By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

Team 3D members Brother Ray and Brother Devon need to be respected for their work as a tag team during their wrestling careers. Brother Ray says they don't necessarily need validation from WWE, but they would be willing to listen.

"What matters to me is what the fans think. I don't necessarily need to have some big, grandiose ceremony," Ray told Brian Fritz on Between the Ropes radio. "I would just like to know the fans appreciate our work. If WWE wants to call us, we'll listen and be businessmen."

While backstage at this week's TNA Impact tapings, Ray reflected some more on his WWE career and where it took the Team 3D tag team.

"We were in WWE for six years. We made a lot of money. We traveled all over the world. We were probably more successful team than in the history of WWE," Ray said. "We have nothing but very fond memories about WWE when it comes to how they let us progress as a team."

Ray was asked by host Brian Fritz about Christian leaving TNA to return to WWE. Ray says Christian isn't a good fit anywhere.

"Christian's a hell of a talented person. I just don't think that TNA was the right fit for him. Quite honestly, I don't think that going back to WWE was the right fit for him either," Ray said. "I hope he's happy with whatever he does. I hope he makes a lot of money. It's a shame it didn't work out in TNA."

Caldwell's Analysis: The inferiority complex prevalent in TNA continues to be reflected in TNA wrestler interviews. This is not a knock on Ray and Devon, as they're simply part of a culture in TNA where the focus is on trying to make TNA relevant in relation to the past or present with WWE (and that includes WCW and ECW since WWE gobbled up the left-overs). How can 3D be relevant in today's wrestling environment? Well, it has to be trying to relate TNA to WWE. The culture in TNA simply does not allow the promotion to stand alone as a relevant entity in and of itself. The environment is wrestlers collecting a paycheck while keeping an eye on whether they can be recognized by WWE, which owns the history of pro wrestling right now.

Link: Between the Ropes radio interview.

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