pro wrestling and the matches top to bottom range from should be excellent to at least good.  Summerslam also offers the rare occasion to really elevate some big names into top guy territory with correct booking.  This eleven match card has the potential to really help the wwe landscape and the outcomes necessary to do so seem very possible.
Brock Lesnar vs Randy Orton 15 years in the making:

This is the second 15 years in the making match this year (styles v cena) but wwe is really hyping this up to be an event.  Brock Lesnar should win to stay strong for a more important opponent (see samoa joe) but Randy Orton has to give the perception in this match like he could beat the beast.  I think this match should see your typical lesnar destruction early and have orton be resilient.  Keep fighting and fighting and fighting while lesnar keeps dominating and dominating and dominating.  Everyone loves a hero that never gives up, Orton should build momentum and set Lesnar up for the punt; which would almost certainly put down the conqueror, only to have lesnar catch him with a F5 outta no where for the win.  The announcers must do a terrific job of reminding the audience that Brock Lesnar won but Orton was closer than anyone to beating the beast.  It keeps lesnar strong by winning and destroying Randy but also makes Orton look strong by standing up to Brock and holding his own.  This match should be a win for both men if done right and the announcers tell the right story.
Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor to determine the first WWE Universal champion:

Seth Rollins is the man.  He is great. Probably pound for pound the best wrestler wwe has (or styles or nakamura or... well you get it).  But, as per Raw, tonight will be the debut of Finn Balor's demon king.  He will be dawning his body paint, awesome entrance and his killer instinct.  This means that Finn Balor has to win.  Finn Balor should win.  I think wwe should have saved the debut of "the demon king" for the pay per view but the match will far overshadow the mistakes this build has made. Two guys will become superstars but this is wwe's chance to really create a new top guy in balor and him reigning triumphant will be a great stamp on the "new era" of Monday night raw.
Dean ambrose vs Dolph ziggler for the world heavyweight championship:

Dean ambrose as a champion has made hay as world champion on smackdown live. He has become legitimate and should be seen as a real top guy. Dolph ziggler has been given a second chance of his wrestling career. He went from mid card enhancement to number one contender and I believe people bought into it. I do not see ziggler winning but I see these two guys putting on a very great match. I foresee ziggler putting it all on the line and maybe losing by something that wasn't his fault pushing him to turn heel and becoming a Shawn Michaels type heel that will probably lead to a big time face turn at some point. This match has to be excellent because if Dolph isn't excellent then this storyline doesn't work. Ziggler has the most at stake for this show and I hope he succeeds but if he is just good I think he will fall back to the mid cards.

Sasha banks vs Charlotte for the women's title:
These two ladies put on an excellent television match on raw a few weeks ago. They have excellent chemistry and there was a high level of emotion during that match. I am not sure that they will be able to top their TV match but I am hoping they can at least match it with a different dynamic being that Sasha is the champion. I hope they can have Sasha win while Charlotte stays strong because these two women are the top of the line of that division. If Charlotte wins it opens the door for bayley to debut but Sasha banks is due a long title run so I believe it is her time to retain.
John cena vs aj styles:

John cena doesn't have bad matches on big shows. Summerslam is a really big show. Aj styles is the best wrestler in wwe (maybe the world). This match is going to be incredible. The crowd will be so hot for it, the story is going to be excellent and the in ring will be top notch. The most exciting part of the match is that aj styles will win. John cena is the face that's runs the place who claims the future goes through him; at summerslam he is facing the right guy to beat him. What cena represents as the flag bearer of the company who is ready to pass the torch is finally, after all the attempts and fails (some unreasonable, see bray wyatt) will face the guy who deserves to beat John cena. Aj styles will be crowned the top heel at summerslam when he beats John cena clean in the middle of the ring. Styles should have a break out calendar year starting with summerslam where he will be the top guy on smackdown and it's champion. All of this starts by beating John cena and the crowd will go wild. Oddly enough this will probably also mark the turning point where the fans stop hating John cena for no reason and respect him for what he means to pro wrestling. By him losing to styles the wwe universe will finally praise him for "doing the right thing" even though he has been a positive staple of wwe for years.

Summerslam is a stacked show with very high expectations to be a tremendous show. There should be a lot of positives that come out of this show creating a lot of momentum for wwe moving forward. The only negative of the show is bray wyatt is not featured on the show at all and I really believe the time is now to push him through the roof but I will be happy if wwe does what is needed and summerslam weekend ends with superstars made, elevated and motivated to propel wwe into the new era.

That is just this marks remarks and if you like what I have to say or you would like to tell me what you think please subscribe to this blog, like the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/amarkremarks and follow on twitter @amarkremarks thank you very much and please keep supporting.

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A New Era of WWE or How Wrestling Could Change

The WWE's brand split and roster drafts had come and gone, most people accepted it with little fanfare and focused on how the draft had been done before.  It flopped then and it will flop again they said.  Too many titles they said.  Not enough stars they said.  But, something crazy happened on the way to Monday Night Raw this week.  I was in attendance at the show with my best friend and his 13 year old daughter.  She, so politely, asked me what had been going on because she was more caught up with Total Diva's then the recent episodes of Raw and Smackdown.  As I looked her in the eyes I told her a lie, I told her that this will be different then previous weeks because they separated shows and now there is a Raw roster and a Smackdown roster.  I explained what a great time it was to get back into focusing on the shows because it will be all new.  I didn't believe it would be all new, I kind of expected the same Raw formula from every other week just with less guys.  But, something crazy happened on Raw this week...

 Raw was live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the show delivered.  Big time!  WWE used this brand split as a reset point and in one night laid out major plans for the future of the brand, created a new superstar and solidified a division ready to break out.  It was as impactful a Raw as I can remember in a long time.  Raw commissioner Stephanie McMahon and GM Mick Foley announcing that two fatal four way matches would take place to determine the number one contender to the number one contender Seth Rollins to crown the first ever WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion at Summerslam.  The contestants were announced as Jericho, Cesaro, Rusev, Owens, Zayn, Sheamus, Roman Reigns and then Finn Balor and as he was announced he slid his way from the back of the crowd into the forefront of the stage and there was an eruption in the crowd.  A sensation went over the live crowd as if something special was about to take place.  Finn Balor!?! All of a sudden Raw had a feel like something new was happening.  Now Raw was going to be highlighted by Kevin Owens, Sammy Zayn, and Cesaro combined with the seasoning of Chris Jericho (who has never been better), Rusev and Sheamus.  But, Roman Reigns would clearly be the winner when it was all said and done going on to face Seth Rollins, again, at Summerslam.  Ho hum, the more things change the more they stay the same I guess.  Well, an odd thing happened on the way to the end of Raw this week; wwe did it all correct.  Finn Balor won an excellent four way to earn a spot in the nights main event taking on Roman Reigns.  Here it comes, the match where Reigns beats the new guy and takes his sit on the throne of his own empire.  But, that isn't what happened.  Raw ended with Roman Reigns, the heir apparent, getting pinned clean in the middle of the ring.  Pinned.  Clean.  In the middle.  You could hear the collective breath being taken away from the wrestling die hards and casual fans alike as they had just seen a star created in one night.  A star you could get behind, a change that you could get behind. 

Finn Balor won the main event on Raw over Roman Reigns.  This is the biggest move that WWE could have made to make the statement that they are ready for change.  The future is on its way.  Raw featured four very good wrestling matches all of which had championship ramifications and all of which delivered at a high level.  Raw also peppered in some squash matches to emphasize some of its new, and not ready for prime time, performers as well as entertaining interview segments and for the most part was a home run.  It was a very easy to watch and enjoyable three hours.  However, the Finn Balor stuff may have not even been the best action of the night.

Welcome back to women's wrestling!  Sasha Banks and Charlotte put the new crop of young, beautiful and talented women where they belonged in wrestling on Raw.  Banks and Charlotte had an emotionally charged and action packed wrestling match that solidified a division that is ready to take the next step into not being women's wrestling but just being seen as wrestling!  These two girls, who may be stand outs but are hardly the only capable wrestlers in the women's division, worked so hard while putting their bodies on the line for the sake of women's wrestling.  They were not divas or models or wearing their bras and panties; they were high quality professional wrestlers telling a story in the ring that created a roller coaster of emotion for the WWE universe.  Make no mistake, this was hot shotting a title change to create buzz for Raw's new era, but was the perfect type of hot shot because everything was made better for it.  A ton of eyeballs saw Raw give the deserved time to two women who busted their butts to put on an amazingly entertaining match.  Would the title change have meant more at Summerslam?  Maybe.  But having the women's title change hands like this on Raw may have meant more for the credibility of how WWE sees it's women performers and just how good those performers are. Sasha Banks delivered an emotional promo holding the title after the match and there was no question how much that moment meant to her.

Something awesome happened during Raw last monday.  As I stated I went with one of my best friends and his daughter.  While my friend used to be a die hard he really isn't anymore, his daughter likes wrestling but it is clearly not her life let alone one of her favorite hobbies; but she likes it.  Neither really knew who Finn Balor was, they were only slightly more familiar with Enzo and Big Cass and she is a bigger Total Diva's fan then of a divas revolution.  However, by the end of the show she gladly shouted "new...day rocks", "How you doin'?", she went bananas when Sasha Banks won the title clearly stating she was the boss and by the end of the night this 13 year old girl casual fan knew exactly when to throw her arms in the air like Finn Balor and the rest of the die hard wrestling fans.  She couldn't wait for the next show she could attend as she tried to convince her dad to take her to Summerslam in New York.
The new talent is being showcased on weekly television, there is still a large crop of talent in NXT ready to be added to the main roster (both male and female), most importantly the casual fans and young fans can and will get behind them.  Perhaps WWE is right this is the dawning of a new era; one that satisfies the whole WWE universe.  An era where they have the performers to showcase and the talent all fans can support.  If WWE keeps offering product like this then it will be a great time to be a wrestling fan, but that's just this marks remarks.
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Hogan's Beach Shop / Shrine to the most important wrestler of all time

 I was lucky enough to take two weeks and go on vacation to Florida with family.  So far my wife and I have gone to universal studios, laid by the pool, took in some sights and have eaten well; however, there is no such thing for this mark as a "wrestling free vacation".  I drove over the cosways, past the beautiful landscapes and beach fronts to a dream destination for any true fan of nostalgia and pro wrestling directly to an oversized statue of the immortal Hulk Hogan!  We made our way to Hogan's Beach Shop in Clearwater, Florida and walked into a real life shrine to all that is, was and will be Hulk Hogan. 

Walking in I heard the voice of Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura which pushed my focus to two big screen televisions toward the back of the store playing Wrestlemania III in its entirety.  Before I could give my full attention to Billy Jack Haynes taking on Hercules Hernandez I was engulfed by Hogan memorabilia and history.  Like any beach shop there were a myriad of tee shirts to purchase all in some way related to the hulkster, as a wrestler or beach shop owner, and there were multiple options from Hollywood Hogan to the red and yellow Hulkamania and finally red, white and blue American made Hulk Hogan.  Along the back wall hung every replica belt you could imagine, most signed by hogan himself, as well as a specially made all gold one of a kind title belt made specially for the hulk himself.  There were dvds of "no holds barred" and "suburban commando", weight lifting belts from all eras of Hogan, and a slue of bandanas all to purchase; but the neatest part of the shop was all of the nostalgic wrestling artifacts that surround the store. 

Inside frames were ripped shirts and red knee pads, Hollywood long trunks complete with airbrushed hogan face and even the yellow trunks themselves.  There were autographed personal photos from japan and during Hulk's first huge run in the 80's.  Posters of Wrestlemania 2 and 3 as well a small amount of Andre The Giant stuff all for sale.  Hulk wasn't there at the time but after talking to a very friendly employee he does come in about once a week and is very interactive with the shoppers, Hogan's Beach Shop also donates portions of sales to local and national charities and had just finished a campaign of raising money to help donate prosthetic legs to those in need. 

The absolute coolest thing about Hogan's Beach Shop for this crazy fan was how the worker there, who was very willing to talk about wrestling and the hulkster, was telling me Hogan had just brought in the actual and authentic wwf world heavyweight title used during Hulk's first run as champion, the title that was retired after Wrestlemania 3 when Hogan slammed Andre.  The idea was that Hogan had given it to the Beach Shop to have on display as a specialty feature piece for the shop and the gentleman that ran the place was going to find a frame and place to display it, so unfortunately I was not able to see the belt hanging up.  However, to any wrestling fan of the 1980's or any era the significance of that title, that title run and the culmination of Hogan versus Andre is a huge deal and a major part of wrestling history.  To know that belt will be on display at some point is awesome and really makes Hogan's Beach Shop almost a museum of when professional wrestling changed forever with the cementing of WWF's success and the end of the territory days for good.  Of course, I purchased a number of wrestling and beach shop tee shirts, including a hulkamania sweat shirt, hogan beach shop t and an original nWo tee shirt (because when you are nWo, you are nWo for life) my wife even purchased a hogan against breast cancer shirt and we began to check out.  Proud of myself for not trying to buy everything in the store, including autographed action figures, we only spent about $100.  The very friendly shop worker was very appreciative that we spent $100 next thing I know I am being handed the WWF world heavyweight championship from 1984 to 1987 that Hogan won from the Iron Sheik and last defended against Andre at Wrestlemania 3.  This was the real deal authentic title and I was holding it, he asked that I don't unfold the leather belt but excitedly suggested I take photos with the title. 

I was standing in an almost empty shrine built to memorialize the most important wrestler possibly in history holding a piece of wrestling history that may be more important than any other title in wrestling existence.  Trying my absolute best to not flip out like a kid in a candy store multiplied by a million and I calmly took some photos with the title over my shoulder and around my waist.  In 1987 in front of 93,000 fans filling the Pontiac Silverdome Hulk Hogan slammed Andre the Giant, dropped the big leg and pinned the man who had been undefeated for 15 years.  Hogan celebrated with the sea of Hulkamaniacs and held up his championship belt to signify victory in the biggest wwf wrestling match in history.  That title belt was then "retired" and the "eagle championship" was unveiled. 
Twenty-seven and a half years later that same title belt lay upon my shoulder and then held around my waist.  Very few people can make that statement and I happened to be in the right place at the right time to be able to do it.  The championship belt will now be displayed like an icon of professional wrestling at Hogan's Beach Shop and can be purchased for the retail price of $100,00.00, but for one night I was the WWF world heavyweight champion, at least in my mind and on my cell phone camera. 
Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania may very well be the most important wrestler and wrestling phenomenon in the history of sports entertainment.  With the backing of Vince McMahon and the WWF Hulk Hogan paved the way and became a hero to youngsters all over the world; he then turned his back on the wrestling fan base and recreated himself as Hollywood Hogan and sparked a wrestling war that revolutionized the business yet again.  He then returned to his roots of wwe and challenged The Rock at Wrestlemania 18 and delivered a wrestling experience like no other that brought every wrestling fan back to their nostalgic roots and reignited hulkamania and lead to a final championship run.  Now he acts as an ambassador for sports entertainment and reminds everyone with his trademark mustache, red and yellow and his echo of "brother's", "jack's" and "whatcha' gonna do" why they fell in love with an era of wrestling and a real superhero that everyone believed in and was the first mainstream wrestler to transcend the business into pop culture.  Hulkamania is still running wild and it will forever, brother! That is just this marks remarks.
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hell in a cell highs and lows / where do we go next

 Hell in a cell, which most people expected to be lack luster, was a really good show all around. Nothing on the show was really poor, including the women's matches, and the good at times was really good. As a secondary pay-per-view this show offered some closure, build to the future and an ending that creates intrigue.  I'm going to focus on the three major things that happened, in my opinion, last night that hopefully wwe can build on.
 1. It seemed like last night wwe made the decision to finally give dolph ziggler some credibility! Ziggler defeating Cesaro in 2 straight falls last night was Dolph getting the push ad a bonafide champion and added legitimacy to the intercontinental championship. Not to mention, Dolph ziggler was in an excellent wrestling match against an excellent wrestler where ziggler played the role of vulnerable babyface who wouldn't give up instead of generic hip girator who is lost in the mix. Ziggler can separate himself from the crowd if he utilizes his ability while also becoming the face that is minutes away from death but refuses to lose and give up until the crowd is so behind him that they make him dig down deep and overcome the adversity and pull out victories. This is a time tested formula and ziggler has what it takes to make it work. Hopefully last night was a sign that wwe finally has the confidence to let ziggler live up to his potential.

2. The future is now for Seth Rollins and dean ambrose, from a performance stand point. These two guys are main event ready and they answered the call last night and then some. Rollins and ambrose pull out all the stops at hell in a cell and put on a performance that was at the main event level. I still believe these two guys should be protected a little bit more before they are hoisted to the top tier but Rollins and ambrose has what it takes to be the next major players in the wwe and I believe the fan base can believe them in those roles. Aside from USA, ambrose had the loudest cheers of the night and Seth Rollins had the second most heel heat. The two very capable grapplers walked into hell in a cell with a few question marks mainly being could they carry a show and I believe after all the broken tables chair shots, brawling and psychology the former members of the shield walked out of hell in a cell main eventers.

 3. He's here. Bray Wyatt returned at the ending of the main event of hell in a cell. He had an attention grabbing entrance that created an aura that something important is happening, he had a response that said someone important is returning and he had a "feel" that said the monster heel is here. With all the gimmicks and plunder that was in the ring and after all deal ambrose had gone through it was bray Wyatt's finisher, sister abagail, that put dean ambrose down.

There were slight sounds of people singing "he's got the whole world in his hands" but for the most part it was loud negative boos the type that a top heel should get. The atmosphere at the end of the show was not is he a heel or is he a face, it was not let's get behind this guy because he is cool; the setting was that the most dangerous and unknown heel made his triumphant return and his sights are set on dean ambrose.
No matter the direction of the current feuds or what rivalries begin there will be no more interesting or entertaining than bray Wyatt versus dean ambrose. The promos alone will be electric. The groundwork for the landscape of wwe's future is being laid and hopefully bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, dean ambrose and Dolph ziggler are major parts of that future.

 Finally, the rusev versus USA battle that is taking place has some serious legs. The crowd is invested and rusev and Lana are holding up their end of the bargain. However, for this battle to truly reach its appex there is only one man that should finally be able to stop rusev and defend the honor of america. If the only Olympic gold medalist in professional wrestling was able to return to the wwe lower the straps and defend our country against the ravishing Russian and the Bulgarian brute the crowd would go bananas and these storyline would be as hot as anything wwe can produce right now! Wwe should be doing their best to make it happen; it's true, it's damn true.

That is just this marks remarks and if you like what I have to say or you would like to tell me what you think please subscribe to this blog, like the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/amarkremarks and follow on twitter @amarkremarks thank you very much and please keep supporting.

Road to Hell in a Cell / What should happen on Raw

 Hell in a Cell is two weeks away and the card for the show is taking shape.  The card features at least two Hell in a Cell cage matches, which is always an attraction, plus matches that will continue to build storylines as wwe heads toward the end of the year.  The Hell in a Cell pay per view is one of many "big shows" that is headlined by a gimmick match before the participants or purpose is known, which leads to many issues with the current product, but the gimmick match in this particular show usually produces some really good matches.  However, the idea of Hell in a Cell the match was created to lead to a finality to a strong rivalry; the first version being The Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels with the debut of Kane many many years ago.  WWE has produced a laundry list of memorable moments inside (and outside) the cell including Mankind being throw off and through the cell, Mick Foley's first attempt of retirement at the hands of Triple H, The bloody war between The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar and so many more. 

Hell in a Cell was created so that the simply saying the words Hell in a Cell made the crowd go crazy and the expectation of the match rose higher, now; wwe has a pay-per-view designated to always having that "special" match.  The result of this show is that the cell is no longer "special" at all.  The match was determined before the participants are which makes Hell in a Cell just another match, further emphasizing this point is the second bout held in the cell being John Cena versus Randy Orton.  Sure, Orton and Cena have a long storied history with each other but this match was made last week on Raw on the premise that whomever doesn't get to wrestle Seth Rollins challenges Randy Orton; so there is no score to settle or grudge to finish, just a match that was made to be contended inside the confines of Hell in a Cell.  So what is more important, the match or the feud? 

I would suggest the obvious answer should be the grudge.  The rivalry should be so heated that the only way to settle differences is by locking the hated combatants inside satan's playground; a bitter feud needs Hell in a Cell, it shouldn't be that Hell in a Cell needs participants.  That is why gimmicky pay-per-views, except Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank, should be eliminated.  This would make stipulation matches seem much more important and mean something to a storyline, instead of crow-baring  a special match into a storyline whether needed or not.  So how can Hell in a Cell be made important?

 First, do something to make Seth Rollins versus Dean Ambrose in a cell must see.  Dean Ambrose is a loose cannon not a cartoon character; he must be treated as such to make him reach his potential.  Not pushing a hot dog cart or magically appearing at ringside but Dean Ambrose needs to be the lunatic fringe that Seth Rollins fears being locked into a cell with.  Seth Rollins doesn't have to get beat up or embarrassed or have gak poured over his head; he needs to be the chicken-shit heel that he can be and get chased down by the brash psychotic Ambrose so that you, the fan, can't wait for Ambrose to finally get his hands on Rollins.  This feud which was very hot for awhile fizzled slightly with Ambrose taking time off and Cena being inserted into it but I believe can be re-energized quickly.  The only question is can a Dean Ambrose versus Seth Rollins headline a wwe pay-per-view?
Secondly, how can you inject some excitement into another John Cena versus Randy Orton match that was really thrown together hap-haphazardly? 

I would include the return of Bray Wyatt into this match where Wyatt and his family produces a vignette that says he will be at Hell in a Cell, he will be in the cell and he will bring down the status quo.  Three weeks of Wyatt taped promos has brought the Wyatt Family back to relevance and hopefully wwe won't allow him to falter again.  Best way to catapult Bray Wyatt to the top?  Insert him into the conclusion of John Cena and Randy and have him leave both men laying.  This will create intrigue as to who he wants to take on and allows Bray Wyatt to be what he is best at: chaotic.  There are less than subtle hints that Randy Orton may be turning baby face and perhaps him taking on Bray Wyatt would be a good first feud and allow Bray Wyatt to cement himself as a legit heel, which based on the video packages is where he is headed.  I believe Bray Wyatt is something special and John Cena or Randy Orton would not be hurt being used as his return to the wwe universe.

 Thirdly, make the secondary matches mean something.  This is the first major show where Brock Lesnar is not defending his wwe world heavyweight championship but there will be titles defended.  Why not make Dolph Ziggler versus Cesaro be important?  Why not hype the idea that the intercontinental title is a major title and two incredibly gifted athletes will belt for the championship?  Ziggler and Cesaro give this card the ability to have an excellent high caliber match that should have people on the edge of their seats from a wrestling perspective, which would be different from the two main attractions.  The same can be said for the tag team title match they should have. 

What is the negative of promoting a tag match that is almost certain to entertain the fans?  The tag team division is a missed opportunity at such a high level because tag team wrestling, even simple tag team wrestling, is so fun to watch.  It is wrestling by the numbers almost every time but the tag team formula is a proven winner and leads to exciting well paced action that typically is a crowd pleaser.  Throw in the soap opera of the Bella twins, decent female wrestling with

A.J and Paige, Rusev's next battle and this show should be pretty good, but is it important?
The problem with the current landscape of professional wrestling, not just wwe but all of professional wrestling, is that nothing really seems important.  This is a major issue especially with the advent of the wwe network and how reliant wwe's success is on the network.  WWE needs to create subscribers and their strategy is by reminding you of the cost, at no end, or by pushing the app or this or that to create interest; however, the best way to create subscribers or product interest is by producing "must see" programming.  All of the boom times in pro wrestling as started with high quality programming involving larger than life characters creating entertaining, intelligent and enthralling storyline that leads to dramatic, athletic and action packed matches.  The product creates the interest; the product has always created the interest and the interest and fan base builds based on the quality of the product.

 In closing, Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, Raw, Smackdown, Main Event and all wwe brand shows have to start feeling important again.  The fan base should be made to feel that cannot miss the next show or the one after that and no way are they missing a pay-per-view. 

The product should be so good that a wwe fan doesn't need to be reminded that there is a wwe network, or wwe has an app or they need to log on to wwe.com; the product should be so good that the fan base can't wait to log on to the website, should be viewing the app during the live weekly shows and watching the wwe network whenever time allows and for every pay-per-view. 
The price shouldn't make the wwe network a no-brainer, the content should.  And, it does; the network is awesome and is a dream come true for any wrestling fan but it is great because of the content not because of the stupid banter between michael cole, jbl and jerry lawler on a weekly basis.