ironworks
06-12-2013, 03:11 AM
TNA Wrestler Bully Ray spoke with Josh Modaberi of Wrestling101.com on a variety of subjects. Below is a quick recap:
On his singles success after years in the tag team division:
In the tag team world I was used to being in extremely high profile matches all over the world. So to become a high profile singles star I’m already used to the pressure and I’m able to channel that pressure into my performances. The only difference is now it’s all on me; it’s all on my shoulders from a total performance point of view. In a tag team match if you need a break or a breather you can always look to your partner and tag out but as a singles wrestler you can’t do that.
On his tag team wrestling goals:
As far back as I can remember being a wrestling fan in the late seventies when I was watching the Stongbows verses Fuji and Saito, I was a tag team wrestling fan first, they are my earliest memories of pro wrestling. I always loved tag team wrestling, I always thought a wrestling match could be much more exciting with four guys as opposed to two.
Before I got into the business I knew I wanted to be part of a tag team, I wanted to have a successful and legendary tag team that people were going to talk about forever, up there with the likes of Road Warriors, Rock ‘N’ Roll Express, Midnight Express, The Freebirds, The Funks, Arn and Tully, all of those legendary tag teams and that was my goal.
I believe Devon and I accomplished that goal, I will never ever say that me and Devon were the greatest tag team that ever lived or the best tag team that ever lived however what I can tell you is that we’re the most successful tag team that’s ever lived. When you sit back and you analyze tag team wrestling history and when you talk about the best and greatest of all time you’re going to have to mention me and Devon, the Dudley Boys / Team 3D have done what no other tag team has been able to accomplish.
On the current state of tag team wrestling:
There is no state of a tag team division anywhere; tag team wrestling unfortunately is almost extinct. I’m happy for guys like Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) and Bobby Roode and Austin Aries are together for a while but it just doesn’t feel the same. As great as Daniels and Kazarian are together I don’t think you can build an entire tag team division around that, because there is such a lack of other teams.
I wish I could tell you that there was light at the end of the tunnel for tag team wrestling in any company but until WWE or TNA really puts the focus on trying to rebuild it, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.
I’m obviously delighted with my tag team run in ECW, the great tag team run in WWE and being the most successful team ever over there and then onto TNA and getting to work with and help develop teams like Motor City Machine Guns and Beer Money.
On his singles success after years in the tag team division:
In the tag team world I was used to being in extremely high profile matches all over the world. So to become a high profile singles star I’m already used to the pressure and I’m able to channel that pressure into my performances. The only difference is now it’s all on me; it’s all on my shoulders from a total performance point of view. In a tag team match if you need a break or a breather you can always look to your partner and tag out but as a singles wrestler you can’t do that.
On his tag team wrestling goals:
As far back as I can remember being a wrestling fan in the late seventies when I was watching the Stongbows verses Fuji and Saito, I was a tag team wrestling fan first, they are my earliest memories of pro wrestling. I always loved tag team wrestling, I always thought a wrestling match could be much more exciting with four guys as opposed to two.
Before I got into the business I knew I wanted to be part of a tag team, I wanted to have a successful and legendary tag team that people were going to talk about forever, up there with the likes of Road Warriors, Rock ‘N’ Roll Express, Midnight Express, The Freebirds, The Funks, Arn and Tully, all of those legendary tag teams and that was my goal.
I believe Devon and I accomplished that goal, I will never ever say that me and Devon were the greatest tag team that ever lived or the best tag team that ever lived however what I can tell you is that we’re the most successful tag team that’s ever lived. When you sit back and you analyze tag team wrestling history and when you talk about the best and greatest of all time you’re going to have to mention me and Devon, the Dudley Boys / Team 3D have done what no other tag team has been able to accomplish.
On the current state of tag team wrestling:
There is no state of a tag team division anywhere; tag team wrestling unfortunately is almost extinct. I’m happy for guys like Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) and Bobby Roode and Austin Aries are together for a while but it just doesn’t feel the same. As great as Daniels and Kazarian are together I don’t think you can build an entire tag team division around that, because there is such a lack of other teams.
I wish I could tell you that there was light at the end of the tunnel for tag team wrestling in any company but until WWE or TNA really puts the focus on trying to rebuild it, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.
I’m obviously delighted with my tag team run in ECW, the great tag team run in WWE and being the most successful team ever over there and then onto TNA and getting to work with and help develop teams like Motor City Machine Guns and Beer Money.