If Benoit and Guerrerro went to TNA...

[AlwaysHasBeen]

If Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrerro never passed on and left WWE's PG-era for TNA, how different do you think TNA would have been? Do you think they would bring enough star power to catapult TNA into a real competition with WWE?

Along those same lines...who do you think would be the one talent acquisition not yet signed to TNA who could give TNA a real shot at competing with VKM?

 

[realdealasshole]

TNA would be exactly where they're at right now: achieving the same ratings week in and week out right around 1.1. The problem with TNA is certainly not star power. It's the matter of how they use their wrestlers. TNA has a roster that is head and shoulders above the WWE. It was even better before Hogan and Bischoff came in and fired the likes of Christopher Daniels, Homicide, etc. Fact is though, the problem is not star power or roster problem. The problem is creative. Specifically Hogan, Bischoff, Russo, and Jarrett. If I tried, I couldn't come up with a worse creative team.

 

[wrestler36]

Although two of my favorites, I have to say that they would not have made much of an impact, at least ratings wise. The reason why both passed was because they were undersized and had such physical styles that they had to rely on outside influences to 1) Stay a 'heavyweight' in what naturally was their light heavyweight bodies and 2) use substances to block physical pain whether alcohol or prescription pain killers. Pushing themselves 3-5 years beyond what they were doing, what could they have brought to TNA? They would have been so beat up by now. I suppose I could see Eddie being the mouthpiece for Hernandez if he was still around, but I don't really see them making to much of an impact. They would be physically broken down and in their mid 40s. I could've seen them more as a backstage influence, teaching the younger guys more about selling and building matches, rather than having spot fests.

To answer your second question, I don't think it would be to necessarily to compete, but at least to make things interesting for TNA, would be if they were to sign Batista and he was built up as a monster for a few months and challenge for the TNA title. He's still somewhat fresh in the mind of wrestling fans and a true main eventer. Once again, not a long term solution, but I think it would add some interest to an ailing product.

 

[Fling_a_thong]

yeah i could see them main eventing, especially EG, but no,not much impact. they have about the same impact level as RVD, Jeff hardy, mick foley. those are previous main eventers in the wwe and they didnt really bring up their ratings. who knows what kind of bookings they would have had with bischoff (not a big fan of both which is why they left wcw in the first place), hogan (who thinks hes the only that can draw), and russo (need i say more)

TNA has the talent. they just dont have the mainstream, they need two day shows, they need to travel more, etc. with that being said, if batista and y2J goes in, maybe they may have a competition.

 

[californiachef84]

Benoit & Guerrero would not have had any effect on the ratings situation in TNA... They simply were not "main eventers". That is not to take anything away from their in ring ability. As much as I like their body of work, I do not know how anyone could believe that either two guys could sell pay per views or influence rating change.

I do not necessarily think that any "one" guy could change the landscape in TNA. With that said, if Hogan & Bischoff were to add the likes of Batista & Goldberg in their Immortal faction that would be enough to spike the ratings to around the level of what Smackdown does ( 1.6- 1.7). Jericho is in the same boat as Benoit & Guerrero. He would not get enough people to change the channel to watch TNA.

The biggest thing that they could do (but it will never happen) is if Immortal had Batista, Goldberg, & Brock Lesnar in it.

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

Nothing would change because Dixie isn't going fire the people who she needs to fire. If they had jumped they would be sitting in the sound studio being told to tow the company line or to leave. She doesn't want to hear how to make her company better, she wants to be told that she's a genius and that they are going in the right direction. Come to think of it, does Dixie even know that she's in the Wrestling business? She seems to think that she in the golf business and that those with the smaller numbers win... Smaller ratings, smaller buy-rates, smaller audiences at shows... I used to watch TNA a lot, now you couldn't pay me to sit through an entire episode of Impact, and Eddie or The Terminator wouldn't change that

 

[XgringolocoX]

No wrestler is going to change TNA. Tna's issues aren't in talent, there's no lack of it there. It's in how they're run and how creative screws up every storyline.
Jesus Christ WWE Superstar can't help TNA.
IF THE FUCKING ROCK WENT TO TNA IT'D BE EXACTLY THE SAME!!!!!!!!

 

[californiachef84]

No wrestler is going to change TNA. Tna's issues aren't in talent, there's no lack of it there. It's in how they're run and how creative screws up every storyline.
Jesus Christ WWE Superstar can't help TNA.
IF THE FUCKING ROCK WENT TO TNA IT'D BE EXACTLY THE SAME!!!!!!!!

That is not the entire truth... TNA does not have the exposure or history that the WWE has. WWE has basically of 40+ year history that they have to build on. WWE is viewed as being the only wrestling based promotion on planet earth. The IWC knows of TNA's existence, but outside of that TNA is just trying to get their name out there...

I do believe a group or outside faction would work, as long as the people involved were "legitimate" top names. WCW was successful with that formula, and there is no reason to think that it wouldn't work again. You have to draw in the people who watch the competition, and if enough of the competition "top names" start showing up in TNA then those fans do not feel like they are "cheating" on their beloved WWE.

 

[d_henderson1810]

I don't know if Benoit and Guerrero would have made an impact in TNA. But in Benoit's case especially, going to TNA would have been best for him and WWE.

I read somewhere that Benoit was very close to signing with WWE in 2006. His contract had run out, he was needed at home to help care for Nancy and his son (since their son, Daniel, needed full-time care) and the temptation of a better schedule, which would allow him to be home more often and have extended his career, was very tempting. Also, Jeff Jarrett wanted to sign Benoit, and re-ignite their Ladder match series from WCW.

But Vince McMahon offered a better contract. Apparently, Vince offered Benoit the world, but only after Benoit signed, Vince reneged on a lot of his promises. Vince had no intention of pushing Benoit, but just re-signed him, so he wouldn't lose him to TNA. Remember that Chris Jericho was on his hiatus at the time too, and Jarrett planned to sign both Benoit and Jericho to TNA.

I am not saying that, if Benoit was in TNA, he, Nancy and Daniel would be alive today. I think that, with years of steriod abuse and head knocks, he was too far gone for the incident to be prevented. But if Benoit had gone to TNA, WWE wouldn't have got as much press over the murders, as it would be TNA who would be copping it instead.

 

[TUFFY54]

Hulk Hogan - most popular wrestler of all time
Ric Flair - most entertaining wrestler of all time
Sting - most popular wrestler in the history of WCW
Jeff Hardy - second most popular wrestler in the WWE three months before going to TNA
RVD -one of the most popular wrestlers among smark fans ever
A J Styles - best in ring performer alive today
Mr Anderson - one of wrestling hottest stars
Eric Bischoff - the man that beat Vince McMahon
Kurt Angle - Olympic Gold Medalist and the best in ring worker ever

If you can't have the number one wrestling show with talent like this, you are a total moron.

 

[mayankeagle]

With Sting, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, RVD, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair - TNA does not lack in star power or in technical wrestlers. They need better storylines to compete with the WWE. God knows why Hogan doesn't retire - somebody needs to tell him that he doesn't have it in him any more (never had, as a matter of fact).

Tuffy54 - LoL, good point.

 

[wwefan4lyfe]

1st of all why is this thread about what would happen if 2 dead wrestlers were in tna instead of asking what would happen if 2 wrestlers that are still alive were in tna?...i mean damn why do people always wanna make threads about dead wrestlers being in other companies....what would happen if andre the giant was in tna or if big bossman was in tna?...i mean really who cares,all 4 of them are dead so we will never know what will happen...how about making a thread asking what john cena and randy orton would do if they was in tna

 

[Rasha]

1st of all why is this thread about what would happen if 2 dead wrestlers were in tna instead of asking what would happen if 2 wrestlers that are still alive were in tna?

Man, I was just about to make this same reply. I guess there's nothing wrong with fantasizing and playing "What If," but if we're going to change life/death scenarios then we might as well have threads about "What if Sting had died dropping from the ceiling instead of Owen" or "What if Yokozuna killed the Undertaker with a botched Banzai Drop?" Now if I started one of those threads I'd probably get flamed for being morbid and wasting time, so what's the difference?

Further, I think it's disrespectful to Eddie's memory to constantly link him with Benoit. They died under very different circumstances. In fact, I'll throw Hennig, Pillman, and all the others in there too; it's unfair when Benoit's lumped in with them as "just another dead wrestler." I know it ultimately comes down to personal preference and your willingness to ignore (or "forgive") the facts, but it's always bothered me.

 

[mral82]

They wouldn't have gone to TNA cause Russo was there and that was 1 of the main reasons the left WCW was Russo pushed his boys and not the deserving ones like Benoit and Guerrero.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

They would have come in and had good matches (obviously) but would they have made a big impact on the ratings? NO. Perhaps a little increase, but nothing to make Vince lose any sleep.

Benoit, while still over, was a fading talent at the time of his death, and would simply have faded even more in TNA. Although the lighter schedule would have been better on his battered body, and he would have been given the world title, his lack of mic skills would have held him back, as they always did in WWE. While one of the best wrestlers on the planet, Benoits lack of charisma would have stopped TNA from building the company round him, and he would simply have been a Booker T style minor role, in what became the Main Event Mafia. If he joined the Front Line, he could have reignited a feud with Kurt Angle, or faced fellow submission expert Samoa Joe.

Eddie would have had more of an effect on ratings, as he was a bigger star and a more popular wrestler than Benoit. Again, Eddie would have been given the world title and I do think he would have had a better run than Benoit. Eddie was universally loved and respected, and would have been a great example to overcoming adversity to the rest of the TNA roster. I could see him in great matches with AJ Styles or Kurt Angle (again).

I think that both would have retired within a few years, due to their ring styles, age and need to take medication to overcome their injuries. I think Benoit would have ended up a trainer backstage, while Eddie would use his natural charisma as a face authority figure, or a manager with a new latin superstar

 

[Wrestling Free Thinker]

Well considering how both of them died BEFORE WWE went PG, they wouldn't have left the WWE PG era.

Eddie would probably still die though...
And Benoit too since his brain was so messed up.


You'd have the "dream matches" of Eddie vs AJ and Benoit vs Joe.

 

[ThirstyHamburger]

Everyone is saying it, and it's the truth. TNA has the stars, even if they are all drugged up and sloppy, but they don't have the mind for the business.

I think Russo sucks, never liked him. Bischoff has been running off of one good idea for 14 years. Hogan...well Hogan is a wrestling cancer. For christs sake he was big on Abyss! That's all I will say.

TNA needs a creative, intelligent, level headed, wrestling/storyline orientated leader who has the MIND for the business.

TNA needs Paul Heyman.

Fire Russo, Bischoff, and Hogan. Tell them thanks for nothing. Bring Heyman in and watch him lead the way.

Obviously this will never happen. TNA will be bloated, belly-up, and broke in the next couple of years if they don't change things now.

Oh well, wresting sucks anyways.

 

[LSN80]

Benoit and Guerrero were never true ratings grabs. They were proficeint technical wrestlers beloved by the IWC, but they are sadly held in higher standard upon their deaths then they were while alive. Both men received token World title reigns, but neither actually brought in ratings while they were champions. In fact, it was during their time as champion that brought about the need to develop new stars, as their championship reigns were rather lackluster. Benoit's indirectly lead to the "evolution" of Batista as a main eventer, and Guerrero's the same to John Cena as one. Neither guy had enough "appeal" that they could hold together a show on their own.

The only person I could see that would be a huge ratings grab would be a John Cena. Many of the wrestlers listed above are beyond their time such as Hogan, Flair, and Foley, so it's not a shock that they haven't produced ratings. But the one person that has been proven to have a significant impact on the Raw ratings has been John Cena. When he returned at Survivor Series 08 after breaking his neck at Summerslam, ratings went through the roof on Raw. When Cena first came to Raw, the numbers did a massive jump ahead. Like him or hate him, Cena jumping to TNA for shock value alone would likely have a massive impact on their ratings. I can't think of anyone else who would create such a legitimate shock and ratings grab then John Cena would.

 

[THEGRANDSLAM]

Hulk Hogan - most popular wrestler of all time
Ric Flair - most entertaining wrestler of all time
Sting - most popular wrestler in the history of WCW
Jeff Hardy - second most popular wrestler in the WWE three months before going to TNA
RVD -one of the most popular wrestlers among smark fans ever
A J Styles - best in ring performer alive today
Mr Anderson - one of wrestling hottest stars
Eric Bischoff - the man that beat Vince McMahon
Kurt Angle - Olympic Gold Medalist and the best in ring worker ever

If you can't have the number one wrestling show with talent like this, you are a total moron.

Very good point, I think with Hogan being there and TNA still being stuck on 1.1 shows that talent isn't the issue. It's WWE's history and established fan base that they're competing with.

I don't agree with Kurt Angle being the best worker ever or Eric Bischoff BEAT Vince McMahon. He was BEATING him but then eventually got BEAT himself but I digress.

 

[AndarielHalo]

HISPANIC FIRE and the CRAZED HEDGEHOG in TNA! However, I agree with TUFFY54's post. If you have a roster with talent like that and you're not the number one show in wrestling---or at the very least number TWO show (and not by process of elimination) then you have serious business problems that bringing in more ex-WWE guys would not help.

 

[Rasha]

Hulk Hogan - most popular wrestler of all time
Ric Flair - most entertaining wrestler of all time

So if the Carolina Panthers signed Joe Montana and Jerry Rice would that make them a Super Bowl contender again? Unless you're picking up a time machine to go along with these guys, their past greatness has a rather limited usefulness.

Sting - most popular wrestler in the history of WCW

Same principle... if Hogan and Flair are Montana/Rice then Sting is Brett Favre. He's still got some good ones in him, but not enough to be the face of a #1 company.

Jeff Hardy - second most popular wrestler in the WWE three months before going to TNA
RVD -one of the most popular wrestlers among smark fans ever

I'd love these guys as part of my upper midcard, but as my current and most recent World Champions? Doesn't sound like a winner to me. I'd like my headlining guys to at least be decent on the mic.

A J Styles - best in ring performer alive today

He's been caught in the crossfire as TNA's best homegrown talent but still not recognized by the casual fans and WWE-only crowd. Hopefully they start featuring him more.

Mr Anderson - one of wrestling hottest stars

Define "hottest." If it means a guy of relative notoriety but without a huge cult following, then you're right. But let's not pretend that his arrival in TNA was on the same level as something like Jericho showing up in the WWE. Still has a long way to go.

Eric Bischoff - the man that beat Vince McMahon

Won a battle, lost the war, then ended up working for Vince. Not to keep using football comparisons, but ask Redskins fans how Joe Gibbs and Mike Shanahan have worked out on their second chances.

Kurt Angle - Olympic Gold Medalist and the best in ring worker ever

Yes, but where is he? Showing up once every couple of weeks to stare at Jarrett isn't going to draw ratings.

 

[AndarielHalo]

Rasha, your point is not applicable to sports. Sports involves picking up the best athletes to compete for the team. The best equivalent for TNA today would probably be something like the Miami Heat with LeBron James, and those other two guys. Aside from some initial disappointments, I hear the Heat are doing great with them.

TNA is not doing great at all. You don't even need Hogan or Flair to wrestle weekly to bring in ratings.

 

[CuddleBuns84]

I'll try to stick with the question...

If Benoit and Guerrerro went to TNA, what would that do? What would happen?

It would be the same thing when Angle went to TNA... It was good for TNA, and that's about it.

Great ring workers, decent on the mic. Good talent... Won't make a huge difference.

WWE is a marketing machine. They advertise the hell out of their events, both national and locally. They can take a guy like the Miz, give him a push, and market the guy, and make him a decent draw.

TNA can take a guy like Jeff Hardy, who is already a huge draw, and make him a low key draw... They have the star power, but they don't have marketing, or the locations to host events.

 

[Kitten Cutter]

If Benoit and Guerrero went to TNA:

- The wrestling would have grown considerably more awesome. Imagine the dream matches with Samoa Joe, Styles, Daniels, and maybe even Abyss. Guerrero would have been the Ric Flair of TNA (multiple title reigns, top guy for a long period of time) because I think his mic skills were pretty great and Benoit would been the HHH of TNA (Ironman and franchise guy) only without the politics. The ratings wouldn't have risen, but they'd be more ECW like, having a strong following with the hardcore fans.

- Mysterio would never have become World Champion, Vickie Guerrero wouldn't have become the most hated female is wrestling history, and Chavo Guerrero would have been wished well in his future endeavors.

- The Wellness Policy wouldn't have been as strong as it now, and maybe more wrestlers would have unfortunately died.

- Had the tragedies still happened, it would have probably collapsed TNA altogether. I don't think Jarrett would have had the strength to keep the company going. The WWE had its issues when it happened, but TNA's closer-knit locker room would probably have been too devastated to even have shows for a time.

 

[mrbrownstone]

If Benoit and Guerrero had gone to TNA I really think it would have shit all difference. Sure the in ring side of things would have gone up but that would be where it stopped, it certainly wouldn't have helped them compete with the WWE as lets face it, those two were never very big draws, the periods when they were champs was a pretty bad time for WWE in terms of ratings. Plus if a guy like Jeff Hardy who was bordering on being the biggest face in the WWE and was a big draw cant help them compete with the WWE then there is no way that two glorified Upper Mid-Carders would.