TNA's title picture

I was having a read of Clown’s pretty detailed run-down of the TNA roster and realised that TNA’s problems might (partially) be attributed to its titles. The world heavyweight belt has very few contenders, the tag titles are floundering, the TV title’s position as a belt is unclear, and the X-division is pretty much non-existent.

Here’s a quick run-down of where the roster is currently at in terms of champion ship contenders.

World championship title picture
Sting
Mr Anderson
Rob Van Dam
Bubba Ray
AJ Styles

TV title picture
Abyss
Gunner
Rob Terry
Murphy

Tag Team picture:
Beer Money
Gunner and Murphy
Ink Inc

X division picture
Kaz
Robbie E
Generation Me


Not in title picture:
Amazing Red
Anarquia
Brian Kendrick
Brother Devon
Crimson
D'Angelo Dinero
Desmond Wolfe
Douglas Williams
Eric Young
Gunner
Hernandez
Jay Lethal
Jeff Jarrett
Kurt Angle
Magnus
Matt Hardy
Matt Morgan
Mick Foley
Okada
Orlando Jordan
Ric Flair
Robbie E
Samoa Joe
Scott Steiner
Tommy Dreamer
Daniels

As you can see, there are a hell of a lot of wrestlers who are either in pointless feuds and angles, are not being used, or are out on injury.

So what needs to be done? Firstly, the heavyweight championship needs to be made into something everyone on the roster seems to aspire to. The TV title should be in the same position that the Intercontinental title was in the early 90s, or the ECW TV title - i.e. a credible mid-card belt, which acts as a stepping stone to the world title. The X-division title should have the same position that the X division title had in about 2005-07, i.e. a great title for fast paced, high-risk, cruiserweight style. If was booking TNA, this is how the title contendership should probably look:

World heavyweight picture:
Sting
AJ Styles
Samoa Joe
Daniels
Kurt Angle
Desmond Wolfe
Douglas Williams
Mr Anderson
D'Angelo Dinero


TV title picture
Abyss
Matt Hardy
Magnus
Crimson
Eric Young
Orlando Jordan
Hernandez
Gunner

Tag team picture:
Beer Money
Team 3D
MCMG
Generation Me
Ink Inc
British Invasion
(TNA need more tag teams)


X-division:
Kaz
Brian Kendrick
Jay Lethal
Amazing Red
Okado
(plus bring in lots of young indie and international wrestlers)


Fire:
Rob Van Dam
Tommy Dreamer
Mick Foley
Robbie E
Scott Steiner
Rob Terry

Bring in:
El Generico
Kevin Steen
Homicde (reform LAX)
Paul London
Shelton Benjamin
Thumbtack Jack
Kenta Kobashi
Chuck Taylor
Austin Aeries


The other guys on the roster would have to work as undercard wrestlers, working their way up through a kind of ranking system similar to UFC where wins and losses actually appear to matter. A guy should not get a whole bunch of rematches after losing a number one contenders’ match. If you lose your spot, you go to the back of the queue. Keep feuds, but have them related to the titles... Joe should be fucking with Pope as part of a psychological game to get the title. Most of the feuds could work in exactly the same way, but if they added the title as a backdrop to a feud, it would be stronger because progression could be made towards some pay-off... a screwjob at a PPV is not a pay-off, by the way.