The new generation of Knockouts

Not sure "generation" exactly applies here, but it's definitely a new era for the Knockouts.

TNA has been around since '02, but haven't really had the phases that the Divas have had. They started off with lots of different girls and ended up sticking with Goldylocks, Trinity, Traci Brooks and Kim Nileson/Desire. They had a couple of cage dancers too (Lollipop was one of them). I thought it was a pretty decent time for the Knockouts. They had some good matches between Trinity and Alexis Laree (when she had her short stint there). They had the stretcher match between Trinity and Desire. Traci Brooks was usually involved as a manager.

By the time TNA got a deal on FoxSportsNet, Miss Brooks, Goldy and Trinity were the only ones around. Six months later and Goldy was long gone, Trinity had left and Traci was the only Knockout left. Val eventually showed up as the ring girl.

After they moved to Spike they got Gail Kim, Jackie Gayda and Christy Hemme.

When the division kicked off they had Kong, Roxxi, Salinas, ODB, Angelina Love, Velvet Sky, Jacqueline, Gail, Christy, and Ms. Brooks. Karen Angle was with Kurt at the time. I think they went through a few interviewers (Leticia and Crystal) until finally getting Lauren.

Shortly thereafter I thought the Knockouts got a little over-saturated. Raisha Saeed (who was a great addition) and Rhaka Khan showed up. Moose and Taylor Wilde were signed. The Knockouts were getting ratings, but I thought it was overkill. Then Gail left and things really got messed up.

Salinas left. Moose got injured. Even though Roxxi was over and obviously so was ODB, but TNA didn't push them. They had just got done with the Taylor/Kong program. And they throw Christy Hemme, of all people, into the title hunt. Christy gets injured. Sharmell shows up (but doesn't have a big blow-off feud with Karen Angle...odd). SoJo shows up. Madison Rayne shows up. Daffney shows up. Roxxi is suspended. Rhaka and Kurt's drama begins. Karen is out. Jenna Morasca is in. TNA runs with the only solid thing they have left: The Beautiful People. The good news, however, was that Sarita and Hamada were signed. They showed up and Melissa began working as Alissa Flash.

At that point TNA had the best group of talent they'd ever had. The diversity, the talent -- it was all there. And then Tara signed with TNA, ruining a lot of the storylines IMO. I don't hold it against Lisa Marie Varon, but it has influenced how much I enjoy Tara as a character. Besides the fact that she's whiney more often than not, she's been given a Cena-like push in TNA.

But, the Knockouts did get tag team belts, so while Tara was getting pushed at least some other ladies would too. Yet, less than a year later and Lacey Von Erich is proving she didn't get her father's genetics, Kong is gone, Raisha was written off TV in a lackluster storyline, Alissa is gone, Traci is gone, Roxxi has come and gone, ODB isn't being used, Sarita, Hamada and Taylor are pretty much non-existant, and Tara has had several feuds yet nothing really memorable.

I think the only good thing is that Christy is in a non-wrestling role (even if Lauren was 10x better than Hemme is).

Now there's an entirely new group of ladies showing up:
-Orlando Jordan's lady valet
-Chelsea -- a model, I believe, who was picked to manage Wolfe
-Brooke Adams is back
-I heard they hired a new female ring announcer too

There's lots of talk about WWE's changes, eras, phases, etc., but what does everyone think about this new phase. It feels quite like WWE's 2004 era, right after Jazz, Nidia, Gail and Molly were no longer around.

While I like Chelsea a bit, Brooke has never bothered me, and the ring announcer shouldn't affect storylines, I'm kind of worried about TNA's direction. I see lots of talent being wasted right now. ODB is the most over girl they have. Sarita, Taylor and Hamada are probably the three best women wrestlers they have, yet they don't get used. Angelina is at least making TBP tolerable, but their feud seems lackluster. Daffney is great and should get a title run, but she seems like just another name on Tara's list of ladies to feud with.

I'll always hope for the best, but I can't say I'm too optimistic about TNA's new direction...or lack of direction...right now.

too much TBP

not enough hamada

^I agree. I heard Chelsea just signed a long term deal with TNA.

Oh what has TNA become?

It seems TNA has gone backwards. Its sad to see girls like ODB, Sarita and Taylor not get used but yet they cram people like LVE down my throat. :x

I wish Daffney will have gotten a title run.

Its sad They couldnt pay Kong a lil more money to stick around but it seems they are wasting their money they could have paid Kong on random models.

TNA is taking a page out of WWE's playbook...it's just the wrong page


i understand TBP = ratings but this is becoming overkill.

i agree its too much tbp. it would be nice to see a match without them in it.