Success, Bust or In-Between: Christopher Daniels

[It's Damn Real!]

This is a new poll series I'm hoping to run here in the TNA section where (recently) departed former talents of the company will be critiqued regarding their work with the company. You can vote them either a success, a bust or in-between if you don't feel they deserve either extreme.

In addition to your vote, I'd like to know why you feel the way you do. Why was this particular charater a succes, a bust or in-between?

Next in the series is "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels.

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"The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels
Years with TNA: 7 (2002–2010)
Number of titles runs: NWA World Tag Team Championship (x1), TNA X Division Championship (x3), TNA World Tag Team Championship (x2)

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Notable Feuds:
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• America's Most Wanted (2003 & 2004)
• AJ Styles (2005)
• AJ Styles/Samoa Joe (2005)
• Senshi/Low-Ki (2006)
• America's Most Wanted (2006)
• LAX (2006)
• Chris Sabin/Jerry Lynn (2007)
• Sting (2007)
• Team Angle (2009)
• Shane Douglas (2009)
• AJ Styles (2009)
• Sean Morely (2010)

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Other Accomplishments:
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• Longest reigning X Division champion in TNA history (150 days)
• Founding member of Triple X stable with Low-Ki & Elix Skipper
• Often doubled as TNA's "Suicide" character, and spent almost two years also playing Curry Man.
• Wrestled in what is highly regarded as the best TNA match of all-time in a three-way feud over the X Division title at Unbreakable 2005
• Was one of the longest reigning TNA roster members with over seven years of time spent with the company before his release

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Previous Polls:
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• Booker T – 46.43% Bust, 33.93% In-Between, 19.64% Success
• Christian Cage – 87.72% Success, 12.28% In-Between, 0% Bust
• Petey Williams – 52.50% In-Between, 35% Success, 12.50% Bust
• Gail Kim – 61.54% Success, 19.23% In-Between, 19.23% Bust
• Gail Kim – 61.54% Success, 19.23% In-Between, 19.23% Bust
• Senshi – 66.67% Success, 28.57% In-Between, 4.76% Bust
• Monty Brown – 54.05% In-Between, 27.03% Bust, 18.92% Success
• Awesome Kong – In Progress
• Christopher Daniels – In Progress

 

[It's Damn Real!]

It still irks me that a wrestler as technically sound and good both in the ring and on the mic as Daniels was never given such a well deserved title run with the World Heavyweight championship like he deserved (IMO), but despite having never won the biggest title in the company, I'd still vote him a tremendous success if only for the number of years he, AJ and Joe really carried the company in the early goings. While some will see that as grounds to vote him in-between, I still think he's worthy of the success vote because of the caliber of matches he had early on and the caliber of matches he was still capable of having toward the end of his run. Let's not forget that AJ/Joe/Daniels II was a fantastic follow-up at Turning Point 2009.

Shame how he went out (again) because I always hate to see such hard workers never really rewarded, but still a success for me.

 

[AjStyles]

It still irks me that a wrestler as technically sound and good both in the ring and on the mic as Daniels was never given such a well deserved title run with the World Heavyweight championship like he deserved (IMO), but despite having never won the biggest title in the company, I'd still vote him a tremendous success if only for the number of years he, AJ and Joe really carried the company in the early goings. While some will see that as grounds to vote him in-between, I still think he's worthy of the success vote because of the caliber of matches he had early on and the caliber of matches he was still capable of having toward the end of his run. Let's not forget that AJ/Joe/Daniels II was a fantastic follow-up at Turning Point 2009.

Shame how he went out (again) because I always hate to see such hard workers never really rewarded, but still a success for me.

I know, while he may not have been the total package, he was very talented, a household name in TNA, great work ethic, decent mic skills, charismatic as a face, and drew pretty good heat as a heel, and is TNA orginal, a seven year veteran in TNA, I still can't get over TNA releasing him, he was a good wrestler who I belive should have had at leat one TNA world title reign, even for a while, they could of done it while he was a heel so faces could get over more with the crowd when they faced him, he will truely be missed in TNA

 

[Sharp_Shooter]

I have to say success as well. I'm not big on judging a wrestler by his storyline, but more on his ability in the ring. With moves like the belly to back powerbomb and the BME, the only thing I can say negative about how Daniels carried himself in the ring was the eye shadow was ridiculous. LOL

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Overall, I'd probably label Daniels' time in TNA as a success. Daniels often had very good matches, though I was never all that fond of him on the mic and he never really had the presence of a star. Daniels is someone I never bought into as someone that would be the face of TNA.

However, Daniels someone I enjoyed watching in the ring and he's one of the wrestlers that truly helped establish the X Division. There are wrestlers that sometimes really just fit in the mid-card and that's how I saw Daniels. Great in-ring talent but he never screamed "main eventer" for me. It would have happened a long time ago if it was ever going to happen for him in TNA.

As far as his title reigns go, he's considered to be a 6 time NWA World Tag Team Champion. All three members of Triple X were recognized as champs and they held the straps 3 times, he held it 1 time with James Storm and 2 times with AJ Styles but there are no listings of him holding the TNA tag titles. Still, Daniels had a great showing for himself as a tag team wrestler and in TNA's mid-card scene.

However, what's most telling I think is that many TNA fans view Christopher Daniels as a central figure in TNA. When one thinks of the heart and soul of TNA, Daniels is one of the wrestlers that immediately springs to mind. A lot of TNA fans loved the guy and were excited to see him, so that's a success in and of itself.

 

[wushady]

He was definitely a success in my opinion he was one of the reasons I liked TNA. He's got to be one of the names people think about when you think of the early days of TNA especially the X-division. He could of been world champion I think TNA dropped the ball letting him go recently.

 

[mikeyboy]

his last tna run was def. a bust though i dont think it was his fault its managment not using him correctly , he has so much talent there is no reason he should not be one of the top stars in tna or wwe , i know his size prevents him from being a big star in wwe but if they can make a star out of mysterio they should be able to do the same with him, i think tna screwed up by letting him go he should have been at the top of the x div. .

 

[AmericanDragonSW]

I gotta agree. You can't look at the skills and the matches that Christopher Daniels has had and think he was a bust. He was a cornerstone of the X-Division for a long time. Let's not forget the Iron Man matches between him and AJ. The rivalry between him AJ and Joe, the Triple X/America's Most Wanted wars. Hell, I thought Tag Team wrestling was extinct til I saw that rivalry. TNA's loss of Daniels is Ring of Honor's gain because I can promise that there is plenty of talent in there that can have a great match with Daniels. Davey Richards, Roderick Strong, Tyler Black, Austin Aries, etc. The one true disappointment and I'm sure somebody pointed this out already is that TNA never let AJ and Daniels duke it out over the world title. We already seen them go ballistic on each other over the X-Title. Imagine if they went at it for the world title. Could be fought in an Ultimate X Match or even another Iron Man match. I mean we saw that world title match between Styles, Joe and Daniels. It was incredible. Too bad TNA had to drop the ball on this one.

 

[MCMG]

An amazing success in his first spell in TNA. AJ, Joe and daniels did have a great match and those three personified everything about TNA. He had good runs in the main event, the x division and the tag team division.
His second spell was a in between. He had a good feud with AJ but that was it and I'm not sure if Suicide or Curry man count as Christopher Daniels. It is a shame he is gone and he never won the main prize but he was just lost in the massive TNA roster.

 

[NXTrookie2013]

tna bust, roh success. daniels is in a beter place now, tna fucked up

 

[Chicago1989]

Well, it has to be obvious that Christopher Daniels was a big success in TNA. Never has The Fallen Angel become a more valuable asset to any wrestling promotion until now. You cannot tell me that having Christopher Daniels in ROH isn't big..

He's accomplished SO many things in both in the Indies and in TNA. Just a huge list of accomplishments. In my eyes, he's reached legendary status as far as his longevity and accomplishments in the wrestling business go.

But the only drawback is his age. I mean he is about to be 40 but the guy could still go. He hasn't lost a step; not one bit. I would say he's got about at least another 5 years left in him but up to this point, I can definitely buy Christopher Daniels becoming a legit World Champion wherever he goes thanks to TNA. What can I say?...they missed the boat on him.