Zema Ion is the *NEW* TNA X Division Champion

[Jack-Hammer]

With all the buzz surrounding Austin Aries upset win over Bobby Roode at Destination X to become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Zema Ion has been pretty much overshadowed and left in the dust. Since a thread hadn't been created, I figured I'd infringe upon IDR's gimmick and make one.

Last night at Destination X, Zema Ion captured the X Division Championship after winning an Ultimate X match for the vacated title. It's not surprising when you consider that Ion is the only guy in the X Division that can potentially be a captivating champion. None of the cruiserweights brought in for this year's show generated the kind of buzz that guys like Low Ki and Aries generated last year, nor were they as generally well known. So having Ion, whose been a fixture in the X Division for a year and, aside from Aries, is the only X Division wrestler with the slightest degree of relevance was really the only way to go I think.

 

[Alex]

It makes sense. With Sabin injured (the guy I really wanted to see carry the division) Ion seems the next best thing. He's been in the divison for a year and has a character. The new guys while technically ring sound don't seem to have much of a personality as far as I can tell (yet) Ion does.

Also he's heel which means it makes cheering the face competitiors easier which allows them to step up. Also he's got a bonafide fued with Jesse Sorensen when he comes back, which can be for the title if Ion holds onto it for that long.

 

[MisterRob]

Did they really have any other options?

While Austin Aries and his long X Division title reign gets lots of credit, all it did was build HIM up and push him to where he is right now. Once he was gone the X Division was in as shitty a state as it had been before Aries. And now with no Alex Shelley or Chris Sabin, the X Division absolutely sucks. I for one have absolutely no interest in seeing this Zema Ion, and I certainly don't care to see him hold the title and beat nobody's for the next few months. I definitely am not looking forward to seeing the bland and charisma-lacking Jesse Sorenson return from injury for a forgetable feud with Ion over the X Division title.

The X Division is in a terrible state now, and if they're not going to fix the foundation of it, which they continually do not, then they might as well just get rid of it. Finding one good star to carry the whole division for a while is not a fix, it's just blinders hiding the true problems of the division. Because once that star has moved on the problem stares you right in the face again: there's no solid foundation of stars in that division.

When the X Division was GOOD it had a roster of good talent. Not just talent that could wrestle, but those that had characters, charisma, and potential. That's why all of those stars have left and gone on to better things. The folly of TNA is the fact they treat the X Division like the Cruiserweight division, a lesser title, with limitations in terms of who can compete there. If they got rid of the useless Television championship, which has never meant anything and only been a prop for wrestlers who are doing nothing, then they could take the history and prestige of the X Division title and use it as their secondary championship and a stepping stone towards the World title.

Austin Aries has already used the title, now, as a stepping stone to the World Heavyweight title. Why can't guys who have already been in the X Division, like AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Samoa Joe, Kazarian, and countless others who now compete for the TV title, use it the same way? Those wrestlers are doing nothing right now besides being thrown into stupid storylines like the Dixie Carter crap that AJ Styles and Daniels are being trapped in.

Zema Ion is a horrible X Division champion, and the division is in a very sad state now. None of that is good.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I was a little annoyed with this, but having had the night to sleep on it it does make a lot more sense now that I've come back to Earth over it.

Fact is, Kenny King, much as most of us wanted him to win, was competing in his second ever TNA event. To give him, or Andrews (also competing in just his second ever event) the title, or even Dutt (who hasn't been with the company in over a year) would have been a mistake, or at least could have been.

I think what we all have to realize is that the reality of the situation is that no matter who actually won, I'm not sure anyone would have been truly happy with it, and that's largely in part to how bad the division has been over the last two years.

I do agree, however, that Ion is at best a transitional champion here. There's not much money to be made off him on his own, but there's certainly money to be made in getting him into a feud that fans would pay to see, especially in paying to see him lose.

 

[Lowdown]

Hard to give an opinion on this. I guess Zema was the correct choice to go with for the time being. I like Kenny King, but at the same time I can see him feuding with someone like Crimson for the TV title. Sonjay is an X division vet, but like IDR said he's been gone for over a year. Right now the X division doesn't have a money guy like AA. But there could be some quality matches with guys like Zema and Kid Kash.

 

[RawIsJericho]

Not the most popular choice, certainly for me, but a sensible one for sure. He's the guy who has actually been around TNA for a while (and Kash), he's the one who the fans most recognize. Ultimately, I have no problem with him getting the belt, what happens from here is what matters. If we get an X Division involving some of these guys that were part of Destination X competing then great, if we just get Ion peeling through a bunch of nobodies then not so great.

 

[IT Factor]

I really wanna give Zema Ion a chance. I highly doubt he would've become X-Division Champion if there'd been more depth in that division overall. I haven't been that big a fan of his character, though his in-ring work seems good[not counting the botch on Jesse Sorenson]. I'll reserve judgement until I see what he can do with the belt, but, I'm guessing he's just a placeholder for Jesse Sorenson.....

 

[Radical]

Zema Ion is freaking awesome. I don't know why anyone is doubting him.

He has a unique flair and character and style in the ring. I will say he may not have SUPER Charisma but it can be built over time and I think he is a great choice for X Division Champion.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I really do not care for Zema Ion, and I don't mean that I dislike his heel persona...I just don't enjoy watching him in the ring.

He just annoys me if I am honest, and I can't really explain why. I was hoping to see Kenny King win the X-Division title, or even Kid Kash (always been a fan of his). Sonjay and Ion do not interest me at all.

With the lack of depth in the X-Division now, I suppose Ion is a decent enough choice for champion, as he does seem to get a reaction from the crowd and DOES have a character, unlike most of the other options. However, when I see people like Styles and Daniels in a ridiculous storyline with Dixie, and Chris Sabin, who I was hoping would come back and rule the X division, injured again it just makes me realise that without Aries the X-Division is back in a slump again.

Once their feud is done, put Styles and Daniels, and Kazarian too, back in the X-Division to at least give it some credibility until some more top class talent is brought in.

 

[tpf926]

Actually Zema Ion is very good in the ring, just TNA has not given him a chance to show it off. On the indy scene his move set was far superior and was clocking in five star matches with AJ Styles, Sabin, and Shelley. They just need to give him some time and to use his better move set.

 

[Pera]

From all reports, his matches at TNA house shows lately have been excellent, and TNA officials are very high on him at the moment. I'm glad they gave the title to someone who has been on the roster for a while compared to someone who has been there for two nights. He looks the part, and a cocky X-Division title run is something that could be quite entertaining.

A Xema Ion vs Kenny King feud would be great.

 

[HBsam31]

I kind of wanted to see Kenny King win it, but since it was only his second event ever for TNA it made sense to go another way. I have not been a huge fan of Zema Ion so far, but if given more time now with the belt I could see myself changing my mind. I don't think TNA could go any other way with this, and I am willing to keep an open mind to see how he does with the title.

 

[hardy8778]

And the only reason that Zema Ion is the X divison doesn't have the legit credability that it should because in the last year the only true X Divison competitor was A double and some one tell me that im wrong and why am i saying this is there was truly no one that could truly rival A double who is the World Heavyweight Champion right now. And Zema Ion will just lose the belt at Bound For Glory to Jesse Sorrenson

 

[RawIsJericho]

And the only reason that Zema Ion is the X divison doesn't have the legit credability that it should because in the last year the only true X Divison competitor was A double and some one tell me that im wrong and why am i saying this is there was truly no one that could truly rival A double who is the World Heavyweight Champion right now. And Zema Ion will just lose the belt at Bound For Glory to Jesse Sorrenson

lol dude there is absolutely no way Sorensen will be wrestling at Bound for Glory let alone winning the X Division title.

 

[The ShIT Factor]

I'm glad that TNA put the strap on him. Zema Ion has lots of personality and has shown intensity and has grown alot in his time with the company. Plus, he has actually been with the company for more than two or three days. I think it was a good choice that TNA gave the one ACTUAL TNA wrestler the title, no offense to the other guys.

 

[Giddy]

I think it's kinda obvious that they did this to set up for a big feud between Ion and Sorensen. They want that to be the big X Division feud for the next while, and I don't think it's a bad idea. Sorensen is someone who everyone can get behind since he is the underdog coming back from injury, and Ion is someone we can all dislike since he is proud that he broke Sorensen's neck. It's the classic wrestling feud, and I think it'll work well.

 

[RawIsJericho]

Didn't Sorensen say he'd come for the title at Destination X NEXT YEAR, I somehow doubt they put the belt on Ion now in preparation of that feud unless I'm missing something.

 

[#TGMTEL]

Ion was very predictable because the only other person you could really buy into being Champ would be Sonjay Dutt because they talking the title eluding him for all these years. I loved the double stomp though

As people said Zema got an actual gimmick

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Didn't Sorensen say he'd come for the title at Destination X NEXT YEAR, I somehow doubt they put the belt on Ion now in preparation of that feud unless I'm missing something.

That depends on how you read into it. Based on his progress, he'll be back before then, but from what I recall he simply noted that by next Destination X, he'd be the X Division champion and cash in his gold for a shot at the World title.

I'm not entirely sure he intended to win the X Division championship just to cash it in in the same night (not sure it works that way in TNA anyway).

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

Did you hear those guys behind Ion, "TRANSITION! TRANSITION! TRANSITION!" lol I think this will be a pretty crap reign from Ion, but given the circumstances I have no quarrel with him winning.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

what upset me the most was not Ion getting the belt but tna not bringing in better tallent for the tornament in the first place. ok they brought in kenny king and sonjay dutt which is great. but they are the only one's worth keeping around. i think bringing back x divishion guys like low ki and pete williams would have been a good idea. both those guys have proven in the past how great they are. also i think tna need to look at trying to sign el generico. for me he is one of the best around and would help put the x back in the x division. if you had a x division that featured Ion, sorrenson, kenny king, sonjay dutt, Low ki, pete williams, el generico, and chris saban [if he returns] then you would have a x division worth watching again.

 

[JAK]

From what I've seen of Zema Ion in TNA I can't say I'm excited about his rise to the top of the X Division. I see that others have said Zema isn't wrestling to his ful potential in TNA so f he is to keep the belt I hope someone in the company either pushes him or lets him work to his full potential.

TNA booked themselves into a rutt, that's why Zema is the champion. The only other realistic options where Kid Kash and Doug Williams, but neiother man was allowed to progress to what was a lacklustre and stupidly short Ultimate X match. Having said that I've not seen that much in TNA from Kash or Douglas that would warrent them being a valuable asset in a stunt filled Ultimate X match (feel free to correct me if you disagree).

To make matters worse the build up for the big future X Division feud was Jesse Sorrenson's promo. Unfortunately Sorrenson's mic skills match his wrestling skills, bland and uninteresting. The feud will be built on a legit injury, but it won't be exciting.

Given the lack of talent in the X Division and the insistance of crowning a new champ in an Ultimate X match it's seemed inevitable that Zema would win, but he seems to get the win by default - he was, to my knowledge the only wrestler with a full time contract and history with the company.

Personally I was hoping Sonjay Dutt had re-signed with TNA and would get the belt. For me he was the best performing X Division wrestler on the PPV and had legitimate support from the crowd. When Dutt was injured and taken out of the match I saw the 3 remaining competitors look like they didn't know what to do and the match fell apart.

Zema Ion is the X Division champion, now he has a mountain to climb in an attempt not to be overshadowed by the man who took a mediocre bunch of bland X Division wrestlers and got great matches out of them, I am of course talking about Austin Aries.