His transformation into Joseph over the last year has allowed us to see another of Chris Park. It was clear as soon as the character was introduced that he was designed as a more promo-friendly guy than Abyss ever was. Over time he has transitioned into a comedic role, losing the steely edge displayed when he was first seen a year ago.
When he first appeared Joseph was looking for his “brother”
Abyss. He hadn’t been seen in months, the result of a feud with Bully Ray,
which had involved a backstage segment which strongly (not to mention
disturbingly) hinted that ‘Calfzilla’ had caved in the masked man’s skull. In a
metafictional and mildly confusing twist it was acknowledged that Abyss was a
TV character played by Chris Park and that his brother Joseph was a lawyer investigating
his disappearance.
The confusion, of course, arises from the fact that both
characters are played by the same man.
Joseph was involved in some gimmick matches last year in which he was booked as a non-wrestler. While he didn't get as violent as Abyss used to in such bouts it was still very much the performer's comfort zone. The spot in which Joseph "surprised himself" by managing to hit a Black Hole Slam (Abyss's signature move) aside nothing noteworthy happened for the character from an in-ring standpoint in 2012.
Joseph was involved in some gimmick matches last year in which he was booked as a non-wrestler. While he didn't get as violent as Abyss used to in such bouts it was still very much the performer's comfort zone. The spot in which Joseph "surprised himself" by managing to hit a Black Hole Slam (Abyss's signature move) aside nothing noteworthy happened for the character from an in-ring standpoint in 2012.
The waters were further muddied by the bizarre decision
to have Abyss interfere in the match between Joseph and Ray at Slammiversary.
At that point it seemed set to become the most schizophrenic plot in TNA
history. Thankfully Abyss hasn’t been seen since and the focus has been
exclusively on Joseph.
We saw a different side of Chris Park as a performer on the January 31st IMPACT. Joseph Park had his first official match as a member of the TNA roster, defeating Robbie E. In a match that was a world away from the average Abyss outing the emphasis was firmly on comedy and basic wrestling exchanges. That Park (whichever first name you want to attribute to him) was able to work this style so well when you consider what he's become known for speaks well of his versatility as a performer.
It looks as though Joseph is going to stay a regular on
our screens for a while yet. That’s good news. He’s proven a likeable character
popular with the promotion’s viewers. As he’s only just become an active member
of the roster (despite being a regular for a year) there’s still plenty of
mileage left. It’s easy to imagine Joseph working against many of TNA’s top bad
guys.We saw a different side of Chris Park as a performer on the January 31st IMPACT. Joseph Park had his first official match as a member of the TNA roster, defeating Robbie E. In a match that was a world away from the average Abyss outing the emphasis was firmly on comedy and basic wrestling exchanges. That Park (whichever first name you want to attribute to him) was able to work this style so well when you consider what he's become known for speaks well of his versatility as a performer.
Joseph is a fan of the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy
There’s also the long-standing Abyss mystery to be
wrapped up. I’ve been convinced since he was written out of plots that Abyss
will return sooner or later. Nothing that’s happened in the last twelve months
has made me think otherwise. TNA’s longest standing gimmick will return sooner
or later.
That Joseph Park has been fleshed out to such an extent
means that the inevitable return won’t be as predictable as I originally
expected. Had the lawyer disappeared after a couple of months then the return
of Abyss would have been just another event. That so much time has been spent
establishing him as a character in his own right means there’s a greater payoff
to be had when Abyss finally returns.
Of course it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where this
saga doesn’t end in disappointment. Before
he comes back we can speculate on what TNA will do, how Abyss’s absence will be
explained, and whether Joseph’s intentions have remained honourable all along.
We can guess at what the lawyer instinctively hitting a Black Hole Slam means.
Once Abyss is back on TV, confronting his brother or revealing that they’ve
been the same person all along all the mystery will be gone and we’ll be left
with just another wrestling angle.
The best thing about Joseph Park is the sense of mystery
he’s introduced to TNA. Sooner or later that will be gone. We should enjoy him
while we can.
Triple H did build the belt mean one thing and for a short while it did some just like the additional purposeful title. With understanding i believe they pushed it exhausting as a result of they required it to be taken seriously for the separate brands theme. It stopped that means a lot of years before that formally finished. A unified listing was on the cards for a short while in order that they stopped caring.
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