Awesome Kong vs Gail Kim TNA Impact 10-11-2007
I know what you're thinking.
Finally, a dude is going to give his opinion of women's wrestling
I know this is like seeing a Unicorn catch a rainbow, but no need to pinch yourself this is really happening. All I'm saying not all heroes wear capes, some talk wrestling. I think it's pretty obvious I'm joking like the professor that housed Dylan's burger, but just in case...I'm joking, like the professor that housed Dylan's burger. A lot of dudes have given a lot of opinions on a lot of women's wrestling over the years, so let's just hope mine ain't so bad.
It has been remarkable to watch the rise of women's wrestling over the past few years. It was a long an arduous process, which has only really picked up momentum in recent years. I think the obvious tipping point for mainstream acceptance was NXT and The Four Horsewomen of Bayley, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, and Charlotte Flair. Maybe I'm speaking to my own personal experience, but it was the first time I felt the momentum of women's wrestling becoming an equal part of pro wrestling television. This is of course before WWE had to brand it, "Women's Revolution" or "Womens Evolution" or " Women aren't being taken seriously and we're all trying to figure out the guy that did this while Stephanie McMahon is wearing a hot dog costume". Very heavy Tim Robinson entry today apparently. While the NXT women were probably the tipping point, it is interesting to go back and look at how we got here. It wasn't that all of a sudden it shifted perception, there was a slow build that may have gone unnoticed at the time. First we have to give credit to Shimmer, the women;s indepndent wrestling company that helped to build so many of the stars of modern women's wrestling. I do want to see if I can find any Shimmer content for the blog so I don't want to get too deep into it, but I'd be a grade a crum bum if I didn't pause to give them their appropriate praise. It wasn't just Shimmer either, there was another company I think played a unsung part in all this
TNA
I know right?
A company LITERALLY called TNA did more to treat women's wrestling on television seriously than anyone. Someone get Alanis Morrissette so she can write Ironic 2. Not enough songs have sequels. I want Return of Return of The Mack. Once TNA made a conscious decision to feature women prominently on television, they went all in on it. It wasn't always perfect, but it was a hell of a lot better than what WWE was doing. Billed as the TNA Knockouts, the roster was far more eclectic and diverse than what we had seen in a women's roster. It seemed to work because if I remember correctly the TNA Knockouts division was a critical and commercial success. The Knockout segments became the highest rated part of the show for a time. I don't know what happened, but eventually TNA had to TNA I guess and fuck it all up. But that time before it got turned to crap , it was really special. Ultimately you can point to two women as the biggest building blocks of that initial run
Gail Kim and Awesome Kong
It's the feud that was ultimately the basis of the TNA Knockouts division and put in on the map. Well here on this October 2007 edition of Impact, we have their very first match and the basis for their story. Going into this TNA has yet to crown their first Knockouts Champion. It's been decided that there will be a Battle Royal at the PPV to crown the champion, but before then would be some matches to introduce the newer characters. Gail Kim had been in TNA for some time at this point and was being put in the spot of being a prominent face in the division. It made sense, she had been in TNA for a while and seemed like a perfect pick to carry the mantle. She was pushed about as well as a women in a company without a real division could be. Her opponent is a different story. This is Awesome Kong's very first match in TNA and the first time I know I ever saw her. Awesome Kong has one of those cool stories about an American wrestler who trained in the dojo system over In Japan and became a star. She had been making US appearances in Shimmer and ROH, but I don't think she really broke out in the states until TNA. Making this match more special is the fact that all the competitors for the Knockouts Battle Royal are on the outside. The gimmick is they all want to see Kong for the first time.
Before she even gets in the ring, Awesome Kong comes off like such a monster. Gail Kim sells legitimate fear at the prospect of Kong, looking around for anyone who can get her out of the match. I've said before Don West is underrated as an announcer and he has a great moment of just going " oh my god that's a large woman". He doesn't flip out and scream, just plays it like he's legitimately shocked. The match begins with a lockup between Kong and Kim as Kong promptly lifts Kim up in a choke and then tosses her. There is great TNA production work here, that's a sentence rarely uttered, as they keep finding the other Knockouts on the floor who are doing a great job selling how scary Kong is. Kong has excellent crazy eyes here which as you know I think is the best trait a wrestler could have.
was a big GLOW fan so it's weird reconciling this monster character vs the sweetness of Welfare Queen. I guess I don't understand how acting works. I don't want to be around anymore. It's a cat and mouse match, which I am always here for. Kim tries to evade as best she can and sneak in offense, but Kong keeps catching her. Kim tries a running crossbody but Kong catches her, parades her around the ring, and slams her to the ground. She just basically tosses her instead of slamming her, which makes it look more painful. Kong grabs Kim by the hair and throws her again. Don West AGAIN on commentary doing a great job "Jackie Moore is on the outside and she looks scared and I DONT THINK IVE EVER SEEN HER AFRAID OF ANYTHING". Kong whips Kim into the ropes, but Kim goes for a headscissors and turns it into an Octopus hold. Kong trapped in the center of the ring and it's a hell of a hope spot. Kong looks like she's in trouble but powers through and drops Kim with a sidewalk slam. Kong climbs the second rope for a splash, but Kim moves out of the way and Kong hits the mat. Kim trying to get something going, by countering a Kong whip into the turnbuckles and guillotining her on the ropes. Kim climbs the top rope for a dropkick, and she staggers Kong but Kong doesn't fall. Kim goes for one more move, couldn't figure out what it was, but Kong clotheslines her. Kong is done and hits her sitout powerbomb finish for the win while all the Knockouts on the outside look horrified.
As far as a match goes, it's good. As far as a debut goes, I don't know if TNA could have done a better job. In 3 minutes they got over just how much of a monster Awesome Kong was. It doesn't hurt Gail either, because she actually ends up winning the Knockouts Title and it kickstarts her feud with Awesome Kong. This was tremendous, not hall of fame but still tremendous. Props to Gail Kim for putting over Kong so strongly. Remember that in order to get someone over in wrestling,
YOU GOTTA GIVE
TLDR Review
Awesome Kong was awesome. Gail Kim was awesome. Don West was a Gem Mint 10
If you're interested in more condensed version of my thoughts, You can check out my Twitter where I talk about wrestling or stress out during Boston Celtics games. Hell, I'll even take suggestions for matches you want to see reviewed. You can also check out my Youtube where I make weird videos where I put on wigs in front of a camera to mask my true identity.