Taryn Terrell Returns To GFW

Gail Kim had her title shot last week. She lost due to interference from the returning Taryn Terrell.

First, I am glad Taryn is back. She improved herself in the ring while in TNA/GFW. She is attractive. And she showed more charisma in her heel run than I thought she had in her. I also felt her feud with Gail Kim ended in a very boring way prior to Taryn leaving a few years ago. Taryn is now back and picking up with that great heel character and feud with Gail Kim.

Second, what does this mean for Gail Kim? Her career in GFW obviously did not end last week. She will still get a chance to go out on top with the title, which she deserves. I will say that I am not a big fan of the booking. I have seen this before. Gail Kim gets beaten, yet the attention still mainly stays on her and the woman that beats her does not really get elevated. Wins don't automatically make you a star. And a loss does not automatically stop you from being presented as a star. I don't think Sienna would be a great centerpiece for the division, but GFW does need to start booking better for that woman that will be the next top star.

I have seen one fan say that she wished it was Awesome Kong that had returned. I like the choice of Taryn Terrell over Awesome Kong. Ignoring why Kong has been fired twice by this company, the feud between her and Gail Kim has been done a lot. Last time they went at it, it was obvious Awesome Kong did not still have it. Taryn Terrell might still have some rust, but at least she is a fresher option and does also have a good history with Gail Kim.

Lastly, what does this return mean for the overall division? Depending on how long Taryn will be around, she can take Gail Kim's spot in the company. Or she could be a top heel to put over that next woman that will follow in Gail Kim's footsteps, like Allie. The possibility of rebuilding The Dollhouse with different members might also be good. GFW might bring back in Rebel or Brooke. Brooke was never in the group, but she was a part of the feud back then between The Dollhouse and Gail Kim. GFW can definitely do some good things with Taryn Terrell back.

Mid-2017 Ratings Review

This will be the last ratings review I do. As usual, I get my numbers from here and here. Some numbers are missing, but you can still get the general idea of how the shows are doing.

Let me start with TNA/GFW/Impact Wrestling/The Company Of A 1000 Names. They are averaging 297,700 viewers so far in 2017. They averaged 310,800 viewers in 2016.

The prediction I had made for TNA was that they could do just as well as they did last year or better. It is not likely that they will do better in 2017. Nevertheless, they can still meet the 300,000 benchmark and come close to as well as they did last year. They have to be consistent with what works and build around that. They have not done a great job at that. The fact that they have gone through so many changes just this year is not good. Losing The Hardys was obviously a part of their ratings not being better than they are, but the overall confusion with the company is also a problem. The GFW thing ended up being a decent angle and has led to the company being rebranded. But they need to not make the same mistakes of the past.

Over to the WWE and Smackdown. They are averaging 1.78 in the ratings. They averaged 1.72 last year, which featured part of the year having Smackdown go live on Tuesdays and be its own brand again. Looking at their viewership numbers, they have regularly been doing over 2 million viewers this year, with one episode doing over 3 million. They have not gotten more viewers than Raw so far in 2017.

Who says ratings are down for everything on TV? Smackdown is doing better than they did last year and will likely finish the year with a better average than last year. This shows that it is still possible for the WWE to improve their numbers if they make proper changes. Most of the changes that have led to better numbers are structural. Changing nights, going live, and just making Smackdown a big deal again has led to improvements. The show does rely heavily on hype. It gets a little annoying at times. Rely on quality feuds, segments, and characters. For example, stop tossing all the women in the same picture and actually build stars. They have been relying too much on all these historic segments recently. Moreover, Smackdown seems too smark-friendly a lot of the time. Most viewers are not going to be entertained by this. Smackdown could be doing even better than they are, but they would have to make some changes that will likely not happen.

Over on Raw, they are averaging 2.12 in the ratings. Last year, it was 2.26 for the annual average. They have averaged over 3 million viewers 17 times so far this year, but will likely not reach that benchmark much for the rest of the year because of football season.

Raw is already below last year's average for the year. Their worst part of the year is coming up soon. There is no way they will avoid doing worst than last year. The annual ratings average has been declining since 2013. Ratings were about even from 2012 (3.0) to 2013 (3.01). 2012 happened to be an election year. Wasn't 2016 an election year? The idea was that ratings were so bad last year because of all the election coverage. You would expect some kind of improvement this year. At the very least, things should at least remain about even. And if the trend of Raw losing about 700,000 viewers from the start of the year to the end of the year continues, they will be in really bad shape.

I talked about how structural changes have helped Smackdown do better than they did last year. The big structural change for Raw is obviously cutting that third hour. It has been around since 2012. It is no coincidence that ratings have been sinking for most of the years since then. Declining is one thing. Declining at a terrible rate is something else. Three hours is just too much. The brand split being back just makes things harder. The WWE has to sign people just for the sake of filler. They are obviously not stars and not draws. And the WWE is terrible at making stars right now. They can probably be more efficient with just two hours. That efficiency would help the workers get over better with the audience.

Outside of cutting the third hour, Raw just needs to clean up how they run the show. Make better booking decisions. They don't need to pander to a smark audience like Smackdown does, but even a casual audience might not care too much for some of the things going on. A guy like Finn Balor should not be demoted so soon. Kurt Angle is lacking a real personality. There is just a lot lacking. A lot of wasted potential.

If Smackdown can be doing better than they did last year and GFW in a position to do just as well as last year, Raw does not need to be doing as poorly as it is. The excuse about no one watching TV anymore does not hold. I do not believe the WWE's ceiling is collapsing just because of TV viewing habits changing. They have issues that they can fix. If they fix them, things can improve in a lot of departments. They can get more viewers. They can get more people coming to shows. They can get more lively people coming to shows. Workers get more over. And the WWE just makes more money without having to work their workers to the bone, raise prices, and all those other things many people don't want.

Should Gail Kim Retire With The Title?

It is no secret that Gail Kim will retire from TNA/GFW this year. And they are having her set her sights on leaving on top. Specifically, will she be able to retire with the company's women's title?

Does Gail Kim deserve it? Some might say that Gail Kim has already had a storybook career in TNA. She was their first KO Champion. She has won the title numerous times. She held that title and the tag titles at the same time. She is the closest thing the company has had to a true centerpiece these last few years. She was the first woman in their Hall of Fame. They have done a lot for her. In return, she helped to develop the respectability that helped the KO division stand out for a number of years and gain a lot of praise from wrestling fans.

Trish Stratus retired in the WWE as Women's Champion. She was not the first Women's Champion. She was not the first centerpiece of the diva era. But if you think Trish deserved that honor of retiring on top, you can argue that Gail Kim also deserves it. Just like Trish Stratus was pushed as the greatest diva of that era, Gail Kim is just as legendary in terms of the KO division.

A couple years ago, Mickie James returned to TNA for one more match. Not only did she win that match, it was a nice moment for her. The way things are going for Mickie James in the WWE, it would not be surprising to see her back in TNA/GFW again. Ignoring that, Gail Kim is obviously a bigger deal in the company's history than Mickie James. If TNA let Mickie James have that moment, they can very well let Gail Kim have a moment to go out as a winner.

Overall, I think they should let Gail Kim retire with the title. There is no woman in the company more deserving. It is a respectful thing to do. If Gail Kim doesn't want to go out with the title, that's up to her. But TNA should want to honor Gail Kim now that she is retiring.

Will GFW continue to push a proper women's division without Gail Kim? They have done it before. I think they have enough women on their roster and free agents out there to supplement things. If they still want to create a centerpiece, which I think they should want to do, they can go with Allie. She knows how to wrestle. She is attractive. She can show personality. And she is going to be 30 in a few months. They can do some good things with her for a number of years.

Last thing to consider, should Gail Kim go back to the WWE? Even for just one match? Even if just in NXT? Some fans want it. I don't think she should. Leave the memories alone. The WWE mistreated her a lot. TNA was the company that was loyal to her. Don't be one of those people that has a huge farewell when they retire, then comes back for more, especially in a rival company. Gail Kim is 40. She was never over in the WWE and she has had some sloppy moments you cannot blame entirely on the WWE. As for coming back just for one match in NXT, what would that accomplish for the WWE? It might be something Triple H does to promote his love for women's wrestling, but there are a ton of women out there that would love to get a chance to shine in the WWE's developmental territory. Asuka has kind of been burying a lot of the division lately. If Gail Kim is going to retire, her final match should just be in TNA, not NXT.

TNA Vs. GFW

TNA and GFW are having an inter-promotional angle. On paper, that is a good idea. GFW gets more exposure as they try to grow. TNA gets a bit of a summer angle. It is a situation that could benefit both sides.

Of course, one of the main issues is that TNA tapes so many episodes in just a few days. Because of that, it seems like this angle might be over just as quickly as it started. Not everyone reads spoilers, but the results are still out there. Aside from that, doing things this way does not give fans a chance to really connect with something before TNA has already moved on to whatever direction they had in mind, in many cases. It just doesn't help a lot of wrestlers in getting over, proper storyline development, and the overall product.

Just skimming over the spoilers, as far as TNA vs. GFW goes, nothing really stands out. None of the names grab me. GFW has some very talented guys, but as far as actual star power goes, some of their biggest names involved in this storyline were nothing more than midcarders in the WWE. Jeff Jarrett better know how to actually build these guys to be stars. Of course, what makes this angle interesting isn't any of the names involved. It is the "corporate takeover" storyline. Go back to Nexus. None of those guys were huge stars. What made the angle great was that they were just going out there and destroying people. Why? Who would be next? Having stars isn't always necessary if you have an intriguing storyline. TNA vs. GFW has the power to intrigue. Still, it would be nice if these two promotions did a better job creating and featuring stars.

Let me do an aside. I have never really talked about Tough Enough. A lot of fans are unhappy with the format and people they like getting voted off. I don't watch the show. I don't vote for anyone. All I will say is that I wouldn't make too much about who wins. Don't be fooled into thinking the winners of this thing are really that over. Look at the Diva Search. A handful of divas have won that. I would not say any of them ever reached A+ overness during their WWE careers. They had enough fan support to get the votes to win, but things are different on the main roster. Those voters are only a part of the overall WWE fanbase. Even if Sara Lee wins Tough Enough, how over will she be when she eventually debuts? I am pretty sure she will not have A+ overness, especially with so many fans out there that are critical of her. To put it simply, don't make too much about Tough Enough.

GFW Has TV Tapings

Global Force Wrestling (GFW) had their first television taping last Friday. They still do not have a network, but they are taking the first steps towards getting things done. They still have a long way to go before they are even near TNA's level.

One thing that stood out to me from reading about the taping and just looking at GFW in general is how the promotion is featuring Jeff and Karen Jarrett. It is obviously their company. But the way they are featuring both of them is very similar to Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in the WWE. GFW shouldn't try to play chess with the WWE. TNA has done that in the past. Many fans often roll their eyes at it. You can probably count on one hand the number of times TNA actually has beaten the WWE at their own game. I am not saying GFW should not look at what the WWE has done to make them successful, but do not try to imitate them. The WWE isn't exactly knocking it out of the park with every swing these days. They should not want to imitate that. Yes, Triple H and Stephanie being authority figures makes sense because they actually have power. But it has gotten stale and irritating at times. Jeff and Karen running things also makes the same sense, but I am looking forward to the day they get someone else to play an authority figure.

Jeff and Karen are known for playing heels. The two of them playing face roles just does not seem natural now. And when I look at GFW's shop site, I see a lot of generic company merchandise. The only individuals that have merchandise for sale so far are Jeff and Karen. I know the company is just getting started, but seeing them only marketing merchandise for the founders just does not seem right. A lot of fans view the current NXT product as Triple H's baby. There is even merchandise for the performers on there. Go back to when the promotion really started to take on the identity it now has. Before there were any real stars there, how would you react if the first NXT merchandise available was generic NXT shirts and autographed photos of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon? It's just awkward. That is just my overall impression of Jeff and Karen Jarrett. The whole thing just does not seem natural. They should eventually become the kind of owners that are not involved in storylines. If they are going to get involved, eventually turn them heel.

GFW is in the position to not make the same mistakes the WWE and TNA have made. The WWE is guilty of not giving their workers fair opportunities and often trying to force things. Too much ego. TNA is kind of the opposite. They are far less forceful. That is not a good thing. There comes a time where you have to make a decision on whom your top stars are, commit to them, and push them the way they deserve. TNA just rotates everything around. Will Jeff Jarrett do better with GFW? They have some talent to look at and decide which will be the stars.

Mickie James is in GFW now. What will likely be her final TNA match will air soon. Is she finally going to work for a promotion that lets her be the top star of their women's division? She was a credible jobber in the WWE. She was used to put over whom they wanted to be the stars and used as filler when the stars were not around. She had the overness to deserve to be pushed as the centerpiece, or at least a periphery diva, but the WWE was too focused in going in one direction. TNA rotating everyone around led to her not being pushed right. She is the best option GFW has for the centerpiece of their women's division. They are showing signs of promoting her as the top star of their women's division, but they just need to follow it up with proper booking.

Global Force Wrestling

In case you haven't heard, Jeff Jarrett is starting up another wrestling promotion. This one is called Global Force Wrestling (GFW). How will this impact things?

For years, the place to go for disgruntled or released WWE talent was TNA. A lot of workers unhappy with how they were being used by the WWE or burned out went to TNA, like Matt Hardy, Chavo Guerrero, and Gail Kim. ROH also got a few former WWE superstars, but TNA was the main competition. TNA has not exactly utilized all that talent properly to go to new heights. In terms of ratings, they did see their best year in 2011, but they could not sustain that. TNA now always seems to be struggling these days. They released some workers and failed to re-sign certain others. They have brought in guys that are not helping much at all. TNA no longer seems like the alternative for talent that cannot fit in with the way things are in the WWE.

Can GFW be that new alternative? Will they be able to draw in top talent from the competition? Bringing in all young talent is fine, but how well will that get fans interested outside of just the wrestling fans. You cannot compete with the WWE by just appealing to a small fraction of their overall fan base. It doesn't matter who you have giving you financial backing. TNA currently has financial backing, but it isn't saving them. I doubt GFW can produce any revolutionary wrestling performances or storylines and gimmicks that can draw big for them. They need stars. Mick Foley is showing support for the promotion, but talent a little younger than him and Jarrett would be nice.

Of the people recently released by the WWE, could any of them be a top star in GWF? You have Drew McIntyre. I was always more of a fan of his theme song than him, but he has potential. Will Jinder Mahal be GFW's version of John Cena? Probably not. How about TNA? Any of the guys they have lost could go to Jarrett's new promotion? I can picture AJ Styles going there. He would have been a great choice to groom as the centerpiece of TNA. He can get a few years at the top in GFW.

What will the WWE do about GFW? This is new competition stepping up. It'll probably take years for the new promotion to make any impact, but the WWE has to know they can't hand talent over to them. Their own product is extremely weak right now and running more on hype than anything else. Is the WWE worried about certain men and women going to GFW? I remember coming across a report that the WWE brought in Jim Ross and were nice to him around Wrestlemania because they do not want him jumping over to GFW. I think that is more speculation than actual fact. Jim Ross is a respected figure in wrestling, but how much could he really do for GFW? It would be more scary for the WWE if CM Punk went there. He is still hot. There is controversy surrounding him and people would definitely be interested in tuning in to see what he is doing. I have also come across some interesting reports about the CM Punk situation. They might extend his contract even if he doesn't want to be there? Okay. Fact is, the WWE might very well try to pull some maneuvers to limit top talent from going to GFW.  

In general, competition is good. It might get the WWE working harder and better again. TNA has failed to be proper competition. They spend too much time trying to imitate what the WWE is doing and never remain consistent with anything. In time, GFW could be trouble for the WWE, which is already in a bad place. I just hope I'm not still doing this when GFW does become something I would have to talk about on a weekly basis.