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Tag: Eric Young

  • Spoilers: NXT TV Tapings For The Rest Of January

    Spoilers: NXT TV Tapings For The Rest Of January

    NXT taped the following at Full Sail University tonight, the final tapings before TakeOver: San Antonio during Royal Rumble weekend:

    1/11:

    * They show video of Billie Kay & Peyton Royce attacking Asuka earlier in the day.

    * Billie & Peyton defeated Sarah Bridges and Macey Estrella. After, the called out Asuka. She ran to the ring but got double teamed. Nikki Cross made the save to a big pop and cleared the ring. Cross then dropkicked Asuka and stood over her. Cross left and Asuka flipped out.

    * Elias Samson defeated Jonathan Cruz in a quick match.

    * Andrade Cien Almas defeated Oney Lorcan. Almas cut a heel promo in Spanish after the match when Dasha Fuentes tried interviewing him.

    * DIY retained the NXT Tag Team Championships over The Revival. After, The Authors of Pain came from behind and left DIY laying.

    1/18:

    * Nikki Cross defeated Kennadi Brink, who was working as the local jobber.

    * Roderick Strong defeated Steve Cutler. After, Dasha asked Strong about the recent threat from Andrade Almas. Strong doesn’t care about Almas, he’s only focused on the NXT Championship.

    * Tye Dillinger came to the ring and was interrupted by Sanity. Eric Young tried to get Tye to join the group but he refused and they started fighting. Big Damo came from the crowd and destroyed Tye. Young gave Damo the Sanity jacket and he accepted it, then posed with the group.

    * Ember Moon defeated Liv Morgan.

    1/25:

    * William Regal brought Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura to the ring for their TakeOver contract signing. It ended with Nakamura mocking Roode’s pose and a face off between the two.

    * Aliyah defeated Mandy Rose in what was said to be a sloppy match.

    * No Way Jose defeated Kona Reeves. Elias Samson interrupted a post-match interview and the two had words but Jose sent him running with a punch.

    * Eric Young defeated Chris Atkins. After, Young cut a promo on Tye Dillinger as they apparently have a match at TakeOver. It ended with Big Damo destroying Atkins.

    * TM-61 defeated The Revival in a quick match. The Revival attacks as soon as the match is over. Officials chase The Revival off while Shane Thorne is helped away by trainers.

    * Regal and Dasha are in the ring to announce Asuka vs. Billie Kay vs. Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross for the Women’s Championship at TakeOver. They’re all brought to the ring but Asuka runs down and chases Billie & Peyton off. Nikki and Asuka face off until Peyton & Billie attack from behind. Asuka and Cross take them out and go to face off again but security runs in. Security gets taken out as well, then Asuka kicks Cross in the head. Asuka is pulled out by security but Cross jumps off the top rope and lands on them all.

    * Shinsuke Nakamura and Tajiri defeated Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode. After, Chris Hero’s music hit for his return. Hero came out in a suit and entered the ring, tapping Nakamura’s title on his shoulder before leaving.

  • NXT Announces #1 Contender Qualifying Matches

    NXT Announces #1 Contender Qualifying Matches

    A series of #1 contender qualifying matches have been announced by NXT GM William Regal. The winners of the matches will compete in a Fatal 4 Way to crown a new #1 contender to NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. The Fatal 4 Way winner will then get their title shot at TakeOver: San Antonio during Rumble weekend next month.

    Matches announced include:

    • Tye Dillinger vs. Eric Young
    • Roderick Strong vs. Elias Samson
    • Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. No Way Jose
    • Bobby Roode vs. Oney Lorcan

    Matches will begin on next Wednesday’s episode.

  • Authors Of Pain Getting Title Shot, Big Damo In Sanity?, Percy Watson

    Authors Of Pain Getting Title Shot, Big Damo In Sanity?, Percy Watson

    – NXT GM William Regal has announced that The Revival will get their rematch against NXT Tag Team Champions DIY in two weeks and that the winners will then defend against The Authors of Pain at TakeOver: San Antonio next month during Rumble weekend.

    – We noted before that Percy Watson returned to NXT to work the announce team but that addition was confirmed on tonight’s episode. He will call the show with Tom Phillips and Corey Graves each week. Here he is dancing to No Way Jose’s theme tonight:

    – Based on what happened during tonight’s NXT episode, it appears Big Damo will be joining Sanity and Sawyer Fulton has been removed from the group. Damo has already been working house shows with Sanity members Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe and Nikki Cross. Below is video from tonight’s show, which saw Damo attack No Way Jose during a tag match against Sanity:

  • ROH Star To WWE, Goldberg WWE 24 Special, Next Week’s NXT

    – Eric Young vs. No Way Jose plus NXT Champion Samoa Joe’s return has been announced for next Wednesday’s NXT episode on the WWE Network.

    – WWE is currently working on a “WWE 24” special for Goldberg’s return, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

    – Wrestling veteran and Ring of Honor announcer Steve Corino will begin working as a full-time coach at the WWE Performance Center in January. There is a report going around that Corino has already signed with WWE, but he is currently under contract with ROH until the end of the year.

    Corino spent a week as a ‘guest trainer’ at the PC earlier this month and called the facility “wrestling heaven.”

  • Spoilers: NXT Tapings Results From Ottawa

    Prior to Tuesday’s SmackDown Live tapings from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, WWE taped the following matches for upcoming episodes of NXT television:

    – Women’s Champion Asuka squashed a local wrestler and SHIMMER performer Nicole Matthews in a non-title match. (Thanks to @TheStevieMac)

    – Eric Young defeated No Way Jose. Sanity destroyed Jose after the match and then Nikki Cross hit a missile dropkick. Not much of a pre-match reaction for Jose but Sanity got a pop.

    – NXT Champion Samoa Joe defeated Tye Dillinger in a non-title match. Loud “Perfect 10” chants but Joe also got a good reaction.

  • NXT Preview & Video For Tonight, The Rock Does The Mannequin Challenge, More

    – Tonight’s NXT episode on the WWE Network will feature No Way Jose calling out Eric Young, Rich Swann vs. Kona Reeves, six-person action with Ember Moon, Liv Morgan & Aliyah vs. Peyton Royce, Billie Kay & Daria, plus highlights from TakeOver: Toronto.

    In the video below, Kay and Royce recruit Daria for tonight’s match:

    – Speaking of Aliyah, she’s celebrating her 22nd birthday today while former WCW and WWE star Juventud Guerrera turns 42.

    – Former WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson just had to do the Mannequin Challenge, as seen int he video below. Rock recently participated in the viral social media challenge as a way to celebrate being named People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” for 2016.

  • Sanity Revealed On Tonight’s NXT Episode (Video)

    Sanity Revealed On Tonight’s NXT Episode (Video)

    SAnitY was revealed to be Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, Sawyer Fulton and Nikki Cross on tonight’s NXT episode. Video of the reveal is below.

    Sawyer and Fulton are representing the stable in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and picked up a win over Bobby Roode & Tye Dillinger tonight after Roode walked out on his partner. They will now face the winner of Lince Dorado & Mustafa Ali vs. Kota Ibushi & Hideo Itami.


    https://twitter.com/WWE/status/786359436340101120

  • Spoiler On “Sanity” In WWE NXT

    Spoiler On “Sanity” In WWE NXT

    It was revealed at tonight’s NXT tapings that the “SANITY” teasers were for a new stable with Eric Young, Nikki Storm, Alexander Wolfe and Sawyer Fulton.

    They will face Bobby Roode and Tye Dillinger in a match for the second annual Dusty Rhodes Classic. We will have full spoilers and more on the Classic shortly.

    Below is a photo:

  • Possible Spoiler On The NXT “Sanity” Teaser

    Possible Spoiler On The NXT “Sanity” Teaser

    At Saturday night’s NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event, WWE ran a cryptic promo hyping that “Sanity” is coming soon to NXT.

    The teaser is believed to be for indy women’s wrestler Crazy Mary Dobson, who has done some NXT enhancement work in the past. It was recently confirmed that she has signed with the company.

    There are also unconfirmed rumors that the teaser may be for Eric Young, who is expected to re-debut with NXT soon.

  • Eric Young Signing With NXT?, Bill Goldberg Reveals Surgery, More WWE Signings

    Eric Young Signing With NXT?, Bill Goldberg Reveals Surgery, More WWE Signings

    – It’s believed that former TNA world champion Eric Young has signed with WWE and will be debuting soon. That signing has not been confirmed. Young made an appearance on NXT TV earlier this year and lost to Samoa Joe. (Source: PWInsider)

    – Two new NXT signings that have been confirmed are Tommy End and Crazy Mary Dobson. They’re both expected to report to the WWE Performance Center in September.

    – Despite some promotion hype teasing a possible match against Brock Lesnar, Bill Goldberg won’t be wrestling a match any time soon. The former WCW Champion told media in NYC this weekend that he had a double knee surgery about six weeks ago.

  • Update On Eric Young’s NXT Status, WWE Star Returning To Action Next Week, Eden

    Update On Eric Young’s NXT Status, WWE Star Returning To Action Next Week, Eden

    – The status of Eric Young has been unclear since the former TNA World Heavyweight Champion appeared at two NXT events in late April. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, however, revealed over the weekend that the 36-year-old will continue to appear for WWE’s developmental branch.

    Meltzer responded with the following after being asked about Young’s status with NXT.

    – Filming for WWE Studios’ The Marine 5: Battleground, which stars The Miz, Maryse, Naomi and The Social Outcasts, wraps up this week in Vancouver. Director James Nunn tweeted the following on Monday.

    The Miz will be back in action next week as the official WWE website has him listed for Tuesday’s SmackDown taping in Miami, Florida. He has an autograph signing scheduled that same day at the Cricket Wireless Store at 12530A Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, Florida.

    – Former WWE ring announcer Eden is celebrating her birthday today as she turns 33-years-old. She was granted her release from WWE on May 24, just days after her husband, Cody Rhodes, also requested his release.

  • Update On TNA Owing Bobby Roode And Eric Young Money

    Update On TNA Owing Bobby Roode And Eric Young Money

    Bobby Roode and Eric Young left TNA Impact Wrestling and jumped ship to WWE NXT. While Young has made his debut on television, Roode has yet to be seen in action by the WWE Universe at Full Sail University.

    A possibly mistaken tweet by WWE U.K. on Twitter would say otherwise, as he’s supposedly “confirmed” for the NXT U.K. tour in June.

    Regardless of the fact they both left TNA around the same time, a bit of controversy surrounded them last week. David Herro, well-known wrestling agent and all-around nice guy, said that TNA owed them in the six-figure range then they left.

    Herro, who’s a well-respected mind in the wrestling industry, is friends with many in TNA. However, an update was just released by PW Insider that refutes his claim. According to the report, Eric Young and Bobby Roode were paid what they were owed before they left TNA.

    There were times when Roode and Young were definitely owed money during time in TNA. Like any responsible company, both talents were paid in full before they departed for good.

    Given all of TNA’s hardships recently, the fact they can pay big-time talents like Roode and Young is a good sign. Does it mean things are changing for the better? With rumors of Matt Hardy turning down his amount of wrestling in a couple of years, they would lose one big star.

    Whatever the case may be, at least TNA was able to pay WWE NXT’s newest stars before they left.

  • Eric Young Talks About His NXT Status, Meeting Triple H & More

    Eric Young Talks About His NXT Status, Meeting Triple H & More

    Eric Young recently spoke with NiagaraThisWeek.com to discuss his NXT debut, which aired on this week’s episode of NXT TV. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

    His WWE Contract Status:

    “We are working on contract stuff now, but there isn’t a final pen to paper yet.”

    His NXT Debut Against Samoa Joe: 

    “It was in the works. I was supposed to go and talk with Hunter (WWE executive Paul Levesque). They reached out to me and there was an opportunity. Hunter and I hit it off right away, joking like we had known each other for 10 years. About half way through the day he called me aside to see if I’d be interested in doing a promo with the NXT champion Samoa Joe to start the show. I went and grabbed my stuff out of my rental and we got to business. The crowd reaction was insane. I figured it would be decent, but it was insane.”

  • Update On Eric Young’s Contract Status With WWE

    After reportedly leaving TNA over a financial dispute, their former World Champion Eric Young made his NXT debut at last week’s TV tapings. Young’s first match aired on the May 4th edition of NXT, when he lost to current NXT Champion and fellow former TNA Champion Samoa Joe.

    PWInsider.com reports that despite appearing on the WWE Network, Young has not yet signed a contract with the company. Young reportedly is expected to sign with the company soon and will join the NXT roster.

    After being with TNA since 2004, Young asked for his release from the company in March of 2016. PWTorch.com reported that Young and Bobby Roode, who had also been with the company since 2004, asked for raises and were denied. A report came out in April claiming that the two were owed over six-figures by TNA at the time they left the company.

  • Report: TNA Owed Bobby Roode & Eric Young A Combined Six-Figures

    Report: TNA Owed Bobby Roode & Eric Young A Combined Six-Figures

    David Herro, founder of Great Lakes Championship Wrestling, says he knows the real reason Bobby Roode and Eric Young left TNA. “Bobby Roode and Eric Young left because they were owed a combined six-figures,” Herro said on the Pro Wrestling Report.

    “How do you not pay those two guys?” Herro asked. “You let Bobby Roode go… a guy who could have gone to WWE but he wanted to be loyal to the company. Thank God he left. He’ll be a big star in NXT. He’ll make the main roster in a year from now. Same with Eric Young.”

    As far as TNA’s future goes, Herro thinks they need a management change. “I wish Ring Of Honor would buy TNA,” Herro said of TNA’s current financial problems. “They already have the infrastructure in place. They already have the TV deal alone. They’re already in more markets than Pop TV.”

    Herro also pointed out that TNA does not currently get paid by Pop TV, and that they bartered for their Impact Wrestling time slot.

  • Eric Young Explains Why He Joined WWE NXT (Video)

    Eric Young Explains Why He Joined WWE NXT (Video)

    Former TNA Champion Eric Young made a surprise debut for WWE NXT at Thursday night’s TV tapings from Full Sail University.

    After departing TNA Wrestling last month, Young made an impact by picking a fight with the biggest dog in the yard, newly crowned NXT Champion Samoa Joe.  Minutes after his first NXT match, EY spoke with Cathy Kelley about his decision to jump ship to the hottest pro wrestling promotion today.

  • Eric Young Debuts In NXT (Video)

    Eric Young Debuts In NXT (Video)

    Former TNA World Champion Eric Young made his NXT debut at tonight’s tapings from  Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. Young confronted NXT Champion Samoa Joe in the opening segment of the evening. We’ll update this post when new details become available.

    Both Young and Bobby Roode left TNA Wrestling departed TNA Wrestling earlier this month after over a decade with the company. Roode made a surprise appearance at NXT Takeover: Dallas and was shown ringside watching the action.

    Back on April 9th, the Peterborough Examiner published an interview with Roode, who stated that he was not yet signed with WWE. At the time, and this was over 3 weeks ago, Roode said, “I’m not officially signed yet. The Internet has blown up over it, and I mean I’m close, but I don’t want to spoil anything or ruin anything. I want to wait until it’s official. I don’t want to jinx anything either.”

    WWE is reportedly interested in bringing both men in as “player coaches,” which would see them working NXT events as well as training up and coming talent at the WWE Performance Center.

    Check back later tonight for full results of the NXT tapings.

  • Update On Eric Young & Bobby Roode Joining WWE

    Update On Eric Young & Bobby Roode Joining WWE

    As noted, Bobby Roode and Eric Young were granted their release from their TNA contracts. The two men are now free agents and now are free to wrestler anywhere in the world.

    According to Dave Meltzer, WWE has had contact with both men through an intermediary. WWE is said to be more interested in Young as they feel he can play any character that they need him to play.

    Young and Roode will remain on TNA television for a couple more week from previously taped episodes.

  • Eric Young On Why He Left TNA, Bobby Roode Calling TNA “Stale” & More

    Former TNA Wrestler Eric Young, called into Busted Open with Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca to discuss why he left TNA and what lies ahead for him. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

    His Reasons For Leaving:

    “For me, it’s twelve years and, sometimes, it’s time to move on. I’m not saying it’s  because I wasn’t fulfilled with what I was doing there or the people I was working with. It just became time. I’m not a ‘dirt’ guy or ‘drag people through the mud’. TNA’s been my home for twelve years. They allowed me to make a pretty good living in professional wrestling for twelve years and I wish them all the luck. Things don’t end because they’re good. People don’t get divorced because they’re having an amazing love life and still love each other and things are great. Things end because they’re not the way they’re supposed to be. Things weren’t the way they’re supposed to be for me in my opinion, so it was time for me to step away and do something else. What that’s going to be, I don’t have any idea. It’s terrifying and exciting and there’s lots of stuff up in the air with wrestling. There’s some big stuff kind of in the works for television stuff for me right now that I can’t talk about contractually. It’s terrifying – I’m 36 years old and I’m unemployed for the first time in my life. It’s pretty crazy.”

    Bobby Roode Saying TNA Is Stale:

    “I think what he was trying to say, I don’t know exactly, but what he’s trying to say is  he’s a guy that’s done all of it… He’s done everything and is feeling stale himself. I don’t think he meant the brand. If it maybe came across that way, you’d have to ask him himself… For me, I was excited with what I was doing. I liked doing the heel thing. That was completely new to me. It has nothing to do with feeling stale for me. It was just time, professionally, to move on. It had nothing to do with in-ring. Often, the problems of the wrestling business get in the way of wrestling. That’s what it comes down to. The wrestling business got in the way of me being happy and things being right so it’s time for me to go do something else.”

    What’s Next For Him:

    “For me, going through in the future, I don’t know. It’s terrifying – I said that already  once – terrifying and exciting to be unemployed… But there’s a lot of options and for me, I may not have the shiniest tool chest or maybe the newest tool chest or the fastest tool chest, but one thing I know for sure is I’ve got the f***ing biggest tool chest. And I’ve proven it. There’s not a single thing in wrestling that I can’t do and I’ve proven it. That’s not words. I’m not saying that because I haven’t done it. I’ve seen the card from every single angle. I’ve done tag, I can work X Division or cruiserweight or whatever you want to say, I’ve been world heavyweight champion and did well at that. I can make you laugh, I can make you hate me, I can make you  cry, I can make you do a pile of things with wrestling. I’m terrible at life. I’m terrible at most things, but pro wrestling I can do and I’ve proven it. I’m not worried. Something’s going to happen and I can’t wait to see what that’s going to be.”

    On whether NXT/WWE may be his future home:

    “Obviously, it’s a definite possibility. From the second that something was put up, of course, the parallels are being drawn and it’s something that’s definitely an option for me. The book is wide open and never in my career have I had that. I’ve always been a TNA guy… It’s exciting to say that I’m going to open another chapter. I’ve got a good foothold in pro wrestling and it’s cool to kind of be able to choose and have that ability because not everyone gets the choice. It’s a very cool thing, very flattering.”

    You can find more from news articles at BustedOpenNation.com and tune into Busted Open Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 2-4pm ET on SiriusXM Rush 93 and on the SiriusXM App on your smartphone.

  • Update On Why Bobby Roode & Eric Young Left TNA

    Update On Why Bobby Roode & Eric Young Left TNA

    Longtime TNA performers Bobby Roode and Eric Young are officially gone from the company after asking for their releases on Saturday night. According to the PWTorch VIP, Roode and Young made their decision because of pay issues.

    Roode and Young reportedly quit the company after asking TNA management for pay raises and were both turned down. Roode and Young had been with the company since 2004. Both are now free agents and can negotiate with other companies.

    TNA has reportedly had issues with paying talent over the last couple years, but it’s not known if Roode or Young are among those wrestlers owed money.

  • Eric Young & Bobby Roode Comment On Their TNA Departures

    Eric Young & Bobby Roode Comment On Their TNA Departures

    Former TNA Champions Bobby Roode and Eric Young are both officially gone from TNA after over a decade with the company. TNA issued a statement earlier and now Roode & Young have each broken their silence:

    https://twitter.com/TheEricYoung/status/711355578652729344

    Amazingly, both men referenced what’s ‘next’ for them without spelling the word ‘n-x-t’. In all seriousness, it’s the end of another era for TNA and both veterans. Young and Roode were synonymous with TNA from the very beginning, dating back to their days as members of Team Canada. They stayed loyal throughout the countless highs and lows, the expansions and the contractions. Neither man will have trouble finding work in the business and TNA will continue chugging along, but it has to be bitter-sweet for all parties involved.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4a11a9v18k

  • Bobby Roode & Eric Young Gone From TNA – Official Statement

    Bobby Roode & Eric Young Gone From TNA – Official Statement

    The TNA exodus continues, as Bobby Roode and Eric Young are gone. Both had been with TNA since 2004, when they came in as part of Team Canada under trainer (and former TNA booker) Scott D’Amore.

    They had been linked to each other on and off for much of that period, alternating as partners and rivals throughout. It’s not yet clear why they asked for their releases, but TNA has had issues with paying talent and production staff late at times in the last year or two.

    Here’s the full statement from TNA:

    Impact Wrestling has come to terms on the release of veteran wrestlers Bobby Roode and Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz). Bobby and Eric have been valuable members of The Impact Roster since 2004 and we wish them nothing but the best in their careers going forward.

    Bobby had this to say earlier today, “To the guys and girls I got to work with for the past 12 years, Impact Wrestling, the office and everyone associated with me getting to live this dream, I say thank you. It is time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life. This has been amazing.”

    Eric Young had this to say. “Thank you. Thank you to everyone who watched me for the past 12 years. Thank you to Impact Wrestling. I wish everyone here nothing but the best going forward.”

    Executive Vice President of Creative and Television, John Gaburick added, “Bobby and Eric are true professionals. We salute them for the 12 years they gave TNA.

    With a Superstar roster including EC3, James Storm, Drew Galloway, Jeff and Matt Hardy, “The Destroyer” Bobby Lashley, Gail Kim, The Wolves, Maria Kanellis-Bennett and “The Miracle” Mike Bennett we couldn’t be more excited about showcasing the finest wrestling in the world for the Impact fans.”

    In the coming weeks be sure to see the final matches of both Bobby Roode and Eric Young on Impact Wrestling at 9PM EST on Pop TV.

  • Video: Eric Young Defeats Bobby Roode To Become New TNA King Of The Mountain Champion

    Video: Eric Young Defeats Bobby Roode To Become New TNA King Of The Mountain Champion

    https://youtu.be/ecFoGkLJM14

    As seen on tonight’s edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on POP TV, Eric Young defeated Bobby Roode to become the new TNA King Of The Mountain Champion.

    While this is Young’s first reign as KOTM Champion, he did have a run with the belt when it was referred to as the TNA Global Championship.

    The main reason behind moving the title from Roode to Young was to get the belt off of Roode now that he is back in the tag-team scene as one-half of Beer Money with James Storm.

  • TNA Changes Plans Regarding Conclusion Of TNA World Title Series Tournament

    https://youtu.be/Lxt29S5pe2k

    It looks like TNA has changed their original plans regarding the conclusion of their multi-week TNA World Title Series tournament.

    TNA announced that the semifinals and finals of the tournament will be airing live (which may be on a few hour tape delay) when the promotion debuts on POP TV on January 5th.

    The semifinals remain Bobby Lashley vs. Ethan Carter III and Matt Hardy vs. Eric Young. In the original tournament, Lashley beat EC3 via count out and Hardy beat Young, with Lashley beating Hardy in the finals.

    Whatever the new direction is remains to be seen, however the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that their original plans for the conclusion of the tournament have been changed.

  • Eric Young Talks TNA Moving To Pop TV, Changes He Thinks TNA Needs To Make

    https://youtu.be/A3t-gzMAyUY

    Former TNA World Champion Eric Young called into the latest edition of Busted Open Radio to discuss TNA’s upcoming move from Destination America to Pop TV and changes he feels TNA needs to make. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

    On TNA moving to Pop TV and comparing TNA to Nickelback:

    “It’s a big, fat, juicy, delicious ray of sunshine. There’s no mystery – all the guys know, all the people in the office know – there’s been a black cloud over the company. Whether it’s deserved or undeserved, that’s all in the eye of the beholder I suppose. But I think somewhere along the line we became kind of too big to be the underdog where people are really rooting for us and not big enough to be taken all the way serious. We’re in this in-between. I liken it – for me, for people that don’t understand wrestling, we’re the Nickelback of pro wrestling right now. I don’t know when that happened. Nickelback doesn’t care that it happened, but they’re aware of it too. It became cool to not like Nickelback. I’m not a musician. I don’t know anything about writing music or whatever, but I like Nickelback’s music. I listen to it. I’ve been a fan. I saw them live in Toronto when no one knew who they were. They were awesome. He has a full-size hockey rink in his basement. He gets drunk and plays with his buddies. They’re great and I think TNA’s great. I’ve always thought that. That will never change. It’s never going to be perfect. Nothing in entertainment is going to make everybody happy, but moving to Pop TV is a big, positive step for us. History’s the history and we’re all moving forward positive.”

    On changes TNA needs to make:

    “I’m not a businessman. I would never say that I know anything about business. If I didn’t have an iPhone, I would never show up anywhere. I wouldn’t know where I was going. I would never be on time for anything. I’m disorganized and brutal, but if you’re asking me, it has nothing to do with a single person. They have to decide a direction and go there and march. We can’t say, ‘Oh, we’re doing this now’ and throw 20 things against the wall. Then, six weeks down the road, maybe those things aren’t working right away and then re-do it all and start again. We’re spinning our tires. We have to just decide a direction, decide who we’re using, decide what we’re doing, decide who we’re showcasing, what we’re trying to give the wrestling fans, and then give it to them on a consistent basis. That’s the biggest thing for me is consistency. That’s sort of like accountability. When you tune into Impact, you’re getting a great wrestling match. You’re getting a great storyline, you’re getting a good women’s match. It’s the ultimate variety show.”