Every week in The Spinning Lariat, Trent Zuberi talks the latest in TNA Impact Wrestling and sometimes in the world of American independent wrestling at large.

Oftentimes the true potential of a person lies in wait until the time is right. That talent sometimes has to wait until the proper stage is set for them to unveil what they are capable of. In most cases, a select few outsiders can see said talent from afar, while most can’t as they spend time convincing others what they know and others don’t. Is there a reason the majority sometimes doesn’t take notice until later? Not necessarily. Some eyes are just more perceptive than others. Do many need the bandwagon to jump on before they put their endorsement behind something? Most of the time, yes, but that’s sometimes just the nature of the game of life. In professional wrestling the tide changes so often that it’s almost hard to predict a direction until it’s completely laid out for you in an almost connect-the-dots fashion. Sometimes it’s evident from the start and everyone not only knows it, but they have confidence in the decision. This could not have been more apparent than in the case of the current TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Magnus.

From the start (despite the initial Gladiator-like costume), fans knew Magnus was something special. He was young, still learning with every match, but he had a star quality about him that made him really stand out as a guy with a solid future. He carried himself well, worked solid and came off confident to boot in a way that many rookies usually do not. He was often discussed within the everlasting wrestling fandom conversations of “this guy could be champion someday if…,” because right away fans saw something in him. Some slow pushes kept him at bay for a while, but overall he had a solid run up to his obtaining of the title. But with this title victory came something else. Something that just seemed to take on a life of its own when given the opportunity.

Fans knew he was ready, but the AJ Styles storyline and exit was something that was needed immensely in order to close a much-honored chapter in company history. When that was all said and done, the time was right for a new coat of paint to grace the walls of the Impact Zone. From the moment he captured the championship, everything down to his facial expressions exemplified star quality. He had arrived and taken the throne that had been waiting for him until he was ready. The post-match promo he cut was nothing short of spectacular, as he made the viewer truly believe that he was the world champion to reckon with in the sport of professional wrestling. He had been given his stage, and now he was basking in the spotlight set for him.

It couldn’t have been a better time for Magnus to win the world title. With the Maximum Impact tour of the UK coming up in a few weeks, the hero’s welcome will be deafening to say the least. According to a recent statistic, Magnus is the first British world champion of a major US promotion in 106 years. (An interjected sidenote here: the Nigel McGuinness argument has been brought up and  may well be addressed at a later date.) Magnus arrives as the countryman who conquered America and is coming home for the reception. As if the UK Impact episodes weren’t amazing enough, with a hometown champion in tow they are expected to exceed expectations.

As early as it may be to make a bold claim, it’s fair to say Magnus will be a fantastic world champion. He has the tools needed for the image to work. A true champion, as they say, makes the title, the title doesn’t make him. He carried himself as a champion prior to winning the belt, and with it now around his waist, he sets foot into the place that was carved for him. The contenders are ready, and if the AJ Styles return works out, the story writes itself. He has a great run ahead of him and what he makes of it will be his own. That being said, honorable mention to Rockstar Spud in his new Chief of Staff role. Anyone that can pull off authority while wearing a pink dress shirt and lime green bowtie is a winner from the second the sun rises.

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