Gail Kim leaves TNA?

[My$terio_Fan]

It has just been reported on the WZ news sites(not the most reliable source), that Gail Kim and TNA have parted ways. Gail Kim was groomed as the top face in the company and was the first knockout champion. Kim is a talented wrestler but I always find something off with her. She has become sort of stale, since she is involved in pretty much of knockout angle or at least seems to be a minor player in every storyline. Kim was supposed to be the company's top face, even though ODB countinued to out "pop" her pretty much every night. That being said the Knockout division was pretty much centered around her and I'm surprise she left the company even though how much time she got on TV. I hope Kim goes back to the WWE, but she most likely will never be the top of the division like she was on TNA. If she was to go back I could see her getting a push to begin with, but I think she was better off in TNA. Do you see her going back to WWE, resign with TNA, or maybe just do indy stuff?

 

[klunderbunker]

This to me is fairly suprising. Kim was as you said the originator of the knockouts in TNA. However, I can't say I blame her for leaving. The division has taken a bit of a turn recently with Tracy getting the suprising push and Gail sort of being forgotten in the background. Everything in the division is the Beautiful People and Kong against the rest and Kim has sort of fallen by the wayside. I'd hate to see her go as she's probably the best there is there, but I could see her doing it. As for where she should go, I wouldn't want to see her back in WWE. She managed to do very well in TNA and more than likey she would wind up on SD jobbing to Natalya or Michelle. Kim is better than that to me so if I were her I'd stick with TNA or hit the indies.

 

[IAMHAVOKFEARME]

WOW when I heard the news I was a bit surprised. I mean gail was the 1st knock out Cahmpion n now she's gone what a kick to the nuts 4 TNA but then again after a while she sort of became stale and boring so it was more of a flick to TNA's balls. Despite why she left going to WWE would be a stupid move sure the WWE offers more money and yada yada yada but they made the mistake of letting her go in the 1st place. Not only that what could she accomplish over there in WWE maybe become Women or Diva but then again she could be used to job to kelly Kelly. All I know that it's a shame she left but at least TNA still have more women in their division.

 

[IAMHAVOKFEARME]

WOW when I heard the news I was a bit surprised. I mean gail was the 1st knock out Champion n now she's gone what a kick to the nuts 4 TNA but then again after a while she sort of became stale and boring so it was more of a flick to TNA's balls. Despite why she left going to WWE would be a stupid move sure the WWE offers more money and yada yada yada but they made the mistake of letting her go in the 1st place. Not only that what could she accomplish over there in WWE maybe become Women or Diva but then again she could be used to job to kelly Kelly. All I know that it's a shame she left but at least TNA still have more women in their division.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

I'm fairly surprised this happened. I thought she was going to pioneer the knockout division. It's a shame too. She was very talented and should have gotten more face time on tv. Instead they waste it by giving the title to a newcomer, and leave Gail on the back burner. Hopefully she finds some ground somewhere else. Possibly back in the WWE. She has a lot to give. It's too bad TNA couldnt realize that.

 

[anonymous]

I could see Gail going back to WWE because of the money and the fact that her stint in TNA elevated her and therefore WWE may want her. She was the first Knockouts Champion, but lately she has been used pretty sparingly. She has pretty much feuded with all the Knockouts that she could. However, as far as bringing anything to WWE, I don't have faith in WWE that they will use her very well. For that matter, I can only wonder how long WWE will go this more serious route with the Divas and not make them pure eye candy again with bikini contests and meaningless mud or jelly matches. I mean, WWE has already released her once. It is too bad because I still think that she had more to offer in the TNA Knockouts Division, and TNA had not even tried a heel turn with Gail yet. Gail vs Taylor or Gail vs ODB would have been pretty good feuds. Maybe there is the 1% chance that she will be this "Suicide" character, and we are all being swerved (I'm pretty much kidding here). The other question that comes to mind is "do you think that she will come back to TNA anytime in the near future?" I guess that we will have to see why she left. I am hoping that this split from TNA is amicable, but seeing how sudden that it is, one has to wonder.

 

[Rusty]

I am like many others, suprised to hear this. Gail Kim is really a great talent and was a star in the TNA Knockout's division. But she might not totally be removed for the company. Remember how many others of us thought Kaz was gone from TNA, only to find out it was an angle and that he was turning heel. The same thing could happen to Gail Kim. Sure it most probably wont happen, but it's always a possibility. Anyway if these rumours are indeed true, I think TNA is making a mistake in letting her go. She was the first ever Knockout Champion and helped build TNA a strong womens division.

I doubt she will resign with TNA if they do want her back. She isn't the most over face female in the division anymore and was somewhat being overshadowed by many others included ODB and Taylor Wilde. The WWE is a huge option for her. I can really see her on Raw competing for the Womens Title as Raw is currently low on female faces. She can put on an above average match and is a hard worker. I can't really see her on Smackdown as the WWE doesn't really care much about the new Divas Championship and has been proven by the lack of title defences by the champion Michelle McCool.

I do find the news shocking but hopefully this turns out to work out better for her as I'm sure the WWE could use Kim to their advantage. She is certainly a great talent and could be useful to any wrestling promotion. I really do hope she goes to WWE and actually is given a decent push to the top of Raw's womens division. Hopefully the WWE realize what a great talent she is and offers her a contract.

 

[JasonLives]

I say bullshit until more details are released.
If her contract was coming up then why even start a angle with her "sister"?? Then she shouldnt have even been at last weeks taping.
She posted a blog two days ago saying that everything was fine and promoted her recent angle, why do that if your leaving the next day??

I smell Russo and TNA trying to get more attention and hits on their website...

 

[Dead Kennedy]

Well, if it is true, this is a great opportunity for WWE to retcon one of their worst executive moves - releasing her. C'mon, she's a better wrestler than 90% of the WWE Divas. I remember being pissed when she was first released, but I was glad that she got the push she warranted in TNA. Why the hell they would push Taylor Wilde instead of her is a mystery to me though. Again, this is WWE's chance. But she should do whatever she feels like.

 

[K++s]

Well, if it is true, this is a great opportunity for WWE to retcon one of their worst executive moves - releasing her. C'mon, she's a better wrestler than 90% of the WWE Divas. I remember being pissed when she was first released, but I was glad that she got the push she warranted in TNA. Why the hell they would push Taylor Wilde instead of her is a mystery to me though. Again, this is WWE's chance. But she should do whatever she feels like.

I'm surprised that TNA would let her go, even though she might not be in the "marquee" feud, she was a cornerstone of the Knockouts in much the same way that Trish was for the WWE for years.

From her perspective, I'm not as surprised. It seems she hit the same problem that Bret Hart hit years and years ago when he was a "pure face" (and before he went evil Canadian). There was nothing particularly distinctive about her except that she was the "good guy" which doesn't seem to get over as much when you have more shades of grey characters and it didn't seem that TNA was planning on changing that up anytime soon.

 

[anonymous]

I just read on pwinsider that Gail Kim's release is that her contract is expiring, and WWE is offereing some really good money to her. The split is amicable, and the door is open anytime for her. From what I have read and if it is true, then the decision was all financial on Gail's part. If this is true, I am happy that there is no heat for this split. In my opinion, it just goes to show that WWE is keeping an eye out when it comes to TNA.

 

[MachoMan]

This news is actually really dissapointing to me. I was really hoping to get to see her wrestle again in Toronto at No Surrender. I got to see her wrestle in Toronto at a TNA house show last year and she was awesome.

I would be glad if this was a work but if it's not, I'll miss out on watching a great talent live.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

I think in a wrestling stand point this maybe a mistake for Kim to leave TNA to go to WWE, but in a financial stand point Kim will probably make alot more in the WWE than in TNA, even if she is just jobbing to the likes of Kelly, Maria, & McCool. I hope Kim, recieves a proper push in the women's division, and I think a Kim/Pheonix would would be good since she seems to work well with the "bigger & powerful" women. The WWE may try to bury Kim because she comes from TNA, but I see her rising above it and become a top diva(for what its worth).

 

[BigJeff]

I'm disappointed she is leaving TNA but hope she comes back someday.

The wwe should welcome her back with open arms and not care she comes back from TNA. That's one of the wwe's MANY problems, they bury wrestlers from other companies instead of taking advantage of the popularity the new wrestlers can bring. I guess mcmahon doesn't think the wwe could compete if they ackknowledged other companies exsist.

 

[RVDgurl]

This is upsetting to me. For all it's faults, TNA has successfully gotten me interested in watching women's wrestling. And I very much enjoy Gail Kim. I am curious to see this story develop. I find it strange that she is released so quietly after being pinned as the flagship for the Knockout Division. There must have been some serious backstage issues with her.

 

[superunknown012]

I'm definitely disappointed to see Gail leave TNA. I always thought she was a great talent and always enjoyed watching her work.

If she goes to WWE again I just hope they use her well, put her on Raw and feud her with Beth Phoenix - or perhaps turn her heel. Just for the love of God I hope they don't put her on Smackdown with that crappy "Diva's" title.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

Let me be the first to wish Lena Yada the best in all her future endeavors...haha.

Lena's done nothing since being signed. She didn't win the competition (still not sure why Eve won instead of Taryn, but who really cares), she hasn't wrestled, and she can't pull off the interviews. She received no reaction in the two dance-offs or whatever she was involved in. So really.....you'd have to wonder if the reason they kept her was because she's the only Asian. If Gail shows up in the WWE, you think when they realize that she can wrestle and Lena can't, that they'll keep Yada around? Doubt it.

As far as any excitement towards Kim coming...meh...I don't really care. She's a pretty good women's division wrestler, but she's not going to reinvigorate any real interest in the division in comparison to before. Add her to the roster, sure, cause she couldn't HURT the WWE by doing that, but I don't really care one way or the other.

 

[Kyphael]

I'm actually pretty excited about this. Gail Kim's character was becoming stale in TNA, she can offer a lot more to the WWE women's division than she can in TNA. WWE needs her much more than TNA does. There are many things wrong with TNA but their Knockouts division is not one of them; it's pretty much one of the few good things they didn't screw up. I can see Kim ending up on RAW, where there are potential feuds with Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Candice Michelle (when she returns) and Melina (when she returns.) All three of those feuds could be interesting and who knows? Maybe even Kelly Kelly. She is certainly improving in the ring, unlike many other divas who have been/were around for ages and still sucked. Torrie and Maria anyone?

 

[jcd61309]

Gail Kim leaving TNA has to be a potential red flag for TNA and here is why i say this. Kim was part of that group that was released around this time in 2005. TNA grabbed alot of those who were released and gave them 3 year deals, the others being Team 3-D, Rhino, and later in the year Christian. maybe its just me, but I think its a bit interesting that a boat load of lower card releases are coming around the time that these deals in TNA are coming up. I could definitly see Kim going to Raw and by the Holidays having the woman's title. As stated before, her potential matches with Beth, Mickie, Melina, Candice, and Katie Lea have the potential to be awesome. She is actually a former WWE womans champ back in 03, and now that shes more well known I would think a title reign would go over well. I could see like Mickie James facing Beth/Burchill and Mickie teasing that her partner is a former Womans champ, and then it would be Gail.

 

[Kyphael]

That's a good point but it would be a waste to put her on SmackDown upon her return. She is obviously over, so take advantage of that and put her on RAW where most of the talented women's wrestlers i nthe WWE are. Move her to SmackDown later on if she becomes stale where she'll be able to feud with Victoria, Natalya, and err... uhh... man, the SmackDown Divas is lacking serious talent. Even so, on SmackDown that anorexic bimbo known as Michelle McCool would only hold her down now that she has backstage pull since she's Undertaker's squeeze.

 

[Father:_Polley]

Gail Kim leaving TNA won't exactly kill the company. Ok, it doesn't help to lose the face of your Knockouts division, first champion and 'TNA made' star in Gail Kim. But she hasn't been able to compete with the likes of ODB and Shantele in the popularity stakes as of late.

I'd see her back in WWE happily, but the downside is that she's ex-TNA now, and more importantly than that...she was big in TNA. Harris tried that and it cost him, I can only hope that Gail recognises that a company that was willing to put a belt on her on her first night and then fire her a year or so later, would have no hesitations in doing the same thing, or using her to run down the knockouts division

 

[D.Miller]

This is a disappointment. Gail Kim is like the equivalent of WWE's former diva, Trish Stratus. They needed her, she was a great face for divas in the company, and also because she was damn good. I'm really appalled that the financial offering from WWE is influencing Gail Kim to return to there. Sure, good money! But the long-term consequences is what needs to be considered in terms of her career. Will they job her, killing off any rep she had from TNA? Will they proceed to rid her like a bad habit? Then she's got the travelling schedule. Can she keep up with the constant road running from global auto signings, house shows, overseas visits? She's accomplished becoming the only diva to win WWE Women's Championship on her debut which hopefully WWE keeps that in mind for some further credibility, and she has become first TNA Knockout Champion.

Now, WWE's diva division isn't all that great right now and I fear for how WWE will utilize Gail Kim and whether or not they will spoil the momentum she has going for her out of TNA. I understand that TNA had kept her on the back burner for a lengthy period but that was to only elevate the other divas like OPB. Besides, I think everyone had enough for a while of Kim and Kong combating because it does come down to that when they push her to the front. Honestly though, this will cost TNA considerably for not offering Kim a higher salary before her contract expiration and keeping her there. They may not desperately need her periodically on the front lines, but they will quite soon!

 

[Lithium66]

Its was a mistake that wwe let her go in the first place and a good job to hire her back.She did great on tna but If you get more money from some where eles you know you take it thats a fact.

I think she sexy and can wrestle so good luck for her in the wwe cant wait

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I don't see how this is important. She's ok, nothing special. She's over, but everyone is in TNA. She's also only in the women's division. People talk about it like it's important. It really isn't. People pay (I joke) to see the males, so losing a female, no matter how popular, won't have an effect.

As the first Knockout champion, what else exactly does she have left to do? Once you get the only female belt in the company you've achieved everything there is to do in the company. She can win it again, but she's she's not going to be as diverse as Kong.

 

[RatedR69]

I have no problem with anyone doing what's best for their future/family. Who wouldn't do the same in Gail's position? Second chance to be working for the greatest, all powerful wrestling company in the world, right?

That being said, I question WWE's real motives for offering her an insane amount of money to jump. I feel Vince just wants to make TNA pay dearly for making the "Diva Search" and pillow fight matches a joke, by taking a bite out of it's competition, when it's really not competition, at least money and power wise. Why in the hell was Gail released the first time, anyways? To pay for those Diva Searches, of course!! Did Hugh Hefner not like Gail's "look" at all back in the day? Or was it a case of We-have-nothing-for-you-itis that have led to so many WWE pink slips just recently?

Also, the "affirmative action" booking in WWE is also another factor. Would they really want Gail for her great wrestling, heart, and determination to make fans respect workrate, if Michael Hayes never got busted by the main streamed media? Seriously doubt it.