Former WCW and current TNA IMPACT Wrestling announcer Mike Tenay joined the IN THE ROOM podcast this past Tuesday, June 30, 2015, with Brady Hicks, former WCW wrestler The Stro, Kathie Fitzpatrick, Derrick McDonald, and Jordan Garber. This show can be downloaded at both vocnation.com and thebradyhicks.com. Check it out as Mike Tenay talks the origins of his “Professor” nickname, comparing WCW and TNA and his favorite memories from both, the Kurt Angle/Samoa Joe feud, and intrigue surrounding TNA’s relationships with ROH and Global Force Wrestling. Plus, he talks listening back to his commentary, his love for Mexican wrestling and culture (and how it led to his success on the When Worlds Collide show), and working with Don West.
Here are some highlights:
On Uncertainty in TNA Over the Years:
There was the chance, when we got going, to take this to another level. But realistically, when you look back at the fact that we were – in terms of the wrestling business model – doing it completely backwards. We were running a pay-per-view show without having the regular television show to drive people to the pay-per-view … You look at that business model and you just say “How the heck could that thing succeed?” Fortunately, even after a little stumble after the first couple of months, we received the new investors: the Carter family got involved. They were able to keep us going in that environment … In spite of all [the] negatives, we were able to attract Spike TV. Gosh, if you look back, you would have to say it was a long shot for a company that started off as just a pay-per-view company, for a company that had had its obituary written on many, many occasions. It’s one of those things that we think about every year at the anniversary time and it’s definitely one of the things that I was thinking about this past week and this past weekend, when we celebrated our 13th year in business, which is just amazing.
On TNA Bringing in WWE Stars vs Indie Wrestlers:
Obviously you’re going to need a mix, going forward. That’s the first thing that you have to think about. I don’t think it’s great to have a roster that’s overloaded with veterans, and I think at the same time it’s very difficult to start with a group of independent names that haven’t really achieved a lot on the national stage.The perfect mix, and as I look and see what we’ve done in the past year plus, I don’t think that TNA gets enough credit. The fact that we’re able to maintain a roster of the established people … and what we’ve been able to do in terms of bringing new young talent to the forefront … and combining them in an effort where you have, obviously, the veterans there to give the rub to that new young talent, which you’re always going to have to do.
IN THE ROOM airs live, weekly, Tuesday nights at 9 PM ET on the VOC Nation Radio Network (vocnation.com / thebradyhicks.com). Join Brady Hicks (Pro Wrestling Illustrated contributing writer), as well as The Stro (WCW’s Maestro), Kathie Fitz, Derrick McDonald, and Jordan Garber as they run down all that’s going on in wrestling, and sit down with some of wrestling’s top stars.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
