TNA UK TV RATINGS – WEEK ENDING 19TH JUNE 2011

IMPACT Wrestling on Challenge

The UK TV Ratings are in for the week ending 19th June 2011 and it’s further good news for TNA Wrestling on Challenge!

According to the Broadcasters Audience Research Board – IMPACT Wrestling scored 152,000 viewers, for the Tuesday 14th June “No tricks, No Gimmicks” Slammiversary lead-in episode headlined by a Mr. Anderson & Gunner vs. Sting & Eric Young main event.

Mr. Anderson & Gunner vs. Sting & EY: UK fans not digging the Gunner push?

Despite being a drop in viewership, and the first time that IMPACT Wrestling hasn’t topped the Challenge Top 10 in months, it was once again the highest rated wrestling programming on UK television for the eleventh consecutive week and 15th time overall this year.

I personally think the drop confirms my thinking that the casual viewers in the UK seem to be drawn in by Star power of the ex-WWE wrestlers rather than a decent wrestling match being on offer. It will be interesting to see how next weeks episode fares.

TNA Xplosion, featuring a Douglas Williams vs. Amazing Red “Xplosion Championship Challenge” match, ranked outside the top 10 highest rated programs on Challenge TV and thus i’m unable to confirm the exact viewing figures for the episode.

However the lowest ranked of the top 10, Play Your Cards Right, drew 130,000 viewers, meaning TNA Xplosion falls somewhere below that figure.

TNA’s latest Pay-Per View special offering – Slammiversary IX, was the top rated wrestling program this week, drawing a decent 157,000 viewers for the event headlined by Mr. Anderson’s World Title victory over Sting.

Here is the Top 10 ranked programs on Challenge for the week:

Challenge
w/e 19 June 2011

1	SHOOTING STARS (MON 2201)	160
2	TNA PPV TNA SLAMMIVERSARY (WED 2201)	157
3	TNA IMPACT (TUE 2200)	152
4	CLASSIC WHO WANTS TBA MILLIONARE (TUE 2100)	146
5	CRYSTAL MAZE (THU 1801)	145
6	CLASSIC WHO WANTS TBA MILLIONARE (THU 2059)	144
7	NINJA WARRIOR/#NINJA WARRIOR 7118 (THU 2159)	143
8	PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT (SUN 2131)	136
9	PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT (SUN 2101)	130
10	PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT (SUN 2200)	130

WWE’s RAW, featuring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and headlined by a  John Cena versus CM Punk main event, posted 124,000 viewers, up 2,000 on last weeks episode.

WWE’s other flagship show “Smackdown” drew just 99,000 viewers with a show which featured a Christian vs. Sheamus main event. This was a drop of 7,000 viewers from last week and the third consecutive week the ratings have fell for the program.

In other wrestling programming, a WWE special “Best of RAW 2010” show drew 43,000 viewers for its Sunday evening showing on Sky Sports 3. Here’s an overview of viewership for all wrestling programming for the week:

Weekly Ratings Summary:

1	TNA PRESENTS IMPACT WRESTLING (TUE, Challenge , 2200)	152,000
2	WWE LATE NIGHT RAW – LIVE (MON, Sky Sport 3, 2500)	124,000
3	WWE LATE NIGHT SMACKDOWN (FRI, Sky Sports 3, 2201)	99,000
4	WWE PRESENTS RAW – BEST OF 2010 (SUN, Sky Sports 3, 1901)	43,000
5	TNA XPLOSION (TUE, Challenge, 2400)	Under 130,000

Weekly Ratings Wins so far (2011)*:
IMPACT Wrestling – 15
WWE RAW – 2
WWE Smackdown – 2

*Based on first showing viewing figures, not inclusive of +1 or replay figures.

TNA Slammiversary IX Report – 15/06/11

TNA Slammiversary IX: New World Champion!

TNA Slammviersary IX
Wednesday 15th June 2011 – 10pm on Challenge

Quick Results:
James Storm and Alex Shelley (Representing Beer Money) d. The British Invasion to retain the TNA World Tag-Team Titles
“The Blueprint” Matt Morgan d. “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner
Abyss d. Kazarian & Kendrick in a three way match to retain the X-Division Title
Crimson d. Samoa Joe to continue his undefeated streak
 Mickie James d. Angelina Love to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship
Bully Ray d. AJ Styles in a Last Man Standing Match
Mr. Anderson d. “The Icon” Sting to become TNA World Heavyweight Champion!
 Kurt Angle d. Jeff Jarrett to retain his Gold Medal and become #1 Contender to the World Title

Welcome to my review of Slammiversary IX hope you enjoy it and as I said last night I haven’t seen any spoilers for this maybe 1 by accident so I have no idea what will happen. Firstly I must say a massive thanks to my wife Helen who over the last couple of days has become a wrestling widow while I have written these last 2 reports.

So the show opens with the usual type video hyping the show. Mike Tenay and Taz welcome us to this “historic” 9th annual Slammiversary, they run down the big matches for tonight.

TNA Xplosion Report – 15/06/2011

TNA Xplosion: Douglas Williams vs. Amazing Red

TNA Xplosion
Wednesday 15th June 2011 – 12am on Challenge

THIS WEEK ON XPLOSION:
Douglas Williams w/Magnus d. Amazing Red in the Xplosion Championship Challenge
TNAOnDemand Match of the Week: King of the Mountain match – Mick Foley vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle from Slammiversary VII (2009)
TNA Spin Cycle: Featuring Brian Kendrick, Christy Hemme, Eric Young and Alex Shelley.
IMPACT Wrestling Rewind: Before the Bell – Sting vs. Mr. Anderson.

Taz and Jeremy Borash quickly run down the Xplosion format for the show, and it’s straight into the action.

Match 1: Doug Williams w/Magnus vs. Amazing Red.

Williams is accompanied as always by Magnus.

Williams and Red tie up, Williams with the go-behind arm lock swiftly reversed by Red. Williams gets out of it by dropping down and using a drop toe hold to take Red down. He then applies a front face lock. Both rise from the mat, Williams locks in an arm bar, whipping Red off into the ropes. Williams with a tilt-a-whirl which Red lands on his feet from.

IMPACT Wrestling Report: “No Tricks, No Gimmicks” – 14/06/11

IMPACT Wrestling: “No tricks, No Gimmicks"

IMPACT Wrestling: “No Tricks, No Gimmicks”
Tuesday 14th June 2011 – 10pm on Challenge

THIS WEEK ON IMPACT WRESTLING:
The war of words continues between Sting and Mr. Anderson ahead of Slammiversary
Winter & Angelina Love d. Mickie James & Tara thanks to Interference from Madison Rayne
Footage from the Samoa Joe/Crimson bar fight
Mexican America d. James Storm and Alex Shelley w/BobbyRoode
 Jeff Jarrett had some final words for Kurt Angle before their huge bout at Slammiversary
Abyss challenges Kazarian and Brian Kendrick to a 3-Way Match at Slammiversary
Rob Van Dam d. Bully Ray
 Velvet Sky d. ODB
 Mr. Anderson & Gunner d. Sting & Eric Young

We open the show with a recap of last weeks events and ultimately the firing of Mick Foley. Am interested to see how this episode pans out as the go home show before Slammiversary. I have seen no spoilers for either so sit back and enjoy the ride.

As you can expect first out tonight is Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. Hogan tells us that as of now the Network have 100% confidence in them. Is it me but sometimes when they want to get something over they pump crowd noise in? Bischoff also tells us that they will also now present the X Division in a fair and balanced manner.

TNA Xplosion Report – 08/06/2011

TNA Xplosion: Anarquia vs. Devon

TNA Xplosion
Wednesday 8th June 2011 – 12am on Challenge

THIS WEEK ON XPLOSION:
Devon d. Anarquia to advance in the TNA Xplosion Championship Challenge
TNA Spin Cycle: Filmed in front of a live crowd at the Manchester Fan Party, featuring Magnus, Johnny Moss, Kip James and BG James
TNAOnDemand Match of the Week: Beer Money Inc. vs. Team 3D from Slammiversary 2009
Before the Bell: Slammiversary – Interviews with TNA’s finest on Slammiversary
IMPACT Wrestling Rewind: Kurt Angle/Jeff Jarrett video package

Jeremy Borash, Taz and Desmond Wolfe are in position for the opening of Xplosion this week, where Wolfe announces the next match of the Championship Challenge – Devon vs. Anarquia. He then beats a hasty retreat, stating he has some business to take care of in the back.

IMPACT Wrestling Report: “Bischoff got Served” – 07/06/2011

IMPACT Wrestling: “Mick Foley...You're Fired!"

IMPACT Wrestling: “Bischoff got Served”
Tuesday 7th June 2011 – 10pm on Challenge

THIS WEEK ON IMPACT WRESTLING:
Eric Bischoff & Hulk Hogan reveal that Mick Foley has been fired!
Karen Jarrett is rushed to hospital
Jeff Jarrett & Scott Steiner d. Kurt Angle & Matt Morgan
Confrontation between AJ Styles and Bully Ray
 Brian Kendrick and Kazarian wrestled to a non-finish following interference by Abyss
 Eric Young (“The Not-So-Great Muta”) d. Mr. Anderson
 Angelina Love w/Winter d. Miss Tessmacher
 Crimson d. Matt Hardy
 Alex Shelley takes Robert Roode’s place to defend the Tag-Titles at Slammiversary
 ODB attacks Velvet Sky

Welcome to this weeks report on Impact Wrestling. I’ll start by apologising if this report is slightly late online I have been very busy this week and not had time to view this weeks episode in advance so am writing this Tuesday evening not long before the show airs. One thing I am hoping for tonight is more wrestling than last week. If the don’t then “Wrestling Matters” will start to look silly and fast.

TNA Creative Planning to Split Beer Money?

The End of Beer Money?

Reports suggest that TNA Wrestling originally wanted to bring Chris Harris back to reform America’s Most Wanted with James Storm while Robert Roode moved onto a singles career. However after Harris’ recent return, officials felt he wasn’t over enough and wasn’t in good enough shape. While that idea has now been dropped, they are still going ahead with the idea of breaking Beer Money up.

TNA Xplosion Report – 01/06/2011

TNA Xplosion: Robbie E vs. Crimson

TNA Xplosion
Wednesday 1st June 2011 – 12am on Challenge

THIS WEEK ON XPLOSION:
Desmond Wolfe interviews Robbie E and announces who he’ll be facing in the Xplosion Championship Challenge.
Crimson d. Robbie E w/Cookie to advance in the Tournament
TNAOnDemand Match of the Week: X-Division King of the Mountain Ladder Match from Slammiversary 2009
TNA Spin Cycle: Featuring an All Knockouts panel with guest appearances from Desmond Wolfe and the Disco Inferno!
IMPACT Wrestling Rewind: Kurt Angle d. Rob Van Dam

Desmond Wolfe opens up this weeks Xplosion with an interview. Robbie E and Cookie. Robbie introduces himself to Desmond with a fist-bump, then explains that tonight, he is about “G.T.G – Gym, Tan and Gold.” Desmond Wolfe isn’t that impressed, and calls Robbie a “Helen Hunt” in cockney rhyming terms.

**SPOILERS** TNA Tuesday TV Taping Results (31/05/2011)

IMPACT Wrestling Zone - Orlando, FL.

TNA completed this weeks set of IMPACT Wrestling and Xplosion tapings yesterday at the Impact Wrestling Zone, Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. This is for the episode and is set to air in the UK on Tuesday June 14th at 10pm on Challenge TV. WARNING THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS for upcoming episodes of IMPACT Wrestling and Xplosion – DO NOT READ on if you wish to avoid spoilers. Otherwise, click the “read more of this post” option at the end of this paragraph.

**SPOILERS** TNA Monday TV Taping Results (30/05/2011)

IMPACT Wrestling Zone - Orlando, FL.

TNA kicked off this weeks set of IMPACT Wrestling and Xplosion tapings yesterday at the Impact Wrestling Zone, Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. This is for the episode set to air in the UK in a weeks time on June 7th at 10pm on Challenge TV. WARNING THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS for upcoming episodes of IMPACT Wrestling and Xplosion – DO NOT READ on if you wish to avoid spoilers. Otherwise, click the “read more of this post” option at the end of this paragraph.