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TNA & ROH Should Both Use Matt Hardy
TNA and ROH shouldn’t work together. Inter-promotional feuds don’t work unless you invent them (see nWo invades WCW) and sometimes not even then (see WCW invades WWE). Wins get traded. No one really goes over. It gets clumsy.
But TNA and ROH shouldn’t work against each other.
Which brings me to Matt Hardy. Again. All roads lead to Mattitude.
When Hardy decided to work TNA, ROH decided to stop using Hardy. Why? Hardy leaving hurts. Hardy staying helps. Let him work both.
Any audience that might cross over would understand. Hardy being a heel in both promotions (or a ‘face) might be a good idea. Keep the character consistent.
But Hardy is an excellent performer. Both promotions are short on good performers. Assuming conflicting dates could be kept to a minimum, what’s the problem with Hardy working both?
TNA and ROH need every set of eyes each can muster. ROH really had something good going with Hardy. Why break that off? I don’t see where ROH taking a stand did anything but cut off its nose to spite its face.
Keeping rosters loose and paying per appearance is something lesser promotions should want, and learn to work with. Move wrestlers back and forth, like it was with the territories. Keep things fresh. Do talent trades. Affiliate, as each group has with a Japanese promotion.
Neither promotion is competing with WWE. Neither promotion is competing with the other. Each is just trying to make ends meet.
You do that by any means necessary. WWE is the schoolyard bully. WWE can do “for us, or against us.” TNA and ROH shouldn’t.
ROH and TNA could both have Matt Hardy. I bet ROH and TNA could both have A.J. Styles. TNA misses Styles. ROH will miss Hardy.
If WWE ever puts NXT on cable, TNA drops to the No. 3 promotion. ROH is No. 4. And WWE will have zero qualms about moving talent back and forth.
Greg Valentine used to work WWE and Mid-Atlantic simultaneously. He broke Chief Jay Strongbow’s leg in the former, Wahoo McDaniel’s leg in the latter. I’m glad Daniel Snyder doesn’t know the figure-four leglock.
SUNDAY NIGHT RAW
It happened just like I figured. With the advent of the WWE Network, the PPVs are mostly Sunday Night Raw.
Consider Battleground. Nondescript. It included a countout, and a forfeit. Resolutions weren’t offered. It was a typical WWE TV show.
WrestleMania will obviously be different. SummerSlam, too. The Royal Rumble always gets used to set up ‘Mania. But besides that: Sunday Night Raw.
Yo, WWE Network subscribers: They already got your money. They don’t need to try. Not too hard, anyway.
BTW, WrestleMania bonuses have still NOT BEEN PAID.
Will they ever be paid? That’s a legit question at this point.
Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkMaddenX
