The BFF’in News Talk 05.25.11: The Pilot

Nick Bazarcolor=red> & Michael Ornelascolor=blue> have signed on.

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Welcome to the BFF’in News Talk! Michael, am I the bestest BFF in the world?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: You’re certainly up there Nick! And like all BFFs, we’re here to discuss some wrestling, but we want to entertain you readers, too. We like to call what we offer “Sports Entertainment”. It’s also important to note that in our Sports Entertainment column, the initials “BFF” don’t actually stand for anything!
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Oh well, I can still pretend. Anyway, we will be giving our thoughts on the biggest stories of the week in addition to gobs of special features including “The Breakdown” where one lucky wrestler will be profiled, and “Tunin’ In” where we will discuss what we are looking forward to the following week. What’s on tap for us this week, Michael?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: In addition to unnecessary Zack Ryder references, shameless interviews between ourselves, and the week in star ratings, we’ll chat about the passing of Randy Savage, WWE’s recent decision to no longer provide health insurance for its performers, TNA’s new championship, Desmond Wolfe’s health, the Over the Limit PPV, and much more! Let’s throw things over to our pandering Zack Ryder section, “WWWYKIoAYSB?” and get started!

“WWWYKIoAYSB?” is Nick & Michael’s way of cheering or jeering the wrestling world this week.

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: The Legend Killer. The Viper. The Cheerleader. One of those doesn’t sound quite as badass as the others, yet they all fit Randy Orton. Well, after last Friday’s Smackdown anyway. A toe-touching, split jump celebration? Are Youcolor=#1589FF> SERIOUS,color=#FDD017> Bro?color=#1589FF>size=2>
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Some said he’d never make it in WWE. Some said he wouldn’t amount to anything other than a glorified jobber (although very talented). Well now they’re all eating crow, because everybody’s favorite wrestler, Daniel Bryan, made the poster for a WWE Pay-Per-View! I couldn’t be prouder. WrestleMania 28 World Heavyweight Championship match, here he comes! Woo, Woo, Woo, Youcolor=#1589FF> KNOWcolor=#FDD017> Itcolor=#1589FF>size=2>
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: The Randy Savage “In Memory Of” graphic to start Over the Limit was nice. The video tribute to Savage was even nicer, but CMacho Punk (© Michael Ornelas) was the freaking coolest. It’s been awesome to see all the love Savage has been getting his weekend- all well-deserved- and the pink tights with the yellow boots in the main event of Raw was a great treat. Woo, Woo, Woo, Youcolor=#1589FF> KNOWcolor=#FDD017> Itcolor=#1589FF>size=2>
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I hate to be negative, but someone has to say it. Sin Cara was without a doubt a huge investment for WWE. They hyped him up very strongly, and after an underwhelming debut when expectations were high, he still hasn’t found his groove. It’s been almost two months, and he’s yet to really have a memorable match. His best match was against Daniel Bryan, but he could carry Khali to a watchable match. He actually did it on NXT. So yeah, Cara can’t botch the finish to his first PPV match. It’s embarrassing. I really want to get behind the guy, and in all honesty, I enjoyed the match up until the finisher. He failed to get his inside leg around Chavo’s head, and if you watch it slowly, Chavo did all he could to compensate, but it didn’t look pretty. It’s hard to tell if Chavo started spinning his body too early and his head wasn’t where Cara expected it to be, or if Cara just missed, but given his consistent flopping, I’m putting the blame on the masked one here. This is the best you can give us? Are Youcolor=#1589FF> SERIOUS,color=#FDD017> Bro?color=#1589FF>size=2>

Nick & Michael chat about some selected news items this week, and give their thoughts.

WWE Now Requiring Talent to Purchase Medical Insurance

Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: So Nick, going chronologically, our first big news story of the past week is WWE’s changed policy on medical insurance for its talent. Due to their “independent contractor” status, they must now pay for their own. What’s your take on this?
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Since it’s now mandatory, the talent will be able to write it off as a business expense. That’s good I suppose, but a company the size of WWE should really be offering that on their own.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: See, I don’t view it as a bad thing from the “big evil WWE”. I don’t think any other wrestling promotion in the world (I could be incorrect, but I’m fairly sure) provides medical insurance for its talents. And from the sound of things, this doesn’t change their policy on paying for rehab for past and current employees that need it. It’s a cost-cutting measure, I’m sure, as I doubt the WWE doesn’t care about its employees. The only part of this that doesn’t help WWE’s image is the fact that UFC did the exact opposite thing just shortly before this policy was implemented.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I’m not positive on this, but my understanding was that WWE never paid for it. Either way, I used to work as an independent contractor so I wasn’t provided medical insurance. Then again, I worked in an office that didn’t require I put my body on the line and my boss wasn’t a multi-millionaire (that I know of).
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I can understand that these guys put their lives on the line for their employers, but it’s in the job description. They know what they’re getting themselves into, and they do it mostly for US, the fans of the art form. WWE just gives them the arena in which to do it. I honestly think we’re just as accountable for their injuries as the WWE is, and we’re not paying for their medical insurance (although we are contributing). I totally understand how this can cause one to look negatively upon the WWE, but I’m not in that camp.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Again, I could be wrong here, but I’d assume it would be more difficult to buy medical insurance when “putting your life on the line” is part of your job description. At least they’ll get some money back at the end of the year. What’s next?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Good point. Next up are a couple TNA news items.

TNA Creates New Championship for Xplosion

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Okay, so apparently the Xplosion Champion will be able to challenge any other champion on Impact. It’s a pretty good idea to give the secondary show some notoriety, but my only question is: what happens to the TV Champion? Does he get to have a match on Xplosion or something?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Details are pretty muddy right now, but I don’t like the phrasing “any champion”, because the smart thing is always to challenge for the TNA World Championship. If this goes the way of Kaval’s “title shot”, I’ll be very underwhelmed. Either this is a move to get more popular guys on Xplosion (to make the tournament to crown the Xplosion champion mean something), or it’ll be won by a lower midcarder trying to get to the middle of the midcard. I have to compliment TNA’s desire to elevate someone, regardless of who it is, and a tournament is a great way to make something valuable and coveted. I’m just not sure this will bring in many more viewers. If TNA wants to give this tournament some importance though, they can at least give the matches some time and show us just how good their roster can be.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I love tournaments, so I’m all over the crowning process. Like I said, it could be a good idea, it all depends on the follow through. Remember when the TV Champion was supposed to defend the title on TV every week? It was another good idea, but it didn’t last very long. I hope they can see the Xplosion Championship to the end, and let it gain some credibility because like you said, it can help to create new stars.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Exactly. Next up is even more news coming out of Xplosion.

Desmond Wolfe Returns to TNA as Xplosion Commisioner

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: That’s right, Desmond Wolfe is slated to return as the Xplosion Commissioner. What do you think of the role?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I’m selfishly disappointed that he’s not back yet in a wrestling role, but the man is gold on the mic, so whatever puts him on TV. I hope that whatever he’s going through clears up sooner than later, but I don’t want him to risk anything before he’s 100%. Xplosion is so off my radar at this point, that I didn’t anything could get me to watch it (I have to find it on the internet since I don’t have it on TV). Wolfe may be the catalyst that spurs me to checking the show out. This definitely feels like when Stevie Richards was the commissioner of HeAT, but that’s not a bad thing. And it gave us a lot of Victoria segments, ain’t that right Sforcina? Anyways, I’m all for it. You?
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Whatever has been keeping Wolfe out of action has been held under wraps, but it’s obviously something serious. In the event it was a potential hazard to others around him, we should give TNA credit for spotting it and keeping him out of the ring. Like you, I don’t watch Xplosion very often. I’ll catch a few matches on YouTube every now and then, but that’s the extent of it. Wolfe is a fantastic character who will no doubt make the most out of this small opportunity. Here’s to hoping this builds a bridge to his return on Impact Wrestling.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: …a London Bridge, perhaps?
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Ahhh, very good.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Hehe. Moving on.

The World Loses True Wrestling Legend

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: On a serious note, last Friday was another sad day in the world of professional wrestling. Randy “Macho Man” Savage, a true legend in the business, passed away. This one hit me particularly hard, having just read about his decision to stay away from wrestling to dedicate his time to his wife and family. Michael, your thoughts?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I’ve been watching wrestling since 2001, meaning the only real chance I had to see Savage in real time was his less-than-successful run with TNA. Since that time though, I’ve done my homework, looked up countless hours of old wrestling footage, bought the DVDs, and discovered that Randy Savage is probably my favorite 80s wrestling personality. I find my feelings on the situation interesting because while I never really got a chance to connect with the guy by seeing him on TV regularly, I was hit hard by this because all evidence points to the fact that he had finally found happiness with his still relatively new wife. I respect all that he did in the ring, but that’s what struck me as most tragic about his passing.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I admire Savage for taking his work between the ropes so seriously. By all accounts, he was a perfectionist who wanted to make sure there was a plan in place that would make sense and flow properly. He always knew what he was doing, and it showed in his matches; in his prime, he was consistently very good. On top of that, he was a memorable promo that every wrestling fan has tried to imitate at one point or another. I know I have many times, to the point where my non-wrestling fan friends and family members can do it.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: There is also something to be said about his ability to stay out of the limelight, and know when his time as a wrestler was up. It’s not something many have been able to do.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Ohhhh yeaaahhh, I know what you mean. He really was one of the best combinations of in-ring talent and personality, and I’m really saddened by the fact that we never got a Hall of Fame speech from him. He certainly deserved the honor.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: While we won’t get a speech from him personally, I have no doubt he will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame sooner rather than later.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Dig it. Now while we mourn the passing of a true trailblazer in the wrestling business, I want to ask everyone to hold their loved ones close, lay them down, and drop an honorary elbow on them. Everyone grieves in different ways, and well, that’s mine. RIP Randy. You’ll always be a measuring stick in entertainment.

AR Fox Wins EVOLVE’s Style Battle Tournament

Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Even fans of Independent wrestling are saying “Who?” at this one. And that’s not a bad thing. Gabe Sapolsky is staying ahead of the curve and pushing a young guy who I’m sure will be big on the Indies in the future.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Who? You’re making me look stupid with this headline. Never heard of this guy.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: He’s a young guy who’s incredibly athletic. That’s about as much as I know of him other than that he’s wrestled in CZW (but not the hardcore stuff). He’s this year’s Adam Cole, in my opinion. Similar background. Cole came from CZW, dabbled in EVOLVE, and now he has a Ring of Honor contract and is competing with his tag partner (although maybe not consciously) to be the hottest young prospect in that locker room. I think a year from now, AR Fox will be seeing a lot of offers on his table.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I must say, I like the idea of this Style Battle Tournament. It’s a good stepping stone for a young guy, and I hope to see more of Fox in the future.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Yeah, the Style Battle tournament was a great concept. I think the eight styles need to be better defined though. Brodie Lee is no Super Heavyweight, nor does he wrestle that style. Rich Swann wrestling “Rich Swann Style” reeks of desperation to include him regardless of assigning him a style to really represent. The only problem I have with the tournament outcome is that I think Austin Aries’ presence wasn’t used as strongly as it should have been. I think he should have been in the second round, and whoever beat him should have earned the distinction of being the tournament winner. I understand the logic that he’s tougher competition and therefore takes more out of his opponents, but still. It should have meant something more than just one solid match out of Bobby Fish.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I agree. Aries is arguably the most well-known name out of the bunch and could have been used to create a good upset story. As far as the Fox stuff goes, I’ll just take your word for it.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Glad you trust me. It’s sounding like we should move on, lol.

Ring of Honor Headed Back to TV

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Now this is more like it. I don’t follow Indy wrestling as religiously as other writers on here do, but I’m a fan of ROH, and this is big news. Sinclair Broadcasting Group, who covers about 22% of the country, purchased ROH. This means a new television show and the opening of a bunch of doors for the wrestling company. Michael, how big is this for ROH?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Well, that will be determined by the future, but I’m feeling great about it for now. I’ll finally have something to recap again come September! I think Ring of Honor can learn from the mistakes of ECW and WCW in the past and get the momentum needed to multiply its fanbase significantly. It really is the true wrestling alternative. The quality of their TV matches on HDNet varied from pretty average to amazing, but at least every episode was about 65-80% wrestling. If Ring of Honor could land a timeslot on the CW, a channel that has hosted WWE before, it will be sitting pretty to be serious competition for American wrestling’s number two promotion. Hopefully that means EVERYONE steps their game up.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: TNA especially, because they are the #2 promotion. If ROH can get a slot on a known station, we will get a much clearer picture on how well their style of wrestling will click with a casual viewer. In ROH, wrestling really does matter, but we still don’t know for sure if it’s a winning formula on a larger scale of viewership. Another plus is that even if you don’t get whatever station ROH will be on, you can watch the show on their website. More eyeballs on the product will only help to benefit the wrestling business on the whole.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: It’ll also allow them to advertise for EVERY house show they do, as well as their iPPV. With Sinclair’s exposure to most of the eastern half of the country (which is also Ring of Honor’s primary touring perimeter), there’s no excuse not to advertise where the casual viewer can catch Ring of Honor live. A TV presence may also look attractive to wrestlers no longer with the promotion who want the exposure. Exceptional talents like Austin Aries, Kenny Omega, and foreign talents may flock to the opportunity to be a part of the easy number three promotion in the country in terms of reach. I’m truly excited for all the doors this deal opens.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: What a week. It’s still a few months in the future though, so let’s compose ourselves and move on to the next story.

Over the Limit: I Paid for This?

Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: So Over the Limit has come and gone, and many are pretty upset about it. While I agree with the negative criticism that the show didn’t stand out, I don’t think it was bad. The only problem is that it felt like a really long TV program, and not special. It was a whole lot of slightly below-average and a stellar match.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: For $44.99, it was bad. I didn’t pay to watch an extended episode of Raw (and yes, I did pay). Two things stuck out for me: Christian vs. Orton was a hell of a match, and Cole vs. Lawler was booked the way it should have happened at Wrestlemania. I enjoyed watching Cole get his, but I wasn’t as pumped for it as I would have been two months ago.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Well luckily for me, I didn’t have to pay to see it. Went to a bar, so I don’t really feel cheated out of money. I got what I paid for. And some food! Anyways, I thought the show opened well with the right guy going over. The IC title match didn’t stand out at all in my opinion, nor did the Tag Team Championship or the Divas match. I actually liked the Cara/Chavo bout a lot, barring the botched ending, even if it was just Cara hitting sequences of move. The Cole/Lawler segment wasn’t offensive, and it paid off well, I think. Anything there you want to discuss Nick, or would you rather talk the big championship matches?
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I think you pretty much covered the undercard stuff. Christian vs. Orton- wow. Great match that incorporated elements from their previous match on Smackdown. From Christian telegraphing the RKO off the middle rope to Orton blocking the pendulum kick and setting up the rope-assisted DDT, I thought it was very well planned out. I’d say it was Orton at his best and Christian just being Christian.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Yeah, it was a great match, and I gave it 1/2* more than all the other writers here (except you) because of it. They played off their SmackDown match so well and either Christian and Punk can play off Orton better than anyone, or Orton is stepping his game up significantly. I’d like to believe it’s the latter, given Orton’s position at the top of the card, but regardless, Orton has been a part of some fantastic matches over the past few months. That’s even more accurate to say about Christian.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Absolutely. Moving on, the I Quit match hasn’t received nearly the level of acclaim. Let’s face it, it wasn’t a match Cena-haters will like; it was booked for Cena fans. While it wasn’t a great “match,” it was laid out logically, according to the characters involved. That said, it was really more of an angle, and a tedious one at that. Like most, I didn’t care for Cena’s superhuman effort at the end, but again, it was booked to please young Cena fans.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I get that, but what really soured me on it was the ending. Cena looks stupid as hell flailing around, chasing Miz up the aisle whipping him with the belt. One STF later and Miz quits…within seconds!! He should have at least incorporated the belt into the STF, like tying Miz’s foot to something (since we all know from the Daniel Bryan incident that he can’t put it around his neck like he did in his Last Man Standing match against Umaga with the ropes). I am the LAST person to jump on the “so and so was buried” bandwagon…but The Miz’s character didn’t benefit from this match in ANY way.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: In the end, you’re right, he didn’t benefit; but he was made to look pretty smart, utilizing Riley as a partner. It was a good heel tactic for the majority of the match. Not to mention, regardless of the finish, he will still be over, and that’s most important.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Ah yes, the “Jericho Effect”. Well let’s move on.

WWE’s Coming Back with a Vengeance

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Bragging Rights is gone and Vengeance is in. I’ve always liked the name Vengeance, so I’m fine with it, but really, do people buy secondary PPVs based on the name? I’m just happy that the Bragging Rights concept has been done away with. It wasn’t necessary, especially with Survivor Series right around the corner. I must say though, Uprising sounded pretty cool.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I agree, Uprising did sound cool, but you shouldn’t miss what you never had. I always considered Vengeance a middle-of-the-road show each year, and so I’m pretty indifferent on the PPV name change. I will say though, I’m not a fan of WWE’s recent practice of changing the names.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I always thought Vengeance was usually a pretty good show. Off the top, 2005 and 2004 come to mind. I do miss the days of a regular PPV rotation. It’s almost like we’re on an “In Your House” rotation nowadays. If they are considering bringing back old shows, I want Backlash!
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Backlash was the perfect name for the show after WrestleMania. And I’m still baffled that they got rid of the No Way Out moniker for a show that features the Elimination Chamber matches! No Mercy and Armageddon were decent shows that had several years of history. Overall, I’m just confused, because the gimmicked/rebranded shows haven’t really drawn any extra buys. They can blame the economy all they want, the shows weren’t drawing. Hell in a Cell should cap off the end of a blood feud or one that sees a heel’s lackeys constantly attacking the face, so it can keep them out. Money in the Bank is the only show that I like the change. Breaking Point was a good concept, but they didn’t have anyone who used regular submission moves when they booked that one initially, so it wasn’t exactly the best idea for a full PPV. Bottom line is that gimmick matches should happen organically by the way the story of a feud unravels.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Amen. What about Extreme Rules? I think it’s an alright concept, but not when so many of the matches have just become gimmicked Wrestlemania rematches. I think its original placement in June was much better. I do understand the logic behind having gimmick PPVs; I suppose the WWE wants each show to carve out its own reason for being memorable every year, but the execution just hasn’t been all that great.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I think if they had done this PPV name overhaul over the course of several years, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal. The fact that they made so many changes within a year is where I think they went wrong. They didn’t give us time to embrace the idea of the new brands they were creating; they threw them out there and hoped they’d catch on. As far as Extreme Rules, I think it varied in quality from year to year. The One Night Stand PPVs were much higher quality. Since we’re on the topic of quality, let’s “organically” transition to our averaged ratings of all televised wrestling matches in the past week!
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Edge, take us there please!

Nick & Michael provide you with a guide to wrestling in the past seven days and its quality.

WWE NXT Ratings
Darren Young vs. Titus O’Neil: (*1/4)
Yoshi Tatsu vs. Byron Saxton: (*1/2)
Vladimir Kozlov vs. JTG: (*3/4)

WWE Superstars Ratings
Yoshi Tatsu vs. Tyson Kidd: (**1/2)
Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder: (**1/2)
Drew McIntyre vs. Evan Bourne: (**3/4)

Impact Wrestling Ratings
Mickie James, Tara, & Miss Tessmacher vs. Madison Rayne, Sarita, & Rosita: (*1/2)
Abyss vs. Kazarian: (**)
Samoa Joe vs. The Amazing Red: (3/4*)
Matt Hardy & Eric Bischoff vs. Generation Me: (*1/2)
Velvet Sky vs. Angelina Love & Winter: (*1/2)

WWE SmackDown Ratings
Christian vs. Sheamus: (***)
Brie Bella vs. Natalya: (*)
Kane, The Big Show, & Ezekiel Jackson vs. Wade Barrett, Justin Gabriel, & Heath Slater: (**1/2)
Daniel Bryan vs. Chavo Guerrero: (**1/2)
Ted DiBiase vs. Trent Barreta: (*)
The Great Khali vs. Jey Uso: (1/2*)
Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry: (*1/2)

Over the Limit Ratings
R-Truth vs. Rey Mysterio: (**1/2)
Ezekiel Jackson vs. Wade Barrett: (**)
Sin Cara vs. Chavo Guerrero: (**1/2)
Kane & The Big Show vs. CM Punk & Mason Ryan: (**)
Brie Bella vs. Kelly Kelly: (*)
Randy Orton vs. Christian: (****1/2)
Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole: (1/2*)
John Cena vs. The Miz: (**)

WWE Raw Ratings
David Otunga & Michael McGillicutty vs. Kane & The Big Show: (*1/2)
Jack Swagger vs. Evan Bourne: (*)
Melina, Maryse, & The Bellas vs. Eve Torres, Kelly Kelly, Beth Phoenix, & Gail Kim: (N/A)
Kofi Kingston vs. Drew McIntyre: (**1/4)
John Cena & Rey Mysterio vs. R-Truth & CM Punk: (**3/4)

The Breakdown is an in-depth look at a specific wrestler. We examine their past and present as well as anything interesting they have relayed through social media.

This week, we follow…

AJ Styles

Twitter?: Yes
Followers: 22,152
Notable Tweets this week:
No I do not believe the world will end Saturday. In fact my Bible warns us of people who claim to know the end Read 2 Thes 2:1-3 (May 19th)

just picked it up (LA Noire) but I’m on the rd right now. I’ll really get into it when I get home. (May 22nd)

Dear us airways, you’ve put me in a bad mood. Thanks
(May 23rd)

Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Riveting stuff…
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: He’s just being careful not to say anything stupid, unlike other people…
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Like me?
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: …he works with.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: lol

YouTube channel?: No
YouTube updates: N/A

Recent record: 1-2-2

Lost to Tommy Dreamer at TNA Sacrifice, 05/15/2011

Lost a No. 1 Contender’s Battle Royal on TNA iMPACT!, 05/12/2011

Went to a No Contest in a tag match with Christopher Daniels vs. Bully Ray & Gunner on TNA iMPACT!, 05/05/2011

Went to a No Contest in a No. 1 Contender’s 4-Way with Bully Ray, Ken Anderson, & Rob Van Dam on TNA iMPACT!, 03/17/2011

Defeated Matt Hardy at TNA Victory Road, 03/13/2011

Our thoughts:

Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: For our debut Breakdown, we chose to follow AJ Styles. I’m personally excited to talk about the man, since he’s been one of the most consistent performers of the past decade. His athleticism is off the charts, and he’s gone through times where he was booked as a really hot commodity.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I remember switching on Fox Sports sometime in mid-2004, and watching Styles for the first time. He made me a fan of TNA.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I actually found TNA by following Jeff Hardy there in 2004, and once I saw Styles, I learned that there was a completely different style of high-flying wrestling that I was missing out on. I was hooked.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: To your point earlier, there have been times when he’s been made to look like a hot commodity, but it hasn’t always been the case. In the beginning, 2002-2004, the company used him and his talent to their advantage to grow. There was a time in the middle where he was a little lost in the shuffle, but it did pick up in late 2009 with his last World Title run.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: There was also his run in Ring of Honor which was more than respectable. I didn’t really get to start seeing his work from RoH until recently, but it further proves my point about the guy’s consistency. Nick, what are your thoughts on his current spot and his future?
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: I was a bit disappointed with how Styles was presented in the past year, going from a heel managed by Ric Flair and back to a babyface. Styles is someone who works better as a face, so I’m happy he’s back in that role. I look forward to his eventual match with Bully Ray, hopefully at Slammiversary. I could see that taking us through the Summer and into the Fall. Who comes out on top? I’ll go with Styles to set up another run at the title.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: He’s certainly been a huge player for TNA in years past, and I do think he’ll get another run with the title before it’s all said and done. I have two final questions about Styles for you. Where do you see Styles in five years from now, and how do you think he would fare in WWE if he signed with them tomorrow?
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: That’s tough. I’d say he’s at a point right now where WWE wouldn’t show much interest. They are looking at younger guys for the future and Styles is already past 30. In five years, I see him continuing to be one of the top talents TNA has to offer.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: The only problem I have with that is that I don’t think his character will have changed that much. He’s at the top of his game right now, and unless he’s put in strong booking situations, I think he’ll continue to tread water. There’s no shame in staying at the top, but he’s young enough to completely evolve his character by then.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Do you see him succeeding in WWE?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I don’t see him going there, but I think he’d be a hit. He’s a better version of John Morrison in my opinion, and I think he’d have the good to elevate past Morrison’s spot on the WWE card. But I won’t fantasy book. Anyways Nick, give our readers the voting options for next week’s Breakdown, if you would be so kind.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Absolutely. Our choices are the past (and future?) Olympian Kurt Angle, the Internet Champion Zack Ryder and…well, Jey Uso.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: There you have it folks. Let us hear it in the comments!

Vote for next week’s subject in The Breakdown in the comments! One more time, your options are:

Kurt Angle
Zack Ryder
Jey Uso

In this section, Michael & Nick will alternate between weeks asking the other five questions about their wrestling tastes. It can be about their overall tastes or just their thoughts about something that’s happened recently.

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: What’s the number one thing you look for in a wrestling match?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Layla.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Lol
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: In all seriousness though, a story. I need moves to mean something. Psychology has meant more and more to me as I’ve grown older and broadened my wrestling views, so the art form of telling a story is most important to me.

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: Who is your favorite wrestler of all time?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: Shawn Michaels. Stone Cold Steve Austin is close though. And we’ll see where CM Punk is when he’s approaching retirement.

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: What is the one thing you like most about TNA?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: The talent. Their roster is jam packed with guys who can go in the ring and not show signs of fatigue. Most of their movesets are fantastic as well. When TNA gives us a no-nonsense twenty minute match, more often than not, it’s better than anything anwhere.

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: What is your favorite live wrestling event experience?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: …THAT is a tough one to answer. I’ve been to many great shows live, including WrestleManias XX and 25, but I think I’m going to have to say Royal Rumble 2007. I was with one of my best friends, Trevor, and we were treated to John Cena vs. Umaga in a classic Last Man Standing match, and I got to mark out like a little kid when I thought Shawn Michaels was going to win the Rumble match. Even though he didn’t, I was treated to what I consider the best Rumble ending ever. Great night. And unlike WrestleMania 25, we didn’t have drunk hecklers right behind us.

Nick Bazarcolor=red>: At the current moment, which promotion do you enjoy the most?
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: At the current moment, I think I’m going to have to say CHIKARA. I look forward to seeing their new releases the most. Ring of Honor and PWG are good, but sometimes I get restless during the undercards. WWE is great too, but CHIKARA is just so solid right now, so that’s what I’m going with.

The purpose of Tunin’ In is for us to explain what we’re most excited to watch next week based on what went down this week.

Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: So after viewing Over the Limit, I’ll be Tunin’ In this coming week to see how Christian’s character developed. Since Orton won the championship off of Christian, both men have shown both heel and babyface tendencies and I’m curious to see who will eventually turn. After Christian’s shoving Orton after the match at the PPV, then shaking his hand, then hesitating before walking up the ramp, I can’t help but feel that more developments towards a turn by one of the men will come to pass this week on SmackDown. This feud is far from over, and if they keep having matches like they did at Over the Limit, I’m absolutely fine with that.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: If one of them does turn, I think it’ll be Christian. However, after watching Smackdown last week, I’ll be Tunin’ In later in the week to see where they go with this new apparent partnership between Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase. DiBiase didn’t seem like he was 100% behind what Rhodes was doing, so it’ll be interesting to see if this is a team or if it becomes a rivalry. Personally, I hope it’s the latter. Rhodes needs a new feud after his great work with Mysterio, and DiBiase could stand to benefit from a feud with Rhodes.
Michael Ornelascolor=blue>: I personally was bothered by this pairing because I think Rhodes was slowly but surely working his way towards the main event, and this hampers that slightly. After seeing the execution of the angle on the show though, I’m intrigued as well. And hey, there’s always a chance for him to win Money in the Bank.
Nick Bazarcolor=red>: There’s an idea. Well, that concludes our debut edition. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. We will be back next week, and don’t forget to vote for you whom you’d like to see in The Breakdown. Thanks for reading!

ttyl!

Nick Bazarcolor=red> & Michael Ornelascolor=blue> have signed off.