Chris Sabin the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion

[Nano]

Think Prichard going will change anything? Gotta be a new creative direction.

Sabin isn't a "main eventer", but they had to change plans at this point. It's worth a shot. But what's Sabin going to do every week? Bully's getting his rematch at Hardcore Justice next month (on TV).

Was hoping this would get rid of the Aces and Eights but it really just confirmed Bully vs Hogan at BFG. God dammit.

NO PLEASE! Hogan wrestling again is just like my granny trying to dance like a b-boy...

I think he'll come out next week and he'll say "Do you know who I am?" to Bully as he said he'd do. Then he'll fight other guys. But that doesn't matter at all, I'm looking forward to the Hardy/Styles match tbh.

 

[Solidus1]

I think so, he was the main man and now it's someone else's job.
It's not that I don't like Sabin, but he's not even been back long and has been pushed like this already. He didn't earn it I feel, whereas Bully did. That guy took years of building up for his reign, and it's taken away by someone who just returned.
TNA had me gripped with the Aries/Suicide swerve, but what came of that? A name change, nothing more. Impact sucks right now.

 

[Nano]

It's not that I don't like Sabin, but he's not even been back long and has been pushed like this already. He didn't earn it I feel, whereas Bully did. That guy took years of building up for his reign, and it's taken away by someone who just returned.

You're right with the Bully stuff, but I could say the same about The Rock as the WWE Champion. He came for one match and won it. At least Sabin won some matches before his World Title reign.

 

[Solidus1]

The Rock is in WWE, and WWE has consistently sucked for 10 years now. I expect no more from them.

 

[Stopspot]

Fluke champion. I know they were trying to tell the underdog story with the match. With Chris having absolutely no offence leading up to him powering out of it and getting the clean win. Only that didn't happen. He got his ass kicked for like 20 minutes and then beat Bully over the head with a hammer. How he is supposed to be a believable underdog champ is beyond me.

 

[Nano]

Sabin used A&Es weapon. Maybe he didn't win clean but he proved that small guys can beat big and strong guys.

 

[Stopspot]

Maybe he didn't win clean but he proved that small guys can beat big and strong guys.

No he didn't.

The underdog story is told by the underdog getting the odds stacked against him. Being dominated in ring up until the end, where he powers through, delivers his own offence and wins clean. Sabin got his ass kicked for 20 minutes and then cheated to win. He's not a believable world champion because he isn't a believable underdog. They failed at telling the most simple of in ring stories.

 

[Snowman1]

Fluke champion. I know they were trying to tell the underdog story with the match. With Chris having absolutely no offence leading up to him powering out of it and getting the clean win. Only that didn't happen. He got his ass kicked for like 20 minutes and then beat Bully over the head with a hammer. How he is supposed to be a believable underdog champ is beyond me.

The storytelling was extremely odd. Just as you say, they had the underdog story match with the "omg Bully got his comeuppance" finish. Made no sense.
Either do one or the other, or preferably do the brawl/hammer shot finish during the rematch and have Sabin win clean here.

That's easily fixed though with good writing... commence you laughing at that in 3...2...1...

Also, does anyone want to make a thread in the regular forum about this? Seems to be a much better place for it.

Edit: Yay, it's here now.

 

[Nano]

No he didn't.

The underdog story is told by the underdog getting the odds stacked against him. Being dominated in ring up until the end, where he powers through, delivers his own offence and wins clean. Sabin got his ass kicked for 20 minutes and then cheated to win. He's not a believable world champion because he isn't a believable underdog. They failed at telling the most simple of in ring stories.

That's true, but maybe they didn't want to tell the underdog story. Maybe they just wanted to make the MEM look ready to defeat the A&Es and show they're not invincible when the match is one on one...

 

[Stopspot]

That's true, but maybe they didn't want to tell the underdog story. Maybe they just wanted to make the MEM look ready to defeat the A&Es and show they're not invincible when the match is one on one...

Then why do it during a title match? The focus of the entire segment is Sabin vs Bully Ray. If the focus was supposed to be on the war between the MEM vs the Aces then that should have main evented the show. Not a title match for your main title. That's fucking Blue.

The segment was a main title match. The focus should then be on the title match. And with the size difference and Sabin being a babyface it has to go the underdog way. Because that was the set up for the entire match. Not the stable war, the title was the focus.

 

[Nano]

Then why do it during a title match? The focus of the entire segment is Sabin vs Bully Ray. If the focus was supposed to be on the war between the MEM vs the Aces then that should have main evented the show. Not a title match for your main title. That's fucking Blue.

The segment was a main title match. The focus should then be on the title match. And with the size difference and Sabin being a babyface it has to go the underdog way. Because that was the set up for the entire match. Not the stable war, the title was the focus.

When both stables left, of course it was the focus. Bully shouting Rampage made me thing it was all about the stables war even if it was the title match. You're right, is a stupid idea but it all started one week ago when Sting said "this match will be one on one" or something like that.

 

[Snowman1]

Then why do it during a title match? The focus of the entire segment is Sabin vs Bully Ray. If the focus was supposed to be on the war between the MEM vs the Aces then that should have main evented the show. Not a title match for your main title. That's fucking Blue.

The segment was a main title match. The focus should then be on the title match. And with the size difference and Sabin being a babyface it has to go the underdog way. Because that was the set up for the entire match. Not the stable war, the title was the focus.

Gotta ask this just for fun: Lets say Alkaline has just been made head of TNA Creative and is in charge of to fix this situation. Between now and August 15th (Sabin's rematch), what are a few things you would do to fix this problem?

 

[Stopspot]

Gotta ask this just for fun: Lets say Alkaline has just been made head of TNA Creative and is in charge of to fix this situation. Between now and August 15th (Sabin's rematch), what are a few things you would do to fix this problem?

Do we want him to be a fluke or a credible champion?

If it is supposed to be a fluke/transitional reign then just letting him hold the belt until the rematch and then dropping it will suffice. From there they can then book it ala Ziggler's first reign as WHC. With Sabin wanting to get a proper reign.

If we want him to be credible then the whole fluke thing needs to be addressed. Have the locker room say that they feel that Sabin might not be fully deserving adn Chris will then go out to prove them wrong. Weekly matches, each and every one a title match. Have him rack up defenses leading up to Bully's rematch to solidify his reign and prove that he does deserve to hold the gold. So that he isn't just a fluke. He can face TNA roster members, members of Aces and Eights all in the same, as long as he proves that he does deserve to hold the belt. As for the bully rematch, write in a clause that says he is guaranteed his match at Hardcore Justice despite who holds the belt. That way he can throw his aces at Sabin so that even if they don't beat him, they weaken him. Setting up a proper underdog/fighting champ against the monster/conniving heel set up for the rematch.

That's just off the top of my head.

 

[Aids Johnson]

100% with Alkaline here, what a shit show way to put him over. We all know his reign AT MOST is until bfg to get destroyed by AJ styles, but im betting he doesnt make it past this week.

 

[Hannah Bee]

He deseves it so much. Congratulations!