Rebuilding The X-Division

[MrHashasheen]

Between Alex Shelley, Shannon Moore and Tony Nese leaving, Jesse Sorenson & Chris Sabin on the injured list, Austin Aries looking to maybe move up to the main event, Kid Kash exploring an MMA career and the slow numbers decline over the past few years, the X-Division is in seriously bad shape. There are only three active wrestlers at the moment, and we're heading into Destination X. It is quite possibly a make-or-break period for the Division.

In my opinion, the bleeding can be at least temporarily plugged in while new talents gets brought in and pushed. You've got Rob Van Dam, Samoa Joe Kazarian, Douglas Williams, Christopher Daniels, Eric Young and AJ Styles, all of whom are either X-Division Champions or high-flyers. Now, you can strike out Daniels, Kazarian or Styles, or who are doing their own thing at the moment with this drug-addict baby-mama storyline and the tag titles, and frankly keeping Daniels and Kazarian as a tag-team is a nice change for them. Styles could make a triumphant return to the X-Division to help it through this rough point, but the man fits in anywhere so well I doubt it has to be permanent.

But Van Dam, Young, Joe and Williams aren't really doing anything, and each could provide a unique addition to the division. Van Dam is the man who "made the X-Division a reality before there ever was a division", Young's a former champion and fan-favorite who with a little less joking could make a tremendous baby-face, and Williams as the technical man who could be the cornerstone of the division (Though him tag-teaming with Magnus would also be great). Joe's sheer physical presence alone provides a startling contrast to the rest of the division, and well... the big guy can still go!

Looking outside TNA to it's affiliates, you've got several possibilities from RKK and TNA. Jessie Godderz is a TNA developmental talent whose got a pretty decent build similar to most X-Division talents, and though his talents are more grounded, he's pretty charismatic and has notoriety from the get go. Chavo Guerrero is yet another veteran they could add to the Division and does well as either face or heel. Pagal Parinda (RKK's homegrown high-flyer) could work a few matches as well, since he and the other RKK guys are training in OVW. Not to mention Sonjay Dutt or Sheik Abdul Bashir making a return, though the latter has more promise as a tag-team wrestler.

And now to the independents. While I'm sure most of you could probably give better advice and recommendations on this, we've got a few obvious choices out there. John Morrison would be a major shot in the arm, providing star-power, relative youth & experience and a possible new face should Aries fully leave, and Joey Ryan is an almost sure pick to come in anyway as a top heel, so there's that as well.

So to recap:

X-Division:
Austin Aries
Chavo Guerrero
Chris Sabin (inactive)
Douglas William (possibility)
Eric Young
Jesse Sorenson (inactive)
Jessie Godderz
John Morrison
Joey Ryan
Kid Kash (inactive)
Pagal Parinda
Rob Van Dam
Samoa Joe
Sheik Abdul Bashir (possibility)
Sonjay Dutt
Zema Ion

14 wrestlers in total, 9 without the in-actives or the tag-team possibilities.

Of course, none of that matters if they don't get pushed and spot-light.

What do you guys think?

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

RVD and Joe are in the BFG series so I don't think it's likely we'll be seeing crossover from them into the X Division until the series is over. And wow didn't know Moore left, not that I particularly cared about him anyway.

EY for sure once he gets rid of those KO tag belts and finishes up his fishing show.

Other than that yeah sounds good to me! Doug needs to be brought in for sure. Why is he not on our TV screens the guy is a great worker and talker.

 

[norris.sabin]

If Evan bourne gets fired make him the face of the x division. Before that happens bring back Petty Williams, Sonjay Dutt, Jack Evans and Teddy Hart.

 

[HeartStingerJericho]

The X-Division is a little messed up right now. They can't seem to decide if it is their number 2 title or their cruiserweight title. They need to commit one way or the other. It seems to be heading towards the solid number 2 spot since it can now be cashed in at Destination X for a World Title shot. If that is the case, then everyone needs to be able to contend for it. Let it be the proving ground. I wouldn't mind seeing Bully Ray an X-Division staple. He isn't a high-flyer but he is at home in unorthodox matches. Have main eventers who aren't in the main event go for the title. Back in the day, if you were the U.S. Champ, you were the Number 1 Contender. That made the title worthwhile for everyone.

 

[GrandSword]

Austin Aries is an amazing wrestler... his title reign kept the Division relevant, but I think it is time to bring it back to it's roots... I'm talking total non stop video game type style.

If anyone remeber's last years Destination X build up, we got some great stuff from guys like Jack Evans and Jimmy Yang. I know alot of guys have either been burnt by TNA or are quite happy doing what they are doing. But TNA needs to give us these high flying matches again, and insert them into every impact. Evans' 630 would be great to see on a constant basis. TNA wouldn't even have to give them contracts just pay them per appearance to just start the show off with some excitement, the couple of contracted guys have the title...

So imagine TNA just booking some of the great talents from Dragon Gate USA, or Chikara or PWG etc. it would start each impact off with a great triple theat or 6 man tag or whatever to pump up the crowd. Insert soemhow a title feud into it and we've got ourselves an X Division again.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Much like the Divas becoming something approaching relevance in the WWE, the idea of rebuilding the X Division is something I've all but given up on. TNA has had the talent, generally speaking, to make the X Division better than it has been for quite a while but have apparently decided that it's not really a piority.

About a year ago, when it looked as though the X Division was going to become a priority once again, people were pretty excited and TNA had the potential to bring in some outside talent and possibly couple that new talent with existing talent, including former X Division stars, but it never came about. Aries has been the only thing keeping the X Division afloat at all for most of the past year. The fact that he's a diamond in the rough has been all that the X Division has had going for it, which says a lot about him when you consider the complete lack of interesting & meaningful feuds he's had as X Division Champion. For the most part, he spent much of his reign defeating the same handful of guys over and over again in one match variation after another.

This is just my opinion, but I think it was a mistake not to utilize some of the talent they had and currently have. It could've made things more interesting at least. For instance, why keep Alex Shelley MIA just because Sabin was on the shelf? It's not as though Shelley had nothing positive to contribute to the X Division. Why not add someone with the star power of RVD to the mix? What not have brought X Division staples such as Daniels & Kazarian back into the scene, especially if they didn't intend to really try and build any other stars within the division other than Aries?

When Aries gives up the title, I think it's definitely going to flounder for a while. At least for the forseeable future, former X Division guys like Styles, Daniels & Kazarian aren't going to have anything to do with the scene. Styles & Daniels are in the BFG Series, as are RVD & Jeff Hardy. The 220 pound weight limit will keep Samoa Joe out of it, although I don't know if that's something TNA decided to let quietly die our if they lifted it for the one time match between Aries & Joe.

Unless TNA is able to get an infusion of fresh & talented guys into the X Division, which isn't impossible, then it's going to be bleak for a while because none of the X Division guys left can come close to filling Aries' shoes.

 

[Warrior]

I believe your original roster had flaws. It should look more like
Kash
Sabin
Helms
Low-Ki
Lethal
Petty Williams
M-Dog-20
Teddy Hart
Jack Evans
Tyson Kid
Amazing Red
Kaz

you could also add Prince Devitt and Kirby Mack

Disagree with Joey Ryan. I think he is a bit overrated. Davari and RVD don't really fit in the X-Divison and Morrison would mostly be brought in as a main Event wrestler if he went to TNA(which i support) as i dont see him as X-Division Champion . Zema Ion would need a complete repackaging and I doubt we will ever See Chavo wrestler on TV again.

I picked my list as i believe they are people that could fit in the X-Division(not RVD, Young, Morrison and Willams) and guys that i think they could get with decent ease.

 

[IT Factor]

I'd very much like to see TNA go back to heavily using and promoting the X-Division again. They did very well with it in the beginning of TNA and it would only strengthen the shows and reinforce Impact Wrestling as THE place for wrestling action. Of course, what we want to happen & what will actually happen are two very different things.

 

[waylon p]

Perhaps they should start a bound for glory series style tournament for the x-division title.
It would mitigate (not eliminate) the need for compelling storylines while they sort out who will have what position in the division.

Or some other long, large tournament. It could even be structured more like the x-cup tournaments, with teams of three competing in various types of matches for points and the
winning team in a three way final match, perhaps elevation x.

Bringing in extra folks to fill out the teams would allow for all sorts of fun. Wouldn't it be nice too see lo-ki and Elix skipper return to reform triple X for the tourney? Or Petey Williams and teddy hart joining Eric young to revisit team Canada? Lord knows I'd like to see tanahashi, doi, and yoshino back (actually, my dream team would be tanahashi, yoshino, and a.j. Styles. You could substitute Kenta for Naruki Doi without my objection, I suppose.). Either way, as long as at least one member of each team is a regular fixture, any team could get to the finals.

As far as beefing up the division, bringing in talent we have not seen lately for the big tournament gives everyone a chance to remember why they want some of these guys back.

Either way, did TNA decide to forget the weight limit? That is one plot line I would like to see dropped. The x division is why I stuck with TNA for quite a few years, and I hate to see it allowed to grow fallow. When the weight limit was introduced, I let it slide because I thought it was a sign of a new emphasis on the division. Still awaiting such.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I'm on board with the majority of your proposal, but I'm just not sure how viable it really is. I actually think, realistically speaking, that TNA's best opportunities here are in bringing in familiar faces. Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, Low Ki, Petey Williams, Sheik Abdul Bashir, etc. would all help to kill two birds with one stone in that vain.

Bringing in new talent would be great, but with new talent comes the added responsibility of then getting that talent over, which failed miserably with guys like Nese, Sorensen and more.

 

[MrHashasheen]

I'm on board with the majority of your proposal, but I'm just not sure how viable it really is. I actually think, realistically speaking, that TNA's best opportunities here are in bringing in familiar faces. Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, Low Ki, Petey Williams, Sheik Abdul Bashir, etc. would all help to kill two birds with one stone in that vain.

Bringing in new talent would be great, but with new talent comes the added responsibility of then getting that talent over, which failed miserably with guys like Nese, Sorensen and more.

The thing is though, they can't just keep bringing in former X-Division guys to prop up the division and do nothing with them. Having a mix of former TNA vets, new bloods from the indies and ex-WWE guys is just the start. They have to be committed to having the X-Division as a spotlight.

Honestly, 1 X-Division match a week isn't too difficult, plus a couple of promos or angles between other X-Division stars. Same for the Knockouts or the Tag Team Division. Problem is they're booking top-heavy and most of their undercard, talented or young is wasting away.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

The thing is though, they can't just keep bringing in former X-Division guys to prop up the division and do nothing with them. Having a mix of former TNA vets, new bloods from the indies and ex-WWE guys is just the start. They have to be committed to having the X-Division as a spotlight.

Honestly, 1 X-Division match a week isn't too difficult, plus a couple of promos or angles between other X-Division stars. Same for the Knockouts or the Tag Team Division. Problem is they're booking top-heavy and most of their undercard, talented or young is wasting away.

Actually, it is difficult, because the landscape in TNA has shifted away from the smaller X Division style over the last four or five years, and the company would be remissed if they went ahead pushing X Division guys not really drawing them a dime in place of guys who can actually make the company money like Mr. Anderson and other larger-bodied performers. This is why the main event guys in the company are and have been the bigger focus the last number of years, and why the X Division was left to flounder.

It sucks for the tradition of the company, but look at what happened to the Intercontinental Championship with WWE/F. When parity becomes a factor in pro-wrestling, mid and lower-card titles become fodder. It's the same principle as in business when a company starts to hemorrhage money. You cut costs by losing your most expendable assets first.

I want the X Division to return to prominence too, but not at any cost. I'd rather they start with a couple of returns and continue to use the division as a stepping stone rather than throwing money at it to try and patch a hole.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

bringing back suicide would be a great idea providing you get the right guy under the mask. pete williams should come back as well he is one of the best x division stars tna ever had and with tna having a good relashionship with AAA maybe bring in a few high flyers from there.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Guys like Williams & company are no-brainers, but bringing back Suicide would be suicidal. He's a character based entirely on a poor-selling flop of a video game that the company managed to walk away from with minimal damage to their credibility. No one cared about his character or the fact that nothing ever manifested itself in terms of explaining his presence or identity.

In short he's a masked wrestler that no one cares about who wears a mask because he wears a mask and is called Suicide because he's called Suicide.

 

[MrHashasheen]

Actually, it is difficult, because the landscape in TNA has shifted away from the smaller X Division style over the last four or five years, and the company would be remissed if they went ahead pushing X Division guys not really drawing them a dime in place of guys who can actually make the company money like Mr. Anderson and other larger-bodied performers. This is why the main event guys in the company are and have been the bigger focus the last number of years, and why the X Division was left to flounder.

You can show me facts that prove otherwise, but it's my perception that TNA attendance & ratings in the US have pretty much plateaued for the past few years. You could blame it on booking or the wrestlers themselves or the fanbase or a mix of anything, but I can't say I've seen much of a difference to justify a top-heavy, heavyweight focus.

It sucks for the tradition of the company, but look at what happened to the Intercontinental Championship with WWE/F. When parity becomes a factor in pro-wrestling, mid and lower-card titles become fodder. It's the same principle as in business when a company starts to hemorrhage money. You cut costs by losing your most expendable assets first.

Are they hemorrhaging money, though? TNA's been cutting deals for Impact & Xplosion around outside the USA for the past two years, notably breaking into India in a big way. Signing guys on their typical PPA deals or using guys from the RKK subsidiary can't be that costly.

I want the X Division to return to prominence too, but not at any cost. I'd rather they start with a couple of returns and continue to use the division as a stepping stone rather than throwing money at it to try and patch a hole.

Honestly, if it was a decision between using the division as a stepping stone/half-hearted efforts or giving up, I'd give up and merge the title with the World Television. Make X-Division a unique match rules for the company, incorporate the high-flying/daredevil attitude as a part of TNA as whole (which it pretty much is anyway with a lot of it's male wrestlers), cut a few wrestlers from both sides and leave it at that. World Television/Tag Team --> World Heavyweight.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

You can show me facts that prove otherwise, but it's my perception that TNA attendance & ratings in the US have pretty much plateaued for the past few years. You could blame it on booking or the wrestlers themselves or the fanbase or a mix of anything, but I can't say I've seen much of a difference to justify a top-heavy, heavyweight focus.

I can't, and you know it. I'm not trying to imply that the X Division can't draw at all, but it's quite obvious by the shift in focus that TNA feels there's more money to be had in focusing on their Heavyweights, and if you put stock into things like the reports of Hardy's merchandise out-selling every other performer by leaps and bounds, then it makes even more sense they'd spend more time promoting him, Anderson, Angle, etc. over guys without a name to offer (Sorensen, Ion, etc).

Much as I want the X Division to succeed again because of it's tradition in the history of the company, you couldn't prove to me that they draw any better either.

Are they hemorrhaging money, though? TNA's been cutting deals for Impact & Xplosion around outside the USA for the past two years, notably breaking into India in a big way. Signing guys on their typical PPA deals or using guys from the RKK subsidiary can't be that costly.

No, so perhaps that wasn't the best analogy to use, but what I meant was that just like in business, companies will always cut ties with what they feel is most expendable first. I see no issue, monetarily speaking, with them allowing no namers like Nese, Lethal, etc. to walk.

Honestly, if it was a decision between using the division as a stepping stone/half-hearted efforts or giving up, I'd give up and merge the title with the World Television. Make X-Division a unique match rules for the company, incorporate the high-flying/daredevil attitude as a part of TNA as whole (which it pretty much is anyway with a lot of it's male wrestlers), cut a few wrestlers from both sides and leave it at that. World Television/Tag Team --> World Heavyweight.

Why? They have the depth to support both divisions with ease. In fact, I'd say right now they're not utilizing any title outside the World Heavyweight championship to it's potential.

 

[MrHashasheen]

I can't, and you know it. I'm not trying to imply that the X Division can't draw at all, but it's quite obvious by the shift in focus that TNA feels there's more money to be had in focusing on their Heavyweights, and if you put stock into things like the reports of Hardy's merchandise out-selling every other performer by leaps and bounds, then it makes even more sense they'd spend more time promoting him, Anderson, Angle, etc. over guys without a name to offer (Sorensen, Ion, etc).

Hardy's a unique case, though. Like Angle, he's a bonnafide main-eventer. Anderson, Van Dam and others might have gotten pops in the Impact Zone, but I'd be doubtful as to their merch-selling ability in comparison to their wages.

Much as I want the X Division to succeed again because of it's tradition in the history of the company, you couldn't prove to me that they draw any better either.

True enough.

No, so perhaps that wasn't the best analogy to use, but what I meant was that just like in business, companies will always cut ties with what they feel is most expendable first. I see no issue, monetarily speaking, with them allowing no namers like Nese, Lethal, etc. to walk.

Lethal was a genuine loss and a positive for ROH. As an X-Division mainstay, a mid-carder, one half of a tag-team, or even as a future main-eventer. Guy had potential, IMO.

Why? They have the depth to support both divisions with ease. In fact, I'd say right now they're not utilizing any title outside the World Heavyweight championship to it's potential.

They have the depth sure, if they decided to rearrange the roster and move a few people back into the X-Division. But with two hours a week, they simply don't have time. Had they had Xplosion or Reaction as a B-show on Spike or some other network, I'd say they could pull it off with ease. But they can't Not when they've got a fairly unused Knockout's Division and need to restock a barely breathing Tag Team Division. The numbers don't add up if you want to rebuild all three divisions (excluding Knockouts), and if you do go all the way to rebuild them, then you'll struggle to give each division fair amount of television time, let alone all the members in any one division (TNA's been rotating talents for years now...). Having four easily identifable divisions (World, Tag Team, Knockout, Television/X-Division) could help the company manage it's storylines a little better.

Possible Roster*:

World Heavyweight:
Robert Roode
James Storm
Bully Ray
Matt Morgan
Austin Aries
Magnus
Jeff Hardy

World Television:
Crimson
Samoa Joe
Devon
D’Angelo Dinero
Eric Young
Abyss
Garrett Bischoff
Zema Ion
Jesse Sorenson

Irregular:
Sting
Jeff Jarrett

Tag Team:
Chris Daniels & Kazarian
AJ Styles & Kurt Angle
Rob Terry & Robbie E
Kid Kash & Gunner
Douglas Williams & Mark Haskins
Mr. Anderson & Rob Van Dam
Hernandez & Anarquia

Knockouts:
Angelina Love
Brooke Tessmacher
Gail Kim
Madison Rayne
Mickie James
ODB
Rosita
Tara
Velvet Skye

*ignoring any releases I could wish for...

 

[MINISTRYrising]

if you want to freshen up the x division then drop the tv title. nobody really cares about it and would free up airtime for the x division. you could then drop stars like devon and robbie e and bring in guys like jack evans, el generico and even the briscoe brothers who would also help the tag division

 

[Giddy]

I think they're taking a step in the right direction if they're keeping the winners, because guys like Sonjay Dutt and Rashad Cameron are great additions to the X Division. I'd bring back guys they could Amazing Red, as that guy was, as his name says- amazing, Petey Williams, Sheik Abdul Bashir, and Jack Evans. Unfortunately guys like Jay Lethal won't be coming back as they're already working for another big company (ROH) and have a good gig there.

For new guys I'd bring in Teddy Hart, Gregory Helms, maybe some from AAA, and I think that'd be a pretty beefy roster.

Also, I think later on there can be a high profile X Division Feud between Zema Ion and Jesse Sorensen. I for one believe the broken neck saved Sorensen's career, as before he was a gimmickless bore, and now he can have the gimmick of returning from injury trying to avenge himself. Zema Ion could be bragging about how he's dangerous as he broke Sorensen's neck, then finally Sorensen could return, and you've got a great feud right there

 

[MisterRob]

For the life of me I do not understand why, now that TNA seems to be giving some attention and push to the X Division as a whole, they are bringing in all of these unproven, young and green, no-name wrestlers. Most of them have little potential, lack many necessary skills, or will take a TON of time and effort to even attempt to build and develop.

I don't understand why they got rid of guys like Petey Williams, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt (who they've just brought back) in the first place. What they need to do is get rid of all these new guys, especially the ones who clearly don't cut it, and bring back some of these experienced and talented names that are already known and over in TNA and have history.

They could have such a better and more interesting X Division right now with guys like Petey Williams, Doug Williams, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Kazarian etc.. instead of wasting those stars and using the wrestlers they have been lately. They have Doug Williams on their roster right now and he's being used as either a jobber or filler.. why on earth is TNA that stupid?


To me they need to get rid of the Television championship and unify it with the X Division championship, making the X Division the mid-card of TNA and the stepping stone to the Heavyweight division. That seems like common sense to me. They have wrestlers right now that could easily fit into that sort of an X Division and really flesh out and make TNA's mid card a dream for the company: Christopher Daniels, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Pope D'Angelo, Doug Williams all fit perfectly into that. Even guys like Jeff Hardy fit into that mold. Then you add other X Division talent and you have an incredible mid-card, competing for a championship that has prestige and HISTORY for TNA. For the life of me I don't understand why TNA has that Television championship and wastes time on it. It's lineage and history is terrible and it never improves.