It is very interesting how TNA has been such an asset to WWE over the past couple of years. While the head-to-head attempt by the Total Nonstop Action brand in 2010 was an absolute flop, and Vince McMahon is not very moved with TNA from a competition standpoint, the recruitment of former TNA talent shows that people from WWE are watching the product enough to know when to acquire good wrestlers and characters. In fact, many would say that WWE has made former TNA talents even better.
While in TNA, Bobby Roode was one of the pillars of the company. Starting with TNA during its early stages, Roode evolved from a Team Canada member and a part of one of the greatest tag teams in TNA history to a World Champion singles competitor. However, his character started to lose luster – until he came to WWE.
There, he became, “glorious.”
Samoa Joe is yet another example. He also was once a World Championship competitor, but he saw himself throughout his TNA run shuffling through the X Division, as well as the Mafia Event Mafia, Beat Down Clan, and tag-teaming with Magnus.
In NXT, however, he also revived his career, becoming one of the top names of the company for the past year. He also is the first-ever two-time NXT Champion, defeating both Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura to achieve that goal.
Now, it looks like WWE executives have their eyes on another TNA top talent. Aside from the reports of Matt Hardy and Eli Drake, WrestlingNews reports that former United States Champion Bobby Lashley is also on the radar for a return.
Lashley, now 40, has not stepped foot in a WWE ring in nearly nine years and seems to be at the tail end of his career. However, as we have seen with Roode – who is just two weeks away from turning 40 – age plays only a small factor if someone has what it takes to have a successful stint.
While Lashley was in WWE, he had a very successful career in just the three years he competed there. During that time, he became United States Champion, main-evented pay-per-views to vie for the World Heavyweight Championship, and also captured the ECW Championship.
Lashley was also hand-picked to feud with Vince McMahon, which is something very few names are able to say.
Perhaps the biggest moment of Lashley’s WWE tenure was headlining WrestleMania 23. Picked by now-President-elect Donald Trump, Lashley competed against Umaga (who was picked by Vince McMahon) in a hair versus hair match. This match also featured “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as the special guest referee.
The match saw Lashley defeating Umaga, forcing McMahon’s head to be shaved.
Recent rumblings have also entertained a Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar feud. In a recent interview on The Ross Report (h/t Forbes), Lashley stated his desire for that match to occur.
“You know, I hear that all the time, and J.R., you know as well as I do, it’s not in my hands. If you ask me, I would say absolutely, but it’s the powers that be. I think that there’s enough fans who would love to see it. They’ve been saying it from day one. And you know what the funny thing about it is? I’ve never met Brock in person. Never crossed paths with Brock anywhere. So we don’t even know each other at all, whatsoever.
“And I’ve always been compared to Brock, and they say ‘Are you and Brock gonna fight? Are you and Brock gonna wrestle? I don’t know if the fighting is still an opportunity with me being in Bellator and him kind of being with the UFC; or I don’t know what the situation is right now. So I don’t know if the fight thing is possible, but to see me as Brock’s destroying everyone and save the day, or vice versa, whatever the case is, have us stand face to face? I think the crowd would go insane. And there’s a tremendous amount of money in it. If it were to happen, then I’m open for it.”
Whatever the case may be, Lashley would indeed be a good addition to the WWE roster, as the company is desperately in need of competitors who exude a greater level of star power.
[Featured Image by Carlos Osorio/AP Images]