The Wrestling Doctor 11.25.08: Reclaiming the X-Division

THE WRESTLING DOCTOR

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It was nice to see the WWE run a six-match PPV with Survivor Series instead of over-jamming the card. It would be nice if they had not run the show short, but maybe a lot more talent other than William Regal were not in shape to perform.

It was great to see Edge return and screw over Triple H. Edge is best when he has completely back-stabbed somebody and stolen their championship, so good times are ahead as he torments the face contenders on Smackdown.

The World Title switch to John Cena was expected but still disappointing, as Chris Jericho was giving some of the best performances of his career as a snotty, whiney, heel champion who feels he is not getting enough respect. His character is stronger with the title, while Cena does not need the belt to be over. The WWE lost a big opportunity to have a prolonged, exciting title chase by Cena and make Jericho a stronger heel for the long-term. Cena’s health has to be called into question considering the last year, so the WWE is taking a big risk by putting the Raw belt on a guy whose return may have been rushed for the second time in a twelve months. However, I am sure that the WWE suits have placed the blame for Raw’s declining ratings squarely on Jericho’s shoulders instead of looking at the entire product as a possible culprit.

THIS WEEK’S PATIENT: THE X-DIVISION

The X-Division Championship has clearly not been a priority to TNA in over two years, but the title has been degraded more than in the last month that ever in its history.

First, X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashir’s match with Rhino at Turning Point was non-title. Having a one-on-one match involving a champion on pay-per-view where the belt is not contested is the ultimate backhand a promotion can give to one of its titles. If the company wanted Rhino to go over Bashir, they should have given him the belt or not booked the match at all.

A guy like Rhino holding the X-Division Title, even briefly, would reinvigorate the idea that the division has no weight or size limits. Most current X-Division wrestlers are seen as strictly cruiserweights who cannot contend with TNA’s big names. The new international talent TNA has brought in may get pops for great moves but still will suffer from the inevitable American disinterest in foreign wrestlers. Rhino would not be great as X-Division Champion, but he would take the title into higher-profile matches that would help restore some prestige to the gold. For example, The Main Event Mafia may want to get the X-Division Title off of Rhino (such as in his upcoming match at Final Resolution with Kurt Angle) but as it stands, the top heel stable in the company has not interest in the belt. They do, however, have interest in creating their own secondary championship, further evidence of where the X-Division Title stands.

Following Bashir’s non-title effort on pay-per-view, TNA had him drop the X-Division Title to Eric Young at Impact, only to have the decision reversed. Avoiding after-the-fact reversals of title changes is one of the primary lessons learned by students of wrestling in AWA 101: Introduction to Sinking a Company.

Young followed up his non-existent title win by jobbing to Booker T. on the following Impact instead of pushing his claim to the X-Division belt. There is nothing wrong with Young going after Booker or the Legend’s Title, but to have EY essentially brush off the Bashir situation does nothing for the credibility of the X-Division Championship. Young should be demanding a stipulation rematch at Final Resolution.

Since Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, and Christopher Daniels moved out of the X-Division, only three guys have broken out of the restrictive cruiserweight mold: Frank Kazarian, Jay Lethal, and Eric Young. Kaz got a few months worth of a push late last year and is supposed to return as the hyped Suicide character, but injuries have slowed down his re-debut. Truthfully, Kaz should not need a new gimmick to get over. He has the talent to help the X-Division cross back over into the mainstream of TNA. Lethal has gone as far as he can as “Black Machismo.” His refusal to embrace heel tactics in his Impact match with Sting was a good start, but that bout existed more to further the welcome Motor City Machine Guns involvement in the MEM vs. Originals angle than to incorporate the X-Division or Lethal himself in the main mix. I am grateful everyday that Super Eric is done, but Young’s underdog act has also worn itself out. TNA has a lot of work to do to revive the X-Division, but a good first step would be making the championship and the top wrestlers immediately relevant by involving both in a meaningful way in the Main Event Mafia angle.

Unique matches such as Ultimate-X, the Terror Dome Steel Asylum, and others are not what will revive the X-Division. These bouts have been held so frequently that they are no longer special, and a gimmick match can enthrall for only one night. A division must be built on the backs of its competitors, and a deep field is what TNA needs to inject life back into its secondary title field.

Christian Cage would have been a great choice to put the X-Division Title back into the central TNA picture, with his ring ability, connection to the fans, and rivalry with the Main Event Mafia. However, his rumored jump back to the WWE makes him a moot point. As mentioned earlier, Rhino would be a solid choice because of his size, non-traditional X-Division style, status as a former NWA Champion, and continual feuds with top TNA heels. Christopher Daniels would be a great option to return as The Fallen Angel, grab the X-Division Title, and join the TNA Originals against the Main Event Mafia. Samoa Joe is an unlikely candidate, but he could return prestige to his former championship by using the X-Division Title to not only get back to the TNA Title, but to represent what the TNA Originals are all about. After all, he did a lot in 2005-2006 to break the X-Division away from the cruiserweight stereotype and make it a lot about straight-forward ass-kicking. A little creative writing and some good promos from Joe could quickly reinvigorate the X-Division.

Have a good Thanksgiving, 411 Universe. See you in December.