This week TNA got the wrestling fans talking for something involving someone who isn’t even a pro wrestler. One night after Tito Ortiz shocked the MMA world by being introduced as Rampage Jackson’s opponent in Bellator’s headliner for their first ever PPV, he came out on to the ramp and stared down Jackson and his comrades in the Main Event Mafia and their rivals The Aces and Eights as he was revealed as the #August1Warning to end Impact.
This has gained a huge amount of criticism from ‘hardcore’ professional wrestling fans as they argue that the cuts TNA has recently made was to pay for Tito and Rampage, two guys who are not professional wrestlers. This, to put it as nicely as I can, is more than likely bullshit.
TNA wrestling currently airs on Spike TV. Spike TV is owned by Viacom. Viacom also own Bellator. Do the math people.
The move to put Tito Ortiz and Rampage Jackson both on TNA television at the same time that they are going to be promoting the first ever Bellator ppv is no coincidence and should be no surprise to fans of either sport. If Viacom can get the TNA fans interested in the build up to the fight then it will ultimately urge the wrestling fans to buy the PPV and could produce some new fans for MMA. Vice-versa some MMA fans will tune in to Impact to see Rampage and Tito on air during the build up to the fight and that could produce some new TNA fans. It is highly likely that Viacom are actually paying TNA to put Tito and ‘Page on TNA television and not Dixie paying the two former UFC champions.
Us fans can piss and moan about a lot of things in both sports but at the end of the day it is all a business. Spike is available to 98.7 million homes in America alone and when you add in that TNA is available in more than 120 countries then that is a huge platform to use to try and get PPV buys. If Viacom can get the wrestling fan interested in the fight and can get the MMA fan interested in TNA then it means nothing but money.
This is a simple business decision and will more than likely only last to the fight on November 2nd. Widen your mind and go with it while it lasts, it might just expand your sport.
– By Gregg Mullen