TNA producer Eric Bischoff was on Monday Night Mayhem this past week to discuss a host of topics including the future of the Knockouts division. He says:
We got hit with a rash of injuries a few weeks ago, along with some contractual issues. But I think what you are going to see is the Knockout division getting back on track in very short order. Everyone in TNA is proud of the Knockouts division, and I look at the division and look at anything else that has been done before, I think the Knockout division is consistently one of the better women’s divisions that I’ve ever seen in any promotion. I think there is a lot of commitment to it, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
I’m not sure that Eric has been watching some of same product that we have been watching. The number of great TV matches has dwindled this year and I can only think of two off the top of my head. Last year, we were getting some pretty good, memorable and fresh matches on a consistent basis on Impact; Hamada vs Daffney, Alissa vs Tara etc. Now? Not so much.
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17 Comments
i think he means its gonna get better or hes lying but they do have really talented woman who can wrestle but there wasting most of them …
Things started going downhill long before the many injuries started happening. Its TNAs fault that they dropped the ball and let Alissa Flash, Kong and Tara go. And the fact that the entire division has been revolving around nothing but The Beautiful People for the past three months is really boring. Where the hell is Hamada? Why werent they using Daffney properly before she got injured? Biscoff, Hogan and Carter have put the KOs on the back burner. Why are they surprised that the product is now what it used to be?
*not what it used to be* I meant to say
I consider this to be good news considering Eric Bishoff is not a fan of women’s wrestling.
The Knockouts Division was probably doomed to fail because they built it around two people: Awesome Kong and Gail. They had some really good matches.. But they probably did more harm than good because they set the bar really, almost unreasonably high for the other women at the time. Especially since the majority of TNA fans demand more out of their wrestlers than stuff that would get you over in the WWE, like I dunno, promos and characters.
So, when Gail left the mighty dollar, they kept trying to recreate that level of matches. Taylor failed. Christy failed. ODB failed. Tara failed. The only one that had matches with Kong that were memorable by most fans was Angelina Love.. And it wasn’t because she was coming at Kong at all angles. That chick was running away from Kong.
Kong stopped being the main focus when Tara came in. Which, I think was probably the worst thing that has happened to the Knockouts. I will never be against centering a division around someone if they have the charisma, “interest” factor, and can put on matches that most want to see. I think Tara, who did everything she did the WWE but lost more than win, proved she isn’t someone you revolve a title around. If I am wrong, look back at how many people went “It was a good match up on paper, but something seemed off about it. idk.”
I think the future looks bright for the Knockouts. It is centered around an act that you are always going to get consistency from. Velvet is going to scream and run. Madison is going to scream and wrestle. Lacey is going to.. Well, Lacey is a special case. (haha) They still have two people who have proven they can display characters in Love and Daff, whom were injured when they taped last month. They just brought in someone with likability (which is something a lot of faces totally ignore for some reason). And you got the generic “great indy wrestler #432, #4624, #821″ to back them up.
I think the majority of the issues with the Knockouts come from the people watching it. For the first time, there’s a women division that put more focus on character than their technical wrestling skills. Which will help them in the long run because there’s only so many times you can see the same moves over and over and over and over before you go “Is that all s/he can do?” Plus, the division is constantly switching main players.. Something WWE fans aren’t used to. lol
*When Gail left for the mighty dollar. haha
I suck at writing.
But I still think the future looks bright. It just sucks that TNA spends so much time in one or two characters, only to have them no be patient enough to wait for more money. I guess that why I was disappointed when Traci was left go. She waited so long for a chance to wrestle but nothing.
i really hope that turn out for thr best i mean they have the most athlatic women ever but if they use them in a proper way it might get back on track and pay some good cashthey should know that when they lost the best women they have gail kim and tara
Well, TNA is looking to sign Mickie James, and Katie Lea Burchill, i read that on wrestlingepicenter.com and when Sara Del Ray wrestles one there house show, this summer, they will be watchin her very closly as well,
and as far as, wrestling wise, ODB, Hamada, Taylor Wilde, Sarita, Daffney contracts are all up very soon, but Rosie and Chelsea have signed contracts and will be around for a while, and what about Santana G, what happened to her
im sorry but for ebmich to say that tara wasnt memorable……(slaps forhead)
she has a cage match, first blood match and a career vs title match… she has proved that she still has the “it” factor in wrestling after WWE failed to notice her skills…
but i do agree with the fact that when the knockouts first started that they raised the bar too high and the knockouts nowadays havent either been used properly and the ones that have havnt done an excellent job………………
The knockouts haven’t had the same level of excitment since Gail, Roxxi and Shelly where all in it. That first proper year when the knockouts division started it was amazing, everything about it was new and all the characters had their own personalities and strenghts. Then Gail left and they lost their way for a while.
They had a good run after that with girls like Angelina, Roxxi and Kong doing their best to keep the knockout division interesting. Tara had a good run and although she was not on her A game all of the time, she did great and really helped the division out. Tna have Hamada, Sarita, Daffney and the list goes on. They need to put their heads down and start using these women right. Tna really are idiots sometimes.
I wouldnt include Shelly, haha, but the knockouts division def hasnt been the same since Gail, left,. But i still say my favorite time for the knockouts was in the early 2003, to late 2004, with the Desire Vs Trinity feud, and the Desire and Goldylocks feud, Traci and Trinity, WWE’s Barbara Bush was there, the group Bitch Slap, Alexis Laree was there and others as well, loved it then
“she has a cage match, first blood match and a career vs title match… she has proved that she still has the “it” factor in wrestling after WWE failed to notice her skills…”
- It took months for most people feuding with Kong to get the slightest advantage and yet, Tara cut down Kong like a hot knife through butter. For such a “dream” match up, it wasn’t a big deal. After Tara flopped onto of Kong in that cage match, she moved right along to the next.. Which, I think the general consensus is that feud was not good.
- That first blood match was more like “Daff gets a deep paper-cut”. It is a shame that Daff brought all the tools (decent wrestling moves, promos, character & willingness to get over) only to run into that brick wall that was Tara’s booking.
- And career vs title matches only have purpose of the winner’s star power increases aka that mythical idea of giving a rub to someone. Madison’s importance is probably the same as it was before that much.. Outside of people going “Gawd, she’s such a weak booked champion.”
If anyone has brought or watch a show just to see these matches, please let me know. You can blame the booker all you want, but they can’t control everything that goes on in the match.. Only what goes into why there was a match.
Again. I think the majority of the Knockouts come from picky fans who are used to what the WWE does for their Divas. The Knockouts have various styles, various characters, and switch who is the main focus every 1-3 months. But I guess just like with the WWE, people expect TNA to use women who can execute moves well, but have little to no natural charisma or personality instead of the prettier, more likable women.
Obviouisly Bishoff is seeing another division. I don’t think I would go out of my way and say that the TNA knockout’s division is the best women’s division. It is pretty much on the same level as Smackdown. The knockout division has been bad for awhile. What Bishoff needs to do is push the right women. I hope things change with the knockouts, but I won’t get my hopes up. Just have to wait and see what happens.
yeah yeah yeah! he dont know what he is talking about they seem like they dont care about the knockouts!
The Knockout division has been going downhill but I still think it’s head and shoulders above anything WWE has going on, iMo. WWE’s been stepping it up with Lay-Cool and it’s about doggone time that TNA gets on track. I said “division” before, for TNA, but their “division” is basically The Beautiful People and the people they get to play off of them. I hope Bischoff isn’t just speaking out of his behind and that they will actually DO something to change things for the better with the Knockouts.
Actions scream at the top of their lungs in both ears louder than words. And they’re saying he’s a fucking misogynist liar who has done everything in his power to burn a shining jewel to ash.
What a Load of Crap Eric !!! The Knockout’s Champion Madison Rayne regulated to a 2 minute title defense against Taylor Wilde via the Internet. Way to push the ladies their Eric !!! To top things off Roxxi/Rosa Lottalove vs The Beautiful People is edited out of this weeks Impact. But Uncle Eric is going to bring the Knockout’s Division back to Prominence like it was in 2008- early 2009. Once a Con-Man always a Con-man ! Keep lying to the wrestling fans that you hate, but pay your FUCKING SALARY. TNA aka WCW 2.0 is going downhill and will be out of business by 2012 with the Current Creative Direction. Wake Up Dixie Carter and Take your Company Back !
TNA isn’t pushing HAMADA cuz dosn’t speak English.