Dusty Rhodes, the new Director of Authority figure in TNA, has said that very soon he's going to announce who will challenge champion Jeff Jarrett at the next PPV.
From what he's saying, it will be a surprise = someone not on TNA TV right now.
It was originally supposed to be Randy Savage, until Savage left again to no one's surprise.
So what free agent could TNA potentially sign right now to make a splash, assuming they're not going to slot one of their wrestlers into the main event instead?
Billy Gunn... not big enough.
Goldberg... not likely.
Sting... been there, done that, wouldn't change PPV buys that much, as evidenced by his other TNA appearances.
Ricky Steamboat... I'd suggest they do this, based on Ricky's NWA history, but I don't know if Steamboat actually wants to wrestle again.
Hulk Hogan... the past would suggest this isn't going to happen, and if it was going to, TNA wouldn't wait a week or two before mentioning it.
Jerry Lynn... this really wouldn't attract any new viewers, if Lynn returned from his injury.
Rico/Jamie Knoble/other released WWE'ers... not in the main event.
Brock Lesnar... I'm pretty sure that when WWE let Lesnar out of his contract, he had to sign (as would be expected) a release form which prevents him from working for other companies for a specified length of time. So Lesnar's not going to come to TNA right now.
Steamboat will never return to the ring again due to the insurance he collects from his back injury besides he is with WWE now and ROH. All the rest either are not big enough names to warrant a PPV title shot or have no interest in TNA. It will either be DDP or Dustin Rhodes.
I have a bad feeling it will be Dustin Rhodes, too, but I wouldn't rule out a rematch against Garza with some form of stipulation keeping outside interference and/or the guitar to a minimum. Of course that wouldn't matter in the end, but its nice to assume a stipulation like that could actually be upheld. There could always be more than one challenger as well with perhaps a Monty Brown, AJ Styles, Hector Garza 4 way.
Originally posted by Packman V2I dread it might be Dustin Rhodes too...
Which is bad, especially since I think I liked him better in the Goldust gimmick.
Man, you're not kidding. Goldust was really entertaining; Rhodes, for whatever reason, simply isn't. It's just weird that, out of the Goldust persona, his charisma entirely evaporates.
Putting Garza into the ME scene is a great idea, since he seems to be able to work with a variety of people, he's fun to watch, I don't think he's tainted by the "WCW leftover" or "WWE reject" labels, and he's got *tons* of charisma. For some reason, putting him in the main event simply never occurred to me until today (when I watched the last two shows on tape) -- and it was just like, "Ping! What a good idea!"
With any luck, they'll blow Dustin's shot in a five-minute Impact match.
Originally posted by chillFrom what he's saying, it will be a surprise = someone not on TNA TV right now.
Unfortunately, this is probably the kind of thing where TNA announces a "surprise" before they know who it is themselves, assuming they'll be able to get someone in the time between now and when they have to reveal who it is, and then we end up with whoever they settle for at the last minute. I'm hoping it's Cheex!
--K
(edited by Karlos the Jackal on 20.12.04 0001) Last 5 movies seen: De-Lovely - Shaun of the Dead - The Door in the Floor - This So-Called Disaster - Kitchen Stories
One of TNA's first champions was Ron Killings, who was, at best, a mid card wrestler in WWE. With that logic, I could see Gunn challenge Jarrett for his title; but since his dad owns the company, I don't think he'll drop the title. UNLESS, of course, it were to someone high(er) profile.
Check out my website; and my online journal...in English and Al Bhed. Seriously.
Originally posted by Packman V2I dread it might be Dustin Rhodes too...
Which is bad, especially since I think I liked him better in the Goldust gimmick.
Man, you're not kidding. Goldust was really entertaining; Rhodes, for whatever reason, simply isn't. It's just weird that, out of the Goldust persona, his charisma entirely evaporates.
I think it's because the only other persona he's ever done is the cowboy persona...which stopped being fresh way back when. It's a shame that this discussion even has to come up, since the best option would be AJ Styles IMO, since he's the primary reason why I even tune into Impact.
I've really liked TNA a lot more in recent weeks, more in spite of what they're doing then because of it, if that makes any sense. But I think they've got coming whatever they're going to get considering that they tapped Randy Savage for the Final Resolution main event after he walked out on the company after one appearance and flat out refused to job to Jarrett. If they would just give the title to Brown, Killings, Styles, or the like, they might be able to become a threat to WWE. If they keep going with main events with Savage, Nash, Jarrett, Page, and Hall then they'll never be anything more than WCW 2000 redux.
I'm still looking for someone else to come in and join the Kings of Wrestling stable. I thought for sure Savage was going to pull a Hogan (shades of Bash at the Beach '96) and turn on Styles and Hardy at the last PPV.
But if I were booking Dustin Rhodes, have him do the Goldust character and call it Fairydust or something like that.
For those who care, it'll either be Nash, DDP, or Monty Brown.
There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Originally posted by MayhemI'm still looking for someone else to come in and join the Kings of Wrestling stable. I thought for sure Savage was going to pull a Hogan (shades of Bash at the Beach '96) and turn on Styles and Hardy at the last PPV.
But if I were booking Dustin Rhodes, have him do the Goldust character and call it Fairydust or something like that. ___________________________________________________________
Well, maybe not Fairydust. I don't want the gay Goldust. I want the funny Goldust like when he was with Booker T. Hell, I'll even take Tourette's Goldust. Anything except The Natural Dustin Rhodes.
Originally posted by JacksonWell, maybe not Fairydust. I don't want the gay Goldust. I want the funny Goldust like when he was with Booker T. Hell, I'll even take Tourette's Goldust. Anything except The Natural Dustin Rhodes.
Well, he quoted a movie (Tombstone) on this last Impact! Is THAT exciting enough?
(Everyone: "Um, no.")
--K
Last 5 movies seen: Oasis - A Streetcar Named Desire - De-Lovely - Shaun of the Dead - The Door in the Floor
Originally posted by JacksonWell, maybe not Fairydust. I don't want the gay Goldust. I want the funny Goldust like when he was with Booker T. Hell, I'll even take Tourette's Goldust. Anything except The Natural Dustin Rhodes.
Well, he quoted a movie (Tombstone) on this last Impact! Is THAT exciting enough?
(Everyone: "Um, no.")
--K
First off Tombstone is one of my favorite movies and I missed that episode of impact so if anyone can tell me what happend Id appreciate it. As for Rhodes, Seven had potential, Golddust was great. The lonestar Dustin Rhodes or the Natural Dustin Rhodes will NEVER be over. Monty Brown needs the belt, he deserves it (from a character and marketability point of view) and I think he'd be a believable champ.
More Ravishing than Rick Rude could have dreamed of, and I get the kind of women Rick would have loved, Marvelous Matt Mercerbr>LAter God bless Marvelous Matt Mercer www.MattMercer.tk
Originally posted by mercerFirst off Tombstone is one of my favorite movies and I missed that episode of impact so if anyone can tell me what happend Id appreciate it.
Kid Kash ran into Dustin backstage and said, basically, that his daddy, Dusty, was fat and ugly, and, hey, welcome to TNA, good luck, buddy. After Kash walked off, Dustin said something along the lines of, "That is a hell of a thing for you to say to me, sir!" (I don't remember the exact quote, but maybe you can place it?) Dustin then looked into the camera, said, "Tombstone, 1993," and did a little Goldust-breath.
--K
(edited by Karlos the Jackal on 26.12.04 0135) Last 5 movies seen: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy - The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou - Oasis - A Streetcar Named Desire - De-Lovely
Originally posted by mercerFirst off Tombstone is one of my favorite movies and I missed that episode of impact so if anyone can tell me what happend Id appreciate it.
Kid Kash ran into Dustin backstage and said, basically, that his daddy, Dusty, was fat and ugly, and, hey, welcome to TNA, good luck, buddy. After Kash walked off, Dustin said something along the lines of, "That is a hell of a thing for you to say to me, sir!" (I don't remember the exact quote, but maybe you can place it?) Dustin then looked into the camera, said, "Tombstone, 1993," and did a little Goldust-breath.
--K
(edited by Karlos the Jackal on 26.12.04 0135)
It was a line by Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday. Man I really dont want them to give him a push. Even if he quoting great movies!
More Ravishing than Rick Rude could have dreamed of, and I get the kind of women Rick would have loved, Marvelous Matt Mercerbr>LAter God bless Marvelous Matt Mercer www.MattMercer.tk
It's been a while since my last shot in the dark on this topic, but I say bring in Sean O'Haire and give him the title over Jarrett in an Ultimate Warrior/Honky Tonk Man fashion. Nobody in the latest batch of WWE releases would be a credible midcard guy, and anyone else on the market is old. They need a fresh face, and they need to take a chance.
If O'Haire is a bust a couple of months down the line, fine, they can play up the 'Jarrett wasn't prepared, but when he was he got the belt back' angle. It would appear now that Monty Brown will wind up with the title shot, if not the title, and that might not be a bad idea either. Brown, if nothing else, is a fresh face. Regardless, they need to do something that stops making them look like WCW back from the grave with the occasional WWF reject thrown in.
I smiled when Bryan went all "Danielson" with the stretching of the arm in the beginning. The match was good, Ziggler was annoying. The penalty for Bateman didn't make much sense. Actually I don't even remember what the penalty is now.