With the old guys leaving, who are TNA’s new stars going to be? Russo’s choices seem to be A.J. Styles, Matt Morgan and Hernandez. Included on that list should be James Storm. Storm is the one performer in TNA with a chance to be a Steve Austin-style babyface ass-kicker.
TNA’s “new blood” – wait, haven’t Styles and Storm been there since Day One? – have only a minimal chance to get over. The main problem: They’re in TNA.
But if you want to give them their best shot, keep them far away from the so-called established stars. Don’t pass the torch. The old guys don’t have the torch. They’re not over. Nobody cares about them. The “new blood” beating the old guys won’t help. It’s not necessary.
Instead, build the “new blood” by playing them off each other. These guys have no territory to protect. It can be a team effort. Use logical, coherent booking. Feature the “new blood” and talk about them like they’re big deals. It will take time. Past damage has to be undone. But it can work if you do it long enough and well enough.
Realistically speaking, though, TNA has no chance of getting these guys over. Some are good enough. But TNA needs to be booked like a wrestling company, not a reality show, and Russo won’t be willing to do that.
Somebody should conduct a survey of those involved with both – which company was/is run more comically, WCW in its final year, or TNA right now?
The big loser in all this will be Booker T. He’s not going back to WWE for a featured role. He’ll be a job guy on ECW. He’s going to turncoat purgatory.
Few wrestlers have made their unhappiness more evident on TV than Booker. His workrate is absolutely minimal, and his character has devolved into an approximation of the Kingfish. He should join a minstrel show, not WWE. “Holy mackerel, Andy!”
Mark Madden can be reached at [email protected].
