The new "Ask the Specialists" Roundtable is the latest spin-off from the "Ask the Torch" feature. CSI led to CSI: New York and CSI: Miami, which is where you'll find the Specialists tackling a daily topic submitted by PWTorch readers to askpwtorch@gmail.com.

Ask the Specialists Roundtable #5

- Question from PWTorch reader R. Jack: The crowd doesn't seem behind him, but what are your thoughts on Rusev? He's big and he's got strength. I've noticed his speed and quick, powerful kicks. Some think he is a copy of Vladimir Kozlov. I feel he is much different. What do you think of him?

- New Answer from "Showstopper" Shawn Valentino: Thank you for your question. I never liked Kozlov and always felt that he lacked the charisma and the presence to pull off his initial push. I also felt the same way about Ryback, and it seems that I have been correct about both.

I believe Rusev has potential, and they have already done a much better job introducing his character. I like the sexy sidekick that introduces him, and I enjoyed the vignettes leading up to his arrival. I have not seen enough of him to know if he is going to be a big star, but I definitely think he will be better than Kozlov. I think he can potentially be a good heel to weave in and out of main events, and he could be a perfect challenger to toss around Daniel Bryan. I like what I see so far, and I hope they continue to add depth to his act and why he is fighting in WWE.

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- "Mr. TV" Justin James (@Justin_M_James) responds: NXT has cranked out a number of 300 lb. men with strength and speed (Big E., Rusev, Mojo Rawley) and has even improved Mason Ryan quite a bit. Rusev has a mountain of potential, but he has a tough time sustaining interest past a squash. The biggest reason why the audience is silent for him is the usual issues WWE has: a mid-card heel cannot be credible without a mid-card babyface.

In NXT, there was a pile of credible, liked mid-card faces that Rusev steamrolled over, putting real heat on him. His in-ring product is a work in progress, but I feel that he has tons of potential. But, WWE has got to put someone like Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Justin Gabriel, etc. on enough of a roll so that when Rusev beats them, it means something.

- "Common Fan" Jimmy Eaton (@TheCommonFan) responds: I can see the comparison to Kozlov, but I think that's a bit unfair to him at this point. I think he has more going for him including a unique manager and more athletic ability. I think the gimmick leaves a bit to be desired and I'm sure that his size and quick squash matches remind people the most of Koslov, but I'm in "wait and see" approach at this point. He can be much better, but also could fall off the map in six months. Time will tell.

- "Mr. PPV" Nathan Kyght responds: It's had to really get a feel thus far, as the gimmick is mostly being presented as introductory on Raw - it's been virtually the same promo and then a warning that he's on his way. In terms of what I've seen on NXT, though, I do think they have something, provided they book him strongly coming in. One thing I've enjoyed about the NXT call-ups is that the characters have been very clearly defined (which is a credit to Triple H) and Rusev's gimmick comes across as an '80s throwback that has been enjoyable thus far.

The real test will be in the first major program he's booked in. If he is put into squash matches for a while until he builds a notoriety with the fans, I think that a feud at the Intercontinental or U.S. title levels would be a natural fit. He's definitely a big, fairly athletic guy from what I've seen, and I'm intrigued as to where it's going. The comparison to Vladimir Koslov is basically just a generalization, as aside from being big guys with accents, I'm not sure of the similarities. Time will tell, but he's one of the newer faces who, for now at least, it appears that WWE has a plan for.

- "Falls Count Anywhere" Tony Donofrio (@TonyDonofrio) responds: Rusev, for one, is more athletic than Kozlov ever was. However, that isn't saying much, as Kozlov was a stiff and WWE was constantly trying to fit a square peg into a round hole during his entire run (including even a month or two in the WWE Title chase). I hate for this to sound like a cop-out, but only time will tell with Rusev.

I will say this, though. If you have the WWE Network, check out the "Legends of Wrestling" show in the "Vault" section and watch the show on Patriotism in wrestling. The Legends talk about anti-American gimmicks only being as good as the performer wants to make them due to being scared on how much real-life heat they may get outside the ring. It's this reasoning for my cop-out, so to speak, on this question.

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[ FYI: The specialists consist of a mix of current PWTorch contributors providing their opinion on today's wrestling scene and modern wrestling history questions, including Shawn Valentino, Michael Moore, Ben Tucker, Jon Mezzera, Justin James, Brian Leahy, Jimmy Eaton, Nathan Kyght, Tony Donofrio, and Mike Roe. ]

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