Burst
El Dandy
*inarticulate squawking*
Posts: 8,599
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Post by Burst on Aug 7, 2010 20:58:14 GMT -5
I know there'll be a million one-word "No." posts, but hear me out.
We all know how ridiculous of a pop there was when Jericho debuted in 1999 and his name flashed on the titantron, but without as major of a competition as WCW was, is there anybody not signed to the 'E today that could have a debut reaction anything like that?
I don't mean people re-debuting or returning, so no RVD or Hogan, I mean people that've never been in the WWE. I'm also thinking hypothetically, regardless of contracts or whatnot.
Honestly, the only two people that I think stand a chance would be Sting and Samoa Joe. Sting just for the novelty and because people still remember him, and Joe because of his indy darling-ness and the fact that he's probably one of the few people from TNA people would actually recognize, but that all depends on the location of this hypothetical show.
As much as I'd love to hear AJ Style's theme kick up and see a WWE-sized version of his pyro, I don't think it'd be nearly the reaction either of those two, but especially Sting, would get.
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Post by The Tank on Aug 7, 2010 21:01:02 GMT -5
Sting would really be the only one.
TNA would need to build itself up a lot for someone like Samoa Joe or A.J. Styles to make the jump and be known by nearly the entire crowd.
If it was a show in a smark town like New York City or Chicago, maybe it could be done with an indy guy. Lord knows it worked wonders for CM Punk.
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Krimzon
Crow T. Robot
This guy is the man!
R.I.P. Deadpool
Posts: 43,870
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Post by Krimzon on Aug 7, 2010 21:05:04 GMT -5
An AJ Styles debut could blow the roof off the place, depending on where the debut happens. If it happens in MSG, huge pop. If it happens in Iowa, dead air. Same deal with Joe. The crowd popped huge for Punk, but only because it was at Hammerstein, a.k.a. Uber-Smark HQ.
To be honest, it's been so long since WCW went under, a lot of the newer fans won't really know/care about a Sting debut. Older fans would shit bricks, but younger fans wouldn't have a reason to cheer for a guy they aren't familiar with.
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Yami Daimao
Patti Mayonnaise
Really, really wants to zigazig ah!
Posts: 31,784
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Post by Yami Daimao on Aug 7, 2010 21:05:06 GMT -5
Honestly? No.
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Post by Crazy Diamond on Aug 7, 2010 21:09:27 GMT -5
No because Jericho was allowed to write his own promo and he apparently was pushed the way he was (whatever your views on his feuds with Ken Shamrock, Road Dogg, Chyna, etc.) to stick it to WCW. WWE would just bury AJ Styles and Samoa Joe because they came from TNA and they would probably not do much with Sting either at this point.
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BigJerichool222
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
THE BIG DOG!
#NotInMySalad
Posts: 17,424
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Post by BigJerichool222 on Aug 7, 2010 21:11:56 GMT -5
Not a DEBUT, but a Jeff Hardy return might work.
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Post by rnrk supports BLM on Aug 7, 2010 21:24:05 GMT -5
The only way it could happen would be with a guy who a significant portion of the audience is already aware of and will be excited to see arrive in WWE.
TNA simply does not have enough recognition beyond smarkdom to be capable of building up any non-WWE/WCW-expatriates as stars whose arrival would generate that sort of buzz or anticipation, no matter how well they were booked.
The only options today would be Sting... or someone from outside of wrestling entirely. Have Kimbo Slice's 15 minutes expired yet?
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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Aug 7, 2010 21:49:31 GMT -5
Sting would really be the only one. . Sums it up perfectly.
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Post by ASK HIM on Aug 7, 2010 22:04:39 GMT -5
How depressing! Nobody could hope to match the reaction that an opposition midcarder got eleven years ago.
I love Jericho, but that's an indictment of how stagnant things are these days.
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Post by WorkingInAColeMine on Aug 7, 2010 22:17:34 GMT -5
Have you heard how honest Alberto Del Rio is?
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Post by wcw on Aug 7, 2010 22:28:18 GMT -5
AJ Styles could do it but it would then mean that Vince wouldn't have to shit on someone from another company (OR rebuild them like they did R-Truth or Cage).
AJ could come out and just do what Jericho did to the Rock. AJ is know by a little of the WWE fan base so he has some sort cross over appeal. All in all I would have to think AJ would click with the fans as long as guys like Cena, HHH, and Orton would get behind him.
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AriadosMan
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Your friendly neighborhood superhero
Posts: 15,620
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Post by AriadosMan on Aug 7, 2010 22:29:55 GMT -5
Nope. Even Sting isn't that valuable anymore. Hell, even The Rock isn't. Crowds are alot quieter than they used to be.
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Post by Nuke The Whales on Aug 7, 2010 22:32:02 GMT -5
Oh, I don't know. I think if the Rock showed back up on Raw as a full time wrestler the place would lose its mind.
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Post by Spankymac is sick of the swiss on Aug 7, 2010 22:51:38 GMT -5
MAYBE Joe. Maybe. I'd say Sting would be that guy, but, let's face it, half of the WWE's audience would have no clue who he is. Aside from a few passing references to him in the WCW centric DVD sets they've released, he hasn't been focused on that much by WWE, and he's been in TNA purgatory for the better part of the past decade. The modern audience wouldn't understand why his appearance would be so special.
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Post by YAKMAN is ICHIBAN on Aug 7, 2010 23:20:17 GMT -5
Ultimate Warrior
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Post by itputsthelotion on Aug 7, 2010 23:22:38 GMT -5
Sting could get that type of reaction but time will tell.
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Post by I Like Your Poetry on Aug 7, 2010 23:23:28 GMT -5
Hate to be on the negative side, but even Jericho couldn't redebut anywhere near his intial debut.
That's a peak that probably won't be beaten in our lifetime. Just the right company during the right period with the right type of crowd. Period.
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Post by Nuke The Whales on Aug 7, 2010 23:40:27 GMT -5
TNA would need to be on par with what WCW's popularity in comparison to WWF at the time was (in relative terms) in order to make that happen, though. If it happened right now, there would be some people in the audience flipping out, and the rest would be like why was this fat guy hired.
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Post by Mr. Emoticon Man, TF Fan on Aug 7, 2010 23:49:03 GMT -5
Sting could, especially if they hyped it up before-hand.
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Yami Daimao
Patti Mayonnaise
Really, really wants to zigazig ah!
Posts: 31,784
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Post by Yami Daimao on Aug 7, 2010 23:50:43 GMT -5
Hate to be on the negative side, but even Jericho couldn't redebut anywhere near his intial debut. That's a peak that probably won't be beaten in our lifetime. Just the right company during the right period with the right type of crowd. Period. Pretty much this. Oh and Spankymac, your sig is awesome.
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