?Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com

On Monday, August 15, 2005 at 6:27 AM EST

It's really kind of funny. Last night in Orlando, Florida, we have a crowd of who knows how many going absolutely ape crazy over 10 matches that are, from what I read, pay per view quality, and pay per view entertaining, that being the TNA Sacrifice pay per view.

During that same card, we have the crown jewel of TNA, at least, in his own mind, talking about a "Black Wednesday up north" and the arrival of new talent. Sounds like some interesting growth and development from the new kids on the block, don't you think?

Then, we got, back in Stamford, or somwhere thereabouts, a former TNA superstar, who had only been on Velocity for a month, tops, after sitting in limbo for God knows how long, wanting out of WWE entirely. Kazarian waits for a shot at the big time, gets it, signs on the dotted line, but because of the creative idiocy that is World Wrestling Entertainment, "The Future" is going to find his, elsewhere.

How stupid can the WWE be?

Now, I am going to be honest, I have never seen Kazarian compete. But, I have heard things, and I have read things as well. I can probably surmise without too much trepidation that Kazarian's presence alone could bolster a weak cruiserweight division. Weak, I say? Well, hell, it has to be, if the Stamford elite brought back, or are in the process of bringing back Spanky Brian Kendrick and James "Jamie Noble, I'm your By God ROH Champion" Gibson.

So, here we have Kazarian, floundering on Velocity, even getting so much of a shot as beating the former champ, Paul London last week. Oh, one quick aside, how much longer before I end up writing one of these pieces on London? How quick is he going to get squashed in the giant sized vice that is WWE? Now, he is allegedly, going to get pushed, Kazarian is, but before he even gets to Smackdown, WWE goes to him to cut his hair and change his look? Um, guys? There are guys on the MAIN FREAKING ROSTER WHO NEED TO HAVE THEIR LOOKS, NOT EVEN THEIR JOBS CHANGED... I can come up with a half dozen guys right now, off the top of my head that either A) need to be cut, or B) need to be repackaged, quickly.

You don't believe me? Ok. How's this. Scotty 2 Hotty. I loved the persona back in the day, but with Too Cool and Rikishi long since gone, don't you think he is next on the chopping block? Sylvain Grenier. What the hell are you gonna do with this guy except make him an angry frenchman. How's he gonna do it on Smackdown? He hasn't wrestled half a dozen singles matches all his life, and now, he's on the brand desperate for a name or recognition? Doubt he's gonna survive. Orlando Jordan. The so called best in the United States has turned himself from the "Chief of Staff" in to the Smackdown version of Ric Flair. And what's sadder, Jordan isn't even in Ric Flair's league when it comes to talent, especially when trying to kiss somebody else's ass. How depressing and shameful it is for WWE to put that goregous creation of gold on that spineless oaf's waist. Sho Funaki. Ok, Loyalty will get you somewhere, but not all the where when WWE is concerned. Without the rest of the far east contingent, Funaki is a jobber waiting for his head to get chopped. Yoshihiro Tajiri. For the same reasons as Funaki, and with Regal on Smackdown, tagging is out of the picture for the forseeable future, and I can't see Tajiri making a major title run, hence, his life is probably dancing in front of his eyes. Steven Richards. Ok, the bWo is a good idea to bring in, but if we brought them in, then where the hell are they? Are they that cheap to have them come in this briefly, cut open JBL like rotted fruit, and then disappear again? Come on, the gimmick works, we all know it, but hell, we gotta pay homage to Dean Malenko with Simon Dean. I can probably guess that Malenko, somewhere in the back of his mind, is puking knowing that this gimmick has his john hancock, backwards or otherwise, involved with it.

Back to Kazarian, now that I proved my point rather easily, it's really pathetic how WWE tries, and unfortunately, succeeds in providing such terrible product for the fans of its company, while others struggle to continue to survive. I saw just this weekend how Ring of Honor is celebrating CM Punk's graduation to the WWE with the 2 out of 3 fall match he had in Chicago to say goodbye against Colt Cabana. If I was Punk, I'd not burn bridges just yet. I would be surprised, hell, shocked, if WWE manages to put Punk in a storyline of some magnitude for some time. Hell, Punk alone is a major competitor, but what did the geniuses try to do initially? Bring him in with Alexis Laree. No disrespect to Laree, but a brand new duo like that is like oil and water, it just doesn't add up.

Why bring this up? Because I would bet, a lot of pseudo-currency, that this is going to pan out similar to the Kazarian situation. Punk is going to be beaten down like a dog creatively, and he's not going to accept it, and in the process, get pissed off, and leave. And what does that entail in the long run? Months of a career that nobody will get back. Yes, maybe there is a monetary value involved in joining WWE. But, what is the true value in career currency? Is it worth the risk of ceasing a status in Ring Of Honor that has not been paralleled since the likes of Paul London? (CM Punk) Is it worth a significant shot at superstardom in TNA? (Kazarian). Is it worth giving up the World title in an up and coming company like Ring of Honor for another shot? (Gibson, and in a way, Punk as well). I know there's a monetary stipulation to all this, but WWE has begun to seem, for certain individuals, like almost a career suicide.

I mean, let's call it this way, in closing. What has more marquee value? Cena/Jericho & HBK/Hogan or Joe/Styles, Aries/Daniels & Rhino/Jarrett vs. Sabu/Raven. What has more marquee value? Raven/Rhino for Unbreakable coming next month, or Angle/Cena, again, at Unforgiven? What has more marquee value? Joe vs. Daniels for the X title, or Carlito vs. God knows who, or Jordan vs. God knows who for the IC and US titles.....Carlito's been too involved with Jericho, and who the hell is Jordan competing with anyway?

Man, this is depressing. I gotta quit while I'm behind. Click here to drop me a line. If you do after this depressing piece, I give you credit.

I'm out, for now.

KIMOSABE, Sumo!?!??!?!?!?