Two new WWE stars should lead SmackDown invasion storyline, Vince Russo says (Exclusive)

A WWE Tag Team Championship tournament is taking place on SmackDown to determine the next challengers for Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa's titles. Vince Russo, WWE's head writer in the late 1990s, believes the company should have introduced Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin differently.

Shelley and Sabin, known as The Motor City Machine Guns, defeated A-Town Down Under and Los Garza on the October 18, episode of SmackDown. They will face Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa on October 25, to decide the new number one contenders for the tag titles.

Russo discussed Motor City Machine Guns' booking with host Mac Davis on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo. He explained why the veteran duo's first WWE storyline should revolve around their long history with fellow wrestling company TNA:

"This is what I would do, bro, but they're not gonna do it," Russo said. "They're just gonna be another team on the roster. I mean, that's all they're gonna be. Bro, they [WWE commentators] did acknowledge TNA today, so that's what I would do. I would have them embrace TNA and tell them their history in TNA and they were never given a shot [in WWE] because TNA was always the red-headed stepchild that they never acknowledged." [0:55 – 1:24]

Several TNA talents have appeared in WWE in 2024, including Joe Hendry and Jordynne Grace. Russo, who also worked as a TNA writer, thinks Motor City Machine Guns should recruit more wrestlers in a new SmackDown storyline:

"Then, bro, if they're gonna do business with TNA, then start bringing in TNA guys to help these guys. Not a takeover, but now you've got TNA guys infiltrating the roster." [1:25 – 1:44]

Watch the video above to hear Russo's opinion on why former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon did not hire Motor City Machine Guns.

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Why Vince Russo wants back-up for Motor City Machine Guns on SmackDown

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin made their name as a tag team in TNA between 2007 and 2012. They returned to the company in 2020 before leaving again in April.

Vince Russo thinks everyone would benefit from the three-time TNA World Tag Team Champions working alongside other TNA talents:

"Bro, that's the only thing that they can do to make this different. And those two guys have such a rich, rich history in TNA. They're the perfect guys to do that." [1:46 – 1:57]

Motor City Machine Guns have worked for several other wrestling promotions, including NJPW and Ring of Honor.

Do you think TNA wrestlers should invade SmackDown? Hit the discuss button and let us know.

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Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.