TNA Knockouts are this month featured in the UK edition of FHM Magazine which is fantastic promotion for the company, TNARevolution will have scans of the images exclusively here in the coming days.

TNA Xplosion will also start airing on the Extreme Sports Channel which is a Free-to-Air channel for Virgin and Sky customers two weeks tonight. Destination X will also air on the same night but there are no schedule details at this moment in time for TNA on Extreme Sports Channel.

“There’s another Elijah Burke (‘The Pope’ D’Angelo Dinero), never did anything with him. Look what’s happened. It’s the same thing; the WWE didn’t see anything in him or he’s not entertaining enough. It’s their loss, and that’s just one of them. Shannon Moore was another one who was never given the opportunity. Jeff Hardy is the most popular wrestler there is in the world today. Kurt (Angle) is one of my best friends, we talk all the time, and I would love to run with him or Jeff or any of those wrestlers: AJ (Styles), Samoa Joe.”

Ever since TNA first started, the talent had a very limited road schedule due to working the TNA Asylum (TN State Fair Grounds) in the early days in Nashville and then moving to “The iMPACT Zone” (Universal Studios Orlando) in 2004 until present day. TNA then took great strides by venturing out into the world of Live Events. But, is their greatest pro for big names, the biggest con for the company?

When you think TNA Wrestling coming to your home town as a casual wrestling fan, who do you want to see? You want to see the names you know meaning Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, Sting, Kevin Nash, etc but you want a mixture of the names you need to know like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Daniels, Beer Money, etc. But, the problem TNA has run into is giving the “veterans” an even shorter road schedule.

You can count on one hand the number of “veterans” who work live events on a consists basis (Jarrett and Angle currently) but now when you add in the likes of Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan – you could draw big attendances with these names, right? Yes and no. You can’t draw big attendances if these guys aren’t there! So, TNA has a problem and a problem that needs to be addressed promptly.

I can understand why a guy like Sting, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, etc don’t work house shows. They’re earned the right not to but who’s asking them to wrestle? Ric Flair made one appearance at a TNA Live Event in his first few months compared to zero Sting has appeared at in his four years in the company. Why can’t Dixie Carter put her foot down and go “Sting, we’re wanting to pop a big number in New York. We want you to come to the show, cut a promo and sign autographs post-show.” I’m not saying a guy like Sting needs to wrestle but why hasn’t he made a single appearance at a live event? He gets paid a load of money (more than a lot of guys) to show up at TV & PPV. How can you sell out a building with Sting, if all the PPVs besides 3 and all the TV is in Orlando? You can’t. TNA can’t leave Universal Studios right now, so you take Sting to the people.

Now, you have Jeff Hardy who’s working around 100 dates which doesn’t leave a lot of dates open for live events. Rob Van Dam has made it crystal clear he doesn’t want to work a full schedule. So, why pay them a crap load of money to work TV & PPV when once again, TNA only charges for 3 PPVs (attendance wise) and all TVs are free? Sure, you’ll make money off their merchandise (shirts, figures, etc) and off PPV buyrates, but the point is – guys like AJ Styles busts his ass working for the most part every single live event, every PPV, every TV, and I’m sure a guy like Sting gets paid a good chunk more than him.

I’m not bashing the company or even the talent because it’s the system that is broken. My theory is this: You pay the guys who work the hardest more than the guys who work a few days a month just because they’re a name. Name value has only gotten you so far, now it’s time for the “veterans” to get off their asses and help it grow that much more. Honestly, the live event market for TNA is better now than it has in a long time drawing 1,000-3,000 fans in some markets that 6 months ago was getting 500-700. Just think the numbers they could draw if they put “Appearing Live And In Person: “The Icon” Sting” or “Come Meet Hulk Hogan After The TNA Live Event in Macon, Georgia!”.

So, again I ask – is their greatest pro for big names, their greatest con for the company? You can answer that for yourself, but I say a big yes. TNA is just like any machine, it takes a lot of parts to make it run the right way and if one part isn’t working.. then your machine isn’t working.

Incase you missed Monday’s iMPACT you can watch the replay of the blockbuster show tonight at 9pm on Spike TV, or you can read the results here

Hour 1: .99, .98, 1.00, 1.07,

Hour 2: 1.07, 1.03, .95, and .76 with a 1.01 over-run.

As noted yesterday on my iMPACT Rating Blog, I feel TNA should be proud never less of the rating it generated on Monday and the company needed a solid rating to start there Monday Night adventure and they got that. While the rating was overall down 6% from the previous episode the fact they drew a strong rating in the males 18-34 and males 18-49 demo points that Monday’s rating was more of a success than what people are suggesting.

Unfortunately I expect the rating to be down even further this week and possibly next with the WWE having a strong-lineup for RAW next week and the following with there “Wrestlemania week” but overall TNA should build on the rating it drew Monday.

Spike is pointing to strong ratings in the males 18-34 and males 18-49 demographics as a “promising start” on Monday nights.

“We are pleased with the good demos and see it as a promising start,” Spike TV executive David Schwarz tells the Torch.

Among M18-34, iMPACT was up to a 0.98 compared to a 0.90 on March 4 and 0.97 the previous four weeks. Among M18-49, iMPACTwas up to a 0.92 compared to a 0.70 on March 4.

The 0.92 demo rating among males 18-49 was the highest rating since a 1.01 on the record-setting Thursday night episode on January 21.

fter the opening pyro:

AJ Styles and Ric Flair come out. Styles gets on the mic and calls Abyss a scary looking but stupid monster. Styles asks Abyss if he really thinks that a ring will help him. A.J. comments on their previous matches. Styles says that much like the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus, he does not believe in magical rings. Styles says that he considers himself a gift from God. Flair gets on the mic and rambles about Hogan and Abyss.

Jeff Hardy’s music plays and Jeff comes out to the ring. A.J. asks Jeff who he thinks he is and then he calls Hardy a nobody. Styles says that since Hardy wants to put his hands on him and Flair, that they should go at it tonight. Hardy gets on the mic and says it will be a breeze. AJ Styles versus Jeff Hardy is announced for tonight.

Mick Foley and Eric Bischoff are on the screen. Foley apologizes for messing up last week. Eric says that tonight, in the ring they will shave Foley’s head and beard to make a citizen out of him.

They show another video. This time it is the Nasty boys beating up Jesse Neal and putting him through a table.

The Nasty Boys come out for a six man tag match with Jimmy Hart against Team 3D and Jesse Neal. The Nasty Boys and Hart act as if it is going to be a handicap match as a result of the earlier attack on Jesse Neal. Brother Ray says that is not the case and brings out Brother Runt.

Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart defeated Brother Ray, Brother Devon, and Brother Runt. Jimmy Hart pinned Ray after Saggs hit Ray with the helmet while the referee was distracted. After the match the Nasty Boys bring in a table to put 3D through, but Jesse Neal comes out with his ribs taped for the save. Jesse and Team 3D put Saggs through the table.

Angelina Love is interviewed in the back. She talks about how it sucks that she and Tara lost. Angelina issues an open challenge to any member of the Beautiful People for tonight, especially Velvet Sky. Angelina calls them rip offs of her since she is the original. Angelina says that she thinks that she may need to go on her own quest to take out the trash one beautiful person at a time.

They show yet another video with Borash interviewing The Band saying that their match at Destination X is official. They say that it should not be an issue. Nash and Eric Young walk up and mention to Hall how he likes money and gives Hall money for five minutes with him in the ring tonight. Hall accepts the challenge.

Kurt Angle and D’Angelo Dinero defeat Ken Anderson and Desmond Wolfe when Dinero got a small package on Wolfe. After the match, Wolfe attacks pope and they fight up the ramp. Anderson lays out Angle and attacks him with the tag and that busts open Angle. Anderson says that this beat down was only a small taste of what will happen at the PPV.

They show another video and it is of Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam with Hulk Hogan backstage. Abyss is the special enforcer for the Hardy/Styles match and tells Van Dam that he has something special in store for him. Eric Bischoff comes in when they leave and he talks about the surprises on Monday but wishes that Hogan had told him about the surprises. There seems to be some tension between Hogan and Bischoff.

Angelina Love comes out for her match and all three members of the Beautiful People come out. They introduce a new member of the group, for one night only and it is Daffney.

Angelina Love defeats Daffney by disqualification. Daffney attacks Angelina from behind and tries to use a hammer but it did not work because of the referee. Velvet, Madison, and Lacey get involved leading to Angelina getting the win by disqualification. All four attack Angelina after the match. Daffney goes up the ramp to get the ugly stick but the referee tries to stop her. Tara hops over the rail and lays out the Velvet, Madison, and Lacey before staring down Daffney.

Kevin Nash versus Scott Hall in the Five Minute Challenge. Waltman comes out with handcuffs and they handcuff Nash to the ropes and put the boots to him. Eric Young comes out for the save and gets the upper hand for a short period of time but Hall and Waltman take the $25,000 and leave.

Hogan comes out and says that he can’t get the image out of head of Abyss saying ‘why sting why’ and Hogan wants an answer from Sting. Sting makes his way down but Van Dam jumps him and Van Dam beats Sting up as they fight around the ring. Van Dam rolls Sting into the ring and Van Dam throws Hogan the bat. Bischoff comes out with security and wants to know what Hogan is doing. Bischoff has security escort Sting out of the building. Bischoff calls out Hogan on saying that he won’t wrestle and how he is supposed to be leading the company. Hogan gives no response and Eric leaves the ring.

Hernandez and Jeff Jarrett are seen backstage. Hernandez tells Jeff that he will help him take on Beer Money in a match tonight. Eric Bischoff overhears this and interrupts the conversation saying that will not happen. Eric says that Hernandez will face Beer Money in a handicap match with Jarrett as the referee. Eric tells Jarrett to call it right down the middle.

Beer Money defeated Hernandez with the DWI. During the match, Matt Morgan came out and was on commentary but left before the end of the match. After the match, Beer Money attacked Jarrett and were posing to the crowd until Jarrett made a comeback and Hernandez joined Jarrett and took care of Beer Money.

Eric Bischoff comes out for the grooming of Mick Foley. They have a barber chair set up in the ring. Eric calls out Foley and sits down in the chair. Foley stops Eric when he goes to shave his head and hits him with Mr. Socko. Foley puts Bischoff in the chair and shaves Eric’s head.

The Ultimate X structure is being brought out to hype the Ultimate X match at the Generation X pay per view.

The Motor City Machine Guns come out. Chris Sabin takes a mic and says that Destination X will be a night to remember. Not only is it the return of Ultimate X with the winner becoming the Number One Contenders to the TNA World Tag Titles, but it will be the start to the Motor City Era. Sabin calls out Generation Me for coming into their turf and asks who they have beaten. Generation Me comes out and reminds Sabin that they beat the Machine Guns in their debut. Shelley says it was just luck and then says that Motor City is the Xbox while Generation Me are Ataris. He also says that they are the Ferraris to Generation Me’s station wagons. He says that they can keep talking about this or the time where the Guns got with Generation Me’s girlfriends. This leads to a brawl with all four men getting involved. Brian Kendrick comes out to save the Guns. Amazing Red comes out to take out Kendrick. Daniels comes out to take care of Red. Kazarian comes out with a ladder and hits Daniels with it. Generation Me do dives off the Ultimate X towers onto the guns. They set up the ladder and Red dives off the ladder onto Kendrick, Daniels, and the Guns on the outside. Red, Kazarian, and Generation Me pose together in the ring. (This was described as a crazy segment).

The match between A.J. Styles and Jeff Hardy is a non-title match.

Jeff Hardy defeats TNA World Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles with a Swanton. There was a ref bump about ten minutes into the match. After the referee was knocked out A.J. went for a springboard 450 but missed. Hardy hit the Twist of Fate and Swanton with Abyss making the three count. After the match, Flair hit Hardy with a chair. Flair went to hit Abyss and they started going up the ramp with Flair repeatedly trying to hit Abyss. They got to the end of the ramp and Abyss Hulked up and choke slammed Flair shoulder first through the ramp. Abyss then did the ‘finger point of doom’ towards Styles who was sitting in the corner of the ring holding the TNA World Heavyweight Title belt closely.

In a Dark Match: Homicide defeated Ken Doane with an Ace Crusher in what was described as a solid match for Doane.

In a Dark Match: Jay Lethal defeated Kazuchika Okada with an elbow drop.

In an Xplosion Match: Kazarian and Amazing Red defeat Brian Kendrick and Daniels when Kazarian pinned Kendrick.

My personal opinion is that the 1.0 rating is a success, not only is it an accomplishment for TNA to be on Monday Nights but they have shown in the first week that they have a core audience to work from and it’s now time to continue to attract that audience and bring in others either from the WWE’s or from previous wrestling fans wanting to get back into the product. TNA needs to continue to put on excellent shows like last night and off camera continue to promote the company’s show wherever possible hoping that people will take a interest in the business and TNA Wrestling.

For me TNA has nothing to lose by moving to Monday’s, even before a punch was thrown fans were writing the company off like they have been doing so for over 8 years! The simple fact is that TNA has continued to prove people wrong and I’ve no doubts that moving to Monday’s will be a success for both the business and TNA Wrestling. TNA proved that given a LIVE environment they can deliver exciting, fast paced and well booked shows which not only have you shocked but leave you wanting more.

Overall it’s a great time to be a TNA fan, now more than ever there is a vibe around the product which can only escalate with excellent shows, with cutting edge angles and excellent in ring action, rather than fans complaining that there show was not seen by more people than they wanted, they should continue to enjoy the show and continue to convince people that they should give TNA Wrestling an opportunity on Monday Nights and all other nights it’s on National TV and Pay Per View.

Monday Night RAW drew a 3.4 which is down from the previous weeks 3.7. We’ll post any further details when they become available.