NWA-TNA choices in talent

[Guest pete]

NWA-TNA needs to bring in the right talent mix and gimmicks to get the promotion over.Some of the choices I don't understand. Let's look at Harris and Lee first.These guys have no charisma to them. Their workrate is even worse. Plus they are too tall for this promotion.(most of the good indy talent in the U.S are smaller) Since wrestling is all about perception you wouldn't be able to tell if someone is short if everyone is about the same size.Everywhere they have been they have been on the undercard. The perception is that they are glorified jobbers. They have too much experiance. They are supposed to be playing the monster heels. They go out and destroy tag teams. Because the perception is that they are jobbers that makes the rest of the division is worse than jobbers. If they want to bring in a monster team they should give a team that hasn't been buried on national T.V for years. Why not give Da Hit Squad a shot they work hard and they have a lot of charisma.

 

Next up let's look at the Dupps. They are horrible. They bring nothing to the table. Strike that, they are supposed to bring some comic relief. The problem is that some of their segments are way too long.They are o.k if you see them once a month for maybe 5 minutes, but that is the tops. Too much Dupps = less buyrates.

 

The next gimmick to look at is Bruce. This is ahorrible Andy Kauffman gimmick. I thought the Rainbow Express were alright. Their work was solid and they played solid heels. The gimmick that Bruce is playing is too over the top. When it is over it is really going to be hard to repackage this talent. End the gimmick now. No one purchases the ppv for Bruce. I am a firm believer in haveing something for everybody. For the workrate buffs you have the X-Division, for people who like watching promos you have the Truth, for people like the old fashioned beatdowns you have Jeff Jarrett, etc. I don't see what demographic that Bruce relates to.(I guess the cross dressing woman haters)

 

The final gimmick to look at is the Flying Elvises. First off I enjoy their work. I especially like Yang's . He should be mixing it up with Styles,Lynn, and Low Ki'. I am pleasently suprised by his promo ability. I think he might be the first asian wretler in the U.S that cut a coherent promo.(most oriental gimmicks in the U.S played a stereotyped gimmick Fuji,Onno, etc.)I actually enjoy the Flying Elvises gimmick, but feel the workers are too good for the gimmick. It is hard to get behind a wrestler in the chase for the title dressed as Elvis impersonator. Let them get away from the gimmick or let Estrada keep the gimmick because I feel Yand is too good a worker, and Siaki has potential to be a major player in the company.

 

Their are plenty of people I haven't mentioned; Cobain,Harris and Storm,etc.I feel this promotion has potential. They just need to focus a little better and bribg in the right mix of talent.

[Guest El Satanico]

Yeah, but the thing with the Flying Elvises is that it's not even really a gimmick. It's mainly only what they wear to the ring. They aren't out there cutting promos trying to talk like Elvis. The only Elvis like things they do are random Elvis references, I don't see any big deal over it.

[Guest pete]

Estrada sang a song on the show with Elvis like diction. on 8/7/02. Sonny Siaki has left the interview=Elvis has left the building. The gimmick doesn't totally bother me. It's just that I feel that 2/3 of the Elvises have too much upside to have that gimmick. It is hard to look at them and feel they can mix it up with the upper tier wrestlers.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Well...Siaki is away from the gimmick now.

 

And Yang is far too talented for it...but I think he does it the best. I get a kick out of him.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

pete, just a question:

Have you watched the show the past few weeks?

 

Because The Flying Elvises gimmick is pretty much dead, and the only remnants is how Yang and Estrada come out to the ring (Elvis poses) and their attire. Otherwise, pretty much dead, and just there for name recognition.

 

The Dupps have been gone for a while. Sadly, I think I'm the only Dupps fan...ever...in all of the universe...**sheds a tear**

 

Bruce...yes. Just have Alan Funk say "hey, fuck this horseshit," and cut a promo about how he's ALAN FUNK, not some cross-dressing mysoginist (sp?).

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

"The Dupps have been gone for a while. Sadly, I think I'm the only Dupps fan...ever...in all of the universe...**sheds a tear**"

 

I thought they had a good match with the Elvises in week...like 4.

 

 

"Bruce...yes. Just have Alan Funk say "hey, fuck this horseshit," and cut a promo about how he's ALAN FUNK, not some cross-dressing mysoginist (sp?). "

 

The sad part is...I like Alan Funk. I think he's a solid worker.

 

But this angle needs to die.

 

And there wasn't any tonight.

[Guest RedJed]

The only reason for having guys like the Harris boys around has to be Russo. I don't care how much you shove them down people's throats, they won't get over, especially in a feud with each other, ugh. Ron Harris in particular is just awful, and doesn't scream "badass" to be at all. Seems completely f'n phony.

 

The Elvises I don't mind at all, because the gimmick isn't the main focus of their characters. It's just a fun gimmick to try to get asses in Nashville, thats all. It would be one thing if they came out like Bruce did and totally went off on the mic in character, but they dont.

 

I think they realized the mistake in Bruce finally, thank god. I can't believe it took them this long. They made the mistake of trying to recreate something successful in the past somewhat by equating this shit to how Kaufman was portrayed back in the day. It was nowhere even close.

 

Now on the flip side, I wouldn't mind them bringing back Puppet. I never minded him at all, and if you could find a cool no-nonsense tag team that he could manage, that would be sweet. They completely killed off the New Church faction too, which sucks. Mitchell had something there I thought. They've either let go or lots of talent has left for whatever reason. I would do anything if they brought Steamboat back and even went crazy and turned him heel. If they could afford him too, I wish they could bring back Shamrock in a semi-permanent role too.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

They didn't like Shamrock.

 

What I want is for 2 people to come back...both of which should be...but spend a lot of time overseas:

 

1. Steve Corino

2. Christopher Daniels.

 

New blood for the NWA title picture, new blood for the X title picture.

[Guest RedJed]

Well I have to admit I wasn't very impressed with Shamrock either when he was in. Not sure what was up there, but I would still give him another chance. Fuck, they've given a second break to a guy like Buff, why not test Shamrock out for a few weeks and see what happens? He definately holds alot of positives if he would work solid.

 

I would kill to see Corino back. Same with Daniels. If this is true about new backing financially, I would waste no time and sign both of them to long term contracts. Same with Shane Douglas.

 

I also wish guys like Randy Savage wouldn't be so steep on their fee, or else I'd love to see him come back to Tennessee as a ruthless heel. I remember way back when when he was goin wild in Memphis with Lawler.

 

The thing is I think sooner or later that they just might have to shell out some heavy money for real star talent, and I'm not talking Scott Hall or Road Dogg here. I'm more talking a guy like Goldberg, Steiner, or Savage.

[Guest the 1inch punch]

Yes

 

Corino

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

TNA shouldn't pay for anybody that's asking for too much of a price if they know that the person isn't that great of a talent (Steiner), old and past his prime and doesn't connect with the current audience (Savage), or the internet smarks {read: TNA FANS} absolutely hate (Goldberg).

 

If anybody, I'd say sign somebody in one of the WWE farm territories that doesn't have a contract (there are a couple) right out from under Vince's nose.

 

Oh...and push Red and LowKi...a lot...tons...

 

AND STOP THE FUCKING DUSTY FINISHES, VINNIE-RU. LAST NIGHT'S MATCH BETWEEN STYLES AND LYNN WAS FUCKING GREAT UNTIL THE FUCKJOB ENDING.

[Guest RedJed]

I don't see how Savage couldn't connect with the current audience when the fact is he hasnt even been around wrestling for well over 2 years plus. It's hard to say whether that would be the case or not. Also a guy like Hall is well over and past his prime, yet he's been getting a damn good paycheck from what I hear. I will say though that if he is still asking a price that he asked the WWA, he is well not worth taking the chance.

 

As for Steiner, I've seen him advertised on low-budget indy shows so he can't be asking too damn much per appearence.

 

Another person I just thought of who could maybe add something to TNA: Vampiro? And what happened to Apolo?

[Guest Mad Dog]

I think they should sign Vampiro and Gangrel as a tag team.

 

I think the current roster they have isn't too bad. The real trick right now is getting some opponents for Ron Killings that will help him to have better matches. I think a match with BG James would help Killings a lot.

 

I think they also need to build up a decent tag division. I think they should also sign Danny Doring & Roadkill and possibly Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger if it's not too much money.

[Guest RedJed]

I like the idea of Vamp and Gangrel, very cool possibilities (including an eventual breakup and feud)

 

Actually as far as more signings for tag teams, I think they should focus on teams like Backseats, Briscos, etc. They would be supercheap to sign up long term and you could get a lot out of them. Doring and Roadkill, however, would make a solid veteran type team.