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Post by ________ has left the building on Sept 28, 2013 13:50:44 GMT -5
I still wish TNA would've signed Ivelisse Velez instead. Definitely would had been a much better pickup. Outside of Tapa's size, snarling faces (She and Gunner need to have an intense stare off) and lineage, what else does she bring to the table?
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Banecat
Don Corleone
Speak of the devil and he shall appear
Posts: 1,455
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Post by Banecat on Sept 28, 2013 14:40:59 GMT -5
I still wish TNA would've signed Ivelisse Velez instead. Definitely would had been a much better pickup. Outside of Tapa's size, snarling faces (She and Gunner need to have an intense stare off) and lineage, what else does she bring to the table? That's more then enough to make her stand out from the current trend of wrestling bimbos. You know as well as anyone around here, that looks are the most important thing for a successful female wrestler. Personally though, I was hoping they would have introduced her as a Asia like valet/bodyguard for Austin Aries. Of course I know AA wouldn't have been down with that as it would only accentuate the size difference, even though the contrast is what would have made them stand out as a unit.
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Post by ________ has left the building on Sept 28, 2013 14:49:50 GMT -5
Definitely would had been a much better pickup. Outside of Tapa's size, snarling faces (She and Gunner need to have an intense stare off) and lineage, what else does she bring to the table? That's more then enough to make her stand out from the current trend of wrestling bimbos. You know as well as anyone around here, that looks are the most important thing for a successful female wrestler. Personally though, I was hoping they would have introduced her as a Asia like valet/bodyguard for Austin Aries. Of course I know AA wouldn't have been down with that as it would only accentuate the size difference, even though the contrast is what would have made them stand out as a unit. Looks can only get you so far. Rob Terry got a great look but lacks everything else. Once people get used to Tapa's freak show, what else is she going to bring to the table? Kong could wrestle to go along with her look. ODB is not technical wiz but she can get the crowd in her matches. I hope she does bring something extra because TNA really needs it. And pairing her with Aries, the second smallest person on the roster, would be comical not menacing.
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percymania
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Percymania will live forever! Oh yeah!
Posts: 17,296
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Post by percymania on Oct 4, 2013 18:41:31 GMT -5
First impression: I love this girl!!
Edit: I had no idea who she was or what to expect. At first I'm thinking "A Lady Gaga gimmick, really?" but then she started kicking ass and was screaming and yelling crazy things and I loved every second of it.
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Emmet Russell
King Koopa
Quieter
The best wrestler on earth.
Posts: 12,526
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Post by Emmet Russell on Oct 5, 2013 4:31:51 GMT -5
If used right, they could easily hide her flaws -- which is pretty much everything except that she's bigger & more intimidating than the other .. 3 women in the division. I don't see Velvet or ODB being able to hide those flaws very well so the only real opponent for her would be one who's not currently around & a heel - Gail Kim.
Gail is still the best female worker this year, & if she can pull some good matches out of Lei'd than she's all but sealed her spot as the best.
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Post by Jedi-El of Tomorrow on Oct 5, 2013 5:00:27 GMT -5
If used right, they could easily hide her flaws -- which is pretty much everything except that she's bigger & more intimidating than the other .. 3 women in the division. I don't see Velvet or ODB being able to hide those flaws very well so the only real opponent for her would be one who's not currently around & a heel - Gail Kim. The problem with her facing ODB, is that she doesn't tower over ODB. So Tapa's biggest plus, is out the window.
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Post by cabbageboy on Oct 5, 2013 10:20:19 GMT -5
Tapa is dreadful. The problem as well is that the only time TNA viewers have seen her is the horrid Gutcheck match where Ivellise obviously wrestled circles around her and made her tap out. I think that match more than any exposed the stupidity of the Gutcheck. Someone could totally dominate and defeat someone much bigger, have the crowd's support, and the judges STILL simply picked Tapa because of size and "potential." It's so stupid to beat someone and that person gets picked instead. You can't make that make sense.
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Celgress
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
The Superior One
Posts: 19,009
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Post by Celgress on Oct 5, 2013 16:49:18 GMT -5
TPTB in TNA picked the inexperienced Lei'd Tapa for a developmental deal because Alpha Female, whom by all accounts they really wanted in the KO monster spot at the time (back in Winter/Spring) instead, was smart enough to ask for a big juicy contract a privilege rarely granted female workers. In light of the proceeding circumstances, I'm all but certain Tapa's hiring was a cost saving measure.
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Dshuks
Bubba Ho-Tep
Posts: 520
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Post by Dshuks on Oct 5, 2013 22:48:33 GMT -5
TPTB in TNA picked the inexperienced Lei'd Tapa for a developmental deal because Alpha Female, whom by all accounts they really wanted in the KO monster spot at the time (back in Winter/Spring) instead, was smart enough to ask for a big juicy contract a privilege rarely granted female workers. In light of the proceeding circumstances, I'm all but certain Tapa's hiring was a cost saving measure. Where did you hear this? If true it's clear that Alpha Female is a much better talent than Tapa, and only 2 years older( 32 to Tapa's 30). Alpha Female is actually talented and experienced to be a Kong type monster. Tapa is basically just a slightly bigger version of Tamina.
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Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
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Post by Crappler El 0 M on Oct 5, 2013 23:06:24 GMT -5
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Post by El Cokehead del Knife Fight on Oct 6, 2013 1:33:22 GMT -5
They need far better wrestlers around her. Gail Kim is probably the only one that can actually make her look good.
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Post by jimmyjames on Oct 6, 2013 3:29:27 GMT -5
I look at this as a positive. It might mean they're actually going to put an effort into the Knockouts Division. Instead of letting the division wither away, TNA is beginning to revitalize it and debuting Lei'd Tapa is the start. Hopefully the start signing some young female indy talent and expanding the roster beyond 4 or 5 KO's active at any given time.
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Dang!
Dennis Stamp
Posts: 4,321
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Post by Dang! on Oct 6, 2013 8:41:42 GMT -5
Her attack on Velvet had suspicious camera cuts when she hit that running kick/knee/whatever.
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Post by Oh Cry Me a Screwball on Oct 6, 2013 8:57:21 GMT -5
I still say she should take inspiration from her uncle and other strong female wrestlers and get some face paint: Yeah, she needs to really deck herself out as a monster heel, as it's a niche that's really lacking in the Big 2 Women's Divisions right now, and has been since Kharma and Beth Phoenix left. It would also be nice if TNA signed some cheap womens talent for her to throw around before mixing it up with ODB and Velvet, but what can you do?
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Sephiroth
Wade Wilson
Surviving
Posts: 29,328
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Post by Sephiroth on Oct 6, 2013 9:31:29 GMT -5
As glad as I am to see TNA pick up a new woman for the roster, I was a bit underwhelmed by her debut. It seemed a little corny to be. But then again, Kong seemed corny in her initial debut too. We will see where this goes.
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Celgress
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
The Superior One
Posts: 19,009
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Post by Celgress on Oct 6, 2013 9:38:14 GMT -5
TPTB in TNA picked the inexperienced Lei'd Tapa for a developmental deal because Alpha Female, whom by all accounts they really wanted in the KO monster spot at the time (back in Winter/Spring) instead, was smart enough to ask for a big juicy contract a privilege rarely granted female workers. In light of the proceeding circumstances, I'm all but certain Tapa's hiring was a cost saving measure. Where did you hear this? If true it's clear that Alpha Female is a much better talent than Tapa, and only 2 years older( 32 to Tapa's 30). Alpha Female is actually talented and experienced to be a Kong type monster. Tapa is basically just a slightly bigger version of Tamina. It was a rumor that was circulating back last Spring on several podcasts I listen to (the LAW, MNM, WNL, exact). The hosts all claimed they heard after the UK Tour, and accompanying Gutcheck in which she took part, that TPTB in TNA were rather impressed with Alpha Female's performance however they balked at her asking price. TPTB wanted her as their new KO monster, but as usual wanted to shell out as little cash as they could for female talent. When they heard about the still very new grappler Tapa a few months later they snatched her up more due to price & general look than anything else, or so the story goes.
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Dshuks
Bubba Ho-Tep
Posts: 520
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Post by Dshuks on Oct 6, 2013 11:17:48 GMT -5
I look at this as a positive. It might mean they're actually going to put an effort into the Knockouts Division. Instead of letting the division wither away, TNA is beginning to revitalize it and debuting Lei'd Tapa is the start. Hopefully the start signing some young female indy talent and expanding the roster beyond 4 or 5 KO's active at any given time. She's horrible though skip to about 11:00 Sending her to OVW was horrible as they produce really bad female talents especially when you compare them to over talent son the indy scene. I'm also not interested in TNA signing new female talents if they're all going to be bargain basement super green female wrestlers. I mean what happened to the TNA that was able to sign relatively big indy/international names like Nikki Roxx, Kong, Hamada, Cheerleader Melissa, Sarah Stock, and Rain?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2013 11:26:29 GMT -5
She should have a Carlos Valderrama gimmick
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Post by Wolf Hurricane on Oct 6, 2013 16:07:03 GMT -5
Tara gone. Mickie gone. Taryn pregnant. I guess TNA had little choice but to bring in Lei'D Tapa. They certainly picked a hell of a time to eliminate so much young talent, especially in the Knockouts division, didn't they?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2013 16:11:55 GMT -5
I liked her gut check match with Ivelisse, though I agree that having her tap out clean then having the judges hire her anyway was stupid stupid stupid. Apparently, many think she sucks. I haven't seen much of her work, so I'll have to see more before I form my opinion.
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