TNA Swoop for Nigel McGuinness

Machismo Fan

http://www.prowrestling.net/artman/publish/TNA/article1008437.shtml

Former Ring of Honor Champion Nigel McGuinness is backstage at the TNA taping in Orlando, Fla. Although Nigel and ROH officials indicated that he had agreed in principle with WWE, it appears he has opted to sign with TNA instead.

There has also been some buzz that Bryan Danielson might be TNA-bound as well, but nothing is official. The early talk is that WWE dragged its feet on signing the duo, so TNA swooped in and signed Nigel.

If true, that's a major steal for TNA. I know the source ain't exactly stellar but prowrestling.net have been pretty accurate with TNA news in the past few weeks. I'd imagine he'd fit straight in with TBI.

DM_7

??????

Really


Confused, that me

flahavaj

This would surprise me greatly if true. Especially Danielson. TNA would f*cking ruin him.:mad:

gimmick

If true, and that is a massive if, the angle TNA could do on this could be outstanding. I do not like when there are 2 "coulds" in one sentence though. And its TNA.

Machismo Fan

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/42361/former-ring-of-honor-star-signs-with-tna-instead-of-wwe.html?p=1

Former Ring Of Honor star Nigel McGuinness, who was planning on signing with World Wrestling Entertainment, has instead signed with Total Nonstop Action. McGuinness is backstage in Orlando today at the TNA Impact taping.

This is looking more and more likely.

flahavaj

Machismo Fan wrote: »

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/42361/former-ring-of-honor-star-signs-with-tna-instead-of-wwe.html?p=1


This is looking more and more likely.

Yup Meltzer on one of the radio shows today mentioned he's have a definite answer to this on Wednesday.

Have to say I'm surprised. I hope they do more with him than shove him into the British Thingymabob. Hes better than that. Then again, in a promotion that can't find anything for the Machine Guns to do, I wouldn't be surprised to see him lost in the mix.

I really pray Danielson doesn't follow suit.

flahavaj

-- Nigel McGuinness is backstage at TNA in Orlando and will be debuting tonight on the show. More on this in the new issue of the Observer that comes out tonight.

www.f4wonline.com

Thats that so.

Bubs101

flahavaj wrote: »

-- Nigel McGuinness is backstage at TNA in Orlando and will be debuting tonight on the show. More on this in the new issue of the Observer that comes out tonight.

www.f4wonline.com

Thats that so.

Fair play to TNA but I don't see how this is a good move for the lads. less money, less exposure and they buried Aries and the MCMG haven't been pushed at all while Morgan is getting pushed to the moon. You'd think that if both companies aren't going to suit them that they'd pick the bigger one. Still think with the HBK connection Danielson could still stay the course

chopperbyrne

He'll almost certainly be part of British Invasion so he'll get TV and PPV time anyway.

Machismo Fan

I think the fact that TNA seem a lot more open to pushing new people might have swayed him. Plus with Sting and Booker on their way out, TNA might have found some cash to make him a decent offer (which they must have if he were to change his mind).

At least The Guns are in a Tag title No. 1 contenders match this week on iMPACT!, which I'd say they'll win.

Bubs101

Machismo Fan wrote: »

I think the fact that TNA seem a lot more open to pushing new people might have swayed him. Plus with Sting and Booker on their way out, TNA might have found some cash to make him a decent offer (which they must have if he were to change his mind).

At least The Guns are in a Tag title No. 1 contenders match this week on iMPACT!, which I'd say they'll win.

Sting's staying on for another year apparently

Machismo Fan

Bubs101 wrote: »

Sting's staying on for another year apparently

Really? Interesting. This is a major slip up by WWE to allow someone as talented as McGuinness to literally slip through their fingers.

flahavaj

chopperbyrne wrote: »

He'll almost certainly be part of British Invasion so he'll get TV and PPV time anyway.

Lost in the mix in a group that no one really cares about, carrying Brutus the Barber's (or whatever you call him) Union Jack?

Nigel is a genuine world class talent, deserves far better than that.

Machismo Fan

flahavaj wrote: »

Lost in the mix in a group that no one really cares about, carrying Brutus the Barber's (or whatever you call him) Union Jack?

Nigel is a genuine world class talent, deserves far better than that.

I don't agree here. It's pretty clear that World Elite is at the forefront of TNA's booking plans and Nigel is good enough to stand out and have that added exposure help him.

gimmick

He needs to start somewhere. No point in throwing him in at the deep end. Brit Invasion is a decent starting point for Nigel.

Could this be looked at as a real statement of intent by TNA - stealing someone who was about to sign with WWE?

flahavaj

gimmick wrote: »

He needs to start somewhere. No point in throwing him in at the deep end. Brit Invasion is a decent starting point for Nigel.

Could this be looked at as a real statement of intent by TNA - stealing someone who was about to sign with WWE?

Not at all.

Signing Rhino was a statement of intent.

Signing Christian was a statement of intent.

Signing Angle was supposedly a HUGE statement of intent.

Getting Sting to stay on for another year was a statement of intent.

Signing Foley was a statement of intent.

And yet despite all these statements of intent, their TV ratings are still around about the level that Superstars, WWE's D-Show, gets on a bad week.

And their biggest PPV buyrate ever is still roughly half of the worst PPV buyrate that WWE ever drew in their history.

Signing Nigel, a guy that only internet smart fans have even heard of might be lauded as "one in the eye for Vince" by TNA, but in reality, if signing those guys did nothing for business, I doubt getting Nigel will either.

Machismo Fan

gimmick wrote: »

He needs to start somewhere. No point in throwing him in at the deep end. Brit Invasion is a decent starting point for Nigel.

Could this be looked at as a real statement of intent by TNA - stealing someone who was about to sign with WWE?

It's certainly says something, but WWE really have egg on their face for dropping the ball and it makes them look rather amateur. I see no problem with him joining TBI. Actually it makes sense that he joins, any viewer watching would wonder why a Brit wouldn't join TBI unless he comes in as a face and TBI try to recruit him (but that'd be a little too similar to what they did with Hernandez).

Machismo Fan

flahavaj wrote: »

Signing Nigel, a guy that only internet smart fans have even heard of might be lauded as "one in the eye for Vince" by TNA, but in reality, if signing those guys did nothing for business, I doubt getting Nigel will either.

I don't necessarily agree with this. TNA have proved that just hotshotting big names is not good enough. Whereas Nigel is someone fresh who very few of TNA's extended audience will have been exposed to in large doses. If booked right, they could make Nigel a star that the TNA fans will consider homegrown and he could be more valuable to TNA in the long run. TNA need to build stars not buy stars.

You also underestimate the ability of Foley and Angle to attract foreign TV deals for TNA (another one of which they just started in France added to TNA's new exposure on Virgin).

flahavaj

Machismo Fan wrote: »

I don't necessarily agree with this. TNA have proved that just hotshotting big names is not good enough. Whereas Nigel is someone fresh who very few of TNA's extended audience will have been exposed to in large doses. If booked right, they could make Nigel a star that the TNA fans will consider homegrown and he could be more valuable to TNA in the long run. TNA need to build stars not buy stars.

I certainly agree that building new stars is absolutely the way forward for TNA, its just I've little faith they can do so. While this wasn't really my original point, nonetheless, here goes:

TNA haven't really proven they have that ability to build "home-grown" stars either though. Apart from AJ, they've pretty much made a balls of everyone else.

Joe came in as an indy superstar with a reputation similar to Nigel's and while they booked his introduction brilliantly, fast forward a few years and hes just another guy on the roster and hes lost all of that special aura (mainly due to their jobbing him out to Angle the minute he came along).

Likewise the MCMG, hottest and most talented tag team on the indies, but booked disgracefully by TNA the last few years. They had to rely on someone being called away in an emergency to be booked on the PPV FFS.

Ditto Austin Aries, one of the most talented guys around, booked like an absolute tool in TNA, to the point where he walked away in sheer frustration when his contract came up.

Chris Daniels is beyond stale at this stage.

Machismo Fan wrote: »

You also underestimate the ability of Foley and Angle to attract foreign TV deals for TNA (another one of which they just started in France added to TNA's new exposure on Virgin).

I'm well aware of the advantages of having established faces in building foreign markets. My original point was that signing these guys was heralded as a big "up yours" to WWE at the time and the beginnings of TNA actually competing in the wrestling market. However, it quite obviously was nothing of the kind. Just like signing Nigel is unlikely to be a statement of intent, as suggested by another poster.

Bubs101

Machismo Fan wrote: »

I don't necessarily agree with this. TNA have proved that just hotshotting big names is not good enough. Whereas Nigel is someone fresh who very few of TNA's extended audience will have been exposed to in large doses. If booked right, they could make Nigel a star that the TNA fans will consider homegrown and he could be more valuable to TNA in the long run. TNA need to build stars not buy stars.

Morgan is homegrown and there's no way he's bigger than the likes of Kurt, Sting or Foley and he never will be and he's the only one they've booked right. Same with AJ and co. Even Steiner, Nash and Booker are bigger than them. They aren't main eventers but they're still more valuable because they're recognizable names. Anyone who comes from shows that do 3 ratings and have done 5 in the past is easily better for them than someone who comes in from a minor league company

Machismo Fan

And the common denominator in all those mess up's is the Jeff Jarrett/Vince Russo booking combo. That's gone now and Dixie's breathing down Russo's neck to establish new stars and while TNA still do too many gimmick matches and their booking can be a little repetitive, there's no doubt that Russo is being forced by Carter to try and further establish new main event talent. With TNA's ratings low at the moment, I actually think Russo is in a little trouble (which may be the main reason he's booker two huge gimmick matches for this weeks iMPACT!).

TNA aren't by any means perfect but they are a hell of a lot better off than they were three months ago.

sky88

its a good signing for tna but i think they wont do justice with nigel i still think they ruined somoa joe but then again wwe wouldnt have used him right probaly

Machismo Fan

Bubs101 wrote: »

Morgan is homegrown and there's no way he's bigger than the likes of Kurt, Sting or Foley and he never will be and he's the only one they've booked right. Same with AJ and co. Even Steiner, Nash and Booker are bigger than them. They aren't main eventers but they're still more valuable because they're recognizable names. Anyone who comes from shows that do 3 ratings and have done 5 in the past is easily better for them than someone who comes in from a minor league company

Nash and Booker have done nothing to contribute to TNA. TNA has so many potential stars, read any TNA house report and you'll know that Beer Money are one of the most over acts in wrestling while Nash and Booker just take up money and TV time. They don't add to TNA's ratings in the slightest. And Morgan is still in the early stages of his push, given time he'll be a big star.

Fitzy101

*Points And Laughs At Vince*

Bubs101

Machismo Fan wrote: »

Nash and Booker have done nothing to contribute to TNA. TNA has so many potential stars, read any TNA house report and you'll know that Beer Money are one of the most over acts in wrestling while Nash and Booker just take up money and TV time. They don't add to TNA's ratings in the slightest. And Morgan is still in the early stages of his push, given time he'll be a big star.

Noone who gets pushed solely on TNA will ever be a big star. You have to accept that. Doesn't have the exposure needed to make one.

Nash was a star in WCW. people remember him. He's bigger than any TNA homegrown talent. Same with Booker but he was in the limelight more recently. Same with Steiner. Same with Team 3D It's a shame but no homegrown talent will ever make it that far in TNA alone.

It's just like ECW but much worse. Plenty of guys have the raw talent and will make it to the big time but never on TNA. AJ, Daniels, Beer Money, MCMG are the equivalents of RVD, Jericho, The Dudleys etc. TNA can never make a major star

EdK

Fear not gentlemen Nigel McGuinness' first bit of business as a TNA wrestler was to

attack Kurt Angle backstage

Machismo Fan

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/42369/spoiler-from-impact-tapings-regarding-newest-member-of-roster.html?p=1

At the Impact tapings tonight, Nigel McGuinness made his debut in a backstage segment with Kurt Angle. During the course of the segment, Nigel attacked Angle.

Later in the show, Angle and Nigel were in the ring together and Nigel gave Angle the Tower of London.

Ain't much better way to debut.

waltersobchak

wonder if vince will raid TNA for talent, just to get back at them.. :rolleyes:

EdK

waltersobchak wrote: »

wonder id vince will raid TNA for talent, just to get back at them.. :rolleyes:

not as easy as that TNA are signing up their top talents to long contracts, Nigels name in TNA will be Desmond Wolf, not too fond of it tbh

Rjd2

waltersobchak wrote: »

wonder id vince will raid TNA for talent, just to get back at them.. :rolleyes:

Booker T is probably a lock but I doubt many tna fans will lose much sleep over that.

waltersobchak

I remember hearing about morgan and aj signing new 5 year deals but what about guys like the machine guns, daniels, joe, abyss those kinda guys who are slighty stagnated they could do a lot worse then getting decent deals for themselves...

Machismo Fan

waltersobchak wrote: »

I remember hearing about morgan and aj signing new 5 year deals but what about guys like the machine guns, daniels, joe, abyss those kinda guys who are slighty stagnated they could do a lot worse then getting decent deals for themselves...

Joe, Beer Money and LAX all resigned relatively recently and I think The Guns have aswell so most of their top young talent is relatively safe. The only person I'd worry about is Angle.

waltersobchak

Machismo Fan wrote: »

Joe, Beer Money and LAX all resigned relatively recently and I think The Guns have aswell so most of their top young talent is relatively safe. The only person I'd worry about is Angle.

would wwe take him back though? he must be one more bad injury away from retirement at this stage, which wwe's increased schedule would no doubt do to him..

Bubs101

Machismo Fan wrote: »

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/42369/spoiler-from-impact-tapings-regarding-newest-member-of-roster.html?p=1

At the Impact tapings tonight, Nigel McGuinness made his debut in a backstage segment with Kurt Angle. During the course of the segment, Nigel attacked Angle.

Later in the show, Angle and Nigel were in the ring together and Nigel gave Angle the Tower of London.

Ain't much better way to debut.

This is true but he'll job to Angle at Turning point then Morgan at the next PPV. Booker career path

rossie1977

waltersobchak wrote: »

wonder id vince will raid TNA for talent, just to get back at them.. :rolleyes:

like who??

there isn't anyone in tna that pops out at you and says "yeah he could lead wwe into the next decade"

i would like to see styles and joe in wwe, both imo reached their peak in tna years ago and the only way now is down for them, both great workers who have been poorly booked for a while now

i would like to see morgan return to wwe, he was used badly by wwe first time around, he really is a monster of a man and we know vince loves big guys, vinces current giants khali and wight are on their last legs at this stage

i have said for a while that Hernandez has the tools to make it in wwe, however if he doesn't take his chance soon he will be mid-card or stuck in tag-teams in tna for life seeing as he is fast approaching his 40th birthday

outside of that, too early for roode imo, abyss won't cut it in pg wwe despite his size, daniels is getting too old (nearly 40 i believe), gunns are too small to be taken seriously in wwe (they would just be kendrick and london mark 2 for most casual fans)

waltersobchak

rossie1977 wrote: »

like who??

there isn't anyone in tna that pops out at you and says "yeah he could lead wwe into the next decade"

i would like to see styles and joe in wwe, both imo reached their peak in tna years ago and the only way now is down for them, both great workers who have been poorly booked for a while now

i would like to see morgan return to wwe, he was used badly by wwe first time around, he really is a monster of a man and we know vince loves big guys, vinces current giants khali and wight are on their last legs at this stage

i have said for a while that Hernandez has the tools to make it in wwe, however if he doesn't take his chance soon he will be mid-card or stuck in tag-teams in tna for life seeing as he is fast approaching his 40th birthday

outside of that, too early for roode imo, abyss won't cut it in pg wwe despite his size, daniels is getting too old (nearly 40 i believe), gunns are too small to be taken seriously in wwe (they would just be kendrick and london mark 2 for most casual fans)

Fair enough its a good point, there isn't too many names that pop out, and also not a huge amount of talent on the tna roster that havent been in wwe before, or that aren't over the hill.. but thats bs that the guns are too small, just look at Punk hes more than proven that with the right gimmick and charisma size isnt the issue anymore.. as for Joe going down hill would a fresh start in wwe more than reinvigerate his career? i dont know about it being too soon for Roode as i personally thought he was good enough for wwe when he was still in Team Canada, whereas daniels deserves at least the opportunity for a run in wwe, even if its the senior worker role in Ecw

Tricity Bendix

Good for TNA, bad for Nigel.

As for the WWE not liking small guys, I would have hoped that by putting the likes of Punk, Jeff Hardy and Cody Rhodes (not to mention Michaels, Jericho and Mysterio) in mainevent matches would at least temper such assertions.

EdK

I'd say many of the TNA guys are wary of signing with the WWE in the past they have signed Kaz,Chris Harris, Cassidy Reilly,Johnny Swinger Tomko Trytan Sonny Siaki (i think) and others but the only 2 to even do anything were Monty Brown and Ron Killings oh and Kid Kash alittle bit

Christian obviously too but that's a bit different

Penn

Rjd2 wrote: »

Booker T is probably a lock but I doubt many tna fans will lose much sleep over that.

I think it'd be the WWE fans who'd lose sleep if he came back

Snakeblood

Machismo Fan wrote: »

http://www.prowrestling.net/artman/publish/TNA/article1008437.shtml


If true, that's a major steal for TNA. I know the source ain't exactly stellar but prowrestling.net have been pretty accurate with TNA news in the past few weeks. I'd imagine he'd fit straight in with TBI.

Ugh.

Diabhal Beag

I really hope that TNA make good use of Nigel. As far as I can see they really built Matt Morgan pretty well. I hope they do the same for Nigel.

ROH is so ****ed now. All they have left is Aries from the original crew.

Snakeblood

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

I really hope that TNA make good use of Nigel. As far as I can see they really built Matt Morgan pretty well. I hope they do the same for Nigel.

ROH is so ****ed now. All they have left is Aries from the original crew.

I looked at the spoilers for this week, and it *seems* like TNA are going in a direction that doesn't make me incredibly angry, which is the first time since about 2006.

For me, Matt Morgan should have been brought in on top. He's not very good, but he should have been treated like 911 in ECW, everyone goes 'OH ****' because some guy is going to get chokeslammed. They don't have anyone with that sort of aura in TNA. Smackdown has Kane, raw has Undertaker, ECW has Sheamus (sort of). Matt Morgan could have been the MYSTERY OPPONENT for TNA.

rossie1977

EdK wrote: »

I'd say many of the TNA guys are wary of signing with the WWE in the past they have signed Kaz,Chris Harris, Cassidy Reilly,Johnny Swinger Tomko Trytan Sonny Siaki (i think) and others but the only 2 to even do anything were Monty Brown and Ron Killings oh and Kid Kash alittle bit

Christian obviously too but that's a bit different

most of those guys listed had a bad attitude, were completely worthless to start with or in harris case didn't give a f**k, thats why they failed in wwe

punk was in tna, so too mvp, mickie james, don't forget jeff hardy, if you have the right attitude, work your ass off it doesn't matter whether you were in tna. vince has nothing against tna (at least i don't he has), he hated wcw but many of the guys that jumped ship from there went on to become superstars

gimmick

Snakeblood wrote: »

They don't have anyone with that sort of aura in TNA. Smackdown has Kane, raw has Undertaker, ECW has Sheamus (sort of). Matt Morgan could have been the MYSTERY OPPONENT for TNA.

Wasn't that part played by "The Monster" Abyss?

The handling of Morgan has been just about right imo. That said, I would never in a million yeasr have thought he could look not completely shít in the ring. If he was hot shotted it would not have worked.

JP Liz

:eek:

I thought his deal with WWE was done and signed

Major win for TNA if true

Snakeblood

gimmick wrote: »

Wasn't that part played by "The Monster" Abyss?

The handling of Morgan has been just about right imo. That said, I would never in a million yeasr have thought he could look not completely shít in the ring. If he was hot shotted it would not have worked.

This was the positive of 911. All he had to do was come out, chokeslam someone, and not sell. It's a part custom built for someone who isn't very good at wrestling but has the advantage of being tall. I don't think Morgan is any good, but he's not painful to watch. He just has nothing that makes me think 'AWW YEAH, HERE COMES MATT MORGAN'

Abyss used to be that MYSTERY OPPONENT guy. Now he's just a guy, like all the other guys in TNA. That's their big problem. Hopefully they won't screw up with Nigel, but given the history of TNA, they will screw him up.

rossie1977

waltersobchak wrote: »

Fair enough its a good point, there isn't too many names that pop out, and also not a huge amount of talent on the tna roster that havent been in wwe before, or that aren't over the hill.. but thats bs that the guns are too small, just look at Punk hes more than proven that with the right gimmick and charisma size isnt the issue anymore.. as for Joe going down hill would a fresh start in wwe more than reinvigerate his career? i

but the guns are not punks size though (6ft 200-210lb), going be a while before either look this big http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/johnlowe316/CmPunk2.jpg they are both about 5'7 170 about kendricks size, very rare someone that short gets a strong push in wwe outside mysterio, just look at evan bourne lately, eddie was 5'7 but he appealed to a mass segment the guns don't and he had charisma coming out of his eyeballs and was great on the mic which neither of the guns have shown so far (at least not to eddies level), same goes with punk, you knew listening to him in roh that one day his mic work would make him a star in wwe

as far as joe goes i see him at the same point in the road that mick foley was in 1994-95, the experts wrote off foleys chances in vinces fed when he signed up in 1996 but he got over and over big time, if joe isn't booked as another fat samoan then yes he can become a star in wwe, his mic work is terrible though but i am sure they can work on that or give him a manager like they did with a green brock lesnar

Snakeblood

rossie1977 wrote: »

but the guns are not punks size though (6ft 200-210lb), going be a while before either look this big http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/johnlowe316/CmPunk2.jpg they are both about 5'7 170 about kendricks size, very rare someone that short gets a strong push in wwe outside mysterio, just look at evan bourne lately, eddie was 5'7 but he appealed to a mass segment the guns don't and he had charisma coming out of his eyeballs and was great on the mic which neither of the guns have shown so far (at least not to eddies level), same goes with punk, you knew listening to him in roh that one day his mic work would make him a star in wwe

as far as joe goes i see him at the same point in the road that mick foley was in 1994-95, the experts wrote off foleys chances in vinces fed when he signed up in 1996 but he got over and over big time, if joe isn't booked as another fat samoan then yes he can become a star in wwe, his mic work is terrible though but i am sure they can work on that or give him a manager like they did with a green brock lesnar

Alex Shelley showed a huge amount of charisma in generation next, and as part of paparazzi productions, then his legs were cut from under him, he went off to Japan to form the MCMGs, then came back, and he was depushed and made to mouth whatever Russo wanted him to say.

Plus the MCMGs are still over even if no one really knows if they are face or heel, and they barely get to wrestle.

flahavaj

Delighted with the way they debuted Nigel, makes him look like a big deal and first impressions counr when a new face arrives. Of course its the follow up thats crucial now, more than anything and will determine how hes perceived long term by the fanbase,

Machismo Fan

I'd imagine that TNA promised him that push to try and get him to sign. It's interesting to see the message TNA sends ROH guys compared to the message WWE has sent TNA guys.

So whats happening with Bryan Danielson?
Anyone know if he's going to TNA?