Bobby Lashley: TNA'S Saving Grace?

[My$terio_Fan]

Who would have imagined that when Bobby Lashley first made his debut on Smackdown a few years ago, that someday he could be responsible at saving a company, and making it a hot, mainstream commodity.

But alas, could Bobby Lashley be the man to give TNA that extra kick? With how popular Brock Lesnar(former WWE champ) has become in the would of MMA, theres alot of buzz around Lashley. There's no denying because of Lesnar's recent success the main has become an instant star. Even his drawing power is amazing.

So what if Bobby Lashley is able to do it too. And since he's on the TNA roster and once to do it both, imagined what would happen if Lashley made it big. Well of course theres a chance Lashley would quit TNA, but if Lashley were to stay on the roster it could bring a whole new type of fan to TNA.

Even while Lashley is training and doing "small" fights, the promotion and publicity TNA would get, could only help. So do you think Bobby Lashley is the future of TNA?

Could he be the one to help it finally go mainstream, and boost the ratings significantly? Or will his MMA dreams fizzle, and he'll go back at being another "WWE" reject?

 

[Paradox]

I don't see Lashley as TNA saving grace. Is the guy good in the ring? Yeah he's alright, but He's terrible on the mic. By no means can the guy draw. He never did anything for me in WWE. How is he suppose to in TNA? The guy wasn't the best in WWE. Another thing that I don't get is. He's coming back to wrestling, but he said his main focus is mma. So all TNA is getting is some big name from WWE who isn't focused on TNA. TNA needs to do something more than they have been doing. That's putting over there younger talent. Put there own guys over. Not guys that they keep getting from WWE, because all they are right now is the second version of WCW. Till they put some of their own talent over in the Main Event seen they won't challenge WWE. Least not in my eyes....

 

[OIL]

Lashley as TNA's saving grace? No.

He's doing MMA too, so every couple of months he's going to have a fight to prepare for. Therefore, he won't want to wrestle near to the fight. He can't elevate TNA if he's not there. If a PPV happens to be within a week of his fight, y'think he's going to wrestle? No, lol. Basically, he's too focused on MMA to worry too much about helping TNA.

 

[smalltownfan]

I like Lashley a lot but I don't think he will be TNA's saving grace by himself for two reasons. First, he's not a complete star yet. He's very good in the ring and very agile for a man his size but his mic skills need A LOT of work. Second, his MMA career is still ongoing. If he were to quit MMA and concentrate exclusively on TNA, he would have a chance to improve a great deal. However, who's to say how healthy he will be after competing in an MMA fight? It will be interesting to see if he can juggle both careers.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

Lashley may bring in a few viewers but he won't be very successful in TNA because he just won't be there enough. He isn't devoted to the product. Then there is his debut which was forgetable at best. I always felt that you would be able to tell how a wrestler would do by there debut whether it be in the ring or in a huge moment like a run-in and Lashley had an extremely bad debut. Even though Ric Flair's debut in the WWF in 1992 wasn't as great as anticipated it was still a memorable moment because he was arguably the best in the business at the time. Lashley doesn't have the notoriety or credentials to just show up and claim to be The Man so his debut had to be impactful. It wasn't, and neither will his stay be in TNA.

 

[a0161613]

I'm going o query and correct some of these points.

Is the guy good in the ring? Yeah he's alright, but He's terrible on the mic.

He is better now than he was. He proved this in the last two episodes of Impact alongside Foley. And he will more hold his own in the ring. He isn't the green muscle bound kid that Vince was desperate to push anymore.

By no means can the guy draw. He never did anything for me in WWE. How is he suppose to in TNA? The guy wasn't the best in TNA.

He has barely had the opportunity to draw consistently BUT when he did, he was stuck in that intolerable feud with Vince. He was getting shoved down our necks, just like every other muscle bound freak that Vince has as flavour of the month.

Another thing that I don't get is. He's coming back to wrestling, but he said his main focus is mma. So all TNA is getting is some big name from WWE who isn't focused on TNA.

Like Lesnar, his first love may not be sports entertainment but he appreciates what TNA are trying and it is clear to me that he is in it for the storyline, which should ultimately get TNA talent over.

TNA needs to do something more than they have been doing. That's putting over there younger talent. Put there own guys over. Not guys that they keep getting from WWE, because all they are right now is the second version of WCW. Till they put some of their own talent over in the Main Event seen they won't challenge WWE. Least not in my eyes....

I agree to some degree and believe that they have to do this to change die hard WWE fans and those that are unconvinced. But I also believe that some people will hate on TNA just for the hell of it.

Lashley won't save TNA but he will make it very entertaining to see him lead the charge against the MEM.

His MMA career / intentions would concern me and if he is not going to be around every week until B4G, then I don't see how he will promote the product as he is clearly going to be a big part of that PPV.

I've said it before and I will say it again. TNA already have their saviour and he is simply phenomenal.

 

[GJM316]

Bobby Lashley being in TNA has ultimate potential, yet like with the rest of the talent they have, Lashley will not be booked properly. Think about it, look how much home grown talent they have on their books (AJ, Joe, Daniels, Roode, Young etc) yet they are all being buried so the grandads of profesional wrestling can continue to dominate. It makes sense financially, after all who are people more likely to have heard of - Kevin Nash and Booker T or Eric Young and Christopher Daniels? Sting and Kurt Angle or Samoa Joe and AJ Styles? However, without putting this talent in the same light as the MEM, then the companies future is in peril. What happens when the fat cats retire in 5-10 years? A lack of main eventers and financial peril. Dixie and co are thinking of the here and now, not the future.

This brings me back to Bobby Lashley. With his lastest MMA victory over Sapp done and dusted, Lashley is legit 'over' in the MMA world and if it wasn't for Dana White's reluctance to mix pro wrestling with UFC, he would be looking at a nice fat contract in the near future. But I think him not signing with the UFC is where TNA can make bucks. He is currently in a feud with the MEM, Angle specifically. They could get it on in a number of stip matches but here is the clincher - with Angle going on about how much he wants/wanted to do MMA and Lashley already a MMA draw, why not have a legit MMA match between the two? Big gamble to take, but it could take TNA that next step forward. Bring Frank Trigg back into the mix? He has stated he wants to work with TNA again in the future so that will add a further element of realism to the product. Granted, TNA would not want two of their biggest names injured or put on the shelf, however this could bridge the gap between MMA and pro-wrestling more than simply Lashley doing both. If Lashley wins (more than likely), it would give Angle opportunity to take some time off and come back firing. If Angle wins, he can go on about how amazing he is etc. End of the day, win win situation in my eyes.

Your opinions?

 

[newb]

The reason UFC got the most attention from Lesnar is because he was at the top of WWE in 2003, he is a 3 time WORLD champion, and he is a roid freak. Lashley doesn't have the drawng power Lesnar has. The only way is if Lashley promotes TNA if he ever gets on UFC. And I don't think that would work.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

I like Lashley a lot but I don't think he will be TNA's saving grace by himself for two reasons. First, he's not a complete star yet. He's very good in the ring and very agile for a man his size but his mic skills need A LOT of work. Second, his MMA career is still ongoing. If he were to quit MMA and concentrate exclusively on TNA, he would have a chance to improve a great deal. However, who's to say how healthy he will be after competing in an MMA fight? It will be interesting to see if he can juggle both careers.

I think that the fact he is still actively involved in MMA makes him an even bigger prospect for TNA. I think it would be pointless if he were to only be in TNA exclusively and quit MMA. Well maybe not stupid, but it takes away his chance at being Lashley's saving grace. Honestly I don't care if he's healthy enough to perform for TNA. I think Lashley would be a bigger help for TNA if he stayed mainly in MMA, and was only used on PPV's or on Impact in none-physical roles.

I'm telling you, if(and that's only "if")Lashley can become a breakout star in MMA similar to Lesnar, him even being associated with TNA would be beneficially for the company. So I don't see Lashley the "wrestler" being TNA's saving grace, since he's not that big of a draw as a wrestler alone. But Lashley, the big MMA starcould do good things for TNA and bring more mainstream attention to them.

 

[CuddleBuns84]

Ken Sharmrock left the WWE in his early years, and didn't draw that big of a crowd. He was a decent name, but he flipped out of his mind, and left because he wanted to be considered a real fighter and not tarnish his legacy. Overall Lashley isn't Hulk Hogan. He left the WWE at a good prime, and no he won't bring in a new fan, in fact that would upset fans of MMA and UFC, because they don't like professional wrestling, and they don't want to see it mixed with their product. Big names won't save TNA.

 

[Yomommma]

TNA doesn't need MORE mainstream attention. Then they would have thousands of people seeing just how horribly lame their product is instead of just hundreds.

 

[BFB5304]

TNA's "Saving Grace" will be the creative team, not the one now... The one they hire when Bound for Glory does less than 7,000 buys. No "one man" can save a company. The whole product needs to be solid. TNA has always had tons of talent, they need no Bobby Lashley. They just need writers who can write a damn good storyline.

 

[MisterRob]

Bobby Lashley ain't shit.

That being said, he certainly is not TNA's saving grace. He couldn't connect with the crowd and get over like they tried to do with him in the WWE, even though they pushed him down our throats and gave him monster pushes. He didn't become the star they wanted or needed him to be, because he just doesn't have the charisma and presence. It'll be no different in TNA. Sure he may be a real MMA star wrestling in TNA, but I really don't think that'll have an Impact. There's guys who can transition that kind of aura into wrestling, like Kurt Angle who naturally brings a credible feel to his matches and everything he does and the fans are drawn to that.. or even Taz back in ECW who portrayed a big time atmosphere and the very thing an MMA star could bring to the table and the fans ate it up and Taz was huge in ECW at that time.. but I don't think Lashley has that presence to him, or can be that draw. I think TNA will be disappointed when all is said and done because Lashley won't live up to the expectations they have of him.

Now if they had Brock Lesnar, that would be a whole different matter.

The thing that will define Lashle'ys time in TNA will be how they book him. He'll be hard to book because, really, he'll have to receive that monster push that prevents anyone from touching him and certainly not beating him to really get him over and make him work. He's an MMA star, so to make him credible and use that properly he has to beat his opponents and not be made out to be vulnerable or weak by losing to people, otherwise it'll entirely take away from the MMA aspect and that whole aura. But will all the top stars, those old veterans, want to lay down and put over Lashely? Will Angle want to put over Lashley or will he use this to put himself over an MMA fighter?

 

[The Prototype]

Lashley is too focused on MMA to be TNA's savior. Lashley will bring an impact to TNA (excuse the pun) but he won't be a savior. I predict that he will do OK in TNA but will end up in UFC. Lashley will not live up to expectations in wrestling but I think he will do well in MMA.

 

[gd]

I'm not completey sold on Lashley and I definetly don't think he or any one person could "save" TNA. Sure he is a recognizable name to some, but he is nowhere on Angle or even Foley levels. If those big names haven't made TNA explode Bobby Lashley sure isn't going to. As for his MMA stuff, how do we know he's even that good? He is fighting in a small promotion and his fights aren't getting a ton of publicity. It's not like he's a champion in the UFC.

In my opinion, Lashley is nothing more than a big guy that is somewhat famous. He is only average in the ring and is terrible on the mic. I suspect that he's just a flash in the pan and the TNA fans will tire of him within a few weeks, I know I already have.

 

[Baller]

Bobby Lashley is not the saving grace to TNA but he surely will help out the cause. He is currently being looked at by UFC and if he does happen to sign with them that will be huge for TNA. If Lashley does sign with UFC he will eventually fight Lesnar and that will give TNA more ratings in the future