Zack Malibu's TNA (circa 2004) Diary!

[zackmalibu]

That's right, I've started a diary and played quite a ways through it, and with things like a move and personal matters behind me, I should have more time to keep up on this one. For the first few posts, I will be giving a synopsis of past storylines/character development to help you all follow the feuds/gimmicks/character motivations of my current stories.

As stated in the title, I started with TNA 2004, and have played over a year into the game already. These writeups will give you a look back at the history of TNA since I "took over", and how we got to where we are today.

TNA 2004: The Wednesday Weekly PPV Era

A Hero's Walk Into Hell

In March of 2004, professional wrestling welcomed back one of its all time greats to full time competition. The Man Called Sting, who had appeared on TNA broadcasts sporadically throughout 2003 decided that he still had it in him for one more run. After scoring some impressive wins over top talent such as Shane Douglas and perennial rival Jeff Jarrett, Sting became the number one contender to the NWA World Title held by AJ Styles. A braggart with the skill to back up his mouth, AJ taunted Sting, stating that wrestling has evolved while Sting has not, and all the Stinger Splashes in the world can't compete with the God given talent AJ has.

The match was set for one of TNA's weekly PPV's, and Sting more than held his own with the cocky champion. When AJ missed a Pele kick, Sting hooked his legs and tied him up in a Scorpion Deathlock, bringing the crowd to their feet. AJ squirmed, but the ropes were not in reach, and just has his hand was about to hit the mat for a tapout, the lights went out. When they came back on, SABU was in the ring and hurled a steel chair at Sting's head, striking the legend and causing a disqualification victory that prevented Sting from obtaining the championship. Sabu continued his assault, pummeling Sting with the chair before ultimately putting him through a ringside table.

The following week, two major incidents took place. Sabu was revealed to have found a new mentor and mouthpiece...Father James Mitchell! The "Sinister Minister" had gotten to Sabu, stating that Sting's claim of legendary status was false, and that he hadn't earned that title, while Sabu was a man who put his body on the line every time, had broken himself and scarred himself for the wrestling business and has been looked at as nothing more than a sideshow, while a man walking around in facepaint is revered by all. Mitchell vowed to eliminate Sting once and for all, because for all his ability to hang with AJ Styles, he'd never dealt with anyone as sadistic as Sabu.

The other incident was the statement by AJ Styles that he had nothing to do with Sabu and Mitchell's assault, and that he wanted a clean fight to prove himself against one of wrestling's best. A rematch was set for the following week, where AJ swore on the belt that there would be no interference. Just him, Sting, and a referee ready to count to three or call for the bell. The match happened, but once again Sabu made his presence felt, attacking Sting and bloodying him. This time, however, AJ Styles rose to his feet and came to Sting's aid, stopping Sabu from striking him. The fans applauded as AJ helped Sting to his feet and carried him to the locker room, effectively putting himself in the fans good graces once again.

It was announced on TNA's website that, due to the circumstances surrounding the title match that the match that Mitchell wanted would take place...Sting would take on Sabu the following week, one on one for the first time ever. Mitchell, however, had a counter proposal. Due to AJ's slight, coming to Sting's aid, he wanted a tag match: AJ Styles and Sting vs. Sabu and a man that Sting knew all too well...VAMPIRO. A former charge of Mitchell, Sting's former "Brother In Paint" was welcomed happily back into Mitchell's fold, forming a demonic duo with the newly sinister Sabu.

The tag match never happened, as Styles was jumped at the start of the show and bloodied up by both Sabu and Vampiro. Sting agreed to go at it alone in a handicap match against Sabu and Vampiro, but was overwhelmed...until RAVEN appeared on the scene. Having history with both Sabu and Vampiro, the fans didn't know what to make of Raven's appearance...but when he grabbed Vampiro and hit a Raven Effect DDT, they knew where he stood. Sabu escaped, dragging his ally to safety, and Mitchell cried foul. Sting, never having dealt with Raven during their time in WCW, was at a loss. Wrestling's "superhero" and anti-hero were now aligned against Mitchell's "extreme demons". Realizing Sting's uneasiness with his involvement, Raven told Sting that in order to combat people like Mitchell, Sabu, and Vampiro, he needed to embrace his dark side. Stating that everyone has one, Raven said he would be the "devil on the angels shoulder", and cross the lines that Sting didn't want to. After several attacks on both himself and Raven, Sting became increasingly hostile towards his foes, gaining more of an edge that led to him violently eliminating Vampiro from TNA after thrashing him in a hardcore match. Mitchell vowed revenge, and much to everyone's surprise, a new alliance was formed...one between Mitchell, Sabu, and Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett, who talked of how his family was always thankful for Sting being loyal to them, said Sting was now a disgrace, lowering himself to being allies and "just like" Raven. Despite his newfound killer instinct, the fans loved Sting just as much as ever, and embraced Raven even more as well...an action which only fueled the hatred Jarrett had for his two enemies. The feud between the Raven/Sting duo and Jarrett and Sabu, along with James Mitchell, carried TNA through several months of weekly PPV's until a television deal was struck with the Urban American network.

[zackmalibu]

Tag (Teams), You're It

A major highlight of TNA's PPV's were the weekly tag wars, as TNA increased its already intense tag divsion with several new teams in 2004. After the exits of teams like the SAT's and the Harris Brothers, TNA supplemented their ranks with the addition of The Hooligans (Paul London and Brian Kendrick, fresh off their WWE tenure), indy sensations the Backseat Boyz (Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere) as well as the Briscoe Boys (brothers Mark and Jay). Another duo, the no-nonsense tandem of BJ Whitmer and Matt Stryker also saw their way into the fold, joining teams such as Simon Diamon and Johnny Swinger, and NWA World Tag Team Champions America's Most Wanted. Almost immediately upon the restructuring of the division, teams paired off into wars with each other. Whitmer and Stryker, two veterans who did their time on the indy scene, targeted the young Briscoe boys, who have been heralded as the next great team. Acid and Kashmere went after the Hooligans, going so far as to rudely accost their valet, Alexis Laree backstage to draw their ire. However, what may have been the greatest challenge was to the champions themselves, as AMW were faced with the reemergence of one of wrestling's greatest tag teams when Rick and Scott Steiner brutally assaulted them and made it known that they wanted the NWA World Tag Team Titles. With every team vying for the belts, AMW managed to hang onto the titles, sometimes just barely, as we entered the prime time television era.

[edgehead3]

These are two fantastic write-ups. Easy to read, informational, and highly entertaining.

I know I never would've thought of a Sting/Sabu feud. You've really knocked it out of the park. It's so nice to see Raven getting a main event push as well.

The tag division you have is incredibly solid. I'm looking forward to seeing the Backseat Boyz do something. (R.I.P. Trent)

I was a big fan of your previous diary, this one should be just as exciting!

[zackmalibu]

Much obliged! I always try to think outside the box with these diaries. Sometimes it seems that people will always have similar ideas based on how a worker acts/talks/etc. in real life. Something like Sting/Sabu is one of those random "dream match" type of scenarios that I was glad I was able to play out. Speaking of dream matches, your diary tends to be full of them. Looking forward to seeing where it goes!

[zackmalibu]

X Division Divided

The centerpiece of TNA Wrestling, the X Division, was without a doubt the most intensely contested division in wrestling at the time. X Division Champion Chris Sabin lost the belt rather quickly to TNA returnee Ace Steel (editor's note: I took the belt off Sabin on the first show so that I could send him to developmental for seasoning). Steel managed to rally some fans behind him, a change of pace from his last tenure here. His main rival was "White Trash" Kid Kash, who wholly embraced his scummy, dirty nature and positioned himself as the polar opposite of what both NWA officials and the fans wanted representing them. Kash won the belt from Steel, but the time for celebrating was minimal, as 2 factor,s led to Kash's loss of the belt: the arrival of Japanese Superstar Satoshi Kojima, and the rise of the former EZ Money, Jason Jett. Kash, knowing Jett from their time in ECW, expected him to serve as a lackey to him, and was insulted when Jett refused the offer. A feud started between the two men, but as Kojima went on a winning streak, he too was given a shot at the title. Kojima captured the belt in a three way dance with Kash and Jett, with both men challenging him separately in the aftermath. On top of this, the division saw other changes and arrivals: Jerry Lynn, a division mainstay, was injured by Kojima during one of Kojima's first matches, putting him on the shelf for several months. Michael Shane denounced his family lineage, stating that he wasn't looking for a free ride based on his relations; he was going to earn his spot in spite of them. Nicho El Milionario, the former Psychosis, brought more international flavor to the division, and former ROH World Champion Xavier was signed in a major grab for the TNA roster. These men would soon be followed by other talents that had been signed to developmental, some of whom were ready just in time for the beginning of the prime time television era TNA was about to enter.

[zackmalibu]

Prime Time TV: The Rise of TNA

In July of 2004, more good news came TNA's way, as the Urban American network agreed to give the company a prime time TV slot. Gone were the weekly Wednesday PPV's, as TNA branded their flagship show "IMPACT", and aired it on Wednesdays in prime time. The added TV time saw exposure to many more stars on the TNA roster, each one vying for a chance in the spotlight. This added tension to existing feuds and created several new wars that would be fought in the squared circle in front of millions at home.

-AJ Styles continued to defend the NWA World Title against all comers, besting old rival Kid Kash (who sought AJ out after losing the X Title), "The Franchise" Shane Douglas (who, in an ironic twist given his own history, called AJ a "young punk" who was unfit to be champion), and WWE refugee Christian Cage, who jumped to TNA in the summer of 2004 and immediately set his sights on the gold. In their very first match, at the Turning Point PPV in September, Cage defeated AJ for the belt. Christian continued to brag, stating that he had finally realized his destiny, saying that holding the most prestigious belt in wrestling was proof for all his detractors that he is "just that good". AJ invoked his rematch clause, and when Christian made the comment that AJ would have to "climb the ladder" to get his belt back, the NWA Board of Directors ordered matchmaker Don Callis (who made it no secret that he was a Christian friend and supporter) to order a Ladder Match at TNA's biggest PPV event to date: Bound For Glory. Styles won back his World Title, with Christian's reign only lasting one month. Cage, upset by this, invoked HIS rematch clause, stating that AJ didn't pin him to win the belt and thus it "shouldn't count". During this time, another superstar arrived: Lance Storm. A friend of both Cage and Callis, Storm did their dirty work, attacking AJ and attempting to wear him down, week after week. During a tag match pitting Styles and Jerry Lynn against Cage and Storm, AJ pinned Christian, making their pinfall "score" at one each. With the third match in their series officially set for November Reign, Callis ordered that it be a 30 minute Iron Man match, where the winner would be the superstar with the most falls. With under 2 minutes left and no falls between them, AJ went for a Pele kick, but Cage ducked and the ref was hit. A low blow and an Unprettier only earned Christian a 2 count, but when AJ went for a springboard forearm he was crotched on the ropes, and pulled back into the ring where Christian hit another Unprettier and got the pin with literally seconds remaining. Cage had bested AJ and won what would only be the first chapter of their war.

=======================================================

The tag division saw every team, at one point or another, getting shots at the gold over the next few months. America's Most Wanted lost the titles to the Steiner Brothers at Victory Road, and failed to regain the belts in their rematch. A feud was started between the Steiners and the Briscoes, due to the Steiners upset about the comparisons being made between the duos. Many advised the Briscoes against going up against the Steiners, but Mark and Jay stood their ground, not intimidated by Big Poppa Pump or the Dogfaced Gremlin. The feud culminated in a cage match at October's Bound For Glory, where all four men bled buckets, but only two...Mark and Jay Briscoe...walked out with gold.

After their BFG war, the Steiners announced their respect for the Briscoes, and were insulted for doing so by Whitmer and Stryker. Whitmer, known for his intense promo work, would always let Stryker finish, uttering the line "Let's Go To Work" before every match. They certainly had their work cut out for them, as Rick and Scott were not a soft challenge at all, making the two no-nonsense stars regret they had ever picked a fight with them.

The Hooligans and the Backseat Boyz continued the rivalry that started back on the 2 hour PPV's, as Trent and Johnny insulted and nearly assaulted Hooligans valet (and London's girlfriend) Alexis Laree at every turn. Telling her she was "smooth like butter and should be spread", Alexis was disgusted by Trent and Johnny, and it was London and Kendrick who came to her aid. The teams fought in several wars, most notably the first ever Ladder War on live television, a five star contest that saw London and Kendrick shut up the two punks once and for...well, at least temporarily.

The next challenge for the belts and the Briscoes came in the form of the team of Bison Smith and Homicide. Homicide had entered the company as the backup to a newly heel Ron Killings, who was feuding with D Lo Brown. Killings was injured by D Lo (note: he suffered a knee injury that depleted his stats and put him out for a year, so I let him go), which saw Homicide paired up with D Lo's old rival Shane Douglas. During a match pitting D Lo and another Douglas rival, Terry Funk, against Homicide and Douglas, Douglas was injured (another long term injury in a D Lo match...guy really is cursed). This led Homicide to accuse D Lo of injuring people out of fear, stating that instead of beating them, he looks to cripple them. Homicide then brought out Bison Smith, stating that he's a man who "can't be hurt". The makeshift team was too much for D Lo and Funk, and soon began to establish a rapport with each other that many full-fledged teams lacked. Changing their gear to all black (Homicide wearing plain black pants and a bulletproof vest, Smith wearing an outfit similar to 1998 Big Boss Man), Homicide and Smith declared themselves "Martial Law" and stated that their was no jury...they were the judges and they would execute anyone in their path.

[zackmalibu]

Raven's Doom

One of the most shocking moments of 2004 took place on TNA Impact. Raven, who had been embraced by the fanbase despite his dark, gothic nature, was fresh off of a victory when the lights went out. When they came back on, he was attacked and chokeslammed several times by KANE, though his name was not mentioned by the announcers. After two chokeslams in the ring and one on the floor, Kane walked off laughing maniacally as medics tended to Raven.

The following week, the former Kane came out and explained his actions. Stating that he has both "lived and loved hell", he saw that Raven claimed to represent the darkside, which he feels is not true. Saying that he is "Hellfire and Brimstone...Hell on Earth...I am Doomsday!", Kane returned to the name he used earlier in his career. As Doomsday, he remained a formidable force, destroying talents at random and threatening Raven. Raven retaliated the only way he knew how...by taking extreme measures to eliminate Doomsday from his life. Chairs, tables, guardrails...it all came into play during their war, yet Raven was never able to gain a pinfall over his rival. Finally, the NWA Board of Directors ordered Don Callis to contain the damage the two stars do, and lock them into a giant cage: Hell In A Cell. It was here that Raven finally earned a victory over Doomsday after months of torture and torment. Though he's moved on from the feud, Raven remains scarred from the war, and Doomsday remains a force in TNA.

[zackmalibu]

2005: The Winds of Change

2004 was a groundbreaking year for TNA. They scored not one, but two prime time TV slots. They exposed themselves to a whole new fanbase, and it got not only the fans interested, but other wrestlers as well. It also led to some of the greatest matches in wrestling, and some of the most exciting title matches and rivalries one could ask for.

2005 saw TNA capitalize on their newfound fame, and the roster vying ever so hard to keep the spotlight shining on them. Jason Jett carried the X Title into 2005 and defeated all comers. Former rival Kid Kash, Canadian Superstar Lance Storm (fresh off a stint in the WWE), Trent Acid, Johnny Kashmere, BJ Whitmer and Matt Stryker all found themselves defeated in their attempts to take the belt. Jett, who had promised in 2004 that his EZ Money days would long be forgotten, made good on that promise, as he made sure Jason Jett would become a household name. It wasn't until April that Jett finally lost his grip on the X Title, losing it in a closely contested match against Lance Storm. The ever-so-serious superstar promised to "rein in" the X Division and teach them what real wrestling was all about. Storm's mouth then got him into trouble with upstart CM Punk, who was on a roll by remaining undefeated after taking on challenges from Xavier and Kid Kash. Storm and Punk was signed for No Surrender, the May PPV, and Punk won the title and continued his undefeated streak, while Storm lost his cool after losing his title.

The tag title scene remained as buzzworthy as ever, as every team in TNA paired off against each other. The Steiners, having turned face by saving the Briscoes from an attack by Whitmer and Stryker, took on the no-nonsense team in a variety of matches, ultimately costing Rick Steiner his health, as he tore a calf during a match and it put him on the shelf for 8 months. With his morale already sinking, Rick was released from his TNA contract, while Scott drifted into singles competition.

The Briscoes lost the belts to Martial Law (Homicide and Bison Smith) in February, but regained them at the Ides of March PPV. Mark and Jay are incredibly popular with the fans, and have successfully defended the belts against every team currently in TNA: Whitmer and Stryker, AMW, the Backseat Boyz, and The Hooligans have all been defeated, and many of those matches were five star classics that had the fans on their feet in the final minutes.

Perhaps no title scene was as newsworthy as the NWA World Title scene. Christian Cage and AJ Styles traded the belt at the end of 2004, and after beating AJ in their rubber match Christian insisted that AJ "work his way back up the ladder". AJ vowed he would do so, but a backstage attack put AJ on the shelf for 9 months with a neck injury. Christian gleefully celebrated AJ's misfortune, but opened his mouth one too many times. The Man Called Sting, fresh off his war with Doomsday, took Christian up on an open challenge on an episode of IMPACT, and captured the NWA World Title. Sting, who less than a year ago took on a more dark demeanor and gained Raven as an ally, now had the target on his back. Shockingly enough, his first challenge came in the form of his friend, as Raven turned on Sting, stating it has always been his destiny to hold the belt, and because he made Sting into what he is, he could break him. Raven, ever the manipulative one, wound up calling a truce with Doomsday, his blood rival, and captured the World Title from Sting at the Ides of March PPV. Raven, not satisfied with just the win, then tried to maim Sting, as he wrapped a chair around Sting's neck and drove him into the ring post, damaging Sting's vocal chords. The former champion, who can only speak with a whisper, returned just before Lockdown with a new ally...Shannon "Daffney" Ward, who paints half of her face like Sting and acts as his voice when he feels the need to speak. This failed to impress Raven in any way, shape, or form, and he and Doomsday have made it their mission to eliminate Sting and any of his allies from the company, starting with Scott Steiner, who was chokeslammed through a table by Doomsday and never seen again.

With two prime time TV shows and heavy competition from other organizations, TNA also introduced the wrestling world to many young stars, shying away from the image that TNA was nothing but castaways and old-timers. Rising star Colt Cabana debuted for TNA, and fans immediately took to his jovial ways. One person who did not was recent arrival Charlie Haas, who attacked Cabana at every turn, saying that if Cabana wasn't going to take wrestling seriously, Charlie would make him. Cabana's fun-loving demeanor was replaced by a more serious one, and he bested Charlie in an I Quit match to end the feud once and for all.

Alex Shelley, Nigel McGuinness, Johnny Jeter, and Rob Conway were all also welcome additions to the roster, with the former two engaging in a feud over Nigel's challenge of seeing if his technical ability could best Shelley's aerial expertise. Jeter and Conway, who had done their time together in OVW, feuded over Conway's perceived slight from years back, feeling that Jeter has always thought he was better than everyone. However, no rise was as impressive as Chris Hero's, as he defeated all his challengers, including former comrade Ace Steel and even Colt Cabana, leading up to him becoming the number one contender for the X Title, a belt held by a man he trained with, traveled with, and has known for years: CM Punk.

The most shocking, important story of all does not involve any of the championships, but rather the ownership of the company. Jeff Jarrett, known to have minority interest in the company because of co-founding it with father Jerry, was seen to have been cavorting around with Simply Luscious during, and even after TNA shows. Jeff and the rest of the wrestling world were shocked one night when Jerry appeared on the big screen and told Jeff in front of the world that he was selling the company, and that Jeff could do nothing about it. It turns out that Jeff's stake in the company had a moral terpitude clause in it, and his affair with Luscious made his attempt at blocking the sale null and void. Jerry Jarrett then revealed who he had sold the company too: The Funk Family, with Terry Funk presiding over NWATNA operations! Jarrett was as upset as one could imagine, as the King of Hardcore had now taken the power.

This led to turmoil with TNA's Director of Authority, Don Callis, as well. Callis had put a bid on the company, hoping to become the owner, but had his offer rebuked by Jerry Jarrett. When Funk came aboard, he told Callis that he was aware of the favortism that Callis showed certain people on the roster, such as Christian, Lance Storm, and others. Callis begged and pleaded, but it was to no avail: Funk fired him as the Director of Authority, and put someone new in charge. Someone who would have full control and that Funk could trust to take care of things if he wasn't around. Callis was even more irate when he found out that the new boss was his old boss: Paul Heyman.

Heyman's first act of business was to announce the card for TNA's 3 year anniversary show, Slammiversary. Raven would defend the World Title against Sting in a Hell In A Cell match. The Briscoes would defend against the persistent duo of Whitmer and Stryker in a rematch of their five star Ladder War from 2004. In a battle of the undefeated superstars, X Division Champion CM Punk would take on old friend Chris Hero. America's Most Wanted would battle Martial Law, Alex Shelley would fight Nigel McGuinness, and Johnny Jeter would take on Rob Conway.

The result was the best show to date in company history (90%) as the Shelley/Nigel Falls Count Anywhere Match, the Jeter/Conway Last Man Standing Match, the Ladder War, and the Punk/Hero match all got *****. Punk and Hero fought to a time limit draw, and when the crowd asked for five more minutes Punk was ready to give it to them, but Hero walked to the back. The Briscoes retained their belts in another brutal Ladder War, and Raven retained the World Title by hitting three Raven Effect DDT's on Sting, the final one being on a steel chair. With Sting defeated, Christian in hiding (game-wise, he went into rehab not long after he lost the belt so in storyline, he's not been seen since losing to Sting), and AJ Styles on the injured list, Raven has dominated the World Title scene for the past few months...something that doesn't make the NWA Board of Directors happy, as he's far from what they could consider a role model and positive influence as champion.

[zackmalibu]

...annnnnnnnnnnd here we go with the real meat of the diary. After playing for just over a year in game time, we're going to start in July of 2005.

NWA-TNA (game started June 2004).
Currently July 2005.
TV: Wednesday Night IMPACT on the Urban American Network, Saturday Night Adrenaline on TSN
Money: $67140171
Public Image: 40%
Currently at war with: Major League Wrestling

Current Champions:

NWA World Heavyweight Champion: RAVEN (defeated STING on 3/27/05)

NWA World Tag Team Champions: Jay and Mark Briscoe (defeated BISON SMITH and HOMICIDE (MARTIAL LAW) on 3/27/05)

TNA X Division Champion: CM PUNK (defeated LANCE STORM on 5/29/05)

[thatponyguy]

Wait, what size is the promotion?

[zackmalibu]

Oops, forgot that.

Global, 40%. Trailing only WWE, but MLW are hot on my heels.

[thatponyguy]

I find it hilarious that, of all promotions, MLW, ML-fucking-W got to Global.

[zackmalibu]

The really strange/sad thing is that they keep eating away at my Public Image. The emails from sophie state they have "bigger stars than us" and "better workers than us", however they only have five guys over 90% overness. I currently have both Briscoes, BJ Whitmer, Matt Stryker, Raven, Doomsday, Sting, CM Punk, AJ Styles, Brian Kendrick, Paul London, Rey Mysterio, Chris Harris, James Storm, Jeff Jarrett, Johnny Jeter, and Kid Kash ALL over 90 and some of them have the best stats in the game. So I have no idea why I'm losing to them.

[Brain Of J]

Jun 10, 2013 8:17:30 GMT -5 thatponyguy said:

I find it hilarious that, of all promotions, MLW, ML-fucking-W got to Global.

Dude, look at my global scene ... after me (#1) and TNA (#2), it's the International Wrestling Cartel (Global, #3).

Jed Shaffer
~And IWA-Puerto Rico is as big as WWE.

[zackmalibu]

Not to mention this MLW's main stars (re: people at 90 or above) are Masato Tanaka, Mikey Whipwreck, Steve Corino, and Tony Mamaluke. Most of their talent are also under Japanese commitments and won't sign with them either, yet they still have an edge on me? It's just odd.