Good Influences

For those who missed it, and who haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere else since, the ROH and New Japan War of the Worlds co-production featured a scene that saw Chris Daniels announce he will be returning to Ring of Honor at June’s Best in the World. This has come about because of ‘The Fallen Angel’s’ departure from TNA, a result of the promotion senselessly opting not to renew his contract.

He’s promised he’s not coming alone and the frontrunner to be accompanying him is his Bad Influence tag partner Frankie Kazarian. His TNA contract has also expired recently and there’s nobody else ROH could bring in that would be a particularly meaningful pairing with Daniels. Outside of him joining up with AJ Styles as a Bullet Club member, which isn’t going to happen, there’s nothing that could satisfy the promise of Daniels returning “home” with an accomplice quite like Bad Influence.

The duo being added to the ROH tag ranks seems like a safe bet. It’s an injection the division could do with after the loss of the American Wolves and the failed experiment of Outlaw Inc. The pairing of Top Prospect tournament entrants Raymond Rowe and Hanson is something fresh but they don’t have the name power to step into the gap at the top. Given time they could work their way up and become a popular combo (they have a look that helps to set them apart and have been pretty good in the matches I’ve seen them in) but that’s a gradual process. And while it’s great that ROH have been making use of Forever Hooligans and the Young Bucks they’re not available regularly enough to help keep the tag scene sufficiently varied and interesting.

'Phenomenal' Frankie and 'Stick Man' Chrissy D.

Bad Influence would be great opposition for reDRagon and could also be put to good use in big event matches against the Bucks and Hooligans. Hey, if Outlaw Inc does miraculously turn back up again at least they’d have a fresh match waiting for them against Daniels and Kazarian. Plus there are various singles matches that would be interesting to see both guys in. Daniels versus AJ Styles in particular could be a big thing for ROH.

I think Bad Influence could also be a good fit with Truth Martini. Over the last couple of years ROH’s resident manager extraordinaire has moved away from managing large groups to being paired with just one client. Which is a waste. Martini is more than just a mouthpiece. Granted that was his function with Matt Taven and is a large part of what he’s doing with Jay Lethal but he can work up a crowd simply being at ringside, he doesn’t necessarily need a microphone. I imagine he’d do well in the stooge manager role of providing outside interference, laughing at jokes, and providing a hyped up intro for clients who can talk well (think Bobby Heenan with Ric Flair).

Not only that but I think Martini’s character would be a nice fit with the former world tag team champions of the world, and that a stable of Daniels, Kazarian and Lethal could be pretty enjoyable. It’s easy to imagine the trio having very good six man tag team matches and working alongside a charismatic guy like Daniels would help to mask Lethal’s less than flamboyant manner. Martini would benefit from managing tag team champions (which I’m sure Bad Influence will become at some point in ROH) and have more bragging rights when he inevitably ends up managing a newcomer at some point in the future. Meanwhile Daniels and Kazarian would benefit from having more people to involve in their skits.

If Truth Martini doesn’t manage Bad Influence it won’t be the end of the world. They’ll still wrestle great matches with reDRagon and Lethal will continue to benefit from playing a new character alongside a manager who helps hide his flaws. But I hope it does happen. Because it could be very entertaining.