It's Time To Start Revealing Aces & Eights Members

[Jack-Hammer]

The Aces & Eights angle has been running for a while now and, to me, it continues to look as though TNA is about to revive the faction wars angle that's been the company's major storyline for several years. Whether you're a fan of that idea or not, that at least looks like it's where they're ultimately going with it.

I think it's time for TNA to start putting names & faces with the group. I'm not saying that they should reveal whoever might be the ultimate mastermind or masterminds behind the group, but I think they've run their course as a nameless, faceless biker gang. There's so little clarity with the group in my view and I think TNA needs to expand upon things. The story of TNA wrestlers just banning together against this group of complete unknowns is getting stale and I just think some identities need to be put with A&Es in order to really provide someone to root against.

Last night was the second Thursday in two weeks in which we've seen the big mega brawl break out to close the show. Nothing wrong with that necessarily, but not even knowing what to call the "bad guys" is really starting to get stale for me.

 

[New Hot Fed]

I think it's starting to lose its power by not seeing the face of your enemy especially since most of them are unknown anyway. I will even say that if there's no big stars being unmasked it will be a letdown as who wants to see a bunch of uninteresting tugs anyway? They'll become a nuisance, like pests more than a threat. It has to be big stars at the helm to show they mean business. The nWo worked instantly because not only Razor and Diesel were stars in the WWF but they were pretty badass and winning championships for that company. The only comparable would be if it was Randy Orton and Batista leading the way.

 

[xavyer]

I agree, they should be reveald, maybe not all of them at the same time, but at least they should reveal two at a time so the roster know who they're dealing with, or the leader should and little by little start showing the identity of the rest of the faction, just a thought.......

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Yeah, the story is just dragging out. It's gotten absurd that TNA haven't captured or revealed the face of at least one of the bikers. It also doesn't feel like the story is advancing. Everyone on the internet is interested in who is behind the masks but no one in TNA seems to care or has the ability to pull off a mask, they just brawl and that is the end. This doesn't mean there won't be a great payoff in the end but for a storyline that really piqued my interest a month ago, it has lost serious steam the last two weeks.

I feel like I can just wait for the results to come out on the internet and go back to not watching TNA.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I still have some patience left, but yeah, revealing some of the more important members of this group would help the stroyline move along. After all, "the Mexican standoff leading to a brawl" stuff is starting to feel tiresome. We've seen a few members of Aces & Eights, but they were just scrubs and lackeys.

The reveals probably won't live up to the unrealistic expectations, but this storyline needs more progress. It hasn't reached the point of a standstill just yet, but the constant brawls and beatdowns are starting to feel a bit tedious. Once we know, who the members are, we can learn about their motivations for the attacks, and why all them have a collective grudge against TNA.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the Aces & Eights storyline. Hell, it's the main reason why I watch IW every week, but I want to see something new.

 

[JVisionz]

hey guys first time on the forum i do agree with the Subject but If you look at TNA they do this most of the time they bring guys early so they should but i have a feeling they will reveal at Bound For Glory

 

[SpecialFNK]

I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree.
I don't think they need to be in a rush to reveal anyone. especially if the members other than the leader are a bunch of unknowns. I have seen a bunch of names being thrown around for while now like Luke Gallows, Jay Bradley, Wes Brisco, Mike Knox, ect. names that really aren't known. what does it do if one of these guys are exposed now? you would end up with the Aces and Eights masked members and 1 unmasked guy who doesn't really matter.
I don't think it's a big deal who they are except for who the leader is. I don't think you're going to find out who the leader is until say Bound For Glory.

I thought the last 2 weeks were great, especially the end of last weeks show with the big brawl. there were so many decoys, and then the real members who attacked Aries.
last night we did get an unmasked shot. someone got on the ring apron unmasked where you could see his face, but then covered his face with his shirt before getting in the ring.

part of what is making this so interesting is the mystery of who they are. the internet doesn't even know. they have been using different guys behind the masks. like last night the guy talking in the distorted voice I'm pretty sure was D'Lo Brown, who I've seen mentioned as being used before. but I highly doubt he is actually going to be in the group.

 

[Doctor Awesome]

I agree that it would give the viewing audience something to work with seeing these guys unmasked over the next few weeks, or even a swerve where a member is part of a segment as them self, only to join Aces and 8's in a beat down. From there, as said before, give fans the opportunity to learn more about these key members who go on tv and talk about how their leader is coming, likely at BFG. Let's be realistic, there will not be massive star power in these members, but will likely be some faces fans know at least a little bit. Gallows seems most likely and he was doing a good job in WWE before getting the future endeavor, people at least know who he is and he can cut promos and carry them up to the leader's reveal. Others that many believe are members being Wes Brisco; get him some exposure and ring time. Everyone knows who his father and late uncle are, there is some familiarity right away. I think Cliff Compton is one of them, too. Good storyline, just time to give us a little more. If there is zero reveal before BFG this will have dragged out too long imo.

 

[Longtimeviewer25]

The leaders head looked like D’Lo Browns head i dont know if hes going to be the leader come reveal time but its for sure who is playing him now. I think thats why his voice was covered cause alot of his fans would have caught on im sure..

 

[PagingMr.ass]

The leaders head looked like D’Lo Browns head i dont know if hes going to be the leader come reveal time but its for sure who is playing him now. I think thats why his voice was covered cause alot of his fans would have caught on im sure..

If that was D-Lo, then he had to be standing in, as much of a d-lo fan I am there's no way this big angle can end with d-lo. I don't no if it was or wasn't, but if they were trying to make him stand in for another guy as not to have a big superstar be scene showing up to the arena and blowing his big suprise debut, then maybe Bobby Lashley is a possible name to throw out there. Although Lashley is bigger, there's still some physical resemblance and there where reports a few months ago that he's done chasing his MMA dream and wanted to get back into wrestling. i know he's been out of the spotlight for a while and probably won't have the world talking, but when it comes to bringing in former big name guys who are available to do this story line the pool is pretty shallow.

 

[Skinsley]

You are DAMN right Jackhammer.

This storyline over the past three or four weeks has begun to get extremely stale. People want to know WHO these guys are and exactly what their intentions are. They should start revealing a member every week or so and give a few more clues at what they are doing in TNA and why….. Bully Ray is doing his utmost to sell this story and there is only so long they can remain relevant and interesting without doing something a little different from the norm.

 

[aFTeRLiFe]

I am going to have to disagree on this...

They don't need to reveal them quite yet. They have revealed one guy, no idea who he was. But they keep adding different things, like the random guy that ran in at the end and put a mask over his face and hit Aries with the slapjack. Seems to just be getting stranger and stranger. I am liking it.

 

[EastCoastFan]

I think they can start revealing a few of the lesser guys, but the reveal of the leader should take longer. They need someone big and someone appropriate to be the leader of the group, otherwise it will all fall flat, like when Rikishi was revealed to be the driver of the car than ran over Steve Austin.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I don't see how a storyline that is based on mystery and questions will become more enjoyable by answering the main mystery and questions.

What? Are we watching Aces and Eights for their amazing attire? Or their skill in the ring? Or their mic work?

No, we like it because have no clue who they are and what they want. Revealing some of the lesser members adds absolutely nothing to the mix. So, we know who the fucks at the bottom are. It's Johnny, Tony and Phil. Well ... hooray? We can now see the faces of the people that don't matter. Now THAT makes a storyline worth a buck, don't it? It's going to be cool seeing them ... at first. Then we'll know and next week we're bored again.

They already unmasked one guy. You know, the blond dude with the bloody mouth? Did this add ANYTHING to the storyline AT ALL? Fuck no. Nobody knew who he was. Nobody cared.

And keeping those guys masked, but unmasking the higher ups and even the leader? You might just end the storyline next week if you do that. If you reveal the leader, you reveal the agenda. You reveal the agenda, you have to start steering the ship toward a final face-off with the response team. That or you reveal the leader, keep beating around the bush for weeks and bore people because you're not revealing why you're there. THAT gets stale because the biggest mystery is solved - their fucking masks are off. Then keeping the lesser guys masked is even dumber since absolutely nobody cares about who they are, unless they're WWE guys and that's never happening.

So, all in all - unmasking them would be the stupidest thing TNA can do at this point. If you're finding the storyline stale, believe me, it's not because of them being masked, it's because their actions are getting repetitive. It's because they have a blood brawl every week and nothing's really happening. They show up on the screen, say some Bane-esque shit and then they brawl brawl brawl.

Keep them masked for a while longer, at least before the very next Pay-Per-View or even Bound for Glory if you can keep it fresh. The mystery behind who these guys are is what makes this storyline good. It's the voices, the masks, the bikes, the cards. Why take any of that away right now? It makes us wonder. Plus, they're adding more layers to the whole thing. Seeing their faces makes no difference. If you want a reveal then don't reveal just their faces, reveal their agenda and WHO they are. That's what makes an individual interesting, not their face, and I'm afraid whatever A&8's agenda is, it's completely basic and mundane like every other stables'. That's why I think a LOT of people will be whining and moaning when the big reveal happens. These things tend to get extra hype due to the uncertainty of the finish and the seemingly limitless possibilities. And if you give wrestling fans limitless possibilities they'll cry their asses off unless the leader is Jesus Christ riding a rocket fueled unicorn slash velociraptor, holding a sloth in his arms and smoking a cigar.

They're already working toward the reveal anyway. Gotta take it slow as they have.

Did anyone notice that the ponytailed dude who jumped in the ring this past Thursday conveniently forgot to put his mask on and then did it with his back turned on the camera? Am I the only one who sees a set up clue for Joseph Park to sniff out and follow?

Unmasking them is not the answer. It's what makes them interesting. Remove that, even a bit, and you have just another stable.

 

[iamksmith684]

I may be mistaking but didnt the dude that hit Aries with flap jack look like Jeff Hardy? I dont think he forgot to put his mask on. I think it was part of the story line. It looked like Hardy to me. Like he jumped in the ring and pulled his shirt over his face. And when everyone was standing around at the end I didnt see him. I may b mistaken but thats who it looked like to me


Nevermind i watched the recap. it wasnt him

 

[suffolkspur]

No let's not go down the route of rushing the reveal. The problem with alot of people in society today is that they want everything now, they do not seem to be able to follow anything for any length of time. The reason this storyline has been so good is because of the slow build. People are speculating over the members but no-one really knows for certain and as of yet we do not know the reasons Aces and Eights are invading and indeed who is running the show.

Each week there have been subtle changes which have added to the mystery and continued the story moving forward. Without going into everything that has happened:

1) Initially we have a few people attack sting (more established members of the group)
2) We then have a few more established members of the group join in the attacks turning their attentions to other Impact stars
3) Hogan gets taken out
4) Impact stars call out Aces and Eights. We are introduced to the ideas of prospects and being "patched in" to the group, giving the group more of an identity, an idea of how they are run etc etc (less established members adding to the established members= group being bigger than we thought) Mass brawl to end a show
5) Most recent Impact, another brawl yes but this is different in the fact we have a guy come out and actually before entering the ring putting his mask on before attacking Aries (putting across the idea that the danger can come from anywhere, at any time from anyone). Also we have Parks starting his investigation which should add more from a storyline perspective.

There is plenty of mileage in this storyline as of yet. I doubt every member that we have seen on TV will actually be part of the roster going forward and many are there just to add numbers. Just relax and enjoy the subtle progression of the storyline. I can't remember a time when wrestling has kept me hooked like Impact has the past couple of months. I cant wait to see what happens on the next show.

 

[nxtgeneration]

i know this may seem random, but i think one of the guys who was sitting right next to the leader in the promo looked a hell of a lot like the tough enough winner andy (silent rage). i know its a long shot but thats what I reckoned he looked like

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

Okay so let's say next week they reveal the identities of two members. So will these two just stand around without their masks on while the rest keep them on? I can't see it. The only one who should be revealed is this Wes Brisco guy because we actually saw him talking to Angle and stuff.

I have no problem with keeping them masked for now. I am convinced the big guy is D'Lo, and if he were unmasked it would really kill this big mysterious biker character IMO because he's the one doing the promos and kicking Aries' ass.

 

[GameOver]

If that was D-Lo, then he had to be standing in, as much of a d-lo fan I am there's no way this big angle can end with d-lo. I don't no if it was or wasn't, but if they were trying to make him stand in for another guy as not to have a big superstar be scene showing up to the arena and blowing his big suprise debut, then maybe Bobby Lashley is a possible name to throw out there. Although Lashley is bigger, there's still some physical resemblance and there where reports a few months ago that he's done chasing his MMA dream and wanted to get back into wrestling. i know he's been out of the spotlight for a while and probably won't have the world talking, but when it comes to bringing in former big name guys who are available to do this story line the pool is pretty shallow.

i thought the same thing on impact this week the guy with the full black masked looked very like D-Lo doesn't mean he's part of it, just a member of that group that was there and i still reckon Abyss/Joseph Parks continues to be a part of it too, the guy doing all the talking sounds too much like him. and Joseph Parks would really be representing them.

and we know that form WWE guy Luke Gallows is obviously in there. so they don't need to reveal them

Seriously though i'm over it, just reveal it and lets get on with the infighting that will ensue, i applaud them for drawing it out and still keeping it somewhat interesting but that time has passed.

That and the guys that keep losing there masks or weren't masked in the first place but mysteriously don't get taped at that precise moment yet the live crowd would see them Botchamania.

 

[Bischoff's Knob Slobberer]

I may be mistaking but didnt the dude that hit Aries with flap jack look like Jeff Hardy? I dont think he forgot to put his mask on. I think it was part of the story line. It looked like Hardy to me. Like he jumped in the ring and pulled his shirt over his face. And when everyone was standing around at the end I didnt see him. I may b mistaken but thats who it looked like to me

I actually thought it was Matt Hardy. He seemed like a jacked up version of Matt to me. Maybe he's someone from OVW?

 

[vampxx24]

well... one of the members is clearly briscoe... and when he debuted in that segment watch his mannerisms....this has been brought up in a thread before

gallows will likely also be a memeber, as its already said hes playing one of the masked

the leader....if you look closely , watch mannerisms and whats going on in the storyline...its bully ray. the other week they had the segment with the leader talking then bullys match was right after which he did the same exact mannerisms as the leader did in the promo. they likely dont want to reveal him yet as his contract negotiations are still being dealt with and if he doesnt re-sign they can always swap someone else in. Revealing him to be the leader now, then have him leave would completely destroy the storyline so its obvious their waiting it out. just watching the storyline bully has been always directing the attention to someone else(storm) or leading them away.

 

[The HEEL JuiceLee]

I think 1 member should loose his mask.but i dont think it should be someone from TNA
forcing the reveal.Also that member should be a known face to the fans.Im thinking either some1 on the active roster,Isah Cash(Luke Gallows) or my prefered option would be Bobby Lashley.He should interupt a promo of someone like Bully Ray.Bully call's him
a coward hiding behind a mask.The guy takes off his mask,camera shows Bully or whoever it is reaction & they cant belive that person is involved with the group.Bully(or whoever) calls them to the ring for a 1on1 fight,then out come 3-5 A&8's that hold the unmasked guy back,they make him turn around & go back.Later you see who ever is in charge of the gang that night confronting him about taking off his mask & that wasn't part of the plan.tell the guy he is luck the club doesn't take his patch for that.


Also The big guy using the distorted voice was definatelt D'Lo.That is the reason for
the sunglasses.There is not alot of black guy's in wrestling.The only 1 with enough star
power to be in that position is Mark Henry or Booker T & we all know it's not them.
I doubt D'lo will be a part of the group when they are unmasked but that was most definately his big bald head delivering that promo.

 

[nightmare]

They should capture one or 2 guys and unmask them, keeping the rest a secret. Im not even sure TNA is 100% on exactly who to reveal as members yet and maybe thats why it hasnt happened. This way they can give a little reveal to the mystery but hold off for the 'big payday' reveal. Its prbably going to be at least 2 or 3 current roster members, so that wont be too big a surprise. The big question is who the other members will be. At least one guy is going to have to be a big name surprise, as well as who the leader is. I dont think having all of them unmask at once is a good idea, though. They need to start pulling the trigger on this, because having a few big brawls and not one guy has been unmasked is starting to wear thin.

 

[JIBJAB]

The guy who didnt have a mask isnt one of the hardys, Jeff had just finished a match with his face paint on, wouldnt hae time to remove it for that bit, and after screen-caping the guy without his mask the nose is different to Matt's. as for who it actually was I dnt know

 

[thebarber]

they will not reveal who the face are under the masks simply as the bodies are just hired mercenarys, they are nobodies. The puppet master is the only big reveal we are waiting on. We complain about storylines being rushed, holding off is a great way to keep people watching the product. TNA have a winner in this storyline, revealing who is behind it now will surely botch another cant lose angle.
I think it is all but a given that Jeff Jarrett is the mastermind behind this, coming back to take back his company, the company he and his dad started. I cannot see how anybody else would make much sense storyline wise.