Banterverse – (noun): A universe where the forbidden wall in pro wrestling doesn’t exist. We take matchups based on storylines developed here. Each storyline will aim to put together instant classic matches and use in-depth storytelling to keep all fans and sports entertainers wanting more.
For the first installment, we will focus on a scenario where Impact Wrestling and WWE worked together.
In the first installment of the Banterverse, we will look at 5 top storylines that could make a partnership between WWE and Impact Wrestling have the fans wanting more.
5. Tag Team Supremecy: Tag Team Championship Invasion
The first attack takes place 2 weeks before this years Royal Rumble on Raw. Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson, make a trip to Raw to attack Alpha Academy when they are granting RK-Bro their rematch.
With this attack, the fans get a teaser of The Club returning. We can cut to a backstage segment where they walk up to AJ Styles and extend the too-sweet sign to him. Styles will walk away on the first extension, building up drama for a side story between friends. The Good Brothers then make their way to Smackdown to attack the Usos next. They arrive to Smackdown and layout Jimmy Uso in the back first. Later in the ring, Jey Uso goes to the ring to call out the people responsible for attacking his brother. That’s when the Good Brothers come out of the crowd and jump him. Leaving him laying in the middle of the ring. This could setup a battle between the Good brothers, Alpha Academy, and The Usos at the Royal Rumble.
4. Royal Rumble Hijacking
Every year when the Royal Rumble comes around, we fans spend weeks anticipating who is making a debut or who is going to return at the Royal Rumble. There have been plenty of great surprises in the past like the AJ Styles debut or the return of Edge, but what if this year, instead of seeing 1 or 2 great debuts or returns, but we are treated to a great invasion. We are waiting for entrant number 21 and fans in the arena begin to do the countdown. As we get the buzzer after a much anticipated 3, 2,1, and music pops, but nobody comes out. We hear Finn Balors song playing, but he never runs down the ramp. The music cuts off and starts over, but Balor is nowhere to be found. The commentators begin to sound worried, but they know the show must go on.
The countdown for entrant 22, Madcap Moss begins, but again, nobody makes their way to the ring. We cut to a cameraman running backstage to find Balor and Madcap laid out. The suspicion continues to grow as Corey Graves is beginning to question who is attacking these superstars before they can enter the ring. As entrant 23 is found laid out, and we move to entrant 24, that’s when we see Eric Young, Deaner, and Joe Doering, Violent By Design, standing overtop a slain Kofi Kingston. Then they begin to make their way to the ring to lay out the remaining superstars to claim victory of the Rumble for their leader Eric Young.
3. Women’s Survivor Series Style Match at Wrestlemania
At the Royal Rumble, we see Queen Zelina and Carmella defending their tag team title against Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan only to be finished as a no-contest because a team consisting of Cassie Lee, Jessie McKay, Jordynne Grace, Tenille Dashwood, and Madison Rayne attacked all of the ladies involved in the match. After laying out the WWE women’s tag team champions and their challengers, the Ladies of Impact grab the mic and issue a challenge to any 5 superstars who dare to think they have the intestinal fortitude to stand in their way of getting revenge for the wrong that was done to them.
On the Raw after the Royal Rumble, a visibly angry Rhea Ripley makes her way to the ring to issue a challenge to the knockouts that attacked her. As the knockouts make their way through the crowd, Ripley is joined by Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Naomi, and Natalya as reinforcement for the invaders. The knockouts retreat on Raw, but the challenge is issued to have a 5 on 5 match at Wrestlemania.
2. Rebirth of the Cruiserweight
Much like WCW in the ’90s, the cruiserweights aren’t the main attraction these days, but night after night, these performers put on a show that makes you want to see more of their work when you leave the arena. Superstars, like Rey Mysterio, Riccochet, Cedrick Alexander, and current cruiserweight champion Carmelo Hayes will do just that. In order to give the cruiserweight title the rebirth it needs though, we have to bring drama to the title. The best way to do that is by having an outsider come in for an open challenge and take the title to Impact Wrestling, to force WWE superstars to pursue them to get the title back.
The perfect candidate for this outsider angle is Trey Miguel. The current X Division champion is a highlight reel waiting to happen and you can tease a dramatic, possible reunion between Trey and former Rascalz members Wes Lee and Nash Carter. The drama could come to an end at Wrestlemania when we see an X division style match, one night only where Trey Miguel defends the title against Chris Bey, Carmelo Hayes, Riccochet, Cedrick Alexander, and Mustafa Ali.
1. Battle of the Titans
To close it out with an easy layup, we can have what is already being talked about happen. Moose has already said he wants to face Roman Reigns in a match and this match would be a main event in any promotion. This could be setup at the end of the Rollins vs. Reigns match. As Roman retains his title via controversy at the Royal Rumble, a song that is unfamiliar to him plays and out comes Moose. They have the infamous championship staredown to end the Royal Rumble.
Halftime Fan Banter 