Hello finally Derrick”The Cannonite” Cannon has returned to the IWC. Has it really been since October that I’ve done the whole wrestling columnist thing? The wait is officially over. This column however is not on my comeback but on an intriguing matter.
So many people have debated how and what to do to save TNA. Does it really need to be saved or does it need to exploit the current resources that it currently has. In my opinion several wrestlers gimmicks that seem to be so overboard could actually make TNA a very interesting federation if they are used the right way. The ones that cannot be saved such as AJ Styles as a comedic lackey, Black Reign, and Rellik need to be dropped. The gimmicks that I will focus on are Sonjay Dutt the Guru, Shark Boy 3:16, Team 3D weight loss/weight gain, and a somewhat already succesful gimmick Black Machismo Jay Lethal.
Lets start with the Guru. Many have bashed the Guru gimmick to shreds. Is it fair? Is it right to use a highly charismatic and athletic young man in a gimmick in which he may never live down? In many ways the answer is a resounding no. Can this gimmick be succesful, can Sonjay Dutt make it work or better yet can TNA creative make it work? I feel they can. Sonjay should be used as a heel. This just seems to make sense if they want to go and make the guru gimmick fit in the way I foresee it. if his peaceful making ways have no effect on his opponent he should go into an outrage. One that can devastate his opponents until they can see things the Guru’s way usually while lying flat on their back for the three count. Sonjay Dutt could comeout with a new catchphrase and possibly even a slogan for his gimmick. This being you want peace your on my side you want war you don’t know what your in for but you will. Sonjay could go on a long diatribe on the virtues of peacemaking, he then could go into the negatives of fighting,war, and any community problem that is facing Orlando, or whatever city they may be in.
If their going to give Sonjay a guru of peace gimmick, I suggest they go full throttle, maybe even to the extreme., thus giving TNA fans a reason to feel for Sonjay or at least see what he stands for. If they do this I feel the guru gimmick will be far more effective and can work it’s way into several different storylines.
One such storyline could involve the initial heel turn. The perfect candidate would be Jay Lethal. Sonjay and Lethal could be up against two local wrestlers. Sonjay not taking them seriously may just want to communicate with them all while trying to making the match null. Jay Lethal could then attack the local boys starting the match. Jay Lethal would go on a rampage on the local boys while winning the match for his team. Sonjay none to pleased with this turn of events would then attack Jay Lethal. This could go on the next week with Sonjay giving a speech start it off as a very peaceful one. Then go on to Jay Lethal, and Sonjay would get pissed more and more. Sonjay could say,“Jay I wanted nothing but peace, all you wanted was to create havoc. I thought I knew you better then that, I thought we were on the same page, I thought we were a unit. The truth is your just as bad as the man whose gimmick you took and wanted to take to a more extreme level. Why Jay? Why Jay? Is this what you are inside are you truly a demon who wants nothing more then to fight? This is not acceptable. I will take your title from you and with that I’ll create the most warm, cozy, acceptable X Division championship reign that anyone could ever hope to have?” With this speech a major feud could be sparked that could finally begin the long awaited Lethal/ Sonjay feud. This could end up helping both of their careers if the feud goes over smoothly.The next thing I want to talk about as far as TNA gimmicks go isn’t really a gimmick but really a situation. The Team 3D Weight loss scenario that started at against all odds has seen both of their careers turn into somewhat of a joke. Can this situation work or is it another mess TNA has gotten a once great team into(ala the rise and fall of VKM). Personally I think the TNA crew can make the most out of this situation. One way is to hire Nova and have him reprise the Simon Dean gimmick. Ok maybe that wouldn’t work and plus WWE owns that ridiculous gimmick. They could have Team 3D do the first ever wrestling version of the biggest loser. This would make them more of a joke, but heythey’d be competing on something to stay in shape. No there’s one more way that would work. Team 3D could continue feuding with Sabin and Shelley, as well as Curry Man and Shark Boy. They could come out each week losing one more pound, however for several weeks it wouldn’t be enough. They could try to fix the scales as they have done. Yet that still wouldn’t be enough. Finally after several weeks they could be at that certain mark they need to be at. They could then go on and say,” we thought we had the X divisions number. It was the X Division who had ours. We have gone week after week to make the mark it just wasn’t enough. X Division we’re not trying to finish you guys off we failed at that miserably. We will destroy each member on a different level and make them into the miserable wrecks they have made us into. You will feel our pain X division wrestlers. We’re the best team in wrestling today and you’ve forced us to be pitiful emeciles. This is the last straw. Next week we just need to lose one more pound then your personal lives will never be the same again.”
This would establish Team 3D as the brutal human beings they were once known as especially the week later when they put out Shark Boy and Curry Man.
If done right this situation could bring out the best and worst that people have been clamoring for from Team 3D since their heel turn several months ago.
One man who’s gimmick has been succesful yet still need a bit of tweaking is Black Machismo Jay Lethal.His Randy Savage persona has been decreasing less and less. Personally I think this is a good decision by TNA. By fading out the gimmick their giving Lethal a chance to rise on his own.
I guess I really wouldn’t change a thing on their current booking of Jay Lethal. The romance with So Cal Val somewhat worries me however. This could once again end Jay Lethal’s push so it’s very important how they go through with it.
This is a make or break time in this man’s career so the cheesiness of the Black Machismo gimmick should be toned down. I’d only keep the oh yeah as Lethal’s answer of questions from Val. The rest I’d have regular JayLethal talking.
The romance should be between Jay Lethal and Val not Machismo and So Cal Liz. If they can keep the relationship somewhat normal and more out of respect then lust I think TNA has made the right decision.
The last person I want to focus on is one of the most debated gimmicks currently in TNA and that is Shark Boy 3:16. Should Sharkboy have another gimmick ontop of being a Shark Boy? I actually think the 3:16 gimmick is a fresh start for Sharky.
Has it worked so far, it’s been entertaining but I just don’t think it’s catching on like the TNA staff would have wanted it to. Shark Boy should start attacking guys who he feels have been holding him back from success starting with Curry Man.
Curry Man could take a pin in a tag match then Shark Boy could lose it. He’d share clam juice with curry man then give him the stunner. Shark Boy shouldn’t be a heel but a tweener. He could run in on several matches, or get even more mic time. Like Sonjay if he’s allowed to go all the way with his gimmick it will be more succesful. Sharkboy could challenge the X Division champion and win the title. He’d then get more interaction with Jim Cornette say he’ll only stop taking out the top guys when he is the top guy. Sharkboy could face Kurt Angle in a submission match, and like his idol Steve Austin never tap out but pass out. Shark Boy could then be a realistic bad ass who will stop at nothing much like Austin.
Should Shark Boy be TNA champion? I don’t think so however he could be an excellent uppermidcarder instead of the beaten and broken jobber that he has been. I invision Shark Boy in a role AJ Styles is currently in, not at the top however in key scenes with the main eventers. If Shark Boy is given the chance to be a credible force he will be.
There are many additions I could have made to this however these are the gimmicks, situations, and angles that stand out to me.
I’ll be back next week with a topic I haven’t thought of yet. Regardless I’ll be back next week.
I’ll feedback and comments are welcome. I’m always striving to improve.
Signing off,
Derrick Cannon