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Eric Bischoff once said that the wrestling business has a saying: "Never say never." Over the last year, there has been proof of that saying; Rey Mysterio won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22, Rob Van Dam won the WWE title at One Night Stand 2006, the return of ECW, C.M. Punk gets pushed by WWE, and the move that shocked the wrestling world, Kurt Angle jumping ship to TNA. However, my goal here isn't to talk about these events, my goal here is to talk about WWE's new addition and why I feel this could be his break in the wrestling business. This article about that guy from the Serengeti. Yes that's right; I'm talking about the 'Alpha Male' Monty Brown. Now if you think about it, Monty Brown is the first TNA home grown star to jump to the WWE.

As most wrestling fans know, the "Alpha Male" Monty Brown attended Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. He then went into American football, where he broke several defensive records. Monty turned professional when he signed with the Buffalo Bills, where he had played for three years. Within those three years, Monty Brown competed in the two Super Bowl (1993 and 1996). The "Alpha Male" also played for the New England Patriots for a short period of time in 1996. Monty was forced to retire from pro football due to an injury.

Monty Brown knew exactly what he wanted to do after his pro football career; to become a professional wrestler. In an interview in 2005, he said "wrestling wasn't something I had to get into, it was something I wanted to get into. When I was in college, no matter how busy I was with training or studying, I would make time to watch wrestling. Professional wrestling has always been a big part of my life since I was a little kid." Brown truly had a passion to be in the business of professional wrestling.

The former NFL star trained under Dan Severn and the "Suicidal, Homicidal, Genocidal, Death-Defying" Sabu. Monty Brown made his in-ring debut on the Michigan independent circuit in 2000, working for Big Time Wrestling, Universal Wrestling and the All World Wrestling League.

When Jerry Jarrett and Jeff Jarrett launched a NWA promotion (Total Nonstop Action, otherwise known as NWA: TNA.) in Nashville, Tennessee in the summer of 2002, they scouted the country for inexpensive talent to fill out their weekly pay per view shows. Luckily, Monty Brown was one of those cheap talents that got the call. He made his debut for TNA on July 3, 2002 in a match where he pinned Anthony Ingram in 92 seconds. As a result of his performance, image and personality which seemed to impress the Jarretts, they decided to sign the former NFL star on a permanent deal. However, Monty Brown did not make such a big impact in the wrestling business as he did in his pro football days.

Monty Brown returned to TNA debuting his new gimmick: a big cat like creature billed from the Serengeti, which earned the moniker "The Alpha Male." This went well with the fans and was the start he needed to his wrestling career. His popularity increased and in 2005, he signed a new one year deal with TNA, in which they promised him a run as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. This was just before TNA signed former WWE star Christian Cage, who became top contender for the NWA World title, leaving Monty frustrated. As Christian Cage continued his hunt for the NWA World Championship, the "Alpha Male's" stab at stardom hit rock bottom. Any wrestling fan who watched TNA at the time could see Monty wanted out.

Monty Brown's contract expired on September 30th 2006, and during an interview he said he felt TNA lied to him as they had promised him a run as NWA World Heavyweight Champion, but instead they give him nothing and gave his World title shot to former WWE star Christian Cage. That is why he didn't re-sign with TNA. He also admitted in the interview he could sign with the WWE, which he admitted would fulfil his boyhood dream. Monty's dream came true when he finally signed a contract the WWE in mid November 2006.

Yes that's right, Monty Brown has signed with WWE. I feel this is a massive signing for them. Monty Brown could have been huge for TNA, but I felt they dropped the ball a long time ago; they could have built the company around him. When I started watching TNA, I saw guys like Abyss, A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels, and I thought they were phenomenal. However, I felt Monty Brown was the guy who really stood out in TNA and was going to be the man to help TNA be a real threat to the WWE, but this was way before TNA signed Christian Cage. Now that Monty Brown is with the WWE, he might be determined to prove a point to TNA that he was worth more. Wouldn't you want to prove to your former employers that you were worth more?

Now over the last few weeks I have been hearing wrestling fans say Monty Brown will end up on Smackdown! as the replacement of recent Smackdown! reject Bobby Lashley. What makes the wrestling fans so sure that Monty Brown will end up on Smackdown!? He could end up on any one of the WWE's main rosters or could just end up rotting in the WWE training camps, but I highly doubt the latter would be true for long.

The main concern I have with Monty Brown's move to the WWE is the gimmick. The "Alpha Male" gimmick is one of the best that TNA have created, and it's the one which made Monty Brown what he is today. That's right, The "Alpha Male" gimmick = what Monty Brown is today. There, I said it. If the gimmick is copyrighted by TNA, it may lead to an unsuccessful career for Monty Brown in WWE, but that's my opinion. I just feel if the WWE had the rights to the "Alpha Male" gimmick, it would be a big help to Monty's career in the WWE. I could be wrong. WWE could give Monty a better gimmick, but in my opinion, I feel that nothing will suit Monty Brown better than the "Alpha Male'"gimmick.

In conclusion, I feel TNA had wasted their chance with Monty Brown when they decided not to give him the NWA World Heavyweight belt especially since it was guaranteed in his contract. I had always thought that Monty Brown would have been more suited to WWE's style of wrestling than TNA's. Plus, he has the things that Vince McMahon looks for in a main - eventer, and that's a wrestler who can cut a promo, has decent ring skills and has the look of a champion. I'm sure Vince is a fan of the "Alpha Male." Monty Brown, who turns 37 in April, is still young in wrestling years and can have a great career in the WWE, but only if the WWE play their cards right. They need to create a gimmick that Monty Brown is suited to, something much like the "Alpha Male" and they need to build him up slowly or he is just going to end up like Kurt Angle; a wreck.

So to all the WWE fans around the world, you may be about to see someone feel the POUUUUUUUUUUNCE - period. It's funny, when Monty Brown in TNA, I thought he would never sign a contract with the WWE, but that's the thing about the wrestling business: you can "Never say never".

by Adam Dean (http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/forums//modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2729)..