So here we are, just a few moments from a whole new round of Monday Night Wars, and I would be lying if I said I was not giddy. Immortals Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan are locks to make appearances for their feuding shows, but now even other prominent figures like Randy Savage and Rob Van Dam are being churned out by the rumor mill. Now granted, TNA has nowhere near the resources the WWE has, meaning that it is highly unlikely that TNA even gets close in the ratings tonight, but really, the competition itself is what makes tonight so exciting.
That WCW-WWF rivalry, aka the original Monday Night Wars, gave us such a magnificent era - the Attitude Era - that we still fondly remember to this day. Sadly though, that era and the moments that came of it are something we wrestling fans have gotten used to living without for the better part of the last decade. Yes, we probably have had five-star matches since then. Hell, we have had even had great young stars like Randy Orton emerge post-Attitude Era. But the thing we have been missing are those moments like we had in the 90's and early 00's.
In the last handful of years, we have no moments like 'The Stunner', 'The Leg Drop', 'The Beer Truck', or even just 'TLC' - simple phrases that bring back so many flashbacks. The closest of this current era may, in my opinion, be 'The Cash-In', when Edge stole the heavyweight title from John Cena when nobody expected it. Even then though, that doesn't hold a candle to any of the spectacles above, not to mention that from my perspective, Mr. Kennedy was supposed to be in Edge's place... *mumbling profanities*. However, I expect that to soon change... the moments that is - not Mr. Kennedy. (I'm now done with my quota of one Mr. Kennedy reference per article.)
You probably don't remember, but back in May I wrote the article 'A Man Defines His Surroundings... or Do Surroundings Define the Man?'. In the article I got into what has motivated such geniuses (in their own respective fields) like Eminem, Michael Jordan, and even S.T.U.P.I.D. (aka Vince McMahon) throughout their careers. In every person's case, there was always somebody in their rear view mirror, literally or figuratively, that couldn't wait to "catch up" to them. Yet every time said geniuses' rival - be it poverty or a person - faded away - to a degree so did the person's motivation.
Enter TNA.
S.T.U.P.I.D. has been fat and happy for the better part of the last decade. You all have seen that the product that has been put out there in the ring has been sub par PG-bullshit at best. But as soon as TNA signed Hogan months ago, have you finally not seen the good ol' S.T.U.P.I.D. that we've come to know? He really has pulled out ALL his arsenal in an attempt to one-up TNA, namely, signing Bret Hart. But you know what? I would have no issue if the WWE squashed TNA like a bug. That would be perfectly fine by me.
The one thing, however, that I do hope comes of this, is that we get some... you guessed it... moments. The sickie inside me wants to see Jeff Hardy go to TNA and take all those young fans with him. The sickie in me wants to see TNA go even further and assemble as nostalgic a wrestling roster as you can assemble, just for the sake of maybe reuniting some of the old stables, and better yet, reigniting some of the old rivalries. But ultimately, the sickie inside me wants to see Bret Hart go on live TV tonight and completely destroy S.T.U.P.I.D. on the mic as soon as he gets the chance. Sort of in a 'shot-heard-'round-the-world' way, and then go on to sign with TNA. But really, I just want some damn entertaining programming... kayfabe or not.
Oh and did I yet mention that I want moments?
