2013 has seen some of the biggest roster changes in TNA Wrestling history, with a plethora of in-ring talent being recently let go by the company. Some have been released by the company and others have requested their release. I and fellow tnanews.com writers Elto Alexandrov and Jason Franklin assess the roster cuts and analyze whether each release was the right or wrong choice.
ALEX SILVA
KYLE: Alex Silva was the first winner of TNA Gut Check and has since achieved exactly nothing since then. It was surprising that Silva even won the challenge, as his in-ring skills were average and rather unimpressive (though to be fair, he is still very young at only 22 years of age). Having barely made an appearance on iMPACT, I only really remember him taking part in two One Night Stand specials (Joker's Wild and X-Travaganza) and he was not memorable in either. A wise release in my opinion but Alex Silva is someone who could return in the future with more experience and a furthered development.
ELTO: Talking about Alex Silva is hard. I have always found his ring work bland, and TNA never really tried to make something out of his character, so as awful as it may sound, it is kind of hard to miss him.
JASON: This was a release that wasn’t surprising, and barely noticed by some. Alex Silva was the first Gut Check winner, though one of three to be released. With his age and talent, his career is far from over. Expect to see him pop up in the independents in the next few years before getting another big-time opportunity.
CHRISTIAN YORK
KYLE: An ECW original and a veteran of the independents, Christian York's release should come as a surprise to nobody. He has occasionally been sloppy in matches and for a professional with years of experience, he has looked shockingly green. His look, while making him stand out, made him stand out like a jobber. I actually quite liked York, but his zero ability on the mic and age justifies his release.
ELTO: I can’t agree that York has looked green. I can’t say his ring work has been consistently good either, but come on. The same company utilizes Garrett Bischoff and Jessie Godderz as wrestlers. I did see why York would be useful to TNA. Even though his age deprived him of his chances of becoming a main-eventer, his reputation as an independent worker could have been a good tool for elevating younger workers. I felt that even without being booked prominently, York was someone that had to be taken seriously, simply because he had accomplished so much in the “minor leagues”. Like many others, however, he was released before TNA would come up with concrete plans for him.
JASON: Christian York was my favorite of all the Gut Check contestants. He was a veteran who knew how to maneuver around the ring with the best (remember his Open Fight Night challenge to Jeff Hardy?). If I was a member of TNA Creative, I would have put York in contention for the X-Division Title, a possible feud with Wes Briscoe or Garrett Bischoff or at least teamed him with another to add to the declining tag team ranks. Christian York is no spring chicken, and his time left as a performer in the business is dwindling, so don’t look to see WWE pick him up. It would be great to see him emerge in Ring Of Honor
CRIMSON
KYLE: Crimson has had a pretty hard time in TNA, failing to gather enough interest or momentum despite a tag title reign and, of course, the 470 day undefeated streak. I personally liked Crimson. I felt he had a good look, was pretty solid in the ring and his finishers (Red Sky & Red Alert) were particularly impressive to me. I feel like TNA missed a trick not keeping the tag team of Crimson and Amazing Red alive. They could have developed into a solid tag team with purpose as opposed to booking random duos with whoever was free (Steiner and Morgan). Still, he really didn't catch on with the crowd and his mic skills were definitely a weak spot, so it was a sensible release to me.
ELTO: I agree, Crimson never got as over as TNA expected him to be. Nevertheless, I also think creative dropped the ball by turning him heel just as he was gaining momentum. When it comes to the undefeated streak, I felt it succeeded at portraying Crimson as a force to be reckoned with. As you mentioned, however, his partnerships with Steiner and Morgan made little sense and I think were crucial to Crimson’s downfall. It did not help that his streak was ended by James Storm, who I felt was already a top guy and didn’t really need the rub. Again, what was more annoying was that TNA initially seemed determined to make something out of the guy and actually came up with the interesting “General” gimmick in OVW. Unfortunately, all the time and effort invested in him were flushed down the toilet with that final loss to Joseph Park.
JASON: At one point in time, Crimson was the talk of TNA Wrestling. As Kyle noted, his massive win streak and tag title reign with Matt Morgan should have cemented him as a star on the roster. It’s the path that Magnus took and look at the rewards he has been given. Crimson may have fallen victim to the painful gods of inconsistency, as well as poor booking. TNA needed a "monster" and, for a short time, it looked as though Crimson would fill that role. He didn’t fit that role, as TNA fans were still awaiting the full-time return of Abyss. As Elto mentioned, Crimson fittingly jobbed to Joseph Park in his last match, a Bound For Glory Series Qualifier. That was a clear signal that Crimson and TNA Wrestling would part ways.
DOC
KYLE: Why was Luke Gallows hired in the first place? While not a terrible wrestler, Gallows suffers from the worst thing a wrestler could have: lack of interest. Nobody cared about D.O.C. as he was essentially just a henchman, a goon for Aces & Eights. To me, this release was the correct decision.
ELTO: Really? I actually thought DOC had the most potential out of all Aces & Eights members. He was fun to watch back in WWE, both as Festus and as Luke Gallows in The Straight-Edge Society, and if we also count his work as Impostor Kane in 2006, few can deny that Drew Hankinson is a versatile worker. Let’s face it, the fact that CM Punk mentioned his name two years ago in the same sentence as Colt Cabana (“You want to punish people for actually liking professional wrestling?” – to Vince McMahon) did not hurt either. In fact, it seems to me that DOC is a respected name in the business. Even if he was a mere henchman in the Aces & Eights, I thought he was an interesting henchman to watch, especially as the tension between he and Mr. Anderson escalated. I can’t say the same for Knux.
JASON: This was the most shocking and irresponsible of all of the TNA departures, in my opinion. I will have to disagree with Kyle and say that Drew Hankinson, aka DOC is a tremendous talent and TNA Wrestling did a disservice to their fans and the Aces & Eights angle by not re-signing him. Personally, I would have put money on the fact that it was him as the #August1Warning. Letting DOC walk out really hurt the angle with Aces & Eights (Bully Ray drops the title the day after? Hmmm....).
DOUGLAS WILLIAMS
KYLE: It was perhaps obvious that Williams' job wasn’t completely secure when he transferred from active wrestler to trainer at the developmental territory OVW (where he managed to capture the heavyweight title there). It's a shame Williams was released because he has fantastic pure wrestling ability and I really hoped to see him put over British Boot Camp winner Rockstar Spud or even Magnus.
ELTO: Williams’ transfer to OVW never made me worry about the security of his spot, because he was used in the best way possible – to build future stars. We could not hope for a run at the top at his age and any screen time for him would mean less opportunities for newcomers to showcase their abilities. Williams excels in the traditional British wrestling style, which is more about technicalities and ring psychology than showmanship and glitter. That is something the major leagues could use more of. That’s why I strongly feel that releasing Williams is a huge step down for OVW and the next generation of TNA stars.
JASON: The last few times I’ve seen Douglas Williams was in the Gut Check challenges. He served his time in TNA and things have evolved without him playing a big part. I can’t imagine TNA Creative having anything for him. Though a WWE run is unlikely, I look for Williams, an incredible talent with knowledge of the business, to gain employment as a trainer, a teacher or a producer.
JOEY RYAN
KYLE: As a massive Joey Ryan fan (I even wrote an article on why I think he would thrive in TNA), I am rather gutted by his release. Honestly, the Gut Check/Al Snow feud was mediocre at best and his subsequent tagging with Matt Morgan was very forgettable. Yet, I still can’t help but think he was misused and didn't warrant being released. Here was a guy with polished in-ring ability, strong mic skills and a fully established gimmick. I felt there was a nearly unlimited wealth of options to use Joey in a variety of feuds. I loved the feud between Joey Ryan and Chris Hero back in PWG and would have loved to see something similar replicated in TNA.
ELTO: The Internet Wrestling Community was ecstatic to see Joey Ryan in a TNA ring when he was brought in last year, and with good reason. I don’t have to be a big fan of his gimmick to recognize his talent because I think he takes a rather weak concept and uses some great body language to make it work. However, what is more frustrating to me is not the lack of recognition on behalf of the company, but the fact that the recognition was there at some point and then suddenly it wasn’t. This is an issue we have addressed countless times here at TNANews.com and if you are tired of reading about it, well, we are tired of writing about it. TNA has a tendency of giving up on people. Joey Ryan’s run, for instance, took off with a win at Bound For Glory which would indicate big plans in a promotion that involves logical booking.
JASON: There have been many talented workers who never got a real break in TNA and Joey Ryan is one of them. Sound in the ring and quite entertaining on the mic, I feel that Joey Ryan was the victim of creative backlash. There was nothing for him, though I figured a run at the X-Division Title could have only raised his stock. A repackaged Joey Ryan could make waves in Ring Of Honor or low-card WWE. TNA was the right place at the wrong time for Joey Ryan.
KID KASH
KYLE: I know he is 44 years old, but Kid Kash has not lost a step in the ring. I have been a huge fan of his since ECW and have enjoyed his work in WWE and the many, many different stints in TNA. A great veteran with loads of experience and talent, I feel like Kash could have helped put over the younger X-Division talent or possibly challenge for the TV title better than some of the mid-carders TNA currently employs.
ELTO: I am also a big fan of Kid Kash’s work. He is a very balanced wrestler who combines lots of different wrestling styles to create something unique. Kash’s 23 years of experience are evident in every single performance of his because of how well he adapts to his opponents, as well as just how unpredictable he is. Nevertheless, how important is he to the X Division? Let us not forget that in addition to the full-time TNA workers, such as Manik and Kenny King, there is a pool of X Division athletes working on a per shot basis hoping to make an impact. We have recently seen the returns of Petey Williams, Homicide, Sonjay Dutt and countless others if we also consider the One Night Only events, as well as the debuts of exciting newcomers like Greg Marasciulo. I appreciate Kid Kash’s talent and experience, but I also think TNA can afford his loss.
JASON: I liked the tag team of Kid Kash/Gunner, even though they were really only used to put over Hernandez and the debuting Chavo Guerrero. Kash is now up there in age, though he still has what it takes to make it inside the ring. Someone like him would be a great addition to OVW as a trainer/mentor where the younger talent can learn from him. As Elto noted, the X Division is stacked with emerging young talent so this was one of the more understandable releases.
MADISON RAYNE
KYLE: Madison Rayne is pregnant and was on maternity leave when her contract expired. I wish her well and hope to see her back in TNA in the near future.
ELTO: I have seen some good heel work out of Madison Rayne and I have also seen a lot of lower than average work. Ultimately, I think the Knockouts Division can do without her. Even following the recent releases, there are plenty of attention-grabbing female workers in the company. It was less than a month ago that Gail Kim and Taryn Terrell put on that spectacular ladder match on live TV, and the likes of Mickie James and Velvet Sky are still around. It looks like TNA may be doing something with ODB as well so even though Madison Rayne’s work is not necessarily bad, it is easy for her to get lost in the shuffle.
JASON: The Knockouts Division is stacked with talent and new-momma Madison Rayne will be better fitted to take some time off to take care of her baby and see what happens with the rest of the division. Right now it’s Gail Kim, Mickie James and Velvet Skye running the Knockouts program. At this point, her services are best suited away from the ring and I’m sure I speak for everyone at TNANews.com in wishing her and her new family well.
MATT MORGAN
KYLE: One of, if not the biggest name released by the company, Matt Morgan actually asked to be released from his contract. Hulk Hogan himself stated:
"I think the one guy I really need to focus on is Matt Morgan. There are a couple of things that need to be fixed, and one of the main things is his interviews. I think if we sit down and really dial Matt Morgan in, he can be somebody who can really turn things around and lead Impact Wrestling to the promised land."
I actually agree with Hogan as I too foresaw Morgan as a future heavyweight champion and main eventer. Instead, Morgan languished in wrestling limbo for the past year: an odd tag team with Crimson and various short term feuds. I feel Morgan could be a huge success in the WWE and if he left to try and join them, I really hope he does well.
ELTO: What can I even say about Matt Morgan… He has been on the verge of becoming a top guy ever since joining TNA in 2007. We can only assume why Morgan asked for his release, but considering how much he has been promised over the years, including by Hulk Hogan himself, I would understand if he simply ran out of patience. Despite his inconsistent booking, no matter whether facing Kurt Angle at Bound For Glory or performing as part of a nonsensical duo with Joey Ryan, Morgan has delivered. Everything he did, he did it with a passion, and why he never got that monster push despite Hogan reportedly being very high up on him is beyond me. One has to wonder whether it had to do with attitude.
JASON: TNA didn’t know what to do with Matt Morgan and with a full roster that possessed actual wrestling ability, there was no other place for ‘The Blueprint’ to go but down. He knew this and asked for his release. He sucked on the mic, he was stiff in the ring and his program with Hulk Hogan went nowhere but into a weird pairing with Joey Ryan. Matt Morgan knows he could do better in the future and being repackaged as a "Monster on the Loose" in WWE could be in his future.
TAELER HENDRIX
KYLE: Another wrestler I wrote an article about, proclaiming her to be the future of the Knockouts division and I still stand by that. Taeler is fantastic in the ring, is young and is gorgeous. I believe the recent controversy stirred up by apparent comments about her weight by Dixie Carter were confirmed as false or at least taken out of context by Hendrix herself. Straight up, they didn't know how to use Taeler and instead wasted her talent in OVW rather than weekly on iMPACT.
ELTO: When roster cuts need to be made, it is all about priorities. I agree with you, Kyle, that Taeler could have been a big star. She was certainly over enough, but I can also see why she got the short end of the stick as opposed to others. She simply turned out to be more expendable than others in a time of financial difficulties. Taeler had the talent, but she never really started the climb up the ladder, so I wouldn’t say her release is as controversial as that of, say, Joey Ryan. It’s just a pity that we never got to see what she is capable of.
JASON: The Knockouts in TNA have far and away set the standard for women in professional wrestling. With Gail Kim, Mickie James and Velvet Sky being the faces of the division, and only a small amount of television time for exposure, Taeler Hendrix was going nowhere fast in TNA. While I think that Taeler is a phenomenal talent, she would be sparsely, or poorly, used as a WWE Diva. Continuing to hone her skills on the independent circuit will do wonders for Taeler Hendrix. She is a survivor and a strong competitor. In due time, TNA may come calling again. One can only hope.
TARA
KYLE: Who saw this coming? Certainly not me. Tara's time in the company has largely been successful: five Knockouts title reigns, one Knockouts tag team title reign and entertaining feuds/ matches with the likes of Daffney and Gail Kim. I understand at age 42, Tara doesn't have too much time left in the ring, yet she could still go at the highest level and I am disappointed by her release.
ELTO: When I heard that Tara was no longer with TNA, I immediately thought she had asked for her release but that is a mere assumption on my part. If she did want out, I can’t blame her. We all know what she is capable of in the ring, yet the past few months had her reduced to the role of a valet for Mr. Pec-tacular and, yes, I am using the word “valet” because I am pretty sure I have been seeing more Godderz than Tara. Am I disappointed by this release? Not really. Considering TNA’s horrible treatment of her, I am rather relieved.
JASON: Oh, Tara. It wasn’t a surprise as the last time we saw her on TNA television was escorting Bro-Mance (Jesse Godderz and Robbie E.) to the ring. As Victoria, she was one of the more talented and consistent of the WWE Divas and, surprisingly, quite brutal. As Tara, she played the heel and face roles with ease and a wicked smile, though her character took a hit when she was paired with Godderz. My understanding is that she has a lot on her plate outside of professional wrestling. Even though I doubt she will return to WWE, this is a talent who will be remembered and sought after for some time.
JESSE SORENSEN
KYLE: The most controversial of all of the TNA releases, with the IWC uniting in hatred against Dixie Carter after Jesse was let go from the company. After recovering from his horrific neck injury from Against All Odds 2012, Jesse has been working behind-the-scenes as a marketing assistant. He has made it openly known that he wishes to return to in-ring competition, something TNA has been, rightfully so, reluctant about. I’m sure Dixie Carter took this release very personally and the injury probably weighs down on her conscious, but TNA is right in not being responsible for his health if he returns to the ring. This release actually works out well for both parties and I hope Jesse succeeds outside of the company because he is a very talented kid with a bright future.
ELTO: The issue with Sorensen’s release is one of broken promises. I understand TNA is playing safe by keeping him out of the ring, but as the wrestler noted on Twitter, he was promised he would “always have a job” in TNA in some capacity. I am aware that promises mean nothing when it comes to business, but it just makes the company look horrible. Dixie Carter should have known better than to make promises she could not keep.
JASON: Want to hear something that is a BIG surprise? The business world is full of empty promises and backstabbing. What Dixie said to Jesse Sorensen is no different than my father holding my bike when I was 6 and promising not to let go- only to find out that he did- after nearly 150 yards. I crashed, just like Jesse Sorensen. I was mad at my father, just like Jesse is mad at Dixie. The world of professional wrestling has never been known to be kind (“This isn’t ballet” - CM Punk). Sorensen is talented and he’ll get his time again. Maybe he needs to stay off Twitter, rehab himself the best he can (and can afford) and attempt a comeback.
D’LO BROWN
KYLE: D’Lo returned to TNA in 2009 as their lead agent and head of the Gut Check program. On screen, D’Lo has been a member of Aces & Eights. Bizarrely enough, he had only one match on TNA television. With the Gut Check program at an end, I think an experienced wrestler (one of or both of The Dudleys would be best) could easily fill the lead agent role while also maintaining regular TV time. This is something D’Lo would not achieve.
ELTO: I was very surprised by this release, considering I have only heard good things about D’Lo’s work behind the curtain. I am not in a position to comment on his release because I can’t judge his work by what I see on TV, but I was certainly caught off-guard by the decision to let him go.
JASON: Maybe I’m one of the few who don’t really understand the big deal about D’Lo Brown. His reveal as a member of Aces & Eights was not a surprise and also not threat to the rest of the roster. While I anticipated a feud with Kurt Angle and looked forward to seeing D’Lo back in the ring, I knew that the involvement would tarnish his legacy as a wrestler. Quite possibly a great producer and mentor, I would rather remember the ‘Nation Of Domination’ D’Lo as compared to his short-lived stint as the lap dog of Aces & Eights. Vince is always picking up his former superstars as backstage producers (Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko, Road Dogg, etc.) Expect him back in WWE in some capacity before the year is out.
BRUCE PRICHARD
KYLE: Who truly is in charge behind the scenes of TNA can often be pretty confusing. Bruce Prichard has had a variety of roles and promotions to help confuse matters more. During his three year tenure, Prichard has made some very good wrestling acquisitions to TNA’s roster but I can’t honestly say he has done a better job than Terry Taylor did. I’m also uncertain of how much influence he has had on the actual TV product. I must admit that the time he has been with TNA has been my least favourite period in TNA’s 10 plus years. I really do want Jarrett back and can’t see why he can’t fill in Prichard’s role.
ELTO: Similar to D’Lo Brown’s case, Bruce Prichard’s work is not something we can address directly because we do not know everything that is happening behind the scenes. From what I understand though, Jeff Jarrett is indeed taking over Prichard’s former responsibilities and I look at that as a good thing. Jarrett is the one responsible for most of the progress TNA has made for the last eleven years so the more involved he is in important decision making, the better. TNA Wrestling is his baby and we know he would approach all matters with genuine love and attention.
JASON: The Bruce Pritchard situation is not one that’s different, as companies are making changes all the time. The only reason the TNA fans really notice, or even care, is the fact that he was on television and was a major player in the Gut Check Challenge. He brought in some good names, yes. He brought in a bit of direction, possibly. However, my understanding is that he wanted more than TNA could give him and with Jeff Jarrett on the sidelines, they could really do without him. In a month or so, no one will be talking about Bruce Pritchard.
CONCLUSION:
KYLE: Overall, I’ve been rather disappointed with the roster cuts. I completely understand and encourage the decision to trim the fat, I just feel the wrong talent were let go. I think TNA let go of talented prospects for the future (Joey Ryan, Taeler Hendrix, Crimson) and reliable veterans with so much left to offer (Doug Williams, Tara, Kid Kash) rather than the ones who probably deserved to be released. It’s almost blasphemous to me that Doug Williams got released over Rob Terry and what plans do they have for the likes of Sam Shaw and Jessie Godderz that they didn’t have for Joey Ryan? What do you guys think overall of all the releases?
ELTO: We can’t blame TNA for releasing people when expenses need to be cut. Sure, that Jessie Godderz still has a job in the business is mind-boggling, but let’s also not forget that there is so much going on that we don’t see in the form of backstage politics. Not everything is fair in professional wrestling. There is one huge problem that needs to be addressed, however, and it has to do with talent recruitment. Why has TNA been offering contracts at such a rapid rate only to release the same people later? Since the beginning of the Gut Check initiative, if we count Joey Ryan in despite the fact that he is not technically a winner, eight participants have gone on to earn contracts, four of whom are no longer with the company. Once again, it seems like that “throw at the wall and see what sticks” mentality that Kyle has talked about. They have been hiring as many wrestlers as they can without really investing time and effort in their success, only to ultimately conclude that “it has not worked out for them”. Usually when a worker gets hired in any business, it means they have been found valuable. In this case, however, so many newcomers have made their debuts only to disappear due to lack of ideas for their characters, thus killing their momentum. It is a bad approach in general, yet it is even more absurd that TNA has simply been throwing contracts at these rookies when they have been in dire need of money.
JASON: With four of these releases being Gut Check winners, and the company putting so much into their Ohio Valley Wrestling roster, maybe it’s time for TNA to take a look at the concept in general; being more careful about who they put on the main roster. A Jay Bradley release would make more sense than that of Christian York. As Elto pointed out, by looking at the main roster, it’s hard to believe the talent who was released compared to the talent that still have their jobs. Jesse Godderz and Rob Terry are still on the roster while Christian York, Crimson and Taelor Hendrix are not. There are ways to trim-the-fat, so to speak, and TNA did just that. However, I believe they failed to listen to their audience and I believe they made rash decisions based on money and politics and NOT wrestling ability. On the same note, talent like Hendrix, DOC and D’Lo Brown will likely take the next step in their careers. I expect to see at least two of the three in WWE by years end. It is a business, folks, and business is not always kind.
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