TNA Epics Week 6 : The Hulk Hogan Controversy
The show begins with the opening video package featuring at one point Bobby Lashley who I still haven’t seen since that one PPV a few months back.
Mick Foley greets us to the show and tells us that we are looking back at when Jeff Jarrett brought TNA to Hulk Hogan. This event put TNA on the wrestling map apparently.
Mike Tenay and Don West are in The Asylum in October 2003 and explain to us in photos and via the Japanese newspapers which they hold up for the camera, what happened when Hulk returned to “The Orient” for his match against Masa Chono. They then show us a picture in the paper of Hulk Hogan bleeding. We then see video footage of what happened which seems to make the first part of the broadcast seem redundant. In my opinion, if you are going to show the footage, why waste time showing us grainy newspaper photos?
Anyway, we see Jarrett attack Hulk with a guitar. I like the idea that they had at this time, Hulk had unfinished business in the US and wanted to win the NWA Title so Jarrett was in Japan behind a door and though “better take him out before he takes me out”. Obviously we can’t see what would have happened next so we can’t tell if the story would have worked but it could certainly have been something good.
We are then directed to an ad break.
Mick Foley then fills in the blanks and tells us that Jeff got to Hulk before Hulk had the chance to get to Jeff. I wonder if this was explained on TV. It seems it was as we are put to a Mike Tenay interview with Jeff Jarrett in The Asylum in October 2003. Jeff tells us that he brought TNA to Hulk Hogan which is getting him some very good heat. I believe that this angle could have been a success as the fans are chanting “we want Hogan”. “We have more than just these issues” he says “we’ve never seen eye to eye” to which Tenay responds “you talking about Florida?” after which Jeff says “don’t go there! Don’t ever go there again”
I think I missed something. Could somebody explain this to me?
Jeff tells us that he is determined to get his title shot; Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan and Vince Russo be damned! Vince Russo then rushes the ring and rugby tackles Jeff to the mat. Both men brawl through the crowd and Russo kicks the shit out of him with chairs and putting him through a table. It’s explained that Russo is trying to take Jarrett out before he can take AJ’s title. Vince is then beaten on by Jeff.
Double J whips Vinnie with a belt and hits him with a chair. Getting kinda boring now. When will this end? Please end? This is boring. Jeff ties him with a belt to a fence and then hits him with stuff. Yawn. Ekmo and Siaki come out to save him (me). Nomatter how boring this is, the crowd really seems to care.
We then move to a skit called JEFF JARRETT WHERE IT ALL WENT DOWN. The show has it in all caps so it must be important. Jeff is shown standing by some urinals in the Tokyo Dome January 2008. Jeff in kayfabe explains that he knew Hulk would be in the press room so he waited in the toilets and then ran into the room and hits him with the guitar. Jeff walks us through what he did.
We are then moved to a Mike Tenay and Jimmy Hart interview in The Asylum October 2003. Jimmy asks about Bash At The Beach 3 years ago in WCW. He says “Why . . . did you get down in the middle of the ring on the biggest night of your life when you got to get into the ring with Hulk Hogan . . . please would you come out and face us and the fans”. Jarrett tells him not to bring up the incident again. Jimmy pleads with him to tell them. Jarrett says that everyone wants to know why but there is one person they have failed to mention and that it is Hulk Hogan. Jarrett then hits Jimmy Hart and beats him up. AJ Styles saves Jimmy from Jeff Jarrett.
The next segment we see is Jeff in the ring with the NWA title so we are to believe he beat AJ. Jimmy Hart appears on the screen and threatens to bring someone he used to manage to The Asylum next week to get his revenge.
Again the next segment is in the Asylum in October 2003. Jeff tells Jimmy to bring out his “big surprise”. Jimmy brings out Hacksaw Jim Duggan. What a disappointment. So the match is set. I hope no-one cares if I save time and just say that it was bad and skip it. Looks like Jeff won with a guitar shot after the referee is distracted while taking to Don Calais when he tries to stop Duggan using his 2 by 4. Jeff calls out Jimmy and chit chats while Rick Steiner sneaks up behind Jarrett and attacks him. Jeff kicks Rick’s ass and then Jimmy threatens Jarrett with Sting next week.
The main event of this show is Jarrett vs Sting in The Asylum November 2003. Jeff runs from Sting for the longest of whiles. The match soon gets underway though and plays on the fact that Jeff is afraid of Sting.
Jarrett’s brawling on the outside in main event matches streak continues in this match which looks to be ok. The ref get knocked out and Sting gets the visual pinfall. Don Calais stops the ref for making a pin attempt later and further, he pulls the ref out of the ring. Sting gets Jarrett in the Scorpion Death Lock but security attack The Icon. Sting runs wild on these two men but is then decked by a chair shot from Jeff. The ref then calls disqualification and the three men attack Sting. Raven comes out to help Sting. AJ then comes out to help but is also beaten. Abyss makes the team Jarrett run but Abyss then attacks AJ. Sting is given the bat by Jimmy and attacks the whole of Team Jarrett and Abyss.
My thoughts:
I really am not keen on this semi-documentary style as obviously the whole story won’t be told. I preferred topical matches to be honest. I think that it probably costs more money and time to create one of these passable documentaries than it takes to cue up 3 or 4 matches but it is the latter not the formar that i would prefer.
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