Tomko Proves His Allegiance To World Champ Christian Cage
April 2nd, 2007

TOMKO: THE PRICE OF FRIENDSHIP
ByBrandon Finch

Tomko arrived in TNA in November of 2006. He has, until recently, been there at every turn for Christian Cage. A wrestler can be content playing the role of bodyguard, but many aspire for something more and go on to bigger and better things. Kevin Nash and the late Ray Traylor went on to great success, surpassing the role mere hired muscle.

When Christian Cage won the World Title, he promised Tomko a title shot in exchange for his services. At the PPV, “Destination X”, Christian Cage received word that Tomko was again in Japan wrestling and would only return to TNA if Cage would give him a title shot.

When Tomko returned to TNA the only thing Cage offered the man was a spot on his team in the Lethal Lockdown match at this year’s “Lockdown.” TNA Management Director, Jim Cornette, stated on iMPACT that one member from Team Cage would be facing a member of Team Angle for the services of Tomko. The match was the monster, Abyss, representing Team Cage against team captain and former gold medalist, Kurt Angle. Although Kurt Angle scored a pinfall over Abyss, Tomko made a mockery of the match nad Cornette’s offer by attacking Angle and revealing he was with Team Cage all along.

Of course now the master plan was revealed. Cage and Tomko were out to make Jim Cornette look like an idiot. So now, Team Cage is six men strong and unified. You have team captain, Christian Cage, AJ Styles, “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner, Abyss and Tomko. Team Angle has only three members: Kurt, Samoa Joe and the “War Machine” Rhino. Lockdown is only a few weeks away. Technically, there is not a set deadline to announce your team members for the Lethal Lockdown, other than you have to have all of your team members on the night of the event.

This may have been Christian Cage’s plan and it may have worked, but what I can’t understand is why Tomko would agree to it. Cage and Tomko are friends. I understand there is often a bond between friends and an unspoken code. You don’t date your best friend’s ex (time limit pending). Sometimes you let your friend win at an X-Box video game if they’ve consecutively been spanked so they can walk away with some self-esteem. You might not choose to go after a promotion at work if a close friend also really wants it and really needs it more than you do. Tomko may have played along with Cage’s plan, but deep down I wonder how he feels knowing that he was so close to a World Title shot. He is playing it off like it doesn’t mean anything to him and showing he’s a team player. Okay, I get that. I understand how important it is to be on the same page when going into a match like the Lethal Lockdown, but again, it’s hard for me to fathom that the biggest prize in our industry comes second to having the current champion’s back.

Tomko has to know that this was his chance to win the title because it is doubtful that anyone knows Christian Cage better than he does. Christian Cage and Tomko may have a true bond of friendship, but as an outsider looking in, you have to recognize that this friendship is costing him the chance to win the biggest prize in TNA. I hope even the self-absorbed champion, Christian Cage, appreciates that.

Then again, perhaps in the big picture it’s about more than the World Title for Tomko. Maybe it’s about total domination of Total Nonstop Action – Cage has the brains, Tomko has the unstoppable muscle. Together, no one has been able to stop them yet.