When WCW folded, they had a roster full of names deserving of Hall of Fame credentials. When NWA was on top, they had rotating rosters full of huge names. WWE has a mixture of actual legends, future legends, and legends in the making. What does TNA have?
In my opinion, these are the people who will go down as some of the greatest of today who are currently on the TNA roster:
Kurt Angle - The most obvious choice, his WWE run alone makes him worthy of the accolades but the hard work he has put into adding legitimacy to TNA (even if it was always undermined) only adds icing to the cake. Angle could go anywhere and be a huge attraction, he is a rare breed.
Samoa Joe - Believe it or not, between his classics in ROH, his early run in TNA, his work in Japan, all the way down to a WWE article listing him as one of the greatest wrestlers never to work in WWE, even if TNA has never utilized him properly, everyone else is aware of his worth.
Bully Ray - Normally when you think of either half of the former Dudleys, you think of them as HoF worthy as a team, but Bully Ray's reinvention of himself is unique, powerful, and still one of the best things going in the business today. If you don't respect Ray for the hard work he has put into his character and TNA on the whole, you haven't been looking close enough.
Gail Kim - The Knockout's division, when Kim has been around, has routinely been the best women's division in the world. She gets the best out of everyone she works with, is constantly updating herself, and has a real love for the business. Her passion for the business must be infectious and she expects everyone to come up to her level, she isn't going down to theirs. Kim is one of the few women in the world who "gets it", who understands the importance of being credible and holding herself to the highest possible standard, Kim will go down as one of the top five women's wrestlers in history, even if WWE is too proud to acknowledge it.
Jeff Hardy/Willow - Hardy has had some great runs in his career, though he has also been plagued by drugs many a time, there is no denying that his drawing power is incredible. His reinvention with Willow has seen a new spark to Hardy that has never been seen before and could very well lead to some of the best work of his career if it can get off the ground.
Dixie Carter - Maybe for all the wrong reasons but Carter will forever be remembered as one of the worst wrestling promoters of all time and yet will have the respect of so many for keeping food on so many worker's tables while giving second and third chances to people who may have let their problems overwhelm them otherwise.
Legends in the Making:
Ethan Carter III - In NXT, he was always one of the most entertaining characters, having classic segments with Daniel Bryan and Johnny Curtis, but the success there never translated well when it came time for the step up. Going to TNA has been the best career decision of his life, he has reinvented himself in a big way, and while he is still early in his career, so long as he keeps learning he will continue to be one of the brightest up and comers in the world.
Robert Roode - His runs, even his title run, have been plagued by horrible booking. However, Roode has persevered, he has patterned himself after some of the greatest wrestlers ever to live and his dedication to his character, regardless of what is going on around him, has made him one of the most consistently top performers in TNA. He will be one of those guys they'll talk about twenty years from now as a guy who never got enough credit for how great he was.
MVP - He is easily the greatest midcard talent to never be considered a legit main eventer. In WWE he was a top midcarder, in Japan he was the first ever IWGP Intercontinental champion, in TNA he is a rich authority figure that has really stepped up his mic work. He isn't a legend yet but if he keeps honest to his character and himself, keeps busting his ass in the ring, and keeps doing what is best for business, he will definitely earn his place as a legend.
Abyss/Joseph Parks - For a long time he was destined to be a Kane/Mankind rip-off that no one took seriously but his reinvention as Joseph Parks made him a legitimate star. His hardcore battles early in TNA plus his constant presence within the company will certainly add to his legacy as well. Though he is another person plagued by bad creative decisions, Abyss may very well have done enough to cement his place in history as one of the greats, despite the company he works for.
What do you think?
In my opinion, these are the people who will go down as some of the greatest of today who are currently on the TNA roster:
Kurt Angle - The most obvious choice, his WWE run alone makes him worthy of the accolades but the hard work he has put into adding legitimacy to TNA (even if it was always undermined) only adds icing to the cake. Angle could go anywhere and be a huge attraction, he is a rare breed.
Samoa Joe - Believe it or not, between his classics in ROH, his early run in TNA, his work in Japan, all the way down to a WWE article listing him as one of the greatest wrestlers never to work in WWE, even if TNA has never utilized him properly, everyone else is aware of his worth.
Bully Ray - Normally when you think of either half of the former Dudleys, you think of them as HoF worthy as a team, but Bully Ray's reinvention of himself is unique, powerful, and still one of the best things going in the business today. If you don't respect Ray for the hard work he has put into his character and TNA on the whole, you haven't been looking close enough.
Gail Kim - The Knockout's division, when Kim has been around, has routinely been the best women's division in the world. She gets the best out of everyone she works with, is constantly updating herself, and has a real love for the business. Her passion for the business must be infectious and she expects everyone to come up to her level, she isn't going down to theirs. Kim is one of the few women in the world who "gets it", who understands the importance of being credible and holding herself to the highest possible standard, Kim will go down as one of the top five women's wrestlers in history, even if WWE is too proud to acknowledge it.
Jeff Hardy/Willow - Hardy has had some great runs in his career, though he has also been plagued by drugs many a time, there is no denying that his drawing power is incredible. His reinvention with Willow has seen a new spark to Hardy that has never been seen before and could very well lead to some of the best work of his career if it can get off the ground.
Dixie Carter - Maybe for all the wrong reasons but Carter will forever be remembered as one of the worst wrestling promoters of all time and yet will have the respect of so many for keeping food on so many worker's tables while giving second and third chances to people who may have let their problems overwhelm them otherwise.
Legends in the Making:
Ethan Carter III - In NXT, he was always one of the most entertaining characters, having classic segments with Daniel Bryan and Johnny Curtis, but the success there never translated well when it came time for the step up. Going to TNA has been the best career decision of his life, he has reinvented himself in a big way, and while he is still early in his career, so long as he keeps learning he will continue to be one of the brightest up and comers in the world.
Robert Roode - His runs, even his title run, have been plagued by horrible booking. However, Roode has persevered, he has patterned himself after some of the greatest wrestlers ever to live and his dedication to his character, regardless of what is going on around him, has made him one of the most consistently top performers in TNA. He will be one of those guys they'll talk about twenty years from now as a guy who never got enough credit for how great he was.
MVP - He is easily the greatest midcard talent to never be considered a legit main eventer. In WWE he was a top midcarder, in Japan he was the first ever IWGP Intercontinental champion, in TNA he is a rich authority figure that has really stepped up his mic work. He isn't a legend yet but if he keeps honest to his character and himself, keeps busting his ass in the ring, and keeps doing what is best for business, he will definitely earn his place as a legend.
Abyss/Joseph Parks - For a long time he was destined to be a Kane/Mankind rip-off that no one took seriously but his reinvention as Joseph Parks made him a legitimate star. His hardcore battles early in TNA plus his constant presence within the company will certainly add to his legacy as well. Though he is another person plagued by bad creative decisions, Abyss may very well have done enough to cement his place in history as one of the greats, despite the company he works for.
What do you think?
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