Bobby Lashley – Worth a cup of coffee in TNA?

[Rome]

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/lashley-to-return-to-wrestling-all-divas-special-john-cena-59998

Allen Sircy sent along the following to WrestleZone.com: Bobby Lashley admitted that he's open to working in pro wrestling again during an interview with AroundTheOctagon.com. "I’d definitely be open to going back to wrestling one day," Lashley said. "The WWE isn’t the only organization. I’ve had talks with some organizations. I would be open to going back to wrestling not just WWE. I enjoy it." To read the full interview, visit AroundTheOctagon.com.

Could provide a pretty decent pop and potential mainstay for a mid to high-card?

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

If Bobby Lashley was to go to TNA, he would win the world title the first night or in his first PPV match. He's young, fresh, and would have the wrestling world talking about TNA, particularly if he was their champ. He was going to be built as something big like Cena/Batista in WWE, so you have to believe that TNA would be throwing him in the front.

 

[Father:_Polley]

I liked Lashley, he was solid enough in the ring to get it done. Ok, he had all the charisma of a damp, lukewarm sponge and struggled to get over with the crowds, but that can be worked on.

I think if Lashley went to TNA he could do reasonably well. If Joe can manage to get a belt, Lashley certainly can.

Besides, TNA has never actually been about the guys who can talk. I mean, Styles, Joe and others aren't exactly captains of charisma, but they've still made it to the top. I hope he does well for himself either way

 

[Rome]

Lashley's mic skill is actually worse than Concequences Cena [Creed], AJ Styles, and Samoa Joe. He sounds like a 9 year old boy trapped in the body of a young body builder. But I think his actual physique, in-ring style, and overall presence would be a huge plus for the company. I can't see him winning the title in his first night or first PPV run, but I could see him competing in the glass ceiling.

 

[DD84]

If Lashley went to TNA he would be Champ within at least 6 months. He is a beast. He could carry the company with feuds against Kurt Angle, Joe, Styles and Sting. I would love to see him there. They need something new to come in their Main Event scene. Maybe it could be him. But, this is TNA after all and maybe they won't put him in the Main Event instantly if the got him because they still haven't put Morgan in the Main Event. I get that Morgan hasn't established his name that big, but they have the same people all the time. If they did get him, they would find a way to mess it up.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Lashley would be a good fit in TNA for a brief period of time. I say breif because I dont think Bobby Lashley wants to make a career out of pro wrestling. Remeber he was being pushed really hard in WWE before he left. The WM 23 match with Umaga got mainstream press, and was being heavily pushed by WWE more than any match on that card. But hey I would love to see a Lashley/Angle feud. I think the two could put on great matches, and it could be one of the best feuds in TNA in a long time.

 

[Shockwave]

I think Lashley would be the main draw for TNA with the only other big draw being AJ Styles but how do you do an angle with someone who's mic skills are limited at best at the moment (Lashley), I agree that it can be worked on but in respect to being able to play on the crowd through a microphone - I think Lashley would be a bad TNA World Champion...it's like WWE puttiing Umaga in as WWE or WHW Champion...great in the ring but no crowd appeal

 

[Slyfox696]

Hiring Lashley would be silly for TNA, in my opinion. They already have an overcrowded roster, why do they need another guy, even if he is a solid worker? The guy would want a lot of money, and there's no reason to give an unproven guy who was still green at the end of his run a lot of money, just so he can not improve ratings or boost attendance.

It'd be silly.

 

[I_Like_All_Wrestling]

The WM 23 match with Umaga got mainstream press, and was being heavily pushed by WWE more than any match on that card.

Remember thought that that match featured Vince McMahon and Donald Trump. Lashley wasn't what got the mainstream press - Trump was. That said though, WWE absolutely wanted him to be a huge star. I'm not the biggest Lashely fan but I think he could help a little bit. He's a legit wrestler and mixed with MMA I'm sure he could go well with a lot of the TNA guys. He's not going to be a savior that creates PPV buys and puts TNA over the top though.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'm thinking no. He was the epitome of a flash in the pan in WWE and would fuel the fire of TNA being the place where WWE rejects go. Honestly, what was so great about him? Lashley got over because of his look and that's it. he was huge and muscular with an amateur resume. Outside of that, he was nothing special. Never could talk, wasn't great on the mat, and didn't last. He would be overhyped and would accomplish nothing in TNA. Really would be a waste of time and money.

 

[obamartins]

Booby Lashley would be huge for TNA if they could sign him.

First off he is a legit athlete who can cross over into MMA which gives him instant credibilty.

Bobby Lashley is a has a cookie cutter type physique & unlike WWE who have Cena, Batista, Orton, Rhodes, Dibiase, Kingston, Dolph Ziggler etc, TNA does not have any (apart from Brutus Magnus) which will in turn attract the dumb casual fans who will be in awe of his physique & think he is the best cause he is strong LOL.

I cant be bothered to write anymore but in conclusion i would expect TNA to push him to he top as soon as if he signed & if they did not then they are stupid.

Angle vs. Lashley & BFG sounds good to me.

 

[hardballx]

I think Lashley would be a solid upper midcard wrestler in TNA and another great wrestler for a some ppv main events as well. With wrestlers like the Dudleys main eventing, and alot of the possible combinations for main events using tna's main event roster already done and done, i think it would be very refreshing. Why invest in wrestlers like Foley, Nash, Sting etc when they're past their prime when you can invest in a wrestler such as Lashley who is under 30 [if i'm correct?]. Lashley v Angle would be a pretty sweet match, but then again, nearly anyone versus Angle is a sure win.

 

[supergav67]

Id love to see Lashley in TNA .Im sure he,d be AN addition to the roster they havent already got.Im sure Lashley WoulD consider working in TNA.His stick is soft spoken hard hitting,& says so littlle he makes it count,so mic skills -no problem..But like RVD & anybody else we,d like to see on TV,He,s probably been approached already.he mentioned ,,,money,so they signed Davari instead! Nuff said.

 

[GameOver]

He could go to TNA and would probably get a title shot pretty quick, maybe even win the world titles but then he would be buried like everyone else in dumb ass sotylines and pointless fueds.

as for WWE reject, he wasn't rejected he was injured and when healed WWE didn't have a storyline for him to return yet for whatever reason so he spat the dummy and quit.

Personally he's a lot like Goldberg, awesome intensity/body and thats it. nothing else to work with.

 

[Rome]

I see a lot of Goldberg in him as well, GameOver. Could provide a great pop off the initial debut (much like Booker, Jeff Hardy, and Angle did), but otherwise he's a really simple character.

I wouldn't look to him long term for anything.

 

[marxxx]

I totally disagree with the comments of him being like Goldberg. Goldberg's entire character were "built" around his mic skills and physique, he lacked any legit wrestling skill and has no passion for the business (as he himself has said).

Lashley on the other hand has proven his fighting skills in MMA and has very little mic skills.... all they share in similarity are physique.

He would be a great addition to TNA. I could instantly see him joining team TNA and starting a huge feud with Steiner, moving to Matt Morgan when the mafia angle ends, then Brutus Magnus after building a nice rivalry of the newcomers (while feuding with Morgan).

That would be great to see, I hope TNA makes a strong effort to get him.

I see a lot of Goldberg in him as well, GameOver. Could provide a great pop off the initial debut (much like Booker, Jeff Hardy, and Angle did), but otherwise he's a really simple character.

I wouldn't look to him long term for anything.

 

[Rome]

I totally disagree with the comments of him being like Goldberg. Goldberg's entire character were "built" around his mic skills and physique, he lacked any legit wrestling skill and has no passion for the business (as he himself has said).

Lashley on the other hand has proven his fighting skills in MMA and has very little mic skills.... all they share in similarity are physique.

He would be a great addition to TNA. I could instantly see him joining team TNA and starting a huge feud with Steiner, moving to Matt Morgan when the mafia angle ends, then Brutus Magnus after building a nice rivalry of the newcomers (while feuding with Morgan).

That would be great to see, I hope TNA makes a strong effort to get him.

I didn't mean he was like Goldberg in that sense. I meant he was one-dimensional.

 

[Uncle Sam]

The only way Bobby Lashley would be good for TNA would be if WWE built him up first, gave him a few title reigns and that. Otherwise, he'd have a TNA career similar to that of Test or Rikishi. Well, maybe a little better than that.

All the same, TNA can't build stars. It's proven. The ones they have made just sit around in the midcard, altering their gimmicks at random in the hope that they find one that makes them unpopular. Lashley's lost so much momentum it's just not a worthwhile investment on TNA's part.

 

[mikeRC]

I think in the short term he'd be a nice find for TNA. But he demanded a lot of money from WWE which was one of the reasons they had a falling out. The guy was earning in the millions for a year of work and wanted a big bonus for his WM23 match, I think it was around 30,000 or at least a high number for just one match. TNA would definitely struggle with paying him the type of money he'd want.

But Lashley was rapidly becoming one of the top faces in the company. The Cena vs Lashley feud was booked as the collision of the ultimite face guys (i loved the match too). So i don't think it'd be too unbelievable if i said that at one point he was just as popular as Batista. So he would turn heads towards TNA. Even if it was for a short time.

So Lashley would bring in more people to sample the TNA product and stick around if they want to which is what TNA wants.

As for his style. I think it could work in TNA. I'd certainly like to see Lashley vs Angle either in a regular match or in a similiar sort of MMA style that was done for Angle vs Joe last year.

So yes Lashley is worth a cup of coffee but in terms of his paycheck demands it'd be too expensive a cup for him to stick around.

 

[paidinfull23]

I would love to see lashley in tna .. have him run rampant through the entire roster.. definately believable .. id love to see him whoop samoa joes fat ass

 

[Ty Burna]

Why bother? I mean seriously he got built up as a monster face essentially in the WWE, he was extremely green and got pushed to the moon for some ungodly reason. Not only that, but his skills on the stick are horrible and how well will that work if say he confronted the MEM with that voice of his? Not very intimidating and from watching TNA as of late, they have been using a lot of promos. Lashley was protected from having to do promos in the WWE because they could use a promo from his opponent to build the feud up and just have Lashley wrestle, which honestly really wasn't that great anyways. Take his feud with Vince, how much did Lashley actually speak during that feud? Little to none.

Because of all this, and previously mentioned they don't have time for everyone on the roster they have now, Lashley would be a waste in TNA. Besides they already have a wrestler equivalent to him in Matt Morgan. Morgan is I think solid for a big man in the ring, and he's decent on the stick. Why bring in the exact same person, only not as good?

 

[Jersey Wannabe]

I dont think id give Lashley a cup of coffee to perform at my kids birthday party. i never saw much in him. However his voice was amusing it reminded me of one of the smurfs. On second thought i might invite him to my kids party.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

I was never big on "Black Angle". Not meant in an offensive way, it's just everyone compared this guy to Kurt Angle. And ironically, the only purpose I could see him joining T.N.A would be to have a showdown.. likely at Bound for Glory.. against Kurt Angle.

Lashley was a decent Wrestler, and definately could work well in matches, but he had next to NO personality and honestly wasn't worth a shit on the mic. The good news here is, T.N.A is more about wrestling skills and less about mic skills. Otherwise Samoa Joe would've never made it beyond his debut Pay per view match.

Bobby Lashley had maybe two decent pushes, the first being in a WrestleMania match that he was honestly greatly overshadowed in. The second being a less-than-a-month push against John Cena, for the Heavyweight title. Neither paid off for him. Truth is, I can't even remember why he left, or when he was released. So to say he was hugely over or "very popular" would be a lie.

In the end, T.N.A could use him.. because he's another W.W.E guy and thats a T.N.A thing, to take their talent. But he'd never work or last in my opinion. Not like Christian, Jeff Hardy or Angle did. Lashley would end up being used against Kurt Angle, then Samoa Joe.. then forgotten.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I was never big on "Black Angle".

Come now. He's much more like a black Brock Lesnar.

Not meant in an offensive way, it's just everyone compared this guy to Kurt Angle. And ironically, the only purpose I could see him joining T.N.A would be to have a showdown.. likely at Bound for Glory.. against Kurt Angle.

I really wouldn't pay to see that.

The good news here is, T.N.A is more about wrestling skills and less about mic skills. Otherwise Samoa Joe would've never made it beyond his debut Pay per view match.

I'd gladly watch Joe/Lashley. That's providing that Joe stops stabbing people.

Truth is, I can't even remember why he left, or when he was released.

He was injured. Everyone was getting ready for his comeback. I wasn't impressed. I believe I got a few "he'll show you"'s. He was released before he could make his return. I lol'd.

But he'd never work or last in my opinion. Not like Christian, Jeff Hardy or Angle did.

I'm confused.

Lashley would end up being used against Kurt Angle, then Samoa Joe.. then forgotten.

They should have him feud against Rellik. So yeah, rehire Rellik.

 

[CCS]

I'd love to see Lashley in TNA. He's a good young wrestler that would be a breath of fresh air to TNA's currently stale product. He would be the perfect baby face champion for TNA to use to carry their company. The big money match ups are endless. I could see him maineventing ppv's with AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, Sting, Samoa Joe, Jeff Jarrett or even Mick Foley. Lashley and TNA would be instantly awesome.