Hey, Scott. Since I didn't really agree with the premise of the e-mail about sending someone from WWE to TNA and vice-versa, I'd like to ask you this two-part version of it:
1. What TNA guy(s) who haven't previously been in WWE do you think could realistically make it big in WWE? And by "realistically," I mean no "If they let them be who they are and not ruin them!" smarky nonsense. I mean someone WWE would A) be interested in and B)who would work well in the WWE system and flourish there? I know the typical answer to this one from smarks might be a muscle freak like Crimson or Magnus, but they know they can create their own monsters. I think Bobby Roode is the best call here.
They definitely want Roode. I think either he or Storm is the best bet for the future, although Storm might be limited by his image as a southern ass-kicker.
2. What WWE guy(s) do you think could be a boon to TNA's business in the fairly near future (say, in the next year or two)? Again: realistically, since we all know Cena, Taker or HHH ain't walking into the Impact Zone. This one's harder to me, since guys like Miz or Ziggler are the caliber of stars we've seen make that move (think Christian, Mr. Anderson/Kennedy, Booker T) but they haven't really moved the needle considerably in terms of drawing a bigger audience. So this one's tougher. One could say it's conceivable that a guy like Punk could end up there if big stars like Angle or Hardy did, but there were extenuating circumstances to those guys leaving WWE that Punk almost certainly wouldn't face. Since he's not a product of the WWE system and brainwashed to think it's the only place he can work like so many others, I could envision Daniel Bryan going to an easier schedule in TNA that allows him to do other things he wants (MMA training, music). And I could also see that moving said needle.
Thoughts?
I don't know about the whole "moving the needle" thing, because it's more that they're going to need a solid year of good product rather than just one person coming in and turning things around. I think TNA would be better off poaching someone from WWE's developmental or a high-level indy guy and developing them themselves, much like they did with Beer Money or Chris Harris. Harris, by the way, fucked up bigtime and should have stayed, I think we can safely say. Anyway, I think if Ohno/Cesaro/Rollins flame out in the WWE-lite circuit, they would be the best bet, because they have some major league experience without all the WWE baggage.
I think either he or Storm is the best bet for the future, although
ReplyDeleteStorm might be limited by his image as a southern ass-kicker.
I could be snarky here and say, "Yeah, b/c Austin never got over like that," but thinking about it, I do have a serious question: how much of Austin's appeal was b/c he was southern/a redneck, vs. he was some guy who did what he wanted and stood up the boss? If Austin sounded like Rocky Balboa's understudy, or sounded like he belonged in the cast of Fargo, would he have gotten over as much?
TNA got *really* lucky with Aries falling into their lap fully developed and ready to go. Then again, sometimes business fortunes are turned around by pouncing on the opportunity the other guy missed.
ReplyDeleteI think Storm could do really well in WWE. He has that star charisma and Southern ass-kickers always do well in wrestling. Look at Steve Austin at his most popular.
Harris is like the biggest caution story of all time. If he had stayed in TNA, the world was his, but he chose to become the punchline to the worst knock-knock joke of all time.
I kinda hope Ohno, Cesaro, and Rollins all flame out so they can end up in TNA. I think Cesaro is as close to a sure thing as the WWE has ever come across. Dude has charisma for days and can really go in the ring. Plus, he has a distinct look and his accent is money.
I guess everyone has lost hope of AJ Styles or Samoa Joe ever coming to WWE.
ReplyDeleteAs crazy as this may sound to some, I think the last thing TNA needs to do right now is bring in more ex-WWE talent. They're finally carving a niche of their own, and part of the reason for that is the focus on their own homegrown talent and guys who haven't really been exposed to a national audience yet. True, they've got a number of former WWE stars in prominent roles, but said stars have either reinvented themselves (Bully Ray), weren't in WWE long enough to be exclusively associated with the company (Anderson) or have been around TNA for so long that they're basically considered an Original by the fans (Angle). Unless it's someone like Orton or Rey, they're better off scouring the indies and ROH for their talent rather than relying on Vince's leftovers.
ReplyDeleteDidn't they give up on Aries a few years ago but then he ended up coming back and being a huge star.
ReplyDeletethis was supposed to be a reply to Kenny_Chill
ReplyDeleteI love Bobby Roode and would be seriously disappointed as a wrestling fan if he went to WWE as something stupid like "Richard Robertson" and was confined to the Velocity mid-card.
ReplyDeleteYeah. His name was "Austin Starr."
ReplyDeleteBased on how they're using the guys since they signed, I think WWE is very high on Rollins and he has the best chance to succeed there.
ReplyDeleteI could definitely see Cesaro or Ohno flaming out and going to TNA, which is CRAZY in Cesaro's case because he's almost literally everything WWE could ever want in a prospect.
Yeah, "wanting" a piece of talent and knowing what to do with them are two different things. I mean, they "wanted" Dos Caras, Jr. and Mistico and look how well that's turning out for the parties involved.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part I agree, but once Creative figures out they have nothing for "Kassius Ohno" and "Antonio Cesaro" TNA should snap them up.
ReplyDeleteI'm a guy that strictly watches WWE and TNA, not ROH or anything else Cesaro might have been a part of. I'll say they have given him much to work with yet, but I haven't seen any inkling of what is supposedly so great about Cesaro.
ReplyDeleteGuys that should go from WWE to TNA:
ReplyDeleteZack Ryder
The Miz
Drew McIntyre
The Usos
Matt Striker - I say this because they need a younger, fresh face announcer.
From TNA to WWE:
I have to be honest, I think eventually every TNA wrestler on the roster will eventually enter the WWE at some point in their career.
They're overloaded with talent and have no idea what to do with most of it. There should be an awesome mid-card brewing right now with Sandow, Brodus Clay, Ohno and Cesaro.
ReplyDeleteIf they can't figure out how to properly utilize a bumping machine like Ziggler, then they're definitely not going to figure it out with Ohno or Cesaro.
This was my e-mail, and I agree with Scott's answer to the second part, and by extension those of you who say they shouldn't take any more established WWE guys at this point, though if I'm in charge of TNA talent I at least keep my eye on Mysterio and Orton's situations. Both those guys could be done there at any time and would be major pickups.
ReplyDeleteBy "moving the needle" I didn't necessarily mean anything major and immediate so I probably should've phrased it differently. You're right, consistently producing a good product over at least a year is the only thing that'll have a major impact.
What happened with Harris?
ReplyDeleteOnly if The Miz is a face. What really bothers me about the booking of Miz is that if anyone in WWE watched Mizanin on the RW/RR Challenges, he was the good guy. He played hard but he never formed dopey alliances and he was always there to pick his lesser teammates up. It was that, and his natural charisma, that made him a favorite. WWE insisted on making him a smirking douche bag with a dumb haircut. Miz is Steamboat-like in that he just can't be a bad guy.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree..
ReplyDeleteJeremy Borash > Matt Striker
ReplyDeletePeople are big fans of the Kings of Wrestling.
ReplyDeleteI agree. And The Miz can bring TNA great amount of media attention.
ReplyDeleteI am all for Borash replacing Mike Tenay. I just think that Borash likes doing the PR, marketing, backstage interviewing and the social media ventures for TNA.
ReplyDeleteIf jeff hardy didn't move the needle when he jumped as basically the hottest act in wrestling than no one guy is popping a rating for them.
ReplyDeleteI am all for Borash replacing Mike Tenay. I just think that Borash likes doing the PR, marketing, backstage interviewing and the social media ventures for TNA.
ReplyDeleteI actually really liked Austin Starr. He had a Randy Savage-like aura to him.
ReplyDeleteRey and orton would be huge gets for tna.
ReplyDeleteWell the adr thing hasn't been that bad.
ReplyDeleteI never knew this, from wikipedia
ReplyDeleteOn April 18, 2007, Starr was suspended for ninety days. On May 7 it was reported by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the
suspension branched from TNA asking Austin to tape promo vignettes on a
day he believed to be his day off. Starr did ultimately agree to do the
vignettes but TNA saw this as a bad attitude and was reason for his
suspension. During the suspension, Aries requested, and was granted, his
release from TNA.
I could see CM Punk in TNA (again), especially if his star isn't as bright in the next couple of years and WWE gets tired of his attitude (and he sick of the politics).
ReplyDeleteTo me the rise of roode and aires is what has made impact more interesting. It's kind of like how wwe got better by creating rock and austin.
ReplyDeleteSurprised no one has brought up Bubba. He has seriously upped his game as a singles star and has the size, moveset and verbal skills to be pretty big now.
ReplyDeleteThey tried Miz as a face when he first started and basically everyone found him annoying and insufferable, that led to the heel turn.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the answer to #2, I don't know if anyone would be a boon, but I think the Big Show on TNA would be interesting. They really don't have any giants on the roster, he could stand out
ReplyDeleteGod matt striker sucks so bad now. I remember there was actually a point where he was a promising announcer.
ReplyDeleteHow would you use Ziggler differently than they are? He has the Money in the Bank contract now, and since he is a bumping machine he is used to make everyone else look good that they want to look good.
ReplyDeleteBeing someone with no relation to the Southern states, I must say I hate country music, and I can't stand the accents for the most part, so Austin becoming a huge star was down to being a no BS ass kicker who beat up his boss. It was his 'attitude' no pun intended that struck me and also his intimidating appearance. He played on the parts of being a 'redneck' that were acceptable but if he came out to some country music and talked about his southern lifestyle (more than just his working class background) I'd of sure fire hated him. I think if James Storm could tweak these aspect I'd like him too, just the proud redneck stuff doesn't work for me at all.
ReplyDeleteThey should bring in ct to fight the miz at summerslam.
ReplyDeleteI agree, but that's why I threw in the stipulation of "haven't previously been in WWE" in my e-mail to Scott.
ReplyDeleteRemember when nwa/wcw was around how there were always these interpromotional dream matches like flair v hogan, bret v sting, or austin v goldberg etc?
ReplyDeleteAre there any of those left with tna? Maybe aires vs punk or abyss vs kane? Hardy v cena for the kids favorite? I can't really think of a great one.
Not sure what ADR would have to complain about, he's been pushed as a big deal from the second he debuted, and is one of the few heels that isn't booked as a loser, buffoon.
ReplyDeleteI think TNA is finally doing the right thing by maintaining focus on who they have and telling good stories with them. And, of course, letting them have awesome matches to logically blow things off. Bringing in new talent doesn't mean anything - Hulk Hogan himself didn't make much difference, nor did the myriad of WWE castoffs who have been showing up since the beginning. If they can keep their current momentum going, I think they can improve ratings and do better business. It will take time, though. It does help that WWEs shows suck right now.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see the hulkster jump back to wwe and play the same role he's playing now.
ReplyDeleteAngle vs Bryan
ReplyDeleteObviously it's Vince McMahon. I long for the day he shows up in the Impact Zone & growls "I screwed over my own company T N A"
ReplyDeleteGee, I dunno, maybe because his record in 2012 alone is 12-25 and he's won a whopping four singles matches. Do you think it's wise to book someone to lose 66 percent of their matches if they're trying to get him over?
ReplyDeleteYeah they did a handful of times and it was really good every time. Both are even better wrestlers now so I'd love to see it again.
ReplyDeleteCesaro would be good for TNA since he is doing nothing at all right now. I think Magnus would be a good fit to for the WWE. I like him and he does have star potential.
ReplyDeleteThen again if Striker goes somewhere where someone isn't screaming in his ear telling him not to be so smarky then maybe he might actually be a good announcer again. Actually Borash as play by play and Striker as a heel color announcer (as long as they let him announce his way) would actually rule.
ReplyDeleteMaybe 1% of fans have any clue what his "record" is this year.
ReplyDeleteHe's been in the upper mid card, main event for most of the year and now is the #1 contender for the World Title. I don't like seeing him lose to Sheamus and Randy Orton over and over, but he got his big win this past Sunday, they seem ready to push him.
Brandon Walker happened. Now he is more famous for being a punchline on Are You Serious.
ReplyDeleteHe said nothing about ADR complaining.
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't been bad, just incredibly boring.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if they know what his "record" is. They know that he loses a lot. You asked what I would do differently with Ziggler. If I was building Ziggler up I would not have him lose almost every time he goes to the ring. It's pretty simple.
ReplyDeleteOn the RBR Forums, someone joked that he can't wait until a few years downy the road when everyone is pissed that Austin Aries is playing lackey to Randy Orton, and accidentally ends up marrying one of Orton's wives.
ReplyDeleteNO! Ugh...Show is a big talentless roadblock to any world title division. You have to push him because he's so huge...but he just sucks so bad.
ReplyDeleteFortunately for Ziggler, he is so awesome in the ring that he is getting over just fine on his own.
ReplyDeletePunk is one of the few guys that would maybe go for a jump. He's tight with a lot more guys over there than in WWE. If I'm TNA, I'd sign Colt Cabana just on the off chance it would pull him (though Colt is a solid talent on his own).
ReplyDeleteHe said look how well its turned out for the parties involved, as if ADR hasn't had a good run. My response was ADR would be fine with how it has turned out.
ReplyDeleteTNA should be going after guys that will provide good matchups with who they have. That's why I said Evan Bourne in the email (yes, blame me). He isn't a name, but there are a ton of great matches they'd get signing him.
ReplyDeleteRey yes, Orton no. Orton would be Mr. Anderson part two.
ReplyDeleteUsos should go to TNA. An easy fix would be putting them with Joe to form a Samoan Stable of sorts.
ReplyDeleteTotally disagree that he's talentless. Show knows how to work HIS match, and he's had plenty of really good ones. Just did two nights ago.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking Jericho SHOULD try TNA, but I agree with Colt Cabana and to be honest the Miz would do well in TNA. Also if Morrison and Melina went as a package they could be big in TNA.
ReplyDeleteAs for the WWE, I say Roode is the total package. Joe would have had potential but he's get stuck with a dumb gimmick. Ship Aries to Smackdown and he'd do well.
I think on Cesaro, his success or failure will depend on his proximity to Starbucks. Now perhaps if they opened a kiosk in the Impact Zone...
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not see either doing well there. Vince and Kevin Dunn are hugely anti-southern (a big reason for the JR hate). As for Joe, he doesn't have muscles and tattoos. He'd either be Rikishi II or Umaga Jr.
ReplyDeleteBraden Walker, which is an even worse name. He also appeared to be roughly in the same shape as me--which I cannot recommend for any reason other than being a snarky fatass.
ReplyDeleteWhile fans don't keep track of records, I think you can get a pretty good feel for which guys are winning most of their matches and which guys aren't.
ReplyDeleteBut "losing a lot of matches and then being booked as the #1 contender" is pretty standard for how WWE books people.
Sure, but has that stopped Ziggler from getting over? No. I'm guilty of this at times as well, but win/loss record is pretty overrated as a means of getting over.
ReplyDeleteBrodus Clay wins all the time and is moderately over. Ryback wins all the time, moderately over. Daniel Bryan doesn't win much but is way more over then when he beating Ziggler and Miz multiple times. Heath Slater loses all the time, but is more over now as the guy who loses to legends, than he was as a Tag champion.
Zema Ion could have a pretty decent career in WWE. He's good looking, charismatic and can move. I could see him in the position Kofi has been in for the last few years, maybe higher once he matures as a worker. Hernandez is somebody who could potentially appeal to that Hispanic market WWE has desperately been clawing at for years. Daniels in the midcard could be a great way to develop new workers. There's a lack of midcard veterans in the company at the minute. New guys are only getting to work with vets and raise their game once they're already hitting the upper card.
ReplyDeleteAs for making a difference in TNA, I think it would be someone who hasn't been given a chance at all in WWE. The people who are main eventing right now have shown their strengths and their limitations already and they haven't helped WWE move to new heights. On top of that, the big stars would probably ask for limited dates and behave egocentrically. On the other hand, people like Tyler Rex and Curt Hawkins love the business and are trying their best to do different things to get noticed. You have unused, quite green monsters like Ezekiel Jackson and Mason Ryan who could become megastars with enough experience. If given attention somewhere like TNA they could eventually catch on with something that works.
Other than that, bring in maybe one or two veterans from WWE to teach the younger crowd how to work - people like Regal or Finlay. They are the people who help develop future stars and move the needle indirectly. There would be no Batista without Ric Flair guiding him. Financially and creatively it's in TNA's best interest to develop new stars than to bring in current ones.
Braden walker...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwyFABQX62A&feature=youtube_gdata_player
For whatever it's worth this is exactly what they did with Daniel Bryan.
ReplyDeleteAnd he's much more willing to put over smaller wrestlers and make them look good than most big guys (see Nash, Kevin).
ReplyDeleteI'm beginning to wonder if that's their new pattern - depush a guy for a while and see if the fans continue to call out for him. In Bryan's case they flipped out. In Ziggler's case he was jobbing for months while the fans chanted his name. In Ryder's case they jobbed him for a while and the chants stopped happening. Maybe they're trying to work out who's a flash in the pan and who has some staying power? *shrug*
ReplyDeleteBut would he be willing to do so in TNA is the question. Everyone thought Booker T was a pretty selfless guy until he hit TNA and started refusing to job.
ReplyDeleteI agree. He should be tried out as a face. You watch him on his Conan interviews and he's got more charisma in the mainstream media than anyone they have. And that includes Cena.
ReplyDeleteagree regarding The Miz and Morrison/Melina. they could even try to play off the reported "backstage heat" that the latter had by turning it into an onscreen angle (not in the Russo way, but more like Edge/Lita, a story that is easy to understand for "casuals" as well as it is intriguing for smarks) - let them walk around like they are "above" TNA and the rest of the roster etc.
ReplyDeleteI think these might be interesting:
ReplyDeleteJoe vs. Cena
Punk vs. RVD (if nothing else, Punk cutting a promo on RVD for being a pothead could be a lot of fun)
Sting vs. Randy Orton (hey, here's a legend you haven't killed yet, Randy!)
Styles vs. Mysterio
disagree. just based on the fact that Orton is lightyears ahead of Anderson talentwise.
ReplyDeletethis. like it has been said several times on this blog. if you just factor the raw talent, the WWE might have never been better than now. Ziggler, Rhodes, Cesaro, Kidd, Sandow, Kingston .... the list is unbelievably long (and there's even more amazing workers like Ohno, Rollins etc. currently in development).
ReplyDeletethe sad thing is that this might really be the truth.
ReplyDeleteSamoa Joe vs CM Punk
ReplyDeleteSamoa Joe vs Daniel Bryan
Samoa Joe vs Cactus Jack
Samoa Joe vs Triple H
Samoa Joe vs Undertaker
Aj Styles vs Daniel Bryan
Aj Styles vs CM Punk
AJ Styles vs Rey Mysterio
Daniels vs CM Punk
Daniels vs Danielson :)
...
From WWE to TNA: Yes, the usual suspects like Ziggler, Miz, Morrison... but it TNA is really smart they should try to get Randy Orton AND Batista! They could have more impact (haha) than the outsiders back in the WCW.
ReplyDeleteFrom TNA to WWE: I think they should try Samoa Joe, because maybe he has not the muscles, BUT: He is big and he is tough and he can be a new kind of Mick Foley HC guy and the matches against the Punks and Bryans and Zigglers and so on would be awesome.
He became a meme that has nothing to do with how supposedly awful his debut appearances were (because they were basically just dull and weird, not actively terrible) and more to do with how much fun it was to mock the stupidity of it. Someone like Lance Hoyt made out worse, going from having a gimmick as part of a tag team that was at least partially over to just being a directionless nobody in WWE. Harris just came & went and never did anything that mattered until someone made that Best of Braden Walker YouTube vid.
ReplyDeleteThere's one at CityWalk! He'd be right at home.
ReplyDeleteIf Otunga isn't going to use that gimmick he needs to give it back to Cesaro.
I agree with Scott that developing their own stars is the most important
ReplyDeletepriority; otherwise the people coming over get the WWE castoff stigma.
That being said somebody like Ryder who has a self-built audience and is
a tireless promoter and is being completely wasted by the 'E would be a
great addition.
For TNA to WWE under Mike's criteria, I stick with my original answer of Velvet Sky. She's got the look and charisma they were looking for with all their past Diva signees while also having some wrestling talent and a loyalty to the business like they're aiming for with Sara Del Ray, Buggy Nova, and Mercedes Martinez. Win all around for them, and she'd get a chance to get paid more and not have to worry about being out-wrestled by her whole division.
ReplyDeleteWWE to TNA under these criteria, I kind of agree in spirit with what everyone's saying that TNA would be better off getting someone who doesn't really have an established character in WWE. I had said maybe Reks, Hawkins, and McGillicutty in the last one, but as far as "Moving the needle?" Wade Barrett. Little bit of main event cache, little bit of notoriety, would be able to go straight into main event level or at least upper midcard in TNA, but also could develop something different in terms of a character and learn a few more tricks in the ring to polish his game up.
Nope. Rude Robert would be his name. And he'd spend eighteen weeks on NXT and Superstars being RUDE to people.
ReplyDeleteSo goddamn stupid (the names, not you, Senior Dynamo).
ReplyDeleteOf course fans know that Ziggler loses constantly. He's been beaten to a pulp by Sheamus what, like four times on free TV in the last two months alone?
ReplyDeleteHell yes it would.
ReplyDeleteI will say this: Losing all the time is probably what's gotten him face pops. If he was winning, he'd be getting good heel heat. But he's losing, and the crowd's all like, "Why you jobbin' Ziggler bro?" so he gets face heat.
ReplyDeleteThere's a difference between being southern/southwestern and being "pop" southern, so to speak. It's like Johnny Cash vs. Trace Adkins. Steve Austin was Johnny Cash, which appeals to almost everyone. The guys who come out in cowboy hats and really gimmick the whole "I'm a southern boy!" thing are more cartoon characters ala the whole Nashville rhinestone thing. Not that you're wrong to like that or Trace Adkins or Garth Brooks or whoever, but it's definitely a more limited market with less crossover appeal.
ReplyDeleteI think it's been conclusively proved that fans don't keep track of wins/losses and if they do they don't care. Before Punk broke out he hadn't won a PPV match in well over a year. He has a standing record of 0-250 or so against the Big Show. Miz went 0-for-2012 up until like March or maybe even April and he was still somewhat over with the fans and being booked in main events (to job but still).
ReplyDeleteThe guys who can get themselves over and stay over with their mouths don't win matches. Call it Jericho syndrome if you want but WWE clearly has a list of heel characters they consider bulletproof and they're not afraid to job them into the ground 4 times a week simply because the fans don't notice and/or don't care.
I sort of agree. Miz even as a heel has a face character. He's the guy who grew up watching wrestling and has wanted this his whole life. He cried real tears when he won his title and when he got the big entrance at Mania. He wasn't good at first but worked his butt off and made something of himself. You never hear anything bad about him from his press appearances or autograph sessions and he seems to be 1 of maybe 4 guys on the entire roster who seems like they actually WANT to do that (compare Miz's attitude to Orton's for example).
ReplyDeleteHe's just really good at being a jackass. I don't think he can't be a bad guy I think he's really quite good at it. They paired him with (at the time) marginal face characters like Daniel Bryan and Alex Riley and those guys got over in a hurry mostly just because they were going up against Miz. In both cases after they won their feud with Miz their heat evaporated almost instantly. Bryan obviously recovered since he's good at what he does but Riley never did. Big Show re-established himself as a face simply by punching Miz's face off.
So I mean, I agree they should give his character a try at a face run but I just think he has a pretty damn good track record as a heel.
i'm sure Claudio would love that. Art imitating life/personality turned up to 11, what have you.
ReplyDeleteNot saying I don't like the guy but I'll be shocked of rollins/black makes it big in the wwe.
ReplyDeleteYeah I know peoples opinion on orton are mixed here to say the least but he's way better than mr. Anderson under any criteria.
ReplyDeleteMike mcguirt> matt striker
ReplyDeleteclearly ROH is not on it's death bed.. for it is where we look for the next star to be developed..
ReplyDeleteGood call on Barrett. Never even thought of him.
ReplyDeleteOrton and Batista would be terrific to rip off the nWo storyline in TNA (it's been 16 years, fair game to rip off) but never gonna happen. Orton might run out of chances in WWE but if Big Dave ever wants to come back, WWE will welcome him back gladly.
ReplyDeleteEven if you aren't an Orton fan he's a WAY bigger star than Anderson.
ReplyDelete.....I'd say pretty well for Del Rio, and Sin Cara's brought his problems on himself.
ReplyDeleteI might be in the minority but I like them both. Kassius Ohno lends itself perfectly to the obvious KO nickname and rolls off the tongue, and Antonio Cesaro is a big improvement on his awkward real name.
ReplyDeleteI never hoped they would.
ReplyDeleteEhhh, maybe Joe. I think Joe would make it big in WWE, but not AJ. I'd love to see Roode, Storm and even Aries make the jump because they'd all make it big in WWE, I think.
The little I've seen of Cesaro, I've liked, althought the gimmick doesn't make any sense. (A rugby player banned for being too violent? Isn't that like a sumo wrestler being banned for being too fat?)
ReplyDeleteI've really never liked Hoyt/Archer, but I definitely thought his tag-team with Hawkins could have been something - Hawkins is a very underrated talent, and there was a very sinister vibe about their pairing, like Hawkins was a drug-dealer and Archer was his enforcer. I had high hopes for them.
ReplyDeleteI still hold out hope that AJ (Styles) will end-up in WWE in one day - he may have a few negatives to overcome, such as his accent and size/style, but the guy is so ridiculously good in the ring that he'd still get over. I mean, guys like Bret, Shawn, Benoit, Bryan, and Ziggler were all able to get over just on in-ring talent; sure, personality and mic-skills may have developed or been revealed down the line, but the initial groundswell of support was due solely to in-ring ability.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I definitely "Antonio Cesaro".
ReplyDelete"Kassius Ohno", though? I dunno, to me, that sounds like someone who would be half-black and half-asian, not a pasty, scraggly-haired mid-western whiteboy.
Totally agree.
ReplyDeleteThat just brought back memories of WCW tag-team "Disorderly Conduct" - Mean Mike and Tough Tom!
ReplyDeleteI think Miz is one of the absolute best and most realistic characters in the industry, past or present - in canon (and in real-life too, in many ways), he was looked at as a joke, worked his ass off to get better, was still looked at as a joke, and is extremely angry and bitter about it.
ReplyDeleteSome of the promos he's cut - to me - were absolutely chilling, such as talking about when he was kicked out of the dressing-room for dropping a few crumbs from his sandwich; it wasn't that there were one or two bullies there, it's that EVERYBODY was against him, and now he's improved to the point where he's been champ and headlined WM, yet STILL doesn't get the respect he deserves just because he was a reality-TV star at one point. His character radiates anger, and he deserves a lot of credit for being (at least by pro-wrestling standards) a really good actor.
He wants to take his success and shove it up the ass of everybody that ever doubted him. It's a fantastic character, basically acknowledging all of his short-comings without actually making himself look weak.
I'm a huge Miz mark, just in case you couldn't tell.
Jeez, it feels like a decade ago when Jeff was that hot, now he's just another guy.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that Punk will be in TNA in a few years, the bloom is already off the rose and Vince isn't going to want to deal with Punk's attitude for much longer.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that always struck me as very odd - Booker always seemed like a total professional, but his TNA run was pretty selfish.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I still think Show would be a total pro; he's been made to look like a buffoon through most of his career (both in the ring and in storylines), so I still think he'd be willing to help everyone else out. Granted, he would need to get some big wins first before he can start giving back, but I definitely think Show would give back.
Plus, I'd be all for AJ/Show. It wouldn't be 5* or anything, but I'd be very curious to see what AJ can do with him.
A few years ago, I definitely thought the perfect WWE/TNA match would be Shawn Michaels vs. Samoa Joe - Joe is great at giving an ass-kicking, Shawn is great at taking an ass-kicking, plus it could work on several other levels, such as both being seen as a souls of their respective organizations, or the older vet of the global empire against the hungry young guy of the small upstart.
ReplyDeleteI'd really like to see Tyson Kidd go to TNA - he is FANTASTIC in the ring, and could easily be another AJ Styles in terms of getting over strictly on in-ring talent without having to cut promos.
ReplyDeleteI get that argument with regards to music, but in wrestling, I think, there's more room for someone to get that kind of character over thanks to good booking (or sometimes a happy accident; look at the West Texas Rednecks). I think somebody like Storm, if written properly, can get over on his own merits regardless of the accent.
ReplyDeleteI'd say the same thing about the Briscoes, too - Jay Briscoe makes for a sinister guy when he wants to, drawl or not.
Mohamed Ali's real name was Cassius Clay. It's clearly a play on that.
ReplyDeleteAJ to TNA what Sting was to WCW. In the WWE their legacy would be tarnished.
ReplyDeleteAs a New Zealander, where Rugby is about the only sport that is cared about here, fights are rare in Rugby. Dropping people on their head is banned and so on. Still, it's full of largely unprotected tackles. But in terms of being violent with each other, that's not really tolerated at all. Ice hockey is far more violent that Rugby is.
ReplyDeleteThough some people here or in Australia have been known to say "bring back the bif" (on field fights).
Didn't Kevin Kelly say that Johnny Ace almost signed Roode years ago, but balked for some lame reason?
ReplyDeleteThat and Apollo Ohno. Basically a portmanteau.
ReplyDeleteEven when he was on Real World, I thought he was a douche bag with a dumb haircut.
ReplyDeleteNot much change.
What's the deal on Rollins? When is he coming up to the main roster?
ReplyDeleteI don't watch NXT is he on there?
I agree with your thoughts here. But I think as others have said Austin didn't really play up being a southern boy as much as being a no BS redneck who wasn't going to take attitude from anybody. It was his way or the highway.
ReplyDeleteI also only watch WWE and TNA and I'm in agreement. Cesaro doesn't seem all that special to me and perhaps that's because of what he's been given to work with. That said, Cesaro might be a big deal in the ROH world, but that doesnt necessarily translate into the WWE style.
ReplyDeleteWow...you might be on to something here.
ReplyDeleteIts obvious in hindsight that Harris leaving TNA was a big mistake on his part. He was really over as a Tag Team guy and my guess is he would've eventually been slotted into a similar role as James Storm.
ReplyDeleteI think that ship has sailed. Styles isn't getting any younger he's 35 years old now, he's still not that great of a promo guy, and he's already begun to adjust his style to compensate for years of wrestling at such a high level of intensity. I think at this point Styles should just stick with TNA to finish out his career. He can be the Shawn Michaels of TNA.
ReplyDeleteI think that sums it up
ReplyDeleteI think it was because they didnt want to pay for his visa, since Roode is a Canadian citizen.
ReplyDeleteYeah he's on it. Looks like he's a ways away though.
ReplyDeleteIts ok. They got braden walker instead!
ReplyDeleteKidd would be an x division superstar.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see barrett jump.
ReplyDeleteYeah ryder isn't going anywhere in wwe. He would be over huge in tna and probably get pushed to the moon.
ReplyDeleteI so miss heel Batista.
ReplyDeleteZema Ion=young chris jericho
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see joe get a short run as some kind of monster heel in the wwe. I know it's insulting but imagine if he had played umanga.
ReplyDeleteWow I completely agree. That would have been a dream match. I'm sad it never happened.
ReplyDeleteBest names ever.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if vince would make aj work the developmental territory before debuting? That would be insulting.
ReplyDeleteHe's been a jobber all year.
ReplyDeleteVince could repackage him as a hillbilly jims kid. 2nd generation superstar!
ReplyDeleteyeah as an Aussie, a rugby player banned for being too violent is a completely legitimate character. oh and AFL rules ;)
ReplyDeleteBut who's the 3rd man?!?!
ReplyDeleteThe NRL shits on AFL. Of course being a New Zealander all that matters is that the All Blacks own Australia every year in Rugby.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but that's part of the fun in it.
ReplyDeleteAgain, to me at least. I realize most people kinda hate that name.
I think that's exactly why he should jump if actually given the chance. TNA would always take him back, but if WWE happened to want him he should absolutely take a shot at a big payday in the 'E.
ReplyDeleteThat is, unless he's content with where he is financially.
Ryder vs. Robbie E - it's THE WAR ON THE SHORE, BRO!
ReplyDeleteI look to them as a tag team.
ReplyDeleteHeck, if you bring in the Heartthrobs along with him, you'd have quite the little faction - the Four Shoresmen, if you will.
ReplyDeleteThe only "sport" I like is pro wrestling. Though, I used to like watching AFL when it was shown on TV here.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't have to live through the All Blacks not winning the world cup in 2007. It was a similar reaction to when Kennedy was shot.
ReplyDeleteI found it hilarious though.
well if you're a new zealander you don't have much of an alternative sport i guess. i live in WA so NRL is just dead here, isnt reported on cause we have no team. i believe my friend the other day called it 'glorified touch'.
ReplyDeleteI'm a die hard footy fan, watch every game I can regardless of who's playing cause it is just such a great entertaining game. All players have to be fast and agile to outrun opponents and break tackles, they have to have a good vertical jump for marks, strong enough to make tackles, and skilled enough to pass by hand or foot to team mates standing anywhere from 1 to 70 metres away from them. The thing that turns me off sports like American football and baseball is that players just go out and do one thing each, especially american football where you really have two teams, one for defence and one for offense, that's just weak, learn to play both!
Hmm....I'm thinking William/Steven Regal would benefit tremendously from a jump to TNA
ReplyDelete