Flair and Shelley gone from TNA?

[BK Styles]

From the main page:

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/255065-exclusive-big-update-on-flairtna-another-tna-star-also-done

According to several sources close to the situation, Ric Flair has indeed quit Impact Wrestling, and he basically just stopped showing up to events. The assumption at this point is that he's going to sign a WWE Legends deal and help fill time on the new TV network. Flair has energy drink and lottery endorsements to fall back on, too.

Additionally, WZ has learned that Alex Shelley quit TNA as well. Apparently WWE will fill extra TV time with, among other things, a Cruiserweight division and/or tag teams, and are looking for smaller wrestlers by way of stocking either, or both. While it has not been confirmed, Shelley will likely go to WWE. There has also been talk of WWE running a Cruiserweight show on the new Network, which could also be a possibility for Shelley.

Now, obviously with this being from the main page, it has to be taken with a pinch of salt. The Flair part I can certainly believe, but Shelley quitting? What does this mean for Sabin? Does Shelley go to the WWE? ROH? Somewhere completely different?

Thoughts?

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

It's being reported that Shelley is going to WWE to help build the cruiserweight division. But who knows, poor Sabin. Fatal blow to TNA though.

 

[Gelgarin]

Fatal? Really?

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

Fatal? Really?

Not really, but I still think MCMG were the best TNA tag team and the only one's who really make it interesting besides Joe/Magnus who may or may not still be a tag team.

 

[BK Styles]

It's being reported that Shelley is going to WWE to help build the cruiserweight division. But who knows, poor Sabin. Fatal blow to TNA though.

I'm with Gelgarin here, TNA have dealt without him for a while (whilst waiting for Sabin to heal) so it's not that big a blow.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I've been high on Shelley for a long, long time. I could cut him into lines and snort him. If that WWE rumour isn't totally baseless - and it likely is - then I'm rather excited. He's more overtly charismatic than, say, Daniel Bryan. He could go far.

Ric Flair? Doesn't surprise me. He'll probably be in Season 2 of Legends House or whatever they're calling it.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

I'll wait to a more reputable site reports Shelley's gone till then I don't believe it

 

[BK Styles]

I'll wait to a more reputable site reports Shelley's gone till then I don't believe it

Kind of where I'm at with it. He's still on the roster page (as is Flair) and it sure as hell wouldn't be the first time WZ make a complete and total balls-up.

 

[Gelgarin]

Alex Shelly participated in what I commonly refer to as the worst wrestling match I have ever seen in my life.

 

[klunderbunker]

Alex Shelly participated in what I commonly refer to as the worst wrestling match I have ever seen in my life.

Which was that?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Fuckin' blows on the Shelley front. Couldn't give two shits about the Flair front.

I always pictured Shelley as a bit of a TNA lifer. It'll be a damn shame if he ends up wrestling for a company I have no intentions of ever watching him perform for.

But hey.. ya never know — maybe he'll Gail Kim it up and ultimately return home?

 

[Gelgarin]

Alex Shelly vs Chris Sabin.

The only match in history where I legitimately thought I was supposed to think it was fake. Seriously; for almost the full first fifteen minutes I seriously thought I was watching an angle were both guys were only pretending to wrestler one another in order to annoy Mick Foley.

 

[klunderbunker]

Alex Shelly vs Chris Sabin.

The only match in history where I legitimately thought I was supposed to think it was fake. Seriously; for almost the full first fifteen minutes I seriously thought I was watching an angle were both guys were only pretending to wrestler one another in order to annoy Mick Foley.

I'm not sure I remember that. Was it intentionally bad/comedy or was it too rehearsed?

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I do hope the Shelley thing is wrong. I know they have gut check, but Nese already readily left his position without any hassle or struggle, like he didn't care too much either way. The young guys is what TNA needs right now and Shelley had a lot of potential. I await with crossed fingers, I don't trust WWE any more than I do TNA to correctly use their younger talent.

 

[Gelgarin]

I'm not sure I remember that. Was it intentionally bad/comedy or was it too rehearsed?

[YOUTUBE]40O-tOPRs-w[/YOUTUBE]

See for yourself.

 

[Daniel]

Great. I'm a big fan of Shelley. Even when he has the blonde mohawk.

And the idea of Flair back in WWE excites me too. It'd be interesting to see where he'd fit in.

 

[klunderbunker]

Hmm. My notes say I really liked it and gave it an A-. Interesting.

 

[Remix]

Fatal? Really?

Directly, no. But if Shelley is the start of a trend of talents leaving TNA then that could be fatal, especially as TNA are entering an experimental phase of their existance, with the live Impacts. Shelley in and of himself isn't important to TNA (hell, he sat on the sidelines for a year ffs) but if a lot of others see TNA as a sinking ship and make like rats TNA is going to be hit.

I've been high on Shelley for a long, long time. I could cut him into lines and snort him. If that WWE rumour isn't totally baseless - and it likely is - then I'm rather excited. He's more overtly charismatic than, say, Daniel Bryan. He could go far.

It's not that baseless. It's not the first time Alex has left TNA to try his hand at WWE. He's probably still got their number, and as KB's pointed out got all the stimulus in the world to leave and gamble on Ace and/or HHH giving him another shot.

Or to swallow his pride and pay a grand and a half to try out in FCW directly.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Christ, having watched the first couple of minutes, that is pretty poor. I probably praised it - or ignored it - at the time but I can recall thinking that they were being halfhearted and Foley was going to tell them to do it again because they weren't giving it 100%.

I'm still a fan of Shelley, of his work, and of those backstage skits he did with Nash. I'm desperately trying to recall the name of those. Something Productions? Paparazzi Productions! That's the ticket. They mentioned chlamydia every week. Good stuff.

 

[Gelgarin]

Hmm. My notes say I really liked it and gave it an A-. Interesting.

Make better notes.

 

[klunderbunker]

That is Genesis 09 right?

 

[Gelgarin]

Yes.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Just to point out, Labar is the one who regularly screws up the "Said person has quit, signed with WWE" reports, Palegino is the guy who usually gets them correct.

I'm pretty stoked for this. Loved Shelley in Ring of Honor, loved him in Paparazzi Productions, was probably my favorite wrestler for a while and then I began taking a different approach to him when he formed the Guns, took a while to grow on me. When Sabin got injured and Shelley went out on his own pre-Destination X last year I remember taking a like to him again.

Looks like WWE will be placing actual effort into the Cruiserweight regeneration crap. Must say, Alex Shelley is a pretty good start.

 

[klunderbunker]

Yes.

To really fit the polar opposite opinions you and I tend to have, I liked the match up until the end. I watched a bit of the clip you posted and it did seem like they were having a ballet recital. I'm assuming it picked up later on.

 

[Gelgarin]

As memory serves it eventually graduated to the rank of harmless indy style spotfest.