Guest Dynamite Kido Report post Posted May 13, 2004 I figured that it would be a good idea to give the roster a look over and to actually grade each wrestler. The grade should be represented by the wrestlers in-ring work, usage(like how frequently they are on the shows), and overall way they are booked. Here they go in Alphabetical Order….. Abyss – Abyss has been used on a consistant basis as a main eventer and as someone who can effectively fill the midcard. In my opinion he is the best big man in the business(especially after the retirement of Brock Lesner) and can be thrown in the NWA Title picture as seen fit. Grade – A AJ Styles – TNA really lucked out being able to land AJ when they started up their company as he is one of the best the world has to offer. He has had two reigns as the NWA Champion as well as winning the X division and Tag titles in TNA. He is usually used in some capacity every week and always is a bright part of the show. He can generally put on watchable matches with anyone that TNA can put him out there with too. He is easily one of the more “over” people in the company and is making more and more of a name for himself that having him involved with TNA is only a positive for the company. Grade – A+ Alpha Male Monte Brown – Monte was one of the first guys to wrestle for the company during it’s inception into the world of professional wrestling. He then took time off from the company to which he just returned somewhat recently. I wouldn’t say any of his in ring stuff is earth shattering but the potential is there for him. He is extremely athletic and if he can get his skills to continue to improve, he should be a positive for the company. The main downfall for him is that TNA is sporatic at best at putting him on TV. Grade – C+ Amazing Red – Here is another guy that is wrestling more and more for TNA, as I feel he would be more of a permanent fixture on their show until he injured his knee last year and had to take off time for recovery. But since he has returned from injury he seems to have a more regular place on TNA and to be part of their ever popular X-Division. I am sure that Red will continue being a bigger part of the TNA show and more of a staple in the X-Division(which his best of three series with Sonjay shows they are willing to use him more), and as show in the past can be an effective addition to the tag team division as well. Grade – B- BG James – He was part of one of the most over groups(or wrestlers) in TNA in the 3 Live Krew. That is where the positive stops with him as he has inconsistently wrestled but he is there almost every week(not that that is a bad thing for us). But on top of that he hasn’t put on a decent match since arriving in TNA(at least that I’ve seen, but I highly doubt I missed it), and has held titles that could have been used better on other talent. Grade – D- Chris Harris – He was part of the biggest tag team in TNA history with partner James Storm to form the team of America’s Most Wanted. They pretty much did everything they could as a team and apparently TNA decided that it’s two biggest “homegrown” guys would get thrown into singles competition more and more. The decision to split these two up has really gotten Harris further than his former partner. He was used in a prominent “bait –n- switch” so that AJ Styles could then win the title off of Jarrett. He also has had a definite increased role on the show from week to week too. He has shown improvement in the promo area(he’s still got tons more work to go), and even somewhat in the ring. I’m not the biggest fan of his work, but he IS getting better. Grade – B Chris Sabin – Now this guy really is the “future” of the business as he sure is underrated as far as X-Division guys go, as he could be the best in the division itself. He has consistently put up good work and has been given several X-Division title reigns and basically was the longest running X-Division champion(second only to Michael Shane) and helped put the X-Cup on the map with his excellent match with Juventud Guerrera. TNA is lucky to have a talent in Sabin…….and they know it. Grade – A CM Punk – It really is a shame the way he is used in TNA. Actually, after his little altercation with Teddy Hart at the fairgrouds(where the asylum is in Tenn.) he hasn’t been used at all. TNA decided that having him and then tag partner in Julio follow Raven around and create ANOTHER bad reincarnation of the flock. Too bad, as they really missed the boat on this one. Punk is more than a capable worker putting on some really kickass matches all over the independent circuit. Too bad not one of them was in TNA. Grade – F Dallas – He has already had two tag team title runs in the short time he has been there, and he doesn’t have to carry the entire load on his back as Kid Kash does that well playing the “cocky heel” to a tee. But too little in too little time, so he can’t get an accurate rating. Grade – (I)ncomplete David Young – He was brought in several times and thrown into the X-division(what a terrible idea) even though that is really not his style. He can be a passable worker at times, but he is rarely given anything to work with as he is generally mid card to lower card when he wrestles. Pretty much everything that TNA had planned for him hasn’t worked out or simply just fizzled out before it even got started. Grade – D+ D’Lo Brown – D’Lo could be one of the better guys they have in my opinion, but he simply doesn’t wrestle there enough. He had a very entertaining series with AJ when he first came to TNA, as well as some decent stuff with Jarrett as well. But after his multiple trips to Japan and elsewhere he has generally missed too much time on the roster. He gives some name value as he used the same name he went by as wrestling in the WWF/WWF, so that is also a plus. D’Lo is a capable worker who can always be a plus on the roster. Grade – C+ Dusty Rhodes – At first I was wondering if I should include him or not, but after some thought I figure I should(he has gotten NWA title shots). First off he hasn’t done ANYTHING as far as decent in-ring work, but then again I was never big on him when he was suppost to be good. I haven’t been a fan of his TNA work at all and I feel honestly as someone else could have been pushed ahead of him, but unfortunately as much as things change, they really do stay the same. Grade – F Erik Watts – What rock did they find him under? That is all I could think when he originally was brought in. But after some shifting and moving he ended up in the horrible authority figure(possible my most hated thing in wrestling)position where he would occasionally wrestle. Terrible. Just. Terrible. Grade – F-(if there is such a thing) “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels – TNA is REALLY missing the boat with this one. As much as I liked all the versions of the Triple X tag team, I really think it was holding Danels back here. The “Fallen Angel” is easily one of the best talents on the indy scene today as well as the world, too bad TNA doesn’t take advantage of it. Putting him on Team TNA is a plus an a possible sign of things to come for Christopher Daniels. Grade – B- Frankie Kazarian – The current X-Division champion is one of the better highflyers in the country, but I honestly can say that I am not his biggest fan. He has tons of potential for them in the “cocky heel” department, but I can’t see him really moving outside of the X-Division like he probably should. He was a participant in the “Ultimate X”, but no thanks to him they were generally overrated by the company itself. Grade – C+ Glen Gilberti – Now this one is funny to me. At first, TNA was trying to build him into a viable competitior(having him fight JJ for the NWA Title) but nothing seemed to work. He seems destined to be in limbo with tag team partner David Young, but who knows as things probably change VERY frequently for this company. Really nothing else worth adding here…… Grade – D- James Storm – Storm was successful with partner Chris Harris in the team of America’s most wanted and even won some tag titles in the process. But since the team was put on hold and they were both given singles runs Storm’s was of lesser success. Rightfully so, as he is the one that is worse in ring and on the mic, and they really haven’t been able to find him the program for him to try and get into a groove. Grade – D+ Jeff Jarrett – Jeff was the staple in the NWA Title picture pretty much since the creation of TNA. He has main evented more shows and had more NWA Title defenses than anyone else in the companies short history. But there is a bad side to this. There were several times in TNA’s history where instead of feeling like “Total Nonstop Action” it really ended up being the “Jeff Jarrett Show” as he was on way too much of the programming way too much of the time. I will give him some credit as he dropped his title twice now to the guy that is generally reguarded as “the best wrestler NWA TNA has” in AJ Styles. But if he can keep out of the NWA Title picture for a while and let AJ have a solid run with it. Grade – B- Jerry Lynn – Jerry oh Jerry where have you gone? No, I’m kidding…..well sort of. Jerry Lynn was one of the better performs if not the best in the whole first year of TNA, winning the X-Division and Tag Team titles. He generally has a problem moving about mid card status and if he does, he’s hardly taken seriously. I’ve always stuck up for Lynn as I have enjoyed much of his work, but I honestly feel as if his age is starting to make him decline in the ring(if only a little). Grade – C- Johnny Swinger – Meh. That is all I can really muster up for Swinger. I was a fan of the Simon/Swinger tag team, but since they have been split I honestly see NO reason to keep him on the roster. At least they gave Simon/Swinger a tag title run though. Grade – F Julio Dinero – I think that I would have to consider Dinero somewhat of an underachiever as he never really met the potential that most people put on him when he started as a Indy worker in the 90’s. But I thought that may change as I honestly did think that TNA was going to maybe give it up a little for the team of Julio/Punk, but I guess I was wrong. He hasn’t really done ANYTHING of value outside of the stuff with Raven and Punk, so outside of that I have nothing else to add on him. Grade – F Kevin Northcutt – Lets make this simple. I HATED the Red shirt Security angle although the haven’t used it in sometime. Grade – D Kid Kash – One of, if not the greatest heel in the business today. His offence can be sloppy form time to time but generally he is a capable worker. He can really get a crowd going with his heel tactics, and he was given a great run with the X-division championship that would have to be considered a success. Also he is currently carring him and Dallas as the Tag Team Champions…… Grade – A- Konnan He hardly wrestles at all anymore except for in 6 man tag or regular tag team He is comeidic occasionally, but he is atrocious in the ring and really shouldn’t be anywhere near it. He also was part of the tag team champions when 3LK won them earlier this year. Grade – D+ Low Ki – He hardly wrestles for TNA as he has a heavy Japan and indy schedule, but when he’s there he makes it count. Him and Christopher Danels had a nice little rivalry going on shortly but that has since died out. It’ll be interesting to see what they do with him once the TV deal with FSN starts. Grade – C+ Michael Shane – Michael Shane is in the TNA record book as he is the longest reigning X-divison champion in their short history. He spent most of the last year or so as the “protege” of Shane Douglas. He has since lost the X-division title and now is involved in a feud with Shane Douglas as well. Grade – C “Primetime” Elix Skipper – Skipper has spent most of the last year out of action or in the X-Division. He is a very capable worker who SHOULD actually still get better in the ring(avoid the blown spots), despite the fact that he is a former tag champion he still can improve. Grade – C+ Raven – Raven has been one of TNA’s most valuable performers since the time he got there. He has consistently done well with feuds with Jarrett, AJ Styles, etc. He should continue to stay at the top of the card and maybe even get a NWA title run. Grade – A Ron Killings – I think it’s probably safe to say that Killings easily could be considered TNA’s most Underrated performer. He was given the NWA Title short after the companies conception and hasn’t really been seriously taken to that point again. Hopefully they realize that they have true untapped talent in Killings and push him to the main event again. He also was part of 3LK’s Tag title run this year as well. Grade – B- Sabu – I hardly consider him a member of the TNA roster, but he has been brought in with a feud with Monty Brown(Woo Hoo). But he honestly has lost almost all of his ability and could hardly do a whole match without botching half of the moves. Grade – F Shane Douglas – I used to love Shane Douglas in my mark ECW days, but he has deteriated beyond all recognition and realty shouldn’t be in the ring anymore(at least in my opinion). He has very little left to give the sport and TNA keeps using him in his terrible feud with Michael Shane. UGH. But he wasn’t bad in a managerial role though…… Grade – D Simon Diamond –I like him with Swinger during their tag title run when they first showed up in TNA. I have him as Pat Kenney(I can’t believe I can even remember his name), and it doesn’t even seem like TNA has anything useful for him to do. Grade – D+ Sonjay Dutt – Sonjay seems to be quite the useful member if the X-Division and it seems as it will continue to be that way. Hopefully, they can really get things going with him and Red right now to keep the X-division not completely based around the X-Cup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Real F'n Show Report post Posted May 13, 2004 Good read, I agree with you for the most part. I'd like to see what you have to say about the WWE roster... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Donners Report post Posted May 13, 2004 I've actually quite enjoyed some of Sabu's recent work. He's capable of some pretty enjoyable brawls, and I'm fairly interested in what looks to be his upcoming feud with Raven. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
