Superstar Spotlight: Bully Ray
Bully Ray is one of the best characters in TNA right now, but I didn’t always like him. Aside from saying hello to him at an AC/DC concert, I don’t know him at all. Many people have heard about how he is a jerk backstage, but I can’t base my opinion on rumors. My basis for not liking him is strictly about his character, and I will explain why.
The Dudley Boys did everything they really could in WWE, so they got split up during the draft. Devon became a priest and got a deacon (Batista), and Bubba was… a tough guy? I don’t know what his gimmick was, and I thought almost everyone there was supposed to be tough. Bubba got over and competed for the Hardcore and WWE Championships, but he ended up reteaming with Devon and Spike Dudley. I think everyone just wanted HHH to lose during that period in WWE, but I don’t know why I would want Bubba as my champion. I just felt like he was pushed quicker because he was a new draft pick, but I didn’t have a reason to care beyond that.
Fast forward a few years to when the Dudleys debuted in TNA as Team 3D; WWE trademarks killed them and the name was stupid. Besides that, they had a bunch of fresh feuds with America’s Most Wanted, LAX and the Motor City Machineguns. After that, they feuded with the entire X Division (I hate “let’s attack the Cruiserweights” angles) and the Main Event Mafia, but they ended up announcing their retirement in 2010. They really didn’t have anything left to prove, just like wherever they worked before that, but we know how long retirements last in wrestling.
Bully Ray turned on Devon and said he was going out on his own because Devon couldn’t get it done anymore and he was the better teammate. I liked the turn but thought I wouldn’t care about him, just like I felt with his first singles run. I was wrong, but TNA actually gave him the platform to develop a great character and let him run with it. Bully Ray is just like Bobby Roode in the sense that people just want him to get his ass kicked. He runs his mouth and can handle himself in a fight, but you still want someone to shut him up. I like that he has a chain and talks about his calves. (Look at those calves, they’re huge!) I like that we got a tease of dissention with Bobby Roode, but they did the right thing and kept him as a heel. Bully Ray is good in the ring, puts people over and looks better than he has in years. I think we may eventually see him get another title shot or win, but right now he is in a well-earned position and deserves it.
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