Comments on: Kim Couture and Tara: MMA Comes to TNA… But Should It?

By: JohnHype

JohnHype — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:05:53 +0000

Ask the average MMA fan what wrestling company Tito Ortiz and Frank Trigg appeared for. Half will say, “They were on wrestling?” Most of the other half would guess, “WWE,” and these guys are much bigger names than Kim Couture.

These things didn’t create buzz because, unless you’re a wrestling fan, you don’t really know or care what TNA is, and the problem is worse when you’re using someone who is not an established MMA fighter. No MMA fan is going to pay to see Kim Couture pretend to fight when most aren’t going to pay to see her have a real fight.

I think Kim is awesome, but unless you are doing this angle with Carano or Cyborg it’s a waste of time and money. Even then, it would probably be a waste unless you were doing it in WWE.

By: ScottL

ScottL — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:58:00 +0000

It’s too early to tell what’s going to happen, but why would we assume that this is gong to be a pro wrestling angle? Kim Couture has ties to Strikeforce, as does Bobby Lashley. Maybe this will be a cross-promotion for a real MMA fight: promoted on TNA, fought for Strikeforce on Showtime and some kind of financial deal. Part of Tara’s appeal to Couture and any MMA promoter would be the potential of bringing wrestling fans in as viewers. And if Tara wins (I have no idea how good Kim C. is), maybe a high-profile fight with the Queen Bee of Team Couture: Gina Carano. Normally a fighter with one bout wouldn’t get that fight, but again, Tara has cross-promotion appeal.

By: shannymac

shannymac — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:24:08 +0000

I hate to disagree, but I do not see this going well at all. TNA has tried to mix MMA and wrestling before, and it was a disaster. Granted, the fact that Tara has actual MMA training would make the fight better. However, wrestling fans to buy their tickets and tune in to watch wrestling. If they wanted to watch MMA, they would. I’m sorry, but I just see the fans shitting all over this if/when it happens.

By: adifferentsame

adifferentsame — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:03:29 +0000

So here’s my concern. While Kim Couture’s shoot style involvement was cleverly handled, attracting a surplus of attention to a match that may have otherwise gone unnoticed, people should be seriously considering what this means for Tara. Couture is not going to be a long term prospect for TNA; Tara is. But somehow I doubt Couture would have agreed to anything unless it meant she was going over Tara. I say this because I assume her credibility means a lot to her. Of course, TNA could becomes a vehicle for a real MMA contest between the two women. If their clash is ultimately scripted by TNA, I just don’t see how Couture is going to come off worse. After all, the WWE paid Floyd Mayweather millions for Big Show to job to him. What I have a problem with is that ODB was more or less a bit part in the feud that everyone has been wanting to see: Tara vs Awesome Kong. Couture’s unexpected arrival now puts paid to those plans, while ODB’s retain of the title seems meaningless. So far into her first championship, ODB seems to have no presence whatsoever.

By: TNAFan80

TNAFan80 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:22:05 +0000

Isn’t it a bit early for us to be judgmental regarding an angle before we actually know/see what comes of it? It could lead to a cross-promotional event with Strikeforce for all we know, and wont even end up in a TNA wrestling ring. It could lead to TNA/Strikeforce working together to co-promote a MMA event on NBC later this year that would feature Bobby Lashley and Tara.

I do agree with that that it seems TNA is putting stock into Tara, as they are willing to build her as something other then just a wrestling Knockout!