10 TNA wrestlers that should be retained if the WWE buyout happens
By now, we've all heard the rumbling and the rumours about the possible collapse of TNA Wrestling. Now, this sort of talk is nothing new, as we have heard such rumours spark up in past years. However, things appear to be different this time, with several people from within TNA having publicly acknowledged the fact that the company is seeking investors, as well as other means of making financial adjustments in order to continue to operate. The bottom line, it looks like the end is inevitably near for TNA and that's too bad.
Speaking honestly, I'm not a big fan of the current TNA product and I haven't been for quite some time now. Nonetheless, I never like to see companies go under. Nothing good comes out of hard working folks losing their jobs. As mentioned before, TNA has roughly 150 non-wrestling employees are at their Nashville-based home office. If the company folds, that's 150 families affected, at a time when major holidays are rapidly approaching and the economy is already struggling. It's just not a good situation, no matter how you look at it.
With all of the TNA demise rumours, there's been a lot of talk regarding the potential buyout from WWE. While this may seem like a long shot to many, I can assure you that this is a very real possibility. With that said, who stays and who goes, in the event the WWE does takeover the brand? Do they keep the entire roster and make TNA a WWE Network exclusive program? Or, do they dissect the TNA roster and split the remnants between Raw and Smackdown, while sending some of the lesser accomplished talent down to Orlando, to learn the WWE way in NXT?
Either way, if a WWE buyout does take place, there will be a lot of questions to answer and a lot of potential excitement about this potential new milestone in professional wrestling history. Assuming WWE would only keep a select number of TNA stars, I've narrowed it down to 10 wrestlers that I believe should be kept, in the event WWE acquires TNA.
Please note: I've decided to not list Cody and Sandow, opting to focus on some of the more established TNA names. Personally, I'm not sure either Sandow, nor Cody would remain if this happened, simply because the wound is too fresh from their recent WWE departures.
#10 Grado
Okay, I get it. I really do! I'm aware the guy isn't necessarily the model picture of a prime athlete. No, he's not chiselled like Bobby Lashley and no, he isn't as fundamentally sound as Dolph Ziggler. But, the man is as entertaining as anyone you'll find in today's wrestling. There are a lot of wrestlers out there who can flawlessly execute a hurricanrana, but not nearly as many possess the natural ability to captivate an audience the way Grado can.
Grado is a spectacle in his own right. He's unorthodox and has a tendency of coming across as rather awkward. However, I hate to beat a dead horse, but this guy is just fun to watch and from what I have read, everyone loves him.
Grado is not going to win a world title, or any other title, for that matter. But, there is always a place for a quality entertainer, that can offer a healthy dose of comic relief from time-to-time. Another important factor is the relatively strong following Grado has accumulated. There's no doubt that he will fill seats, if for nothing else, than to see the hilarity that ensues when the Scottish jester is on the card.