WrestleMagic Team Talks TNA

Hello, listeners, This is Rocky Tee here with the Wristometric crew. The
gardener Michael Grocer's with me, just incredible, was here with us and we
are here on a Saturday night with a quick whistlemetch bite. Mister Gardner called
me today and you know, he had something in his mind he wanted to
talk about. And I'm gonna ahead and let him and introduce that to you
right now, Gardner, how you doing? I'm doing great? First of
all. Also, PJ, you might know him, is just incredible.
I know him, PJ, and he's a friend of ours. How are
you doing. I'm doing great, body, How are you not that at
all? Thank you for asking. So there's been a lot on my mind
lately as far as the whole NXT working agreement with TNA. Now nobody from
TNA is going to the main roster is doing that kind of a jump,
and they don't have that kind of working relationship. However, during the Vince
McMahon regime, you would never have this kind of working relationship. They stop
this in the early eighties when Vince Senior was working with the NWA and Dusty
and Bruno and things like that. So right now we are seeing something that's
very revolutionary to what the WWF slash WWE brand and company is. We are
seeing working agreements. These are very important, and we're seeing a lot of
talent that I feel might be being groomed to come to WWE. And before
that it would be contract tampering. However, if you have a working agreement,
it's not contract excuse me, tampering. If somebody's in the locker room
and people are just kind of talking about things, so I'm wondering, why
would somebody release somebody as important as Dolf Zigler, and why somebody as important
as Dolph Zigler being to a company not signed with the second biggest company,
but the younger child that could never the little engine that can never make it
over the hill in TNA, And all of a sudden, a lot of
talented people are starting to sign with TNA, and I'm wondering, is this
a gateway? Is something going on or could WWE perhaps be purchasing TNA from
Anthem or are they using the talent that they jettisoned off there specifically theoretically to
try to find people like Moose, to try to find people like Joe Hendry,
who's over, way over. So I want to get the ideas of
first, PJ. We're going to start with you because you know Vince,
you know WWE, and you know politics. So what is your aspect on
this? Yeah, this is I mean certainly not as it's complex, for
sure, But I don't think it's anything as crazy as speculative as many people
may think. I honestly believe because I know for a fact that Tommy Dreamer
is you know, one of the heads of TNA, you know, And
what's the other guy that the Canadian guy that help helps run it there with
anthem? Oh well, the more they fired him like Scott Demats, Oh
yeah, he's been fired for a while. Okay, So well, I
mean, at least I know Tommy Dreamer has connections to the WWE. At
least I know that he's always been very friendly and has you know, maintained
very good working relationships, so you have that. I just think it's something
more along the lines of I think they feel that both sides can benefit greatly.
I think it benefits NXT for example, using guys like they have and
with some of the ladies from uh, you know, TNA obviously on their
shows, and it just it just shows, you know, because the Internet
wrestling community has become a very big part of professional wrestling, and I think
it's ww's way of embracing it in some term. It does. It's not
a direct competitor. We well know that, so I just think it's a
it's just a cool little way to to to get in the business and to
to make things happen for everyone. And I think TNA, although whilst I
owe, I still believe and I don't know much of the inner workings,
but I still believe it'll becoming it. It will be an independent, you
know entity. It could still benefit both WW and TNA could benefit in having
this open relationship. I don't think it hurts anybody. I think everybody benefits.
And it keeps things exciting too, you know, keeps us talking.
It's good for business, and I mean, at least that's what I see
from now, you know. So what do you think Rock Superstar? So
you bring up dolphins being that that bridge, and you know, that's something
that I hadn't ever thought about. But when you said that, it they
made me think of something and that was something that I had never seen before.
And this was two years ago. Twenty twenty two, a TNA women's
wrestler re debuted in WW in the Women's Word Rumble, and that was Mickey
James. But what was significant about this is that she was the Impact Women's
Champion. So there had been there's been for years now something in the works
now you know, or quote unquote forbidden door here. So we're starting to
see more people come over now to the NXT and they're making the impact there
and that is helping NXT beat AW in the ratings. So there's a lot
of significance here, the cross promotion, you know, the legacy and the
respect her partips the patient. It emphasized her legacy and wrestling you know,
as a well respective figure and she's made you known impact in both in both
companies. So now we're seeing other vestors who have made an impact in WW
who are now in Teenaate Likedolf and now he's making in legacy there. So
there's lots of unfold here. There is a lot to unfold. And uh
so I put it to you guys, first of all, if you're WWE
and you're using this open door policy, so you can't tamper with contracts.
However, people can talk somebody's changing next to you and you would know about
this. PJ with might say, hey, over here, we make this
much. So do you feel that that's kind of like a not contract tampering,
but you know there's an inference, let's put it that way, insider
trading, Yes and so? And who would you go after because me,
I know that they've been after Moose for a long time. And I think
that the fact that that that Triple H was not high on Eddie Edwards a
long time ago would put him on a back burner. But I'm starting to
see a lot of people come back to TNA that were there before took big
hiatus. Is like Sammy Callahan, who I think has a lot to offer
for w w E because his is NXT run. You know, Slomon Crow
was garbage, and I there are people I think that they could or Eric
Young. They hired him in secret over a year ago and then let him
go because Vince McMahon was back in power. Now Vince McMahon's not out of
power theoretically, but everybody has seen something in Eric Young and that man.
There's there's very few people who do comedy and do straight Kurt Angle Eric Young
and that's about it. So what do you guys think. I think there's
certain things that go without saying. I would almost bring it to like how
Paul even dealt with WWE in ECW. You know, there were certain guys
that were off limits to WWE. You know, it's like listen, i
can give you the Dudley Boys, but I'm not going to give you a
fan damn kind of thing. And I think it's one of those things where
I think, you know, TNA the head brass, like, look,
you can't have this guy, or you cannot have this guy, you know
what I mean. And it's sort of that kind of working relationship where neither
participant is going to kind of stray from that, you know, a friend,
you know what I mean. It's almost like, look, don't mess
with this, you don't mess with that, and but we could play in
this little sandbox here. Sort of that thing I think is going on,
and that happens a lot in wrestling. You know. It's almost like,
look, there's certain things that are beyond contracts that we're just not going to
mess with, you know what I mean. You know that's still lit.
Old school stuff still exists. So what do you think rock Well, I
was just doing a little of research here while you guys were talking there in
Pro Fight will Select. You know, since NX and TENA started collaborating,
fans have been buzzing just about all the cossover potentials and like you mentioned,
they've been after Moose for a while. We've seen TENA Knockouts World champion Jordan
Grace already compete there, and we know that their rumors are out there about,
you know, trying to get Moose to WW. That's that's not a
secret. So I think that well, based on what he a little quote
from what he said right here, I don't know much about it, but
I'd be happy to get an opportunity. I would give one hundred percent of
my best effort. So there's definitely the interests of those TEENA starts wanting to
get to that bigger station in WWE. I mean, who wouldn't, right,
But the potential for WWE to just acquire TA as a whole, I
mean that can tens could be another talent poll for them, that little roster
there will be you know, an extra developmental system they could use, the
additional development territory providing more platforms for for training and you know, for the
future stars. The historical storylines that WW could incorporate with teen A storylines would
create the intriguing crossover angles and the nostalgic moments for us, like the longtime
fans that we are. The intellectual property that WWW would gain as the rights
for TEENA, all that intellectual property they could use, the trademarks, the
logos, the merchandising opportunities, uh, just enhancing the commercial offerings, just
so much more that they could do, uh you know, market expansion,
just the just the library alone. Just imagine the the I'm gonna go off
a little bit on the side, imagine all of the video packages we could
get of age Styles, for example, from the start, from his teenage
days at WWE and that retirement the Hall of Fame. But he is eventually
going to get Joe Like, yes, unsung hero right there. There's a
lot, there's a lot of people that they could really you know, capitalize
on this, like people who've ever seen a w W ree I mean,
Joseph Park did you know as as aj Styles interviewer before they got almost So
here's what I see with this is the fact that like when Vince was in
charge. He didn't want Triple Ah springing indie people like who were sensations.
That's how we got our Gargano's and our Champas and everybody else. He didn't
want that anymore. And then when he jettisoned all that, he jettisoned Steve
William Regal and then they brought Sean Michaels in, and then it was going
to be this whole you know, let's bring in real athletes from colleges and
everything else. Well, how well have they worked out? I'll wait for
yeah, yeah, because almost how well is he doing? Has anybody seen
him? Should we put like a nine to one one, like an apbe
on him? Because that was going to be the next big giant. So
you all of a sudden realize when somebody else comes in who had that vision
like Triple H did with the I mean he all he was doing was what
Vince did in the eighties. He would buy up two stars who were rivals
from independent scenes. Champa Champa and Gargana are a great example, and so
is Sammy's Ain and Kevin Owens, Kevin Stein and l Generico. They worked
together. They knew it. So you could put it on a big stage.
So now you have TNA. These guys have been working together forever,
They've established something, and wrestling fans are down to the hardcore wrestling fan.
I believe at this point they are no longer smart and you know whatever else.
I mean, Yes, I went to a SmackDown that was embarrassed to
be next to the human beings I was next to because they were really dumb.
But brass tacks and baseball bats. Let's get down to it. We
are a breed that is at it's all time lowest on viewership. So if
you have something that was hot in some other place, you bring it in
here to the biggest show, at the biggest stage that you can. And
I think that's what's going on with this. And I think like Joe Hendry
is a great person to personify the spotlight on this guy is so over.
It's like when Adam Cole came out for the Royal Rumble and they said Vince
McMahon didn't believe he would get a pop and the whole place cheered his name.
So, PJ, what could you say about something like that? Well,
I mean, you know, I've always believed in that power of you
know that that impact that you know, that certain whether it's it's comes from
an independent source or just a generic what's going on underneath the surface thing,
and it happens less and less now, I believe it or not. That's
something we all believed AW could be and obviously it came to show that it
could not. NXT's has done a good job of keeping that excitement and you
know, some of those wrestlers on the cusp of that. I still think
that there's a great opportunity for growth there, you know, I really really
do. I think I think with Joe Henry, especially the time is now.
I mean, this kid is fantastic. And that's the thing is that
if you wait too long to to you know, whether it's with TNA or
NXT or however you're going to promote him, I think you have to kind
of pull the trigger before you let this thing because sometimes you wait too long,
right, and whatever that special thing is loses its grip. So hopefully,
you know, I don't know if they're going to do it. I
would love I would like it if TNA did it independently of n XT.
I don't think n XT deserves to have you know, Joe Hendry kind of
blow up on their channel. I think it's a missed opportunity for TNA,
but hopefully they could do something quickly within the next month or so, because
you know it's going to happen and hopefully they can capitalize them. Interesting rock
Uh, Well, you know, seeing John I want to see him twice,
right, he just debuted what was on the eighteenth. This is proof
of the partnership with TNA. I mean, we know what's happening. Everything's
unfolding here. Uh, the guy has the charisma. I'm interested to see
what he has to bring. I'm interested in to see who's next, Who's
who's who else is going to be part of that partnership. Well, I
don't know what's the next talking point that you had for this topic. Well,
I mean, if if you really want to go into it, is
like, let's let's look at the Rascals. They reunited. Okay, that
that's a really big thing because you know what, one member had some allegations
against him. Let me looked at it real quick. Yes, and okay,
so PJ real quick. So you know one member of the Rascals,
they're known as MSK because you have to rename everybody. Wesley was going to
retire or he didn't know what to do. So they bring in the other
two guys, especially Trey Miguel, which is the only guy who never signed
over to WWE, and they come out, they do all their old Rascal
stuff. They're wearing Rascal gear except for Wes Lee, and that was kind
of a special moment. I thought, Okay, like this is really cool,
Like I really enjoyed it. But I can't remember what was Wentz.
I think that had allegations against him from his girlfriend of abuse and things like
that. This this bringing somebody back to TV like that is almost like bringing
back Marty Skull to TV. Not quite that level, but I mean,
when you have like allegations against you, even if you're innocent, it doesn't
matter. So this is a big thing. This is a really big thing.
And so I loved their whole segment. I love what they did,
and honestly, I mean, this is building towards something bigger and those are
TNA guys. And something else I noticed is like when they did that,
they showed the TNA logo at the bottom of the screen. That is really
big. So if they don't have their hand in their pocket. Come on,
I didn't see the TNA logo. Yes, I did watch that episode
of TENA, but I was here doing stuff. It was also in the
background. But yes, to confirm their allegations. That was in April twenty
two when Winz was fired by WW because of those allegations. After that he
returned to the Indies. He would rejoin Reid and Miguel and they would go
back to the TNA and twenty twenty three and then they reunited under the Rascal
banner then and then recent you know, they just re debuted an NXT.
So but I might go back and look at that teenage logo. That's that
is big because now they're doing cross brand promotion. Yeah. But when logs,
yeah, yeah, they said the Rascals, and I believe it said
TNA. I have a pretty sharp memory, so you know, I do
remember back to nineteen seventy seven. So you know, you know what my
first memory was. You'll love this PJ. You want to know. Yeah,
So I was on a farm in New York, my grandfather's farm,
and I stuck my finger in a mousetrap and my family thought I was special
because I didn't make any sound. I just went up to him and put
my finger out and I had this mousetrap on it. My mom took it
off my finger and then sat me down on a blanket, and on this
black and white television they said, live from Memphis, Tennessee, we have
to admit Elvis Presley is dead. And ironically I ended up living there for
thirteen years. I went to his house twice. He was never there.
Folks, it's true. He does not live in Kalamazoo. We've all heard
the rumors. But so I look at the wealth of what TNA has to
offer tag teams, tag teams, which WWE is really weak on. I
love the fact that ww is actually giving like real tag team names now we're
trying to and so I think that what I would like to see, like
even though NWA is owned by Billy Corgan and everything's going on over there.
And that's actually one of the first conversations I've ever had with you on Twitter
was about NWA. But PJ obviously not Rocky, but you know, a
new version of the Crockett Cup, and so something between TNA and NXT doing
tag teams and doing like a new verse the Crocket Cup. That would be
fun. I'd like to see that because if you have a world champion,
he gets pinned or so and so somebody else. And the thing about NXT
is you never know when a main roster star is gonna get bumped down or
show up. I mean, Punk's been there, seth Rollins been there.
You never know, So that could be a lot of fun. And I
would love to see like a two day like awesome like the old Crocket Cup,
because that was just that was the one thing you want to see.
It's like watching the Super Juniors, right right, Yeah, yeah, I
think that's how they do it too, believe it or not. So that's
that's something I would like to see. It's something I would I would like
to see going forward if you're gonna have this relationship because you could breed great
tag teams out of TNA, because they have great tag teams and you can
breed great and I think better at this point female wrestlers than what NXT is
doing because these girls coming up now are just generic. Yeah, that's for
sure. So the four Horsewomen, that era is gone, so so do
you think they are in bed PJ. Let's be honest. I honestly not.
I really do not. I don't think they are. I think they're
a nice working relationship. I just can't see it. I think since Vince
McMahon has been gone, more things are are open to too, working differently
than before. But I still I still don't think that there's much more than
at the surface what's going on. You know, it is what it is,
what it is. I don't see anything else. That's just me.
So I'm looking at the t n A tag teams right now. And you
mentioned that when you saw the Rascals were not NXT, you saw the TNA
logo. So according to this roster here, no no quarter catch crew also
on this roster. So are they signed with TNA. I needed because they're
part of the part of NXT unless they literally switched over. That's yeah.
That's Charlie Dempsey and Miles Bourne and Tavon Heights. It's just them three here.
But yeah, they're on NXT with well they were with Stevenson or whatever
his name was, but he's gone. But you got nymanth Brothers are tag
team here, the Hardy's are back in TNA, the good Hands. You
got first Class, which is a j Francis and Whichwan and you know,
just a couple of other teams here. But I mean, so do you
think do you think that that maybe NXT will become or excuse me, that
TNA might become the training ground even lower than NXT. I mean, TNA
could potential a potential training ground, but it won't become official. Put it
that way, what do we watch TNA? Isn't a YouTube thing? How
do people watch TNA? Access TV? Access TV? Because I know they
have like the speed tournaments, for example, on Twitter. So if Access
TV, if they just would give tena some of ww's production, but if
they could stream it on you know, like how they do the speed tournaments
for the Speed Championship, or keep it like a YouTube channel or something like
that, they could. They could still turn it onto some streaming platforms,
because now WW roll will be on Netflix and then you'll have SmackDown on you
know, you still have it on I guess the USA whatever channel they're going
to be on. But you could have a WW banner across multiple multiple streaming
services. That's true. Well, you know, and Access TV dropped New
Japan for a long time and then brought back New Japan for wrestling. Now.
See, I have Sling TV, and I'm not trying to give them
ad time, but the point is I have Sling TV and I picked that
personally so I could watch New Japan. That was like six years ago when
Bullet Club was hot, stuff like that, and it came with access,
So just like watching it and everything else, like watching how like TNA kind
of felt apart and everything else, and then how It's resurgences is really cool.
But like basically I just got it for New Japan and then New Japan
like dropped them for like two or three years and then came back. So
and then anything you watch from New Japan it's going to be like five or
six weeks outdated. But anything you watch from TNA, geez, who was
that? Anything you watch, anything you watch from TNA is going to be
brand new. So I still record it and I still watch it, and
they've had done a couple of shows here in Louisville, but I never went
to it. And in fact, like our channel had Matt, I said,
oh, okay, I might go to a teena pay per view.
Sho I do a report on it? He's like, why not? But
I had to work that night. So I do think that there is some
kind of industrial sabotage going on. I mean, it's kind of like idiotic
not to see it. You have, I mean Mustapha Ali, you have
Nick Demmit. I knew it was teddy. You have like a lot of
people who went there and then all of a sudden are just, all of
a sudden, these gateways are opening. It's ambassadors. You send over an
ambassador, an unofficial ambassador. So I think there's more in bed than we
think. Let's see who else is over there. A J. Francis Mustafa
is their TNA Digital Media Champion, even though that was a thing. Yeah,
PJ, what do you think about that title? What the what is
it? The Internet champions things? Yeah, digital Media Champion. Yeah,
I thought it could have been something cool, but once again, I just
yeah, it ends up being garbage. It's it's it's like the hardcore title.
It's a decent looking bad but yeah, like a championship, it could
be something that's a sad part if if if they actually did something with it,
you know, make it like a Twitter Acts exclusive. It's not Twitter
anymore X, but something like that. Make an exclusive on your social media
channels. And and make it, you know important, anybody could you know
what I mean? But they just don't take the time. It's amazing.
Even a small company. You would think like somebody would say, oh,
let's make this special. Nope, you know, so you have to you
have to go on to Twitch or some kind of or YouTube live. It
has to be live and see them defend it. Okay. So that's that's
how it becomes special. Whereas just like, what what does it mean?
Like it was like seeing a world championship versus an international championship. Well,
if I have every nation, that means I just don't. I'm not the
champion of the water. Hm. That's that's the things I've always had problems
with is like some of the titles. So yeah, anyway, we should
probably like roll this up real quick. But if you guys can pick any
people from TNA that you would like to take over to NXT or WWE,
who would it be, Oh, pja, you take it. I'm still
looking at their roster just just because it's so hot. I have to go
Joe Hendry all the way, only because now is the time for the women.
I'm gonna say Steph d Lander because I have seen some of her work
and she's she's you know, she can work and she can talk. I'm
looking over the roster real quick. Sammon Callahan, I've seen some of his
work. I think he could do very well in NXT. Uh, he
would do well. Santino Moreleas Morella is the the commissioner. No no,
no no, not to bring him back, but he's like there, the
commissioner over there, the manager. Yeah, I think I have reported that
while back on, Uh, Rhino's still hanging around over there. That's funny.
I didn't even know. Uh, let's see who else roster. Cardona's
I love, Yeah, Matt Cardonald's hanging over there. The hardy boys are
hanging over there, Cashido's over there. I mean, it's just Chiles.
Alexander he I haven't seen much of his work, but I have seen a
signed he signed. It's official, it's it's I mean, I don't know
if you talked to Maverick, but it's pretty much in the world, like
yeah, Josh Alexander Ethan Page. I mean, they're an amazing tag team,
but keeping them separate is good for both their careers too. Those guys
are just amazing. They're both amazing, and you know, I love Cornett,
but he's given Page like a lot of bs. But Page is pretty
good, and Josh Alexander is twenty times better. So I mean, and
I don't mean to cut you off, boss, because I'm gonna tell you
right now. I take Moose, who wouldn't. Yeah, I think he's
a given. I was just trying to see some other mc carter's here.
Callahan definitely, because I think as Sammy Callahan, not Solomon Crow and the
goofy. The stuff that they were trying to give him is what they tried
to give what's his name? It was all the stuff that turned into you
know, the the group that throwing them all tough cocktails. Help me out.
I can't think of the name. I'm trying to play it back at
the bat, like when COVID was going like hard, yeah, that the
super Suck Group of Retribution, are you Yes? Yes, I couldn't think
of the name, so yeah, I mean that anyway. The point is
that, like there's a wealth of talent over there, just like there was
when a W started, Like when they took John Morrison so he could be
the Missus Lackey. One has talent one doesn't. And you know, they
got Bobby Lashley, which they finally did something with him the way they should.
It was a w or us it at this point. But I see
a lot of contract tampering at this point, I really do. But it's
all gonna be. But any buddy, it's all friends, right, So
yeah, that's just the way I see it. So aside from that,
all right, guys, this is why we're gonna sign off tonight. Everybody
must say a guilty pleasure movie. Oh mean, girls, me too?
What about you, PJ. I'm gonna have to go with one of my
favorite Halloween which Pleasure. The original scares the pants out of me to this
day. Well we talked about that, but I mean, yeah, Pleasure
like you can't. You can't, Like you said, okay, I got
you, I got you a police Academy, the original, nineteen eighties old
school. Here you go go. That's fine, son of a fish.
I love this. I love you guys like this has been a quick shot.
I mean, we got to think about this because with a w or
excuse me, with uh TNA being in bed with n x T, there's
gonna be a lot to happen. And we gotta put our fingers on the
pulse because, like we said, it's not contract tampering if you're just side
by side, right, which is amazing. And if you think about it,
and somebody is always going to get hurt too, think about it that
way too, right, Yes, absolutely, absolutely interesting to keep an eye
out for sure. All right, do we want to do any kind of
rapid fire questions with PJ not? Let's say it for the next one.
We h. I want to get this on a wrapped up here so I
don't have to do much editing. That's the truth, all right, all
right, gentlemen, have a great night. Yeah, as soon as we
have another quick topic to talk about, well we'll get together there and we'll
spin it up again. All right. I love you guys, have a
good time. By wait, you can find me at one four at one
four four Captain on X. We're gonna start doing it at the beginning of
the showing. I know, I know, what's my Twitter handle Rockies Club
zero zero seven. There you go, right, and if you need anything,
t mobile. See this man. He's helped me out quite a bit.
Oh yeah, how's the phone? Oh great? Great, there's a
couple of things, but we'll talk about it. Yeah, I tek you
later, all right. PJ signed it off. All right, have a
good night later. Thanks for listening to the WWE podcast. Don't forget to
subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a show, or head
to WWE podcast dot com and for all of these shows add free head over
to Patreon dot com slash WWE podcast. Until then, we'll see you next time.