Vince Russo mission - 3 Top talents

[TNARICK]

It is being said backstage in TNA that lead writer Vince Russo is "on a mission" to make their top talent such as AJ Styles, Matt Morgan, and Hernandez into bigger stars. Dixie Carter is also said to be a huge fan of those three wrestlers.

With Russo having complete creative control, he wants to send a message to younger talent that they are looking to develop new stars. The general feeling backstage is that Russo is more trustworthy than Jeff Jarrett, whom had a reputation for supporting his circle of friends only.

In a email Vince Russo said this

He is writing TNA according to his "vision" from this point onwards once he gets all the "characters in place"

--

This is can be compared to the attitude era more then WCW 2000 where he had to rush everything and big storylines because they wanted changes overnight.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

I'm a bit curious how you know what was said in an e-mail that Russo were to have sent out, but that being put aside.. I can definitely see TNA trying to focus on making Matt Morgan & Hernandez its two new(er) bright stars. A.J. Styles needs to be discontinued from this conversation, however, because he's been the 'bread & butter' of TNA since its inception.

To consider Styles a sudden "new top talent" is a bit slow and fool-hardy. He's always been a top talent, regardless of what hes done.

So, with that being said you focus on Matt Morgan, Hernandez & in what I believe is actually being considered a huge push.. Eric Young.

Morgan is clearly going to become a World Heavyweight Champion, and I wouldn't doubt if its before year's end. Let's be honest here, hes going into his second World Heavyweight title opportunity in as many months, and last month he was overwhelmingly favored by the crowd. That, to TNA, means "let's push the shit outta him!"

Hell, even "I" (Morgan's biggest detractor) believe hes starting to come into his own with his promos and interviews, and his in-ring work with Angle is starting to make him look like a more well rounded Superstar. So, for me - a person who dislikes Morgan - to consider him a sudden worthy Main Event option, it definitely means hes doing something right.

As for Hernandez, I've been backing this guy since Sam paid me off to do so. Of course, by paid off, I mean asked me repeatedly to watch more L.A.X matches until my eyes bled. But it worked. I saw greatness in Super-Mex, and more importantly I still recall back to his original match against Sting when he more or less owned the (then) Heavyweight Champion.

Hernandez is still my top favorite to become Heavyweight Champion by Bound for Glory, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him win it OFF Matt Morgan, to begin a feud between the two.

Finally, as for Eric Young.. you have to take into account he went from being a comedic Wrestler going up against James Storm for a "beer title" and fighting celebs inside 6 Sides of Steel to suddenly leading his own group thats become the 2nd biggest/best group in TNA right now.

While I've never been a fan of Eric Young, I still consider this a major push for him over everything else he's ever been given. And hes making it work.

 

[gd]

Geez, not you again. What is the point of this thread here? Showing that Vince Russo is the best human being ever? This is just another load of garbage.

Anyway, so I don't spam, I do think it is great that TNA is trying to push these guys, however, AJ should've been pushed a long time ago. He is by far the best wrestler in TNA, and he has yet to hold the TNA World Title. It's ridiculous. Morgan and Hernandez are both big guys who are freak atheletes, but I'm not sure if either one of them are the total package. However, I do really like that TNA is at least willing to give them a shot.

 

[TellMeWhy]

It's true that AJ Styles has already been pushed and should not be considered as new talent but this is the time to solidify him and concrete him as the true face of TNA. I think that is what is meant when AJ is talked about when it comes to being pushed. Anyway, it's a great idea and a great thing that Russo is doing.

 

[TheFutureHasComeEarly]

Just my opinions on the topic

I agree 100% with the idea of pushing Morgan. He has made such a big transition since I first saw him in the WWE. His in-ring abilities, his mic skills and his overall personality are so much different and so much more impressive. This seems like the perfect time for his push and I'm glad to see him in the main event.

Hernandez recieving the push he is getting is no suprise to me. I've been watching him since he began in TNA and have always been a fan of Supermex since his days in LAX when he was a heel. A big man with the skills that he possesses warrant his push, however i do have a small issue with that being his mic skills. I always thought that Homicide was defiently the speaker for the two of them when they were LAX.

As for the 3rd person that is going to be recieving the push, AJ Styles, I think that if it's going to happen they need to keep him at that elevated status. If he is infact the face of TNA they need to keep him at that level and not let him be that high and then let him slip down to mid-card status in a year or two.

Some thoughts on others that I wouldn't mind seeing getting a push in the future:

Eric Young - I feel like he has some untapped potential that they just haven't let him release. He can be bigger and with a push and maybe a gimmick change in the future who knows what he could do.
Daivari - If they keep playing him up like they did on the most recent Impact that I saw, they could defiently do something big with him. He has excellent mic skills, is oozing charisma, and the fact that he is so believable with his gimmick makes me wonder what he could be.

 

[Christian Battlez]

Matt Morgan: A Legitimate athletic seven footer, way over the with the crowd, his gimmick is he is the blueprint for the perfect human being, and he has this cool tweener thing leading towards a face turn thing going on right now. Matt Morgan has definetly improved ten fold since his time in WWE and I think if TNA were foolish enough to let him go at any point in the future he is a guy Vince McMahon would push to the moon.

Hernandez: Another guy the crowd can really get behind. His high flying ability for a man his size is astounding. I wouldn't be surprised to see him win the World title but he is someone I see more as like a dominant X-Division champion kinda like Samoa Joe.

AJ Styles: The future of TNA. BY this years BFG I expect him to go over Sting or Angle clean and win the TNA title in the process. Unless Bobby Lashley gets in the way. AJ has worked so hard in his seven year TNA career and he deserves this big match win for his efforts.

 

[ScottySummers]

For the record, AJ Styles is a THREE TIME World Champion. He won the top title in TNA when it was still the NWA World Championship, so technically it's true that he's never been TNA Champ, but it seems fair to count the NWA title during its tenure in TNA as just as much of a legit World Championship as the TNA belt.

I'll believe in Russo's "mission" when I see some positive results. The World Elite are the same evil foreign group we've seen time and again, most recently in Team Canada. TWE and the Main Event Mafia should not be booked as friends, it makes no sense, and it only drags them all down. All the young stars, face or heel, should be an enemy to the Mafia (except of course someone like Joe who they bought). Eric Young would have gotten a bigger rub from the eventual Jarrett victory, had that not been cut short.

Regardless, the MEM have been on the top of the show for more months than I can count now, so how any of that is supposed to elevate the younger stars I don't know. The Frontline died out pretty quick, and the center of attention has constantly been 40+ stars (MEM and Team3D), only one of whom is arguably still in his prime. If Russo is actually going to follow through on pushing the younger guys, then he's playing catch up for all these wasted months.

And AJ's "push" recently has been a testimate to how over he really is, that anyone still cares about him after he does the whole "it's too hard so i'm gonna quit" angle. Why anyone thinks that's a way to try and push a face on a main event level I have no idea. He was better off when he was feuding with Angle a few months ago and getting solid wins.

Matt Morgan? I can't really argue with the statements that he is improving, but he still does absolutely nothing for me personally.

Hernandez is getting a nice push at the moment but I will be very surprised if it continued beyond another month or two.

In regards to Davari being "so believable with his gimmick" I have to ask: what gimmick?! Isn't he just a cookie cutter "Arab-looking" character? Does he have a gimmick beyond that?!? I usually stop paying attention whenever he's on, so perhaps I missed it.

Really the only "young" talent who TNA has hit a home run with pushing, in my mind, is Beer Money. Their build with Team 3D was EXCELLENT at pretty much every step, and now they are top level players in everyone's mind.

 

[UFOcalling]

I'm glad that Russo is trying to make "new stars". I'm also glad that someone mentioned Eric Young along with the "big-three" (Morgan, Styles and Hernandez). About time that someone in "control" decided that the fans might not want to watch the same old dudes fight for the belt every PPV.

I'm sure Russo and Dixie also have plans for the MCMG & Beer Money. It's an old formula: split up the team, have them feud with each other for a little while, then settle in as singles wrestlers. I'm sure that they'll keep these four in their back pocket for when the time is right, or there are too many other main-eventers on the injured list.

 

[mrarmageddon]

Russo knows that people like Steiner and Booker T are seen as "has beens" by a lot of the IWC even though they can still work an okay match and are quality on the mic.

Same thing happened in mid-90s when WWE still had Jake Roberts and Ultimate Warrior etc. Eventually you have to create new stars Hernandez is coming along nicely, AJ is always over but should be bigger, Eric Young has come into his own as a lead heel and Morgan should be the next heavyweight champion.

Add to that bringing in more younger ex-wwe stars (who can't be labelled has-beens as they aren't "old") such as Bobby Lashley and Ken Anderson will only further help TNA's growth.

 

[markmeout]

Morgan is not a huge tallent in my opinion. He is a bulky athlete that I really havent saw anything great in the ring to warent a main event slot. His fued with Abyss was frightningly bad, his main event ppv match was lacking. I really don't see Morgan as a top tallent. Hasn't AJ already won world titles in TNA how is he not concidered a main eventer in TNA, he is a main event tallent for years. Hernadez is great and I can see him as a multitime champion, I think he would be a better fit in WWE though, but he is the best young tallent in TNA other then Alex Shelly (who should also be a main eventer but thats another topic) who hasnt won TNA world title gold.

 

[Marty2Hotty]

I like all three. Matt Morgan has potential and I like how he has been used in recent weeks. However, his backstage segments (the way they are written) are kinda lame. "Ooh, i'm trying to screw Kurt". What Matt needs is charisma, something that fans can boo or cheer him to. He needs to have some attitude. While I'm talking about Matt, AJ needs the same. He needs a catchphrase, needs to feel comfortable as his character.

He still struggles after 7 years of cutting promos, IMO. When he was Prince AJ and in between Christian/Kurt, and doing segments from his house, the summit, and kissing Karen, I think he was EXTREMELY entertaining and fans were starting to react to him and he was the entertainer of the promotion regardless of what critics online said.

IN regards to Hernandez, Russo has done a tremendous job pushing this guy to main event status from his interview with Tenay to the way he has been used in recent months.

I really want the TNA show to really revolve around building charactesr and making us cheer and boo them. Really making us care for everyone, not being afraid to push the envelope. If WWE is doing PG TV, it's TNA's priority to really push the envelope and do things that TNA can't do

What made WCW flourish with the nWo stuff.. Bischoff was really persistent on doing this differently than WWF. WWF was doing cartoony products, taped. Bischoff focused his wrestlers on reality - Hall/Nash for example using their real names, the entire nWo thing talking about WWF.. he was doing things you were "technically not supposed to do" in wrestling and it created a buzz. He then went live 2 hours every week.. something that WWF never did at the time.. He kept pushing things and changing things up

Russo then countered that in 97 by starting the attitude era and taking wrestling instead of cartoons, he made it EXTREMELY adult oriented... but did build on heat from heels, babyfaces, reactions. The signs and reactions to an Austin, DX, Rock was DEAFENING cmpared to a Raw OR Impact..

Russo needs to be writing in that same capacity to really SHAKE THINGS UP for TNA

 

[TNARICK]

"You can't get there in a week. Keep in mind, Jeff was in charge of creative for seven years--and it was heanily based on wrestling--you can't change that overnight. Plus--it's a different crew I'm working with--a lot of these younger guys can't yet pull of what Austin, Rock, DX, and Mick did. They're still green and very young--they're not seasoned professionals. I'm taking baby steps with these younger guys--because they still have so much to learn." -- Vince Russo in latest email

 

[Innovator_Of_Offense]

Matt Morgan definently has "it" hes a big man that can only be described as an athlete everything he does is with such ease which does not always come natural too big men. The only reason anybody could have to not be behind him is his work on the mic. IF he gets over after a decent face run they should turn him heel and have Russo be his mouthpeice I cant understand for the life of me why TNA hasn't brought Russo out as some kind of owner/GM or manager character he hasn't been on TV in YEARS yet he is still so over.

 

[Marty2Hotty]

Well, Vince Russo has stated that he prefers to be behind the camera. If Russo is going to get more control, maybe we'll see him down the line. We have actually seen more wrestling over the past few weeks than ever and the ratings have really taken a hit because of it.

I dont think Matt Morgan needs to be shielded by a mouthpiece character...

Russo has kept a low profile and hasn't done any interviews since being re-hired by TNA in 2006. Hopefully, he can really make the shows more exciting. If anyone can get wrestling out of the current rut that it is in right now, it's him...

 

[CenaSux4Life78]

You know, people slam Vince Russo all the time. But the thing that people seem to forget is that, give him the chance and control he makes great things happen. Lets see who came up with the idea of the build up for the original DX? Hmmmmm Vince Russo did. He creating the "attitude era" Vince Russo again.

When Russo came to WCW it was to far gone to be saved. Though, I admit he did try, and did do his best. I think he realized it was drowning in its own blood. So that's why the story lines sucked so bad.

Assuming what the original post in this thread says is true, it would be nice to see. Maybe we can see an "attitude era" in TNA?

 

[T2KFreeker]

Okay, let's look at this here. I was actually a WCW fan back in the day and watched the promotion change from the back east roots of NWA to the nWo era and watched it squash the WWF in the ratings. I am not going to take away from Vince Russo for the great things he did for the WWF, as he had some great ideas that worked well and got Vince and crew some serious attention that helped to get them back to the top of the pile. Now, as for his tenure in WCW, I am less than impressed. He took a company that had built itself up to be the top Dog and helped to kill it. I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt that WCW Management didn't help things but actually helped to drive the nail in the coffin, but with that said; As long as Russo does NOTHING remotely close to what he did with WCW, I might be impressed. If he can prove himself this time around with TNA then things in history could rewrite themselves and prove that WCW Management was stupid and squandered another great talent in Russo. Only time will tell. Either way, between some talks or whatever, they have proven that they can get some stuff right in YNA between the Tag Team Division, the Knockouts when they try, and the X-Division, again when they try, things could be great in TNA. They just need to focus on everything at once and not on just one or two parts of the picture.

As for Styles, Morgan, and Hernandez, all three of them have busted their asses in their careers. WWE was stupid with Morgan the way they handled him both times. He could have been what they are trying to do with Batista. AJ has been with TNA since day one and he impressed me with his in ring skills when he was a new comer in WCW. Green, yes, but you knew he was going to go places. Hernandez though, he was a diamond in the rough. His skill has been impressive since day one and I have seen him do stuff in that ring that was just amazing for a man his size. It's a shame that LAX has come to an end, but I have a feeling that down the road we may see them back together as well as the fans love that nostalgia thing, especially with two guys that Gelled together as well as those two did. I personally wouldn't mind seeing Hernandez and Morgan in the main event for the title at Bound For Glory. Would be much more minteresting than seeing Kurt Angle against so and so. I think TNA should take the gamble and let two of their young guys tear it up and see what happens with the sales. Either way, if Sting VS Styles happens and it's Sting's farewell match, that right there alone would be enough to sell the PPV. Let the fans get wowed by the younger guys and let them have an epic match and watch new fans sprout up over night.

On Eric Young. Not that he's bad. I can see great things from him with more work. The guy is pretty good in the ring and his Mic skills aren't bad. Give him more stuff where he gets some amazing promos in and he could be that needle in the haystack that nobody saw. Let Foley write some vignettes for him with the expanded vocabulary and let him carry it off and you could have one Hell of a heel on your hands. Eric is waiting for his moment and hopefully it doesn't pass him by. I have a feeling he's going to break out in TNA and be better than people were thinking. Have Petey Williams come back and be his bodyguard man, that's all I'm saying.

 

[Dogfingers]

I find it strange Russo has decided to push these three as the top talent in TNA.

Morgan and Hernandez display competence but nothing more. I never remember hearing a promo from either man that was anywhere above mediocre. I just don't understand why these two were chosen. They haven't shown one iota of charisma.

Styles is a different story, although his promo's are of varying quality he's a guy that can get over on his in ring ability.

 

[lcbball154]

If Tna wants to compete with the wwe they have to do this. How well does it look to have the face of Tna be someone that the E released. Dont get me wrong i like Angle and I believe Kennedy or Anderson whoever will be huge in Tna if he can stay healthy. What needs to happen is instead of having guys like nash and steiner and booker in every payper view have guys like eric young hernandez and beer money in there there comes a point where you stop pushing the 50 yr olds or people are going to turn off. congrats to aj