Ben Smith looks at the wrestlers that have made it to the UK finals of TNA British Boot Camp – taped from York Hall, Bethnal Green – to be broadcast this Sunday on Challenge TV.
Dave Mastiff
An impressive big guy. He’s more athletic than he looks, and put together an impressive sequence in his audition, along with a fair promo. There’s no doubt that Mastiff can go in the ring, and he could be a dark horse.
El Ligero
A remarkable worker that has been formidable in the UK over the years. It’s unlikely, though, that there’d be demand for another masked luchador gimmick on television. Promo work is a huge factor in British Boot Camp, and this will hold Ligero back.
Grado
Ah, the Marmite man. I struggle to find anything to like about Grado – he’s out of shape, he wears a snapback, an ugly singlet, and his persona is bothersome. Some may enjoy Grado’s childish behaviour, and will have loved his confrontations with Al Snow up to this point. His skits in the first three episodes seemed to follow the typical reality TV presentation, and it’s something I can imagine TNA wanting to continue throughout the series. I fear Grado could be here to stay.
Joel Redman
Eager to make it in America after being let go by WWE, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from his microphone work. He’s got a great look, and is a good bloke, but in mainstream wrestling, you have to be able to talk – I’m not sure if Joel can produce when it’s needed.
Kasey & Leah Owens
Of all the UK finalists, The Owens Twins were perhaps the most fortunate to advance. You get the impression that TNA wanted more women and a tag team in the competition, so their inclusion kills two birds with one stone. Their in-ring ability is nowhere near the level of the other girls in British Boot Camp, so it’d be hard to justify taking them any further than this stage.
Kay Lee Ray
Kay Lee is potentially good enough for the Knockouts division, and would be a good fit. TNA already has a redhead in Christy Hemme, but Kay Lee brings enough to the table for that not to hold her back.
Kris Travis
Not a stand-out during the auditions. He’ll need to step it up and fight his way through.
Mark Andrews
An entertaining high-flyer that would have no issues in slotting into an Ultimate X match or leaping off a cage. Andrews is a likeable Welshman who should go far.
Martin Stone
Evidently angered by his release from WWE, and you sense his desire to prove his worth. His audition was solid, and the promo was believable. Whether or not his grit and determination is enough to carry him to the latter stages of British Boot Camp remains to be seen – but he has a chance.
Nikki Storm
A good talker; Storm can clearly hold her own in this competition. She and Kay Lee Ray are no strangers to one another, as they’ve battled on numerous occasions, and I feel it’ll be those two battling to be the best female on the show, and who knows – possibly to win the whole thing.
Noam Dar
There are so many elements to the young Scot’s character – he has to be among the favourites. From cutting a promo in Hebrew, to his imitations of rock’n’roll legend Liam Gallagher, and his in-ring ability that has been showcased on some of the biggest shows in Britain in recent years, Dar would be a perfect fit for the X Division.
Rampage Brown
Can’t fault the guy’s physique, but unfortunately charisma is severely lacking. He’ll always be a draw on the UK independents, but I don’t think there’s anything for him in the US.
Richard Parliament
An interesting, innovative gimmick, but one you could imagine becoming quite irritated by after a while. Parliament’s unique promo alone got him through to the finals, and it’s difficult to see him going much further in the competition.
RJ Singh
A fair audition, but I thought it would be touch and go as soon he made it to this point in the competition. There’s nothing wrong with Singh, but nothing that would make me tune into Impact or buy a pay-per-view, either.
Sha Samuels
The real deal. In my mind, Sha Samuels will be hard to beat this year, and perhaps only one or two are capable of it. He’s convincing in a promo – which is hugely important – and is a mean-looking individual. The butcher gimmick is fresh, relevant, and something I’d love to see him run with in TNA. Of course, Samuels can work a match too – even the small glimpse of his in-ring work at the London audition was a good watch, and there’ll be more of that in this weekend’s broadcast from East London.
Summary
My early pick to win the competition is Noam Dar. He’s young, hungry, has bags of ability and has put on great matches with the likes of Jerry Lynn and John Morrison among others. He’ll be run close by Sha Samuels who – while it’s great to have such a talent in East London – would look great in the Impact Zone.