The Future of The Motor City Machineguns?

[It's Damn Real!]

IMO it's becoming glaringly evident that The Motor City Machineguns have an expiration date, and considering how weakly they're being pushed despite the title shots they earned, and considering how badly the X-Division needs a legitimate heel presence again, would anyone be opposed to a (longer-term) plan to break-up them up in light of pushing Chris Sabin back to the top of the X-Division, and giving Alex Shelley a run as a singles competitor in the main event card?

I'm not even talking about weeks here, likely months, but IMO there's a very evident expiration date on the tag team as we know them, largely in part to being under-utilized as they have been. Why continue to run circles in mediocrity picking up wins every once in a while against a team like The British Invasion, only to get squashed the next week by Team 3D? Seems perpetual, and incredibly deflating to any type of long-term building process. That is of course unless you're trying to build long-term jobbers.

IMO, Shelley has all the tools necessary to vault him into superstardom, and all things considered with the cries for the building of stars, I see no reason why plans can't be worked into pushing him as a young champion of the company.

Sabin, though still young, has a veteran presence in the X-Division, and IMO always had his best matches while wrestling in it. Springing him back into the thick of things would certainly add a better mixture to the writing as well as the booking seeing as he makes a great heel, and they sorely lack one with the wrestling/mic skills of Sabin. Don't get me wrong folks, I like Homicide, but Homicide isn't a tenth of the total package Sabin is.

Thoughts?

 

[NSL]

Let's just forget they're the biggest draw in the tag division, and are frequently the highlight of multi-man X Division matches, and split them up so they can die in mediocrity on their own.

Sabin and Shelley are great as a tag team, and had great runs in the X Division on their own, but now is not the time to split them up. They keep themselves fresh for the fans by still working "alone" in the Ultimate X matches, and at times it appears they're more of a stable than a tag team. They're funny, they can fly, and they're different from the other tag teams in the company.

I'll agree the X Division needs help, but the main event is already crowded, and the tag division is treading water until something big comes along.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Let's just forget they're the biggest draw in the tag division, and are frequently the highlight of multi-man X Division matches, and split them up so they can die in mediocrity on their own.

Sabin and Shelley are great as a tag team, and had great runs in the X Division on their own, but now is not the time to split them up. They keep themselves fresh for the fans by still working "alone" in the Ultimate X matches, and at times it appears they're more of a stable than a tag team. They're funny, they can fly, and they're different from the other tag teams in the company.

I'll agree the X Division needs help, but the main event is already crowded, and the tag division is treading water until something big comes along.

Re-read my post, NSL. I'm not talking about splitting them up now. I'm talking long-term future here. Months away. Nothing even remotely imminent.

All I'm saying is that the way they're being booked now doesn't show all that much promise for a bright future in the tag division, and I really think Shelley could vault to greater success if that's the case as a singles competitor, otherwise.

 

[Coco]

Long term, Shelley should headline or at least get a fair shot at breaking out in the midcard. The guy has a long standing reputation for being charismatic, he has one of the deepest movesets on the TNA roster (a fact he rarely gets to show off), and he just meshes so well with so many different styles. Shelley's indy work puts him over the top for me. A GREAT wrestler and a guy who can get people to care about him. He's a star and it's only a matter of him getting his break. He's more than "that guy who teams with Chris Sabin."

I can see the love that people just judging their TNA careers have for Sabin, but I see Sabin as nothing more than a flier who occasionally heels it up and refuses to dive in order to get heat. He's a good X-Divsion main-stay, but he's not on Shelley's level at all from what I've seen. When they split, Sabin has a warm spot waiting for him in the X-Division but I would imagine that's about it.

Great team and still needed at the moment because they have yet to feel overpushed in their current division. When they break up, however, I certainly see each man deserving to find success in different places in the company.

 

[NSL]

He's more than "that guy who teams with Chris Sabin."

This isn't what I was saying when I called him the "Jannetty" of the group. Watch one of their matches. He's the guy that starts the match, takes the beating, and sells the other teams big moves. Sabin is the guy who gets the hot tag and takes out everyone before the big double team finish.

Shelley was great in the X Division before they teamed up, and he always entertained me. I just don't see him as the guy to shoot to the top of the card and face guys like Morgan, Hernandez, Styles, or Daniels. He'd be great as an X Division champ, feuding with guys like Homicide, Dinero, or Kaz (when he returns).

 

[Remix]

Personally I love the MCMGs, and I remember watching them working together in an Xcape match and thinking that they were completely awesome. However I do think that at some stage, they will need to split up and that Shelley should get the push. I think this because I honestly think that his technical style is more interesting to watch than Sabin's more high flying style, and I think he could work very well as a heel X-division champion, before making a break for the midcard outside of the high fliers, hell if he goes the 'I'm better than the X-Division. I know how to wrestle' heel route, he could even take it to A.J. (and if he's still WHC at the time) go for the title. he shouldnt win it (it'd be too far, too soon) he should seem to take Styles to his limit before his defeat. If it's done well, both can look good in defeat (AJ for putting away his challenger cleanly, Shelley for going the distance with the World Heavyweight Championship) and Shelley should make it as a upper midcarder, and possible future champion. and if it doesnt work out, he can still be the heel of the X-Division who thinks he's better than the untallented, backflipping trainwrecks he's forced to share his division with.

however I think the timing for the split is crucial. If they do it too soon they'll fail and get nowhere. if they do it to late, the fans will be tired of them and want then to split so they can do somethng. they've got to shock the fans when they do it, and they've got to make it decisive.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

Somehow I've always liked the idea of seeing the MCMG in ..... WWE. Now, I know what you're thinking...

"B-b-but! Vince is a baaad old man! He won't use them! He'll limit them!"

Sure, that's true. HOWEVER, as we're talking long term future here, let's just say that this TNA vs WWE thing works out. Let's just say the MCMGs are quite sick of being left off cards and doing absolutely nothing when they're booked, let's just say they want to try it out.

Honestly, Vince needs a charismatic guy. A guy that can get the crowd going...and that guy is Shelley. He's got it all. Looks, charisma, in-ring skill, mic-skills, everything. He can be a face, he can be a heel, he's the ultimate package. Now, if Vince is a smart guy he'll realize that that "New Era of Entertainment" he's constantly looking for is not big muscleheads, not "entertainement", not pretty pyro and fancy sets ... it's action packed in-ring action, athleticism, speed and innovative moves.

Shelley is a guy that can provide that, but Alex is also a guy that can work the mic and the crowd while IN the ring. Honestly, to me personally he's the new HBK. The guy isn't even scratching the surface of what he can do.

As far as Sabin goes...well...in my opinion Sabin is nothing without Shelley but Shelley can be whatever the heck he wants without Sabin. X-Division at best.

I'm quite mad at TNA for not using them well. What's the reason though? I have a feeling it has something to do with their contracts. I don't know what the deal is but I don't think they're official full-time TNA employees. TNA can't be that blind. We're craving to see them pushed, we love 'em, they're entertaining, they're good in the ring and arguably the best tag-team on God's Green Earth right now and honestly the best tag-team I've seen in the last 10 years.

 

[Remix]

I'm quite mad at TNA for not using them well. What's the reason though? I have a feeling it has something to do with their contracts.

That's one possible reason. Another is that they seem to keep getting in the doghouse for pissing off the bookers. Which is never a good thing.

That said, They're damn good and the bookers would have to be crazy not to realise that and use them. because the only thing worse than being buried is being forgotten. if you're being buried, at least you're out there and give the crowd a reason to care (which can precipitate a push) and be remembered when you're out of the doghouse. if you're just being a benchwarmer the crowd can easily forget about you and when you're out of the doghouse wont care about you.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I don't think they're pissing anyone off. I mean...Sabin just beat the tag team champions on his own. Shelley beat Doug a couple of weeks ago. Maybe this is a push? I could see them splitting up WHILE having the tag-titles. That would be a shocker. They worked so hard for these belts and if they split WHILE having them that would be out of the blue.

 

[Leafy]

The Motor City Machine Guns need to provide the X Division with their greatness. We saw that these two guys can tear the house down when they fight one on one, the feud between these two would be great.

Obviously WWE is trying to capture the success of these two with the new tag team on ECW. They can relate to kids with their comedy and knowledge of pop culture. With Hulk Hogan bringing in viewers, TNA needs to display the athleticism of the X Division and these two are what they need.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

TNA's use of the Guns throughout the entire year of 2009 has been atrocious. They're two of the most exciting in-ring workers that TNA has, they're a talented tag team and both have been. The highlight of the MMCG's year really was Alex Shelley winning the X-Division title back in January, and it was a pretty forgettable reign at that. After Shelley dropped the title to Suicide in March, the Guns all but disappeared from TNA television for the next 6 or 7 months. When they were used, they typically cut some lame ass promo. Within the past 6 weeks or so, TNA has just shoved the Guns back into the tag team title scene as if they haven't spent most of this year keeping them off television. The Guns have little to no momentum right now and not all that much credibility either. One of the few matches they worked during their Impact exile had them job to Abyss cleanly in a handicap match. For me personally, I find it hard to really get excited about a team and think of them as top tier championship material when something like that happens.

It's a damn shame because they're a talented couple of guys. Personally, I think the tag, and X-Divisions have declined sharply, particularly the X-Division over the course of this year and maybe splitting them up could be a good way to inject some fresh excitement into the X-Division.

 

[LegendKiller716]

IMO I think Sabin is the better competitor. I know that everyone is extremly high on Shelly and I too am a Huge Shelly fan, but he was nothing before MCMG. As for Sabin he was a multiple time champion before the guns.

With that being said, I think the guns are in line for a huge push. If TNA wasnt gunna push them, they would not:
1.) get new music
2.) get so much TV about how they get no TV time
3.) Shelly would not have beaten Williams one on one
4.) Sabin would not have beaten the entire British Invasion in a 3 on 1 match

 

[Dagger Dias]

would anyone be opposed to a (longer-term) plan to break-up them up in light of pushing Chris Sabin back to the top of the X-Division, and giving Alex Shelley a run as a singles competitor in the main event card?

I'm against it. They are one of the best tag teams that TNA has and are far better together than they would be if they were split up. Lots of fans like them and they put on great matches. They can still be used in the X Division too if one has a match and the other is in their corner, stuff like that. These guys are entertaining, but I really don't think they would do well at all split up because they are great as a TEAM, so they should remain together for a while.

 

[Lancer]

I think it would be pretty foolish to break up MCMG, simply because of the state of TNA's Tag Team division right now. The British Invasion, the champs, and Beer Money Inc. are the only legit tag teams right now. Lethal Consequences is no more because Jay Lethal is fighting fat old guys and Consequences Creed is MIA. Team 3D is in another storyline altogether.

The Brits, whenever they get done with their infighting, need some challengers to the belts. MCMG need to get pushed, in order to be taken seriously. Sabin and Shelley always get awesome crowd reactions, and the team has been one of TNA's beloved since its inception in 2007...despite not ever holding the belts. TNA can correct that if they put them in the title picture at once.

It could make for a decent storyline. MCMG get the belts in a win over the British Invasion, Magnus and Williams blame Terry...kick him out or whatever, then chase the Guns for the titles. It would freshen up the tag scene, legitimize the Guns, and give British Invasion a new identity as challengers instead of champions, so they don't become too stale.

 

[mayhem]

The Motor City Machine Guns have been a tag team for close to 3 years now and yet to win the tag team titles which is a joke considering how over they are with the fans and their ability to work together in the ring and their mic skills. They collaborate well together as a unit which makes them exciting to watch.

Surely politics has prevented them winning the tag team titles but i feel that they should remain as a tag team together as Jarrett has lost power and The British Invasion is one of the tag teams in TNA who have held the tag team belts whom are not the strongest ever so now is their time.

If they were to break up i would push Sabin back into the x division seeing as that is where he is at his strongest and he hasn't held the x division title now for 2 and a half years so it would be fresh for him to get involved in it again.

Shelley has the more charisma and wit of the two so i feel he could challenge for titles higher up the card if he were to go into it by himself and like Sabin his work ethic in the ring is excellent.

For the time being though i would say keep them together as a tag team and they'll eventually grab their 1st tag team belts some time soon.

 

[Supersayin]

Shelly is one of the most under-rated wrestlers today. The guy screams out 'World Champ'. While Sabin is the more entertaining worker, Shelly has major charisma and the best mic skills in the company. He can easily roll with Hernendaz, AJ, Joe, Daniels, Morgan,Angle and other Heavyweights.

 

[NSL]

Their future definitely looks a little clearer now. They earned their title shot for Sunday, and they finally had a chance to talk about their past titles for other companies, so it looks like the build to their eventual title win seems near.

Sabin and Shelley are both great workers, and keeping them paired together would be in the best interests of both. The X Division just doesn't get the air time anymore to carry both of them, and the main event is too crowded for them to get any real chances. Working as a tag team allows them options for feuds and the outside shot of actually catching TNA gold one day.