TNA Hall of Fame Update

[Smart Marx]

For those who have asked about TNA inducting another Hall of Famer at this year's Slammiversary PPV, the company has been discussing ideas. As reported in the Elite section of PWInsider.com, at one point 6-8 weeks ago, TNA approached AJ Styles with an offer for him to become the newest Hall of Famer with a deal that would have seen Styles inducted and then wrestle on the Slammiversary PPV.

Styles turned the offer down as his priorities are New Japan Pro Wrestling where he's the reigning IWGP Heavyweight champion and a member of the Bullet Club, neither of which could be promoted in a TNA appearance as NJPW has a working relationship with Ring of Honor, where Styles also wrestles.

Seems like an odd choice to turn such an honor. Even if AJ's loyalty was now to Ring of Honor and New Japan, he was the poster boy for TNA for years.

It's not like the one match commitment would have forced his hand to go back to TNA forever. What are your thoughts on this development?

Punks discuss.

 

[Postman Dave]

Should have inducted him year one or two. Now it just reeks of desperation to get a big name.

AJ's doing fine without TNA, no reason to go running back to that sinking ship.

 

[Smart Marx]

Should have inducted him year one or two. Now it just reeks of desperation to get a big name.

AJ's doing fine without TNA, no reason to go running back to that sinking ship.

I don't really see it as "running back to that sinking ship" as it would literally be the induction and one match at their anniversary show.

It would be similiar to how a lot of the boys had one last match at Ring of Honor before signing with WWE.

AJ can take his accolade, do TNA one last favor and ride back off into the sunset.

 

[Postman Dave]

AJ can take his accolade, do TNA one last favor and ride back off into the sunset.

AJ owes TNA nothing. He did everything for them for 10 years, then they wanted to reduce his pay after all that time.

And let's not act like the TNA Hall Of Fame is this major honour. It's another attempt at copying a WWE thing.

 

[Smart Marx]

AJ owes TNA nothing. He did everything for them for 10 years, then they wanted to reduce his pay after all that time.

And let's not act like the TNA Hall Of Fame is this major honour. It's another attempt at copying a WWE thing.

I like to point the finger at TNA as mush as the next guy when they copy WWE, but let's not try to act like WWE invented the Hall of Fame! :rofl:

I don't think it has to be seen as AJ owing anybody anything, but rather a mutual sign of respect.

Also, that 10 years did AJ an equal amount of good. I don't know if AJ would be seen as the hot commodity he is if if it weren't for TNA making him their franchise.

 

[JakeYourBooty]

If I was AJ I would have turned it down to the Dixie era of TNA treated him very poorly and seriously who wants to be in a Hall of Fame with 4 people in it? Let's face it I doubt they'll be around for to many more.

 

[Fuji Vice]

Yeah, AJ should have been inducted first, or second, after Jarrett. Instead they inducted two guys who are more well known for their work in WCW and WWE respectively. Then they inducted a tag team that's more well known for being in ECW and WWE.

The TNA Hall of Fame is such a joke that I'm not surprised he turned it down.

 

[Smart Marx]

Yeah, AJ should have been inducted first, or second, after Jarrett. Instead they inducted two guys who are more well known for their work in WCW and WWE respectively. Then they inducted a tag team that's more well known for being in ECW and WWE.

The TNA Hall of Fame is such a joke that I'm not surprised he turned it down.

The intent is make it more of a professional wrestling Hall of Fame and not just accomplishments made in TNA. I do agree that Jeff Jarrett should have been inducted first. I think that ship isn't going to make it to port as long as he's running Global Force Wrestling. As for AJ, he probably definitely should have gone in before Team 3D, but I believe word was already out that he wad leaving the company.

No matter how you slice it, they were offering to induct a man working for someone else without the promise to return to the company full-time. It's not the end of the world if he chooses to turn it down, but I think I would have taken it. It's not like the WWE or their Hall of Fame are blowing up his phone.

I'm not even an Impact Wrestling mark anymore, and I still would have died seeing AJ again at Slammiversary.

 

[Fuji Vice]

The intent is make it more of a professional wrestling Hall of Fame and not just accomplishments made in TNA.

If that were the intent then why call it the "TNA" Hall of Fame? That doesn't sound all encompassing to me. :

 

[Sabretooth]

1. The TNA Hall of Fame is a joke.
2. He should have been inducted first
3. He realizes there's no point so good for him
4. This may be the last HoF ceremony :
5. What the fuck

 

[Smart Marx]

If that were the intent then why call it the "TNA" Hall of Fame? That doesn't sound all encompassing to me.

Even WWE is starting to do it. If Sting headlines next year, it'll be entirely because of his WCW career.

1. The TNA Hall of Fame is a joke.
2. He should have been inducted first
3. He realizes there's no point so good for him
4. This may be the last HoF ceremony
5. What the fuck

1. You're a joke.
2. AJ was never going to be the first inductee. If not Sting, it would and should have been Jeff Jarrett.

Maybe it is going to be the last and what a better way to bow out than with your franchise AJ Styles.

 

[Sabretooth]

Even WWE is starting to do it. If Sting headlines next year, it'll be entirely because of his WCW career.


1. You're a joke.
2. AJ was never going to be the first inductee. If not Sting, it would and should have been Jeff Jarrett.

Maybe it is going to be the last and what a better way to bow out than with your franchise AJ Styles.

1. Ouch
2. Considering he was the franchise of TNA...


Tell that to AJ

 

[Fuji Vice]

Even WWE is starting to do it. If Sting headlines next year, it'll be entirely because of his WCW career.

Yeah but there's a major difference in the sense that WWE hasn't shunned so many guys from their own company before putting Sting in, which is exactly what TNA has done multiple times. Sure there's been some guys that have gotten in already based more on their contributions to other companies (Flair, Zbyszko, etc.) but they've also put in a shit ton of guys who made their bones (and names) in WWE.

Jarrett, AJ, Low Ki, Chris Daniels, James Storm are all more synonymous with TNA than Sting or Kurt Angle, yet none of them are in and Sting is. I realize why TNA inducted Sting mind you, he was the best choice for publicity and that's fine. However, trying to justify his inclusion before AJ or Jarrett is impossible if you're simply looking at contributions to the company itself.

 

[Sabretooth]

Yeah but there's a major difference in the sense that WWE hasn't shunned so many guys from their own company before putting Sting in, which is exactly what TNA has done multiple times. Sure there's been some guys that have gotten in already based more on their contributions to other companies (Flair, Zbyszko, etc.) but they've also put in a shit ton of guys who made their bones (and names) in WWE.

Jarrett, AJ, Low Ki, Chris Daniels, James Storm are all more synonymous with TNA than Sting or Kurt Angle, yet none of them are in and Sting is. I realize why TNA inducted Sting mind you, he was the best choice for publicity and that's fine. However, trying to justify his inclusion before AJ or Jarrett is impossible if you're simply looking at contributions to the company itself.

Well Sting did contribute a shit ton to the company TBF, but he wasn't the franchise of TNA nor the founder

 

[Hidden Blaze]

I'm somewhere in the middle on this here, as in I don't see why he has to come in and have a match to even be put in the Hall of Fame to start with. I mean I look at it this way, you don't want to put someone who's coming in for 1 match over, but you also don't want to have the guy who just got put in your Hall of Fame to lose. Best choice would be to put him in and not do a match. Maybe then he'd be fine with it, who knows.