Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
A piece on Grantland.com, which is a subsidiary of ESPN, by Thomas Golianopoulos features a lot of new insight into the state of TNA, what led them to their current position and more with quotes from a lot of major players including President Dixie Carter, founder Jeff Jarrett and a number of talents, including the departed AJ Styles.
The article covers a lot, from the early origins of the company, the Carter family stepping in and the current concerns about it's well being. It can be read at this link, but here are just a few highlights:
*In her first public comments about Jeff Jarrett since he departed the company, Dixie Carter said, "I will always give props to Jeff. Out of the thousands of wrestlers out there he’s the only one who decided to create something with his own money. I have mad respect for that, always have and always will. I love Jeff as a person. I wish him and his precious family nothing but success."
*The ownership of Jeff Jarrett's fledgling Global Force Wrestling is described as a number of investors, including country-singer Toby Keith.
*At the end of an interview with Jarrett, Golianopoulos notes, "After our lunch, I can’t decide if Jarrett is the friendliest man in the South or a source working a reporter; there’s a reason why old-school wrestlers, especially promoters, have been compared to carnival barkers."
*Dixie Carter's claim that TMZ.com ran with their story that Impact was "canceled" before she even saw their request for comment. She later responded to the website that the two sides were still in negotiations - and that comment was never published.
*AJ Styles departed the company after being offered what was described as a "40% pay cut", which is similar to claims that we've heard independently. Regarding that departure, Carter said, "I hate that we lost AJ. Are you listening?”, with Golianopoulos noting that she was speaking right into his recorder. "I hate it. I felt like we gave him a great offer. I really did. I felt like we gave him a great offer and I think he made a mistake." [in leaving]
*AJ Styles on the Bischoff/Hogan regime: "I don’t think Eric and Hogan knew the roster at all. In fact, I don’t even know if they watched the show before they came in, and if they did it had to be very little. No one knew who I was. No one knew who [Samoa] Joe was. We added Rob Van Dam because everyone knows him."
*TNA's John Gaburick on the creative change he's instituted since coming into the company and sending the previous creative regime home: "I think the audience was challenging us to give them something a little more straightforward — good old-fashioned wrestling instead of laborious talk or long, drawn-out stories. The long-form story lines that take forever to play out were not that effective."
*Carter on wrestling fans who hope TNA does go out of business: "All these people say, ‘I hope you go out of business’ — why would you ever want that? You don’t think we make wrestling better just by exposing more people and giving people more options? It’s the most ludicrous, shortsighted thing — the sheer absurdity and stupidity of it blows my mind. I feel sorry for the wrestling business if we’re not around."
Among those also interviewed for the piece are Bobby Roode, Jim Cornette, Vince Russo, EC3, Joey Ryan (who really gives a nice positive accounting for Hulk Hogan's time in TNA) and more. Eric Bischoff was contacted but declined to comment, saying he cannot comment on TNA "at all."
Overall, a piece that is certainly worth seeking out and reading.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
