For Kaz, success a slow boat
By Alex Marvez, Scripps Howard News Service
Link: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/apr/24/for-kaz-success-a-slow-boat/

Being called a sidekick doesn't sit well with Frankie Kazarian.

Kazarian - aka Kaz - is teaming with Eric Young in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The duo's greatest success has come when the cowardly Young transforms into "Super Eric" and plows through the competition like Hulk Hogan did in the 1980s.

Kazarian, though, objected when told he's the Robin to Young's Batman.

"I don't know if I should be considered Robin," a laughing Kazarian said Tuesday during a telephone interview. "I was never a big fan. You could say I'm the Superman to Eric's Batman. I'm more of an accomplice."

It was a crime that Kazarian, 30, had to wait so long for his big career break. He spent five years on the Southern California independent circuit before landing with TNA in 2003.

He left TNA in 2005 for World Wrestling Entertainment, where he made what seemed like a promising WWE debut with wins over Paul London, Scotty 2 Hotty and Funaki. Kazarian, though, abruptly quit because of the belief that he didn't figure prominently in WWE's long-term plans.

Kazarian returned to the inde- pendent circuit for almost a year before rejoining TNA in July 2006.

"It was a long road back, but I learned a lot about myself in the process," he said. "I don't regret it, nor would I do anything differently. You can ask yourself, 'What if?' all day long. At the end of the day, you've got to look at yourself in the mirror. Everything to this point made me who I am today."

TNA management's perception of Kazarian gradually changed from his first go-round. He was initially stuck in a low- level role teaming with Michael Shane and Scott "Raven" Levy's stable of misfits dubbed Serotonin. But Kazarian began separating himself from the pack when booked in a singles feud with Robert Roode. Kazarian was so impressive that matchups with Christian Cage, Kurt Angle and Dustin "Black Reign" Rhodes soon followed on TNA Impact (7 p.m. Thursdays, Spike).

"I always knew technically that I could hang with the guys who are in the main events," said Kazarian, who was trained by the legendary Walter "Killer" Kowalski. "Now it's just a matter of further elevating myself so I can be in there regularly with guys on that level."

Credit: A1 Wrestling Newsletter