Austin Aries is the *NEW* X Division Champion

[It's Damn Real!]

Finally, the man with the brightest future in the division is awarded the brightest spot in it — the X Division Championship.

IMO this is a very smart move on TNA's part, as as entertaining as Kendrick can be, I find it very difficult (and I know I'm not the only one) to really buy into him as a champion. He reminds me of what Jeff Hardy used to be with his last run in WWE where every time he actually won the title, no one cared, but the entire chase for it was exhilarating and often the best story line going on at the time. Kendrick can go in the ring and he can hold his own on a mic, but he just doesn't have enough to really warrant being a champion for very long, and being a baby face just doesn't aid him any, either.

Heels tend to be better champions than faces for the longer-term picture, and with the longer-term picture obviously being something TNA is trying to accomplish with the newly rebranded X Division, having Aries as champion IMO is the best move they could have made. Not only can he go in the ring, but he's the most talented roster member across all facets within the division and will by default bring the most value to the title (and division) by helping to bring the new comers like Jesse Sorensen up through feuds over trying to win it from him.

I fully expect him to retain it for the foreseeable future, until guys like Sorensen and a few of the other newcomers are really ready to take their first run as champion.

Thoughts on this?

 

[ramblinroy682]

I think we'll see a Shelley/Aries feud. It could possibly be the best x-division feuds since the Hogan Bischoff and maybe since Joe/AJ/Daniels.

We haven't seen Shelley in a while so maybe they won't do this one, but I am not excited about seeing Sorensen yet. He needs another few matches with an established guy. Sorensen versus Kaz?

I am excited about Aries as champ. Aries seems to be one of the very few x-division/cruiserweights that have personality. If you think about all the guys that have been in those divisions there aren't a ton of guys who are better than him on the mic. He also puts on a pretty entertaining match.

Personally, I am getting excited about the direction of TNA right now...if they could just stumble on a tag team that wasn't mexican america.

 

[Da Big Champ]

I am happy about having a new champion and Im happy with Aries winning the title. I hope the X division title is a stepping stone as i would like to see this kid as a future world champion as he has the look and personality and would be a believeable champion imo

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Great decision to make him X Division Champion. Aries finally has something to boast about in TNA.

The match itself was pretty good, probably match of the night in-terms of in-ring stuff. I liked the fact they constantly ended up going outside, made it look as if they couldn't contain the bout in the ring. Aries was impressive and I liked his promo afterwards which was a nice old school touch getting an interview with all the winners or pre-match opponents.

Probably going to see a Kendrick vs. Aries rematch for this coming week or Aries vs. Kendrick vs. Soresense at Bound for Glory. Should be a good match either way, Sorensen did well last night but Kid Kash was so fucking over! How they don't capitulize on him I'll never understand.

 

[Skinsley]

I think Austin Airies is one of the biggest talents in the whole of TNA and it is a great move to make him Champion.
I like Kendrick also and think that this feud will probably end in him getting the title back. The best decision would be to make Airies feud with other X division stars in order to get them over but I think they are trying to do that with Kid Kash although he is incredibly over even as a Heel.
Big fan of Kid Kash but is he too old? Well not too old for TNawfull!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Excellent call to put the title on Aries. I fully expected it to happen last night, but there's nothing wrong with that because it's exactly what needed to happen.

Aries is really the only guy that I see in the new X Division that strikes me as a star. He's got the goods on the mic, he can go inside the ring, has some legit personality and charisma. The vast majority of the other X Division wrestlers are vanilla spot monkeys cut from the same cloth. Now all they need is to get Aries someone worth feuding with.

As far as Jesse Sorensen goes, I'm just not sold on this guy yet. Right now, he just seems rather generic in my eyes and it just seems too soon for him to be #1 condetner for the TNA X Division Championship. He's wrestled 3 or 4 matches tops so far. I know, so has Aries but Aries is also a guy that's done a lot out there on the indy circuit whereas Sorensen is known for being on a reality show. I will keep an open mind, however, in the hopes that Aries might be able to bring something out of the guy. As long as they don't just suddenly try to slap the title on Sorensen, things should be alright.

If Aries moves past Sorensen, and I hope to God that's how it's going to be, I'd like to see him have a feud with Alex Shelley. It'd be a good, solid high profile feud and could easily be billed as a someone representing the old X Division guard, as in Shelley, against this new breed of Austin Aries. The matches should be great, both guys have good mic ability and it'll bring prestige to the title.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

as much as i loved brian kendrick as champion because i love his gimmick i think this was a great move having austin aries take the title from him as aries is a great heel and it looks like hes gonna fued with jesse sorenson which i expect aries to retain the title for awhile i dont feel jesse is ready for the title...BFG will probably be a x divison match with the winner becoming #1 contender to aries or winner gets the x divison title either way im glad aries won but i want atleast 1 more good match between him and kendrick

 

[hatehabsforever]

Personally I am really glad that they put the X-division championship belt on Austin Aries. Not so much because I'm a particular fan of his work, although he is decent, but simply because the rest of the division is so bland, uninspired, and dare I say it, dial tone-ish. I hope he has a relatively long run as X-division champ, to give the rest of the group some time to develop their characters and create a personality. Otherwise, the once highly tauted X-division will be nothing more than a generic, nameless, bunch of flippy guys, struggling to get noticed, while languishing in the shadows of the other wrestlers with a bit of charisma. You know, the ever charismatic Styles and company.

 

[This Is My Name Thank You]

I am glad he won the belt off of Kendrick last night because of what Kendrick said to him on the Impact before the ppv. Kendrick told Austin that belt was nothing but a prop; Austin replied as it was not a prop and said a few other things to make me like this guy more and more. The belt shouldn't be called a prop especially from the wrestler holding it. Just what in the blue hell is wrong with Kendrick. Austin deserves it as he will be a proud champion and that is something TNA needs at this moment. Fuck Kendrick and his prop self and his lame everything. He was good in my eyes but him and his prop self can and should never hold the title again. What a disgrace and what a saving grace Austin Starr...Aries truly is.

 

[lancir]

I am glad he won the belt off of Kendrick last night because of what Kendrick said to him on the Impact before the ppv. Kendrick told Austin that belt was nothing but a prop; Austin replied as it was not a prop and said a few other things to make me like this guy more and more. The belt shouldn't be called a prop especially from the wrestler holding it. Just what in the blue hell is wrong with Kendrick. Austin deserves it as he will be a proud champion and that is something TNA needs at this moment. Fuck Kendrick and his prop self and his lame everything. He was good in my eyes but him and his prop self can and should never hold the title again. What a disgrace and what a saving grace Austin Starr...Aries truly is.

Hmm whats wrong with kendrick...ohh only the dumbass russo in the back who most likely wrote that little piece..so please dont bash kendrick over something he probably had no choice but too say.

 

[I_Am_Electro_Boy]

Great decision, Aries is an amazing wrestler and will probably be the guy who can reinvent the x division. I was a fan of Kendrick and enjoyed watching him but he isn't as good as Aries. Aries is great in the ring and on the mic and has a lot of charisma, he's without doubt my favourite in the x division so I'm very happy with the decision.