The 8 Card Stud Tournament

[ABMorales787]

TNA is currently presenting the 8 Card Stud Tournament. An 8 man tournament that (to this moment) pits the young bright talent of TNA (And Kurt Angle) against each other for an opportunity at the World Championship. Presumably for Lockdown. Now judging from the current entrants and the fact that Kurt Angle VS AJ Styles has run its course, I'd say this is the kind of event that can creates a breakthrough star. If this becomes a success, I wouldn't mind seeing it as a new TNA tradition (Defiantly better than the Fight For The Right). An answer to the King Of The Ring or Royal Rumble. This could become the event that creates the next big thing for TNA.

Thoughts?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'm burned out on TNA championship tournaments because they seem to have them every other month. Last year, TNA had TNA World Championship tournaments, they had an X Division tournament, I'm pretty sure they had at least one TNA World Tag Team Championship tournament, they had the TNA Knockout Tag Team Championship tournament. TNA also has a lot of qualifying matches for this and for that and, while they're not exactly tournaments, they're cut from the same cloth.

TNA does so many tournaments over the course of a given year that I'm just burned out on them. They don't really mean anything anymore and have just become kind of common place on TNA broadcasts.

 

[Vintage]

I'm all for tournaments. It's a great way to create feuds, further angles and shake up the picture without having to do a lot of explaining. Combine all of that with the fact that the brackets are full of people who can put on great matches and you have something that is just full of win. They've had a few in the last 2-3 months but the 8 card stud tourney has a more epic feel to it. The king of the ring is a great concept and they should capitalize on WWE's mistake by continuing it's legacy while hopefully adding something unique to it.

 

[Schizophrenic]

I think if kept and done well every time and only doing this once a year that this MAY be something that TNA could use and capitilize on such as the King of The Ring Tournoment. It owuld be good to have new talent and maybe a vet or two thrown in to make it seem worthwhile. I like the idea and Im actually very excited to see who is going to win. I'm hoping for Desmond Wolfe at the moment.

 

[jccool420]

I think it is a real possibility to see an annual 8 Card Stud tournament...

The announcers have pointed out the Hogan is using the tournament to establish some sort of ranking system... I think its a good idea to have a ranking system in place and do tournaments here and there... It gives you the feel that you are watching a real sport as opposed to just a TV show...

What do you guys think of a ranking system being used in TNA and how do you think it will effect storylines...?

 

[ramblinroy68]

I like the tourney. Have they announced somewhere all of the participants. The matches on Impact were qualifying matches, correct? They are starting with 16 to get to the 8 studs right?

I am hoping for Matt Morgan or Robert Roode.

 

[milfy21]

i think this is a awsome idea and it sorta sets lockdown a one of the major TNA ppv's if they use the 8 card stud turny every year at AAODDS. It sorta like the royal rumble giving the winner a shot at the world title i think it a more original idea by using this to establish a ranking system to. The ranking system i hope works just like boxing if u lose u move down and up if you win so someone can go a a nice winnign streak and work there way up only to be beat by a huge underdog and lose his chance it a awsome way to make decent storylines. SO TNA BE SMART MAKE THIS TURNY YEARLY!!!

 

[miroa12004]

I like these tournament kind of PPVs, if booked right and with the right build up, it could be one hell of a PPV, like the deadly game tournment of the 1998 Survivor Series PPV, or like KOTR, it is something that if suceeded TNA can use as a tradition much like how WWE used the KOTR PPV, like what Vintage said, It's a great way to create feuds, further angles and shake up the picture without having to do a lot of explaining and I add that it could also help with a swerve and a nice face/heel turn and build a new star in the company much like the Deadly game elevated The Rock and Mick Foley from guys in the upper mid card to instant main eventers with Rock becoming the WWF's biggest heel at the time and Foley becoming WWF's second biggest babyface after Steve Austin.Don't forget that KOTR was also responsible for elevating Owen Hart, HHH, Lesnar, Angle and to a lesser extent Edge and Bret Hart careers.

However if this PPV was booked in the wrong way it could end up with a disaster, remember WrestleMania IV, it was a tournament but was not booked right and didn't have the right build up therefore it was crushed by the Clash of Champions.

One thing that TNA should not do is run ins in any match unless it was to further a feud or to do a face/heel turn, otherwise matches should end with a clear winner, they also should make the first round a 10 minute time limit draw, the second round 20 minute time limit draw and the final round a 30 minute time limit draw.

Hopefully we will have a new superstar elevated to the main event scene after this PPV.

 

[NSL]

I'm a big fan of tournaments. There's really no problem with giving a bunch of guys a shot at the belt, all at once. Sure, there's really only 1 or 2 guys that have a real shot at winning, but like this tourney, we get to see guys like Magnus get a shot.

As far as who will win this year, I'm going with Ken Anderson. I don't want to see him win, at all, but it seems to be what they're booking towards. Angle would be a good pick also, but I'd bet Eric screws him out of it in the end.

 

[AndyUK]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to this because I always love tournaments and I definitely think they think about doing it once a year. Everybody loved the King of The Ring and WWE stopped it so it would make sense for TNA to do something that was popular but the WWE don't offer anymore.

 

[gd]

I really like the tournament idea. Remember how cool KOTR was before it was brutally murdered? Tournaments are always fun with the potential matchups and all of the possible directions that things can go. As for this years tourney, here are the matchups.

-Kurt Angle v. Mr. Anderson

I definetly think Anderson will win here. He's been pushed to the moon as of late and Angle seems more caught up with Hogan and the Band than the World Title scene. It probably won't be clean, but Anderson will win.

- Matt Morgan v. Hernandez

Two tag team partners going at it could be interesting. This should be decent enough, and I think Morgan should be the winner, considering he's the better and more interesting of the two.

- Desmond Wolfe v. The Pope

A rematch from the last PPV, which Wolfe won. With the way the Pope has been pushed lately, I can't see him losing to the same guy twice in a row, even though I'm pulling for Wolfe.

- Abyss v. Mick Foley

I guess these 2 are still best friends, or something like that. I assume Abyss will win here, possible with Foley lying down, which will cause Uncle Eric to beat his ass.

That leads us to possible 2nd round matchups

- Mr. Anderson v. Matt Morgan

Like I said, Anderson has been pushed really hard lately. No reason for him to lose here.

- Abyss v. The Pope

If this happens, no way The Pope loses.

That gives us my predicted final of Mr. Anderson v. The Pope. Despite how great Anderson has been lately, I don't think he'll win this. AJ is likely to reatain, and a heel/heel matchup doesn't make that much sense right now.

Therefore, it'll be The Pope challenging AJ Styles at Lockdown, which is ok, I guess. He won't be winning, but he will be pimpin'.

 

[Dagger Dias]

This tournament is a great idea and I'm glad it is part of the PPV rather than being free on tv, it is reminiscent of King of the Ring. I also like that it is to determine who the challenger will be at Lockdown, this gives TNA a long time to build up the angle. Now the question is, who will win this thing? Let's look at each guy individually.

Dinero - He's got a pretty good shot at winning, the major problem is his opening match is against Wolfe. Both guys would be an excellent pick to become the next world title contender.

Wolfe - Quite possibly the best candidate to win this thing. Wolfe has made such a name for himself since coming to TNA. An angle between him and Styles (or Joe if he wins) would be epic. At LOCKDOWN, even!

Hernandez - He's not winning. They put him in the tag team to get him out of the main event picture until he's ready, and he isn't yet. I don't think he'll even make it past the opening round.

Morgan - Morgan's a decent pick to win the tournament, although I don't think it will happen. He's got his tag team with Hernandez to worry about, so he will at least make it past the first round but then likely get eliminated after that.

Angle - Angle just got out of a world title feud with Styles, and they just did Angle/Joe 2 years ago for Lockdown, I wouldn't really want to see a rematch of either feud instead of someone like Dinero or Wolfe getting the shot. Angle probably won't be winning this.

Mr Anderson - I like his odds. He just got to TNA and a feud between him and Styles/Joe would be great. A world title match at Lockdown would also be his chance to prove once and for all if he's injury prone or not like the critics of his WWE run always argue.

Foley - Foley's not winning this. He and Abyss are likely both just there to fill up the empty spots.

Abyss - He's got better odds than Foley, but I doubt he'll make it much farther than winning the first round.

Alright there you have it. Now for my official predictions in the tournament! I'll be doing all of them at once, so here we go. I honestly think it will be either Dinero or Wolfe who win because they are the best candidates for an awesome feud going into Lockdown.... Wolfe gets my final vote.

DAGGER'S PREDICTION
Desmond Wolfe will defeat D'angelo Dinero
Matt Morgan will defeat Hernandez
Mr Anderson will defeat Kurt Angle
Abyss will defeat Mick Foley

Desmond Wolfe will defeat Matt Morgan
Mr Anderson will defeat Abyss

Desmond Wolfe will defeat Anderson for a world title shot at Lockdown.

 

[NSL]

Desmond Wolfe will defeat Anderson for a world title shot at Lockdown.

I like your round up of the match, but I disagree with the outcome. Desmond Wolfe has the uncanny ability to stay over, even when he loses in grand fashion. That's why I don't think he'll win here. I don't even think he'll get out of the first round.

This tournament is here to put over Ken Anderson as a future title contender, and to make D'Angelo Dinero seem like a legit main eventer. He's oozing charisma, and he can put on a hell of a show in the ring, but he doesn't quite have that ability to put himself in the next level. He'll need help to get there, and what better way than to get to the finals here?

Here's how I see it playing out:

D'Angelo Dinero d. Desmond Wolfe
Matt Morgan d. Hernandez
Ken Anderson d. Kurt Angle
Abyss v. Mick Foley to No Contest (Bischoff will have something to do with the outcome)

D'Angelo Dinero d. Matt Morgan
Ken Anderson receives BYE

Ken Anderson defeats D'Angelo Dinero

 

[Schizophrenic]

I like how this thread has turned out. Here are my predictions...

D'Angelo Dinero def. Desmond Wolfe (Good showing for both but Pope gets the win)
Hernandez def. Matt Morgan (starting arift betweent he two friends)
Kurt Angle def. Mr. Anderson (Angle gets screwed somehow)
Mick Foley & Abyss No Contst (as said Bischoff will have something to do with it)

D'Angelo Dinero def. Hernandez (coutn out or something, possible Morgan interferance)
Kurt Angle def. Mystery opponet (possibly a rematch between Anderson & Angle or Jarrett)

Kurt Angle def. D'Angelo Dinero (great showing but Kurt pulls it out)

I think that would then lead to more and more of Kurt becoming paranoid about being screwed going into LockDown where it will be revealed that Eric is behind The Band and that Hulk may turn heel on Angle as well.

 

[NSL]

D'Angelo Dinero def. Desmond Wolfe (Good showing for both but Pope gets the win)

I'm pretty sure this will be a match of the night. With AJ having a brand new character, the match with Joe will merely be average (for now), but these two just "work". It'll please every style of wrestling fan, and be a great way to potentially open the show.

Hernandez def. Matt Morgan (starting arift betweent he two friends)

I don't think this will start their feud already. I'd guess that whoever loses acts pissed off, but they shake hands, and the partner is in the corner of the winner in the next round.

Kurt Angle def. Mr. Anderson (Angle gets screwed somehow)

Kurt Angle def. Mystery opponet (possibly a rematch between Anderson & Angle or Jarrett)

Kurt Angle def. D'Angelo Dinero (great showing but Kurt pulls it out)

I'm confused here. You said Angle gets screwed, but wins. Did you mean Anderson wins, and they have a rematch in the second round, since Abyss/Foley had no winner?

I don't see Jarrett appearing here. If they don't go the route of a bye, and put in a new contender, I'd guess it'll be one of Bischoff's boys, most likely Nash. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

I think that would then lead to more and more of Kurt becoming paranoid about being screwed going into LockDown where it will be revealed that Eric is behind The Band and that Hulk may turn heel on Angle as well.

If Angle wins, that's a great idea. I don't think they take Anderson out in the first round though. He's got too much heat to not win, and of everyone here, he makes the most sense to win.

Wolfe is over, no matter what, so doesn't need a win; Pope is great, but needs the momentum, and the rest are all there to further other storylines (Abyss/Foley w/ Bischoff, and Morgan/Hernandez becuase of the OMG WHAT WILL HAPPEN aspect).

 

[Mr. TM]

I am not sure the end result of this all, but I must say, this is a bad move for TNA. I know they probably want a way to put someone else besides Kurt Angle over, and a tournament is the way to do this, but there is a much better way. Just look at the way UFC does their events. They have have the front runners face off against eachother and build themselves up as competition. Why not announce a few people in a gauntlet style setup, lasting a month where the two winners of gauntlet matches face off against eachother. That way the winner of that would have beaten 5 men by the time of that match, including the potential top 3rd guy.

 

[Schizophrenic]

Hey nightshift yeah sorry I did mean that Angle wins. I meant to take out the Angle gets screwed part. My bad. I agree that perhaps Jarrett wont be there, just a possible thought ran through my head of the "tension" between Jarrett & Kurt with Bischoff maybe doing that match to just have them eliminate each other.

 

[The Marauder]

8-Card Stud Tournament:

Hernandez vs Morgan:[/U] I would say this match will be pretty good but I'm pulling for Morgan. He has the look and the athleticism to be championship material. Hernandez could be a wild card in this but I think TNA is trying to stick him in the mid-card section.

Wolfe vs D' Angelo: Hell, talk about the two superb athletes in the industry. (Hey, Shelton Benjamin! Haas! Are you looking at TNA?) Call me crazy but I think Wolfe is going to win this one. Nothing against The Pope but Wolfe has the skills to pull a win. Like Hernandez, Pope can be a wild card.

Kurt Angle vs Mr. Anderson: I'm pulling for Anderson in this one. Even though he may cheat. Angle, in his case; he has the whole ordeal with Hogan/Bischoff/The Band storyline.

Abyss vs Mick Foley: I don't really care to much about this match. Maybe it might be a hardcore type match. Only thing interesting is that Foley wants to beat the crap out of Bischoff. To Abyss I say "where's the monster that made you a TNA darling"? I'm going with Abyss. But he's not to make it to the finals.

TNA, not bad. Not bad at all.


Marauder.

 

[Suneeboy]

Pope wins the tournament and is now the #1 contender. It was played out perfectly, and he got 3 clean hard fought wins. The final actually main evented the PPV which shows how much importance TNA has put on this idea. Anderson vs. Pope was very well done, and had awesome in ring psychology by both participants. Anderson popped out of the DDE and the crowd seemed pissed about it, which set up the finish perfectly. Pope is so over its not even funny, and deservedly so because the guy is for real. Great look, great in ring ability, good on the mic, young, athletic, original, charismatic...what else could you ask for? Hogan wasn't kidding when he said the young guys are going to get pushed, and I hope all of the people who bitched and moaned about bringing in some older faces was going to kill the product are eating their words now. Two months in and we already have a fresh new young face in the main event who wasn't shoved down our throats.

He will get his chance in the sun. He may not get the title just yet, but he will show that he belongs and will be a more than worthy challenger.

 

[LJAustin]

hate to hear the bearer of bad news, but theres a alot of racial shit being said now that pope gets a title shot on certain places, sad but true

its a shame cause i really like the dude, but then again wrestling will always be known as a deep south "redneck" industry

 

[BradXXX]

hate to hear the bearer of bad news, but theres a alot of racial shit being said now that pope gets a title shot on certain places, sad but true

its a shame cause i really like the dude, but then again wrestling will always be known as a deep south "redneck" industry

I wish we could just take all the stupid racist, homophobic, bigoted pieces of shit in this country and send them to mars or anywhere. Get em the fuck outta this country and or better yet, off the planet.

The ovation for Pope's win was awesome. He successfully won over not only the TNA marks, but all the casual fans in the crowd.

Of course Mr. Anderson played the heel perfectly as well. He's done really well ever since coming into TNA.

I think TNA needs to sell finishing moves better, I dunno if I was the only one to notice that Anderson's mic check has been one of the only finishers lately to actually put people away. After seeing Angle and Abyss fall to it, I think the crowd got super excited when Pope kicked out of it because they weren't expecting it. That's how it should be (a surprise when someone kicks out of a finisher.)

Now when somebody loses to the Angle Slam it just makes that person look weak since it barely finishes anybody anymore, for example.