PW Boards X-Division Championship Tournament

Kankan14

Jay lethal I always really enjoyed his matches

Blue_Dabadee

Jay Lethal because I enjoyed his black machismo gimmick.

ShagNastii

Yep Lethal for me. Lowki had some amazing matches but Jay just pips it. The Black Machismo stuff was really enjoyable and he somehow made it unjobber-like legit.

Omackeral

Jay administers the Lethal Injection and cruises into the final 4. Who will join him there? This one is the toughest yet...

---

Austin Aries

The Greatest Man That Ever Lived







Vs



AJ Styles

The Phenomenal One

Necro

Ouch. Two deserving finalists here. Very hard to separate them but gonna go with Aries. Styles embodies TNA but as far as X Division goes I feel Aries had the better run with the belt. Really brought back a legitimacy to the title that hadn't been seen since, ironically Styles and Joe et al.

So Aries for me

Angron

This is a very hard choice for me. Both men did a lot for the division, but I think I have to go for Aries. He nearly defined the generation being the step towards holding the world title.

Kankan14

Ffs cruel draw.

Aj for me.
even in the x-div where aries was excellent he still didnt produce what aj did.

LeeJM

As good as Aries was he was just Styles Version 2.0 when it came to defining the X division. Whereas Styles is the reason there is an X division. Yes he moved up to the world title but he defined what a great X div champ should be.

AJ Styles gets my vote

Omackeral

I'm gonna vote for A Double because I not only enjoyed his epic hybrid style in the ring (always reminded me off Guerrero and Malenko mixed in) but his character was fantastic. So over every time. He made you believe the Greatest Man That Ever Lived shtick.

Stereomaniac

Austin Aries just scrapes it for me, for much the same reasons as Omackeral identified above me. I really enjoyed his character when watching TNA. I'm stoked to see him in WWE!

thebostoncrab

Said it since the start, Aries deserves to win this whole thing. AJ may have made people notice the Divison, but Aries made that belt feel more important than any other champion before or after him

Omackeral

Congrats to Austin Aries, he books his place in the semi final, knocking out a strong contender in AJ Styles.

---

As per previous rounds ending, just gonna touch on the history of the physical belt itself. This is the 3rd stage of evolution for the X-Division Championship belt.



What did you think of this strap? Why the colour change, was it to go with the Impact Wresting branding or was it to set it apart from other titles? Do you feel it represented the X division well? The X was still on it but was more subtle. Did it remind you of the WWF Intercontinental title from late 90's that Ken Shamrock held or is that just me?! All comments, observations and discussion welcome.

ShagNastii

Beautiful belt tbf. Might have been nicer if they kept the red but the blue in fairly decent. Not many blue belts I can think of.

Can't think of a champion that held it (my TNA fandom has been pushing Daisies for a few years now). It terms of prestige, the belt I'm wearing right now to keep up my pants could probably equal it.

Edit: just after seeing your comments about the last 90s IC title. It is very much like it alright.

Omackeral

Yeah it's funny cos the likes of Samoa Joe, Low Ki and Chris Sabin have held this version of it and yet I'd associate them more with the original NWA:TNA Giant X version, never mind the round slick edition. I felt like this kinda didn't fit them or their roots. It's conflicting, it's a nice enough design and looks well but it can't match the times where the x champ has been more prominent.

Omackeral

We've arrived at the final four. In an homage to the various multi-man matches that the x division has been home to, we'll employ those tactics here. So it's Ultimate X time...






All four wrestlers willbe in the match at the same time. Whichever two competitors have the most votes will progress to the final. So pick your top two from the following.



Austin Aries

The Greatest Man That Ever Lived




Vs


Jay Lethal

Black Machismo




Vs


Samoa Joe

The Samoan Submission Machine




Vs


Chris Sabin

The Motor City Machine Gun

beakerjoe

AA and Joe for me. Really hard to choose any over each other, as all 4 deserve to win. Im simply an AA mark and Joe really elevated the division to new heights.

Kankan14

Nice idea and while I hate leaving two out,its Jay and Aries for me. Jay for this exact reason he was in some awesome 3way dance matches. Aries lit up the division.

Joe and sabin would both be credible finalists also though.

Angron

For me, I'm voting for Aries and Sabin. Aries worked very hard to raise the division up during his time as champ, and did a damn fine job of it I think. Sabin was one of the best of the division, record setting number of reigns and a lot of memorable stuff.

Necro

Joe and Aries for me. My favorite X Division Champions - no real other reason.

Omackeral

A really good match underway here, the reasons are fantastic and everyone is getting their names involved. I'll keep this open til tonight. I'll also put my votes in here.

Chris Sabin- Won every version of the belt from the NWA:TNA days to Impact Wrestling. He was champion a whopping 8 times.

Austin Aries- The originator of Option C and the one it fit perfectly. Has left his imprint on the division and was the perfect fit.


Honourable mentions to Joe and Lethal though. Joe truly encompassed the whole "no limits" factor when it came to the X style and Jay is a fantastic in-ring talent and so charismatic.

Stereomaniac

Austin Aries and Jay Lethal get it for me. I just really like the overall package from both of them and Austin Aries is the guy I think of when I think of the title, for some reason.

LeeJM

Chris Sabin and Austin Aries get my vote. Sabin was the flag bearer and either champion or challenger for so long that its hard to think of the X div and not think of Chris Sabin. And he has had so many memorable moments in the X div he deserves to be in the final. Aries because as said above he did soo much to elevate the X Title during his time as champ. He evolved not only himself as champion but also the whole division changed for the better due to his work.

gerrybbadd

For me, I'm picking Sabin (I've stuck with him throughout). When I think of the X Division in the early days, he immediately comes to mind.

I'm torn then on choice 2. I love Jay Lethal, but he doesn't immediately come to mind for me as an X Division champ.

Admittedly, I hadn't seen a lot of Austin Aries as X Division champ, so solely by process of elimination, my Second choice is Joe

So Chris Sabin and Samoa Joe

thebostoncrab

I said it since the start, Aries deserves to win the whole thing, and I think out these other 3 should be the man he meets there. Joe helped establish the Divison and not just a cruiser weight leauge, and was involved in more memorable matches than Chris or Jay. Chris I associate more with the tag team belts, so Joe deserves to go through

Omackeral

Austin Aries 44.44%
Chris Sabin 22.22%
Samoa Joe 22.22%
Jay Lethal 11.11%


It looks like it will be an interesting final match tomorrow with a photo finish. Check in with us when we look to crown our PW Boards X-Division Champion.


Until then, the final stage of our title belt evolution leads us to the current design. Here it is...




What do you make of this? It seems to be just a colour change from its predecessor. Why do you think they went this route? How does it rank among the other designs? Does it look like a D-Generation X custom belt to you perhaps?! Let us all know!

LeeJM

Awful design. The IC title rip off look is bad anyway but the DX green that was seemingly brought in to tie in with the GFW feud just makes it look even worse. To think that belt cost anywhere from $5,000 up to $20,000 to make is just insane.

Angron

Don't like this design. I wasn't hot on the blue one, and I think green suits it even less.

Kankan14

As you say Omak it may suit dx or maybe the hurricane but otherwise nope,just hideous.

Omackeral

Kankan14 wrote: »

As you say Omak it may suit dx or maybe the hurricane but otherwise nope,just hideous.

I think you planted the idea in his head...

Omackeral

With a controversial finish to the semi final, we couldn't split 2 from 4 so, fittingly for the X Division, this match will be contested under Triple Threat Fatal 4-Way rules.* The competitor with the most amount of votes after 12 hours will be declared PW Boards X-Division Champion

---

Austin Aries

The Greatest Man That Ever Lived






Vs



Samoa Joe

The Samoan Submission Machine




Vs


Chris Sabin

The Motor City Machine Gun





Vs


Christopher Daniels

The Fallen Angel

*I mistakenly miscounted votes against Daniels in Round 1. A poster voted Low Ki in one message and Kaval in a seperate message. I counted both as votes when I shouldn't have. In the interest of fairness, Daniels gets a deserved second chance here.

thebostoncrab

First place is Aries, second Joe, third Daniels and fourth Sabin in my books.

AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Daniels made the X Division unique, but Aries made the belt become so important. During his reign the belt clearly meant something, and Aries stock rose to huge levels simply because of his work with the belt. I am a little biased because Aries is my favourite wrestler since the early 00s, but it's for good reason. An excellent champion and one who no one has equaled in the X Divison.

Kankan14

Aries.

Over the last week I've watched some of the x division stuff a few times, and tbf the belt catalulted him and the whole div back to importance ( in my eyes) as it was in the doldrums a little.

Joe and sabin deserve to tie for second place imo both had some good feuds but joe would sneak second place just because he consistently produces excellent matches.

Daniels I will leave last due to being here on a clerical error. though he is an excellent wrestler he is not for me.

#1 Aries
2 Joe
3 Sabin
4 Daniels

gerrybbadd

I'm voting for my boy, Chris Sabin at no 1. Aries comes second, Chris Daniels third, and Joe fourth.

riffmongous

Joe
Daniels
Aries
Sabin

Joe gets my number one as for me he was the most memorable champ in tna back when I start watching it, and really helped cement TNA as a legit wrestling company compared to the WWE for me

Bounty Hunter

I've not voted much in this one as I've not seen enough of TNA but happy to see Daniels get a reprieve even though he won't win, def deserved to get at least to the quater finals.

1. Aries - A Double is going to win the thing
2. Joe
3. Daniels
4. Sabin

Angron

For me it goes:

Aries
Daniels
Sabin
Joe.

All worthy finalists, all fine champions. Aries edges it because of the prestige it felt like he added to the belt. I'm glad Daniels got back in, even if it was via technicality :pac:

ShagNastii

Total chuffed Daniels actually made it through. Was sickened when Low Ki knocked him. I'm not putting him first for firsts sake I genuinely would place them as I have below. Daniels was pure X division- his stuff with AJ and Joe was legendary. Added to that I'm a massive curryman mark.

Joe would be second. He was coming off of a run in ROH where he farted five star matches. Wholly credible and entertaining.

I've need really gotten into Aries. Don'y know why. Followed TNA a lot when he was Austin Starr.

Sabin is good but he was around the time X-division was light hot. I think i was far from the leading reason.


Daniels 1st
Joe 2nd
Aries 3rd
Sabin 4th

LeeJM

For me its
1.Sabin
2.Daniels
3.Aries
4.Joe

Rankings are based on my enjoyment of them as champions/challengers in the X div.

Necro

1. Aries
2. Daniels
3. Joe
4. Sabin

Aries has been my pick all along to win this and I can't think of anything else to say which hasn't been said.

Was stunned when Daniels was eliminated in round 1 so delighted to see him back here at the death as along with AJ and Joe he brought legitimacy to the X Division that wasn't seen next until, well, Aries.

Joe for same as above.
Sabin gets the raw deal despite being a multi time champ I just didn't see enough of his reigns to properly comment on them....

Omackeral

In what has to be considered the best final ever, with support for each participant, there's one man that reigns supreme above the rest and he's not just any man... he's
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived







Ladies and Gentlemen, your PW Boards X-Division Champion is
Austin Aries

Bounty Hunter

As per usual great work Omackeral and a worthy winner

thebostoncrab

Thanks for running this sir! Delighted that for once the person I back to win one of these from the start actually winning!