Slayer wrote:If you really think Eli Drake's cup of coffee in NXT as "Slate Randall" is solely what got him signed, they by all means you're free to do so. But if anything, I think him being on The Rock's reality show The Hero probably got him more noticed than an NXT run where he never even made TV, especially as Dixie Carter's such a reality TV mark (i.e. Jessie Godderz, Jenna Morasca, Jonny Fairplay, and cameos from Jersey Shore cast members).
Also, Drake has been far more established working indies in California, particularly the nationally broadcasted Championship Wrestling From Hollywood, and Las Vegas, most notably Future Stars of Wrestling.
Given some of the talent they use for One Night Only shows and have signed in the past, TNA certainly does look at many of the regional indy promotions throughout the US, and the recent UK tour showed they are looking at UK talent, but they aren't as aggressive in actively recruiting from these areas as they could or should be.
You also have to remember that a lot of wrestlers are of the mentality that signing with TNA means WWE won't be interested in them going forward. While that stance seems to have certainly softened with recent arrivals of long-time TNA alumni into WWE, there's also the various rumors about pay issues and the long-term viability of the company that wrestlers read about and believe in just as much as fans do.
That creates an environment where a lot of the indy and international talent people say TNA SHOULD sign, the talent ends up turning them down (such as reDRagon who were rumored to have been offered a deal prior to the Pop TV debut). You also get situations like with Will O'Spreay where TNA brings him in for the UK tour, and then he signs with New Japan right before, thus leaving him unavailable to TNA going forward due to their partnership with ROH.
I'm not saying the roster is this unbelievably amazing gathering of top-tier workers from the indies and international scene, but they're doing a good job of managing what they do have available to them.
You are right, being on The Hero probably gave him Dixie's stamp approval, but I don't think his work for CWFH and other indies was looked at deeply for those in charge cause TNA would have signed him in 2012, when he had a dark match, granted Bruce Prichard was still in charged at the time but still I doubt Big Jon took a look and was like, we have to have this guy because I just saw a 6 hour tape of his work in the indies. No it was cause he had been apart of NXT , was in a reality show and also Lagana probably was like pushing for him to be looked at the Gut check PPV
Lagana had actually been apart of CWFH before joining TNA, so he knew what Ricker could do So Ricker had 3 different stamps of approval.. Reality Star for Dixie, was apart of NXT/WWE for Big John and then you have Lagana, the writer with the good word of his approval from working with him previously.
You might want to go back and take a look at old results from the last few years, most extra names use for One Night Onlys have either former signed talent and local florida guys. Very few are stars from regional indy promotions throughout the US, not enough where I can say boy, TNA really trying hard, they looking at the indies deep, looking for those guys that they can snap up that not on WWE's radar. Wait!, I guess we could count that silly online gut check thing at the start of 2013 before Big Jon was in charge as TNA taking a look at the indies.
Of course I am aware of the mentality about TNA that might have kept/keep some talent from signing with them.. The thing is there are and has been enough talent out there(like for years back when TNA had money and was on Spike), that aren't on the WWE radar that TNA doesn't bother looking for and going after. For example, there been enough X-Division type guys out there that they could have really made something special with and spotlight them.
Rumors? No, I think it might be call the reality of common sense? The amount of talent that have left in recent years, Not being on Spike TV, tells people that there are some issues and are not just "made up dirtsheet rumors" of Evil Old Man Meltzer & friends lying, trying to cause trouble for wonderful TNA. That environment is Princess Dixie's fault for listening to the wrong people, not learning from WCW's or her mistakes, fighting a one sided war, etc.
How sad is it, We are at a point where people that make dream lists of people that TNA should sign should leave off names from ROH or any Gaijin. I mean Big Jon should still send talent a offer, if they are free agents, just in case another over paying "miracle" happens.
I really think them using UK talent on the tours & Bootcamp is just fluff for the UK media what channel they are and also so they can be like, hey we are looking at these guys& girls, we are really trying to bring you the best action, when it cheaper for them to sit a few guys home and use the UK guys.
The Ospreay thing is so funny cause it was them being cocky and not being smart enough to ask if he had any future plans that could get in the way of them talking a contract, when they called him to work the shows. They thought they could just offer him a deal in person and he would kiss their feet. New Japan doesn't care for TNA, so even if there was no partnership with ROH, he would have had to choose one or the other.
The UK talent they have passed over, especially ones that were use on the 2 british boot camps as the next few years go by, we are going look back and be, Wow!, they had a chance to sign this person and bring them over and they didn't.
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