BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
“Worst Case Scenario” is a new take on the concept of “fantasy booking”. For years professional wrestling fans would spend endless hours of thinking up the coolest things that could happen. Why waste the energy? This only leads to high expectations. “Worst Case Scenario” flips that. Instead of looking through rose colored glasses, let’s take a bi-weekly look at the worst possible scenarios in professional wrestling. I’m not going to be malicious or anything too mean, but I will not refrain from letting my brain come up with the worst possible shit I can. Sadly, it seems the writers and producers of mainstream TV wrestling and the mainstream iPPV level indies are doing the same thing but charging us for it. And now…
“A WWE/TNA Joint PPV!”
Not too long ago, TNA owner Dixie Carter was asked in an interview if she’d be open to the hypothetical idea of a TNA/WWE Pay Per View event. I don’t think she brought it up like it was an idea she was hashing out, but it was asked and she answered. Still, it’s an interesting thing to really think about.
First off, why the hell wouldn’t she? It’s true that TNA is doing good business for a wrestling promotion in 2013. I think people DO forget that fact. It’s just when you compare it to the WWE, it’s small. Why do you HAVE to compare it? Does every movie get compared to the most profitable one? Does every album get compared? I know wrestling is a monopoly that the WWE owns, but TNA is doing their thing. The problem is that their “thing” is rarely entertaining and worth watching. It’s getting better, but it’s still a struggle.
The WWE has no reason to ever give a shit about TNA. When they had that drama over Flair showing up for the Hall of Fame they were “given” Christian for one night. He showed up, did a little segment and was never seen again. The WWE and the TNA are NOT competition. TNA is a small minor niche league that the WWE knows it can pick and pull from whenever they decide someone is worth their investment. For a joint PPV to happen, the WWE would have to be FORCED into it. So for this hypothetical PPV event to happen it would have to be the result of legal actions or a settlement. So that’s what it’s going to be called “Settlement Wars” or “Legally Bound” or something else like that.
TNA would take it seriously. They’d have months of promos and tournaments and matches. They’d build it up and put in all of their best wrestlers. If it’s a “Best of 7 Matches” show, I’d imagine they’d give us A.J. Styles, Bobby Roode, Abyss, Kurt Angle, Bully Ray, Jeff Hardy, and probably Sting. They’d all have to win wars and go through long and elaborate hell to get there.
The WWE would not take it serious at all. They’d have the announcers bring it up as little as possible. It would be snarky little mentions. They’d send their lower card to the show with a few obvious midcard choices. I’d imagine the WWE would send Zack Ryder, one of the Usos, Wade Barrett, Kofi Kingston, Kane, Broadus Clay, and maybe like Damien Sandow. There are some talented folks in that bunch, but it’ll be guys they don’t have something for at the moment or just people who are expendable stars. The thing is that after the PPV, the WWE would most likely want to keep these guys away for a while and reintroduce them slowly to wash off the stank of TNA.
So the actual show would be at a mid-level arena. One of the places the WWE runs house shows at that is also just big enough to run a TV taping from once every few years. Basically, a “third market”. The show would be commentated by Mike Tenay and Josh Matthews. While the show is presented due to a legal settlement, the booking is in question. So I’d assume we’d have to go 3 wins vs. 3 wins and then some kind of shmozz finish or a coin toss. So no one really wins. Casual fans see Sting, Angle, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Jeff Hardy and wonder if TNA is a retirement home for old wrestlers. They’d have no idea why the WWE is facing off against these old guys and really good “no-names”. Then those who do watch TNA would watch with the clear mindset that they’re going to get embarrassed.
Vince should by TNA as soon as possible so this doesn’t actually happen.
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