When the final bell rings signaling the end of TNA's next PPV "Against All Odds," there will be a new TNA Heavyweight Champion while Bobby Roode will be crying foul and rightfully so.

This is not a spoiler. 

It's common sense.

It has been announced that the main event at the aforementioned PPV will be a Fatal Four Way match between Bobby Roode, Jeff Hardy, James Storm and Bully Ray as each battle it out for the TNA Heavyweight Title currently held by Roode.

Did you catch that? A Fatal Four way.

I don't have any historical stats from any promotion in mind to support my contention that the implementation of such a match indicates proof positive that a title change is indeed on tap, but I think history and common sense are enough to bet the house that a new champ will be crowned.

It also does not take a degree in physics to see the probability that Roode will lose his belt due to someone else getting pinned.

Why am I so confident?

TNA has not had a major title change in three consecutive PPVs and if they wanted to extend Roode's reign they could have made this a tag team match.

Instead they make it a Fatal Four Way.

Bet your house on it.

If I am wrong don't come knocking on my door—I won't have one because I am willing to bet mine too.

So, what do I think will happen?

Roode and Bully will be thick as thieves, as usual, until the PPV. In the main event at the PPV we can expect a ton of near falls from all broken up by a ton of “saves” before a non-clean three count ends Roode's reign and begins that of another.

Where am I going with this? What could TNA be thinking?

When a title changes hands one should be able to see down the line for the new champ. Who will they feud with, who do they have heat with. Where are they gonna go with it? The ground work is usually laid out long before a change is made and we see some of it playing out on TV.

There's a problem though. None of the contenders have long-term feuds lined up. So what is going on?

Bear with me.

James Storm

They could also go with Storm pinning Bully Ray as Hardy makes the last-minute save of Roode, breaking up the three count. In doing so, Storm would have Bully as a challenger because Storm pinned him for the win; Hardy getting a shot for his assist and Roode again in the mix because Storm never beat the real champ for the title. 

It would most likely, and unfortunately, pull Kurt Angle back into the mix based on their recent history.

I don't see any fresh, long-term feuds being laid for Storm, do you?

Jeff Hardy

I can see Hardy pinning Bully Ray just as Storm prevents Roode from breaking up the pin. This would result in Hardy completing the redemption angle he has been working. It's not the best way to go, I won't like it, but I can see TNA doing it.

Hardy would have some immediate challengers including Bully Ray as a result of Hardy pinning him; James Storm as a favor for the “assist;” Bobby Roode claiming, and rightfully so, that Hardy is not the real champ because he never beat Roode for the title and if they want to bring a little history into it they could add A.J. Styles as well.

I don't see any fresh long-term heels lined up for Jeff, do you?

Bully Ray

It would require a different scenario for this to work but I can see it happening just as easily. It would involve a bumped ref, Roode and Bully taking advantage and beating down Storm and Hardy, tossing one to the outside while Roode holds the other for a chair shot or something to that effect.

Bully delivers and then also hits Roode, sending him out of the ring long enough to rouse the ref as he pins Storm or Hardy for the win just before Roode attempts to break it up.

Something to that effect.

Bully Ray would have heat with all three even though Roode would still be a heel crying that he was never beaten. A.J. Styles has a history with Bully Ray and could be brought into the mix as a contender as well. If they go there, let's hope Devon and Steiner miss the memo.

I just don't see Bully being a long term champion, do you?

So, who will it be?

Confused yet? I am guessing he will lose the title but I really don't see any of the guys that can take it from him being a long term or viable solution. So what gives? What the hell am I talking about you ask?

Well, let's take a deeper look.

James Storm?

Storm is a crowd favorite but ever since he was pushed for a title win, and a near-immediate loss, he has been jobbed and poorly booked. He was mired in a going-nowhere feud with Kurt Angle for months and although he has been kept in the mix he has most certainly not been pushed to any degree that one would expect him to be the man coming out of A.A.G with the title.

Storm vs. Angle is played out. I'm over it and I am willing to be you are as well. Storm vs. Hardy is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Storm vs.Bully has some bite to it and Storm vs. Roode is even better given their history. After that, what's left? Storm has his limits and they have been reached in my opinion. 

Storm's Odds

James Storm will be crying in his beer and they won't be tears of victory.

Jeff Hardy?

Hardy as worked his butt off since his return and praises have been sung about him from those within the company as to his work ethic, attitude and conditioning. Is there a reason press releases have been issued from TNA about Hardy receiving praises for his attitude and work ethic since returning from his fall from grace? Maybe.

He certainly is in shape, his head is back in the game and he's the fan favorite of those currently involved in this angle to win the title.

As I mentioned, Hardy vs. Storm is a main event no matter how you slice it. Hardy vs. Bully Ray? Been there, seen that. Hardy vs. Roode has some steam left but not much. After that TNA lacks a major heel to oppose hardy unless they elevate Aries and TNA is not that smart.

The bigger issue though is Hardy himself. While he has worked his way back from his fall from grace he is still a liability because he is under strict probation and still in substance-abuse recovery. He is too big a risk right now to be the front man of TNA and I think it will piss off as many fans as it would please.

Hardy's Odds

Hardy has won many titles and he will have to rely on memories to remind him of what that feels like because he won't be winning here unless TNA is stupid—and that is entirely within the realm of possibility.

Bully Ray?

Bully Ray has been pushed hard over the last few weeks and he has been aligned with Roode as an ally of sorts but with a clear and selfish agenda of his own—he wants Roode's belt.

Bully Ray is the guy we all love to hate. He is that good. I believe most would agree that he is one of the best heels in the industry. He delivers excellent offense, sells his opponents defense, is a master of the promo and gets people talking. His only knock would be his age but let’s be honest here—it’s not exactly holding him back in the ring or the mic

It sounds crazy to think that TNA would put the title on Bully. I agree but this is TNA, remember?

There is a reason he is involved.

Bully's Odds

Ladies and Gentleman, your NEW, temporary TNA champion. Bully Freakin' Ray.

WHAT! Are you crazy, Darcy? There is no way TNA would waste all the build they invested in Robert Roode only to have him loose to Bully Ray! No freakin' way!

You're right. That's why I see him taking advantage of Roode somehow, pinning Storm to claim the title.

In this scenario, Roode never loses his title and I see him just as quickly getting it back as Bully's reign will last about as long as Storm's and end in the exact same way.

What will the fallout be?

By pinning someone else, Bully Ray gets the long awaited, deserving, and equally elusive major singles title that is missing from a long, stellar career while allowing Roode to maintain and actually increase his heat by losing his title without being pinned.

Bully Ray is not a long-term solution, he is a mini-pause that is actually needed in order to avoid another PPV without a title change or another heel escape by Roode which will end up backfiring if they do it too often.

It will serve as a break—a breath of fresh air if you will—that is needed and it does not have to be long.

This scenario would allow for a positive way too quickly and temporarily break up Roode's exciting, well-built yet sometimes monotonous monopoly of the title without damaging his heat.

It would also will cause TNA fans to cry a collective "WHAT THE BLEEP!" forcing them to tune in by record numbers to the following Impact in order to witness an angry, jilted Bobby Roode crying foul stating that Bully never beat him for the title.

I see him invoking his automatic rematch clause which will be granted in the main event of that night's card allowing him to do what Roode does best—cheat to win.

Of course, I could be totally wrong and I probably am.

It is how I would like to see it played out and it's how I would book it if I had the power.

I respect Hardy's turn-around but sorry, I don't want Hardy with the belt. Storm has lost a lot of steam due to poor booking since he lost the belt and because of that I don't see a win for him here being as exciting as it was when he won for the first time. He needs his feud with Roode built all the way back up from the beginning again to regain what he has lost in both momentum and title.

Bully Ray winning by not pinning Roode and losing it immediately back to Roode would be a fun, unexpected and harmless way for TNA to shake the tree while allowing Bully Ray to remain a heel without losing his heat from a quick win to a quick loss.

However, I would only be happy if he lost it back to Roode immediately after. I don't see, nor do I want, a long title reign for Bully.

I like Roode in his role as a heel and I want him to hold the title until TNA wakes up and has him lose it clean to A.J. Styles or Austin Aries, a man that should be elevated to the big show once TNA wakes up and realizes that Ion, Sorenson, Nese, Kendrick, Shelley and Haskins can handle the X-Division without him.

Do you agree? See it Different? 

Share—the floor is yours.

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