Post by HMARK Center on Jul 17, 2009 11:27:23 GMT -5
Not every wrestling company can build up a single wrestler who, by sheer force of charisma and ring presence, can carry an entire company, and even industry, on his back and make it extremely popular. In fact, when you get down to it, it's incredibly rare for it to ever happen, especially without it feeling forced...which is part of what makes the 90's so incredible, with Austin AND Rock both fitting that role.
In my opinion however, what some companies can do, instead, is build up their brand name through the enacting of some signature feuds. Sometimes the combined abilities of two (or more) wrestlers can put a company on the map to a certain degree, and while maybe it wouldn't have a Hogan-like effect, it can still solidify you.
For example: when I say "WCW", you likely think of a few key players from the company's history, but I'm sure you also think almost immediately of Sting vs. Flair.
If I say "AJPW", you think of some of the greats, but you also may dwell somewhat on Misawa vs. Kawada.
Hell, I can even mention mid-90's WWF, and I'm sure Hart vs. Michaels will stick out.
The idea is that you build up two guys, one perhaps the dominant heel of the company, the other the true babyface, and then, for years after, whenever the two are even within some proximity of each other, there's an immediate tension, with the crowd anticipating a fight at the drop of a hat, even if the two end up working together at some point on the same side.
For TNA, I think their chance to do this, to create the company's signature feud for the next decade, is to fill the roles with AJ Styles and Samoa Joe.
The two are a strong contrast (speed/high flying vs. ground and pound/submissions), their characters now have a built in reason to resent one another for ages, and it's clear they're both being pushed as elite talent in the company, even if neither is World Champ at the moment.
TNA is definitely going through a transition, because some of the older talent is going to be riding into the sunset within the next couple of years. When the dust settles, I think we should see, firmly established as the top feud in the company, the pure competitive babyface against the violent, dominating heel, with a feud that can stop and restart without a moment's hesitation for the next 10 years.
Any ideas on this, or any ideas that might go in a different direction?
In my opinion however, what some companies can do, instead, is build up their brand name through the enacting of some signature feuds. Sometimes the combined abilities of two (or more) wrestlers can put a company on the map to a certain degree, and while maybe it wouldn't have a Hogan-like effect, it can still solidify you.
For example: when I say "WCW", you likely think of a few key players from the company's history, but I'm sure you also think almost immediately of Sting vs. Flair.
If I say "AJPW", you think of some of the greats, but you also may dwell somewhat on Misawa vs. Kawada.
Hell, I can even mention mid-90's WWF, and I'm sure Hart vs. Michaels will stick out.
The idea is that you build up two guys, one perhaps the dominant heel of the company, the other the true babyface, and then, for years after, whenever the two are even within some proximity of each other, there's an immediate tension, with the crowd anticipating a fight at the drop of a hat, even if the two end up working together at some point on the same side.
For TNA, I think their chance to do this, to create the company's signature feud for the next decade, is to fill the roles with AJ Styles and Samoa Joe.
The two are a strong contrast (speed/high flying vs. ground and pound/submissions), their characters now have a built in reason to resent one another for ages, and it's clear they're both being pushed as elite talent in the company, even if neither is World Champ at the moment.
TNA is definitely going through a transition, because some of the older talent is going to be riding into the sunset within the next couple of years. When the dust settles, I think we should see, firmly established as the top feud in the company, the pure competitive babyface against the violent, dominating heel, with a feud that can stop and restart without a moment's hesitation for the next 10 years.
Any ideas on this, or any ideas that might go in a different direction?
