Austin Aries Face Turn: Yay Or Nay?

[mike1215]

LMFAO @ Zeven's sig

Anyway, I've been loving Aries' progression into the main event scene lately. I was hoping he and Bobby Roode would join forces and start a small, Evolution-like faction where everyone held gold. It's going to be interesting to see how he comes off as a face. My prediction is that his character will lose a lot of steam, but I also predict that his face turn will be short lived. He's taylor made to be a heel.

[Zeven_Zion]

Originally Posted by JJYanks121

If you don't remember that, you clearly weren't watching Austin's run like at all. His championship run started with him asking the audience "if you want Austin to do things the hard way, give me a hell yeah!" His whole schtick was mandering to the audience from that stuff to the terrible "What" stuff years later. Austin was always about crowd interaction and to think otherwise is either naive, stupid, or I don't know what else.

Every character is all about audience interaction. Austin did interact with the crowd but on a more subtle level. Aside from "give me a hell yeah" and "what", he never really referenced them. That's one of the major deviations between his character and The Rock's character. Rock was all about "the people". The people's this, the people's that, finally the Rock has come back to [insert random city here], football team references, the millions and [crowd chants "millions"], and the rock says [audience repeats what he just said], throwing his elbow pad into the crowd and just being flashy in general.

Austin didn't give a fuck if he was cheered or booed, it's a part of his character when he was a face, therefore he didn't include a lot of crowd references. That reinforced his attitude and made him more "badass" than Rocky in the sense that he didn't have to mention "the people" every 3 seconds, he was cool and he didn't care one bit about it. He just didn't give a damn, he was in his zone and did his own thing which happened to get him cheered out of the arena.

What that cashew you call a brain couldn't get is that I'm talking about verbal audience pandering, not running stuff over with a big truck or saving a damsel in distress. Austin did it sometimes, but his persona wasn't based on referencing them for cheers. If we go by actions, Austin is a lot like any other babyface, I agree there. He always did the "right" thing, he just did it in a different way.

In that sense, a face Austin Aries who bases his babyface character in a similar way to how Austin did (less verbal ass-kissing, more cool action and cool stuff to say about other people), could be a healthy thing. I do agree, however, that being as cocky as he was as a heel isn't exactly the way to go. Aries seems to be good at insults and trashing people on the fly, just like Stone Cold did. He didn't need a "skilled" team of burned out Hollywood rejects writers to come up with ineffective, dull, weak sauce mom jokes. His promo with Shelley when he returned from injury is a prime example. More focus on your opponents, less on yourself, less on the audience and relying on action which backs up your big talk could be a recipe for success. Wouldn't work with a lot of other guys but Aries is exceptional.

[FitFinlay4Life]

I think the Bully Ray angle is a guaranteed set up for him to put over Aries at LockDown and I think the idea is to get the crowd behind A Double, but I think it is only going to be a puesdo switch to provide him with a Kaz and Daniels storyline to occupy him for the next couple months before he faces the epitome of the XDivision at DestinationX in pure heel mode.

Facing a hated heel like Ray is as close to a guarantee to gaining quick face acceptance, taking on Kaz and Daniels will up the support (and increase his reign's credibility, to boot) and the inevitable double cross of AJ should theoretically garner him Ray or Roode levels of heel heat that he just isn't getting presently because he hasn't consistently faced beloved wrestlers like an AJ Styles.

I like the CM Punk example but I still believe that Punk is far more entertaining as a heel than a face or an antihero. Come DestinationX, I hope to be booing Austin Aries!

[TBK]

As much as I'd cheer him anyways, as with Kendrick gone, he's the only reason I watch TNA, I'd say no. Too many faces in the main X-Division at the moment and so many great matches we would miss out on if we just turned him face. He's doing really good in his title reign, though, and I think he's won over about everyone, so this is definitely something to keep in mind for the future.

[JJYanks121]

Originally Posted by Zeven_Zion

Every character is all about audience interaction. Austin did interact with the crowd but on a more subtle level. Aside from "give me a hell yeah" and "what", he never really referenced them. That's one of the major deviations between his character and The Rock's character. Rock was all about "the people". The people's this, the people's that, finally the Rock has come back to [insert random city here], football team references, the millions and [crowd chants "millions"], and the rock says [audience repeats what he just said], throwing his elbow pad into the crowd and just being flashy in general.

Austin didn't give a fuck if he was cheered or booed, it's a part of his character when he was a face, therefore he didn't include a lot of crowd references. That reinforced his attitude and made him more "badass" than Rocky in the sense that he didn't have to mention "the people" every 3 seconds, he was cool and he didn't care one bit about it. He just didn't give a damn, he was in his zone and did his own thing which happened to get him cheered out of the arena.

What that cashew you call a brain couldn't get is that I'm talking about verbal audience pandering, not running stuff over with a big truck or saving a damsel in distress. Austin did it sometimes, but his persona wasn't based on referencing them for cheers. If we go by actions, Austin is a lot like any other babyface, I agree there. He always did the "right" thing, he just did it in a different way.

In that sense, a face Austin Aries who bases his babyface character in a similar way to how Austin did (less verbal ass-kissing, more cool action and cool stuff to say about other people), could be a healthy thing. I do agree, however, that being as cocky as he was as a heel isn't exactly the way to go. Aries seems to be good at insults and trashing people on the fly, just like Stone Cold did. He didn't need a "skilled" team of burned out Hollywood rejects writers to come up with ineffective, dull, weak sauce mom jokes. His promo with Shelley when he returned from injury is a prime example. More focus on your opponents, less on yourself, less on the audience and relying on action which backs up your big talk could be a recipe for success. Wouldn't work with a lot of other guys but Aries is exceptional.

Except that you're still not getting that Austin, as in Steve, changed his character from heel to babyface solely by pandering to the crowd. Maybe in like 1997 was he not pandering as much but once he got that title, he was all about the pandering. WAY moreso than Rock's early days. Yes, he had "sing-a-long" type catchphrases but it wasn't until Mick Foley made him nicer that he gave a fuck about the fans or anybody but himself. Rock was way more of a prick than Steve was for a good while there. Steve was a "badass" because he was beating up his boss and stuff but his promos were very much catered to the crowd. If you can't see that, I can't help you.

As for Aries, he'll have to do that. I'm not saying he needs his own "what" or "hell yeah", but right now he'll come off like douchy Rock in that people will cheer him because he's good at what he does, but his popularity will only go through the stratosphere when he keeps a little edge but realizes what being a babyface truly means. It could happen, but it'll take time.

[Marky-Marc]

Originally Posted by Zeven_Zion

Every character is all about audience interaction. Austin did interact with the crowd but on a more subtle level. Aside from "give me a hell yeah" and "what", he never really referenced them. That's one of the major deviations between his character and The Rock's character. Rock was all about "the people". The people's this, the people's that, finally the Rock has come back to [insert random city here], football team references, the millions and [crowd chants "millions"], and the rock says [audience repeats what he just said], throwing his elbow pad into the crowd and just being flashy in general.

Austin didn't give a fuck if he was cheered or booed, it's a part of his character when he was a face, therefore he didn't include a lot of crowd references. That reinforced his attitude and made him more "badass" than Rocky in the sense that he didn't have to mention "the people" every 3 seconds, he was cool and he didn't care one bit about it. He just didn't give a damn, he was in his zone and did his own thing which happened to get him cheered out of the arena.

What that cashew you call a brain couldn't get is that I'm talking about verbal audience pandering, not running stuff over with a big truck or saving a damsel in distress. Austin did it sometimes, but his persona wasn't based on referencing them for cheers. If we go by actions, Austin is a lot like any other babyface, I agree there. He always did the "right" thing, he just did it in a different way.

In that sense, a face Austin Aries who bases his babyface character in a similar way to how Austin did (less verbal ass-kissing, more cool action and cool stuff to say about other people), could be a healthy thing. I do agree, however, that being as cocky as he was as a heel isn't exactly the way to go. Aries seems to be good at insults and trashing people on the fly, just like Stone Cold did. He didn't need a "skilled" team of burned out Hollywood rejects writers to come up with ineffective, dull, weak sauce mom jokes. His promo with Shelley when he returned from injury is a prime example. More focus on your opponents, less on yourself, less on the audience and relying on action which backs up your big talk could be a recipe for success. Wouldn't work with a lot of other guys but Aries is exceptional.

You make it clear that you either did not watch WWF in the late 90’s when Austin was on top, or your hatred for the company has turned you into a pathological liar.

Austin was all about fan interaction, as JJYanks has tried to state. Every promo ended with the catch phrase that the audience would say along with him (pandering), he would ask for a Hell Yeah at least once or twice in every promo (pandering), and in EVERY match he wrestles, at one point he would turn to the crown and throw up his middle fingers drawing the pop of the night aside from when his music started playing.

Fans want nothing more than to be a part of the show and when a wrestler gets them involved in their matches, that’s part of why they love you, Austin always did that once he turned face and if you disagree then you clearly never watched him and are going off of old clips and other people’s opinions.

Onto Aries, he can pull it off. Last night’s Impact promo showed him doing it already as he said he respected James Storm and drew a pop for it (although it could have been a canned one) and he has the skills and presence to know when to get the crowd involved. He’ll be a face like Punk where he speaks his mind in a way that the crowd agrees with him and his demeanor on the mic will help. He’ll run down his opponent verbally with humorous jabs and let’s face it it’s not difficult to get the 300 people in the Impact Zone to pop for something, unless of course you have a nearly year long undefeated streak going.

Aries is one of the best talents on the TNA roster and I’d be quite surprised if he wasn’t able to be a successful face, in his own way or in TNA’s way.

[KJ]

I'm kinda bummed about it. I was expecting to see Austin head to a feud with possible World Champ James Storm after his feud with Roode ended. But I guess now he has more room for feuds seeing there's an unusual lack of top faces. Guess Crimson will do as possible filler for Storm.

TNA seems HIGHLY fixated on Austin Aries. His push has been slow but greatly gratifying and it's starting to pay off now. But I don't see how the X Division title is gonna look if Austin keeps it. He's clearly a modern day AJ Styles at this point, but the X Division isn't in the same condition as back then when most of the roster was a part of it. Imagine if somehow Bully Ray takes the belt.

[scottyshowman82]

I was watching the show last night and he came out and did this great promo on Bully Ray. I was thinking of this exact thread and taking everything in with the fan reaction I think he has to turn face right now. Aries falls into that category that has happened to so many in the past, he has been such a strong confident, heel, who is go good in the ring that people cannot but respect him and that respect has turned into appreciation and admiration. There were some people booing him but there was stronger majority with him, and I think people will tend to get on his side when he is taking on hated heels like Bully Ray.

I don't mark out for wrestling as much as I used to unfortunately but I do mark out for Aries and I hope he's on the road to great things, that a man of his talents and abilities I think deserves.

[It's Damn Real!]

Originally Posted by The Killjoy

I'm kinda bummed about it. I was expecting to see Austin head to a feud with possible World Champ James Storm after his feud with Roode ended. But I guess now he has more room for feuds seeing there's an unusual lack of top faces. Guess Crimson will do as possible filler for Storm.

TNA seems HIGHLY fixated on Austin Aries. His push has been slow but greatly gratifying and it's starting to pay off now. But I don't see how the X Division title is gonna look if Austin keeps it. He's clearly a modern day AJ Styles at this point, but the X Division isn't in the same condition as back then when most of the roster was a part of it. Imagine if somehow Bully Ray takes the belt.

I'm honestly not that concerned with who takes the belt. The fact is, anyone who is not named Austin Aries, that wins that title right now sucks anyway (if we're counting what's currently in TNA's X Division), so I'm putting more focus into the push Aries will get, and what it can do for his career in TNA than I am with why/how he lost or what will happen to the title and it's new owner.

Fact is, the X Division hasn't been all that entertaining for years, and it's because TNA failed miserably to stock it with budding young stars that could eventually break out of it when it's Golden Era of performers all moved up the card (Joe, Daniels, AJ, Kaz).