Mr. Anderson, your new TNA World Heavyweight Champion?

[It's Damn Real!]

Couple of things here...

1. We all want consistency and culmination to angles, right?

2. We want more heels in TNA's upper echelon, yeah?​

The answer is quite obviously yes to both, so the question is, why doesn't Mr. Anderson walk out of Victory Road the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion come Sunday?

Hear me out...

I know Anderson is a face (tweener) right now – operative word here – and I realize he's not directly involved in a feud with Abyss or RVD for that matter, or really even Hardy, but isn't the groundwork laid there for it all if you think about it for a moment?

The psychology and level of trust between Hardy & Anderson has been tentative over the last few weeks, especially if you consider the moment on iMPACT! last week when Anderson "inadvertently" hit Hardy with the chair and stood there seemingly without remorse for a moment. While they've worked moderately well as a tag-team, there's been quite a few moments where you could smell blood in the water but the shark (Anderson) swam away for some odd reason. What better than to kill two birds with one stone by allowing Anderson to betray Hardy at Victory Road for a chance to win the big one, and at the same time re-establish himself as the top-heel in TNA to help re-ignite his eventual feud with Pope, as well as the soon-to-be Anderson/Angle III (can you say Bound for Glory)?

Let's not forget that Anderson had a very sudden "change of heart" with Hogan not a few months ago following his second loss to Angle, so wouldn't it also work to TNA's advantage to come full circle there as well with regard to him having worked Hogan in addition to Hardy?

Is a heel swerve really that ridiculous a concept to be done on the drop of a dime for someone like Anderson? I mean honestly, did/does anyone really buy this face-turn as a permanent, or even semi-permanent stay anyway?

--

That said, it's Q&A Time!

• What do you think of the idea of Mr. Anderson as the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, and subsequently how does that affect the landscape of TNA's upper tier?

• Would a swerve finish (like the one I've proposed) damage any ancillary story lines that are still relatively fresh in the top tier like Sting/Jarrett or Bischoff/Hogan/Carter/Sting, and if so, how?

 

[StopFantasyBooking]

This would definitely mess up plans to give Hogan the belt through his feud with Abyss, brother.

That being said, Anderson is an awful face, just as he was in WWE. His character is a much better heel. A heel champion Anderson would be hated enough to reignite a very lame Hardy/Anderson feud.

 

[Money Inc.]

• What do you think of the idea of Mr. Anderson as the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, and subsequently how does that affect the landscape of TNA's upper tier?

In my head I think they are crazy if they don't either have RVD retain the title, or have Anderson win it. The thing that has me worried, I wonder if they might put it on Abyss to legitimize this heel turn against Hogan.

I feel if Anderson wins it you have potential feuds with almost anybody. I agree with IDR it's hard not to think giving the strap to Anderson is the smartest plan out there.

Although if RVD retains I wouldn't mind it one bit. I've always been a fan for long title reigns (why I think AJ is fizzling out so quickly as a heel right now)

• Would a swerve finish (like the one I've proposed) damage any ancillary story lines that are still relatively fresh in the top tier like Sting/Jarrett or Bischoff/Hogan/Carter/Sting, and if so, how?

I'd almost bet money this match doesn't finish clean. You have the feud with Abyss/Hogan, you have Sting who will be there no matter how long he's suspended.

I see it going one of these ways

1) Anderson or Hardy turn heel and win the title

2) Abyss wins the title with the help of somebody

3) Sting gets involved and it becomes 1 big cluster****

I'm rooting for scenario #1 right now (mainly Anderson) but something tells me # 2 and 3 are the likely scenarios.

 

[mister_b1LL]

I am down for Anderson winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and if he wins I fully expect a swerve where Anderson turns heel again. We all know Anderson has fans, but he shouldn't be fully expected to pander to them because we all know he makes a great heel. Thus he should go back to his roots. We'd expect it, but there's nothing wrong with knowing what's coming. Sometimes I wish WWE would understand that.

A swerve finish would not change anything. Anderson compared to the other guys in the match is the guy you would least expect to be the winner of this match. And if he does, well he's not really directly affecting any other storylines, sort of like how RVD isn't sticking his nose in other people's business. Probably the only people who would be affected by this are the guys already in the top tier, which also happen to be the guys in the Victory Road match. For main events, that's not so bad.

 

[goodlay]

I like Anderson, and he's one of my favorite guys in TNA. Would I like to see him turn heel? I wouldn't mind it, as I think he's better in the role of a true asshole heel. He's got the great mic skills to be a face, but I don't really like how they've made him weaker as a face. As a heel, this guy was fearless, and he would fight anyone. The man who disrespected the Pope and Angle, and ended up taking Pope out of TNA for months.

We've seen the seeds planted - The close calls with almost turning on Hardy on several occasions, specifically with the chair shot on iMPACT last week. The Pope called him out last week saying he's just bs'ing pandering to the fans and being a "good guy". Right now I think TNA wants us to think Abyss will win the title, but with Russo there, who knows what can happen. It makes sense, and I can definitely see Anderson turning on Hardy and screwing him over to win the title. Plus, remember the meeting with Hogan/Anderson months back? Where Hogan said that if Anderson continues this behavior, he won't be in TNA. So it makes sense that this face turn was just done by Anderson as a way to get to the top of TNA, and that he doesn't give a damn about Hardy or the TNA fans.

My thing is: Is Anderson ready for a world title run? We almost saw it in WWE but he got injured and "lost" his MITB briefcase. But if Anderson is gonna get a title run, at least he'll be heel. That sets up great potential matches/feuds with Hardy, Pope, and Angle.

To answer your second question IDR, I don't think it damages or hurts any storylines. Actually I think it helps incorporate past ones and helps with storyline continuity, which everyone is dieing for in TNA. Because with Anderson turning heel, it sets up a great betrayl storyline with Hardy, it continues his feud with Pope, and when Angle gets to the top of the contenders list, you could have one final match with those two.

It would be weird to see the TNA World Title around the waist of Anderson at first, but I think it could work out pretty well for TNA.

 

[hardy8778]

I could see MR. Anderson becoming champ but sunday the way that Abyss is going that won't happen because if you can tell Anderson will be playing a tweener in his run as champ will end when Angle comes back a double turn will happen this time Anderson will be a face and angle will be heel

 

[Kenny Powers]

I think it would be great to see Anderson win the title and either The Pope or Angle could challenge him down the road. Between now and Bound For Glory Anderson could have title matches against RVD, Jeff Hardy, and Pope. Then he could possibly have another great match up with Kurt Angle at Bound For Glory. TNA is desperate for some top heels now and no matter how popular Anderson is, I think he is better suited as a heel. Abyss is a main event heel now but people still don't give a damn about him.

I think Hogan is really the only one who cares about Abyss. I'm afraid that Abyss will win the title and face Hogan at Bound For Glory for the championship. You know there is no way Hogan will job to him with the title on the line. Maybe Sting will cost RVD the match and Anderson can get the win.

Anderson could swerve all the talent and one by one the talent that Hogan, Bischoff and Dixie thought were on their side would soon turn against them. Hence the whole deception angle. Abyss has already turned. Maybe instead of having an ECW faction taking over TNA or Flair's faction, a heel team lead by Sting could be the ones taking over.

Anderson will have to change his promos though so he doesn't come off as a face. I really don't see a reason why Anderson couldn't be a top heel. I think one by one the people you thought were the faces of TNA could turn into top heels lead by Sting. It really doesn't matter how it works out, I just think it would be more beneficial to have Anderson as the heel champion that can work with anyone.

 

[Suneeboy]

Meh, why not is what I say. TNA is just trying to find what works and what will pacify the crowd for the time being while they navigate through shark infested waters. It sounds interesting, but I would prefer to see how it would be executed and hold my judgment for a later date.

I really don’t know what I would want to see at Victory Road, but as long as the title isn’t on Abyss after the match is over I can say that I’m not disappointed. Has to be a heel champ going into Bound For Glory, because it looks like Angle is poised to take out the top 10 by then and challenge for the title. So with their feud still moderately fresh, and Angle vs. Anderson match for the Title at Bound For Glory sounds reasonable.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Yeup.

Many forget, since its been so long, but Kenderson was once known as the next Austin. RVD, never going to get them past a certain level. Jeff Hardy is a nobody without the WWE machine driving him

Kenderson however...does all the same, if not more than he did in WWE, now. He is their only glimmering hope to carry ratings, and possibly push through to another level. Who was the leader of the Attitude era? Austin. So then who could be the leader of the mini attitdue era in TNA? Mini-Austin.

He is their best shot, their best chance, outside of Kurt Angle. Who, speaking of which, could work a very nice story arc coming after Kendersons title once he is done toppling the top ten rankings.

ah, if only TNA were competent enough to pull off such a thing

 

[a0161613]

I absolutely think it can happen and certainly think the relationship with Hardy is tenuous. I think that if TNA do let him win it, turn him heel by doing so at Hardy's expense (would be easy to do), then they are guaranteed a great feud with Hardy for the belt and then Pope.

A swerve finish like what I mentioned is their smartest option.

Anderson is definitely good enough to help the company to the next level. He can talk as good as anyone, gets a great reaction and can work too.

 

[Judah's Lion]

not only does it seem like a good idea to have Anderson win the belt here, but it seems like the only possible one that makes any sense.
RVD is not getting much done as champ IMO. since he's had the belt, his matches have not been the ones that people talk about and his feuds are lacking. when he won the title, it was amazing. since he's had the title, it's been a bit stale.
Hardy would be a good choice, but for his real life issues outside of the ring. he's not dependable. the WWE gave him the belt and that didn't help him work thru his drug issues either. so it's gonna be an issue always. whatever anyone's thoughts on it personally don't matter. there are very clear laws in the US about that stuff and if he's in jail, his title matches are gonna be pretty hard to pull off.
Abyss, sadly, is the second best option for walking out the champion. not "best" as in the "best idea" but "best" as in "most likely to happen". i have this nagging suspicion and fear that Abyss just might win the title and put it on the line against Hogan at Bound for Glory. why not have Hogan win it then? maybe even take on all challengers, like Flair and a returning Sid Vicious, Lex Luger, Kevin Nash and Bob Backlund? just a fear i have. hopefully i'm a paranoid phobic and this doesn't happen.
Anderson is a good choice. he can work well with Pope, Angle and finish some business with Hardy. even matches with Wolfe, AJ and RVD could work really well. he'd just need to do it as a heel and not even a tweener because the credible heels in the main events scene are getting fewer and further between than desired.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

It's certainly plausible, and makes absolute sense...but seeing which promotion it is, I doubt it'll happen. I keed, I keed, it does look like they'll head down that road.

It'll open new doors as to who will compete for the title, even though some have already faced off, but being a main event match will make it feel better. I'm all for Kenderson winning the title.

And I doubt it'll interfere with any other storylines seeing as how he isn't connected to any of them, 'cept for Pope, but that might be put off till later.

Off-topic: I first read "Kenderson" in another site forum. Didn't know it's around cyberspace and people here used it.

 

[ABMorales787]

I could see Jeff winning the title just to get it out of the way. TNA has been using him a lot as of late. But Anderson would the correct choice if he idea is to draw new viewers. As of late, TNA has been having a promo > match concept with iMPACT!. Itt's worked thus far and gave us Lethal/Flair and Anderson's A-S-S-H-O-L-E promo. Both of which were great. But... Shouldn't the World Champion be the one having these fine moments? I realize that the World Champion should be the guy who can draw the most and RVD fits that well, but what he excels in is wrestling. When it comes to mic skills, he can sermon you for half an hour and just say one thing in the end: "I endorse pot and can wrestle well". If iMPACT!, TNA's only program, is focusing more on promos than wrestling, then it should only fit the bill to have a World Champion who can work a good promo. Since Kurt Angle, The Pope, Matt Morgan and other "talkers" are off with other things and Anderson being in the match for Victory Road, then TNA would have to go with him. I would rather go with Jeff Hardy to further their feud, however, RVD has been champion for a bit too long in my taste. He doesn't make for a good long term champion. That's very evident. Unless he'll side with the ECW invades and Abyss, I see zero reason to have him as champion at this point. Abyss is a pawn, so it would be dumb to give it to him now. Jeff sounds good to feud with Anderson, but Anderson first would be better.

 

[The Doctor]

Anderson needs to win it.

OK, "needs" is a strong word. I would very much like to see him win it. He's one of the hottest younger prospects they have, TNA needs a main event heel, and...well, come on. He's Anderson. He's one of the best things in the company.

If this isn't the payoff for the Anderson/Hardy team, then I'll ride it as another stupid decision made by TNA. I mean, you have a man who is gifted on the mic and has the potential to be a huge main event heel, and you have one of the most popular wrestlers of recent times...so you turn the heel face (even though he had plenty of momentum and life as a heel) and stick them in a tag team. Stupid. Turning Ken heel again by betraying Hardy and winning the title is how they can redeem themselves.

And then we can have another Anderson/Angle feud. And that will make me happy because Angle is fan-freakin'-tastic and still one of the best in the world today.

 

[Intransigent_Antagonist]

Handing Anderson the belt is no worse in my opinion than when they handed the belt to RVD...wait scratch that it would be one of the smartest decisions the booking clowns at TNA have made.
I will admit I'm a huge Anderson mark, but that being said imagine the potential of Mr Anderson with the strap.
I'm fairly confident his promo's alone could carry him as the TNA champ, not to mention the all ready stated fact that his history with Kurt dAngle provides a suitable feud awaiting us in the future.

 

[Maestro48239]

Anderson is the main reason I've been watching TNA as of late...i love the product, but I'm mostly interested in what that crazy, funny asshole is gonna say this week. and the way he can spoonfeed the crowd, they all know what to say and when usually.....but then again, that would mean he'd have to stay a face. and if memory serves me correctly. TNA hands the world title off in the classic, "heel-face-heel-face" method.

either way it would be a win-win for the true anderson marks (like me! )


so hopefully he'll be saying sunday, " and NEW WHC, MISTEEEEEEEEER AAAAAAAAND-ER-SON.......wait for it........AND-ER-SON!

 

[Coco]

I loath Anderson in every way. He gratuitously overplays his hand in his promos to the point where I'm half convinced he's actually Glenn Beck; it screams "change the channel." He's forced in that regard. His ring work is nothing special, despite that one good match. He is nothing special in my book. That said, some people buy into him, so they'd be stupid not to try eventually. However, trying this Sunday doesn't work for me if he's going to turn right away.

Why? Well, why turn at all if he doesn't mean it? What's the end game? Getting the fans to vote for him in their polls doesn't mean much, as shown by how little votes did for Wolfe. Being management's buddy doesn't do a tonne of good in the rankings either, as Sting was ranked number one while he was management's least favorite employee. So what's the point?

A more logical way to pay this off is to have Anderson, over the course of a few months, see how untrue he's being to himself and how it's keeping him from getting to the next level, which means a few failed attempts to win the belt. A storyline like that playing out over the course of a few months makes far more sense than the former and makes the moment mean that much more (this point doesn't contradict with my positive opinion of Van Dam's surprise win, as Van Dam was never going to be more ready -- Anderson could use some work and some build).

As this has all been layed out in a completely logical way, I wouldn't be surprised to see him win Sunday. Yeah, I'm cynical like that.

 

[LegendKiller716]

1.) I think Anderson should win the title, but I don't know if right now is the right time. This man is the guy that TNA should be pushing as the face of the company, not RVD.

2.) I don't think a swerve here would be completely ridiculous, actually I've been waiting for the heel turn for a while now.

 

[TheGamea]

I dunno about victory road but i think anderson being pushed to champ is going to happen I agree with Hogan, Anderson has appel to be the biggest name in TNA if not wresting... an this is coming from someone who didnt like Anderson when I first saw him