Would You Hand Out A Pretty Penny For Chris Sabin?

[ABMorales787]

A staple of TNA since it's early years, Chris Sabin is a former TNA World Tag Team Champion and 6 time X Division Champion. It's not too far off to say that when the "Unbreakable 3", Samoa Joe, AJ Styles and Chris Daniels dominated the X Division, Chris Sabin was #4. Whether it was being captain of Team TNA in the World X Cups or feuding with Senshi thanks to umm..... Jackass? Or his time in the MMG with Alex Shelley, Sabin has a long history with TNA. And tonight seems to be his crowning moment as he goes from a major comeback and X Division Champion, to potential World Champion.

But...... Whether he wins or loses tonight, the chances of the focus sticking with him in the main event during the BFG Series time period is extremely slim. Whether he's World Champ for a week or two to give us a break from Bully Ray or he just simply loses, the question is where to after that? Going back to the X Division right away would mean going under for him. He has no place in the BFG Series right now. MEM? Magnus is already the group's "Heir Apparent". Most signs seem to point to Austin Aries vs Chris Sabin. Presumably Bound For Glory. But has Chris grabbed enough fan support to warrant the promotion from lower midcard to upper midcard?

In my eyes, he has. He's been one of TNA's top wrestlers for years and so far when he grabs a mic, at the very least, people listen. Given more time and a more personal feud, I feel people can rally behind him for more than being a fast, competitor. As far as breakout stars in TNA goes, Austin Aries is the latest one. And he broke out in 2011. Going even farther behind would be AJ Styles in 2009 and even so, he was already a top star in the company. I say we rally up. And All Hail Sabin.
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[Jack-Hammer]

As of right now, I'd probably have to say no. As KJ pointed out, Sabin has been a staple in TNA for over a decade, particularly in the X Division and tag team picture. His fast paced style has garnered him a more than solid fanbase over the years but he's never really been someone that's established himself in terms of a character. In that sense, he's pretty fairly generic. Not that he doesn't have personality or anything, but he's just never really made a heavy impression as an on screen presence.

If TNA ultimately has Sabin win the title from Bully Ray tonight, then, in my opinion, they're going to have to do a couple of things.

1. Don't flip flop on Sabin's title run - If TNA goes to the trouble of putting the title on him, then I certainly hope that they don't give him a run that amounts to a few weeks. A 1-4 week run with the title isn't going to help Sabin one bit in my eyes. It'll give the impression, at least to me, that TNA doesn't have faith in Sabin as a main eventer and is someone who should just stick to the X Division & tag team scene. Also, since Sabin isn't on the level of Austin Aries when it comes to charisma, a brief run with the title, again just my opinion, only invalidates the idea of the X Division Champion trading in the title for a shot at the TNA WHC. Such a brief run, which would almost certainly be a weak one, also renders much of the hype & build for this match over the past month or so as something of a waste.

2. Build Sabin up like never before - If he does win, then I think TNA should be committed to him as champion and build him up like a beast between now and Bound for Glory. As a new champ following after much bigger stars than himself, like Hardy & Bully Ray, giving Sabin a massive build in which he looks like a very strong champion is the only way to overcome that lack of star power quality, to ultimately develop that quality for himself and to deliver a relevant & meaningful TNA WHC match for BFG.