According to multiple reports and pwinsider.com, Bully Ray is set to return full time to TNA as early as tonights tapings.
If this is indeed true, was a full time return to WWE just wishful thinking on Team 3d part? Bully spent months heavily hyping a possible return on social media.
Was it simply a tactic to get TNA to cave in to a full time contract?
Is this a way for TNA to please Destination America in bringing back a major name?
I think it was more Bully Ray campaigning for months to go back to WWE, and when they brought him in at Royal Rumble and had the idea that he was just the same guy as he was in 2001, it pretty much killed his desire. Can't blame him, clearly there was no future in him as a nostalgia act for WWE and really he never should have left his cushy position in TNA in the first place. I think it was really a huge wake-up call for the TNA guys as well, showing exactly what WWE thinks of them in general. Which is to say, absolutely nothing. Much like Sting, anything you do there might as well not exist.
"I think it was more Bully Ray campaigning for months to go back to WWE, and when they brought him in at Royal Rumble and had the idea that he was just the same guy as he was in 2001, it pretty much killed his desire."
ReplyDeleteI don't know about that, this is the same guy who was publicly begging the WWE to bring the Dudleys back to the WWE something like two days ago. =)
http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/586183-bully-ray-luke-harper-face-off-on-twitter-over-3d-vs-the-way-finisher
I think it's more likely he was just really desperate to come back and since they aren't making any overtures he's going somewhere else. Just my 2c.
I'm ready, but I don't see how that has anything to do with you.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, they're accommodating Joe just fine, making him look like a big deal still. Strange, even if it is only in NXT still. Maybe Bully was offered a spot like Rhyno got in NXT and he countered with brining the entire Dudley Boyz act back and then it all fell apart. Maybe HHH has beef with him over something, who knows.
ReplyDeleteI rather enjoy our intermittent friend.
ReplyDeleteYes, HHH apparently has a beef with him dating back to 2002, which probably didn't help his case any.
ReplyDeleteThat's it then, say no more. Looking forward to that surprise #13 Rumble appearance by Punk in 2018.
ReplyDeleteIt could also be wrong time kind of thing. The tag team division for the first time in a long time is actually thriving and had they campaigned for this a year ago they probably would've had a better chance.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, I think Bully is better off in TNA.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, he's one of the very few people that TNA has done well by (they did a great job handling Team 3D, and then the whole Bully Ray thing requires no explanation). As long as he's getting paid well enough, TNA will treat him as more of a star than WWE ever will.
And he fits as a tippy top guy there. He won't be making a lot of money but he will be atop the mountain there
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think they saw any value in Bubba as a singles guy and really cared about bringing back the Dudleys, who were very clearly out the door their last year there.
ReplyDeleteHe would actually fit as a top guy in WWE (lord knows they need some damn good heels), but he'd never get a chance.
ReplyDeleteYeah Id think he'd do just fine if given the chance but like Gail Kim, TNA treats him as a bigger deal and he steps his game up accordingly
ReplyDeleteI don't like talking about TNA. Just thinking about what they could be right now frustrates the hell out of me. If they'd focused more on being the best TNA they could, and NOT trying to unseat WWE (which was NEVER going to happen.
ReplyDeleteIf all it took was great booking and wresling, ROH from 2003 to about 2009 would have been KILLING WWE in the ratings). TNA could have been a solid, respected #2, and the wrestling world would have been better for it (WWE certainly wouldn't be the stale pile of crap it is now).
But, nope. Ugh.
I think he's better off working somewhere that pays it's employees.
ReplyDeleteHe's better off wherever he would make the most money.
ReplyDeleteAlmost forgot about Sting. WWE must've stored him away much like the ark in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet people here argued with me that they booked Bully Ray perfectly at the Rumble.
ReplyDeleteI think his social media campaign was even simpler than that. If you're not contracted to anyone, the money move is to keep people talking about you by whatever means necessary/possible. It can only ever drive your price tag upward.
ReplyDeleteThey did.
ReplyDeleteListen, Bully Ray worked just fine at the top of TNA, but that's TNA. That character would stick out like a sore thumb in the WWE. In the grand scheme of things, Bubba Ray Dudley has exactly one role to fill: one half of the Dudley Boyz, former ECW and WWE tag team champions.
Good on him for getting in great shape and all, but what's done is done. Nobody in the big leagues is gonna take Bubba seriously as a singles wrestler.
It depends. WWE pays better (and actually pays!), but I'm pretty sure his ceiling there if he signed back on would be jobbing to Baron Corbin on NXT. Bubba pretty clearly sees himself as some sort of main eventer and TNA is the only company that will let him be one.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think people read too much into Bubba's Rumble cameo.
ReplyDeleteThey were in Philly, they always do Rumble cameos and Bubba wasn't busy. The end.
Joe is also a guy with a ton of Indy cred that can help NXT be the #1 "Indy" touring promotion like HHH wants it to be.
ReplyDelete