WWE NXT: Bobby Roode, You’re Next

You know what I love about NXT?

There are no rules.

Everything said, speculated, or stated about WWE and its’ supposed “methods” mean nothing in NXT.

“Oh, he won’t be signed because of TNA Impact Wrestling! No way it happens.”

Yet, Samoa Joe and James Storm just showed up – with their names still in tact. On the main roster, Bubba Ray just returned despite making TWO separate TNA returns earlier in the year.

“Oh, he won’t be signed. He is too old!!!”

Yet, Rhyno seems to be doing just fine right now in the perfect veteran role with Baron Corbin.

“Oh, they are an internet darling. Not a chance of them getting a contract.”

Yet, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Hideo Itami, Apollo Crews, and countless others have showed up and will continue to in 2016.

“Oh, they are with another independent company. They aren’t showing up anytime soon.”

Yet, Ciampa (free agent) and Gargano have been appearing for weeks now as have many others in the past. While being connected to another company. Heck, didn’t Jushin Thunder Liger just wrestle at NXT: Brooklyn too?

You see, all these magical myths and conspiracy theories hold no water anymore. Not with NXT. The rules have changed big time. If Tripe H wants to hire you, he will hire. There are no outside hurdles to jump, competition is non-existent to them, zero interference from anybody backstage, and since things have been altered a bit in the industry, WWE does not need to worry about contracts and non-compete clauses in most cases.

I love it. All of it benefits NXT and the further stamp they are making on the WWE Network.

This past Thursday night, we were treated to yet another major headline coming out of NXT. James Storm made his debut. Yes, THE James Storm. Not some wacky new gimmick – James Storm. Listed on the official WWE NXT website as ‘an 18 year veteran and former heavyweight champion.’ As funny as that is (for obvious reasons), it is a great description. As years and years of yours truly writing about how talented he is and how he needs to take a leap of faith and get out of TNA, it finally happened. It finally happened, and I am beyond happy for him. This was a long time coming and much deserved.

The fact is TNA had multiple chances with Storm and blew it each and every time. While Impact Wrestling was peaking at 2 million viewers for a TAPED Thursday night episode, the focus was on James Storm (and Bobby Roode) hovering around the TNA Title in late 2011. There WAS momentum. There was an audience tuning in on TV (now barely 300,000 viewers a week). Yet, it was all flushed down the toilet.

TNA blew it by not having James Storm win back his title at Lockdown 2012 in his home state. You can’t write a better story and have a better place for such a moment. Nope, TNA had to go with their lovely SWERVE(!!!!!) because tricking fans and fooling them is more important. Riiiiight.

Fine, TNA wanted to stick with Roode as the heel champion a little long. Fine. James Storm had to fight back and go back better than ever. Except he ‘went home to spend time with his daughter.’ Yep, the beer drinking cowboy tough guy was leaving to find himself, think over things, etc. Yawn!

Sure enough, that led nowhere as he returned to end Crimson’s undefeated streak at Slammiversary 2012 (another laughable story line conclusion). In TNA’s mind, Storm was officially on a straight path to win the Bound For Series and FINALLY beat Roode for his title that he was screwed out of months earlier. Okay, makes sense. I guess I can live with that…

…only it was blown again.

TNA went with the hot hand in Austin Aries (understandable I suppose) and had him defeat Bobby Roode for the title, shockingly in the summer. Everything built up and planned for with Storm no longer meant anything though. The long-term payoff was sacrificed for a short-term pop (that also led nowhere). Storm ended up on the back burner (again) and didn’t even win the BFG Series. Nope, TNA randomly went back to the Storm-Roode feud before Bound For Glory and had them finish their yearlong feud in a street fight…that had nothing to do with the title.

From that point on, it was a slow three-year crawl to James Storm leaving TNA.

UNCLE!!!!!!!!

— Bobby Roode (@REALBobbyRoode) May 27, 2015

Well then there's that….

— James Storm (@JamesStormBrand) May 27, 2015

*tweeted during that infamous company wide ‘meeting’ with TNA officials back in May*

He was done at that point, and there was no going back. All the resets, gimmick changes, were face/heel turns proved to be worthless. TNA let it slip away in grand fashion three times in 2011 and 2012 and just simply didn’t seem to care. The term “taken for granted” likely fits here. Not anymore.

James Storm saw the writing on the wall, had an opportunity (like Samoa Joe) and took it. He went running and hopefully doesn’t look back.

As all this excitement was going on with NXT Thursday night, I went to Bobby Roode’s Twitter account to check out his former tag team partner’s reaction to the news. Surely, he knew about the big moment and/or at least was aware of it in advance. I looked at Roode’s Twitter account, and guess what I found?

…

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

There was a tweet about the MLB Playoffs earlier in the day. That was it.

Suddenly, I felt very sad. After feeling elated for James Storm and excited for his future in wrestling, the silence was deafening from Bobby Roode, and it was heartbreaking. In TNA about the same amount of time. Tag team partners. Both former champs. Super talented guys. Both agreed to stay with TNA in 2015, but it was James Storm soaking in all the praise and support. While Roode didn’t. Such a shame. I went from a serious high to a crushing low in a matter of minutes.

LOL pic.twitter.com/V4NrzJITWD

— casey michael (@badboicasey) October 9, 2015

Bobby Roode deserves to be in WWE. NXT, whatever. You get the point. James Storm and Samoa Joe have given everyone the blueprint. Even Bubba Ray count count, if anybody knows what his actual deal was with TNA. With all the cost cutting and contract restructuring going on in Impact Wrestling, the time to strike is NOW! Ask Joe. Ask Storm. Get out of your deal (or wait for it to expire), and run. Run to higher ground and keep running. I have been saying it for years – these guys are far too talented to NOW be in WWE/NXT. In your late 30’s, it is now never. James Storm is just the latest man to realize this and seize the opportunity.

Bobby Roode, you’re next.