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PWINSIDER Q&A: WOULD GREAT WWE RETURN WITH THE DEATH OF THE BRAND SPLIT?, THE ROCK, HULK HOGAN IN TNA AND MORE

Mike Johnson recently reported on your website that Awesome Kong will probably use another name in TNA, because she owns the name "Amazing Kong", and like Low Ki, wouldn't allow TNA to use it. Now, in the last TNA iMPACT! Broadcast, during the Kim vs. Jackie match, Don West mentioned all the participants in the Gauntlet Match at BFG, mentioning the name "Amazing Kong" in the process. So, will she use it or not?

At the time I reported it, it was up in the air.  Low Ki originally used that name in TNA, but when he signed a deal with the company, his ring name was changed to Senshi because he owned his ring name and TNA wanted to own the rights to market and license a name they controlled.  It's a similar situation with Kong.  If and when she signs a deal, it's expected something similar will happen as she owns her name.  As of right now, she isn't signed to a TNA contract.

We all know The Rock will never commit to a full time schedule, and never work a match again, but does that really stop him from doing the odd appearance like he did in 2004, when he did one of the Diva search contests, and cut a promo in his home town Miami. I mean if Austin can come back 2-3 times a year, such as when Vince was looking for his illegitimate son, and guest refereeing at Mania, surely Rock could do that too without little or any disturbance to his Hollywood diary? Seems a win win situation for me, Rock gets to perform live a few times, and WWE could use that to sell more Rock merchandise.

The difference is that Steve Austin is signed to a WWE deal, so it makes sense for him to appear within WWE storylines to promote himself and whatever project he's working on with the company.  The Rock's deal has long been expired and he's phased himself away from his pro wrestling past.  As of his next film "Southland Tales", he's even dropping The Rock moniker from his billing in feature films.  The Rock can always make a cameo here or there, but doing so brings him down a peg in the industry he's now involved in.  

Is it only me that thinks ending the brand split would be a great way to get back to the great TV WWE used to give us? I mean when Khali, Henry and Finlay are looking for the world title, and John Cena closes every PPV for a year by beating another challenger, surely something has to give?

I don't know if it's only you that feels that way, but the brand split is already over, or have you missed on the fact that the most important show of the month, the PPVs, already have talents from all three brands?  While WWE may have different touring groups running, for the most part, in my opinion, the brand split is more of something in name and not execution.  It's not unusual to see talent from the brands interacting or even facing each other or switching brands.  It's done for marketing purposes more than anything else, in my opinion.  That said, only one thing will bring back great TV - a creative team that works as writing the best product possible, not the product that will make their bosses happy. 

Do you ever see TNA bringing in Hulk Hogan, even for a 1 or 2 PPV storyline with someone to help give them the rub and sell PPVs? I think a feud with Robert Roode or Christian could be entertaining, even with Hogan winning, it would still put TNA over?

If TNA brings the money and political power required, Hogan will be there.  It's that simple.  Still, unless Hogan is going to come in and do a shocking clean job to someone (say, Samoa Joe) in an attempt to kickstart a major name moving to the next level, it wouldn't be worth the investment in my opinion.

Do you think that the Rock has done a horrible thing by not even mentioning any more his former career as a pro wrestler.  He would not be where he is today if it wasn't for his father and grandfather paving the way for him.  I know that with the bad press that the wrestling business has been getting lately that he doesn't want that to hurt his movie career, but if it wasn't for pro wrestling he would not have the name today that he has.

No, but do you mention your childhood, first date or first job in every conversation you have?  Of course not.  Dwayne Johnson has moved onto a new phase of his life and like anyone else, he probably looks back fondly on aspects of the past, but he's not going to dwell on them when he has such a promising career and future.

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