British Bootcamp 2

[AxB]

Episode three was a nice one. Seems like Al forcing big guys to do calisthenics and then (fail to) cut an out of breath promo in earlier episodes was a way to build up Mastiff for being in shape enough to do it. Wish he'd tried it on the Unnatural Disasters though That Grado sure can take a beating... his angle here appears to be a cross between the old Get Grado Booked thing from ICW, and TNA trying to re-do the Al Snow vs Joey Ryan feud, only with it clearly defined who the heel is. 

 

Next week's episode looks to be a great one though. Hopefully we get full matches, but I doubt it. As long as the featured bouts are the one I want them to be (Brown vs Mastiff especially).

 

Where's Robbie Dynamite?

[pgi86]

Well, it's only a 44-minute show so it's going to be hard to fit six full matches in there as well as the judges' evaluations. That said, I do hope they cram as much action as possible into it because the line-up for the next episode does indeed look very good. Hell, I'd pay good money to see that same line-up if it were an indy event.

Grado vs. Sha Samuels

Dave Mastiff vs. Rampage Brown

Nikki Storm vs. Kay Lee Ray vs. The Owens Twins

Kris Travis vs. Mark Andrews

Joel Redman & Martin Stone vs. RJ Singh & Richard Parliament

Noam Dar vs. El Ligero

Anyway, last night's episode might've been my favorite one so far. A really good mix of talent, I thought. The biggest revelation for me this week being Richard Parliament, who I hadn't even heard of before this show but got a big kick out of his act. Very amusing... yeeeaah! Speaking of amusing, The Fabulous Bakewell Boys had some great lines. Mastiff and Stone were the overall standouts for me however. Both came across really well. Based on what's been broadcast on the show those two along with Rampage Brown and Nikki Storm are my favorites so far.

[AxB]

They should split that card over two episodes really. With judge's analysis and stuff, you could give each match about 10 minutes and show them in full.

[Ultimo Necro]

Looking forward to Mastiff v Brown, a lot.

With that beard and his accent Mastiff reminded me of Gimli and then the next big fat guy from the Un-natural disasters reminded me of the Balrog.

[Sky Blue Sam]

Watching the Martin Stone promo made some sad yet again about his WWE release. Compared to Bull Dempsey, he's a better wrestler, a better promo and has a better look. Funny they didn't mention Joel Redman also being in WWE developmental, esp as he actually won some gold down there.

"What does everybody want? You to be quiet Al!" slayed me

[Skeeball Wizard]

Anyone know where i can find this online?

[Cristobal]

Dailymotion.

[Charro!]

Is the BB Breakdown thing actually on Challenge?, they advertise it after the show for Monday at 9pm, but it never appears on the TV listings.  Should put it on Sunday after the show instead of Wrestletalk I think. But anyway, fun series so far. I think Grado will probably win it, although there's more talented wrestlers in-ring who deserve a spot like Rampage Brown. But Grado would be a good signing if they get him on some of the UK talk shows or similar to promote TNA when they tour next year. Realistically, there is quite a lot of talent they could sign in the competition like Rampage, Noam Dar etc. and make a decent roster out of, who they could put through developmental and use them on the UK TNA shows & the ones which stand out bring up to the main roster and pad it out abit because they are running on bare bones at the moment with a limited roster. I don't know if TNA will be getting a new TV deal with Spike, but if they do, at least they still have that platform to build on and perhaps try and do something to re-ignite interest in them again. 

[pgi86]

Is the BB Breakdown thing actually on Challenge?, they advertise it after the show for Monday at 9pm, but it never appears on the TV listings.

No. It's only on TNA's YouTube channel.

[pgi86]

Fun little video of various TNA stars introducing the 16 Boot Camp semi-finalists:

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

Sha Samuels & Samuel Shaw - that might not quite work......biggest name clash since Maven & Raven.

[RIPPA]

I still can't believe that TNA is running (ran) Mastiff vs. Rampage

 

It's like they stumbled ass backwards into something amazing

 

Of course - I think British Bootcamp should just be it's own fed

[AxB]

If they don't show that match in full, they'd better put the full version on the youtube. I mean, I see all the final 16 people getting at least one match on the UK tour (Grado vs Al Snow in Glasgow being the obvious one), but if TNA are finding that their best TV deal is the one they have with Challenge, they probably should make themselves more of a UK oriented promotion.

[Charro!]

TNA definitely could & should have a UK orientated developmental promotion, which could be similar to NXT and Challenge could show that instead of Wrestletalk & BWC. You could have like wacky skits each week with Grado, solid matches with people like Rampage & Mastiff among others and have the occasional TNA top star come over and wrestle one of the top UK stars. Then they could pick and choose the best talent to bring up to the main TNA roster and send some people over there who need to improve their in-ring work, like maybe re-package them to give them a fresh gimmick. 

[Sky Blue Sam]

Fun episode, though all the matches were too brief. Mastiff/Rampage and Trav/Andrews were the best of the matches. Think they pretty much picked the right guys to go through, though I'd have picked Storm ahead of Kay Lee Ray. Curious that they didn't explain why Kris Travis had to pull out (he's battling stomach cancer), just made it seem really mysterious

[AxB]

Yeah, the matches were too short. I might have picked Dar over Travis anyway... I thought they were going to go work/shoot and have Al cut Samuels for not beating Grado like he was supposed to. Going to be interesting to see how Grado gets over in America, without the mainstream exposure and stuff he's had over here. Mastiff vs Rampage was the best match... here's hoping they get to do it again with more time to play with.

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

I think Mastiff & Brown are the favourites to win this; Brown obviously has the wrestler look, but Mastiff maybe the more interesting pick - plus he's a good friend of Spud and so there's a natural segue into a feud with Tyrese & ECIII.

 

I'm not sure Grado would actually benefit from a TNA contract; I think being on the show benefits him, but being in TNA...not so much.

[Cristobal]

That said, the idea that Grado opens a call to his mom with "It's yersel!" is the best thing ever.

[Ultimo Necro]

That was a fun little episode of TV. Borash pretty much does this himself right? If s, he should just up and move to the UK and run a promotion, the talent is clearly there, I'd watch an hour long show with 2-3 clipped matches and some angles / promos, especially if Rampage Brown and Mastiff are involved.

Also, Spud was pretty decent in the booth.

[AxB]

I think the first season was basically the Jeremy Borash show, but I'm not sure he's as involved this time. He's only credited as doing the voiceover.

 

Notice how all the guys who were fresh off the plane from their FCW releases didn't go through... Rampage having been back in the UK for a good few years means they can briefly avoid the 'Only signs WWE rejects' tag. Also, Martin Stone looks freakishly like Bobby Roode.

 

Next week will be interesting, in terms of how Grado gets over.

[RIPPA]

 Also, Martin Stone looks freakishly like Bobby Roode.

 

THANK YOU! 

 

When I watched that intro clip I was like "Wait... are they somehow related?"

[Ultimo Necro]

Being stuck in a RV with Grado seems like a fate worse than death.

Dixie at dinner with the finalists also showed what a stupid mark Dixie is "oh yea, if your REAL lucky, you can come to my house where some BIG names have been"....

As an ex-pat who has lived in Scotland and Ireland for the last 15 years I'm still amazed anyone can understand a word Grado says.

That said, NXT apart this is my favourite wrestling show on TV.

[AxB]

Why've they switched to half length episodes? Nothing really happened this week. Although of the proposed Boot Camp vs TNA superstar matches, Joe vs Mastiff and Aries vs Dar sound the most interesting. Not sure why they picked Bram for Rampage though. 

[AxB]

Another week where not much happened. Although the fact that Dave Mastiff apparently travels with tree ties in his bag specifically to tie people up as a rib is... interesting. In any other job*, the fact that you punish someone for not pulling their weight by tying them up and dumping them on an apparently urine-soaked floor would be grounds for dismissal. In Pro-Wrestling, it shows leadership and a willingness to take responsibility.

 

Can't see Grado going through to the final three. But the heat for Grado & Noam vs EC3 and Al Snow in Glasgow will be incredible.

 

* Well, most other jobs. Premier league footballers would approve.

[pgi86]

Rampage Brown, Mark Andrews and Kay Lee Ray are the final three. One of them is winning the contract next Sunday.

Andrews and KLR picked over Mastiff? Damn! That's just wrong. I'm hoping Rampage wins, but I have a feeling he won't. Hope I'm wrong.

Also, it's been announced that all six finalists will work the TNA UK tour. Grado vs. Al Snow in Glasgow.