Featured Article Billy Gunn

Shadow of Outlaws doesn't phase Gunn, Palumbo
by Phil Speer

Billy Gunn knows tag-team wrestling. He's an eight-time former Tag Team Champion, and he was part of arguably the greatest duo of all time, the New Age Outlaws.

While he also has an impressive resume as a singles competitor -- 1999 King of the Ring, Intercontinental Champion, Hardcore Champion -- Gunn's greatest success by far has come in the tag team division. With that in mind, he welcomed the opportunity to team with a new partner, Chuck Palumbo.

"I like it. It's a lot of fun," Gunn told WWF.com. "I like tag teams anyway."

Referring to Palumbo, Gunn said, "He's a big, good-looking kid. He's athletic. We have lots of things in common."

Indeed, Palumbo is no stranger to tag-team competition himself.

By the time World Wrestling Federation Entertainment acquired WCW in March 2001, Palumbo was a three-time WCW Tag Team Champion -- having won the title twice with Shawn Stasiak, and once with Sean O'Haire.

There are also obvious physical similarities between Gunn and Palumbo. Gunn is listed at 6-foot-4 and 268 pounds. Palumbo is 6-5, 265. Even though they're currently not fan favorites on Federation television, both still make the women in the crowd scream. Gunn has even been described as "Brad Pitt with a bad attitude." Palumbo has lightened his hair so it looks more like Gunn's. Neither seems to have an ounce of body fat.

But Gunn said one of the keys to becoming a great tag team is finding out what you don't have in common with your partner.

He would know. His partner in the New Age Outlaws, the Road Dogg Jesse James, was one of the best in the business at speaking on the microphone. Gunn, who still doesn't have much experience on the mic, compensates for it with his physical gifts. He's been called the best athlete pound for pound in the business.

"Road Dogg was phenomenal on the mic, and I backed it up with the power," Gunn said. "It was two guys who were totally different, but when they became a tag team, they were like one. That's what made us stand out as the greatest tag team ever. I don't care who comes along -- there will never be another tag team like us.

"(Palumbo and I) won't be anything like that. But we can be just as good."

Palumbo said he's not feeling any pressure to live up to the standards of the New Age Outlaws.

"It's more of a privilege than pressure," he said. "The Outlaws were a great tag team. We can be a great tag team. We'll be different, that's for sure."

But to be a great tag team, they need to learn about each other so they can capitalize on their strengths, just as the Outlaws did.

"Since the day we started tagging, we've traveled together, trained together, eaten - all that stuff," Palumbo said.

Added Gunn, "It's better if you know somebody. It just makes you feel more comfortable when you're in the ring with them."

Palumbo said he has already realized that Gunn's personality is more "amped up," whereas Palumbo tends to be more laid back.

And the early returns seem good. The team of Gunn and Palumbo was born on HEAT, and wrestled its first few matches on Jakked and Metal, or in non-televised contests. Even then -- before they were established as fan favorites or "heels" -- they received warm reactions from crowds.

But over the last few weeks, they've gotten a fair amount of television time on the Federation's two flagship shows -- RAW and SmackDown! Most recently, they were part of a humorous backstage vignette in which they unveiled matching headbands -- and, more importantly, they had the opportunity to show off their verbal skills.

"I don't think that's going to be our strong point, but it's good to do it," Gunn admits. "You've got to keep doing it until you get comfortable at it."

The same night -- Monday's episode of RAW -- they picked up perhaps their most important victory as a team, over three-time former Tag Team Champions the APA.

Can Palumbo and Gunn one day be three-time champions? Can they be five-time champions, like the Outlaws were?

"That's in the back of my mind," Gunn said. "'Can this get over like the New Age Outlaws?' And I think it can. It just takes time."

Gunn has the second-longest tenure in the company. Palumbo is still a newcomer to the industry. They seem to have time on their side.

"Look out," Palumbo said, "because we've got a lot of good things in store."