Massive Shock! Bobby Lashley Returns To TNA!

[ABMorales787]

At Lockdown, ECIII issued an open challenge to replace the injured Kurt Angle. Who accepted? Read the title. Bobby Lashley popped up to great fanfare, Powerslammed and Speared the "New Face of American Wrestling". No match though as ECIII constantly repeated his would-be foe "doesn't have a contract".

It's certainly out of left field. What's going down with the return of Bobby Lashley? Will he do better this time on the roster?

Post-Show comments from the man himself:

 

[Harthan]

As long as he doesn't persist with the madness of wanting to do MMA at the same time, probably. Lashley is a decent wrestler although I haven't seen him in awhile. He'll do fine if he keeps his head in the game, probably.

 

[NancyBenoit]

It's as exciting as having a surprise savio vega return, who cares??? Then again it's tna which means every single wrestler gets a turn being champ, so I expect him to be champ asap. Then it will be the next nobody's turn.

 

[sTyLnK]

It's as exciting as having a surprise savio vega return, who cares??? Then again it's tna which means every single wrestler gets a turn being champ, so I expect him to be champ asap. Then it will be the next nobody's turn.

Sure as heck beats the WWE where no one gets to be. Wrestlers are acknowledged in TNA and get a fair chance. I've always liked that.

 

[ABMorales787]

It's as exciting as having a surprise savio vega return, who cares??? Then again it's tna which means every single wrestler gets a turn being champ, so I expect him to be champ asap. Then it will be the next nobody's turn.

Of course, because that happens so often.

It was a surprise to replace Kurt Angle and the crowd in attendance liked it. Deal with it.

 

[MWRedskins]

firstly, the return is a good major surprise for the fans of TNA who remember Lashley, but now the big negative. Will he be a FULL time TNA wrestler or will he work a program with EC3 then leave again?? i personally am and was and still am hoping that 1) he improved in the ring and that 2) he gives up on the MMA career and just stick to pro wrestling and stick with TNA.

 

[justinsayne]

Of course, because that happens so often.

It was a surprise to replace Kurt Angle and the crowd in attendance liked it. Deal with it.

Stealing Batista gimmick now are we?

I liked Lashley in WWE, his WWE title match vs. Cena GAB '07 was amazing, one of the best matches of that year in fact (or at least that I remember), give the guy a manager to speak for him & he should be just fine.

 

[Papa Pillman]

Shocking is an understatement. And kudos to TNA for keeping that cat in the bag. Let's hope he's in better ring shape and not as rusty as Batista(then again atleast he's not being instantly entered into the title picture and headlining BFG).

I just hope the end game isn't a stable of Lashley, Rampage, and King Mo. The fact that they're all black and fight MMA makes me feel like wrestling cliché says "make them a group". It would be pointless and unoriginal and TNA is better than that type of laziness right now.

 

[shalliin]

Bobby Lashley returns? Interesting timing. Thisisa movemade in a sad attempt to counter WWE's bringing back both Lesnar and Batista. He probably tried to get WWE interested in his coming bck but when that didn't, he tried with TNA and they took the line.

 

[ECPirate37]

I like the return. Wasn't he backstage at a WWE show a week or two ago? I can't remember when I read it. So this is unexpected. If they are bringing him in to job to EC3, this is brilliant. Even if he only stays around long enough for that (until Kurt is healthy enough to finish the feud), it will be a great signing.

I can't wait to see what happens. I thought this was a solid PPV through and through.

 

[MrPlatano1989]

As soon as his music hit I was hit with this feeling. It was the longest and shortest second ever! Me identifying the music as Bobby Lashleys! I got so excited and feared it was them reusing the old song on a new wrestler but then I saw the graphics on the screen and knew it was him. Seeing him actually come out made it even more exciting on a another level!

Ironically Lashley first debuted at Lockdown 5 years ago! They didn't get to use him too much as I would have liked before he focused on MMA full time. He did have a great program with Joe and Scott! At the time I dreamt of the infinite possibilities! Abyss vs Lashley, Morgan vs Lashley, AJ vs Lashley, most importantly Angle vs Lashley! Now I could hope my dreams will come true! lol

For the people thinking TNA is doing this because of Lesnar or Batista think again! Lashley simply put has unbelievable potential. Great work ethic, look, personality, youth, everything you could want in a wrestler. Also it seems like they intend to use him to his full potential this time, and he also seems ready to give it another go! I definitely think if him and WWE never had a falling out he would have continued to have a top spot. I mean he already climbed the ranks of ECW and was placed into the most advertised mania match that year against Umaga with Vince and Trump. Not to mention main event against Cena a few months later. He's one of those guys still in prime shape, and filled with untapped potential waiting to explode, ring wise and story wise

 

[MINISTRYrising]

As long as Bobby can focus on his Wrestling this time around and not get distracted by MMA, Then I'm Sure he will be a great addition to the Roster. With Sting now gone and Kurt being out until who knows when, TNA could do with somebody like Lashley to fill the void left by both men and help put over some of the younger tallent on the roster like EC3 and Samual Shaw. Also Bobby looks to still be in great shape which gives him a advantage over a lot of guys TNA have signed in the past like Nash and Steiner that have been limited to what they are able to do ring which has ended up hindering the company instead of helping it.

 

[kumarjtk]

i am not shocked. I surprised he is back on tna. Last time i see him in tna a few years back and then gone.

Lets wait and see how he doing now in tna.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

One of the only legitimate surprises we've seen in wrestling in a long while these last few years. The internet, for all it's greatness, absolutely ruins pro wrestling debuts and returns like 99.9% of the time.

Frankly, if you're gonna replace Angle, now out for a while with surgery, who better than "Black Angle"? Lashley is an American wrestler too, so this whole American Icon thing can probably go on for a bit.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

If this return is for the forseeable future, they need to build behind this guy, 110%. Capable of having great matches, and has the look of a star.

 

[Uncle Sam]

This has me thinking back to Lashley's original TNA run and how damn confusing it was. He was a heel, he was a face. He was "The Boss," he was "The Thunder God." He was there, then he wasn't. His wife came to cut promos for him, then one day she cut one where they quit, then, sure enough, they were gone. Baffling.

I don't remember how good Lashley was - it's been literally years since I've watched anything with him in it - but I do recall people thinking he was a pretty big deal, including WWE management; the same WWE management who gave him the ECW Championship and emphasised that he was a part of the same 'trinity' as Cena (as WWE Champion) and Undertaker (as World Heavyweight Champion).

Frankly, if you're gonna replace Angle, now out for a while with surgery, who better than "Black Angle"? Lashley is an American wrestler too, so this whole American Icon thing can probably go on for a bit.

I thought he was more widely consider Black Lesnar. Blesnar if you will.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

If this return is for the forseeable future, they need to build behind this guy, 110%. Capable of having great matches, and has the look of a star.

His commitment to being a wrestler full-time is what's kept him back in the company, IMO. From what I recall, they had huge plans for him the first time around, but had to scrap them when he decided to go back to MMA.

I thought he was more widely consider Black Lesnar. Blesnar if you will.

You could be right. I probably have it backwards.

 

[KitsuneDreamer]

I had no idea of Lashley returning to TNA and it was awesome. It came on a night where TNA put on a really solid PPV, and it made it better. I do like the EC3 feud first, get us used to him again, then start pushing him upwards. Would love to see him in a Monster's Ball Match.

 

[The Eighties]

I was never a fan of Lashley but it was certainly a surprise and he got a decent enough reaction. He can't talk and has an expressionless face, but he's a big, impressive athlete and TNA need some main event depth, so I'd say he's a solid pick-up for the company.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

His commitment to being a wrestler full-time is what's kept him back in the company, IMO. From what I recall, they had huge plans for him the first time around, but had to scrap them when he decided to go back to MMA.

Hence the first sentance of my post. Obviously you dont get behind someone who isn't fully committed, TNA needs substantial consistency as much as anything.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Hence the first sentance of my post. Obviously you dont get behind someone who isn't fully committed, TNA needs substantial consistency as much as anything.

Absolutely. Now, more than ever too, in this new "era" of the company coming out of what was arguably it's darkest (2010-2012). The fan perception, the ratings, etc. are all in the toilet, which is why this reset button needed to be pushed in the first place. The next step in that line was consistency, which we're also seeing, ultimately followed by (as a natural order), the berth of new stars.

Now, I get that Lashley isn't "new" in the sense of being a face fans in the company haven't seen before, but he is new in the sense of being the type of guy, like Angle before him, who can come in with an existing level of stardom, at the right age (unlike Nash or Hall or the like before him) that TNA can build on and establish a long-term legacy with. Angle, for example, is largely seen as a "WWE guy", but what a lot of fans may not realize is that he's actually now spent equal parts of his career in TNA (eight years) as he did prior in WWE. Jeff Hardy is in a similar position as well. So yeah, while you may not change every mind, you can still use existing talents who dedicate themselves to your company as a jumping off point.

I'm in the same boat you are here, too. If he's committed to TNA, TNA should commit to him and push him to the moon. He may lack in the vocals, but he has the look of a dominant main event star, and as Jeff Hardy can certainly attest to, since when is a lackluster ability on the mic a hinderance to stardom?

 

[InsomniaMusic]

Shocking is an understatement. And kudos to TNA for keeping that cat in the bag. Let's hope he's in better ring shape and not as rusty as Batista(then again atleast he's not being instantly entered into the title picture and headlining BFG).

I just hope the end game isn't a stable of Lashley, Rampage, and King Mo. The fact that they're all black and fight MMA makes me feel like wrestling cliché says "make them a group". It would be pointless and unoriginal and TNA is better than that type of laziness right now.

I wouldn't mind if they had a true veteran in the group.


What black wrestling gimmick is not cliched

At least lets have some cliches where we are not criminals or coming out of the jungles of africa