Earlier tonight on Facebook, Eric Bischoff lambasted the owner/operator of the popular wrestling website the Pro Wrestling Torch, Wade Keller, for his negative comments regarding last night’s episode of iMPACT! Here is the text of Bischoff’s brief condemnation of Keller on Facebook:
“Last nights show did a great job of focusing on the reset of story/characters and set the stage for the next 6 months. While Wade Keller continues to audition for a real wrestling job with his b.s “expertise” fans overwhelmingly appeared to have enjoyed the show.”
Truth be told, last night’s episode of iMPACT! was wildly successful in the ratings, so you have to imagine that Bischoff is correct in this dispute. But we don’t know enough about the history between these two men to even begin speculating… so we won’t!
I’m just going to copy a comment I made earlier that applies here:
Bischoff was right, TNA ratings did set a record; they were very high.
I posted a comment a minute ago that explained the way I felt about that episode. I’m going to copy it here and also add a couple thoughts about Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy. Here is what I wrote:
TNA was AWESOME on Thursday night!
That was the best episode of wrestling I’ve seen since the 90’s when Hulk Hogan fought Ric Flair for the first time, or when it became clear that Hogan was the “third member” with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall.
This was the best episode of TNA I’ve ever seen. This is what it was all about on New Years when Hogan came to TNA and Sting returned, watching him from the upper deck of the stadium. Looks like Sting was the good guy after all…we never should have doubted him.
On Thursday, it seemed like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were going to fight it out one on one…and then we see them HUG each other!!! I would have NEVER expected that!
For the last 25 years, even when Hogan was a part of the WWF and Flair was a part of the NWA, we knew that Hogan and Flair didn’t like each other and were rivals. Now we see Hogan and Flair teaming up! The group Flair is in control of called “Fourtune” is now part of Hogan’s “Immortal” group. AWESOME!!!
And I absolutely LOVED the way Dixie Carter smacked Eric Bischoff in the face and called him a “Smug Little Shit.” It was also AWESOME the way Dixie yelled at Eric Bischoff, grabbing at his cell phone telling him to “Stop it!” when Bischoff was sitting back smoking a cigar and using his cell phone to take a picture of Hulk Hogan’s arrogant look of victory since he became the new owner of TNA!
I really hope Hulk Hogan (or should I say the Immortal Hollywood Hogan) gives his Hall of Fame ring back to Abyss and grants him the power of Hulkamania again. Seeing Abyss throw people through the ring floor when he had the power of Hulkamania was quite awesome.
And I hope we learn more about Desmond Wolfe and Chelsea. I love it how “What Chelsea Wants, Chelsea Gets!” It would also be great to see more of Jay Lethal as Black Machismo or Ric Flair…Everyone I know loves seeing Jay do that!
It was nice seeing what happened with the ladies, too! The Beautiful People are eXXXcellent!!! It was funny the way Lacie said she thought the jewelry with the word “Love” on it was pronounced “Lowve” instead of “Luv.” And I LOVED it how Madison Rayne beat Tara when she just laid down and let Madison win! The things Madison were saying afterwards were hilarious about what “hard work” it was.
And it was great to see how Bischoff exposed Miss Tessmacher as an “easy” gal…I like the way there were a lot of bleeps to show he was swearing, lol. TNA did a great job introducing a lot of new people on Thursdays show.
I like the way Jeff Hardy is being shown as an evil character, too. My family said “He looks like a vampire,” which makes me think TNA is doing it right with him. Rob Van Dam seems like he’s going to have a great rivalry with him. Throw in The Pope, especially since Jeff Hardy says he has been compared to the antichrist, and I think that could be a great rivalry, too.
It makes me wonder what will happen with Kevin Nash and Sting. Will they stay to support The Pope? And what about Scott Hall? Bischoff says there is room for two more seats in Immortal. We know Sting won’t join, but Nash might…and if he does, does that mean Scott Hall will return?
TNA is now in a golden era and I’m glad I can watch it and be a part of it! It doesn’t surprise me at all to see the ratings have increased so much!
You would think that because TNA is at least trying new things, they could catch a break. Some dirsheet writers like Keller, Meltzer, ect wouldn’t give TNA any credit even if they crushed WWE in the ratings. I agree that the show was a little too heavy on the same group of guys. Here’s hoping that they dont repeat the sins of the nWo storyline. Seeing 12 guys in the ring at once laughing and high-fiving gave me terrible flashbacks.
I can see where they are coming from because it was a heavy promo orientated episode that didn’t have a first match for a while. But they do need to try different things. But at least the main event paid off. I’m so sick and tired of these people bashing TNA. Hell, just go onto youtube and look at the videos showing clips of this episode of iMPACT (mainly check the opening segment video) and you see people with the usual “WCW 2.0” B.S. While I do see a bit of WCW ideas being thrown into TNA… So Frickin’ What?! WCW was *10* YEARS AGO PEOPLE!
I REALLY LIKE TNA but Eric Bischoff needs to get another job before he distroys TNA like he did WCW! It seems his micro-management style is repeating itself with the nWo like things going on it the ring today. Enough of that already, do something different or is that all you can come up with? Let the nWo style of pro-wrestling die, it had it’s day in the lime light and people got sick of seeing it week after week after week. Get over it and press on, TNA has a lot to offer pro-wrestling and watching Eric Bischoff’s style isn’t working any more. Thats probably why he’s pissed at the Pro Wrestling Torch and Wade Keller for speaking the truth!
TNA has the talent on their roster to have great shows and deliver solid PPVs. Unfortunately they have choosen to lean on Bischoff and Hogan which makes most fans scratch their heads. With all the talent out their why in the World would you bring back Scot Stiener? Or why would you out so much emphasis on a character that might well go to jail on drug charges in the near future. No matter what, great wrestling will always be what turns the fans on and Rob Terry and Scot Stiener will never deliver the goods. I have respect for the greats of the wrestling world, the ones that paved the way and understand their desire to stay in the game but… unitl the Flairs, Hogans, Bischoffs, Stieners, Nashes and others are moved out of the key spots, TNA will be average.