TJ Perkins: Is he bland or am I not giving him enough credit?

[Hyorinmaru]

I was arguing with a friend a bit down in the 205 Live LD about TJP and I'm hoping he sees this so we can continue this discussion.

Now I want to start off by saying this isn't a thread to bash the division. If you want to do that go somewhere else. I actually love the Cruiserweight Division and have since I started watching wrestling in 2002. I watch 205 Live religiously and I watched the awesomeness that was the CwC (well most of it anyway)


That being said I can't stand TJ Perkins and I'm in the he's bland as $#!+ camp. He was a breath of fresh air during the CwC not because he was something unique and amazing but because the entire CwC was unique and amazing. I honestly think he only won the tournament and the title. because he was the only one remotely over that signed a contract. He also didn't have language issues, visa problems or indy dates to finish up and was able to jump right over to the main roster.

Since joining the main roster he's done absolutely nothing to make himself stand out both as champion and after losing it. He doesn't stand out in the ring or on the mic during promos.

Anyone can take his place and I honeztly believe no one would give a shit. As much as I hate the term he's the definition of Vanilla Midgit. The more the division is built up and the more others have a chance to build characters through storylines the more he's just not needed.

He comes off as a smarmy douchebag so maybe a heel turn will help, maybe it won't.


What say you guys?

 

[#hamler]

I feel like his entrance music is the only reason people care about him.

Since joining the main roster he's done absolutely nothing to make himself stand out both as champion and after losing it. He doesn't stand out in the ring or on the mic during promos.

It's amazing how well these guys are perceived when they're presented on a smaller stage in NXT or in this case the Cruiserweight Classic. He reminds me of Neville a bit. Neville carried the NXT banner for the better part of a year. He put on exciting matches and was over with NXT audience. Then he makes his debut on Raw and falls flat. I don't know if it's the writers or what but he's gone down hill fairly quickly over the last couple of months. So much so that it's hard to believe he actually won the Cruiserweight Classic.

I do think he's a bit boring. But it's more of the division as a whole. Right now the only one standing out is Neville. Maybe you're right. Maybe a heel turn will do wonders for him. However, being over shadowed by something as fresh as a heel Neville is the last thing you want.

...also, maybe he should stop dabbing when he makes his entrance every fucking night.

 

[Hyorinmaru]

I feel like his entrance music is the only reason people care about him.

It's the only unique thing about him so probably.

However, being over shadowed by something as fresh as a heel Neville is the last thing you want.

He's overshadowed as a Face. Rich Swann & Jack Gallagher are both more over than he is so they might as well go with what seems to be natural for him. He just exudes smarmy douchebaggery even as a face.

 

[#hamler]

He's overshadowed as a Face. Rich Swann & Jack Gallagher are both more over than he is so they might as well go with what seems to be natural for him. He just exudes smarmy douchebaggery even as a face.

I totally forgot about Gallagher.

But yeah I totally agree with you. His facial expressions are complete shit. During his entrance he comes out throws his hands up or whatever and his face is completely emotionless. He gets kicked by Neville or whoever and he's completely emotionless. So yeah I can see him being a natural heel. I would just hate for Neville and Perkins to overshadow one another when so much focus is finally (and rightfully) being put on Neville.

Unless you totally push him down the card but I don't see that happening.

 

[Hyorinmaru]

Unless you totally push him down the card but I don't see that happening.

Not while the division is so thin no.

Once the division has more people in it that know what they're doing however this is exactly what should happen, especially if he turns heel. It'll give him time to learn how to get a crowd reaction and when/if he gets another title run people may actually care.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I'm pretty sure the guy is talented, but his main roster run just proved that he shouldn't have won the Cruiserweight Classic Tournament. This guy actually beat Kota Ibushi, clean. My god.

The only problem with him and pretty much everyone on the division is the focus they do NOT have. Not a single platform to show any emotion whatsoever for him, so of course he's going to get a 'bland' label. He's just a generic babyface who wears snickers or hoodies? I guess that's his thing, I don't know.

He fought Brian Kendrick and they tried to sell it as a teacher/student match. The heel won and the story just didn't progress. He didn't even got angry for being robbed, nothing. He lost and that's it, end of the line.

All in all, TJP isn't anything special in any aspect of the game. But what can I say? People thought he was the shit on the tournament. He was always bland even back there. Now, he's just ultra bland.

 

[Sai the Uganda Guy]

I was a tad bit excited in the Cruiserweight Classic when TJP won. When it came down to the final 4 I knew either he or Metalik would win considering Kota and ZSJ weren't signing (albeit the former is on a per appeaeance type deal). I enjoyed TJP as Manik and Suicide back in the day, so I was looking forward to what he could do without those masks.
And after he won the CWC he cut a 'meh' promo. I saw where they were goin the homeless sympathy thing, but it wasn't gonna work. I figured they would turn him heel upon the debut on Raw... But they didn't. The feud with Kendrick was as bland as can be considering how awfully boring both men are.
TJP should turn heel. But not now, as Neville's turn is fresh. Build the division, and turn him later on.

 

[Navi]

Perkins is pretty good in the ring, and his entrance is great, but I really don't know what his gimmick is yet. At first he was a student to Kendrick, but in reality he comes across as a bit of a douche. I've never seen him as a heel so maybe a heel turn will bring more out of him.

He's young though so he has time to make something of himself. He is very talented and has a passion for the sport. That's saying something.

 

[ShinChan]

Perkins is pretty good in the ring, and his entrance is great, but I really don't know what his gimmick is yet. At first he was a student to Kendrick, but in reality he comes across as a bit of a douche. I've never seen him as a heel so maybe a heel turn will bring more out of him.

He's young though so he has time to make something of himself. He is very talented and has a passion for the sport. That's saying something.

This post sums up everything about TJ Perkins. I agree with you, Navi.

Back to OP. He's basically Cesaro of the Cruiserweight Division. Good enough skills in the ring but par at the mic. Did Cruiserweight Classic made you expect that he's good on mic or something? Nopes, it didn't. He's nowhere near the word "bland". Bland means nothing interesting, I guess that he is interesting enough for me.

And I wasn't arguing, it was a healthy discussion. There's quite a big difference between those two things. He hasn't been given something to do at main roster, I guess no Cruiserweight has been given that until Neville's heel turn.

Ignorant of facts, OP is just a wrong opinion.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I think the guy's pretty bland to be quite honest. When it was announced that he'd signed with WWE, I heard some people claim he had a lot of personality and charisma but he certainly hasn't displayed any of that to me. His entrance is the only thing personality driven about him and, for me, even that's getting old because of his own lack of charisma.

At the same time, however, I have to wonder if TJP wouldn't do better under the booking of Ryan Ward and Triple H. Reportedly, Vince and Kevin Dunn are really the guys in charge of 205 Live and, as has become par for the course in regards to a lot of aspects of the product, seem to have a different vision in mind than Triple H. Triple H, William Regal, Gerald Brisco and a few others in NXT did all the work of putting together the Cruiserweight Classic and the Cruiserweight Division was really Triple H's idea but it ultimately seems that Vince and his favorite yes man, Kevin Dunn, are running it. I just get the feeling that the division isn't as big of a priority to Vince as it would be with Triple H.

To be fair, however, it's entirely possible that TJP was the wrong guy to win the Cruiserweight Classic. All reports I've read have stated that the intended winner was to be Kota Ibushi, but Ibushi didn't want to sign to a full time deal; I have a feeling that they thought they could make an offer to Ibushi that was simply too good to pass up, but that obviously wasn't the case and he was easily the big star of the tourney.

 

[Slyfox696]

He's bland and uninteresting. In fairness to him, the entire division is bland and uninteresting. And in fairness to the division, it was always going to be bland an uninteresting.

If there were interesting and exciting guys available to the cruiserweight division, they would have already been on the roster. I am of the understanding that when the cruiserweights had their own show in front of 300 people, the crowd was excited, but the fact is the cruiserweights just don't have much to offer. When your heavyweight main-eventers are working similar to how the cruiserweights work, there just isn't much incentive for bland small guys.

I say all that to explain why Perkins is bland and boring. I don't know if it is a reflection on him or the division (or both), but he simply is not entertaining.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

He's for the kids. It's pretty simple. The babyface, the colors, the dabbing, the video game entrance, the focus on his "youth". All that screams, "love me kids!". He's not for us even if he is in a division that is supposed to be for "us".

 

[King Patrick Star]

TJ Perkins is representing the Philippines more than any other Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainer in the history of this industry. Batista and Zema Ion represent well, but wearing an outfit based on the Filipino Flag is great. Actually, that might explain my bias towards these 3.

The Wrestling Yoda won the 2013 TNA X-Division Championship Tournament. The Pinoy Boy won the 2016 WWE Cruiserweight Classic. The Duke Of Dab is a former TNA X-Division Champion. The Fil-Am Flash is a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

Yes, Perkins has areas in his craft to work on and improve upon. Who doesn’t?? I say give the kid time, and he will headline WrestleMania one day…right after he wins the Royal Rumble.

 

[ECPirate37]

I'm in the Bland camp. I watched him in TNA and I didn't know if they gave him bad booking, or if he was really bland. I'm starting to think it wasn't TNA's fault this time.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I think the guy's pretty bland to be quite honest. When it was announced that he'd signed with WWE, I heard some people claim he had a lot of personality and charisma but he certainly hasn't displayed any of that to me. His entrance is the only thing personality driven about him and, for me, even that's getting old because of his own lack of charisma.

If I recall he did show a lot of charisma during the Counterweight Classic but I can see they shifted his character midway during the tournament. He started out as cocky and arrogant but after awhile they started presenting him as inspirational story who used to be homeless.

I mean both narratives are fine but I found the sudden change in character to be quite confusing and I guess it confused the fans as well.

Obvious playing an arrogant person makes it easier to show your charisma as well since it does also fit his in-ring style since Perkins is at his best while showboating.

 

[JJohns]

I wouldn't call him bland, but I wouldn't go out on a limb and say that he's the reason that watch. If it wasn't for the fact that the division was so new, he'd be stuck in the lower midcard. He's a good worker in a sea of amazing workers, and doesn't do enough to separate himself from the rest. He is literally a good entrance and that's it at times.

He hasn't been able to connect with the crowd, and it's only going to be a matter of time before they start to turn on him. He doesn't bring enough to the table.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

TJ Perkins doesn't have an interesting character. He's into video games, but that's all we know. I'm not sure how that translates to wrestling or any stories you could get out of that, but that's where he's at now. I'm sure he's talented. He had some great matches in the CWC, but he seems to be lacking that something. Rich Swann and Jack Gallagher are interesting. Perkins isn't. Neville has been interesting since his heel turn, so maybe Perkins needs that. Or something besides his current character.

 

[Alex]

Considering the most interesting things he's done from a storyline perspective is get his ass kicked by Austin Aries and being ordered about by James Storm it's no surprise he's bland on his own.

As Slyfox said the entire division is kinda eh in the personality department except Brian Kendrick (love me some Brian Kendrick). I think the main problem is they're good in the ring they believe that makes up for it. It kind of does but it doesn't help if you're trying to tell a story

 

[nWo2]

Bland, thats why despite his youth, his dabs and great in-ring work that CWC title is currently on someone who isn't BLAND!

 

[BigDaddyKewl]

I haven't watched 205 or the CWC so I've only seen his work on the main roster. But from what I've seen he is talented in the ring and isn't bad on the mic. The few times when he had backstage segments or was on commentary he did ok. I don't really get his 8 bit video game gimmick and I don't think it's connecting. What kids actually play games from 20-30 years ago? He probably needs to be repackaged. It's going to be hard for Perkins to get a break though as it seems he's pushed down the card since he lost the title. Plus they have other Cruiserwieghts that are getting over as others have mentioned like Gallahger and Swan as well as already established talent like Neville.