It Was Never Going To Be Easy Between TNA and Bully Ray (Devon Too, I Guess)
In businesses that involve Pro Athletes, contract negotiations for expiring deals are rarely if ever easy. In businesses that involve Pro Athletes, contract negotiations for expiring deals usually involves some mudslinging. In businesses that involve Pro Athletes, contract negotiations for expiring deals on prized talent is very difficult especially when the talent is getting older. It is simply the nature of the beast. If the NY Yankees were willing to play hardball and throw mud at Derek Jeter, then well any organization can play hardball with a specific talent. (I was determined to put that reference in so forgive its placement and the fact it seems forced)
Bully Ray is a foundation talent for TNA as he has been heavily featured on TNA TV for the past 18 months or so. It is simply a no-brainer for him to play hardball and get a deal befitting a main character on a weekly episodic series. It is an even bigger no-brainer that Bully Ray fights for a bigger and better deal because he is getting up there in age and this could be the last long-term wrestling contract he signs in his career. However at the same time, it is a no-brainer for TNA to stand pat on their position because Bully Ray is over 40 years old and his character might’ve already peaked. Not to mention Bully Ray doesn’t really have anywhere else to go to find regular work at a decent rate. Both sides have leverage on the other one to play hardball but at the same time both sides really do need each other.
The two sides will eventually work out a deal but at this present time both sides are in negotiations and as we see so many times with Pro Athlete negotiations, it never gets done easily and quietly.
Austin Aries Playing The Field on TNA House Shows
A few weeks back after Aries won the belt, I (and many many others) brought up how Aries has so many people he can feud with. On the house show circuit for TNA that is exactly what he is doing. He isn’t working with Bobby Roode all the time which is how it is done in wrestling when two guys are currently feuding with one another. No, he is facing just about every talent in TNA that is currently in the upper midcard/fringe main event spot. Basically for those that don’t read TNA house show reports, the house show opens with a battle royal with the winner facing Austin Aries that night in the main event. During the last month, Austin Aries has faced Bobby Roode, Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, and has faced a combination of Jeff Hardy and Bobby Roode once as well. Every night is a different match for the champ and its whetting the appetite for TNA fans like me who wants to see Aries face off against all these challengers down the road on TV and PPV. This also leads me to believe that Austin Aries will retain the belt at Hardcore Justice.
The Aces And Eights Have Moved On To Phase 2
When this group randomly debuted after Slammivarsary X, I thought the group wouldn’t amount to anything. Yet here we are 2 months later, and the group is on the mind of every member of the TNA roster (except maybe that wacky Eric Young) It all started with a few weeks of attacks culminating in a one night all out assault on Kurt Angle, Austin Aries, Bobby Roode, and the TNA Gutcheck contestant that week. That phase established no one is safe. That phase also drew ire from IWC members because the attacks get quote “stale and repetitive” or it becomes “overkill”. Anyway since that night a few weeks ago when some of the TNA locker room stood up the super group, The Aces and Eights have stopped showing up and attacking people.
They have threatened to attack people and gotten the roster all riled up to the point they turned a BFG Series match between James Storm and Kurt Angle into an unintentional lumberjack match (which I thought was a cool idea) only for the group not to show up. Then just this past week on Impact, the Aces and Eights relaxed in some hideout playing cards and stuff while the TNA roster were busy accusing James Storm of being the leader of the group. The TNA roster is under the thumb of the Aces and Eights not because of brute force like Planet Jarrett or how the Main Event Mafia did (I’ll refrain from referencing The Nexus) but rather because of shrewd strategy and picking the right spots to attack. Phase 3 is revealing their members, their leader and their plan.
Did Hardcore Justice Really Need That Strong of Build?
TNA has been criticized for not putting much effort into the build for the ppv which I don’t think makes sense. The build to the ppv has been non-existent sure but as soon as you saw the poster for Hardcore Justice, the build to the show was done. The Bound For Glory Series goes Hardcore on this night. You got 12 quality workers (Yes Robbie E too) split up into 3 separate 4-way matches. So long as you put the right combination of wrestlers together, the ppv would sell itself. Once I saw what the BFG series matches were, I said in the comment section on the site: “I am buying this ppv now”. Throw in Aries vs. Roode II being known from the get-go and it was immediately known that the ppv would have 4 excellent must-see matches on it. I believe TNA made the right move devoting so much time to develop the Aces and Eights Story on TV and putting the ppv on the backburner a bit because simply put, the wrestling card itself sells this ppv. I do look forward to this show getting the “standard estimate” of 7,000 ppv buys from Davey Meltzer’s website in 10 days but gosh darn it without a strong TV build to the show, I will be one of those “estimated” 7,000 ppv buyers. By the way, the Hardcore Justice song “Before The Fall” is phenomenal. I put that song on my I-Pod as soon as possible.
An Interesting New Prospect Has Hit Pro Wrestling Free Agency
(Forgive me for bringing up the WWE on the TNA-centric website) Brian Jossie aka Abraham Washington was inexplicably fired from the WWE Friday night for an “off the cuff” remark he made on Raw a few days prior. He is the one who made the Kobe Bryant Rape Joke heard round the WWE Universe. Since WWE is hell-bent on doing anything to protect Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign, they fired the guy. This is a guy who I think could do wonders for TNA as he is a good mic worker who can work as a manager or at the announce desk. Considering the TNA roster is stacked with wrestling talent right now, signing a guy like Brian Jossie would add another piece to the puzzle rather than replace a piece to the puzzle.
He doesn’t need singular face time other than a bit of time to find himself some clients to manage perhaps and considering the mood he is in; I think he would sign with TNA for a relatively decent wage as soon as possible. During his rants on twitter, Jossie said he was a Rated R kind of personality which also makes me think he would thrive in TNA’s Rated R/TV 14 world. If he keeps his headset gimmick, I think he could do wonders for heels like Zema Ion, Crimson and potential heels in Jessie Godderz or even pair him with Bobby Lashley if Mr. Lashley wants to return to TNA. Brian Jossie is a good mic worker who can help the younger members of the TNA roster who lack mic skills get over with audiences everywhere.
