Facts from TNA Impact Wrestling, Phones4U Arena, January 30 2014

As always with TNA tour blogs, the spoilers are strong with this one…

TNA British Boot Camp 2, episode 8: or the one with the winner

We’re down to the final three, then. (If you don’t know how we’ve got to this point – one two three four five six seven.)

This week our trio of contestants face off against TNA talent in an effort to make a final impression. Obviously there’s a lot of recapping and exposition, including some great footage of UK shows – get yourself along to your nearest promotion, what you’ve seen on Boot Camp is just the tip of the iceberg! (Also, buy my book!)

TNA British Boot Camp 2: Episode 5, or the one with the White House

What’s happened so far? This, this, this and this!

Now our six finalists – Kay Lee Ray, Rampage Brown, Dave Mastiff, Mark Andrews, Noam Dar and, of course, Grado – head to the US to meet Dixie Carter, see some sights, and, of course, wrestle.

TNA British Boot Camp 2: Episode 4, or the one with the audience

What’s happened so far? This, this and this!

This time round, we get to see them in the ring, fighting each other, in front of a live audience in York Hall.

Disclaimer – I’ll note here that I was at this show, with a VIP wristband, sitting in the front row. (If you peer closely you can see me in my Zack Sabre Jr t-shirt every so often.) What I saw on the night and what happened on television seemed rather different – because, obviously, this is reality TV. In this recap, I’m recapping what was aired – not my in-person opinions.

TNA British Boot Camp 2: Episode 1, or the one with the Hebrew promo

Welcome back, viewers! It’s time for the second series of TNA British Boot Camp. Dismiss all those question-marks about TNA’s long-term future; push WrestleTalk and the British Wrestling Round-Up out of your minds; it’s time for some of the best Brit talent to get a TV showcase.

Just like Rockstar Spud did last time round. He’s our Dermot O’Leary for a new Boot Camp format.

Interview: Rockstar Spud talks British Boot Camp Series 2, Dixie Carter, EC3 – and Spike TV

Rockstar Spud has just declared to the world that he’s a jerk.

“I am a jerk. I’m a jerk in and out of the ring,” he says.

When you’re Dixie Carter’s chief of staff, that’s probably a given. Since winning the first series of British Boot Camp, which aired at the start of 2013, Spud has become a fixture on TNA’s television shows. And he very rarely gets stagefright.

“The only time I’m ever nervous about being on camera with Dixie is when I have to save her from a near-death experience. I am literally saving that woman’s life. I am a hero. I’m Mr Carter’s hero [Ethan Carter III] as well. I was born a hero. This,” he concludes dramatically, “is what I was born to do.”

Interview: Jeremy Borash talks TNA Xplosion, Knockouts, X Division and Rockstar Spud

Did you grow up watching wrestling on the television every Saturday? Is that what hooked you for life?

Jeremy Borash feels the same.

“It’s how I started watching wrestling – with my dad,” he says. “I don’t think I’d be here [in TNA] if we hadn’t had that show. And I didn’t have a whole lot in common with my dad, but one thing we did was we’d go to the wrestling together, and we’d watch the wrestling together every Saturday morning. I’m so excited about it.”

And now TNA’s establishing themselves in that market with a relaunch of Xplosion, to air on Challenge at 9am on Saturday mornings.

Interview: Rockstar Spud on being Dixie’s chief of staff and forthcoming TNA UK Tour

If you watched TNA’s British Boot Camp on Challenge TV this time last year, you’ll doubtless remember my own personal highlight of the series – when Rockstar Spud stepped in the ring with mentor Rollerball Rocco, who then proceeded to batter the hell out of him.

“You didn’t see the half of it,” confesses Spud. “He gave me a slap, and it brought tears to my eyes. Why they didn’t use it, who knows, but I can still feel it now. I can feel the handprint appear on my face.”

Spud was the antagonist of the series, butting heads with Marty Scurll and tormenting the Blossom Twins, and he argues that his role in wrestling is to be an illusionist – to manipulate people to love him or loathe him depending on the circumstance.

“You’re not paying to see people who are ordinary, because why would you pay to see them?” he asks rhetorically. “Have you ever watching a film where it’s really positive the whole way through? If you did, there’s no trial or tribulation – it wouldn’t be very good. If you haven’t got something to overcome, it’s not an interesting tale.”

Question: Where will TNA go from here?

You’ve probably seen the rumours circulating about TNA Impact Wrestling’s direction in the future.

I don’t have access to their accounts; but I do know that while US audiences have been critical of the product recently, they still have a hugely loyal UK fan base, evidenced by their expansion of their 2014 tour over here.

I also know that the British Boot Camp at the start of this year created huge interest in TNA and the four contenders.

And I know that Ring-Ka-King was critically acclaimed and popular with fans worldwide, who managed to watch it despite it not being aired in their country.

So – is it time for TNA to try working as a UK-based promotion?

Recap: TNA British Boot Camp episode 6; or The One Where Rockstar Spud Wins

So before the ad break, we found out that the Blossoms get to face Gail Kim and Madison Rayne, while Marty and Spud have to face each other. Dixie and Hulk will be watching attentively and deciding who actually gets the fabled TNA roster spot.

In case we weren’t excited enough already, we get Hulk going Hulkamanic in our faces.