WHAT'S IN A NAME?

 
James Storm
(Picture Courtesy of Google Images)


Last night at the TNA Impact tapings, James Storm beat Kurt Angle and won the World Heavyweight Championship according to ProWrestling.net. The title change can be seen on Thursday night on Spike TV(Check Local Listings).


This is a great thing as Storm is a credible wrestler who can cut a good promo and has been with TNA since 2002 and the fans love him.



Bobby Roode
(Image Courtesy of Google Images)


TNA had been building to a set up where Bobby Roode would win the title at Bound For Glory but that changed when Hulk Hogan thought that Roode was not ready for the title run, according to PWInsider.


Marketing has been a huge part of wrestling ever since the 80's when Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon changed wrestling in 1984 with Hulkamania. From then on, every wrestler had to have a persona that was "Larger Than Life" in order to become the World Champion.


When Hulk Hogan said that Bobby Roode wasn't ready, it didn't mean that he couldn't wrestle or wasn't a good athlete. It meant that he didn't have a persona that was larger than life like Hogan's in the 80's.


The "Tennesee Cowboy"James Storm does and that's why he won the World title. He lives in the South, drinks beer and likes to have a good time. Fans can relate to that.


I don't blame Robert Roode, I blame TNA creative. They don't have the best track record for giving their performers personas that fans can buy into.


Four years ago Robert Roode was "Mr. Money"  and was supposed to be some guy who was rich due to investments. That didn't work because TNA didn't put any marketing into it such as video packages or Roode using his "money" to buy lavish things or embarass fans like the WWE did with the "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase in the mid-80's.


Fans respond to a name that tells them something about a wrestler's persona or the way he wrestles. In WWE, Bret Hart was "The Hitman" or "The Excellence of Execution." As a fan when I heard that I knew exactly what to expect from Bret Hart.


Bobby Roode needs a name that highlights his athletic ability like, "The Natural" or "The All-Star."



Matt Morgan
(Picture Courtesy of Google Images)


Matt Morgan also needs a name that highlights his athletic ability and his arrogant persona. He's an intense big man who has a believable style where he can hurt you with a few moves because of his size.


But he is saddled with "The BluePrint" as his moniker. The name isn't as intense as Morgan and doesn't say "I'm the Best Big Man in this Business" which Morgan believes he is. I know Morgan came up with "The BluePrint" moniker but someone in TNA should have said that wasn't the best one to use. Morgan should use a moniker like "MVP" or "The Alpha Male" to communicate to fans what he is all about.


I've heard Hulk Hogan and Kurt Angle say that the talent need to "step up." Well I say TNA needs to write storylines and create personas that can make the talent larger than life and appeal to fans so they can step up.


Class Dismissed, 
The Professor