We’re continuing our look at various Hall of Fames. We’re going to continue to the TNA Hall of Fame. Unlike many other honorary halls, TNA is a very young fed, and contains only four guys; Sting, Kurt Angle, and Team 3D (Dudley Boys). TNA is also only inducting one man, or group a year. That seems reasonable since TNA is only 13 years old. The problem with TNA’s hall of fame is that it contains no TNA made stars, or guys that built themselves up in TNA. I’ve made a quick list of who really belongs in the TNA Hall of Fame. This list is in no particular order because there’s different pro’s and con’s for each guy to be at number one.
-Relic: Well he’s a TNA made talent, but I’m just kidding here.
– The Jarretts: The only reason these guys weren’t already in the hof is that TNA isn’t WWE, and TNA can’t afford to celebrate guys that are competing against them. WWE could induct Dixie Carter, and Panda Energy’s board of directors, and it wouldn’t hurt them.
Jerry and Jeff did all the heavy lifting putting TNA together, and getting the NWA involved. Jeff showed he could be just as innovative as any southern Booker, when the began TNA with a weekly ppv show. The ppv show worked long enough to get TNA a tv deal.
Sure building a wrestling federation around Jeff Jarrett isn’t a license to print money, but who else could be relied on from 2002 to 2005? Jarrett was the only guy that wasn’t jumping back and forth to Ring of Honor, and it guaranteed the NWA belt would stay in TNA.
-Raven: The boss is my favorite wrestler of all time, but that’s not why he’s on this list. He’s more of an honorable mention really. He does have the distinction of being the first major WWE cast-off to make it in TNA. His NWA title match with Jeff Jarrett in TNA, was TNA’s best NWA Championship match in history.
Jeff Jarrett may not have been a big money draw, but Raven was. Ironically Vince Russo booked Raven very well, and made him an actual threat, as well as a top heel. Raven basically walked into TNA, and was made the defacto leader of S.E.X. (TNA’s first big heel faction. It had like 8,000 members.).
Another thing about Raven is that after his first appearance, TNA’s ppv show actually did higher buyrates. Raven always had fan interest, even when no one knew how to book him. Raven eventually won the NWA belt. His NWA title run was kept off tv because he eclipsed Jeff Jarrett in Jeff Jarrett’s own federation. Finally Jarrett used backstage politics to manipulate The NWA Board into giving Jarrett a title win over Raven. Raven was then left to flounder despite still being loved by the crowd.
-AJ Styles: Duh. This guy was the franchise, until he was recently pushed out of TNA. He was similar to Bret Hart in WWE. AJ was always around to carry any TNA belt, and make that belt look like it was the most important thing in the world. He was the first X-Division Champion, and Tv Champion. He also held the tag belts, NWA title, and TNA title.
Styles was also loyal to TNA, even after he went from main eventer to henchman so that Kurt Angle and Christian Cage could have the spotlight. He also put up with a 10 year off and on feud with Christopher Daniels, which led to the idiotic Clare Lynch angle.
From what I know WWE was never interested in AJ Styles, but I consider that to be WWE’s fault, not his. Whether he’s taking on Ken Anderson, or having an iron man match with Kurt Angle, you could always expect a great showing from AJ Styles.
– Ron “The Truth” Killings: Another honorable mention, but an important one. I looked all over for various NWA champ lists, and it looks like Ron Killings was the NWA’s first African-American champion. There were quite a few lists. It doesn’t matter too much because Ron Killings (R-Truth) is the only black man to win the NWA belt twice.
Ron Killings TNA persona was a cross between Farooqu, and New Jack. He was a militant black gangsta in a southern fed, pretty much making him a heel. That didn’t matter because militant black heels always get face cheers in the south.
-Konnan: Why’s Konnan here, Mr Punk? Well because Konnan booked and created TNA’s most popular faction. LAX was Konnan, Homicide, Apollo, Machete, and later Hernandez. Konnan also booked these badass matches where a bunch of Latin gangstas surrounded the ring when a L.A.X. member was in the ring. Actually pro-wrestling sorely needs a gangsta stable today.
Konnan made L.A.X. the most popular part of TNA, at a time when Kurt Angle, Christian, Kevin Nash, and Sting were on the roster. Konnan also ran AAA at the same time. Also he did most of this from a wheelchair.
Konnan left TNA because of health reasons, and to keep a closer eye on AAA. Years before this, Konnan was given an ultimatum in WCW, he could choose WCW or his own Mexican Indy fed. Back then he chose WCW, and regretted it. He wasn’t going to do that twice, and left TNA for Mexico.
– Gail Kim: Not exactly a TNA original, but a solid star none the less. Gail kept TNA’s women’s division clean of bimbos that couldn’t keep up with her. Gail also left WWE for TNA in a way that she’ll probably never be welcomed in WWE again. That show of loyalty to TNA has earned Gail plenty of accolades. This is the kind of loyalty that is usually never rewarded in pro-wrestling, but Gail isn’t just some windbag throwing down titles. Gail is the world’s top female talent.
Okay enough with the list. I wanted to weigh in on Chyna and the WWE Hall of Fame. We all know that her porn career isn’t the reason she isn’t getting in, and of course X-Pac will be inducted soon. WWE will look like a bunch of hypocrites, and they’ll file it in their “We Don’t Give a Crap” folder. So there’s more proof of why the WWE HOF might as well induct my man, Damien Demento.
Top Heels That Deserve a Grammy
5) Sabu
4) Randy Savage
3) Gillian Hall
2) Trevor Murdoch
1) Nicoli Volkoff
