Bully Ray - Worth the Wait?

A lot of times, looking for the good in TNA is like diving headfirst into a barrel of Poopie just to pick out the pieces of undigested corn. It's unappetizing, and the corn's probably not going to taste as good because of the residue it's picked up through being passed through the digestive system anyway. Then again, unlike Poopie-corn, there are some things in TNA that are worth going out of the way for, even if it means sitting through the fecally-tinged segments featuring Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan or the literally Poopie-covered angle between Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett.

One such kernel is the development of Bully Ray as a fully actualized solo character. I was skeptical of him being positioned as a singles star after his break-up with longtime partner D-Von, mainly because the last time anyone tried to break up the Dudley Boys, it ended pretty horribly. Granted, the WWE saddled D-Von with a terrible preacher gimmick, while Bubba was left to carry the Dudley flag, albeit with barely any push from management after awhile. If the WWE couldn't make it work, then how could TNA, a company that even on its best day struggles to keep up with the WWE on its worst, pull it off?

To TNA's credit though, they seem to give the veterans a little more of a free reign when it comes to how to execute their storylines. So, exit the tired, old, tag team specialist whose character was mainly cutting smarky promos that blurred the lines, and enter Bully Ray. I always knew that he was a hell of a promo; I mean, look at some of his really old stuff in ECW when he used to get the Arena crowds wanting to kill him, D-Von and everyone associated with the Dudley "family". Now that he's got a character that didn't require him to cut trite, insider-sounding promos about respect or other rubbish that doesn't belong on camera, it shouldn't be surprising that this character has taken off the way it has.

Showing that fire that he had back in ECW and when he first broke in with the WWF (after they moved past the stuttering gimmick, that is), he's come out week after week, usually smoking whomever he's facing off against on the mic, and proven me and all the other doubters wrong. In a better company, he'd be a megastar. Instead, well, he plays second fiddle to Bischoff, Hogan, and the triumvirate of lukewarm faces in Rob Van Dam, Sting and Ken Anderson who populate the World Championship scene.

That being said, his interactions with AJ Styles over the last few weeks have been money. He's also proven that he's a capable singles wrestler, so his matches with other guys in Fortune have been really good as well. All in all, he's been worth seeking out in the mire that has been TNA.

And believe me, if you do watch Impact just for Bully Ray, you won't have that fecal odor about you as if you would by literally taking my comparison to heart...

_{taken from http://wallsofjerichoholic.blogspot.com/2011/05/bully-ray-proving-his-worth.html}

---------------------

I've always been a fan of Bubba, for me he's been one of the most underrated guys of the past 10-15 years, his mic skills are some of the best in the business and if it hadn't been for his attitude backstage at times in WWE I think he could have gone a lot further at a younger age.

Hope the heat with AJ keeps going and they can incorporate Anderson and the title into it. They 3 would have an awesome feud. Anderson can play both heel and face in the same sentence. Bully Ray as he is now known handled being a singles competitor better than I thought he would. His mic skills are excellent and he seems to be enjoying the role he is playing out just now which hasn't always been the case.

Agree 100% Hero. I don't have Sky so just watch TNA as its free and available and while it might not be brilliant, it is watchable and to be honest that's about as much as I need from any product.

When Bully Ray first split from D Von it was like, meh, another fued between ex tag team partners but probably won't be all that great.

After that fued ended and bully ray sought a spot in Immortal, he has taken on the role as the major heel wrestler in TNA wonderfully and taking out AJ Styles in the manner he did just elevated him.

I think he needs to get the better of AJ in ths fued in the short term before possibly being Hulk Hogan's nominee against Sting down the line.

Certainly an early contender for Wrestler of the Year.

His mic skills are actually unbelievable. Got to agree with you that he is getting back to his earlier ECW days with the way he just gets so much heat.


Little off topic but what did everyone think of Samoa Joe's promo on the episode of TNA that aired this past week? The entire time I just thought he's been watching too much John Moxley.

AberdeenSteve wrote:His mic skills are actually unbelievable. Got to agree with you that he is getting back to his earlier ECW days with the way he just gets so much heat.


Little off topic but what did everyone think of Samoa Joe's promo on the episode of TNA that aired this past week? The entire time I just thought he's been watching too much John Moxley.

The one where he looked like he wanted to eat the camera?

That one exactly KB! I did think he looked a little peckish.

The one from after Lockdown? I liked it

Yes it was straight out of the Jon Moxley school of promoing.

Not seen any Jon Moxley, might try and find some on youtube when I get a chance.

I would recommend you do mate. His promos are first class. He has been signed up by the WWE but from recent events I wish he hadn't as I don't see him getting to be his awesome self!

I would recommend Moxley’s promos to anyone, adlib 3 minute direct down the camera with a huge amount of intensity type promos. He snaps in and out of heel like craziness expertly and portrays someone who’s border-lining on paranoia and schizophrenia.
Reminds me a great deal of one of my favourite promoers of all time Brian Pillman but with a hint of Heath Ledger’s Joker.

Worth the wait? No not for me, its no secret that I like him and always have but I think his time has come just too late, I wouldn't be surprised if he won a World Title in TNA but i cant see him becoming a permanant Main Eventer