A Breath of Fresh Air
The feud was not over a championship. It was not over the recent separation of a tag team or stable, with one man turning heel. It was not about a woman or an authority figure. This feud was different, unique, creative and will be remembered for years to come. An “outside of the box” experiment was successful for TNA last night and credit needs to go to many people. When you watched #TheFinalDeletion on PopTV last night, you should not have blinked for a second. With so much going on and so much creativity, it was like I was stuck in the middle of a Blockbuster film.
Many will criticize the outlandish acting and the dramatic elements turned up over 1,000 percent. It went beyond the limits and expectations because it was one word. DIFFERENT. In a world of professional wrestling, you are going to see the same storylines, matches, feuds and moves over and over again. They are on repeat more than Seinfeld, which could harm the overall product. With this idea, an idea created by Matt Hardy and executed so intelligently by him, Reby, Jeff, Senor Benjamin and Maxel, they did it the right way.
The fighting was intense and the moves were what Matt and Jeff are known best by. The essence of their wrestling ability was altered, but never dismissed. When the acting took over, they sprinkled in the offensive moves to remind us this is still a fight, a wrestling match. I have always said that more theatrics and editing effects could make something stick out. This is the best example I have seen in quite some time, if ever. Professional Wrestling is a story. It is a story that never ends and continues to evolve and change. Instead of doing the same thing, Matt Hardy had an idea and it came through. What do you want out of a product? It should always be about “buzz” and “popularity.” You want fans talking about it the next day and you want people to enjoy a form of entertainment. Whether people thought it was too outlandish does not matter in this instance. It was exactly what it needed to be.
I have always enjoyed Matt and Jeff Hardy, two brothers that continue to thrive in the latter years of their career. We know what to expect from Jeff, which is why he has always been consistent in his character and production. With an added flavor of Willow, Jeff has been able to use his creativity to his advantage on smaller stage to see if it connects. Well, it does. As for Matt Hardy, how in the world can you hate this guy? He is just like his brother, consistent in his career and able to change when need be. The only difference between the two is Matt can become a new persona in the snap of his fingers. He can change from heel to face, to broken to version 1. He knows what works and when it can work.
I give credit to TNA for allowing these guys to do what they want. It is not about TNA being competition to WWE right now. They need to establish their own following, one separate from the WWE Universe. After they can develop a set of core stars, consistent storylines and a developed backstage creative team, they can continue to grow and succeed. They are on a right path, even if you think they are not. The performers perform. Creative control is a dangerous thing, just ask anyone who worked with Hulk Hogan or Kevin Nash. This was not about creative control. This was more about A creative and cinematic experience. Matt Hardy, instead of relying on his previous success in the crazy business of professional wrestling, continues to evolve and reinvent himself. THAT is creative.
Open your minds and step out of your comfort zone.
