TNA – Here’s Your Angle!
At this weekend’s Bellator 120 PPV Rampage and Mo told a better story than most of what I’ve seen in “mainstream” pro wrestling recently. Their fight wasn’t actually very good, but it was covered up by the fact that these two individuals HATE each other. That fight wasn’t a work – those two wanted to hurt each other. Never mind that there was a future title shot on the line.
Here’s a bunch of reasons why bringing these guys to TNA for a full blown feud is a GREAT idea:
- Rampage didn’t win that fight. It doesn’t matter what the three judges said – he didn’t win that fight. And Rampage KNOWS that he didn’t win. Nothing else explains him getting in the LOSER’S face and demanding a rematch. Does he understand how winning works?
- They HATE each other. Real-life rivalries breed some of the best on-screen feuds in pro wrestling. They also usually end in somebody getting fired, balls being taken home, or backstage fights, but before that happens there’s MONEY to be made.
- Both guys are still listed on the official TNA roster. Why? Professional name dropping, plain and simple.
- The Impact Wrestling ratings are down, and no matter what people think about “outsiders” in the business, Rampage and King Mo couldn’t possible HURT the product.
- Given that they just fought, and Bellator has given the go-ahead for Tito Ortiz to return to the wrestling world, now is the best – and likely the only – time to pull the trigger on this potential feud.
The question becomes, how do you book two MMA fighters on a wrestling PPV? They won’t fight – not in a shoot capacity. It’s too risky to put two guys who want to kill each other in a “worked” fight; they might actually kill each other!
If I were booking, I would go ahead with the angle they WERE working between Rampage and Tito during the Aces & Eights run. You know – the angle that was called off because Bellator was worried about their PPV main event? You know – the PPV main event that didn’t happen because Tito got injured anyways?
King Mo is the natural heel. Rampage has more in the way of mainstream recognition because of his UFC past, so it’s easier to get him over as the babyface. You align Mo with MVP and the new Nation of Domination stable with him, Kenny King and Bobby Lashley (down with the white devil!!). You align Rampage with TNA world champ Eric Young and Bobby Roode. Mo plays up the whole “you didn’t beat me” gimmick, which despite it’s legitimacy will draw heat. Build up the drama between the two fighters for 3 or 4 weeks on television.
At Slammiversary, when the title match between EY and MVP goes down, you have all those guys at ringside. The champ pins the new boss to retain the title – tempers flare, all hell breaks loose, and in your marquee moment of the show, Rampage knocks out Mo with a hard right in the middle of the ring. The babyfaces celebrate, the PPV goes off the air, and everyone gets paid. If they get lucky, ESPN has a slow news day and runs the story, and your TNA world champ will be on national television alongside one of the biggest names in UFC history.
And if you want to ensure that ESPN runs the story, PUT THE TITLE ON RAMPAGE! #Swerve
That’s your angle TNA.
Unfortunately, this can’t happen. TNA tapes an entire month in advance, so they basically make sure if anybody has any genius ideas it’s impossible to take advantage of them. The earliest they could run something like this is Bound for Glory. By that point the rivalry between Mo and Rampage won’t be hot, and Bellator will likely pull the fighters (AGAIN) because of the impending Rampage/Newton title fight.
Naturally…they’ll do it anyways. Dixie – make the check payable to Mike Killam. If it’s easier just send it along to Vince Russo, who I’m doing film reviews for now. If you are to believe every rumor on the internet, he’s “running the show” now.
