| QUOTE |
| The birth of the X-Division was one of the first announcements made by TNA when they announced their arrival. Without having any footage to show, and barely any "name" talent to connect with it, the X-Division seemed to be an effort by the Jarrett's to give an "edgy" name to something we've already seen: Cruiserweights. The idea of a cruiserweight divison was not a bad one, as workers like Mysterio, Psycosis, Juventud, Malenko & co. were used by ECW to help re-educate the fans on actual wrestling (along with Benoit, Guerrero, and others) and helped maintain WCW's lead in the Monday Night Wars. It's no secret that Vince McMahon doesn't have a special place in his heart for lightweights like he does for the so-called "hosses." So announcing from the get go that lightweight wrestling will be one of the pillars of your company is a great idea, business wise, as one of the best ways to start a business is to attack your competitor's weakness'. So they start off giving AJ Styles the belt. AJ is a good champion to start with, as he's the prototype of the X-Division, even at the time. After this, though, the belt is switched to Low-Ki, and then Jerry Lynn. Low Ki brought a dangerous edge to the belt, and Lynn brought experience. Syxx-Pac brought some name recognition, though not for long as AJ Styles retains the belt. The problem that seemed to be brewing in the X-Division was seemingly a high spot division, and nothing more. In an effort to prove the "About No Limits" creed, TNA gives Sonny Siaki the belt. This seemed like a good idea, though Sonny Siaki, as good as he may be, is not X-Division material. Over the next year or so the title passes hands between Amazing Red, Kid Kash, Matt Bentley, Kazarian & Chris Sabin. Though the talent is there, the matches are very spot driven, and the substance of the division seems to lack. They can put on matches, and do good jobs. Especially with the birth of the Ultimate X match. But the division makes a marked drop on the card. Though everything is second fiddle to Jeff Jarrett. Once AJ makes the decision to return to his X Division roots, the younger of the workers are quietly placed in a lower card position as AJ retains the belt. Petey Williams works his way up the ladder, and the actual match quality makes a significant turn for the better. It's at this time that the top tier of the X-Division begins to truly shine and allow the X-Division to truly shine. It's also about this time that Samoa Joe makes his debut for TNA. With Christopher Daniels & AJ Styles at the top, it's only time before the three are fighting amongst themselves. The three together have now revolutionized the X-Division. Daniels brings a bit of experience, Styles a clean style, Samoa Joe a sense of danger. It could be argued that these three have this much to offer because that they've been allowed so much TV time. But I would argue it's because of how they carry themselves. Samoa Joe is possibly the best new asset that TNA has. He is a living, breathing, example of the X-Division motto. He weighs more than any other X-Division star, and it's not a bad thing. His size has grounded the once spot heavy X-Division style, lending it a new dimension. The matches no longer seem as plotted out, and feel as if they have a bit of depth. In my opinion, Joe getting the X Division Title is the best thing to happen to the Division since it's inception. Why? Because it brings substance to the style. Though we won't see Joe flying around in an Ultimate X, we know that the matches we do see will be more than just flips and leaps off the top ropes. They'll be wrestling matches. |
| QUOTE (Scrooge McSuck @ Dec 14 2005, 03:21 PM) |
| Yup, but when you keep calling someone a submission machine, he sure does nothing but kick, kick, suplex, slam, choke on Impact. |