Think he was just a victim of the yearly roster cuts at the time. Know Maxine had some attitude issues leading to her release although related to frustrations at being stuck in NXT and WWE unwilling to consider a call up for her.

Fucking love Catrina. That was the best thing to happen to her. And me, I guess.

Wait are allthese guys not in Impact any more? Who the hell is left over there?

They're all still there. It would be a lot cooler if they weren't, though.

He's an unnatural try-hard who overacts. Comes off like he's a kid playing wrestler who's a bit soft in the head.

Eli Drake is a natural though.

Sorry, Noid.

So anyone answer the other question. Besides EC3, who is a better promo on Impact?

Ah, Konnan. But he doesn't wrestle.

James Storm has left, and I feel that Eddie Edwards is about to leave. Bobby Lashley is rumored to be leaving too.

El Patron. James Storm. Pretty much anyone who is believable and doesn't seem like a kid sending in an awkward video to a YouShoot promo looking like he's auditioning to be a wrestler.

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It's like The Miz if he didn't actually have charisma and tried REALLY hard to manufacture it.

You realize I was talking about Eli Drake, right?

EC3 does sound weird sometimes, yes. I was touting Drake for the past page and a half though.

I should have said "besides EC3, who on Impact is a better promo than Eli Drake", that line of thinking stemming from Noid being so our on Drake. My bad.

I think EC3 is entertaining on the mic, but I get your point.

Oh. You were talking about EC3 being the best promo other than Drake earlier and I didn't realize you'd switched it up. MY BAD.

But the "besides EC3" isn't necessary. Drake is the best period. Not even sure I'd have anyone at a close second.

I'd put Konnan at second after some thought.

Excited for Noid blowing a fuse when he sees this Eli Drake blowing session though.

You apparently missed it a month ago when he spent like 2 pages of a thread basically making it seem like he literally vomits when he sees Eli Drake or hears him cut a promo. It was insane. Still baffled at his level of hatred for the man.

I don't get that at all. He's money. Also, there's NO way Noid watches Impact if he barely watches WWE. Just seems bizarre.

Hm, Lashley has the look, wouldn't be stupid to bring him back.

James Storm, too, though I'm not really familiar with his work.

I'm largely going to ignore it. You've taken the hatred literally, as if I actually obsess. I've seen promos and he bothers me. That's it. Destor, can you please close and get rid of this thread now. I will not be associated with any pro-Eli Drake nonsense.

His catchphrase is to go "Dummy! Yeah!" over and over again. What the fuck does that even mean? If you can explain it to me in a way that makes sense and isn't lame, I'll let you pick a tattoo for me. He's always waiting for it to catch on, but no one really gets it, because it doesn't make sense and no one is really a fan of Impact Wrestling or cares about him.

I honestly hope he does explain it to you and makes you get a "Dummy! Yeah!" tattoo.

I'm not a huge fan of the catchphrase either, but it's pretty short-sighted to behave as if that's all he ever says.

No one on Impact touches Eli Drake on the mic. Fact of life.

I see what you did there.

I was watching OSW Review and they were talking about the time Bryan and Bateman had to do a "love connection" type game (where the Rookie answered questions and the pro guessed what they said) so they made up completely random pre determined answers regardless of what the question is. It was hilarious

If he doesn't want me to overlook him, then he shouldn't have the worst catchphrase since "Hoorah!"

It's got to make sense, remember.

That's the one I keep going back to in my head. :lol:

I also remember them doing some weird stretching segment. Like Bryan was making him "watch tapes" of something. I can't remember the details, but I remember that being so odd it somehow worked.

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Whole episode is great but the part I'm talking about is at 43:50

Would you call him “Derrick Bateman” or “Ethan Carter”?

I think Ethan Carter would be better, but I see Bateman being more likely.

After the Hardy ordeal they seem to be fine with talent keeping their names. EC3 would be way better than DB2.

There were some vignettes cut while he was in WWE still for a "USA Guy" gimmick. I say bring him in with that. Over the top patriot gimmick. Would work well with annoyingly over the top promo delivery.

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I would actually bring him in as Derrick Bateman. I've thought about this, because the Bateman name means next to nothing. But no one really wants to be reminded of the Carters on WWE television either. Bateman can actually tie his history in with Daniel Bryan, and the idea that he was cut from development is kind of a good thread for him to come back with.

I would, however, take notes from TNA on how to do his entrance theme.

I'd actually do a toned-down version of this. I wouldn't want it to be too over the top, but I would like to give him, without saying as much, kind of an alt-left kind of gimmick. As I mentioned earlier, give him the US Champion and have him talk about how he's the greatest representative of the United States, and that whenever you boo him, you boo American Greatness. I'd probably make his moniker "The American Classic" or something.

How set are we on having these guys as a group?

I’m not sure I like the aesthetic of these 4 together, but I do like some of the ideas that have been suggested for the individuals.

I LOVE the aesthetic myself. It's one of my favorite things about it. I'm sick of a bunch of dudes who all look the same or come from one place blending together as a team. Bobby Lashley as the ripped hoss, Derrick Bateman as the clean-cut American-flag draped prototype, James Storm as the gruff older veteran in the cowboy regalia and Eddie Edwards as the, frankly, generic indy looking guy in long tights.

They do cover all the bases as a group.