Tensai repackaged?

[Dale]

While somewhat true, I do think the fact that he's been relegated to Superstars for the past few weeks definitley adds weight to this report in my opinion.

 

[Troy]

I personally have been a big fan of Alberts return, that being said I haven't quite enjoyed him as Lord Tensai. I think his in ring work is great, it really embodies the Japanese style and I think if he dropped the manager and had a promo saying he is no longer Albert, and explaining what he learned in Japan and dropped the Lord and just went by Tensai his character could certainly have promise. I was really hoping they'd do more with him after his pinfall win over John Cena, which by the way I didn't find to be to bad of a match.

I really hope that they try their best to repackage him a little and keep him on the main card, Albert has the talent and the rugged stiff style to make it work and WWE is in desperate need of a new monster in the main event and I really think he's the perfect fit for that. I'm personally not holding my breath though because I've seen this countless times with guys in WWE, I just pray that they bring him back and don't drop him on Superstars.

I don't mind him having the manager but I think that the manager should be more involved. He needs to actually do something during matches. On Superstars this week after Tensai beat Alex Riley, Tensai ordered Sakamoto into the ring and forced him to get on his knees, then he dragged him to the back by his hair. It seems like they are creating an angle between the two and hopefully they start explaining what is happening with the characters. I really want him to cut a promo backstage or in the ring to explain the character as it will allow people to connect more with him.

 

[We Are Legion]

If Tensai's current manager isn't going to be involved in the matches, or even talk for that matter, there's no point in keeping him around. He needs to either cut bad English promos or just be replaced altogether with someone that can help get Tensai over. Regardless of his monstrous facade, he's really not over at all. Part of that is Tensai's fault, part of that is his manager's.

 

[The Hoov]

Hell, they oughta bring back X-Pac and Justin Credible and re-form X-Factor. It'd make me care just as much as I do about Tensai: Zero.

 

[We Are Legion]

Justin Credible was a lot more awesome than Tensai.

 

[The Hoov]

I still can't believe we are still referring to him as Tensai. It's freaking Albert.

 

[Troy]

I don't refer to Dolph Ziggler as Nicky or Nick Nemeth. I don't refer to R-Truth as Ron Killings or K-Kiwk. I don't refer to Kane as Isacc Yankeem or Fake Diesel. I don't refer to Ryback as Skip Sheffield.

I call him Tensai but that is the current gimmick that he has, it isn't Albert out or A-Train it is Tensai a completely different gimmick.

 

[The Hoov]

I'm just saying. Kane looks nothing like Isaac Yankem or Fake Diesel even though it's the same guy. Ziggler doesn't look like Nicky from the spirit Squad although it's the same guy. When Tensai walks out, it's so blatantly and obviously Albert. He has new tattoos and he shaved his unsightly back hair. That's it. I just feel like WWE is insulting my intelligence by trying to pass off Albert as someone else, especially slapping on a half-ass Japanese gimmick that makes no sense because HE'S CLEARLY A WHITE DUDE. It's frustrating to watch. I'm glad he's on Superstars so I don't have to see him on RAW every week. Seeing Laryngitis every week is bad enough.

 

[We Are Legion]

I still call R-Truth "Ron Killings" iirc

Besides, the "Fake Diesel"/"Isaac Yankem" era was pre-internet, so it was a lot easier to get away with back then. Everyone knows who the fuck Tensai used to be in the WWE and he doesn't have a mask obstructing his face like Kane did in 97. That facial tattoo isn't enough to cover up that all-too-familiar ugly mug.

 

[Troy]

I'm just saying. Kane looks nothing like Isaac Yankem or Fake Diesel even though it's the same guy. Ziggler doesn't look like Nicky from the spirit Squad although it's the same guy. When Tensai walks out, it's so blatantly and obviously Albert. He has new tattoos and he shaved his unsightly back hair. That's it. I just feel like WWE is insulting my intelligence by trying to pass off Albert as someone else, especially slapping on a half-ass Japanese gimmick that makes no sense because HE'S CLEARLY A WHITE DUDE. It's frustrating to watch. I'm glad he's on Superstars so I don't have to see him on RAW every week. Seeing Laryngitis every week is bad enough.

Ziggler looks exactly the same as Nicky but with longer hair and different trunks. I don't know how you can claim that they look different and then say that Albert/Tensai looks too similar. As you pointed out Tensai has the face tattoos and he has actually shaved. Also they aren't trying to claim he is Japanese, when he first appeared the commentators said that he used to wrestle for WWE but went to Japan and became engulfed in their culture and way of live. This appearance is a nod to that past, he isn't suddenly pretending to be a Japanese national, but it would be nice if they gave him promo time to detail this a bit more.

 

[The Hoov]

Ziggler looks exactly the same as Nicky but with longer hair and different trunks. I don't know how you can claim that they look different and then say that Albert/Tensai looks too similar. As you pointed out Tensai has the face tattoos and he has actually shaved. Also they aren't trying to claim he is Japanese, when he first appeared the commentators said that he used to wrestle for WWE but went to Japan and became engulfed in their culture and way of live. This appearance is a nod to that past, he isn't suddenly pretending to be a Japanese national, but it would be nice if they gave him promo time to detail this a bit more.

I can tell it's Nicky but, like you said, the different hairstyles and outfits can at least make me suspend my disbelief. Tensai, on the other hand, is still bald, still has the same build (perhaps even chunkier) and has the exact same style. Ziggler at least morphed and grew as a performer and changed up his style from his Spirit Squad and Kerwin White caddy days. Same can be said with Kane and his days as Isaac Yankem and Fake Diesel. A lot of this does fall on WWE's shoulders. I mean, acknowledging he was a past WWE superstar but still trying to act like he's a new force never been seen before is like trying to have your cake and eat it too, which WWE tries to do too often. You can't have it both ways. It's either one or the other. He's either Albert and you say he used to be Albert or you allow us to try and suspend our disbelief and say he's a new character, which like I said would only be possible if he had a new hairstyle or something more to differentiate the two personas other than crappy facepaint that fades 1/3 into the match and some crude tattoos. Even a new finisher would be nice. He still uses his A-Bomb or whatever he used to call it. Albert has never and will never be entertaining or engaging to watch. You can polish a turd but, at the end of the day it's still freakin' Albert.