Bobby Roode Is The New #1 Contender For the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

[Jack-Hammer]

Last night on IW, Bobby Roode challenged Cowboy James Storm to a match for the #1 contender spot for the TNA WHC. Storm accepted the match and ultimately lost said match and the spot to Bobby Roode.

I've got no complaints about Roode being #1 contender. I just don't understand why they didn't just have him win the triple threat match against Styles & Storm at the Turning Point ppv. The way Storm was goaded into the match with the lame daughter insult made Storm come off like some country bumpkin. It just felt like really lazy booking.

But, in the end, Roode is #1 contender and I think he's the choice that should've been made in the first place. From an overall standpoint, Roodes' been the top heel in TNA for over a year now and highly capable heels like Roode & Aries are needed to really carry a Jeff Hardy feud.

I highly doubt that Roode will take the title from Hardy though. I don't expect Hardy to relinquish the strap anytime soon because while I think Hardy will sign a new deal with TNA, I don't see them doing anything to make him remotely unhappy right now.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I love Bobby Roode as you can see by my sig. I think he really is the total package in wrestling right now. He can wrestle, he can talk and he looks the part. A fantastic performer. There is noone better in TNA at the moment, and I am still disappointed that TNA took the belt off Roode when they did.

So I am delighted that he is back in the main event picture as the number 1 contender, once again screwing over James Storm, who really seems to be the fall guy in every match where he gets close to reclaiming the belt. However, I don't see TNA booking Roode to beat Jeff Hardy right now. Hardy has only been champion for a few weeks and it would make no sense for him to drop the belt so quickly. He is the number 1 face in TNA and will have the title for a good while yet, especially as he once again has been given his own modified belt.

Hardy is rumoured to be considering going back to WWE, so TNA will do everything they can to keep their number 1 guy happy to convince him to stay with the company. For that reason I think he will beat Bobby Roode, although I much rather would see the It Factor back on top. However, there is no need to rush and we will see Roode on top again in the future, he is just too damn good to keep out of the title picture, but the time isn't right for a title change just yet.

It should be a great match though.

 

[Aquaman6686]

TNA took the belt off Roode too soon, and I hope he gets it back. That being said, I think Roode should have won the Triple Threat at Turning Point and Storm should have taken the fall, not Styles. Storm has never cut it as a main event talent in my eyes, but I would kill to see a Roode/Aries/Hardy/Styles Fatal Four Way for the title.

 

[Artemis Paradox]

I saw it coming. Storm has a bit of work to do before he's true main-event talent to me, but Roode is the main thing Impact has going right now. Do I think he'll win the belt, probably not. I'd actually like to see Hardy have a good reign with the belt- then again, any reign would be better than that damn emo shit he did last time he had the belt.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I think Roode is awesome. he should be the one going after Hardy.
but this hurts Storm, yet again. again Storm is built up to go after the title, but doesn't get his shot.
I do like Storm. I think he is good on the mic and has a good look/gimmick. he has a good finishing move with the superkick that can beat anyone.
what if Storm was to end up turning heel? I think Storm could be a good lead wrestler in Aces/Eights, but I don't know how they would have that happen now.

Roode will go on to face Hardy for the title. but what is next for Storm?

 

[mojmass]

TNA bookers are a bunch of fools when do they want storm to have his title match this is a total madness storm is the best they have to offer and yet he always miss the title match tna is worse than wwe in the case of creating and keeping stars

 

[Cereal Killer]

I agree with you on the fact that this was lazy booking. I really wonder what goes through the creative teams' mind at times.

Anyway, really, this is just for a Bobby Roode vs Jeff Hardy feud which I am looking forward to with Roode as an extraordinary (ex)-champ and with Hardy as the most popular star in TNA at the moment. It's like the top Babyface vs the top Heel. They had a small encounter earlier this year but that was only minor, this I am looking forward to.

As far as Storm losing goes, in a way it's a good idea because this will make Storms' hunger for the championship grow thus, hyping an epic battle between himself and whoever the champion is at that point in time.

 

[Pink Hole Slam]

If Roode ends up taking the belt off of Hardy at some point then it sets up an epic showdown between Storm and Roode for the World Title. Storm winning the three way match only to gamble and lose to Roode adds another wrinkle in their long standing feud. Its possible that I could be giving TNA too much credit here but this is how I interpret the development.

 

[Lowdown]

I like both Storm and Roode, but making Roode the #1 contender makes the most sense. At this point it wouldn't make much sense for another face vs. face match. Perhaps if Aries would've won the strap at Turning Point then maybe Storm would've held onto the contendership. Storm will get his shot eventually.

 

[Wolf Pac]

As far as Storm losing goes, in a way it's a good idea because this will make Storms' hunger for the championship grow thus, hyping an epic battle between himself and whoever the champion is at that point in time.

Yeah I'm guessing this is the idea behind the change, plus it would actually be smarter to save Storm vs. Hardy for Lockdown, their second biggest pay-per-view of the year and the pay-per-view that goes up against Wrestlemania. Only makes sense to put up TNA's biggest draw against WWE's biggest draw. And the longer Storm waits for his title shot, it also gets the fans itching more & more every month to see him back in the title picture, then by the time Lockdown rolls around, hopefully it will draw in a much bigger crowd than last years to see their hero finally get his shot, and it will provide for a big feel-good moment when Storm makes his big comeback & finally wins the title again. Hardy got his big comeback at Bound For Glory, James Storm should get his at Lockdown...then AJ can get his at BFG '13. Big year for comebacks in TNA.

 

[blockanWo]

I dont understand why they would have Storm go over at Turning Point only for Roode to make everything that happened at the PPV entirely irrelevant 4 days later.

As much as I love TNA, its fucken dumb. Have Roode go over at the PPV in the first place and save us the bullshit inbetween.

 

[MrPlatano1989]

I have no problem with the "BS", it gives us another Storm and Roode match on iMPACT to enjoy for years to come. I believe Roode will challenge Hardy for the title twice with possibly winning the second time, and then drop it to Storm which was the original plan, this will give Roode 2 title reigns total, as well as Storm with him carrying the belt until Destination X against AJ or Bound For Glory against Bully Ray!

Another possible scenario is a Hardy vs Roode vs Storm match at Final Resolution which I'm also happy with! Having Roode win at PPV would have killed Storm greatness these last few months. Sure he lost on impact, but we all know he would eventually stand tall. A Storm vs Hardy match can harm someones position more than a Roode vs Hardy match. Storms story has been the chase for a title, always falling short, when it happens they are going to make him a huge huge star!

Either way I support TNA on every twist and turn, or direction, they have proven to know what they are doing, so I cant wait to see what happens these next few months!

 

[ECWcyrus]

I enjoyed Roode's time as champ. There really isn't anything that he can't do. Sadly, I don't see him winning the title back just yet, but hopefully it's not much longer till we see the 'It Factor' wearing championship gold.

 

[Alex]

I don't see the point of Storm winning at Turning Point only to lose to Roode on Impact. However I do see why Roode is the No. 1 contender. Roode hasn't really got much going for him. Since Aces & 8s turned up he's been playing second fiddle really. Having him go for the world championship gives him some of his mojo back.

Storm is a face, he can just inject himself into the Aces & 8s storyline and it would work. Aside from Bully Ray (a tweener at best) and I guess Hulk Hogan (a guy who can't wrestle anymore) TNA haven't really got a strong face to fight Aces & 8s. Storm can be that guy.

 

[HBsam31]

I really hop this is more build for an eventual Roode vs Storm match finally for the title. Storm has been coming up just short for over a year, and this will only make his hunt for the title more intense. RIght now I think Roode vs Hardy is the right choice for the title match. I can't see Roode winning it just yet, but like I said hopefully down the road he does as I have been dying to see him vs Storm for the title in what should be an epic match.

 

[ABMorales787]

If this doesn't lead to another 3 Way at Final Resolution it's going to look pretty silly. I know both guys really need the rub, but they've really backed themselves into a corner trying to keep those two on the top at once.

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

I'm pretty sure they booked Storm to win the #1 Contender's Match at Turning Point just to throw off the audience with regards to the main event. Since Storm is face, standard wrestling logic would dictate that Aries would beat Hardy for the Title since he's heel. This would set-up Storm vs. Aries, face vs. heel. Obviously, that's not what happened.

Also, if they wanted to set-up a triple threat at Final Resolution for the Title with Roode vs. Storm vs. Hardy they could have just had Roode and Storm get a double pinfall on AJ Styles in the #1 Contender's Match. Roode and Storm would both get a Title shot, and since Styles got pinned he would he would still be out of the Title scene for a year due to the stipulation. Also, having Roode and Storm both win wouldn't make the outcome of the main event Title match "obvious", it could easily go either way. This suggestion is pretty irrelevant since Turning Point is over now, but whatever.

 

[RawIsJericho]

I think the reason they had Storm win at the PPV, only to have it effectively cancelled out a week later, is to once again have Storm crushed by not getting what he so desperately wants after coming agonizingly close and of course, his old pal Bobby Roode once again comes out better off. Storm got the pay off from the win against Roode, it's not the same as the pay off from winning the title from Roode and I have little doubt that somewhere, long down the track, Storm will end up taking the belt from Roode for the ultimate feel good moment finally, after this looooooooong time of coming up short and getting fucked around by Roode.