Hardy/Aries: How Will it Work?

[Cereal Killer]

Bound For Glory 2012 main event: Austin Aries vs Jeff Hardy. But how will it work?

It is a battle for the WHC and also popularity, but that's just it isn't it? Popularity. So both of them are faces and very over with the crowd, so how will a face V face work for the BFG main event?

Usually it is a Face v Heel but I just don't see this feud working. None of them will turn heel because whoever does, they'll still have some guys in the crowd cheering for them which could kind of get in the way of things. When AA was heel he got cheered and when Hardy was in that stupid group Immortal, he was cheered sometimes.

Face V face does happen sometimes but for BFG? Where is the personal "beef"? What will be the story behind it?

They can't simply fight for the title with no storyline behind it now can they, especially for TNA's biggest PPV of the year.

How do you think this match/feud will work out then?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

This is one of those scenarios where you don't actually need a heated story behind the process to make it work.

The story sells itself as a great match-up between two of TNA's best, one of whom is the current champion, the other of which is teetering on the precipice of culminating his redemption build. Fans will buy it because (A) it's Bound For Glory and (B) it's Jeff Hardy, fighting for the championship.

 

[ABMorales787]

It's a "Full Circle" story for Jeff Hardy who 2 years ago hit the lowest point of his life. One year ago he started his comeback and now he's set for redemption. Meanwhile, Austin Aries is the TNA Champion, but he isn't exactly a "proven champion". So far his list of challengers only reads one: Bobby Roode. He may have wins over Bully Ray and Samoa Joe on PPV, but he's never even been in the ring with someone the caliber of a AJ Styles or a Kurt Angle or a Sting and that what Jeff Hardy is to Aries. His toughest challenge to date.

It's a really simple story for these two: Redemption vs Acceptance. Both need this major win to prove their respective points which are major points of their careers.

 

[The Hillside]

You can do so many things with Aries and Hardy in a feud. This reminds me of Punk/Hardy feud on Smackdown over WHC.

Jeff Hardy can promote his comeback from hardship and his fight with drugs and depression and how this is a returning journey for him, just like Rocky used to make comebacks in his movies. He can also talk about his great matches with legends like HHH, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle and Randy Orton.

Austin Aries can talk about his rise from the indies to TNA World Champ and all the quality matches he has had in the past.

None of them needs to turn heel for this till the BFG match.

This match/feud solely needs to be built on promos, their past accomplishments and few tag-team matches as a team together and pick your poison matches leading towards BFG.

 

[UFOcalling]

The match to decide the WHC at Bound for Glory doesn't have to be a grudge match, nor does it need to have a heated feud between the two participants. That's part of the brilliance behind the BFG series, because it can (and did) result in a match like Aries vs. Hardy.

It's been pointed out (in several different threads now) that Jeff Hardy is probably TNA's most marketable and popular wrestler. Naming Hardy as the number one contender for the WHC is probably the smartest thing Impact Wrestling could have done for this year's Bound for Glory event. I know that Bully & Aries had a feud in the past (before Aries became WHC), and (if I'm not mistaken) that feud played a big part in turning A-Double into a full-fledged babyface. Aries vs. Bully might have made more "sense" from a kayfabe POV, but Aries vs. Hardy will sell more tickets and get more PPV buys.

As it's already been pointed out, Hardy has kept true to his word and stayed clean. If he beats Aries at BFG 2012, then his "one more shot" (as his current theme music states) will have come full circle. Well done by Impact Wrestling, especially the way the finals of the BFG series at No Surrender unfolded. Aries vs. Hardy is the smartest thing that TNA could have done to put butts in seats, with or without a heated rivalry.

 

[pepentorresHHH]

Im thinking theyll do a build up similar to the one we got at wrestlemania 17 for the rock vs stone cold. remember paul heyman´s words? " this is the match that both men need to win, but neither man can afford to lose", thats the whole build up right there, arguably the two best and hottest stars in the company going head to head because they need to be the best for different reasons..... Jeff needs the belt to achieve his redemption and finally beat his demons, while Austin Aries needs to win to prove that he can hang with the big boys in TNA and that he indeed is the greatest man to ever live.

 

[HBsam31]

This will be a great face vs. face match with Aries wanting to prove he can beat Hardy at the biggest ppv of TNA's year. For Hardy it is his career coming full circle going from disgraced to proving himself clean to being World Champ again. There doesn't really need to be any more of a story in that. They will just want to see who the better man is, and I am very much looking forward to this match.

 

[Beyond Pro Wrestling]

I for one think the faces and heels concept should dissapear, Aries and Hardy may both be faces but they have different personalities and that is something people forget, personality is what makes a wrestler over with a crowd and what makes a character progress. Also in my opinion face vs face is the definition of a dream match and Hardy vs Aries at TNA's WrestleMania is as big of a rematch that they can book. It should be a great night!

 

[SpecialFNK]

I agree with above. I don't think you need to have face vs heel as often anymore. there are too many heels that get cheered even though you're supposed to hate them.
this is where Jeff Hardy gets the title back. it's a feel good story with how far he dropped, and now has come back and stayed clean. it's time for him to be champion again. he should always remain face too.
Austin Aries had a nice story himself, cashing in the X division title to win the heavyweight title at Destination X. that was a feel good story for the little guy. but now it's time for him to lose that title and fall back into the main event/mid card level with the likes of AJ Styles, Anderson, RVD, ect.

 

[Sting's Stinger]

it should be a interesting match to say the least....but im thinking we may see an aries heel turn.....or maybe he pull a heel tatic move to win the match... Justr by looking at tna roster only top heels are Roode, Ray and Daniels..

it shouldnt happen cause tna been building aries up as a likeable face and even if he did turn heel the fans would still cheer him cause hes a cool heel

 

[ramblinroy682]

What should happen is, we get what many others are saying, a face versus face match that will sell the pay per view. I am an Aries fan and have been disappointed in his title run. It has felt like a major let down after his rise to the main event. I have been of the point of view that during the BFG series, you should have had an established champ wearing the gold instead of a freshly crowned champion. Regardless, Hardy overcoming his demons, coming from behind in BFG, overcoming A&8's, is enough to sell. I'm not a Hardy fan, but you can't argue he's over. I expect that the crowd will be hot at the PPV and this will get a large reaction. The smarks will be cheering Aries and the ladies, kids, and others will be cheering Hardy. The good thing for Aries is he will be counted on to carry the load on the mic during the feud.

Now, in the past, I think I could guarantee how this would have gone down. Instead of taking a match that could clearly establish Aries as "THE MAN" or Hardy as the new champ, in the past, I would guarantee that TNA would go with a non-finish, Aces and Eights interference. Setting up Hardy, Aries, Sting, etc. for a feud with the Aces. I still expect this to happen. But, maybe, just maybe, we'll get an excellent match, with a finish, and then an attack by the bikers.

BFG has to reveal the Aces and Eights. It has to. We have to get something. I hope that it doesn't interfere with Aries/Hardy. But, It probably will. Aries will probably lose the title on that interference. He'll immediately go into feud with them. Hardy will face the next contender, maybe Storm or Roode.

 

[FullBloodedNorthumbrian]

This is what should happen. The match starts off face vs face. Shake of the hands and 5 star match is produced. Just about near the end the referee gets knocked down. Out come Aces and Eights. Beatdown on Aries allowing Hardy to get the cover and become new champion. Aces come back in the ring and all join to raise hands with Jeff revealing him as the leader. Aries tries to get back up but Hardy gets a chair and starts a beatdown of his own. Huge heel turn.

 

[aza1294]

^yeah good idea, then hulk hogan eric bischoff abyss and jeff jarrett can join in on the celebration, they can be called immortal!

Seriously though i think this is perfect for bound for glory, two of your most over faces going 1 on 1, it sells itself. Like many other posters have said the promos building up to it, can consist of them both basically telling their story, with a few matches with A&8's or whatever along the way and they slowly begin to lose trust in each other, Hardy wins close match, hug it out, the end.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I don't think you're really going to need a deep rivarly in this match for it to potentially be a hit. Austin Aries is the hottest young star in TNA and Jeff Hardy is among the most popular pro wrestlers in the world for the past decade. Their popularity alone will be enough to generate interest among a good number of TNA fans.

I also have to agree with those saying that this is something of the culmination of a redemption thing for Jeff Hardy. We all know what happened at Victory Road in 2011 as it was possibly the most embarassing moment in wrestling history. Hardy's back in shape and is back to his old self inside the ring.

If TNA does ultimately go with this rather than having Hardy have to step aside due to "injury", then I expect it'll be a good match but I don't think it'll be one of these feuds that people will talk about for years to come. In the grand scheme of things, neither of these two are really "proven champions" at this point in time. It's true that Hardy has been a four time World Champion but all four of those runs, both in WWE and TNA, were pretty mediocre. Aries has kind of taken something of a backseat to the Aces & Eights storyline since becoming champion. He hasn't had a ton of attention placed as a lot of past champions have like Roode, Hardy, Styles and many others. He retained his title against Roode in their last match but it wasn't a "clean" or really decisive win.

Because of their comparatively weak runs as champ compared to many others TNA has had, there isn't really all that much for either one of them to lose. Losing to Hardy won't damage Aries' stock and vice versa. I think people will mostly be satisfied with a competetive face vs. face bout just for the fun of seeing who'll come out on top.

That simple route might be the best way to go as I just don't see it working any other way unless TNA suddenly up and turns Aries heel again. Hardy as a heel was a joke in my eyes and the man doesn't have the mic skills to carry his weight in a grudge match against a heel. In a face vs. face scenario, Hardy's lack of promo skills doesn't hinder him as much because the popularity of the two faces will be what fuels the interest rather than animosity.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

As some have said they don't need a big story to make the match work. Its actually pretty easy. You have Jeff Hardy, arguably TNA's most popular superstar who just one year ago was on the outs with fans and management due to showing up to Victory Road in the condition he did so he's looking for his redemption. Then you have Austin Aries, the current TNA champion who has been on an incredible roll since coming back to TNA, giving up his X division title for a shot at the TNA Heavyweight title. Aries has proven to be the best in TNA right now. So there's the story a man looking for redemption vs. the best in the world and current champion, that's all you need for the match.

At the end of the day I'm curious if it's gonna be Jeff fighting for the title. I know he won the BFG series but with Ace's and Eight's obviously gunning for him I could easily see him getting eliminated and the match going to the runner up Bully Ray (who I think is the leader of Aces and Eights). At the end of it all I think the match will ultimately involve Ace's and Eight's in some way and we will find out who these guys are finally, who the leader is and what their real purpose is.

All in all with everything going on this doesn't need to be a complex story. Simple and effective is a good way to go.

 

[adrian1982]

I don't think there will be a heel change, but there biggest worry is I think more people would be more interested in Roode vs Storm than Aries vs Hardy at bound for glory

 

[SacredMesa]

As has been said numerious times, you don't need a heel vs face for this or for it to be a personal heated fued. We already have the grudge match between Storm and Roode that has been building and promises to be brutal as it gets. Let Storm and Roode have the heated grudge match and give Aries and Hardy the feel good face vs face one looking for redemption the other looking to prove themselves match. It will create a nice contrast for the PPV.

 

[Da Prophet]

It'll work for the simple fact that Jeff Hardy is still one of the most popular superstars on the roster. He's an easy sell for TNA and putting him with Aries is the best idea they had for Bound for Glory. It's a smart move and it is going to pay off.

It's going to be Aries vs. Hardy for a championship on the biggest stage in the company. Hardy is going to draw in casual fans and Aries has the love of the internet. It's a perfect combination.

 

[The Pizzaman]

The Jeff Hardy and Austin Aries match should be one hell of a match as both can throw themselves around the ring with a flair that most wrestlers could only dream of doing. The thing is I don't think that Aries will be able to be shine in this match as Hardy is on such a roll and will dominate the match. If Aries is to retain his title he will have to resort to heel tactics to overcome the enigma and maybe help from interferance from A&8s.