Alex Shelley: What Could Have Been?

[Alex]

Now I recently watched Alex Shelley's match with Austin Aries from last year's Against All Odds and it was great. I've also checked out some of the stuff he's done since going to Japan and that is great also.

Now it's pretty much a known fact TNA dropped the ball hard with Shelley. The guy is a great in ring worker and is pretty good on the mic. So not using him on even a semi regular basis seemed strange. Granted he was in a tag team with Chris Sabin, but what happened to tag team members getting singles gold while still in a tag team. I remember when Jeff Hardy won the Intercontinental title while still in a tag team. I remember when Edge did the same thing.

Regardless Shelley could have helped Austin Aries carry the X-Division to semi prestigiousness (sp) and could have helped pick up the slack when Aries left the division.

I'm fairly sure if TNA had used him right Shelley would be doing now what Austin Aries did in his reign. Bring some much needed recognition to the division and a must see.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The fact that Shelley has some legit charisma & personality already sets him apart from most X Division wrestlers, especially today. I think TNA has a great opportunity to use Shelley's abilities in the X Division when Chris Sabin was on the shelf the first time he tore an ACL but he was barely used on television.

Under the current format of the X Division, I don't think Shelley could make a difference. With the current format in which three random wrestlers compete in triple threat matches without any degree of build up, story or feud going; I don't think any wrestler could. It's not about the wrestlers or developing their characters; it's about packing as much high paced, high spot action as they can to fill up 7 minutes or so of airtime. Shelley would merely be another interchangeable high flyer.

 

[DX Mols]

I thought Alex Shelley was going places a few years ago. He was hilarious on the mic and obviously the stronger half of MCMG but then both he and Sabin kept getting hurt. I guess that type of style of wrestling takes its toll.

During his most recent stint in TNA (w/ the bleach blonde hair) he seemed like he was stoned or something. He just sucked on both the mic and in the ring.

I wish they'd given him a chance to make something of himself with more promo time. I'm sure he'll be back in TNA soon enough. They bring everyone back even mediocre talent like Kid Kash, Sonjay, and ODB.

 

[Alex]

Under the current format of the X Division, I don't think Shelley could make a difference. With the current format in which three random wrestlers compete in triple threat matches without any degree of build up, story or feud going; I don't think any wrestler could. It's not about the wrestlers or developing their characters; it's about packing as much high paced, high spot action as they can to fill up 7 minutes or so of airtime. Shelley would merely be another interchangeable high flyer.

The current format doesn't really let anyone showcase a personality really. But I still feel if Shelley was still around the division wouldn't have had to resort to a gimmick of sorts to try and get people interested. A charismatic Shelley fueding with other wrestlers would be all they needed. It wouldn't have been perfect but if they ended up bringing in more talent for the division it probably would be in better shape than it's in.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I always found Shelley to be something of a young Chris Jericho, though without the same build. Jericho out-shines him in the personality department, but in terms of a comparable, Jericho is usually the guy I'd point to in discussing Alex based on size, wrestling style, look/appeal and cultural significance (both men nailed their peer market).

Based on the massive appeal of former X Division wrestlers that have gone on to become World Heavyweight Champions like Aries and Styles, I'm hard-pressed to believe Shelley wouldn't have had the same path to success had he (a) been given the chance and (b) curbed his attitude enough to force TNA's hand. The problem with AS is that as much as he's done in front of the cameras, he was very much in the dog house with TNA brass on numerous occassions for stupid shit he'd say and do behind the scenes that fans never saw or were privy to. Maybe you get a dirt sheet report here or there (not that they're credible in any way), but for the most part his "dirty secrets" remained secret.

What sucks doubly about all this is the fact that Shelley is so happy in Japan that he's unlikely to come back in the first place, so the what could have been becomes almost a finality for a guy who should have, and certainly could have become one of TNA's rising young stars.

 

[ThePrawnCurry]

Saw some of his start on TNA and was suitably impressed

Only thing he needed for the next step in his development would have been to sign for WWE

Heck, NXT in its first incarnation would have been tailormade for his talent

He has been truly buried by staying with TNA, dont know if the offer was ever there

he would have been stellar with Rey Rey or the other cruisers at that time.

 

[newwaveknight]

Saw some of his start on TNA and was suitably impressed

Only thing he needed for the next step in his development would have been to sign for WWE

Heck, NXT in its first incarnation would have been tailormade for his talent

He has been truly buried by staying with TNA, dont know if the offer was ever there

he would have been stellar with Rey Rey or the other cruisers at that time.

I had heard rumors that he was going to sign with the WWE and help them launch their cruiserweight division. Maybe it was all hearsay though, as I wasn't really watching wrestling that much a year ago.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Do think Shelley could've been this generation's Y2J if booked right, in terms of look, character, & wrestling style. He's just one of those guys that companies are afraid to let go as a singles competitor because their tag team is so entertaining.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I wish they'd given him a chance to make something of himself with more promo time. I'm sure he'll be back in TNA soon enough. They bring everyone back even mediocre talent like Kid Kash, Sonjay, and ODB.

Highly unlikely, hes in New Japan Pro Wrestling, just after holding one-half of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team titles, probably making a lot more money, being promoted a lot more, being built as a top gaijin (foreign) face to stop the top gaijin heel and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Prince Devitt and is overall being used perfectly. Even his Twitter account is nothing but how much hes enjoying himself and how much he loves NJPW.

There is a thread about Alex Shelley every month and my answer is the same thing - TNA threw him down the drain. NJPW picked up the pieces and have used him to perfection. Hes very over, hes being booked on every show, hes won more often than not and their including him in their Juniors tournaments. The fact they even have him feuding with Devitt is impressive.

They should have used him much better. But they didn't. No changing the past and I really honestly don't see him returning for a long time, don't even see him joining WWE unless they give him a big offer.

 

[JakeAdams]

I think you can add Shelly to the long list of homegrown stars they let get lost in the fold. Which is a shame because if and thats a big "if" they ever get really hot, it would have been great to have these seasoned stars. Oh well, I hope they give Sabin a rub and hopefully that might be enough to have Shelly return... that and firing Hogan, Bischoff and Son and then reducing the role of Sting and having Ken Anderson never turn Heel or Face (he is seriously in Big Show territory at this point) again.

 

[JulesWagner]

I'm sure he'll be back in TNA soon enough. They bring everyone back even mediocre talent like Kid Kash, Sonjay, and ODB.

For the record, calling Sonjay mediocre is just plain silly. The man may be bland but his work ethic and athleticism are first rate.

As for Shelley, the Chris Jericho comparisons are spot on. While in TNA, the man was a real talent and a diamond in the rough but he has never really been used in a way to showcase it all. We often hear from this or that person that TNA's wrestlers are lousy on the mic, have no personalities or are just a poor man's (insert name here). Well, legitimate statements or no, they didn't fit Shelley at all. I believe the man had, and probably still has, that very elusive "it" to go far in TNA and very probably benefit the company along the way. Now, I don't know anything of his backstage antics but think it's a shame if they are what actually held him back in the past.

It may just be wishful thinking but I believe Shelley will eventually make it back to TNA and from there, I can only hope he finally gets his chance to break through, even if he's a bit of a handful backstage. I believe it's a small price to pay, otherwise TNA should just keep hiring cardboard cutouts for wrestlers and keep stagnating as a company.