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Title pretty much says it all,

http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/1597/84/

I have mixed emotions about this. I'm a big UFC/MMA fan and still watch Pro Wrestling here and there. In the article he mentions he can bring MMA fans into wrestling and vice versa. I think it's a big mistake, wrestling fans are going to follow him no matter he's and MMA fighter or a Pro Wrestler. But MMA fans won't take him seriously if he flip flops and does the MMA thing and then the Pro Wrestling thing. An example is Brock Lesnar, he's Heavyweight Champ in the UFC and MMA fans are trying to eat him alive. I think Lashley should just choose one or the other and not both...what do you guys think?

Stupid move.

I hope he gets dumped by ATT for this.

CPT wrote:Stupid move.

I hope he gets dumped by ATT for this.

Ditto. dumb move

The TNA Wrestling Schedule allows him to train for all his MMA fights, since all TNA shows are pre-taped. I'm still a fan of Lashley no matter what and I could see him going to the UFC if he keeps up to good work, but after signing with TNA its going to be a lot longer then we thought it would be.

Anyone who has a problem with this should also have a problem with Josh Barnett doing the exact same thing in Japan.

Cammo101 wrote:Anyone who has a problem with this should also have a problem with Josh Barnett doing the exact same thing in Japan.

Not quite the same situation, but good point.

Japanese pro wrestling is quite a bit different than TNA/WWE stuff though. It's still predetermined, but it's a lot closer to being real. They "work stiff" as they say in the wrestling industry (I think). That's why you see a lot of successful Japanese MMA fighters coming from pro wrestling, or vice versa. It's just more common to do both there. Plenty of successful MMA fighters are trained in "catch wrestling," like Sakuraba, the Shamrocks, and Barnett himself.

Lashley's situation is also different because he is still trying to prove himself as a legit MMA fighter. Going back to the world of pro wrestling is not a step in the right direction. In North America, the opinions about pro wrestling and MMA are stronger, and usually divided. Fans of one don't like to be grouped with the other, even though there is obviously some crossover appeal.

Ultimately, it's Lashley's career and he can do what he wants, but you can't tell me that he is putting all of his effort into MMA (which is what he needs to do if he is serious about it) if he is signed with TNA.

Cammo101 wrote:Anyone who has a problem with this should also have a problem with Josh Barnett doing the exact same thing in Japan.

Not quite the same thing. Barnett is an established MMA fighter, while Lashley should be focusing on gaining experience and training if he really wants a career in MMA. Lashley isn't young, an if he's serious about MMA, at this point he should be training hard and getting as many fights under his belt as he can.

Cammo101 wrote:Anyone who has a problem with this should also have a problem with Josh Barnett doing the exact same thing in Japan.

I agree with the dudes above in that the two situations aren't really comparable.

Pretty disappointed. It was a while ago, but Lashley was asked to be on tuf 10, which would have made this great sounding upcoming season even better, and declined. I guess it was never in his plans to dedicate himself solely to MMA.

What a moron. If you're going to go back to wrestling, TNA should be the last place you look to.

sh00n wrote:What a moron. If you're going to go back to wrestling, TNA should be the last place you look to.

LOL

I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does...

TNA is not like the WWE, in fact its the polar opposite.
WWE pays a lot, but is known for its horrible road schedule. In the WWE you work over 300+ road days a year. In TNA Bobby Lashly will work one taped show a week, which will take about 3 hours of his time, and one PPV a month.

This doesn't effect his MMA career at all. Just gives him bank roll.


I understand the side saying he should be trying to separate his image from pro wrestling, but i don't think it matters. Everyone knows MMA isn't fixed. It's really not a big deal unless he brought his TNA title to an MMA event...in that case i'd boo him out the building.

Headliner wrote:TNA is not like the WWE, in fact its the polar opposite.
WWE pays a lot, but is known for its horrible road schedule. In the WWE you work over 300+ road days a year. In TNA Bobby Lashly will work one taped show a week, which will take about 3 hours of his time, and one PPV a month.

This doesn't effect his MMA career at all. Just gives him bank roll.


I understand the side saying he should be trying to separate his image from pro wrestling, but i don't think it matters. Everyone knows MMA isn't fixed. It's really not a big deal unless he brought his TNA title to an MMA event...in that case i'd boo him out the building.

Come on.

It's going to take a lot more of his time than 3 hours a week.

Time he should be spending training in MMA if he is really serious about it.

CPT wrote:

Headliner wrote:TNA is not like the WWE, in fact its the polar opposite.
WWE pays a lot, but is known for its horrible road schedule. In the WWE you work over 300+ road days a year. In TNA Bobby Lashly will work one taped show a week, which will take about 3 hours of his time, and one PPV a month.

This doesn't effect his MMA career at all. Just gives him bank roll.


I understand the side saying he should be trying to separate his image from pro wrestling, but i don't think it matters. Everyone knows MMA isn't fixed. It's really not a big deal unless he brought his TNA title to an MMA event...in that case i'd boo him out the building.

Come on.

It's going to take a lot more of his time than 3 hours a week.

Time he should be spending training in MMA if he is really serious about it.

Umm, no.
Do you know what Bobby's role will consist of? About 15-25 minutes on air time at the most a week. Most of that will consist of in ring monologue or pretaped interview segments.

TNA is a taped show, filmed mainly in front of a live audience. Two hours which consists of getting air time for all of the talent. Lashley also is not great on the mic, so more then likely his prep time is inconsequential, since he will mainly be used for ring work, much in the way Brock was used.

In his contract he is allowed time to train for upcoming bouts, so when he has a match signed he will take all the time he needs to do so.
If you think a Maximum of 8 hours a week will hinder his MMA Career you're crazy.

Dangerously Dan wrote:

Cammo101 wrote:Anyone who has a problem with this should also have a problem with Josh Barnett doing the exact same thing in Japan.

I agree with the dudes above in that the two situations aren't really comparable.

Pretty disappointed. It was a while ago, but Lashley was asked to be on tuf 10, which would have made this great sounding upcoming season even better, and declined. I guess it was never in his plans to dedicate himself solely to MMA.

The reason behind not doing the TUF 10 was that his camp thought it wasn't a good idea. Remember watching some espn interview with him and he was talking about doing both wrestling and MMA. I think in his eyes he still gets to do MMA, he gets to promote himself more/ keep his name out there for ppl to remember and gets paid more.

Not doing TUF 10 probably was probably a good decision, cuz if he keeps going the way he is in MMA then he'll get his chance with UFC especially how weak the Heavyweights are in UFC.

CPT wrote:

sh00n wrote:What a moron. If you're going to go back to wrestling, TNA should be the last place you look to.

LOL

I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does...

Not saying he should be in the WWE. He shouldn't be going back to wrestling at all, period. He's trying to shed the image that Lesnar still has, then he signs with TNA.

I'm just saying, if he misses professional wrestling so much, TNA should be the last one he looks to. That place is a mess and it's just as bad as WCW before it folded. At least find something in Japan.

sh00n wrote:

CPT wrote:

sh00n wrote:What a moron. If you're going to go back to wrestling, TNA should be the last place you look to.

LOL

I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does...

Not saying he should be in the WWE. He shouldn't be going back to wrestling at all, period. He's trying to shed the image that Lesnar still has, then he signs with TNA.

I'm just saying, if he misses professional wrestling so much, TNA should be the last one he looks to. That place is a mess and it's just as bad as WCW before it folded. At least find something in Japan.

I think he was implying that the quote "TNA should be the last place you look to" was funny. Not that he should go to the WWE.

sh00n wrote:

CPT wrote:

sh00n wrote:What a moron. If you're going to go back to wrestling, TNA should be the last place you look to.

LOL

I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does...

Not saying he should be in the WWE. He shouldn't be going back to wrestling at all, period. He's trying to shed the image that Lesnar still has, then he signs with TNA.

I'm just saying, if he misses professional wrestling so much, TNA should be the last one he looks to. That place is a mess and it's just as bad as WCW before it folded. At least find something in Japan.

I'd even consider Ring of Honor. Atleast you can work on your cardio and maybe on your submission application or something. But TNA just plain sucks. It's wcw re-invented... but a scaled back, worse managed wcw... if that's even possible.

But yea ultimetely if it's just a couple hours a week and he can continue to train and keep his name out there, I'd understand why he'd do it... I just hope he knows that some... fans will lose respect for his mma career...

But i'd really love to someday see the lashley vs lesnar matchup... though dana would probably quash that over and over agian. That'd be the day when he let's 2 former wwe guys fight for the UFC championship... I guess my main man Lyoto Machida's gonna have to be the man that beats the man, WOOOOOOOOO

I don't know if this is bad news or not, but I suppose the man can do whatever he wants in his free time anyway. The guy's gotta make some money too. If it becomes a roadblock to his development as an MMA fighter, then I'd be hella disappointed.

spykelee wrote:But i'd really love to someday see the lashley vs lesnar matchup... though dana would probably quash that over and over agian. That'd be the day when he let's 2 former wwe guys fight for the UFC championship... I guess my main man Lyoto Machida's gonna have to be the man that beats the man, WOOOOOOOOO

To fight Lesnar?

Hilltop wrote:To fight Lesnar?

If Lesnar can't touch him, he can't win.