The Ultimate TNA Star Turned WWE Midcarder
Over the years a number of TNA stars have made the move to WWE with varying levels of success. AJ Styles has been treated as a major talent following his arrival in 2016, but others haven't fared quite as well.
A major star from TNA that hasn't quite lived up to the expectations fans had for him following his WWE move, is Bobby Roode. The Canadian was regularly one of the biggest names in TNA throughout his run in the promotion, with his time as World Champion a major highlight for both himself and the promotion, but things haven't gone to plan since he made his debut on WWE's main roster.
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Regularly regarded as an almost carbon copy of Triple H, fans felt Roode was perfect for WWE and fit the company's mold for their ideal superstar, so seeing him struggle to really make much of an impact on either Smackdown or Raw has been surprising. To go from a main event level superstar in TNA to a WWE midcarder has been a disappointing trajectory for the Canadian, and at 46 years old, it may be too late to really salvage much of a legacy for him in Vince McMahon's company.
He Was One Of TNA's Greatest Stars
Making his TNA debut in 2004 as a member of Team Canada, Roode slowly became a breakout star from the group. He quickly made a major name for himself following the faction's break-up and became a prominent heel in TNA once he tweaked his character into Robert Roode.
Alongside Tracy Brooks as his manager, Roode was instantly dislikable in the role, and his feud with Eric Young helped establish his place as a major villain in the promotion. From there he eventually formed Beer Money, Inc. with James Storm, and the pair became one of the greatest tag teams in TNA history.
They embarked on a legendary run in the promotions tag team division before Roode turned on Storm and became the TNA World Champion several years later. From there, he showed just how capable he was of being the flag bearer for the promotion. He proved he was worthy of being a company's world champion.
Roode continued to solidify his legacy as an all-time great in TNA until 2016 when he departed the company for WWE, but he left as one of the promotion's greatest wrestlers ever.
His Time In NXT Showed Promise
Initially, it seemed Roode would fit in perfectly in WWE and would be an instant match made in heaven when he debuted in NXT and was treated like a major player right out of the gate.
From his over-the-top, and extravagant entrance, to his flashy attire, Roode oozed star power from the off in NXT, and they wasted no time pushing him as a major name on the brand.
His time as NXT Champion showed he could be a world champion in WWE if given the chance, and his matches with the likes of Drew McIntyre and Shinsuke Nakamura showed he could still go at a high level, and once the time came for Roode to move up to the main roster, fans were cautiously optimistic.
His Time On The Main Roster Has Been A Disappointment
Unfortunately, fans were immediately let down once Roode debuted on the main roster, and it was clear right away that things wouldn't be the same as they were in NXT.
The decision to have him arrive as a face, despite his very successful run as a villain in NXT, showed right out of the gate that things weren't going to be quite on the same level. The character was perfectly suited to being a heel, and fans struggled to really take to him as a hero.
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From there he quickly fell down the card, and aside from a brief run as United States Champion, he's struggled to really find his place on the main roster. His time as a singles star has been disappointing, his eventual heel turn failed to ignite much success, and the decision to remove his exciting entrance music certainly did him no favors.
A run teaming with Dolph Ziggler brought some success, but as Dolph recently returned to WWE as a face, it remains to be seen what's next for Roode, and don't be too surprised if he's soon on his way out of the company, a shame considering how impressive he once was in TNA.
