Predict The Future: Rockstar Spud

[Jack-Hammer]

Last week in Impact Wrestling, we were introduced to the winner of the TNA reality program, TNA British Boot Camp, Rockstar Spud. He didn't really get that much time to talk on the mic, but I thought he did okay with the relatively limited time he got. It didn't hurt that he was in front of a British crowd. This thread is basically making an assumption about Rockstar Spud based only on first impressions. TNA's been big on first impressions when you consider Gut Check. Based just on what you know of him or have seen of him thus far, what do you think his future is in TNA?

For me personally, I think it's a bit hard to say but there are some things that jump out at me. The most noticeable thing about Spud is that he's very, very small. Spud is listed at 5'3" and a weight of 130-135 pounds, which makes him the smallest non-midget male wrestler I've ever personally seen on an American wrestling television show. If those figures are accurate, then Spud is 3-4 inches shorter & about 40 pounds lighter than Rey Mysterio.

The first thing that came to mind in regards to Spud is that he's someone that's going straight to the X Division or he's somehow going to be made part of a tag team. The X Division & Tag Team Division in TNA aren't exactly the most sparkling jewels in the TNA crown at this point but, frankly, I just don't see Spud moving out of that range. And yes, a lot of that impression is based on his size.

It's true that there have been a good number of smaller and more "normal" sized wrestlers who've been elevated to the upper levels in recent years. However, aside from Rey Mysterio, I can't really think of anyone in Spud's general size range that's made it into the main event picture. During Mysterio's World Championship reigns, a constant complaint I heard in regards to him was that he was "too small" to be World Heavyweight Champion. A lot of people put a ton of emphasis on the "Heavyweight" aspect of the title in Mysterio's case. I have little doubt that the same arguments will be have even more vehemently against Spud if he should ever be in the midst of a main event push.

None of that means that the guy doesn't have any talent or that he can't be a major benefit to the roster. I might be completely wrong and Spud might go all the way in TNA, but I personally think the odds are extraordinarily slim.

So how far do you see Spud going in TNA?

 

[LayCold]

I don't think he is going to be big. I have nothing against the little guys but he is too little, he will probably be the ultimate underdog but that's all, I can't see him being a champion or beating up someone. I think he will hav eto play on his size really quick because if he doesn't, he have no future for me.
Spike Dudley was sucessfull to be entertaining ... let's hope he can do the same thing

 

[Spinebreaker]

I agree with the OP really. He's X-division & Tag Material.

Aries has done well, being a smaller guy, but the sheer amount of mic skills and wrestling ability gets past that... VERY few wrestlers are in Aries' league...

 

[das1234]

if what you said about his height is true, he would be amazing in a tag team with matt morgan

but i think seeing him once is not enough to say anything about his future, i want to see more of him first.
how high he can go will ultimately depend on how big the x-division is in tna and if a x-division champ is believable as WHC. if he is good, he can become anything. but not the next few years i think.

 

[Loveless]

I don't see much in him but I'm of the opinion that anyone can be made into a star with the right booking. The obvious way to book him would be to have him being killed every week and bullied until people get on his side and the shocking "1-2-3 Kid" win comes.

 

[Stewmaga]

I didn't think much of him for a few reasons.

1) He's a smaller guy.
And yes I know that's not always reason enough to think he won't do well, but lets face it the odds are against the smaller guys from the start. And then there is always...

2) TNA can't seem to find a spot on their cards for nearly anyone in the X-Division.
I mean seriously...the guys they already have get almost no air time.

3) Lost in the shuffle. Lack of focus, and follow through.
TNA has a lot of talent...honestly they do, but for whatever reason they have talent which is already established they can't even find room for. I mean Anderson is lost in the growing sea of silly called Aces & Eights. Morgan is spinning his wheels in a tag with Joey Ryan. And so many others just lost adrift in storylines that don't seem to be going anywhere or had some direction but have just lost it. Remember when Joseph Parks was just there looking for Abyss? Seems he no longer cares where Abyss is.

Lets not also forget they hired a bunch of Gut Check people that are cooling their heals in limbo as well.

4) Nepotism is running wild brother.
You all do realize this already I'm sure, but Brooke see's more airtime than most talent...and it rarely has anything to do with the Knockouts division.



My opinion Spud has a long hard road ahead of him (using the name Rockstar Spud don't help matters much) and I wish him well, but I expect he won't see too much action.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Spud is an EXCELLENT heel, his gimmick is so naturally unlikeable and he plays the role so comfortably that I hope we see him as a bad guy in TNA eventually. However, I think he will initially start as an underdog face- I mean how can you immediately dislike a little guy like that who is fighting much bigger men that him, he will always get your sympathy.

Eventually I would like to see him win some bigger matches and become more arrogant, becoming the Rockstar Spud he has been in the UK wrestling scene, making the fans turn against him and achieving success in the X Division and the Tag Team ranks.

I can't see him ever going higher than that, as he is even smaller than Mysterio but you never know. I am glad he is in TNA, the man is very talented and deserves a shot. I was the TNA show in Manchester when he came out and it was nice to see he got such a good reception. G'wan Spud, make the UK fans proud of you!

 

[Da Big Champ]

I don't see him being much in TNA or any other company to be honest. He's too small. He's 30 years old which already has him at a disadvantage because he's not one of the younger guys.
He would best be places in the Tag Team division until he is a name or he won't get very far in TNA. He could be good in the X-Division but I would find it hard to believe him as an X-Division star until he shows he can wrestle and most of the guys in the X-Division already look good or need the wins so he won't get a believable win.
In the Tag Team division he will have a guy who can get the win and make him look good while doing it. Kinda like how John Morrison made Miz look good when they first started teaming until Miz started getting noticed for putting on a good match.
On a side not if he is only 5'3 and 130lbs then wow he's in the wrong sport. I'm 10 years younger and bigger than him.

 

[Alex]

I certainly see him in the X-Division.

He's about the same height and about the same age as Austin Aries and look where he is now. And don't forget Rey Mysterio who's extremely short as well and has done well for himself.

He has a cool look and seems to be okay on the mic (judging by the limited amount of time he got) He certainly could help carry the X-Division which is severely lacking at the moment. Heck throw him in a team with either Rob Terry or Magnus and you have a cool British version of Chavo and Hernandez (except less shit)

 

[DX Mols]

I'm confident he's not going to go far. He's no Austin Aries (a smaller guy who has been World Champ) and he just looks like somebody I'm not going to ever be interested in watching.

Then again, maybe he's good on the mic. That takes wrestlers a long way. If he can cut a good promo, who know?

Personally, I think he looks like a joke.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

While I don't think you will ever see him as a main eventer in TNA, There is a good chance he will get a run as X division champion at some point down the road. I Agree with Triple Naitch when he said that they will start him out as face before turning him to the arrogant Heel that he plays so well.

 

[GameOver]

i see absolutely nothing noteworthy other then a noticeable gimmick, but wouldn't be any different then a Zak Ryder or Robbie E, flash in the pan that will lead to just another mouth to feed.

 

[Azane]

I see him running around for about 3 months doing some undercard cruiserweighting, and then falling to obscurity.

Nothing from him makes me think he'll do anything besides try and draw some UK ratings, and even then, there's much better UK Performers on the roster already.

He doesn't have the athleticism of the famous light wrestlers had that allowed them to steal a show, like Rey Rey.

The only hope I saw for him was if he made an out of nowhere heel turn in the UK on his debut, but with that gone, he's going to be a blank face in the overcrowded sea of TNA's locker room.

 

[klunderbunker]

The guy is 5'3. Rey Mysterio looks down on this guy. Let that sink in for a bit.

At the end of the day, I see this going like almost every other guy that has won a contract in the last few months: he shows up maybe once, beats a jobber, and is heard from every few months after that. In other words, I don't see a lot of hope for the guy. TNA's roster is already bloated as it is given that they only have two hours a week. With that many people, a guy that almost no Americans have heard who is shorter than a large percentage of 12 year old girls is going to have some issues getting noticed above everyone else. Maybe he'll surprise me, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

[chibet]

i was looking forward to spud being like a second coming of AMAZING RED ! .... I was sorely wrong. I wish that I could say that he backs up what he lacks in size, by delivering moves that would otherwise be impossible for any other wrestlers to do. I have yet to see anything innovative out of spud , tho I'm sure he has more to offer than what we saw out of him vs Lil' Rob

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I was completely underwhelmed by Rockstar Spud's wrestling debut. Given the fact that he's so small, I expected the guy to at least move blindingly fast and show off some athleticism. To me, the match felt a lot like a Gut Check match more than anything else.

Spud will have other chances to show what he's made of I'm sure. It's just that TNA has really done a horrible job, as a whole, when it comes to having these young guys make strongly positive first impressions.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

Spud is 5'3. To put things in perspective, Austin Aries is 5'9. Amazing Red is 5'6. Look how small they are, then go even smaller. No way in hell will he ever main event. Not to mention that Spud is also not that athletic despite how small he is. I've seen him live, I mean he does do some athletic stuff but for him it's all about the persona he portrays. He does do it well, but I don't think he will ever make it past Robbie E level.

That is what I said about Spud originally and I stand by what I said! I see him getting at most a couple of X Division title reigns.

 

[Alex]

He is really short.

That said his debut match was 'eh' but that was probably due to the fact it was rather short. He can pull off some decent moves although his size will make certain moves look less believable.

I will say this though, he seems to have more personality than quite a few guys judging by his limited exposure already and that is always a good thing.

 

[Ayden C.]

I will say that none of you are wrong by any means; but I feel as if we are counting Spud out a little too soon considering both the length and purpose of the match.

His match against Robbie E was not meant to show him off but rather to break up the two of them. Did he do that? Yes he did. And when you consider the fact that Robbie is far from a high flyer or even an X division wrestler you begin to see why he might not have impressed nearly as much. I strongly believe that what you saw wasn't the best of Spud. Like the above poster said, the guy has a ton of personality and you are going to see that come out even more when he eventually turns heel.

I am not trying to say that he is going to be the best X division wrestler of all time, but that we need to give him so more time before we make judgments.