I've waited for this day since, well, since I started the thread.
Honestly, Samoa Joe is a horrible Champion because hes just too plain. Hes too "average" and he isn't exciting without a character/charisma behind him, like A.J. Styles had.
That's where I feel you're wrong. If you're talking about when AJ was NWA Champion, I think he was pretty much on par with Joe in terms of characterlessness. I just made up a word!
However, T.N.A. likely isn't going to give up so quickly on Joe, just like the W.W.E. isn't going to just go drop the Brand Extention. Both were their respective company's "babies." And neither company wants to own up to thinking it was a failure in any way. Therefore, I see Joe remaining Champion for (sadly) a while longer, until possibly Bound For Glory.
Sadly, yes. TNA could surprise us with... Oh, who am I kidding? I don't think TNA will
ever be surprising.
If they wanted to get the Championship off him, they have the perfect opportunity to do it with the King of the Mountain match. Thats the one match Joe doesn't have to lose, to lose the Championship. And furthermore, 90% of Joe's title losses have come in multi-man matches, where he wasn't the guy beaten.
He doesn't have the undefeated gimmick any more, but yes, it is the perfect oppurtunity for him to drop it without him looking weak. It also means he can carry on in the main event as the chaser, something I feel he is far better as.
So this could be what they're doing. So you have to ask yourself, who would be the logical guy to drop the Championship to?
Booker T. Oh sorry, was that rhetorical? My bad.
Robert Roode: I think Robert Roode would make a perfect heel Heavyweight Champion, but he isn't the biggest heel in the company right now, and he doubtfully ever will be over the likes of Kurt Angle, or even Booker T. So with that said, Robert Roode is hitting that ever so well talked about "glass roof."
I still believe strongly that Robert Roode has everything it takes to become the Champion, I just can not see it happening at Slammiversary.
Neither can I. I've never been sure with Roode. One week I think he's the dog's bollocks, the next I think he's just kind of boring. This particular week, I think he wouldn't be too bad as champion. TNA seem to be finding it hard to bring anyone other than Abyss up from the midcard in the last, um, two years? They could finally start doing it.
Booker T: More or less, hes my pick to win it. Booker T. is a proven World Heavyweight Champion. Hes a former multi-time W.C.W. Heavyweight Champion, and hes great as the Main guy in the heel role. I think Booker T. carrying that Championship would be a good move on T.N.A.'s part, especially with Team 3-D backing him up.
The downside to Booker T. is once again, you'd be dropping the main Heavyweight Championship on yet another guy that came from the rival company, who for most of his life was a solid mid-carder, but nothing too absolutely great at the Main Event level.
TNA doesn't have many options now. As it is, Booker is the guy to most recently hold a top tier belt in a rival company. He's also actually pretty interesting after his heel turn - he seems to be doing a better, less boring job of it in a smaller company.
Tomko: Seriously, if Tomko even makes it to the match, its stupid and pointless. He'd be there to help Booker T. if anything, but overall it'd be horrible to see him get into this.
True. True. However, Tomko is ever so slightly underrated - he's more than just a strong man and a lackey. Not a great deal more, but more nonetheless. I agree though, not champ material.
Christian Cage: Hes the second best and most logical choice outside of Booker T. Christian is a former multi-time T.N.A. Heavyweight Champion, and he can carry the load one more time.
Why do I keep quoting all of these? Short and simple: I agree.
The only problem with Christian is, hes been their Heavyweight workhorse too much, and doesn't have any new faces (outside of Booker) to truly feud with. So Christian getting the Championship would result in the company going backwards.
Similar to what would happen if Angle got it right now, I feel. However, that's not to say they don't ever deserve it back. Give it a few months, hopefully some new names will establish themselves in the main event scene.
James Storm: Sam has a great deal of trust and respect for Storm, that I just don't have or see in the guy. He was definately the better member of America's Most Wanted, but to me he just isn't Heavyweight Championship material.
Why not? I have a feeling I'm going to look down and find an explanation. Wait here.
The basis of the guy's entire gimmick is a laid back version of Bradshaw from the A.P.A., or at best a mild version of Steve Austin regarding beer. If Robert Roode isn't ready, then Storm is two levels below him.
1) Storm is a heel, Bradshaw was never a heel in his APA days. Not to mention that I just don't see the similarity anyway. I'd continue, but I'm afraid I'd just talk about how the two are supposedly racial stereotypes or something and, just because they drink beer and have a similar accent (maybe?) their gimmicks aren't the same by any means.
2) Racist.
3) He likes beer, so is pretty much Steve Austin? Uh-huh.
4) He's a very robust performer, with a gimmick that's actually not bad, and a great character underneath it if you look hard enough. He's a level above Roode if anything. I've said it before, he's pretty much TNA's Edge. KOTM could be his MITB.
Could you explain more? I'd love to carry on this argument. Your entire basis of him not being champion material seems to be that that his gimmick is similar to that of either Steve Austin or APA Bradshaw, which it simply isn't.