Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Within TNA, there is strong interest in Nidia (who just had a kid), A-Train (Giant Bernard in Japan) and Shelly “Ariel” Martinez. Morale has been affected greatly by all of this, as guys continue to work hard and get rewarded with nothing, and new people are brought in and given strong pushes just because they made a name elsewhere. It is said that a lot of guys now treat TNA as a job, and a lot of the fun has gone out of working there. There have been reports going around of more and more guys, including some pretty major names (not all X-Division guys) who have asked for their release recently and been turned down.
TNA actually wanted Rikishi as their first choice, not “The Punisher” Andrew Martin. WrestleZone.com is reporting that Rikishi’s money demands were way too high and so they settled for the former Test.
TNA wants to run 10 PPV shows outside Orlando in 2008. They definitely want to run a PPV in the New York market. They are also looking at Memphis — their highest rated market — and Knoxville.
