Team 3D Leaving TNA?

Machismo Fan

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/50255/top-tna-tag-team-may-already-have-made-their-last-appearance-contracts-expiring-this-week.html?p=1

As I have previously noted in the Elite section of PWInsider.com, Team 3D, Brother Ray and Brother Devon, may have made their last official appearances for TNA Wrestling during a promo on last week's Reaction as their contracts are scheduled to expire this week.

The team is not written into this week's Impact tapings, but Brother Ray is backstage at today's taping working as an agent. I have not heard whether Devon is at the tapings. I am told the two sides are still in negotiations but they are not close to a deal yet.

After the beating Fortune laid on EV2.0 several weeks back, Team 3D were featured in an interview that aired on the following week's Reaction episode. That promo may prove to be their TNA swansong, as anti-climactic as it seems.

In my mind, it's a strange situation to think 3D might be on the way out just as the EV2.0 angle is taking off. They were one of the all time greatest ECW acts and one of the most successful post-ECW as well, so one would think that they are a natural to be part of whatever "war" comes out of the angle.

When you factor in how many of their students have been signed by TNA and how much strong work that has come out of the team in recent years (especially in giving Jay Lethal a strong rub during the X-Division feud), to me it seems like a no brainer to want to keep them around, especially for a company that pushes itself as a place where tag team wrestling really matters.

At the Lockdown PPV this past year, we saw how important Team 3D could really be in the right scenario. The mic work by Brother Ray and subsequent brawl through the building against Beer Money woke up a crowd that had lacked energy previously in the PPV to the point that the crowd was far more into the remainder of the show. When you have someone who can use psychology and pull the crowd out of the doldrums so easily, to me, that's a veteran presence you want to keep around. While the Team is certainly older, unlike a lot of veterans, you can make a case that they still have something to give back, having learned the right way under the likes of Paul Heyman, Terry Funk, etc.

Team 3D have been with TNA since departing WWE towards the latter part of 2005. During the TNA run, they captured both the NWA and TNA Tag Team championships, positioning the team as the most decorated champions of all time by virtue of their ECW, WWE and WCW Tag Team championship wins as well.

Mistake in my book, those two are invaluable on any roster. They're very effective as faces or heels and are masters at whipping a crowd into a frenzy plus they're not that old. I hope they can agree a deal (though it probably all depends on how much interest there is from WWE, if any).

waltersobchak

Doubt they'd ever return to WWE, with the absolute joke that is the WWE tag divison currently, but that new promotion in Florida must be a real possibility.. Although didnt a similar situation occur the last time their contracts where coming to an end?

Syferus

Let's be fair - they're way past their peak and TNA is more top heavy with past it wrestlers than ever with the ECW angle. They were great at what they did at their peak but honestly I wouldn't feel I was missing anything if they weren't there.

Machismo Fan

Syferus wrote: »

Let's be fair - they're way past their peak and TNA is more top heavy with past it wrestlers than ever with the ECW angle. They were great at what they did at their peak but honestly I wouldn't feel I was missing anything if they weren't there.

I'd insist that Angle/Anderson wouldn't have been one of the matches of the year without Team 3D.

danny29

I really appreciate what Team 3d have done in this wrestling business but to be honest it is time for them to go and pack their bags and leave. TNA will be better off without em and i dont think theres any thing left for them to prove

jaykhunter

I don't like watching them wrestle but Team 3D really know how to work a crowd; especially on the house shows. Bubba's also good on the mic. But I think they're probably too expensive for what they bring. TNA need to make more tag teams.

I think though, they do provide a 'link' for ECW (if they still exist) and WWE fans to get more comfortable watching TNA.

JP Liz V1

Its a shame if its true with the ECW/Fortune feud happening Team 3D would be valuable in this imo

Dean820

I would let them go if I were TNA, they're two overweight bad wrestlers nowadays.

Mr.Nice Guy

I think they're a waste of TV time. I liked them back around 2000 or so but they are well past their best now. The likes of MCMG and Beer Money are at a standard they cannot get near nowadays.

Machismo Fan

Team 3D vs. Hall and Nash at Lockdown this year illustrates for me how important 3D are to TNA. They put a dull crowd into a frenzy and set them up for Angle/Anderson and AJ/Pope to reap the rewards. Never underestimate the sheer importance of being able to bring a crowd to life like they can.

Mr.Nice Guy

Machismo Fan wrote: »

Team 3D vs. Hall and Nash at Lockdown this year illustrates for me how important 3D are to TNA. They put a dull crowd into a frenzy and set them up for Angle/Anderson and AJ/Pope to reap the rewards. Never underestimate the sheer importance of being able to bring a crowd to life like they can.

Surely getting rid of all four of those old-timers, and replacing them with four younger guys, would get the crowd hot for later matches?

I think the mic work of Ray and Devon is a bit overrated. They were good in ECW but as I think Michaels has said when having a pop at Shane Douglas, it's not too difficult to get heat when you're effing and blinding away as the Dudley Boyz tended to do.

Machismo Fan

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Surely getting rid of all four of those old-timers, and replacing them with four younger guys, would get the crowd hot for later matches?

Not necessarily. That Lockdown had The Guns, Kaz, Moore, Kendrick and Homicide all involved in good matches but it didn't get the crowd going. It took 3D a short promo and a six minute match to get the crowd fired up. That doesn't wear out the crowd either, if you had two young guys have a match of the year candidate and it get the crowd going, it'll also tire the crowd out. 3D don't do that.

At the end of the day, wrestling comes down to the ability to connect with the audience and 3D have always been able to do that plus they can still deliver in the ring so why would you get rid of such a useful asset.

parker kent

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Surely getting rid of all four of those old-timers, and replacing them with four younger guys, would get the crowd hot for later matches?

I think the mic work of Ray and Devon is a bit overrated. They were good in ECW but as I think Michaels has said when having a pop at Shane Douglas, it's not too difficult to get heat when you're effing and blinding away as the Dudley Boyz tended to do.

The Dudley's haven't been able to eff and blind since they left ECW. They still know how to work a crowd and are valuable to have around. They could do with getting in shape, but I would definitely keep them. It is the likes of Dreamer, Flair etc that are wasting TV time in TNA.

Butch Cassidy

They peaked over 10 years ago in ECW imo. Their initial WWF run was brilliant TV what with the putting May Youngs through tables and stuff.

Paul Heyman made a comment about these "legends" in TNA at the minute and well erm... there's a few too many hangers on surely?

Machismo Fan

Butch Cassidy wrote: »

They peaked over 10 years ago in ECW imo. Their initial WWF run was brilliant TV what with the putting May Youngs through tables and stuff.

Paul Heyman made a comment about these "legends" in TNA at the minute and well erm... there's a few too many hangers on surely?

3D can contribute in a very meaningful and helpful way to the TNA product unlike the likes of Nash and Hogan.

Furious-Red

Agreed at least 3D dont mind putting people over unlike people like Nash/Hall

parker kent

Syferus wrote: »

Flair's a hired gun, but as long as he rarely wrestles his promos still are as chaotically awesome as they ever have been and is a big plus for TNA. Worth the money they're paying him, though? Highly debatable, but it's better than Scott Hall and the Nasty Boys. Dreamer, well that's another story.

On a side note, Dreamer trying to look agressive saying 'woo' to Flair on last week's Impact has to be one of the unintentional comedy moments of the year.

Flair is an embarrassment to himself and TNA the way is now. His promos are nonsensical BS. Plus once he is there, the threat of a Ric Flair match remains a horrible possibility. Nobody wants to see his saggy man boobs in an awful match anymore. I get embarrassed being a wrestling fan when Flair is on-screen nowadays. I hate those moments in wrestling!

The Dudleys add legitimacy to TNA. They are recognisable and can still perform to a point. New viewers may not know who Beer Money or the Motor City Machine Guns are, but they are more likely to recognize the Dudley Boys. Just having them around can help elevate teams. They can be the team that others face before they get a shot at the titles.

JP Liz V1

http://www.prowrestling.com/article/news/16232

Team 3D did not appear at last week's TNA iMPACT tapings because their contracts expired. The tag team isn't booked for No Surrender but is still penciled in for a match at Bound For Glory. People in TNA expect 3D to re-sign with the company.
Regarding a WWE return, there have been people pitching for The Dudleys to return, which would lead to a DVD release. So far, 3D returning to WWE is just an idea that has been pitched and nothing anyone with power has made a call on.

JP Liz V1

Source

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com is reporting that Team 3D has not signed new deals with TNA at this point, however both team members have agreed to work TNA's upcoming Northeast tour of NYC, Philadelphia and New Jersey. The report indicates that this might be the "last time you see Team 3D," which is more likely to mean as a team rather than in TNA, or at least that's the way TNA wants it presented.

JP Liz V1

Source

There was much head shaking over TNA Wrestling re-signing Team 3D to new contracts. While Brother Devon is quite popular in the locker room and Brother Ray is considered good in a backstage role, many feel there is no money to be made in bringing the two back as a tag team, let alone as singles competitors.
"They shouldn't have been re-signed," said one company source. "No one (in management) gets its."
To clarify, a number of people in management didn't want them re-signed, but TNA president Dixie Carter felt otherwise as it is said that she "really wanted to bring the duo back."

Mr.Nice Guy

I'd well believe there are heads being shaken. They were great in their prime but their best days are long gone and the spotlight needs to be on the likes of the MCMG and Gen Me.

JP Liz V1

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I'd well believe there are heads being shaken. They were great in their prime but their best days are long gone and the spotlight needs to be on the likes of the MCMG and Gen Me.

I feel TNA might push another Hardyz/Dudleys feud :rolleyes: TNA have great teams in MCMG, Gen Me, Beer Money and Ink Inc

parker kent

I'd rather watch the Dudley's instead of Flair, Hogan, Bischoff, Jarrett, Dixie Carter, Sting (bar one-off appearances), Nash, Raven....

Getting Russo, Hogan and Bischoff out and knocking some sense into Dixie (not all I'd knock into her ) would be higher on my priority list!