10 Worrying Signs From TNA Impact Wrestling's Reboot Episode
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Impact Wrestling are finally looking to a future without Dixie Carter. Anthem Sports & Entertainment's buyout effectively removed her from power in November, and the company haven't wasted any time in making major changes across the board.
Jeff Jarrett, Dutch Mantell, and Scott D'Amore have returned as producers, the initials "TNA" have been completely purged from the company's name, and a number of big name stars have left the roster. For all intents and purposes, it looked like Impact was finally heading in the right direction, with a team who were determined to learn from the failings of the past and steer the promotion towards an exciting new dawn.
Then last Thursday's Impact happened, and all those hopes went down the drain.
Impact's first episode using the new creative team's material was a complete disaster, and one of the most destructive wrestling shows in history. They hard a chance to start anew, and they totally blew it. Far from providing a "new beginning," Impact's rebirth was deeply rooted in the past, and the booked, constant WWE references, and contrived main event provided little hope for the future.
It's just one show, of course, but the outlook doesn't look good. Here are 10 worrying signs from TNA Impact Wrestling's reboot episode.
10. These People Don't Work Here Anymore
Impact Wrestling’s grand reboot sent the wrong message from the very first frame. One might think that a company looking to start afresh would distance itself from its shady past, but no, not TNA. Impact’s opening video package established the idea that this company is so desperately stuck in the past that they can never truly move forward, and the theme continued throughout the night.
Impact shouldn’t neglect their history completely, but the “rebirth” kicked-off with a shot of one of their biggest competitor’s biggest stars (AJ Styles). From there, the package ran through highlights of Samoa Joe, Sting, Hulk Hogan, Team 3D: old faces who have since moved on, and will never return to the company.
The likes of Eddie Edwards and Bobby Lashley eventually showed-up, but not until the last 40-50 seconds. The remainder of the show was peppered with mentions of how great TNA used to be, and while Impact’s talking heads claimed they were moving forward, the single-minded emphasis on the past shows that they are only looking backwards.
Impact should be basing their rebuild around the stars they still have, not those they used to employ, which only reminds fans of the failings that led to guys like Styles and Joe leaving in the first place, dwells on the company’s current mess, and provides little hope for the future.