Kong vs. Angle

Machismo Fan

Kong vs. Angle

January 14, 2008

I was on Wrestling observer live this past Sunday night and Bryan Alvarez through out the idea of putting the TNA World Title on Awesome Kong. His view was that Kong and Tomko were the only two people in TNA that the booking committee hasn’t made a complete joke out of and that she has enough credibility that he would be completely fine with TNA putting the World Title on her. This got me thinking and while putting the World Title on Awesome Kong would not be my first choice of things to do, I think TNA could do a lot worse than building towards a “Battle of the Sexes” Kong vs. Angle World Title match.

I’m not suggesting that Kong win the TNA World Title, I’m just saying building towards this match and selling it on PPV could potentially generate a lot of publicity and in turn create enough interest to draw PPV buys and thus be considered a success. Kong has been booked very strong since her debut and has dominated and laid waste to every TNA knockout on the roster. She is actually bigger than most of the guys on the TNA roster, she is a very solid worker, and perhaps more importantly has been drawing higher quarter hour ratings than her male counterparts on Impact of late. There is a brief window of opportunity here to create a unique Main Event that has never been done before.

There will of course be people that compare it to Chyna wining the Intercontinental Title, but I think it is completely different. I think Kong is a far superior worker who currently stands out as a legit dominant force. Kong isn’t just a chick that is build like a dude, trying to compete with the men, she is a uniquely dominant force, which has enough credibility right now to allow us to be able to speculate about whether she could compete with the men or not. Challenging one time for a World Title shot is different than trying to just straight up compete in the men’s division. You promote this as a novelty concept and you do it now while she is still fresh, strong, and over. You build for the one match and sell the curiosity factor. You make this a one time only “Battle of the Sexes”.

The one obstacle I see in building this match is the “no guy on girl” violence policy in TNA. I know Spike TV has told TNA they don’t want guys hitting girls on Impact anymore, but I’m wondering if they might make a small exception considering it would actually be more girl hitting guys in the build up for this match. Last week on Impact they aired a clip of Kong power bombing the referee so there must be some flexibility. I think the key to booking this match is creating the justification for Kong getting a Title show without her just starting to wrestle guys and earning it. If she starts wrestling guys the novelty will be worn off before it gets to PPV and you run the risk of damaging roster credibility if you job a bunch of guys to a girl, even if it is Kong.

What I would do is have her destroy ODB on Impact to lay waste to the #1 Contender, leaving her without a viable challenger. I would have both Gail and ODB selling long-term injuries from the beating they took from Kong, and the other knockouts terrified to face her. I would then use the Petey Williams – Scott Steiner feud to get Kong her title shot via the “Feast or Fired” brief case. You could book a match between Williams and Steiner for the brief case as an Impact Main Event. When the match is first booked Williams is of course very worried and reluctant to put up his case. When he comes to the ring for the match he is very confident and sure of himself. When Steiner’s music hits, Scotty is nowhere do be found. Petey is laughing and demands they start the match. They could cut to the back and show Steiner laid out somehow (it will be revealed later that Petey jumped him backstage and knocked him out, or hit him with a car whatever). In ring Petey continues to demand they start the match, he can say it’s not his fault Steiner isn’t ready for the match, if Steiner was a real pro he’d be ready to fight anybody anytime just like Petey is right now. At this point you have Kong hit the ring jump Petey and they ring the bell. Pete after all just said he was ready to fight anyone, anytime, right now. You could have Cornette or Morgan at ringside to actually make this call officially to make it legit.

I would book this match extremely short for a couple of reasons. If you keep it short Pete can save face a little, by saying he got beat because he got jumped by surprise and if it’s short enough you can avoid the guy on girl violence issue on Spike. I’d have Kong club the hell out of Pete when she jumps him from behind and take his head of with the spinning back fist. She will be a fair bit bigger than Petey, which will really help her credibility. She can then send him off the ropes for a backdrop Pete stops and hooks her for the Canadian Destroyer. This should get a great reaction. When he goes for the Destroyer she blocks it and Alabama Slams the living hell out of him for the finish. Kong then grabs the Heavyweight Title shot brief case, and you go off the air.

With Kong in possession of the brief case the match is set for PPV, she doesn’t need to face any more guys to earn the Title shot. You hype the match with Video packages, and do face-to-face stuff to put over Kong’s size. You don’t need an angle to build the match at this point the whole sell is curiosity for the “Battle of the Sexes”; the first time ever the Women’s World Champ vs. The Men’s World Champ. You can even do tale of the tape to show that she is as big or even bigger than the Men’s World Champ.

You would then have to be very careful how you laid out and book the match on PPV, but Kurt is a fantastic worker and Kong is both big enough and strong enough to work a competitive enough match and still protect Kurt’s credibility. Kurt got pinned clean by Jay Lethal not that long ago, and no offense to Lethal, Kong has been booked stronger than he was at that point and likely has more credibility. They could work a competitive enough match that Kurt could go over clean and not lose much if any credibility. Kong would be even stronger and more over than before, she just held her own with the World Champ. Even if the match had to be kept a little short to avoid Kurt having to sell too much for Kong, the fact that a World Title match on PPV had a completely clean finish would more than make up for it.

Again let me state that I am not saying this would be my first choice of angles to book. I’m just saying I could think of a lot worse things to do, and I’d bet it would create interest and likely draw as well if not far better than what TNA has been doing on PPV of late.

Food for thought,
Lance Storm

Its quite an interesting idea. What do people think?

Fozzy

I've heard Bryan Alvarez talk about it a few times now and there's not much to disagree with. Tomko and Amazing Kong are the only two characters in TNA who have a real legitimacy about them at this stage. Neither of them have ever looked like jokes, which makes them stand out in TNA

TNA have booked Kong almost perfectly, which resulted in the fans really getting into her title matches with Gail Kim. If TNA did the same thing with her feuding with Angle, then I'd have no problem with it. But I just can't see it happening. More than likely they'd tease Karen sleeping with Kong, like they've done with other challengers, and turn it into another joke of an angle

The reality is that Lance has just laid out a logical and nicely built-up feud. I'm sure that he could do that with many other wrestlers on the TNA roster because Lance usually talks a lot of sense. But for TNA to suddenly do a world title feud the way Lance described it, whether it involves Kong or not, would surprise me greatly, as they seem happy enough booking feuds which 99% of their audience don't buy into

I don't see anything wrong with what Lance suggested though

Tricity Bendix

Storm is a legend.

A big worry would be the aftermath: Kong cannot compete against guys thanks to Spike, but it would be difficult to have her going back to selling forearm strikes from little girl arms.

Machismo Fan

b.ie polar wrote: »

Storm is a legend.

A big worry would be the aftermath: Kong cannot compete against guys thanks to Spike, but it would be difficult to have her going back to selling forearm strikes from little girl arms.

If Kong beats up Angle on Impact then Angle can battle back on PPV.

Tricity Bendix

Machismo Fan wrote: »

If Kong beats up Angle on Impact then Angle can battle back on PPV.

Uh, yeah, but my worry was what direction could Kong take after the match.

Machismo Fan

She could be the first non-female specific World Champion and Womens Champion at the same time.

flahavaj

As said above that's all well and good until Kong finishes up the program and returns to the Women's Division, it'll be almost impossible to put anyone over her and appear in any way legitimate. It'll just make the Women's Division as a whole (which is on of the few things TNA HAVEN'T made a balls of) look inferior if their top star decides she's above the challenge that they pose and go off to fight the boys. It buries anentire division in one move, people will never look at it in the same way again.

flahavaj

Machismo Fan wrote: »

She could be the first non-female specific World Champion and Womens Champion at the same time.

Indeed and the World title will thus completely overshadow the Women's title. Way to make a division that has been built up so well look like an afterthought.

Machismo Fan

Machismo Fan wrote: »

She could be the first non-female specific World Champion and Womens Champion at the same time.

As I quote myself- I was joking.

Minto

I've recently started listening to the Brian Alvarez's show on F4W. I agree with everything he says on TNA. The fact that he wants to put the belt on Kong just goes to show how shite TNA has gotten. TBH, I'd have a look at this match, but I still wouldn't pay for it.

Vince135792003

Minto wrote: »

I've recently started listening to the Brian Alvarez's show on F4W. .

You subscribe now?

I have to say I like the idea. It has negatives but I'd be interested in watching the match.

Minto

Vince135792003 wrote: »

You subscribe now?

Yea, the forums are mad. I decided to bite the bullet when I got my iPod for christmas. I listened to one show, but got hooked. They're forums are mad, lol. It's also a help with our podcast.

fatal

Minto wrote: »

Yea, the forums are mad. I decided to bite the bullet when I got my iPod for christmas. I listened to one show, but got hooked. They're forums are mad, lol. It's also a help with our podcast.

please elaborate.Im also thinking of subscribing
When i listened to Brian Alvarez's idea on wrestling observer,I think that he presented the idea very well.Its quite interesting actually

Fozzy

fatal wrote: »

please elaborate.Im also thinking of subscribing

Alvarez probably put it best yesterday when he said that everyone has a gimmick, and if they're just being normal then that's their gimmick. I subscribed just before Christmas

It would be crazy if TNA ever did this match, considering how much criticism Alvarez has given TNA!

Mr.Nice Guy

b.ie polar wrote: »

A big worry would be the aftermath: Kong cannot compete against guys thanks to Spike, but it would be difficult to have her going back to selling forearm strikes from little girl arms.

Agree totally. Which is why I think it would be a mistake. Then again this is TNA we're talking about so who knows.

The sad thing though would be that Awesome Kong would be put into a position that Joe should have been placed in yonks ago and would probably be even more over than Joe.

What is he up to now besides being Kevin Nash's bitch?

Fozzy

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

What is he up to now besides being Kevin Nash's bitch?

Reports today say that he's being groomed for a title run around April or May. Apparently he needs to get the rub off a guy of Nash's stature before then

Vince135792003

fatal wrote: »

please elaborate.Im also thinking of subscribing

The figure four forum is probably worth the subscription of 5 euro a month alone! It is literally crazy. For example when Benazir Bhutto (Pakistani woman going up for election) was asassinated over Christmas, some Irish people began posting random pictures of Joe Dolan on the thread without any explanation.

I'd recommend it though. I'd say you'd be really into the Mike Coughlin MMA shows. He's great at breaking down fights.

oneofakind32

Fozzy wrote: »

Tomko and Amazing Kong are the only two characters in TNA who have a real legitimacy about them at this stage. Neither of them have ever looked like jokes, which makes them stand out

Tomko had his second squash win in a row this week on impact, it makes him look impressive in the ring but his mike style is laking something. He reminds me too much of Batista. Not saying that he couldn't improve, he needs the right oponent to get it out of him.
I think having angle against Kong would leave Kong in a very difficult position, she cant continue to fight men on spike and if she goes back to the womans devision, it will make it very hard for her to make her work look legit

Fozzy

oneofakind32 wrote: »

Tomko had his second squash win in a row this week on impact, it makes him look impressive in the ring but his mike style is laking something. He reminds me too much of Batista. Not saying that he couldn't improve, he needs the right oponent to get it out of him.

I think he's fine on the mic. That's where he excels in TNA. You'd have Christian and AJ doing all their silly stuff and then Tomko would be the sane voice at the end, the guy who won't get involved in the bull****. He's pretty similar to Batista in a way there, from Batista's last days in Evolution. The fans loved Batista because he wasn't taking any crap from HHH and it's starting to be the same with Tomko. I've heard him getting cheered even though I assume he's still meant to be a heel

He was fine when he went up against Kurt in the ring a few weeks ago and basically looked 10 times the champ that Kurt looks. That's more what I was getting at, the fact that he's been booked to look like a legitimate tough guy, unlike every other male on the roster