Bobby Roode is the *NEW* World Heavyweight Champion!

[It's Damn Real!]

In one of the best main events on IMPACT all year, Roode managed to finally defeat Lashley to re-gain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship after a more than two-year period since he last touched it.

Not a fan of how quickly Lashley just walked away from it after losing the title, but Roode's celebration definitely kept the crowds attention.

Lashley does have a rematch clause, so we're undoubtedly getting Lashley/Roode III, but Roode is officially the new champ!

Keep it all in here.

 

[ABMorales787]

A year late quite frankly. I don't think he was ever hotter in TNA TV as he was last year in his feud with Kurt Angle. He should've been TNA Champion following the AJ Styles issue with the backing of EGO. It was far superior to Magnus and Dixieland and might have driven better interest into the product.

 

[TheHellmouth]

I'm not a TNA fan by any means. I don't follow the show and I only know the broad strokes of the current troubles the company is in. That being said I caught this flipping through the channels and really enjoyed it. That was a great match! I don't know anything about Bobby Roodes character (even though I've actually met him in person before lol) but it was really thrilling seeing him overcome Lashley. I really hope he's not the final TNA Champion. It seems like a decent show now from what I saw.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I definitely approve this, Bobby Roode is in my opinion the best performer TNA have. He looks, talks and carries himself like a star, and always puts on a very good match. He definitely deserves to once again be TNA World Heavyweight Champion. The fans wanted him to have the gold, and hopefully he'll have a long reign with the belt (if TNA manages to survive).

Lashley impressed me as Champion though, I thought he had a good run and has definitely improved in the ring and as a character since his WWE days and short previous run in TNA. I wasn't that bothered when he won the belt, but I've been pleasantly surprised with him over the last few months.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I definitely approve this, Bobby Roode is in my opinion the best performer TNA have. He looks, talks and carries himself like a star, and always puts on a very good match. He definitely deserves to once again be TNA World Heavyweight Champion. The fans wanted him to have the gold, and hopefully he'll have a long reign with the belt (if TNA manages to survive).

Lashley impressed me as Champion though, I thought he had a good run and has definitely improved in the ring and as a character since his WWE days and short previous run in TNA. I wasn't that bothered when he won the belt, but I've been pleasantly surprised with him over the last few months.

My only real gripe with Lashley as champion was with the fact he still doesn't really know what it means to be a heel. He never really did heel tactics himself. It was always MVP or Kenny King making those run-ins and running those interference plays where he simply capitalized on it. Last night was the first time you really saw him do natural heat-garnering heel shit, like clotheslining the ref, and using the title belt on Roode.

But otherwise, I completely agree. Roode is clearly the guy in the company right now. He's the clear, far and away, head-and-shoulders above the rest face, and this story was built up logically to have him be the guy to take the title off Lashley.

It also sets up a whole world of new match opportunities, as Lashley had kind of run through the gauntlet to this point. Roode/Lashley one more time, Roode/Storm?, Roode/EC3 at some point? Roode/MVP? Magnus? Austin Aries again? Endless possibilities.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

It also sets up a whole world of new match opportunities, as Lashley had kind of run through the gauntlet to this point. Roode/Lashley one more time, Roode/Storm?, Roode/EC3 at some point? Roode/MVP? Magnus? Austin Aries again? Endless possibilities.

Yeah, there are alot of matches I'd like to see in the future if the company manages to survive their current issues. Even with the likes of Styles leaving TNA, the roster still has alot of potential opponents for Roode to go up against.

While Lashley is likely to get a rematch, he won't win the title back so quickly so Roode then needs to face someone new. I'd personally like to see what EC III can do as a challenger, as out of all the roster I think he's one of the guys with the most potential to become a permanent main eventer. There's always the history between Roode and Storm to play off, if TNA decide to give the Cowboy another shot at the title, and Aries/MVP and even Magnus as you suggested would be decent challengers.

But I do think EC III would be my first pick.

 

[Weems2k]

One of the best main events I've seen in a long time. Thought for sure Lashley would win after clocking Rhoode with the belt. Unfortunately, I have a gut feeling that the ratings will be close to near record lows because of Game 7 of the World Series, which was pretty exciting in itself.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

ECIII I think I'd continue to groom, to be honest. It's a shame TNA buried the TV title, because if you ask me, there's no better mid-card, soon-to-be main eventer talent in the company right now than Carter. He'd be the perfect TV Title champion, and actually has a decent wealth of guys not in the main event picture at the moment to feud with to make the title worth having on television.

My guess is by Bound For Glory next year, Carter is probably in the title picture, but I wouldn't thrust him into the picture just yet.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

ECIII I think I'd continue to groom, to be honest. It's a shame TNA buried the TV title, because if you ask me, there's no better mid-card, soon-to-be main eventer talent in the company right now than Carter. He'd be the perfect TV Title champion, and actually has a decent wealth of guys not in the main event picture at the moment to feud with to make the title worth having on television.

My guess is by Bound For Glory next year, Carter is probably in the title picture, but I wouldn't thrust him into the picture just yet.

That's a good suggestion actually. TNA have alot of really talented guys on their roster, and it's been stupid of them to bury the TV title- it would have been perfect as you say for EC III (who definitely has a big future) and someone like Magnus, who was rushed into being World Champion when he was nowhere near ready. I really don't want them to mess things up with Carter, as he's one of the guys who could lead the company in the future. It really puzzles me that they've done so little with that title, when there's nothing for the mid-card guys to fight for unless they enter the X-Division which guys like Magnus and ECIII won't be doing.

Yet another mistake by TNA.

 

[king1836]

Finally, a World Champion I can be proud of! He's not a part-timer like Brock Lesnar, and he doesn't exploit dying kids and veterans like John Cena. I hope Rode defends the title against James Storm at Lockdown!