TNA Wrestling's "Turning Point" pay-per-view show is aptly named.
After Sunday's offering, TNA is expected to undergo a massive face-lift with the imminent arrival of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff to the company's front office (presumably, both will have onscreen roles as well). The recent Hogan/Bischoff signing has overshadowed the "Turning Point" story lines and weakened the card's appeal in an already flooded pay-per-view market for pro wrestling and mixed-martial-arts fighting.
That doesn't matter to "Samoa" Joe Seanoa. He plans to make "Turning Point" a show to remember.
Seanoa is part of a three-way match against two of TNA's best technicians -- A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels -- in the main event. The bout is a rematch of a 2005 Seanoa-Styles-Daniels bout that is still considered among the best clashes in TNA's seven-year history.
"This is definitely a transitional period in TNA," Seanoa said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "There's been some news that has trumped what's going on currently, but I think people who tune in Sunday will be pleasantly surprised.
"To me, being in this situation is not that big a deal. You never really know what's going on that far over the horizon anyway (in wrestling). I'm just excited to have the opportunity for another shot at doing something great in front of the fans, like working with Chris and A.J."
Seanoa's healthy attitude extends to talk about his TNA future. When both wielded power in World Championship Wrestling during the 1990s, Hogan and Bischoff tended to push former World Wrestling Entertainment stars as headline talent and keep lesser-knowns mired in supporting roles. In particular, smaller but more athletically gifted wrestlers like Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio and the late Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit kept hitting a glass ceiling before leaving and finding WWE stardom.
While size isn't a negative factor in his case, the 6-foot-2, 280-pound Seanoa doesn't carry the same cache as some of the well-known veterans now being linked to TNA because of past relationships with Hogan/Bischoff. Seanoa has never worked for WWE and doesn't possess the steroid-aided physique that Hogan and so many of his contemporaries sported during their heyday.
Even so, Seanoa was Joe Cool when asked what the Hogan/Bischoff administration will mean to his current TNA standing.
"Anybody who knows me knows I'm not worried at all," Seanoa said. "You can look at this as a challenge as far as my spot in the company. Call it arrogance or whatever, but I'm confident enough in my ability. I'm the only person who could stop me from being successful in this business. No matter who comes in, I'm going to do what I do to entertain and push forward."
Seanoa has met Hogan "in passing," but says he's been told by mutual acquaintances that the Hulkster is a fan of his hard-hitting style. Seanoa also is excited that the Hogan signing will raise TNA's mainstream visibility.
"Hulk seems pretty inspired, from what I'm hearing," Seanoa said. "I'm a huge personal fan of his. He's always been complimentary when asked about me.
"I don't really know what's going to ultimately happen. TNA has been keeping a tight lid on their plans with Hulk. From what I've gathered being in the (TNA) office this past week, people across the board are excited. The end result should be interesting."
As for his own career, Seanoa said his four-plus years in TNA "have definitely flown by." Seanoa has worked atop TNA cards since his arrival and enjoyed a six-month reign as the company's heavyweight champion in 2008.
Seanoa said he is still trying to become a "dual threat" when it comes to delivering strong interviews and maximizing his in-ring time during televised matches. Seanoa didn't have to worry about either when working for Ring of Honor before his TNA debut.
"You're always looking for a way to hook the crowd with words," said Seanoa, 30. "Also, wrestling on TV is a very different animal than doing a 45-minute match at a Ring of Honor show. That was a very different style of company.
"There are some other nuances ... that have been part of the learning process, but I've really enjoyed it. It's been an eye-opening experience."
Just like watching one of Seanoa's matches.
For more information on "Turning Point," visit www.tnawrestling.com. Seanoa also writes a blog on his myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/joeism.
(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service. Contact him at alex1marv(at)aol.com or follow him via Twitter at http://twitter.com/alexmarvez.)
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