Building a star - James Storm

I have now been watching pro wrestling for over 30 years on and off. And I have seen many, many changes in that time. From the rise of Hulkamania through the attitude era and beyond. But one thing that every generation of wrestling fan enjoys to moan about is the how the current state of wrestling is not as good as yesteryear.

Over the last few years, this has been apparent with both WWE and TNA failing to get the basics right. Sure they have both had some good storylines but how many times has a real genuine breakout star stayed at the top? Who was the last? Cena? Orton? How long ago exactly was that?

When we look at the two organisations, they have been criticised for the same thing but for different reasons.

WWE has failed to create any new main eventers and those it tried to push were dropped just as quickly as they had been built up. Ziggler, Swagger, The Miz are just some of the names that have been at the top only to be dropped back down the pecking order. And although Ziggler is back in the main event this week, I think we all know he wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for injuries, suspensions and general idiocy by some of the talent.

TNA however, have been accused of not pushing their own talent and instead relying on the former employees of Titan Towers. Anderson, Christian, Angle, Hardy are just some of the talent that has been pushed to the very top of TNA.

However, in the last 6 months, TNA has shaken off the rigomortis that has beset both sets of companies. They have gone back to basics and created the next big star – James Storm.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have never been a huge fan of Storm as a singles competitor nor had I ever seen anything that suggested to me that he could be THE guy in TNA. But slowly, due to logical booking [another break away from the norm of recent wrestling years] and the fact that they have decided to do this in slow build fashion, I have bought into it.

So what have TNA done and will it work?

Well it started back in 2011 [I know! A angle that has been going on for the good part of 7 months] when Bobby Roode turned heel on his former Beer Money tag partner to claim the TNA Heavyweight championship belt. Everyone had earmarked Bobby as the face in this relationship to Storms heel. However, Dixie and Co had other ideas and switched it around for the shock value – so far, so TNA.

Roode himself was the one that every blogger and his dog had down as the real Next Big Thing. And to some extents he has managed just that by holding on to the belt longer than any other TNA star. He has also faced and defeated pretty much a who’s who of TNA talent, albeit in a typically heelish, cowardly fashion. The booking of TNAs longest running champ has been well done. In fact its been very well done.

Which brings me back to Mr Storm. In years gone by, the simple thing would have been to make a quick feud culminating in James taking the strap off Bobby. But that didn’t happen. In fact, twice it didn’t happen. And THAT has been the master stroke of why Storm will be the biggest break out star that TNA has had so far.

The second rematch between Storm and Roode at Lockdown was where Storms stellar future was cast. Everything pointed to Storm taking that belt off his former partner in his hometown. Every single piece of logic pointed to Storm leaving that arena as the new champ – he had been chasing for the best part of 6 months and Roode had karma coming for him [payback not Awesome Kong).

However, the creative team of TNA should really take a bow. Had Storm taken the belt, especially in front of a terrible crowd that night, both Bobby and James would have suffered in the long run.

The fall out from that match, led to Storm leaving the company for a while, having lost his passion. Roode carried on cementing his top billing credentials by taking on and defeating RVD and Sting.

And this week at Slammiversary, the return happened. And the crowd, as well as myself, lapped it up. Storm came in and ended Crimsons 470 day streak in under 5 minutes. And what a pop he got. And for the first time, I genuinely believed that Storm was a star. The way he stood in front of that crowd was the moment I bought into how good the booking has been [although maybe Crimsons booking hasn’t been so good].

Interestingly, over the last few months, whilst asking questions at the TNA press conferences, every single interviewee highlighted Storm as a real talent and credit to TNA. At the time, I just didn’t get it but this week that switch was flicked on.

The babyface reaction that the returning Storm has got, has made me want to actually see these two go at it for the belt one more time. We all know that Storm should win next time, and when it happens, I predict that Storm will be a bonafide headliner with the kind of crowd love that some of the WWE stars get.

And when it does happen, I think TNA deserve a pat on the back.

Excellent read, in truth I’ve still not seen the PPV to cast judgement on his return but before that I’ve never really bought into him as a guy who could take the step up. Sure he’s been in what has probably been TNA’s 2 best homegrown tag teams (AMW and Beer Money) but he never made me sit up and think he could go any further compared to say Alex Shelley from MCMG who I do think could be a huge star if pushed correctly.

I agree, they've done it well if they see it through to fruition, which I have no reason to doubt they will.
They have made great home-made stars out of the two of them, which I always think WWE have found frustratingly difficult to do with some of their greatest tag teams.

New Age Outlaws - Billy Gunn should have been huge, but wasn't. Road Dogg never made a successful conversion to singles action.

Matt and Jeff Hardy - Jeff got all the star-making opportunities once they split, with Matt left to rot (though not entirely WWE's fault over his own)

Edge and Christian - Both super-talented, but only Edge got turned into a real star.

The Dudleys - TNA are showing how much potential Bubba Ray has as a solo wrestler. Shame it's come so late in his career. Another dropped ball by the WWE.

It seems that when a top tag team split, either one, or both fall by the wayside, rather than make the step up together. So plaudits have to go to TNA for avoiding what are clearly numerous pitfalls in converting a tag team into solo success stories.

Slater and Gabriel... Slater gets all the TV time. Gabriel nowhere to be seen... the list goes on.

Bubba is a shining example of a guy who should have flown solo much earlier in his career, for me he could have been THE heel of the past 10 years if WWE had pushed the button on him. Being a gobby sod backstage though didn't gain him many favours at WWE.

The most obvious being The Rockers, with Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty.

It's not just the two from Beer Money though that are starting to get more and more exposure in TNA which is testament to them. Crimson obviously got the stellar push with wins over the likes of Morgan and Joe, please correct me if I'm wrong but he really could have done with going over the likes of Angle, I know they fought to a DQ when Joe interrupted a match but just a win over a really big star could have tipped him.

I can see Magnus getting a good push soon too which IMO would be great, I think he's one of the best workers in TNA right now, just seems so keen to make a name for himself and he's constantly improving, also seems to have a great rapport with the other guys backstage so I hope TNA put their weight behind him soon.

great read mate! tbh, I rarely watch TNA. But for an hour this week, there was a 1 hour programme on the rivalry between Roode and Storm. Not sure about other storylines but this one certainly has been great! Might have to keep an eye out for a possible Roode vs Storm III.

Great article and have high hopes for Storm but ...

After Dixie spoke of seeing storylines through to their logical conclusion I just hope that TNA give us a swerve. It just seems to predictable for Storm having come back and beaten Crimson to go on and win the title at some point. Yes it's great to have him come back and beat Crimson. It's a bit like when Cena or Edge returned at the Rumble or HHH two weeks before the rumble ..... actually forget the last one.

Agree with the mention of Bully Ray he has been fantastic as a solo guy. I don't think D'von has been too shabby either.

The problem I think that TNA have is they have too many guys with lots of potential. WWE somehow take on people that and use them to a logical level and let them hit a glass ceiling TNA seem much more open but that means anyone can reach the top - which means that some who should get the push don't in the end.

I just wanted to point out that James Storm retweeted this article and called me a true wrestling fan - cheers James!

47,000 followers!

He would its bigging him up

A good read and congrats on the re tweet. Storm has been impressive since his world title loss to Roode and deserves to be in the spot he has now and as others have mentioned I fully expect him to right up there in the BFG series if not win the thing.

I have been really supprised with how over storm has been with the live crowds as he never struck a cord with me, I always rated him as more productive as a heel than a face so I wasn't holding my breath for his run to amount to much after he defeated angle after last years BFG, but he has performed really well and the fans seam to have taken to him. He has potential to be a top star, only time will tell if tna can book him in the right direction to continue pushing his career and use this momentum positively for both the wrestler and the company. Storm should be a real asset to TNA for many years to come!

Great article Adam


Fair play to TNA for playing the long game with James Storm's quest to win the World title for the second time. I'm not sure whether or not the plan was for him to win at Lockdown - I've read reports that he was scheduled to win but that was scrapped due to him having a couple of injuries - but regardless of that fact, TNA have played an absolute blinder by sticking to their guns.


It would be the easiest thing in the world for them to turn around and stick the belt on a Jeff Hardy or a Kurt Angle but it appears they're determined to have Roode drop the strap to Storm, and that should be commended. I'm a big fan of Storm and think he's definitely got it in him to be a breakout star.


My only concern is that if/when he wins the title at Bound for Glory from Bobby Roode, how long will TNA give him as World Champion? By that stage Roode will have held the title for almost a year, so will they be willing to give Storm a lengthy reign? I'm not saying he should hold it for a year but if he drops it after a couple of months will TNA's good work be all for naught?

Just say Storm wins the BFG Series then the title at BFG. what will happen after I got 2 theories

1) Kurt Angle Turns on AJ Styles meaning they lose there tag team belts, Angle wins their feud, then Angle V Storm at the end of the year.

Or

2) Crimson angry that Stom tock his undefeted streak goes on a hellish rampage to get revenge on storm, then Crimson v Stom at the end of the year

Just post BFG, when the whole Storm/Roode angle began to unfold, I made my viewpoint very clear, I thought it was TNA at it's bungeling finest, I thought they had squandered Roode's potential to be the break out face and replaced him with a guy I saw as distinctly mid card, but I've got to say since them I have been impressed with how they have salvaged the situation (whether this was the plan from the outset I'm not sure but credit to them) and are on the course of creating a big babyface star in Storm.

I have also been increasingly impressed by Storm, he talks, fights and carries himself like a big time player, and the more I've thought about it, he is probably the one most likely of the Beer Money twosome to connect with the fans, a top face is generally someone the fans either look up to as a hero (Hogan) or relate to and live vicariously though (like Steve Austin). And Strom definatly falls into the latter catagory, much more so than Roode, when a tandem is call Beer Money, fans are much more likely to associate with the Beer rather than the Money, and Storm is a prefect representation of what the common man wants to live vicariously through, a drinker and a fighter, he is also distinctally southern which is a market TNA as a sucessor of the NWA should look to capitalise on.

Anyways, and I can't belive im saying this, TNA is playingf a blinder in terms of it's long term planning to create a top star, personally I'd have Storm finish 2nd in the BFG series but have him replace the winner (due to a kayfabe injury or such like), not only would this give Storm a feud after he wins the title but it would also create an element of drama or doubt that this story could if anything be accused of lacking.

So to some up, TNA are doing everything right so far and I hope they stick to their guns and we get a satisfarctory conclusion and a new star come BFG time.

Great article Adam and congrats on the re-tweet.

I'm a big fan of Storm's and have been following the Roode-Storm story since Beer Money split. Although it may be a tad predictable, I do hope Storm wins the belt next time round. There is only so long you can spin a story out before it starts to get boring or just plain ridiculous.

Agree that these two have been one of the company's real success stories, despite the apparent excess of talent that has meant a few other potential stars haven't got the pushes they deserved.