With the Motor City "Main Event" is TNA making the X Division, um, more serious?

[Uncle Sam]

TNA has surprised me with the Alex Shelley/Chris Sabin X Division title match. At first glance, it's a stupid angle. At second glance too. What's the hook here? A good match? Since when did TNA get viewers for that? Stupid. And the two Guns in a friendly competition - eh? There's a perfectly good split up angle to be had. Mick Foley says they'll be punished for stupid shit, so I guess that throws the possibility of another finger poke of doom out of the window.

But with a title tournament ending with two credible cruiserweight competitors - and Alex Shelley as champion, if there's any justice in the world - is TNA getting more serious with the X Division, using it as more than a place to exhibit stupid gimmicks? Even in the event that Homicide runs out and pins the new champion, which I'm about 50% sure will happen, it's still definitely going in a different direction.

I dunno, I'm just kinda rambling. Thoughts?

 

[waylon p]

i just see a scene wherein the guns get a long lecture from cactus, who's telling them that he knows that they are planning some sort "screwjob" that will cheat the fans of a great match. he further tells them that unless he sees them both really trying here, some sort of action will be forthcoming.

then the guns hit the ring, and pull out all the stops. i mean really going at it in a manner we know they can. then they do one of those "ecw moments" where they do a move, reverse, reverse, reverse.....ad infinitum, until they are just staring at each other with clenched fists. then the audience applauds.

that would be when the guns would do "rock, scissors paper", the loser laying down on his back right there. 1,2,3 new champ. they could even grab a mike right before the rps game, saying "hey foley! this is for you!"

this would be in character for the guns, and i think the resulting handicap match would be fun as hell.

only problem is, i really think that less thought was put into this angle than i put into this post, which is little, indeed.

 

[aRush]

Well my personal hope is that they pull off a double-pin finish of some fashion, so that both of the Guns become co-champs of the X-Division and then would have a long reign. Throughout the reign Foley could keep coming up with ideas to get the title off of one, if not both, of them and have the Guns continually one-up him. This would help put them over, and whoever beat won the title off of them would look very strong. I also think it would be very entertaining to see.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Sam, I wanna have faith that T.N.A. is taking a serious approach to the X-Division.. but I wouldn't hold my breath.

I guess the initial question would be, who deemed this division "cruiserweights only"? I mean, Sloppy Joe is hardly a cruiserweight and he was a multi-time Champion. So this is a stretch from what's really held the division together lately, and it might be a sign of things to come that they're gonna stretch this division away from Heavyweights and single it out for the truly smaller Athletes.

I, like you, want Alex Shelley to win and become Champion. But more-so, I want him to have a nice reign as Champion and with Foley's fat ass looming, I just don't see that happening. Foley has always brought up saying that Shelley will pay for what he's been doing/saying. That could mean a couple bad angles here.

1. Foley wins the X-Division Championship on iMPACT!: It's not something I want to see happen, but it's something I definately wouldn't put passed T.N.A. creative. And how stupidly funny would it be in Foley promos for him to gloat about being a cruiserweight-like Champion? Horrible angle.. perfect for T.N.A.

2. Homicide Cashes In: Exactly what I believe will happen, moments after the Pay per view match. T.N.A. isn't original, which is why Lethal & Creed cashed in in the same manner Edge has in W.W.E.

Homicide will likely do the exact same thing, cashing in when the perfect moment comes and it'll cost Shelley his newly won Championship, because (as Foley demanded) the Guns would've wrestled a likely long and great contest.

Outcome: Do I want Homicide to become the Champion? It wouldn't bother me one way or another, but I don't think he could carry the Championship the way Shelley could with his charisma. (Shelley's not Homicide's)

In the end, I don't believe the Guns will split. I think the winner will get screwed by the Feast or Fired case being cashed in.. and they'll return to jobbing in Tag matches, unfortunately. But hey, we can always dream can't we Sam? We can always dream of a brighter day with Alex Shelley as our modern day muse.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Sam, I wanna have faith that T.N.A. is taking a serious approach to the X-Division.. but I wouldn't hold my breath.

The doctor says if I do it again then I'll have a stroke.

I guess the initial question would be, who deemed this division "cruiserweights only"?

Not me. I've always been a big supporter of turning the X Division title into a full-fledged midcard belt. But, as it is, it's a cruiserweight title with the odd exception.

I mean, Sloppy Joe is hardly a cruiserweight and he was a multi-time Champion.

You must stop the name calling. It's tremendously hurtful. Deep down, I think you know that.

So this is a stretch from what's really held the division together lately, and it might be a sign of things to come that they're gonna stretch this division away from Heavyweights and single it out for the truly smaller Athletes.

Samoa Joe and, perhaps, Kurt Angle are the only real heavyweights that have held it. Eric looks podgy, but he's got a sort of cruiserweight style. I said, sort of. Davairi, Creed and Lethal are certainly cruiserweights.

I, like you, want Alex Shelley to win and become Champion. But more-so, I want him to have a nice reign as Champion and with Foley's fat ass looming, I just don't see that happening.

Are you saying Foley's going to sit on him? 'Cos I can actually see that happening.

Foley has always brought up saying that Shelley will pay for what he's been doing/saying. That could mean a couple bad angles here.

They could also run an angle where Shelley overcomes the diversity presented to him by his employer. It's bad booking, yes, but this is TNA.

1. Foley wins the X-Division Championship on iMPACT!: It's not something I want to see happen, but it's something I definately wouldn't put passed T.N.A. creative. And how stupidly funny would it be in Foley promos for him to gloat about being a cruiserweight-like Champion? Horrible angle.. perfect for T.N.A.

I dunno. I mean, I'm not saying TNA wouldn't do an angle this bad, I just don't think they're imaginative enough.

2. Homicide Cashes In: Exactly what I believe will happen, moments after the Pay per view match. T.N.A. isn't original, which is why Lethal & Creed cashed in in the same manner Edge has in W.W.E.

Hey, I called it first. Now everybody is acting like they thought of it. I'd say there's a 50% chance of this happening. I wouldn't be incredibly disappointed. I like Homicide as much as (if not slightly more than) Sabin, just not as much as Shelley.

Homicide will likely do the exact same thing, cashing in when the perfect moment comes and it'll cost Shelley his newly won Championship, because (as Foley demanded) the Guns would've wrestled a likely long and great contest.

If Shelley wins then immediately loses it, he'll still go down in the history books, right? Though I'm not sure if a three minute reign is worth losing his "best wrestler in TNA to have never held a title" status. Then who'll take up his mantle? Matt Morgan!?

Outcome: Do I want Homicide to become the Champion? It wouldn't bother me one way or another, but I don't think he could carry the Championship the way Shelley could with his charisma. (Shelley's not Homicide's)

You're damn straight.

In the end, I don't believe the Guns will split. I think the winner will get screwed by the Feast or Fired case being cashed in.. and they'll return to jobbing in Tag matches, unfortunately. But hey, we can always dream can't we Sam? We can always dream of a brighter day with Alex Shelley as our modern day muse.

TNA stole my dreams and replaced them with Kurt Angle/Samoa Joe matches.

 

[Rusty]

I hope TNA is getting serious about their X Division talent again. I haven't been a fan of TNA for very long, so I missed the whole era where the X Division title was meaningful and when TNA was basically famous for their X Division cruiserweights. I think the title should be used as a mid-card title instead of a cruiserweight title. Because unless they're in a tag team, what are guys such as Matt Morgan, Robert Roode and James Storm supposed to compete for? I know those 3 are bad examples as they are all in a tag team at the present moment, but if they all go their separate ways, there is no title for them to challenge for unless they receive a push to the top, which I highly doubt.

The X Division tournament was a great idea, it's just a shame it "coincidently" occured right after the Intercontinential Championship tournament finished in the WWE. But TNA shouldn't have made the title trade hands every week between Bashir and Eric Young. What's even more stupidier is that neither one of those superstars are in the final of the tournament. But, I am a fan of the Motor City Machine Guns. Both men could elevate the credibility of the belt by hopefully having a long and brilliant match at Genesis on Sunday for the Championship. Both are great X Division talent and deserve to be in the final due to their talent and their abilities.

But until Genesis is over and done with, I can't completely judge on whether or not TNA are actually trying improving their X Division. Guys like Creed, Shelley, Sabin, Eric Young and Homicide would all make great champions and would hopefully raise the prestige of the title. But for TNA's sake, I truly hope they utilize the X Division as a way to improve their mid-card talent before they hit the main event.

 

[Miko]

I thought it was a great idea having the MCMG's go onto the finals, what will TNA do with it? I have a few idea's but like most of them they are probably wrong.

Triple Threat Match: Homicide cashes in the breifcase in time for the actual match, then we get a 3 way in which Homicide wins with help from Hernandez. This could turn into a fued between the guns and LAX which would be quite amusing as both teams look like they are on the verge of splitting up.

That other thing: Y'know the one that everyone has said where Homicide cashes in on the winner.

Shelly wins: Then loses it to Homicide on Impact, blames Sabin for not helping him and we have a guns split. Shelley eventually wins the fued and then probably just gets lost in the shuffle.

i just see a scene wherein the guns get a long lecture from cactus, who's telling them that he knows that they are planning some sort "screwjob" that will cheat the fans of a great match. he further tells them that unless he sees them both really trying here, some sort of action will be forthcoming.

then the guns hit the ring, and pull out all the stops. i mean really going at it in a manner we know they can. then they do one of those "ecw moments" where they do a move, reverse, reverse, reverse.....ad infinitum, until they are just staring at each other with clenched fists. then the audience applauds.

that would be when the guns would do "rock, scissors paper", the loser laying down on his back right there. 1,2,3 new champ. they could even grab a mike right before the rps game, saying "hey foley! this is for you!"

I like this actually, it's a bit out there which makes it better, I pick this as one of the things that probably wont happen but it'd be cool if it did.

Well my personal hope is that they pull off a double-pin finish of some fashion, so that both of the Guns become co-champs of the X-Division and then would have a long reign. Throughout the reign Foley could keep coming up with ideas to get the title off of one, if not both, of them and have the Guns continually one-up him. This would help put them over, and whoever beat won the title off of them would look very strong. I also think it would be very entertaining to see.

This also goes into the list of things that would be pretty cool to happen but probably wont.

-EDIT- Oh yeah, about it being more serious, well it certainly looks like it. You have a multitude of possible contenders running around and truth be told I dont have a fucking clue as to who will come out on top. It's also seems to be the catalyst for many other possible fueds to break out. So too answer your question I think TNA are really giving it a try, at least for now. -EDIT-

 

[Uncle Sam]

Alex Shelley is, finally and rightfully, the X Division champion. He's been the best X Division wrestler since AJ Styles, after all. I suppose it may be time to re-assess the situation, though not too much.

Shelley won with a roll-up after faking an ankle injury (or so I read), so I highly doubt he'll be the fighting champion that he is in my dreams. I'm hoping he'll carry the belts for a few months yet though. I'd say I hope Homicide to be the first contender, but I think the Big Book of Booking would argue that Homicide would be better as the last contender - I agree.

With Shelley as champion, Sabin as an apparent no. 1 contender and with Homicide withholding the right to instantaneously become an instant no. 1 contender, I have hope that the division is about to pick up. No longer will it be a cartoony spotfest of a division. Well, at least with the title matches.

I've misplaced my trust before.

Still, I'll be watching Genesis to see Shelley win the title. Turning off after though. I hear the rest is shit, except for Jarrett/Angle II. I also want to see how much Hernandez had to dominate for people to be almost sure he'd be winning the World Title later that night.