Kip James Is STILL Over

[NSL]

If you don't watch the webmatches at all, I'd recommend taking a look at the latest one, with Kip James taking on Kiyoshi. The match itself is nothing outstanding, in fact, it's a basic 5 minute dark match with absolutely no spots.

I noticed something though. Kip James is still over with the crowd. The pop was the same as if the match was opening Impact. I don't see why he doesn't get any TV time. I know he's a backstage guy, and does some stuff on the road for them, but if the fans still love him that much, why not drop him in some televised matches to fill a few minutes?

 

[Y 2 Jake]

And outstanding 5 minute match? I didn't think it was possible. One criticism that'll always be levelled at a good 5 minute match is that it's too short.

No doubt Kip James is over in TNA, everybody is. There are varying degrees of over in TNA, apathy over, ''Yay, free wrestling'' over and actual superstar over.

I'd pay more attention if TNA fans didn't react to every wrestler inside the iMPACT Zone!

 

[NSL]

No doubt Kip James is over in TNA, everybody is. There are varying degrees of over in TNA, apathy over, ''Yay, free wrestling'' over and actual superstar over.

I should've clarified that this was a "good" over. They booed Kiyoshi, and cheered James everytime he used some offense. His music starting was enough to get a reaction, and I had forgotten what his music even sounded like.

I'm not ever going to say he needs a title push, or even a feud, but he'd certainly be decent filler for a match against someone like EY or Steiner.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

Kip James is one of the more talented guys on the stick that TNA has. I was highly entertained by his role in the most recent webisode.

I think they could give him some decent programs. I would be interested in something pitting him against Nash.

 

[NSL]

Kip James is one of the more talented guys on the stick that TNA has. I was highly entertained by his role in the most recent webisode.

I think they could give him some decent programs. I would be interested in something pitting him against Nash.

I wouldn't say he's one of the best, but I also hold most of the talent in a much higher regard than most people...He's certainly good, and is showing he can still work a basic match, so putting him in the role of "talent enhancement" can't be a bad thing. There's really no one else in that role for the heavyweight division.

A program with Nash would definitely be interesting...

 

[Supersayin]

He is one half of the legendary tag team NAW. Ofcourse TNA can use him better, his mic skills alone are worth the t.v time. I watched this webmatch you are talking about and it made me actually give a damn about him after 7-8 years. The crowd loved him so i dont see wht TNA doest put him on a tv role in some capacity.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

But thinking about the style of rasslin that TNA goes for...it's definitely good to keep a guy like James around. The X-Division is full of guys that don't really talk, and even if TNA is going to be a more wrestling-based organization, it can't lose the element of promos if it plans to create storylines. Billy knows how to work a crowd, and that is something the younger generation needs to know.

 

[NSL]

He is one half of the legendary tag team NAW.

Must've missed them

But thinking about the style of rasslin that TNA goes for...it's definitely good to keep a guy like James around. The X-Division is full of guys that don't really talk, and even if TNA is going to be a more wrestling-based organization, it can't lose the element of promos if it plans to create storylines. Billy knows how to work a crowd, and that is something the younger generation needs to know.

Very true. The X Division has some great characters, but without any solid promos, it's hard to get behind storylines. That's why they rely on high spot matches and gimmicks like Ultimate X. I enjoy those matches, but a good one-on-one is always a good thing. Amazing Red having Don west in his corner seems like a step in the right direction.

Kip could certainly step in as the "outsider" in the division himself, and work a few matches with the small guys, getting them TV time as well, and hopefully cut a few decent segments. I'd prefer him "jobbing" to the stars, but a short run there could always be effective. No matter what he does backstage, there's nothing that compares to TV time experience...

 

[UseYourBrain]

I always thought Kipp James (Billy Gunn) was extremely under-rated and sort of dismissed as not being star material after a few stumbles, though I think with the right package he could EASILY have been on the list of wrestling's biggest names. Athletically, he's probably one of the most well-rounded wrestlers ever. Strong without being slow, fast without being small. That alone is rare.

 

[Hulkamaniac]

My point is, yes, Kip James/Billy Gunn is over, most notably from his days as a member of the NAO. Fans in wrestling pop for nostalgia (good nostalgia, not necessarily Gobbledygooker nostalgia). When they love you, they'll always have a little place in their hearts for you. Kip James may never do anything of consequence in his career, but he'll still get bigger pops then most, because they remember who he was...

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

Holy crap NSL....you are so right.

Just think how good the X division could be if they could back the high spot matches with some great story-telling and creative build-up? I know it's hard sometimes, as with matches like Ultimate-X, we just are given a hodgpodge of workers flying around and bumping. But guys like Kip could really advance these guys and teach them how to mix the in-ring with the extra-ring story-telling.

It would be...it would be the ultimate in wrestling-entertainment. ALL THREE parts of great professional wrestling would be combined.

1) Athletic prowess
2) In-ring story-telling
3) Match purpose (as in, these dudes are fighting for a REASON...and THIS is why)

 

[NSL]

Holy crap NSL....you are so right.

Just think how good the X division could be if they could back the high spot matches with some great story-telling and creative build-up? I know it's hard sometimes, as with matches like Ultimate-X, we just are given a hodgpodge of workers flying around and bumping. But guys like Kip could really advance these guys and teach them how to mix the in-ring with the extra-ring story-telling.

It would be...it would be the ultimate in wrestling-entertainment. ALL THREE parts of great professional wrestling would be combined.

1) Athletic prowess
2) In-ring story-telling
3) Match purpose (as in, these dudes are fighting for a REASON...and THIS is why)

It almost sounds like you're being an ass, but you're right. The X Division has relied on getting the "oohs" and "aahs" out of the crowd, and as of late, hasn't given a damn about storylines. We got a teaser of one out of Homicide and Amazing Red, and are hopefully getting one here out of Homicide and Suicide (Where are the parents?!).

Kip James could come in and cut a few great promos, and work matches with just about anyone, and put the entire division over, without winning a single match. He'd fill the void the division has for heels, and help improve all of their mic skills and non-wrestling segments.

 

[a0161613]

Exactly. The one thing that bugs me about TNA is the fact that they don't use jobbers effectively. Lashley was fed Homicide and Amazing Red was destroyed by Steiner a few weeks back and all that did was demean the X division. To a lesser extent, it is the same with Hamada beating Wilde and Sarita so recently. It achieves very little.

As Kip is over, he would work well with any talent really. I'd much rather see Red work with him or Shark Boy than be squashed by Steiner or any other heel who doesn't need the heat. Same with the womens division, Hemme or Sojo could be kept around for Flash and Hamada.

 

[iamcountrymusic]

It's really weird to me how he gets all these horrid gimmicks. Ass Man, Billy and Chuck, Cute Kip etc.
i still find him very entertaining though. For some reason he's great to me at pulling of these awful embarrassing (no pun intended) gimmicks and they're entertaining.
Maybe people agree with that and still enjoy his matches?

 

[NSL]

It's really weird to me how he gets all these horrid gimmicks. Ass Man, Billy and Chuck, Cute Kip etc.
i still find him very entertaining though. For some reason he's great to me at pulling of these awful embarrassing (no pun intended) gimmicks and they're entertaining.
Maybe people agree with that and still enjoy his matches?

I don't think he gets stuck with the gimmicks, I think he welcomes them. He's made them all "work", as stupid as they may seem. He's a company guy (from what I've seen), and it shows by working in this oddball roles for months and years on end.

 

[X]

I don't give a fuck what anyone says, I'm a Billy Gunn/Kip James mark, and I always will be. Growing up the New Age Outlaws were the coolest thing in all of wrestling (aside from maybe Austin), and whenever me and my friends used to wrestle in the backyard my buddy would always be Road Dogg, and I'd always be Billy Gunn. I perfected that Fame-asser damnit.

The guy is so underrated though. He was always good in the ring, he was great in the tag division, and he wasn't half-bad on the microphone either. You wouldn't know that from all of the terrible gimmicks he's been given though. I thought his singles push in mid 1999 was great and I kept waiting for them to bring him up to the next level as he was getting a good amount of heat from the fans at the time, but they just immediately fed him to The Rock and squashed any hopes of him becoming a main eventer, which is a bit of a shame if you ask me. Given the right gimmick Gunn could've made a solid upper midcarder over the longterm. Instead he got stuck with gay weddings and man-thongs. Damn shame.

 

[mral82]

Monty Soop (Kip James) also made the Stylist for the Beautiful People, the Outlaw or when he was part of the Smoking Gunns, The 1, A guy who played gay, Mr.Ass. He made all of them work cause he's the damn good of a Sports entertainer did anybody see him on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Whatever gimmick he has he does it to perfection.Oh and I forgot the Handyman thing. All of which I think were done great. If he went back to the E I see him bein paired with Maryse or The Miz as that would be "AWESOME"

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Never understood why TNA doesn't make better use out of their jobbers, though I do tread lightly on the discussion for fear of another Shark Boy waking up from his coma as Stone Cold Steve Austin.

As a0161613 pointed out earlier, instead of using jobbers to push guys, they essentially bury X-Division guys by having them take losses to guys looking to springboard a bit. It's kind of perplexing, and a little aggravating when they have plenty of talent willing to job if only to get a little television time like Kip James. They used to use Norman Smiley for this kind of thing all the time...

 

[Super Crazy]

I firmly believe that Gunn could have become a solid upper mid-card guy who could randomly be tossed into a main event from time to time. I loved his singles Push in 1999 and I've always been a fan of his. The New Age Outlaws were one of my favorite tag teams during the Attitutde Era, and I loved his gimmick of Mr. Ass. I actually have theme favorited on youtube.


I honestly feel like he could have gone places in TNA after the whole 3 Live Kru and VKM teaming. He's farely good in the ring and he's not half bad on the mic either. Like I said, he could have been an upper midcard main eventer.

Never understood why TNA doesn't make better use out of their jobbers, though I do tread lightly on the discussion for fear of another Shark Boy waking up from his coma as Stone Cold Steve Austin.

As a0161613 pointed out earlier, instead of using jobbers to push guys, they essentially bury X-Division guys by having them take losses to guys looking to springboard a bit. It's kind of perplexing, and a little aggravating when they have plenty of talent willing to job if only to get a little television time like Kip James. They used to use Norman Smiley for this kind of thing all the time...

I totally agree with you. Why would they want to bury the division that put TNA on the map. That's what jobbers are for. And sure, Kip James is essentially a jobber, but he's one the fans love, and he deserves a televised match every so often, even if just as a filler.

 

[DrFeelgood624]

Like a few others in this thread I am and always will be a fan of Billy Gunn/Kip James. He is clearly still one of the most over people in TNA. I know he will never will be world champ, but he could at least show up on Impact. I mean why not build him up and have him lose to Eric Young in a Global championship match? But hey but if hes happy doing what he is doing, then so am I.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I wouldn't mind seeing Kip James get more TV time. But I have to ask you NSL, did you remember how he was being used the last time he was regulary on IMPACT? He got destroyed by Kong in a stretcher match, and was kicked out the BFP. It was painfull to watch. And he was TNA's repair man backstage, and made out to look like like a fool by Foely. If he were to return how would be able to be taken seriously?

I'm all for Kip returning to IMPACT to have a match every now and then, but I wouldn't want to see him as a jobber. He's beyond that, and can still cut a nice promo every now and then.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I noticed something though. Kip James is still over with the crowd. The pop was the same as if the match was opening Impact. I don't see why he doesn't get any TV time. I know he's a backstage guy, and does some stuff on the road for them, but if the fans still love him that much, why not drop him in some televised matches to fill a few minutes?

I'm surprised that he is still over because he wasn't that great in WWE, hence all the jokes about associating "Bully Gunn" with messing up a push.... and don't even get me STARTED on "Billy and Chuck".... his time as Cute Kip in TNA was a bit embarrassing as well.

Plus I just noticed something. You said he got a pop during a match with Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi is a nobody who just stands around when World Elite comes out, even Jesse Neal would get a bigger pop than him. Has he gotten big pops in these dark matches against anyone who's any good?

I don't see why fans like him and do not think he should be in televised matches because he is just not an entertaining wrestler, he has always either been boring or bad.... he should not go back on tv for that reason.

 

[absent]

I've always liked to watch Billy Gunn/Kip James, whilst not a spectacular stand-out in-ring performer, he can tell a story in match better than most and he can add a lot to promos.

Years ago he used to bug the hell out me 'cos he was so arrogant. One thing that sticks in my mind was a six/eight tag match in the WWE, the one where Michaels pulled out, was replaced by Savio Vega and where Foley got wrapped in barded wire. Billy/Kip at one point did a pose in the middle of the ring as shouted something like "it's just because I'm so damn good". Huge arrogance, and I hated him for that.

But then watching interviews with him out of character, he seems like genuinely one of the most humble and giving guys in wrestling, the complete opposite of his character and that's a real accomplishment. Always wanting to do what's best for the product/company and what is asked of him. Everyone has their down points in motivation and I'm sure he has had his like we all have but overall I'd rate him a very solid go-to-guy addition to any promotion.