Defending Black Reign

[Godhand]

I dunno. There are probably better people to have kaz feud with.
I dont really dig the gimmick myself.

[hollywood]

The whole thing screams of Russo.

So yea, it sucks.

[Andrew is Good]

Brother Ray and Brother Devon are excellent workers. I wasn't talking about them. Team 3D can work with anybody, and make them look good. That's what it's about. It's not about how many flips you can do, or how many head drop suplexes you can do, then get up and pound your chest, no sell it and hit somebody with a lariet. I'm not talking about how many cool spots guys can pull off. I'm talking about being an actual worker, as opposed to an acrobat. Team 3D know how to get the crowd involved, Dustin Rhodes knows how to get the crowd involved, VKM knows how to get the crowd involved. They know how to engender heat and caplitalize on it. They know a lot when it comes to being in ring performers, and while they may not be the most athletic certainly (except Kip, he's a pretty good athlete, despite his gay ring attire), but they use their brains and they can help the talent in TNA, and have.

The Machine Guns are great talents, but man, Team 3D made the Machine Guns look better then I've seen them against any team, including their match against the Briscoes (but then again, the Briscoes don't sell much anyway). Dustin Rhodes has ring savvy and know how, which a lot of guys in TNA don't compared to him. Having him on TNA is going to help talent because he is an established name, and he has the know how to get talent over. And that's why Dustin is there in the first place. How many matches has Dustin Rhodes won? I bet I could count on one hand. But I'd need a whole lot more to count how many he's lost.

People attack guys like Team 3D, Dustin Rhodes and VKM. These guys combined know more then the entire TNA roster. Sure, they may not be in the best of shape, but they know what they're doing, and how to get talent over. It's not like Dustin Rhodes took somebodies spot and is winning all the time. He constantly jobbed to Abyss, now he's gonna put over Kaz, he'll keep his hit, put the next guy over, and then the next, and so forth. And Team 3D, hell, if it wasn't for them, who would LAX be? Who would the Motor City Machine Guns be? Team 3D helped make LAX the established team they are today, Team 3D helped make the Machine Guns (and continue to do so) the established team they are today. Just because they wrestled in Japan, doesn't mean they're big, over tv stars in the United States. Just because they had a good match with the Briscoes, doesn't make them big time stars.

But you know what does? Beating, and constantly beating one of the most established tag teams ever.

[thesarsvolta]

unfortunately im gonna have to put on my fantasy booker hat on for this but i think Black Reign is another good idea poorly executed.

the idea of a split personality is a good one and surprisingly original in wrestling, given how easily it could be set up, and the emotional dollar of it. personally although i agree with above statements about his wrestling i do think he is a great actor and the perfect vessel for the idea.

however there has been no real reasoning behind it, no true beginning. what would have been more interesting is if it had built from the ground. maybe Dustin Rhodes could have had a streak of close losses against some lower heels, and become visibly destressed/depressed.

herein comes James Mitchell, after just 'losing' Abyss, who in coming weeks begins to manipulate Dustin, giving him guidance and helping him in matches in dirty ways, bringing on a winning streak against lower faces.

however Dustin would not be a part of these dirty tactics himself, though he would be increasingly under Mitchells influence. after 2-3 matches Mitchell would tell Dustin to carry on attacking his opponent, yet Dustin would refuse. this would all build up to a PPV match against Abyss, which Dustin would lose after Mitchell was somehow unable to help him.

the following week Mitchell, now with Judas Mesias, would shun Dustin. without Mitchell, who has been like a father, would be lost and without the one thing that has brought him glory and, in a way, certainty.

the next week Dustin would be victorious against a lesser wrestler, possibly someone brought in for the night. on his way out of the ring he would turn around and race back to the ring and begin to strangle the wrestler he had just beaten. this would last around thirty seconds with referees trying to pull him off until he suddenly snaps out of his frenzied state.

the culmination of this would be that Rhodes now has a split personality; that of James Mitchell. without Rhodes own inner good conscience there is nothing to prevent these attacks from taking place.

that would take things up to the present day.

[laotioncommotion]

I really can't stand comparing the character to Goldust. What makes them similar at all? The wig? The outfit? I mean, there's superficial similarities, but nothing of any actual substance. It's just more stupid comparisons like when people said Goldberg was a ripoff of Stone Cold or Abyss being a ripoff of Kane. Once you actually view the character for what it is, it's very different. And Black Reign was going to be a Gooker nominee from day one. Most people didn't begin to give the character a chance, and don't enjoy it now because of that.

[Hiroshi Hase]

laotioncommotion said:

I really can't stand comparing the character to Goldust. What makes them similar at all? The wig? The outfit? I mean, there's superficial similarities, but nothing of any actual substance. It's just more stupid comparisons like when people said Goldberg was a ripoff of Stone Cold or Abyss being a ripoff of Kane. Once you actually view the character for what it is, it's very different. And Black Reign was going to be a Gooker nominee from day one. Most people didn't begin to give the character a chance, and don't enjoy it now because of that.

That's commonplace for people to do that as every gimmick post-Goldust that involved him wearing facepaint would have people comparing it to Goldust even if it's not the same gimmick.

I saw the gimmick and wasn't intrigued or interested so I just tuned out as he just bores me frankly.

[Deleted]

The idea that Black reign is a Goldust rip off is kind of the point.

The back story is that Dustin Runnels could never get out of the shadow of his father and was only successful, the more bizarre he acted.

So after years in the business his mind has become so delusioned and screwed up, that it manifested into the "Black Reign" persona.

It's hookey and a bit of a stretch, but makes sense.

And he's basically a jobber. When a TNA guy beats him, they're beating a former IC and US champion. Using Dustin Runnels as a jobber makes more sense than Shark Boy or Kenny King, as the guy beating him gets a bigger rub.