Why TNA should stay with AJ

A lot of people on wrestling forums I've frequented have asked why TNA seems to be turning to AJ Styles again when it comes to finding the next World champion, while I'm not convinced that they actually are let's go on that assumption (Cause it really helps my thoughts for the night) but fans I've seen have suggested a lot of others other than AJ but I think AJ is the pick of the bunch. But in the intrest of fairness I'm going to look at the options other people I've seen on wrestling forums bring up as replacements for AJ. I'm not going to go all indignant and call these people stupid for their opinions but there's a couple of things I think I need to bring up for the sake of discussion. Bear in mind that just like you, these are my own opinions and you can feel free to differ from them like I do from yours. Also bear in mind I'm just looking at the quote unquote "Next Big Thing". I'm well aware they could turn to a Sting or a Nash or a Samoa Joe again. Or even go with "Super Mex" Hernandez. These are the names I see time and time again though and that's why I'm looking at them over the others.

Option 1: Matt Morgan
I agree with a lot people have to say about him, Morgan is definately one of the top prospects on the TNA roster. He's one of the quickest, most athletic big men in the business and definately has the superstar look and aura about him and yes, is probably a mortal lock for a TNA World Title run sooner rather than later.However to call him charismatic and a good mic worker at this stage of his career is kind of like saying the Great Khali is a great mat technician, it doesn't really work. He's passable, like AJ Styles is passable but there's that either/or with Matt and AJ, they're EITHER both passable OR they're both not, there's really no middle ground. Personally I think they are but AJ has more upside just on ringwork, that's why he's always around the main event where as Matt has had to work to get to that level.

Option 2: The Motor City Machineguns
Hey I love Sabin and Shelley as much as the next guy, they are arguably the top tag team on TNA's roster (I'd go Beer Money but that's neither here nor there) and probably will be for a while but the Guns are in the same mould as the Rock and Roll Express and America's Most Wanted. As a team they're over, seperated it would be as sad as a broken marriage.

That's not to say it can't happen, I think even TNA thinks that Sabin can be a credible upper midcard threat, they wouldn't have put him in the qualifying tournament if they didn't but you can say the same thing about Doug Williams using that logic. Shelley could probably have a run with the X division title but you look at Alex and you see Gen Y's version of Marty Jannetty, a guy who'll get lost in the pack and never have a chance to showcase the raw talent he does have

Option 3: Robert Roode
Again I'm a fan of Rob's work but I'm sorry folks. The train that carried Roode's chance at a world title for the seeable future left while he was still arguing at the ticket window. It was last year, he had the compelling character (The wall street ego), he had the intrest, he only needed something to propel him that final step. So what did TNA do? Stuck him in a go nowhere fued with Booker T. This is normal TNA behaviour but it killed his momentum stone dead, so much so he fell back to the tag ranks.

Could he get to that level again? Of course he could but he's going to have to start from scratch and there are other, more credible options out there.

Option 4: Elijah Burke
This one I just plain don't get. Burke probably could help the upper midcard and have a chance at the TNA title but where is he booked? In a pretty much go nowhere spot with Lethal Consequences. I just don't see him as a legit title threat, he doesn't have the aura of being "A top guy" that others (Foley and Angle especially) had when they came down. That's not to say he can't there, it will just take time and paitence, something that Russo doesn't have a lot of.

If TNA are going to succeed they have to play the cards they're dealt and at the moment, like it or not, their ace in the hole is AJ Styles. Morgan's still developing, Hernandez is a month or two away and there's really no body you can see making the leap from the tag ranks or midcard that will be a threat. But they have the chance to build something and get ready for the next year or five years if they're smart.

By setting up guys like Elijah Burke, like Doug Williams, like Chris Sabin and like Robert Roode now they can have money making fueds that will carry them for a long time to come but while they lay the ground work they have to play the strongest hand they have and the key player in the deck is AJ Styles, that's why he's been chosen to carry the belt in the past and that's why come No Surrender he'll probably be chosen again