TNA vs. WWE Cross-Over Fantasy Booking
Earlier this month, TNA held its annual Bound for Glory pay-per-view, which is their version of WrestleMania. This year's event was different than any previous edition. In fact, it was something they had never done before. Rather than have an event showcasing just TNA wrestlers, they featured a lot of wrestlers from Wrestle-1, a Japanese wrestling promotion. Most of the matches were This did annoy some fans, as TNA did not even build up to a lot of the matches, they just sort of happened. It was a pretty good event, with some pretty good matches,
That event got me thinking: what if we had a cross-over event between the TNA and WWE? It's extremely unlikely, seeing as how WWE likes to pretend they are the only wrestling promotion and TNA might go out of business soon. But that's the point of fantasy booking, we can dream up matches that will probably never happen. But what if a cross-over event did happen? Let's say TNA is about to go out of business and the WWE buys the entire company. They then stage an invasion storyline (one hopefully better than the 2001 angle). Here's a list of possible matches that could take place throughout the entire angle. Of course, there should also be a lot of promos between the authority figures, such as Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Dixie Carter.
20. Battle Royal- This is just to ensure that everyone on both rosters gets a match. This match will feature guys like Bad News Barrett, Chris Melendez, and Sin Cara. Don't expect this to be a marquee match, but it will be fun to watch. Expect a WWE mid-carder or upper-carder to win, such as Bray Wyatt, The Miz, or Sheamus.
19. Rhino vs. Mark Henry- This won't be a big match, but it could be fun. Rhino's surprising agility and Henry's strength could lead to an interesting chemistry. At the end of the whole cross-over, this is one match that probably won't be remembered though.
18. Tyrus vs. Big Show- These two had a small feud in 2012 when Big Show was one of the heels on the roster and Tyrus (then known as Brodus Clay) was a mid-card face. Show won the singles match between them, but Clay got the last laugh when he helped Cena beat Show in a Steel Cage match at Payback. Now, Tyrus is a new member of the TNA roster and working with EC3. He's supposed to be a top heel, but his position hasn't been solidified yet. Like Gunner/Henry, this probably won't be a great match, but it could be fun.
17. Gunner vs. Dean Ambrose- This may seem like a downgrade for Ambrose, but these two could have a great feud. Both are wild, unpredictable brawlers who can go hardcore if necessary. They could have some great matches and an interesting feud.
16. Eric Young vs. Seth Rollins- Like with Ambrose, you might think this is a downgrade for Mr. Money in the Bank. EY however, was TNA World Heavyweight Champion earlier this year and is one of the promotion's top faces. Besides, these two could have some exciting battles with some aerial displays.
15. The Hardy Boyz vs. Gold & Stardust vs. Kofi Kingston & Big E vs. Team 3-D in a Ladder Match- On paper, this looks like it would easily be the best match of the feud. In reality, it probably would. We could have Gold & Stardust as Tag Team champs (as they are now) with Team 3-D and the Hardy Boyz demanding a shot for the titles because of their previous success. Add Kofi Kingston and Big E to have some great spots, and you have a recipe for success. You could also have some other teams involved in this feud, like The Ascension, The Bro-Mans, and even Luke Harper & Erick Rowan.
14. Paige vs. Madison Rayne- It only makes sense for a top Diva of each promotion to go against each other. These two could have some good matches, but you could also have feuds with Natalya, Naomi, Charlotte, and Angelina Love.
13. Bram vs. Roman Reigns- Picture this: week after week, Bram hits the ring and takes out WWE superstars. Finally, Reigns stands up to him and they have a stand-off, which leads to a feud. This match may not be the best, but it would portray Reigns (who would almost certainly win the feud) as a guardian type character, something that could help his stature with the company.
12. Kane vs. Abyss- Let's face it, Abyss is TNA's version of Kane. Been a heel and a face? Check. Unmasked and masked? Check. Veteran of the business? Check. These two could have a monster-like feud that could be reminiscent of a 'Taker feud. Of course, both wrestlers would have to be masked for this.
11. Kenny King vs. Jack Swagger- There wouldn't be a lot of storyline for this match, expect for MVP running his mouth about how King is better than anyone on the WWE roster. Swagger and Zeb Colter then hit the ring and challenge King to a match. It's hard to predict who would win, but it would probably be King so as to further another feud (more on that later).
10. MVP vs. Christian- If you made a list of the best 30 workers in WWE history, both of these guys would be on the list. In fact, these two are former tag team partners and have competed against each other. These two would have a great technical match that would tear the house down.
9. Kurt Angle vs. Rusev- This just makes perfect sense. An American hero and former Olympic champion versus a guy who's as anti-American as one can be. Angle may be out of his prime now, but he could still get a great match out of the former NXT superstar. This is one feud the crowd would definitely be into. Can't you just hear the deafening "USA, USA" chants?
8. Randy Orton vs. EC3- This will only work if Randy Orton turns face, which is a possibility in the coming months. This could be a very interesting storyline. Picture this: EC3 comes into the WWE and talks down to the fans and superstars. After a few weeks, Orton comes out and lays Carter out with an RKO without speaking. This then sparks a feud that could conceivably go a few months if WWE plays their cards right.
7. Cesaro vs. Samoa Joe- Okay, how good would these matches be? These are two of the best wrestlers and workers in the entire business. This feud needs absolutely no build-up, just put these two guys together and let them run wild. A series of five matches with various stipulations would be excellent.
6. The Wolves vs. The Usos- These are two of the most exciting tag teams in the business right now. How good would a match between them be? There would be a lot of aerial offense and some exciting near-falls. A 2-out-of-3 falls match would be a Match of the Year contender for sure.
5. James Storm vs. John Cena- This may seem like a weird pairing, but it could work. They could have some fun matches. Also, Cena could battle with Sanada and Manik, matches that could be really exciting.
4. Magnus vs. Dolph Ziggler- These two could have an exciting feud and some really intense matches. These are two of the best wrestlers in the world right now, and putting them together just makes perfect sense. This feud should be for the Intercontinental Championship, which will hopefully be really prestigious by the time of the feud.
3. AJ Lee vs. Gail Kim- These are two of the best female workers in the world right now, and they could have some classic matches. Best case scenario: they have a feud for the Divas title over the course of a few months.
2. Daniel Bryan vs. Austin Aries- This would be EXTREMELY entertaining to watch. These are two of the most entertaining superstars to watch. They can do mat work, tell stories through their wrestling work, and fly through the air. If the World Heavyweight Championship was still around, then it would have been perfect for this feud. The TNA World Heavyweight Championship would work too, though.
1. Brock Lesnar vs. Lashley- This may not look like a compelling match-up, but it makes a lot of sense. Lesnar is the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and Lashley is the TNA Heavyweight Champion. Of course, both of these guys are heels, but Lashley is making a slow face turn. If WWE books it right, this could be a money feud. They could bring up Lashley's career with the WWE, especially how he feuded with Vince McMahon. This could be the perfect way to reintroduce Vince back into the mix. One of the main problems with the Invasion angle of 2001 was that Vince always booked WWE guys to go over. If TNA guys were actually booked well and shown an as true contenders, it would really help the whole angle. If Lashley was depicted as a top star, he could really get over with the fans. As for his feud with Lesnar, they could have some quality matches. They are both great workers that can have great, hard-hitting matches. Their last match could be a Hell in a Cell match, one that could be truly excellent. If managed right, this feud could be the whole cornerstone of the whole angle.
Come on, how can you not be even a little bit intrigued about this feud? This could turn out to be a fantastic angle spanning a year. Of course, the likelihood of this happening is very, very slim, but we can hope right?
That event got me thinking: what if we had a cross-over event between the TNA and WWE? It's extremely unlikely, seeing as how WWE likes to pretend they are the only wrestling promotion and TNA might go out of business soon. But that's the point of fantasy booking, we can dream up matches that will probably never happen. But what if a cross-over event did happen? Let's say TNA is about to go out of business and the WWE buys the entire company. They then stage an invasion storyline (one hopefully better than the 2001 angle). Here's a list of possible matches that could take place throughout the entire angle. Of course, there should also be a lot of promos between the authority figures, such as Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Dixie Carter.
20. Battle Royal- This is just to ensure that everyone on both rosters gets a match. This match will feature guys like Bad News Barrett, Chris Melendez, and Sin Cara. Don't expect this to be a marquee match, but it will be fun to watch. Expect a WWE mid-carder or upper-carder to win, such as Bray Wyatt, The Miz, or Sheamus.
19. Rhino vs. Mark Henry- This won't be a big match, but it could be fun. Rhino's surprising agility and Henry's strength could lead to an interesting chemistry. At the end of the whole cross-over, this is one match that probably won't be remembered though.
18. Tyrus vs. Big Show- These two had a small feud in 2012 when Big Show was one of the heels on the roster and Tyrus (then known as Brodus Clay) was a mid-card face. Show won the singles match between them, but Clay got the last laugh when he helped Cena beat Show in a Steel Cage match at Payback. Now, Tyrus is a new member of the TNA roster and working with EC3. He's supposed to be a top heel, but his position hasn't been solidified yet. Like Gunner/Henry, this probably won't be a great match, but it could be fun.
17. Gunner vs. Dean Ambrose- This may seem like a downgrade for Ambrose, but these two could have a great feud. Both are wild, unpredictable brawlers who can go hardcore if necessary. They could have some great matches and an interesting feud.
16. Eric Young vs. Seth Rollins- Like with Ambrose, you might think this is a downgrade for Mr. Money in the Bank. EY however, was TNA World Heavyweight Champion earlier this year and is one of the promotion's top faces. Besides, these two could have some exciting battles with some aerial displays.
15. The Hardy Boyz vs. Gold & Stardust vs. Kofi Kingston & Big E vs. Team 3-D in a Ladder Match- On paper, this looks like it would easily be the best match of the feud. In reality, it probably would. We could have Gold & Stardust as Tag Team champs (as they are now) with Team 3-D and the Hardy Boyz demanding a shot for the titles because of their previous success. Add Kofi Kingston and Big E to have some great spots, and you have a recipe for success. You could also have some other teams involved in this feud, like The Ascension, The Bro-Mans, and even Luke Harper & Erick Rowan.
14. Paige vs. Madison Rayne- It only makes sense for a top Diva of each promotion to go against each other. These two could have some good matches, but you could also have feuds with Natalya, Naomi, Charlotte, and Angelina Love.
13. Bram vs. Roman Reigns- Picture this: week after week, Bram hits the ring and takes out WWE superstars. Finally, Reigns stands up to him and they have a stand-off, which leads to a feud. This match may not be the best, but it would portray Reigns (who would almost certainly win the feud) as a guardian type character, something that could help his stature with the company.
12. Kane vs. Abyss- Let's face it, Abyss is TNA's version of Kane. Been a heel and a face? Check. Unmasked and masked? Check. Veteran of the business? Check. These two could have a monster-like feud that could be reminiscent of a 'Taker feud. Of course, both wrestlers would have to be masked for this.
11. Kenny King vs. Jack Swagger- There wouldn't be a lot of storyline for this match, expect for MVP running his mouth about how King is better than anyone on the WWE roster. Swagger and Zeb Colter then hit the ring and challenge King to a match. It's hard to predict who would win, but it would probably be King so as to further another feud (more on that later).
10. MVP vs. Christian- If you made a list of the best 30 workers in WWE history, both of these guys would be on the list. In fact, these two are former tag team partners and have competed against each other. These two would have a great technical match that would tear the house down.
9. Kurt Angle vs. Rusev- This just makes perfect sense. An American hero and former Olympic champion versus a guy who's as anti-American as one can be. Angle may be out of his prime now, but he could still get a great match out of the former NXT superstar. This is one feud the crowd would definitely be into. Can't you just hear the deafening "USA, USA" chants?
8. Randy Orton vs. EC3- This will only work if Randy Orton turns face, which is a possibility in the coming months. This could be a very interesting storyline. Picture this: EC3 comes into the WWE and talks down to the fans and superstars. After a few weeks, Orton comes out and lays Carter out with an RKO without speaking. This then sparks a feud that could conceivably go a few months if WWE plays their cards right.
7. Cesaro vs. Samoa Joe- Okay, how good would these matches be? These are two of the best wrestlers and workers in the entire business. This feud needs absolutely no build-up, just put these two guys together and let them run wild. A series of five matches with various stipulations would be excellent.
6. The Wolves vs. The Usos- These are two of the most exciting tag teams in the business right now. How good would a match between them be? There would be a lot of aerial offense and some exciting near-falls. A 2-out-of-3 falls match would be a Match of the Year contender for sure.
5. James Storm vs. John Cena- This may seem like a weird pairing, but it could work. They could have some fun matches. Also, Cena could battle with Sanada and Manik, matches that could be really exciting.
4. Magnus vs. Dolph Ziggler- These two could have an exciting feud and some really intense matches. These are two of the best wrestlers in the world right now, and putting them together just makes perfect sense. This feud should be for the Intercontinental Championship, which will hopefully be really prestigious by the time of the feud.
3. AJ Lee vs. Gail Kim- These are two of the best female workers in the world right now, and they could have some classic matches. Best case scenario: they have a feud for the Divas title over the course of a few months.
2. Daniel Bryan vs. Austin Aries- This would be EXTREMELY entertaining to watch. These are two of the most entertaining superstars to watch. They can do mat work, tell stories through their wrestling work, and fly through the air. If the World Heavyweight Championship was still around, then it would have been perfect for this feud. The TNA World Heavyweight Championship would work too, though.
1. Brock Lesnar vs. Lashley- This may not look like a compelling match-up, but it makes a lot of sense. Lesnar is the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and Lashley is the TNA Heavyweight Champion. Of course, both of these guys are heels, but Lashley is making a slow face turn. If WWE books it right, this could be a money feud. They could bring up Lashley's career with the WWE, especially how he feuded with Vince McMahon. This could be the perfect way to reintroduce Vince back into the mix. One of the main problems with the Invasion angle of 2001 was that Vince always booked WWE guys to go over. If TNA guys were actually booked well and shown an as true contenders, it would really help the whole angle. If Lashley was depicted as a top star, he could really get over with the fans. As for his feud with Lesnar, they could have some quality matches. They are both great workers that can have great, hard-hitting matches. Their last match could be a Hell in a Cell match, one that could be truly excellent. If managed right, this feud could be the whole cornerstone of the whole angle.
Come on, how can you not be even a little bit intrigued about this feud? This could turn out to be a fantastic angle spanning a year. Of course, the likelihood of this happening is very, very slim, but we can hope right?
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