Half Man – Full Impact By Dustin T Hull

 

                I follow a few things very closely. Obviously, TNA (and wrestling in general) is one of those items. I also follow television shows like Suits, Guy Ritchie films, and the Houston Texans. To spare a loyal reader, Kata, I’ll try to keep the NFL talk to a minimum, but it is essential to my point.

                In 2011, there was quite a big fuss over top cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, and the Texans were in talks to acquire his services for a price. In a surprise twist, the Texans signed Jonathan Joseph to a 5 year deal and many fans felt the franchise had made a poor decision of what “should have been done” by the Texans. 3 years of “sub-par” performances, the more expensive Nnamdi has moved onto a new team after being released while Joseph has blossomed during his tenure in Houston.

                There are certain places that “fit” athletes in a way; they allow them to shine. When TNA signed MVP, it was met with mixed reviews from the interwebs. “They signed HIM but not AJ?!” “He’s an ex-WWE mid-carder at best!” But the worst and most annoying I heard was “He’s another WWE reject.” Anyone who understands anything about MVP the pro wrestler would know that he walked away for a chance at his personal dream of wrestling in Japan; a commendable act from my point of view. He found immense success winning the IWPG Intercontinental Title Tournament over Toru Yano, and becoming the first to hold the belt… He did this within 6 months of joining the NJPW promotion. Something many would consider absurd for a “gaijin”.

                Facts like these that had me optimistic about MVP joining TNA. From my personal stance, it is the wrestling matches that keep me hooked and the story is what I feel could use the most improvement. With this as my perspective, the idea of bringing in an established, credible wrestler who is also an interesting character was perhaps the better choice for TNA when attempting to sign a “top free agent”. He is able to showcase his abilities in the ring more so in TNA than the mainstream up North – again, my opinion – and is highlighted in a prominent way as the head mouthpiece of both his group as well as the champ.

                While watching this year’s Bound for Glory with my 4 year old son, I was taken aback by his investment into MVP as he took down Sakamoto. Even more interesting when considering just how much I got behind him after listening to his “Art of Professional Wrestling” promo – admittedly, the Punisher gear got him some points too. So in the arm chair booking fashion we are accustom to on the net, I would love to see MVP flip back into the face role he first joined TNA with. Perhaps when we see Lashley eventually lose his title, Kenny King starts getting in the ear of Lashely and pointing out MVP as the reason for Lashley losing his belt. King points out that MVP failed in protecting the belt as Kurt Angle did what he pleased, uncontested by MVP. After Lashley snaps, have Kenny & Bobby destroy MVP and leave him off television for a 3-5 week span.

                When he returns, MVP would be on the outside; a broken man looking for redemption. In order to regain respect of the baby faces, he must prove himself in the ring in a similar fashion to how Jeff Hardy was after facing his personal demons in real life. Through the Art of Professional Wrestling, this Samurai manages to earn respect back from guys like Joe, Aries, and even Bobby Roode. This could lead to his ultimate test to achieve true redemption as he faces Kurt Angle at Slammiversary 2015.

                However I might personally like to see him utilized, MVP has done an excellent job in his role since joining the roster. From his in-ring performances to his segments with a mic in his hand, MVP has done a great job of playing the position TNA needs him to play. I would also like to commend him for how he bolsters the TNA product in interviews, such as the one he was a part of for the Sam Roberts Roundtable (above) with MVP, Samoa Joe, Lowki, and Homicide; seriously, Google this if you haven’t heard it. I can easily see MVP getting some gold in 2015 without too many complaints from fans. This half man, half amazing athlete has definitely been one of the Most Viewable Parts of Impact in 2014.