Boris asked me so you shall recieve.
I am actually really torn about Angle's shocking arrival in TNA. I have so many thoughts on it so expect this to be meandering. There is a point in here, I promise. Angle gives TNA INSTANT credibility. They are billing him as arguably the most popular and best wrestler today. Hell, I don't know if I can fully deny that myself. He is a name to catch the WWE fan's attentions. He is a name big enough for Spike to open time slots for a longer show. He is big enough to compete... eventually. No way TNA will instantly draw 3.0's or anything but with a better and longer time slot, why not? Angle has so many fresh match ups in TNA as well. He's maybe the best 'heavyweight' to put against cruisers as proven with Rey and everyone else. He's mega competitive, intense. He's the best wrestler ever in this short amount of time. Him being there should excite every wrestling fan.
However, everyone thinks otherwise it seems. Everyone is down on him. Why? Because he worked us all? I think it's fucking awesome he and TNA did. When was the last time you were legitimately shocked in wrestling? The internet gives everything away and for once worked against the fans. Why be insulted? Be appreciative that you can enjoy it the way you were meant to. Why not just read the script of a movie before you go see it? We were all worked and I, even as a worker, love it.
There are questions about his health. How is he? We can only speculate and draw upon news sources about him. Yeah, he shows signs of deteriorating health but how bad is it really? We read everything 5th hand. I hope it's not true at all and he works out in TNA. I hope he can get over addictions and physical troubles working a lighter load in TNA. Let's face it, TNA even with occassional house shows works a TON lighter schedule then the WWE or Japan tours. If anywhere, TNA is the best place for him.
MMA? Another matter altogether.
MMA will be the end of Angle's credible career. His whole persona and character is based around being this unbeatable machine. What if he gets beat in MMA? What if he gets beat handily? Over, just like that. At the best he'll get put against some schlub no one knows and it won't matter a lick if he wins. No one will remember the guy he beat. Everyone wants to see him against the best and against them he has no chance right now. Not a chance. He WAS a medalist... ten years ago. That's like saying Wayne Gretzky could come in and be the best in the league. He wouldn't. Not even close. He hasn't trained MMA, an entirely different monster from what he has been doing. He doesn't have enough time between now and December to do so. He could certainly knock some rust off but how much? He'll face Akebono, way bigger then him or Brock Lesnar, someone who's been training for a while more with the Miletich camp. Angle could potentially lose against either. Hell, I would wager to say against Lesnar he'd be an underdog and he's not a striker, what would he do against Akebono? MMA equals his career death.
People need to seriously give it a chance. Quit jumping on the bandwagon and being a detractor. The internet wrestling community really pisses me off. It's the biggest bandwagon anywhere in the world. Everyone has to like the same guy, the flavor of the week. It's so aggravatingly elitist. Ugh.
Onto other things...
I am finally getting Japanese wrestling. Yeah, I've watched it forever but after watching a Hashimoto/Hase match from 94 it all clicked. People bitch about the no selling in puro. Guys will pop up from a suplex or slam and get right back into it? What about the strike exchanges? No one bitches about the no selling in that. From personal experience kicks hurt more then a suplex. :) The match, btw? Fucking brilliant. Hase was such a king.
RAW is boring. Same crap each week. BORING
Smackdown has King Booker and his court, therefore I can't help but smile.
TNA has Angle and a PPV in Detroit. Awesome.
PZW is going to dominate Alberta wrestling. Yeah. So there.