Alex Marvez's weekly look at professional wrestling

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Being called a sidekick doesn't sit well with Frankie Kazarian.Kazarian -- a/k/a 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 once did in the 1980s.Kazarian, though, objected when told he was 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 had to wait so long for his big career break.Kazarian, 30, spent five years on the Southern California independent circuit working alongside such talent as John Cena and Samoa Joe before first landing with TNA in 2003. Kazarian enjoyed a 2-1/2-month stint as X Division champion and worked primarily against other light heavyweights on TNA undercards until deciding to expand his horizons.Kazarian left TNA in February 2005 for World Wrestling Entertainment. He trained in the promotion's Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory for five months before making 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 he didn't figure prominently into WWE's long-term plans."I needed to find out whether the grass was greener over there," said Kazarian, who was on the losing end of several televised WWE matches in 2001. "For me, at least, it wasn't. I would never tell anyone not to go there because I think it's a great company. But for me at that point in my life, it was not the place to be."Kazarian returned to the independent 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," Kazarian said. "I don't regret it nor would I do anything differently."TNA management's perception of Kazarian gradually changed from his first go-around. Kazarian 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 match-ups with Christian Cage, Kurt Angle and Dustin "Black Reign" Rhodes soon followed on TNA Impact (9 p.m. EDT 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."Teaming with Young for the long term won't help Kazarian reach that goal. But Kazarian isn't complaining while waiting for TNA management to book him in another one-on-one feud.Kaz and Young won the TNA tag-team titles earlier this month on the "Lockdown" pay-per-view show, only to have the belts stripped because "Super Eric" wasn't officially signed for the bout. The dynamic duo seems likely to compete for the straps once again May 11 on the "Sacrifice" pay-per-view show emanating from Orlando, Fla."I've been a singles guy for the majority of my time here and found a groove doing that," Kazarian said. "But being a tag-team wrestler is challenging in itself and I'm cool with it. Eric is doing something new and I'm just there for the time being. It's different for me, but I'm having fun with it."(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps-Howard News Service. Contact him at alex1marv(at)aol.com.)