So Who Gets Hardy At Lockdown?

[Jack-Hammer]

Last night on IW, several matches were held in which the 8 competitors had a chance to "impress" Hulk Hogan. Whoever impressed him the most would go onto face Jeff Hardy at Lockdown for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Hogan didn't make the announcement as to who would face Hardy due to Aces & Eights showing up, but I'm guessing that Hogan will make the announcement next week.

Of the eight men who wrestled, I don't think it will be any of them who gets the shot. None of the matches really felt like they were about "impressing" Hogan to me. Two of them ended in a no contest and the other two were only about 5 minutes long. Aries & Roode's match was more about continuing their Team Hell Noesque dysfunction, Magnus just came back from "injury", James Storm has fallen further in the company than anyone else has since Ken Anderson, RVD is just holding onto the X Division Championship and, since he lost, you wouldn't figure he'll be getting the shot, same goes with Daniels. Angle wants to get his hands on Garett Bischoff & Wes Brisco, Joe is back to his usual role of just floating around the roster.

I believe that next week, or the very next week at the latest, Hogan will ultimately grant the title shot to his "son in law" Bully Ray. Even though Ray wasn't involved in any of the matches last night, I think he'll wind up getting the nod as sort of an endorsement from Hogan in a way. Maybe it'd be a way of Hogan sort of acknowledging that he was wrong about Bully Ray and that he's accepted him as an honorable and "good guy".

On the surface, Hardy vs. Bully Ray doesn't sound all that exciting. If it does go down, however, then Lockdown would be a good opportunity for TNA to turn Bully Ray heel again, somehow betray Hogan & Brooke while capturing the title. Yeah, I know it sounds like fantasy booking and it probably is to some degree. The only way I see this angle coming to an end is with some sort of break up and Ray going back to being a despicable heel while capturing the title is something that I think a lot of people want to see happen.

*MODERATORS NOTE*

POSTING SPOILERS WILL RESULT IN INFRACTIONS. REGARDLESS.

 

[Papa Pillman]

I believe that next week, or the very next week at the latest, Hogan will ultimately grant the title shot to his "son in law" Bully Ray. Even though Ray wasn't involved in any of the matches last night, I think he'll wind up getting the nod as sort of an endorsement from Hogan in a way. Maybe it'd be a way of Hogan sort of acknowledging that he was wrong about Bully Ray and that he's accepted him as an honorable and "good guy".

I agree. Last night's "tournament" was booked with so much ambiguity, and add onto that the backstage segments, and I think that everything screams that Bully will indeed get the shot.

I think Hulk's reinstating Bully last week and making the match he made was already him "acknowleding that he was wrong", but this is the next step. Bully has now suceeded in manipulating his way into a position where he can be given this shot.

On the surface, Hardy vs. Bully Ray doesn't sound all that exciting. If it does go down, however, then Lockdown would be a good opportunity for TNA to turn Bully Ray heel again, somehow betray Hogan & Brooke while capturing the title. Yeah, I know it sounds like fantasy booking and it probably is to some degree. The only way I see this angle coming to an end is with some sort of break up and Ray going back to being a despicable heel while capturing the title is something that I think a lot of people want to see happen.

I also agree here. Last night really started to foreshadow the heel turn in my eyes, and I think Lockdown is where it will happen. Bully will somehow betray everyone(including Brooke, who i would guess will be booked as a victim too) and also very possibly become champ in the process.

The bigger question may not be- does this set up Bully going heel? But rather, is the end game Bully being aligned with A&8s? That, I'm not so sure about yet.

As for interest in a Bully/Hardy Lockdown match... If Bully can continue to sell himself as a babyface and they can capitolize by having him deliver promos in the vein of the one he cut prior to his match with Hardy at No Surrender, having him emotionally wax poetic about finally potentially realizing his dream of becoming a singles world champ, I think they could set up something that people will buy at Lockdown.

 

[Judah's Lion]

i'm hoping it's bully ray. lockdown is a major ppv; in fact, it's one of four that will actually be legit ppv's for tna this year, as opposed to the one night only deals that are pre-recorded. so this is a huge deal. and bully ray has been one of the five best wrestlers on tv in the past year in any promotion. so this kind of opportunity would be well deserved and well earned.

as far as drawing power, i think the ppv will sell just because it's one of four that tna is doing this year, has a good gimmick going for it and there is a long and rich history between these two. putting them in a cage for the world title would be a very fitting story. almost like "coming full circle" in that both were presumed lifelong tag team guys but have become very credible singles guys in their own right and now are fighting for a world title.

storyline wise it makes sense also. there are many directions they could go with it. bully ray could side with aces and eights and bring the world title to the faction, bringing some much needed stroke to them. brooke could turn on bully ray, cost him the title and go heel. it'd be stupid to do that, but could happen. hulk could turn on bully and go heel. also stupid, but could happen. bully and brooke could both go heel and win the title. seems less stupid and more likely.

super long story short, this idea and the many possible outcomes has lots of people thinking and talking, and that's the goal of any promotion. i hope that this translates to more people buying the show to see what happens...

 

[Remy LaCroix]

To the morons who read spoilers: ever heard of a spoiler alert? Fucking morons, I swear.

If Bully Ray gets the title shot then it'll make for an interesting match with two faces. Hopefully the crowd will be split and cheer for both Ray and Hardy for a big match feel. But, by Sithis, it better not result in a heel turn! Obviously Jeff won't be turned, and Ray is doing just fine in his current role.

On second thought, the writing on the wall reads swerve...

 

[HBsam31]

I agree with everyone else that said Bully Ray. Does anyone else think there is something to Bully not having his ring on? Brooke told him to make sure and remember to wear it she found it by the sink. Am I looking to far into that? I think he will get the shot, and it really does seem like he is going to turn heel here. Either way I am looking for some sort of swerve here.