Chris Masters Signs With TNA?

[Jack-Hammer]

I was browsing wrestlinginc.com and ran across this:

"Former WWE star Chris Masters stated Friday during a recent interview that he will be among the troupe of wrestlers traveling to India to tape the first footage for TNA Wrestling's planned debut on the television network Colors. The wrestlers have been booked for seven days, including travel days, the week of December 15. A mixture of recognizable faces and independent wrestlers are scheduled for the project. The project will not utilize the TNA logo or name."

This was originally reported by PWTorch and this is the first I've heard regarding TNA taping an episode in India. At the same time, it comes across as extremely weird as they're not actually going to use the TNA name or the logo. So I don't know exactly what the situation is here but it's sounding as if, at least kind of, Chris Masters has reached some sort of deal with TNA.

 

[culantro]

not really, it says they will utilize independent wrestlers and recognizable faces, so directly this doesn't mean that they have a deal or something...
on the other hand masters is still a young superstar and he has progresed a lot in the past year, so in the case they gave him a contract or have a deal, that would be good...

 

[GameOver]

just a temporary deal most likely just to fill the roster so everyone doesn't have to go over there.

If he has or plans to sign a more permanent deal, good for him, he won't get much more love in TNA but atleast he'll be doing something. The guy has talent and the look.

 

[Clem]

At the same time, it comes across as extremely weird as they're not actually going to use the TNA name or the logo. So I don't know exactly what the situation is here but it's sounding as if, at least kind of, Chris Masters has reached some sort of deal with TNA.

It's not THAT weird that they're not using the TNA name.

In the past year, they've restructured the company in such a way that TNA is merely the parent company, which produces various DIFFERENT wrestling shows.

For starters, you had "TNA iMPACT!" rebranded as "Impact Wrestling" and if not for all the title belts being branded with the TNA name, they would've switched entirely.

Another start-up promotion akin to the new India project was "All Wheels Wrestling". Around the time of the Destination X PPV, they used the six sided ring to film a pilot episode for a new show starring the likes of Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Daivari, etc. Clearly nothing has come of this pilot, but it shows how TNA are looking to expand.

 

[IHW]

If this means that TNA is expanding... then I'm happy with it. I figured Chris would end up here in TNA, but this wasn't how I saw it coming.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I really hope not. Masters is a masterful bore and epitomizes the cookie cutter mentality of the Vince's vision as to what makes a wrestler a wrestler. In short: he's a doorknob personality wrapped in a body builder's shell.

TNA is already pressed for time as it is. They have a very large roster for a company with only two hours of programming a week and can barely fit most of their talents on air as it is right now. Masters would only worsen that and take away time from someone who quite frankly deserves it more.

My hope is that this is just filler for the Indian project and has nothing to do with TNA itself.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Chris Masters show up in TNA. I think he could be an interesting addition to their roster. Granted, I don't think he should be given any title considerations anytime soon, even for the lesser belts, but he brings name recognition, potential, and a decent gimmick, albeit slightly overdone at times.

He has a great physique and while I stand to be corrected, there are more lax rules in TNA which could possibly allow him to enhance that technique if he so desired. I'm sure big Rob could assist him in that regard. He has a WWE history, which rightly or wrongly, appears to be something that TNA covets. He was there, future endeavored, back there, and future endeavored again, so I doubt he's going back to WWE for a third run. He can indirectly play off his WWE time, something which personally I hate and think is unnecessary, but they seem to love doing it there, so they could easily do it again.

I wouldn't worry too much about his alleged lack of personality. Let's face it, that may be true, but there are plenty of guys in TNA who don't exactly set the world on fire with their overwhelming charisma. Outside of Aries, the entire X division have "doorknob personalities", so I guess in one way, he'd blend right in. It's one thing to be a bland and uninteresting doorknob, you may as well do it with some size and some name value while you're at it. Unless you hope to sustain the X-division entirely on guys like Jesse Sorensen and a bunch of other guys whose names I would have to go look up in order to list them. I say put a brash, arrogant Masterpiece in this division, and use him to help put these other guys over, or to elevate Aries even further. I say no harm in trying, unless you are content to continue to listen to crickets chirping during the matches of the once highly touted X-Division.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

First of all, the X Division was given a weight limit of 225lbs back in August. Chris Masters weighs 265lbs and even if he lost some weight would barely get under 250 with all that muslce, ergo he has no place in the X Division.

Secondly, the X Division is about energy wrestlers. Guys who can do things most can't, which means high-risk aerial offense and quick-strike technical prowess — neither of which Masters owns in his vast(ly empty) arsenal of "talent".

If you want to inject personality into the XD (and believe me, I do too), you don't start with dullards like Masters or Morrison. You find legitimate talent and push it. There are plenty of guys still on the roster who could make a more meaningful impact (all pun intended) in the XD than any of WWE's cast aways. Shannon Moore, The Pope and Brian Kendrick specifically.

 

[shattered dreams]

This is what TNA hired Lagana for and supposedly it is a separate project just for India.

He has a great physique and while I stand to be corrected, there are more lax rules in TNA which could possibly allow him to enhance that technique if he so desired. I'm sure big Rob could assist him in that regard.

Are we really going to play this game? Ok, I raise you will Masters be able to maintain his physique without Mason Ryan around? Let us just bury the stupid "eye test" and then maybe the College Football voters will follow our example.

 

[Tommy Terrific]

I hope Chris Masters doesn't sign with TNA because I believe they have enough underutilized talent over there now. All Masters would do is take TV time from guys like AJ and the X Division. Besides they already have Robbie T. Unless they would make a team of Masters and Rob Terry, I can't see any other use for him.

 

[JJYanks121]

First of all, the X Division was given a weight limit of 225lbs back in August. Chris Masters weighs 265lbs and even if he lost some weight would barely get under 250 with all that muslce, ergo he has no place in the X Division.

Secondly, the X Division is about energy wrestlers. Guys who can do things most can't, which means high-risk aerial offense and quick-strike technical prowess — neither of which Masters owns in his vast(ly empty) arsenal of "talent".

If you want to inject personality into the XD (and believe me, I do too), you don't start with dullards like Masters or Morrison. You find legitimate talent and push it. There are plenty of guys still on the roster who could make a more meaningful impact (all pun intended) in the XD than any of WWE's cast aways. Shannon Moore, The Pope and Brian Kendrick specifically.

You haven't seen much of Masters since like 2006, have you? This is a guy who has more personality in his pinkie than most in their bodies. For whatever reason, he didn't get a push (though it often looked like one was coming) during his second stint with WWE and while I don't often say this, I do think he's a guy who could have done great things at that time. Certainly I'd rather see Masters getting a push than Mason Ryan.

If you don't pigeonhole him as a "muscle guy", you'll find that Masters is an excellent worker and is one of the funniest guys you'll ever meet to boot. It's a natural thing for him and if you wanted to mold that into a star, you could. Basically, what you have in Masters is a shorter Matt Morgan with more wrestling ability. I love Morgan, so it's a lot for me to say that this guy has more potential, but it might be true. I'd sign this guy in a heartbeat. I mean, if you are going to have crap like Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam (who absolutely has no personality) running around, you might as well get Masters who is not yet 30 and has the potential to be a true star in wrestling.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

You haven't seen much of Masters since like 2006, have you? This is a guy who has more personality in his pinkie than most in their bodies. For whatever reason, he didn't get a push (though it often looked like one was coming) during his second stint with WWE and while I don't often say this, I do think he's a guy who could have done great things at that time. Certainly I'd rather see Masters getting a push than Mason Ryan.

If you don't pigeonhole him as a "muscle guy", you'll find that Masters is an excellent worker and is one of the funniest guys you'll ever meet to boot. It's a natural thing for him and if you wanted to mold that into a star, you could. Basically, what you have in Masters is a shorter Matt Morgan with more wrestling ability. I love Morgan, so it's a lot for me to say that this guy has more potential, but it might be true. I'd sign this guy in a heartbeat. I mean, if you are going to have crap like Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam (who absolutely has no personality) running around, you might as well get Masters who is not yet 30 and has the potential to be a true star in wrestling.

1. Anderson has more personality than anyone listed in this thread, so regardless of how you feel about him as a performer, there's plenty of reason for a company to hire him.

2. RVD may not have a personality, but he has something that makes up for it in volume — a cult following. People actually pay to see RVD. No one is buying a ticket to see Chris Masters. No one. Maybe they pay to see a show he happens to be wrestling on, but no one is buying tickets to see him.

I'll give you this much, though — I haven't seen Masters much since whenever it was he left the first time because I don't watch WWE's programming at all. Every so often when something "big" happens I YouTube the event the next day and move on with my life, but ultimately I still find it to be a massive waste of any given set of two hours of my life, so I'll give you that point.

You say he's a good wrestler? Fine. I still don't see any reason to add him over the existing talent that TNA already struggles to get all on the air in any given month, so why should TNA hire him and give him the opportunity any more than they did/do others? That is the real question.

 

[Grizzly0u812]

Regarding Chris Masters, I have read some of the stuff saying how boring he is and so on, did anyone even think that maybe Masters has a lot to offer but working for Vince he could not show case it because vince likes to pull the strings, everyone knows what Stone Cold and Kurt Angle means to the business and Vince had Stoney Cold sitting playing a guitar and Angle acting like a complete b!tch, I have seen wrestlers come from TNA that were actually good wrestlers like Low-Ki, he came to WWE and was just screwed around with, Low-Ki put on really good matches but in WWE he was not allowed to do anything, wondering if Chris Masters if he does come to TNA will amaze us or be the same, only time will tell.

A lot of these wrestlers who are probably very talented are not allowed to shine cause they will make others look bad, look at what happen to Kurt Angle with the tough enough thing, Daniel puter or what ever his name was sorry can not remember but he wrestled Angle and almost made him tap out, when they got to the back he was pissed off at what that guy did, he made angle look bad that a rookie could do that.

My thing is some wrestlers have it, some do not, others are held back

 

[JJYanks121]

1. Anderson has more personality than anyone listed in this thread, so regardless of how you feel about him as a performer, there's plenty of reason for a company to hire him.

2. RVD may not have a personality, but he has something that makes up for it in volume — a cult following. People actually pay to see RVD. No one is buying a ticket to see Chris Masters. No one. Maybe they pay to see a show he happens to be wrestling on, but no one is buying tickets to see him.

I'll give you this much, though — I haven't seen Masters much since whenever it was he left the first time because I don't watch WWE's programming at all. Every so often when something "big" happens I YouTube the event the next day and move on with my life, but ultimately I still find it to be a massive waste of any given set of two hours of my life, so I'll give you that point.

You say he's a good wrestler? Fine. I still don't see any reason to add him over the existing talent that TNA already struggles to get all on the air in any given month, so why should TNA hire him and give him the opportunity any more than they did/do others? That is the real question.

Honestly, and this may be personal opinion (ok it is, but that's what these forums are for, aren't they?), Chris Masters is a better, more entertaining performer on his worst day than Crimson on his best. We've talked ad nauseum on these forums about the idea of "talent is talent" and it's not important where it has been before right? Well in this case, you are talking about a talented performer in all aspects of the game (all opinion, but I stand by it). If you believe this to be true, why shouldn't he get an opportunity. That's why I said what I said and I believe it.

Why does he deserve a chance to be hired and why does he deserve an opportunity over others? Because he's better, that's why. Now, I'm not the type to say "get him to the main event in a day", but get him in the company and let him get over. I guarantee you that he can do that better than most of the guys you have right now. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

This is a hard one for me. On one hand, I've always thought Masters received an unfair reputation from the IWC. Masters falls into that category of "muscle heads, who only got a job because of their physique," but Masters can be solid in the ring, and he does have an entertaining and humorous personality. Although, what could Masters really offer TNA? Let's be honest, his name value isn't that great, and he never reached the level of a consistent big time player in WWE. As IDR already pointed out, TNA's roster is pretty crowded, and TV time is precious, so TNA shouldn't waste too much time on another mid carder, who could become a forgettable face in the mid card. Masters is a talented wrestler, who has a nice look, but could he help TNA in any way? I'm sure his debut would provide a nice moment, and Masters arriving in TNA could bring out that "OH MY GOD! IT'S CHRIS MASTERS!" reaction, but what happens after that?

Masters could be a positive addition to the TNA roster, but I just can't believe he'll have a noticeable impact in the long run.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Honestly, and this may be personal opinion (ok it is, but that's what these forums are for, aren't they?), Chris Masters is a better, more entertaining performer on his worst day than Crimson on his best. We've talked ad nauseum on these forums about the idea of "talent is talent" and it's not important where it has been before right? Well in this case, you are talking about a talented performer in all aspects of the game (all opinion, but I stand by it). If you believe this to be true, why shouldn't he get an opportunity. That's why I said what I said and I believe it.

Why does he deserve a chance to be hired and why does he deserve an opportunity over others? Because he's better, that's why. Now, I'm not the type to say "get him to the main event in a day", but get him in the company and let him get over. I guarantee you that he can do that better than most of the guys you have right now. That's all I'm saying.

If you're talking about leveling the playing field and comparing the two, I might agree, but we have to take into account where these guys came from, because while talent is talent, too many fans put too much stock into where that talent performed prior and certain guys will have a more difficult time getting over if they're too known from their earlier work (Sean Morley, anyone?)

Though personally, I still don't see the same personality and talent in Masters you might. He's probably better in the ring, but he still has the overall look of a generic meat head and from what I can recall of everything I've seen him do, his personality isn't much better, though I'm open to being proven wrong there.

 

[Lowdown]

.Unless they would make a team of Masters and Rob Terry, I can't see any other use for him.

My sentiments exactly. I recall how the built Masters up in WWE years ago similarly to how they brought in Lex Luger with "the Narcissist" gimmick. He was an effective heel for a little while but he wore thin. The whole "Master Lock" challenge was a waste of TV time in itself. He's cut from the same mold as Rob Terry, and could probably just be used as an enforcer for someone like Austin Aries or maybe even Bobby Roode. Even then he would just be doing the same thing as Rob Terry. But as far as the question goes from the OP, I haven't read anything confirming that Masters and TNA have deal in the works or a current deal. If he does come to TNA though, I'd like to think that maybe he's gotten better over the last few years since I don't follow his career.