TNA World Heavyweight Champion Signs with Bellator

[Chris]

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley is returning to the cage!

Bobby Lashley, one-time WWE superstar and current TNA World Heavyweight Champion (where he wrestles under just his last name, Lashley), has signed on with Bellator MMA, now headed by Lashley’s old Strikeforce boss Scott Coker, and will make his promotional debut this September 5th Connecticut.

Once linked to the WSOF, Lashley never appeared for that organization, and fought most recently in independent promotions XFN (winning their heavyweight title) and GWC. Lashley is also a Shark Fights champion. Since joining TNA Wrestling on Spike, speculation has been rampant that Lashley would also join Bellator and work under both promotions, just as fellow fighters King Mo and Rampage Jackson have done (though neither have been used much at all by TNA).

Though his career in MMA has failed to reach the level of success that Brock Lesnar had in being a cross-over star, Lashley has a respectable 10-2 professional record in MMA, including early career wins over Wes Sims and Bob Sapp. After losing to James Thompson (also fighting in Bellator these days) at SFL 3, Lashley won all three of his subsequent fights, all of which went down in 2013.

While the focus then shifted back to pro wrestling, it seems that MMA was never far from the fighter's mind. In a relatively shallow Bellator MMA heavyweight division, Lashley has a chance to be a real crossover star.

Source: whatculture.com

lol I wonder how he'll try and split his time with TNA and Bellator because the others that have been doing that have done so much :hm:

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Of course he'd do this. Great job focusin' on havin' a decent TNA title reign, Lashley. Get the fuck out.

 

[Deezy]

TNA has a months worth of shows getting taped in a few days.

What exactly is the problem? Make Bellator money beating jobbers, pad the record and make yourself look legit for TNA.....seems win/win. Unless he loses, but let's not act liek this is stupid. Make yo money nooker.

 

[Keith]

I think it takes a little more than being linked to a MMA group to get Lashley over as champion. Fans already know that he is tough, but the problem is that they just find him boring, and see him as a WWE cast off. Lesnar actually knows how to cut a promo, and has adapted to be a good wrestler, Lashley has not.

 

[Deezy]

Lesnar couldn't cut a promo, hence the reason why WWE brought back Heyman after 5 years.

Plus, Lashley signing to Bellator seems to have more to do with making money, than it does to gain himself credibility.

 

[Keith]

Lesnar couldn't cut a promo, hence the reason why WWE brought back Heyman after 5 years.

Plus, Lashley signing to Bellator seems to have more to do with making money, than it does to gain himself credibility.

Disagree, I think Lesnar and Heyman have a working relationship so getting Lesnar back meant having Heyman as part of the packege. Not to mention that Heyman is one of the best promo guys in wrestling, and that Lesnar is the sort of guy you just want to hear from in short simple busts. He was poor at promos when he debuted, but he has come a long way in that area for me.

You maybe right on Leshley, if so that is TNA once again thinking short term and losing sight of the basics.

 

[Deezy]

Heyman said on Jerichos podcast, that Brock told him he was going to sign, and he asked him if he wanted in, he said "no". Johnny Ace was going to be his mouthpiece, and they have a shit segment where Brock is so visibly upset he forgets to drop the mic as he walks back to Gorilla and Vince says, "Well that wasn't very good" Brock replies with a"No shit, get me Heyman...He's my jew". weeks later, Trips talks him into being the mouthpiece.

As for Lashley, they only do maybe on week out of the month, he is smart to get outside ventures. Others do that too with indy promotions who do one offs with no DVD distribution, Bellator and TNA have corporate synergy for the time being, as TNA has still yet to have announced any resigning with Spike.

 

[Keith]

Is it not possible than Lesnar may not have stuck around if Heyman might not have come on board? I don't know what his original contract was...

The Leshley thing is a case of wait and see. I just don't know if I can see it working for TNA over the long term.

 

[The Cork]

Problem with this is Lashley is a jobber MMA fighter who gets beat by journeymen, even tho Bellator aint got a heavyweight decision I could still see washouts like Tito or Rampage beating him up.