The Wrestling 6&1 PRESHOW 12.10.11

Posted by Greg De Marco on 12.10.2011

The 6&1 PreShow debuts!



Welcome to a new concept in the Wrestling 5&1 brand here at 411Mania…the pre-show! This is a test-run, meant for fun and to get you ready for the normal column. If you like it, maybe it takes place for Thursday or Friday, we'll see. Let me know what you think!



Last week saw not one but two Versus match-ups as I presented my first ever 5&1 double header.

The first match-up was a special one-off "Dream Match" between the top-ranked Hall of Bang member and a cult favorite amongst wrestling fans...



You all voted, and the competition wasn't even close!



Only time will tell if Maryse is ever challenged for the top spot in the Hall.

Part two of last week's double header featured a Versus match-up between two women ready to attempt their own march towards the hall...



And much like Part 1's match-up, this one wasn't close either!



With one victory in hand, Maria awaits her next opponent in the Versus Arena. Who will it be? Stay tuned!



With two 5&1 columns last week, the comments section was very active. Let's take a moment or sixty to respond in kind...

The Wrestling 6&1, Part One, 12.03.11

Neither Danielle nor Kelly Kelly will be the next Trish, because WWE does not really build up women. ... Trish had mic time, even with Test and Albert. The Jericho-Christian love angle let her show even more of her personality. Current Divas do not get this time. ... There is also no 'Lita' to build up against. There always has to be somebody to work with and against. Hogan working against Koko B Ware or Brutus would not have become Hulkamania. He needed a Piper. Certainly WWE wouldn't build up two divas on the same show. ... Of course this also shows how Impact is throwing away a competitive advantage with the Knockouts. They appear to be using Karen and Gail as WWE and hopefully the face (Mickie) will win and it gets back to some wrestling, but I could be dreaming.
Posted By: Guest#5002

You bring up some great points. The WWE really does cart out the Divas for eye candy, appealing to the lowest common denominator. I think we occasionally get a storyline (such as Pin-Up Strong) simply because someone in creative got an idea through. They are not a major focus, nor are they a major draw.

You know, forget about the fact that the Rock is one of the biggest stars in wrestling who knew when to get out. ... The guy worked his real job in the morning, flew across the country, and got to the show a few hours before RAW started. ... The guy is doing everybody a favor that he doesn't have to do. Vince may want all the appearances, but he would have settled for a one night appearance to promote GI Joe.
Posted by: Guest#9226

I don't think anyone has looked at it that way. The Rock making sacrifices? It makes sense. It would be much easier for him to sit in his trailer during his down time, instead of flying in to make an appearance for the fans, then flying back the same night for more filming. That is a point that is being overlooked, for sure.

I think he should have talked to the younger stars if he didn't, but don't think the blame of getting the ME spots is fair. It wasn't Rock demanding this, Vince set it up. I'm fine with it because it is over 1 year span. He isn't doing this until WM 29 or 30, after this WM it will probably be done.
Posted By: Still Guest#8287

I don't know that it's going to be limited to a one year deal. But it will continue to be sporadic. The Rock is a special attraction, not a WWE Superstar.

Leyla Milani is awesome thanks for that...loved the nod to the old action figures
Posted By: ramone

Layla is a personal favorite that is oft forgotten. The old action figures are a part of my childhood, and it means a lot that my son is about to experience the same,

plus the rubber ljn wrestlers was the shit and damn did andre the giant hurt when somebody hit me in the head with em lol, don't know about y'all but of course me and my friends had to use them as weapons haha, and the pre hair cut andre is who i'm referring to yell
Posted By: box

Man, that Andre figure was perfectly set-up to be used as a weapon! His head was huge!

Those that say lita should deserve to haunt a house, MARYSE
Posted By: Kayfabe

So…wait! Are you saying they should be dead? Wow, you're taking Versus a little too seriously for my tastes.

Whether its shoot or Kayfabe, Orton and Punk are full of shit! They act as if the Rock NEVER paid his dues and is JUST some guy form Hollywood. Do we seriously want to throw Orton and Punk in the era of the Rock and Stonecold!?!?! Do you really want to see those two get BURIED all the way to fucking China!!! Rock fan or not, EVERYONE needs to understand that the "Additude Era" was the BEST era in the WWE (and all of wrestling). The Rock and Stonecold have had ratings of 7.1 and 8.1, when is the last time Punk and Orton have ever been beyond a 3.0????? And finally, how the fuck is it the Rocks fault that after a seven year absence, he STILL gets a bigger pop than the ENTIRE WWE roster today???
Posted By: CornettesUnderwear

But I think that's why they are complaining. They think of themselves as the Rock & Austin of this era, when they really don't compare.

I wish I got a steel cage for christmas when I was a kid. My parents hated wrestling so much that I pretty much had to watch it in secret for years.
Posted By: Guest#9296

I think my mother tolerated my love for wrestling. I remember her taking me to local shows, sitting next to me reading a book while I marked out like the little kid I was!

CM Punk, Randy Orton, and anyone else who has a problem w/ The Rock need to shut the fuck up. This business is all about drawing power. Dont both of those guys have their own WWE funded bus? If you can draw, you get perks. Thats the bottom line. For The Rock, perks include showing up once every 3 months and still headlining Wrestlemania.
Posted By: Mark of Excellence

You do make one great point: if The Rock didn't pop a buyrate and a rating, he wouldn't be back.

There will NEVER be another Trish, an this isn't to praise her but more to do with the landscape of the E. Trish was/is a woman who came in with 0 experience but a ton of looks, climbed her way up the ladder gained a huge following an proved (when the E cared about womens wrestling) that she could entertain and do a more then solid job. The push the E gave to divas then isn't the same push they give divas now.
Posted By: watever87

This is true. There won't be another Trish unless the WWE wants there to be another Trish. And they obviously don't, considering the Divas champ didn't even wrestle at WrestleMania last year (and Trish did...).

Do people really not understand that the whole point of the Beth/Natalya thing is to make people see the rest of the Divas as credible wrestlers?
Posted By: Howard

After seeing them do laps on RAW last week, you really believe that to be true?

Lita is just not consistent enough in the looks department. Sometimes she oozes sex, other times she looks like a hardened man.
Posted by: SS87

As the person who has to pick out those photos, I can confirm this to be true. There are some really manly looking pics of Lita out there.

I would say Calgary should be considered one of the original Bizarro World cities.
Posted By: Guest#3772

Calgary is a great option. They don't go there for enough really big events, it would be interesting to see a "Big 4" pay-per-view emanate from Calgary.

I loved my wrestling figures, i remember gettin Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage figures for Christmas one year and proceded to amassed a large collection of them. I ended up with many LJN figures, but my favorite WWF figures were the ones that came out in 1990...with real wrestling action!
Posted By: Guest#4270

Yeah, I remember the joy of getting the LJN tag team sets, complete with the belts. Even as a kid, I always wanted those belts!

The Rock's role in the WWE - Embarrassing himself everytime he opens his mouth. He doesn't seem to have adjusted to the fact this isn't 2002(unlike Austin and others) which is proving the fact that he isn't a very good promo guy as being able to adapt should be an important quality
Posted By: Guest#8455

You're not alone in your feelings, but you're definitely in the minority.

A new Trish won't be made because the first Trish was an accident. She started as a valet to put the T&A into T&A. Then she had the blonde bimbo skits. The rest kind of happened when Vince wasn't looking.
Posted By: Guest#7078

Considering the number of times Vince was in an angle with Trish, he was definitely looking...

If Impact and presumably Bishoff really thought that "Wrestling Matters" would mean sport entertainment=wrestling matters to their core audience, then they really need to get out of their offices, get their heads out of their orifices, and get to know their audience.
Posted By: Guest#6613

It was an ill-fated marketing campaign, which is why it was abandoned so quickly.

Some complain about the Rock attacking Cena and his core fan base, but if the Rock didn't do that then Cena would be heading into Wrestlemania as a heel. During the match he would be turned. ... By making fun of Cena, WWE makes sure that his core base is even more strongly supporting him while guys didn't like him anyways. ... If not then the Rock's charisma would turn kids too.
Posted By: Guest#0747

Which is why that Piper skit was so intriguing. Was it intended to plant the seeds for a heel turn, or to build more support for Cena? I'm still not sure.

Orton and Punk are political operators. You don't rise to the top in this industry without being savvy. Their comments strike me as worked-shoots. They're voicing real feelings from backstage that position them as locker room leaders, but that don't go too far. They're showing their drive to remain on top without saying anything that would piss Vince off or really step on Rock's toes. And, there's the kayfabe bonus/excuse that you were planting seeds for a future match or feud. What we have here is the strategic airing of some mostly-healthy professional jealousy.
Posted By: s1rude (Guest)

Yeah, I can see that to an extent. But I think it's more jealousy and less professional.

This is a thick column and its only partI? Did you get an overtime incentive? Nice piece on Rock, excellent pick on RVD vs.BLesnar and nice shout out to Leyla Milani. ... BTW, that part with "...can Tiffany get on top..." was a Beavis and Butthead moment. Im so glad they brought that back to make fun of the other stupid shit on MTV
Posted By: TheR

My perspective on The Rock really lengthened the column, plus the comment responses. Instead of cutting some stuff out, I went with a two-parter. What can I say, I'm giving more to the people!

Maryse and Lita 2 of my all time favs along with Torrie Wilson and Angelina Love. Couldn't possibly vote for 1 over the other.
Posted By: beef23

It's okay if you pick one over the other. We won't tell.

The Wrestling 6&1, Part Two, 12.03.11

Kaitlyn will fit in with the Divas of Doom perfectly because she looks like a dude too. In fact she looks more like a dude than both Natalya and Beth combined.
Posted By: Guest#4367

Seriously? I don't see it.

The WWE hasn't built up new stars as well as they could, but that isn't why they are out-classed by the Rock. You have to be born with that kind of charisma. ... The booking doesn't help though. As it stands there is one king of the mountain and all others lose to him or at least can't get a clean win. That means that Cena is a cap to any wrestler's popularity. The audience has been told there is one big fish - period.

You're right. Hogan was purely unbeatable for years. It took a crushing loss to Yokozuna and a WCW contract to finally remove that feeling from WWF fans. That's not happening with Cena.

And thanks for always including non wwe/tna items in your column. Some of us arent just wwe/tna fanboys and actually truly love the sport of professional wrestling. Btw, i say when the demarcettes reach 8, there should be some type of VS to crown the top. They're too damn hot not to do battle
Posted By: SuperCorky

I do what I can, friend! Not sure about the DeMarcettes Bracket, it's hard to support all of them when you pit them against each other.

I think Katlin would be good for the Pin-Up Strong team, and if they needed a 4th member then they can have Tamina join.
Posted By: Still Guest#8287

I just don't see it in Tamina. She does zero for me. Which is only a little less than Natalya.

I do think WWE is doing a better job building heels than faces. Most of the guys from Orton to Sheamus to Ziggler were, at least initially, built up as heels. I don't know if this has any long-term implications or not...but it might explain the lack of legitimate faces in the company.
Posted By: JDW

The WWE is in the business of building up faces, but they do appear to do that by building someone up as a heel first. It's almost becoming a formula, looking at Orton and Sheamus. Makes me wonder if we'll have The Miz as a face before WrestleMania 29.

Madison Rayne all the way, she's fine! ... And I'd welcome Kaitlyn to go Pinup Strong. It seems like its Beth & Natalya vs the rest of the Divas division anyway. Hopefully she can learn from those too and start putting on some decent matches. ... More 2 part columns & Santana Garrett!
Posted By: SilentOx

I'd personally have picked Madison, but it's up to the people. Maria's a favorite as well, but Madison wins for me. I think that if management truly is high on Kaitlyn, putting her with Beth & Natalya is the way to go.

Tamina doesn't have the look of a too pretty man with huge fake breasts...Tamina is just a man. Tamina reminds me more of Chyna.
Posted By: Guest#4247

And I think the WWE will only take her "seriously" in a comedy role (like they started with Santino). They've already proven that legacy isn't as important when they released DH Smith.

TNA has more wrestlers I like to watch work, when the insane writer monkeys there let them work. But WWE does a much better job of cycling new people up the card and giving them a chance to get over. Ryder's self-propelled push would never have happened in TNA. Punk would still be in the X-Division.
Posted By: Paul Roma's Uncarriable Jock

It's funny to think of what would have happened to Ryder & Punk in TNA. They likely would have been released. But if they went there now...

Mostly because Creative and management restrict a lot of what the talent can do because they are overscripting the talent to where there is no freedom for the talent to break out and do their own thing or portray themselves the way talent can feel comfortable. Also it's talent's fault for letting them get it that way. And once again, it's the Rock's fault for burying talent. Instead of being humble or talking to talent, teaching them, taking the time out to help instruct the younger guys on how to help get over, he's just seems not even concerned about helping the talent that's there. It's about Rocky getting that glory back. … Bottom line, the Rock might be good in the short run, but long run...no.
Posted By: AGNJoe

I do agree about that, but you'd think The Rock's appearances, as unscripted as they are, would teach the WWE something. Jericho wrote his own stuff, and CM Punk isn't scripted. Those guys are the most successful promo guys in the WWE over the past few years.

I think Aksana is a better fit for Pin Up Strong. Kaitlyn just has that "goofy good guy" quality that makes her an unbelievable heel.
Posted By: Guest#1766

I think it's too soon to tell with Kaitlyn. Aksana's accent alone will make her more favorable to fans.

Awww, shucks, man. Thanks. Glad to be a part of the conversation. As even just an occasional commenter, I know that feedback and confirmation that someone is paying attention can be huge for a writer. Congrats on the new job, and thanks for a consistent, professional column...and for the Santana Garrett pics. That is my kind of dark, natural cutie. ... But Vince, or whoever is in charge, will never hesitate to bring a Rock, SCSA or even Hogan back if they think it's good for business. Would you tell a guy, doesn't matter if it's Rocky or Big Sexy, "no thanks", if you thought it would put another dollar in your pocket? I mean, they brought the Hulkster back with Rock, Austin, Angle, HHH and Taker on the roster
Posted By: s1rude

At the end of the day it's a business above all else. And what's best for business will take precedence.

I like that look of Kaitlyn but I think WWE will have her slim down a bit. Either way she looks good. ... The Rock simply is iconic in every aspect in entertainment as a whole. Rock is just able to do something others cannot and while being able to have him do a couple of shows and PPVs, you also run the risk of being counter prouctive to the other "talent". But those other "stars" have had their chance and the result is sagging ratings and less PPV buyrates. The next headliner is out there WWE just has to keep an eye for it.
Posted By: TheR

I really hope you're wrong about Kaitlyn. I hope they let her stay thick. I agree with you about The Rock, which is the big take-away from here.

Kaitlyn for Pin Up Strong? Maybe. ... Kaitlyn for Hall of Bang? F*CK YES!
Posted By: WooHoo

Something tells me she just might get that chance in a few weeks.



For the pre-show, this will be an account of stories that didn't quite make the cut for the DeMarco Five this week.

Rima Fakih arrested for DUI
This is a story of interest because Rima Fakih is a) a beautiful woman, and b) former Miss USA and Tough Enough contestant. But she's a celebrity first, and this stuff happens all the time. If she was on the roster, maybe. But now she qualifies for TNA instead.

I know it would have been a reason to post Rima Fakih pics, but I can do that in the pre-show, too!



The Undertaker's WM28 opponent
I made mention elsewhere that there is a laundry list of possible opponents for The Undertaker at WrestleMania 28: CM Punk, Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Chris Jericho, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and several others. But we can have that conversation at another time.

It All Begins 2012 Videos
This has been reported as Chris Jericho, yes. But the appearance is set for January 2, so we can wait on this story.

ROH Results (Spartanburg, Greensboro)
Ring of Honor presented two shows last weekend, and got great reviews for both. I was going to go into the results, but I'll save my ROH talk for my Final Battle preview in a couple of weeks.

But here are the results, courtesy of rohwrestling.com...

December 3, 2011 - Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
"The Prodigy" Mike Bennett beat Adam Cole
The Bravado Brothers (Lancelot & Harlem) beat Los Ben Dejos
Proving Ground Match: ROH World TV Champion Jay Lethal pinned TJ Perkins
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) defeated The All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King)
Jay & Mark Briscoe beat Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander
Proving Ground Match: ROH World Tag Champions Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin beat Roderick Strong & Michael Elgin
"Die Hard" Eddie Edwards submitted El Generico
20-man Honor Rumble: Jay Lethal eliminated Roderick Strong to win the Honor Rumble and earn a future ROH World Title shot

December 4, 2011 -- Greensboro Coliseum (Special Events Center)
"The Prodigy" Mike Bennett pinned TJ Perkins
The All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King) beat The Bravado Brothers (Lancelot & Harlem); The Young Bucks attacked ANX pre-match leaving Titus unable to fight so Kenny King went it alone, Titus was eventually able to return for ANX
Proving Ground Match: ROH World TV Champion Jay Lethal beat Adam Cole
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) beat Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander
Andy "Right Leg" Ridge beat Sampson
Elimination Tag Match: ROH World Tag Champions Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin, Eddie Edwards, & El Generico beat Jay & Mark Briscoes, Michael Elgin, & Roderick Strong with Edwards as the sole survivor after 80 minutes of action & earning his team a check for $10,000! The eliminations: Mark Briscoe eliminated Shelton Benjamin, Charlie Haas eliminated Mark Briscoe, Roderick Strong eliminated Charlie Haas; Haas hit Jay Briscoe with a chair on his way out, El Generico eliminated Jay Briscoe, Michael Elgin eliminated El Generico, Eddie Edwards eliminated Michael Elgin, Eddie Edwards eliminated Roderick Strong; At one point Strong put Edwards through a table on the floor from the second rope

TNA Final Resolution Preview
I know, I know. I'm the most fair & balanced TNA writer on this site. This is true. But thanks to that, I am being called to contribute in different ways for TNA. I'm writing the 4R's for Impact Wrestling, and I always try to participate in the Roundtable Previews of TNA PPV events. In all honesty, my contribution to the Roundtable was the exact same thing I put in this column. And when I say exact, I mean it. As in "cut & paste." No reason to keep doing that. You should read our Roundtable preview. I will add a link to this column once the Roundtable is published. I will provide a Final Resolution review next week.

The possible closing of "The Arena"
Not enough is known on this story at this time. The Arena was reported as closed earlier in the week. Later in the day is was reported that Philly's historic wrestling venue wasn't closed, but sold to an owner who plans to turn it into a concert hall, and gave CZW and CHIKARA 48 hours to remove their stuff being stored there. Both promotions have a school at The Arena as well. We still don't know the fate of wrestling in the future at The Arena. We do know that the January Evolve/CXZW doubleheader will go off as planned. But we don't fully know the future of wrestling at The Arena.

BCS Selections
While I do discuss other topics on occasion, I had way to much material to go into any BCS detail. I will say this: as a graduate of Virginia Tech, I am in the camp who agrees they likely didn't deserve their Sugar Bowl birth. They the first team ever to lose two games to the same opponent and get into a BCS bowl game. But they deserve it just as much as Michigan. I agree that Kansas State and Boise State deserve it more, but they can't travel. BCS bowls are a business, and KState and Boise don't make good business decisions. Arkansas wasn't eligible. What other choice did the Sugar Bowl have?

That will do it for the first edition of The Wrestling 6&1 Preshow. Thanks for reading, please leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail to let me know what you thought. Now, on to The Wrestling 6&1!