Wrestling

Genesis of TNA began with Daniels, Kazarian

 

TNA Genesis PPV on Sunday, Jan. 13 from Universal Studios Orlando

Miami Herald Writer

From wearing Zubaz pants and Gangnam Style dances to sipping on Appletinis and imitating wrestlers, there isn’t anything Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian won’t do to get a reaction in TNA Impact Wrestling

The former world tag team champions of the world took questions from the media during a conference call to promote the Genesis pay-per-view 8 p.m. ET Sunday, Jan. 13 from Universal Orlando.

Fans watch Impact every Thursday to find out what the two known as Bad Influence will do next. Their antics and unpredictability have helped the duo become the team audiences love to hate. For Daniels, what you are seeing much of themselves in their characters, which has been a recipe for success for wrestling stars in the past.

“This isn’t like we just opened up a Christmas gift,” Daniels said. “This isn’t something we just found in ourselves. This has been us from the very first. I hate to tell I told you so to TNA, but I told you so. If you had given us the microphone in 2004, 2005 or 2006, then you would be enjoying the seventh year of Bad Influence. But now you're enjoying the second year of Bad Influence. The world is watching, the world is listening, the world is raving about the talent of young Francois Kazarian and yours truly, Christopher Daniels, and they should be, because we're awesome. We're the reason that people are watching the show. We're the straw that stirs the drink. The girls want to be with us and the dudes want to be just like us. That's what's happening. That's Bad Influence, not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good.”

Their creativity has also helped Bad Influence stand out.

“When you talk about the creative process, you are talking about looking into the minds of Christopher Daniels and myself, and that’s a place I don’t think you want to go,” Kazarian said.

“We are two of the most creative, fun-loving individuals in the business. Anything you see us do is basically our creation, our idea and/or a request and/or a dare. A lot of times people don’t think we have the balls to do certain things, and we do them. Most everything we do is coming from the noodle of Chris Daniels and Frankie Kazarian. Is it entertaining? Of course it is because it’s us, the most entertaining tag team in the business.”

“We are 25-8 as far as being creative,” Daniels added.

“All we are doing during the day is thinking of ways that we can get under people’s skin, ways we can entertain, ways that we can get people talking about us at the water cooler the next day…People know when we walk down the ramp in the Impact Zone or live events or the pay-per-views, they know we are the best segment of the show.”

To Daniels, there is no dare too or button they are afraid to push. That is, as long as it fulfills the caveat of being entertaining.

“We’ve done everything we’ve been requested,” Daniels said. “Anybody that knows us knows that we are not shy. We aren’t scared to do anything in the wrestling ring. This includes the Zubaz and bringing them back. We’ve done everything.”

Compared to other tag teams who have been thrown together, Daniels and Kazarian’s chemistry comes with multiple years of friendship.

“In this business, let’s be honest, there are very few friends and a lot of acquaintances,” Kazarian said. “We’ve been lucky enough to be friends for the better part of 15 years. So that obviously translates in the ring…We’ve gelled as a tag team. The funny thing is you haven’t seen the tip of the iceberg of what we can and will do. 2012 was big, but it’s going to be a big 2013 for us.”

Read more Wrestling stories from the Miami Herald

Get your Miami Heat Fan Gear!

Join the
Discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

The Miami Herald uses Facebook's commenting system. You need to log in with a Facebook account in order to comment. If you have questions about commenting with your Facebook account, click here.

Have a news tip? You can send it anonymously. Click here to send us your tip - or - consider joining the Public Insight Network and become a source for The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald.

Hide Comments

This affects comments on all stories.

Cancel OK

  • Videos

  • Quick Job Search

Enter Keyword(s) Enter City Select a State Select a Category