In case you missed it: NXT elimination, Alex Shelley’s injury
Here are a couple news items from earlier this week that I haven't previously commented on.
Conor O’Brian eliminated from NXT: When I saw Conor O’Brian doing his rat gimmick on the first episode of NXTS Season 4, I immediately knew that he was going to be among the first to get the boot (he ended up being second, after Jacob Novak). Acting like a rat isn’t usually a recipe for a successful wrestling career, although I suppose it did work out in Missy Hyatt’s case. Here are my rankings of the remaining four competitors (based on having seen most, but not all, of the episodes this season) – 1. Byron Saxton; 2. Brodus Clay; 3. Derrick Bateman; 4. Johnny Curtis. Saxton has a good look and charisma, so he will probably be given an opportunity in WWE regardless of whether or not he wins the competition; Clay has good size, a menacing look and is decent on the mic; Bateman has a future as a mid-card comedy act; Curtis is solid all-around but I’m just not sure he has the “it” factor.
Alex Shelley injured at TNA house show: I was in attendance at the event in Hagerstown, Md., when Shelley suffered what reportedly is a broken collarbone during The Motor City Machine Guns’ match against Generation Me. I didn’t catch how Shelley got hurt, but I noticed relatively early in the match that he was favoring his right shoulder and grimacing. It definitely came across like he was battling through a legitimate injury rather than doing a great sell job. The next day it was posted on the Facebook page of Shelley and tag team partner Chris Sabin’s band, The High Crusade, that the injury was a broken collarbone. Here’s hoping that Shelley – one of the most dynamic in-ring performers in the business – has a speedy recovery. And if TNA really was planning to split up Sabin and Shelley – which is how it has appeared the past few weeks – perhaps the writers will re-think that decision while Shelley is sidelined. We can only hope.
Photo of Alex Shelley vs. Jeremy Buck at TNA show in Hagerstown by Chris Dolan for The Baltimore Sun
Comments
Travesty. The Guns are the best tag team today second only to beer money. It may be fortuitous. It seems like TNA was threatening to break them up anyway which was a horrible idea. well, speedy recovery to Alex Shelley
Posted by: tony | January 21, 2011 12:06 AM
Kev, I think you should do more short posts like this with snippets of news from the week. I can't be the only reader of this blog that doesn't trawl though all the wrestling sites looking for info?
Posted by: Kenny G | January 21, 2011 2:16 AM
What bothers me about O'Brian is how creative changed his gimmick. When the season started, he said that he was an outcast, rejected because of his rat-like appearance. The idea of a creepy, bullied, bitter loner was interesting. But then they changed it so that he literally thought he was a rat, which was just awful. It was like something out of the old cartoonish WWF of the 1980s. Crawling under the ring like a rat was the last, embarrassing straw.
I think Clay is by far the most promising rookie. I'm impressed with how he's understated his emotions--you'd think a guy with that size and look would be snarling, screaming and generally overselling his rage and intensity. Instead, he's been doing a slow burn for most of the season. It's built up great suspense for when he finally does destroy someone (likely DiBiase).
Curtis is this year's Joe Hennig: arguably the best pure wrestler, but boring and unremarkable otherwise.
Posted by: Go Fish | January 21, 2011 11:13 AM
I usually agree with Kevin's take on previous NXTs, but I see it very differently on this season. I've got it:
1. Curtis - He's certainly more interesting than Hennig and is at least as good in the ring.
2. Bateman - another good in-ring performer and has shown a clear personality. Size hurts him v Curtis.
3. Saxton - if it weren't for his pro, I'd put him 4th.
4. Clay
Posted by: Ruzious | January 21, 2011 5:41 PM
Derrick Bateman reminds me of a cheap un-funny version of Colt Cabana....which boggles my mind as to why didn't WWE just cast Scotty Goldman in a Bateman type role.... they fired the guy who was naturally funny (Goldman) and are forcing another (Bateman) to *try* to be funny and it comes off as forced.
I just don't get it.
Posted by: Jason | January 21, 2011 5:46 PM
Jeremy Buck would be perfect as Drew McIntyre's mini-me.
Posted by: Chris044 | January 22, 2011 10:51 AM