For once, a positive WCW/TNA comparison

[HMARK Center]

So, a thought hit me while watching my first full Impact in quite awhile recently.

Looking at the show, it seemed to me that TNA has two potential top heels: the obvious choice, Christian, and the guy they've been booking as a tweener, Angle.

I realize that upon getting Angle, TNA's plan was to book him ala Steve Austin circa 1997: a dangerous anti-hero, liable to get violent at the drop of a hat.

Needless to say, that booking has NOT been consistent. Scrap it, says I.

Now, for the WCW comparison: again, two top heels, Angle and Christian. Two different types of heel.

On the one hand, Christian: sneaky, conniving, scheming, and devious. He's power hungry and manipulative, and will put things into motion to get his way. To borrow from the Raw writers and Jim Ross, he is, without a doubt, a "Creepy Little Bastard".

On the other, Angle: strong, powerful, and a dangerous performer in the ring. Capable of humiliating you by out-wrestling you, and potentially injuring you. A definite violent streak.

So, what's my comparison?

I say it's high time to start booking them a bit more like Flair and Vader were in WCW.

Not to say Angle can be just like Vader. Hell, that'd be next to impossible, finding someone as physically imposing AND as talented as the Mastadon.

But Angle could definitely become the "dangerous heel", the one who will cheat now and then, but also knows he's fully capable of breaking you fair and square.

Christian, meanwhile, rebuilds his stable (once Tomko leaves, which we all know is coming), Horseman-esque, with the objective always being "protect Christian and Christian's power". He's already shown himself to be very good at playing the Flair-like role, and has been one of TNA's most consistent acts over the last year. Let him go full-bore with it.

So...any thoughts? Any "No, Joe should be Vader" comments? Or how about any "I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter" ones?

[rrm15]

I like it. I agree with you in that Christian, because of his spot, is one of the ONLY guys in wrestling that could believably pull off the Flair role. In fact, it scould be:

-Christian
-Robert Roode (Enforcer)
-Alex Shelly
-Sabin

[Andrew is Good]

Angle's heel work earlier during his feud with Joe was great. Not only was his this vicious, angry heel, but he was also so good at showing his ass and making himself look bad by coming off as a whiner, and beating up on people weaker then him. But they went back and forth with him as a babyface and heel, that it hurt him.

I think it could definitely work, if they were to stay consistent with it.

[greate]

They're completely missing the boat with Team 3D though, i'm telling ya brother ray could be a main event heel thats right i said it. The guy gets booed simply when he's talking or being in the ring, people hate him...and dont tell me "he's not ME caliber, he cant pull it off", how many of you were saying that about one Bradshaw before he turned into JBL? Of course you can't have him by himself, we got Brother Runt who can be the guy who gets his ass kicked, D Von to do his dirty work and Bubba simply being Bubba The Gut.

[thestinger]

greate said:

i'm telling ya brother ray could be a main event heel thats right i said it. The guy gets booed simply when he's talking or being in the ring, people hate him...

I think it's X-Pac heat. We fans hate him, not his character, and we hate seeing him perform (if that's what you want to call it.)

3D wrestled at my old high school two months ago. My brother and I were in the front row. We started to chant "smells like bacon" at him and he immediately left the ring, got in our faces, threatened us, ripped up our signs (which portrayed him as a pig man) and basically threw a hissy fit. Man did the crowd let him have it!

That said, if the crowd is going to chant "3D Sucks" everytime they come out, they might as well turn them heel until their contracts are up.

[Rocky Van Heineken]

hitmanmark said:

So, a thought hit me while watching my first full Impact in quite awhile recently.

Looking at the show, it seemed to me that TNA has two potential top heels: the obvious choice, Christian, and the guy they've been booking as a tweener, Angle.

I realize that upon getting Angle, TNA's plan was to book him ala Steve Austin circa 1997: a dangerous anti-hero, liable to get violent at the drop of a hat.

Needless to say, that booking has NOT been consistent. Scrap it, says I.

Now, for the WCW comparison: again, two top heels, Angle and Christian. Two different types of heel.

On the one hand, Christian: sneaky, conniving, scheming, and devious. He's power hungry and manipulative, and will put things into motion to get his way. To borrow from the Raw writers and Jim Ross, he is, without a doubt, a "Creepy Little Bastard".

On the other, Angle: strong, powerful, and a dangerous performer in the ring. Capable of humiliating you by out-wrestling you, and potentially injuring you. A definite violent streak.

So, what's my comparison?

I say it's high time to start booking them a bit more like Flair and Vader were in WCW.

Not to say Angle can be just like Vader. Hell, that'd be next to impossible, finding someone as physically imposing AND as talented as the Mastadon.

But Angle could definitely become the "dangerous heel", the one who will cheat now and then, but also knows he's fully capable of breaking you fair and square.

Christian, meanwhile, rebuilds his stable (once Tomko leaves, which we all know is coming), Horseman-esque, with the objective always being "protect Christian and Christian's power". He's already shown himself to be very good at playing the Flair-like role, and has been one of TNA's most consistent acts over the last year. Let him go full-bore with it.

So...any thoughts? Any "No, Joe should be Vader" comments? Or how about any "I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter" ones?

Sounds like a good game plan, but I think they're incapable of pulling it off. Knowing TNA, they'd put Cage as a second string heel to Jarrett.

Brother Ray as a main eventer? Please. That's an awful idea. He's a tag team wrestler, not a main event guy.

[greate]

Brother Ray as a main eventer? Please. That's an awful idea. He's a tag team wrestler, not a main event guy.

So was Bradshaw before he turned into JBL, Edge was also a "tag team wrestler" before he became a 2 time WWE Champion. It's all about who gets the push and who doesn't, Brother Ray has the talent(just watch them during the Paul Heyman era on Smackdown) it's TNA:s job to take the risks

[bigHEADinc]

rrm15 said:

I like it. I agree with you in that Christian, because of his spot, is one of the ONLY guys in wrestling that could believably pull off the Flair role. In fact, it scould be:

-Christian
-Robert Roode (Enforcer)
-Alex Shelly
-Sabin

You're only saying that because Roode looks kinda like Arn Anderson...

I guess if he starts doing the Spinebuster it'd be a step-up from everything else he's ever done in the history of Roode...

[Rocky Van Heineken]

greate said:

Brother Ray as a main eventer? Please. That's an awful idea. He's a tag team wrestler, not a main event guy.

So was Bradshaw before he turned into JBL, Edge was also a "tag team wrestler" before he became a 2 time WWE Champion. It's all about who gets the push and who doesn't, Brother Ray has the talent(just watch them during the Paul Heyman era on Smackdown) it's TNA:s job to take the risks

Yeah, but those guys are talented. Brother Ray has had a singles push before, and it was awful.

[Parrish]

sounds like a good plan...too bad they wont come close to doing that

[rrm15]

rockygotfingered said:

greate said:

Brother Ray as a main eventer? Please. That's an awful idea. He's a tag team wrestler, not a main event guy.

So was Bradshaw before he turned into JBL, Edge was also a "tag team wrestler" before he became a 2 time WWE Champion. It's all about who gets the push and who doesn't, Brother Ray has the talent(just watch them during the Paul Heyman era on Smackdown) it's TNA:s job to take the risks

Yeah, but those guys are talented. Brother Ray has had a singles push before, and it was awful.

He actually got pretty over and could have gone further if the WWE hadn't pussed out.