411 Fact or Fiction 01.11.07: Triple H's Future, WSX vs. ECW, CM Punk, More

Posted by Ashish on 01.11.2007

It's week ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE of Fact or Fiction with Nick Marsico, Michael Weyer, and whether the Great Khali should get a big push...

Welcome back to another week of 411 Fact or Fiction! This week, 411 Wrestling's Nick Marsico (News To Start Your Weekend) goes up against 411 Wrestling's Michael Weyer (Shining A Spotlight)! Let's get to it!


1. WSX going head-to-head with half of ECW On Sci-Fi will hurt ECW's ratings.

Nick Marsico: FICTION. It's a different audience at this point. The people who still do watch ECW are, as far as I can tell, a few of the hardcore casuals (figure THAT one out) who will watch anything WWE will throw at them, and likely have never heard of the MTV wrestling show. I guess in time it possibly could, but the show is starting in just under 3 weeks and, though I barely watch TV, I assume it's gotten little-to-no publicity thus far. Plus, it's going head-to-head with what is generally the better half of ECW that also gets the better end of the quarter hour ratings. Not to mention that nobody's heard of basically any of the guys on the WSX roster and I'd wager not many people who watch ECW remember Vampiro or know that Sean Waltman is X-Pac, not that having him would pop ratings anyway.

Michael Weyer: FICTION. I agree, seen almost nothing on WSX as is. Say what else you will about ECW but at least some of their roster is familiar to fans but WSX is just no-names and has-beens (although Waltman could prove a surprise if he actually brings his game this time around). While another promotion is a good thing, its got way too big a mountain to climb before it comes remotely close to challenging WWE (or even TNA for that matter). Still, could be an interesting alternative.

Score: 1 for 1


2. The Great Khali should not get a major push.

Nick Marsico: FACT. He's big, but judging by the crowd's reaction to him on RAW, nobody gives a fuck about him. It appeared, however, during his short appearances in matches on RAW and ECW this week that he has improved slightly, but that doesn't warrant anything. I wouldn't mind seeing him somewhere in limbo being above mid card and below the main event (maybe just above freak show land), but getting a major push, especially so randomly and out of nowhere doesn't float my boat as they say. It takes the wind out of my sails. He could squeeze water out of a rock. And then kill two birds with it. I actually wouldn't mind seeing him do that on TV, now that I think about it.

Michael Weyer: FACT. I just can't understand Vince's obsession with big guys continuing when there are guys more deserving of a push but I've pretty much made my peace with it. True, Khali has improved and from what I've heard has a pretty good backstage attitude but pushing him this far seems a bit much. There's a chance he could show surprising improvement (like Mark Henry did) but at the moment, the fans just aren't hot for him and it seems he's just filling the void for a bit before Wrestlemania.

Score: 2 for 2


3. ECW should build to CM Punk winning the ECW Title at WrestleMania.

Nick Marsico: FICTION. I would like to say that now that Khali is out of the picture it opens up a spot for him, but following his loss to Holly on Tuesday and the status of the RVD/Test/Lashley situation, I think they should keep things where they are for ECW and let Punk get his big push on the way to SummerSlam.

Michael Weyer: FACT. ECW needs some good press after the Heyman departure and Lashley not quite catching fire with the fans. Punk has a big fanbase growing more every week and giving him the big belt could be just the thing to get ECW really going again. I don't know if they'll give him a Rumble win but I do think if they build him up right, he'd be a good champion and ECW would get a big push via his win.

Score: 2 for 3


---SWITCH!!!---


4. The Rosie vs. Donald segment stands as one of WWE's worst ever.

Michael Weyer: FICTION. The worst EVER? Come on. Just look at Julian's Ten Worst Gimmicks list and you'll see slews of bad segments listed. A lot from Russo's tenure comes to mind as does Al Wilson's "death," Val Venis' films, the Big Show's dad's funeral, the Big Show in the bathroom, Mae Young giving birth to a glove, the Billy and Chuck wedding and of course Katie Vick. Yeah, it was horrid to see but I wouldn't put it as the absolute worst segment the WWE has ever done. Hell, maybe not even in the top 20. Which, actually, says a lot by itself.

Nick Marsico: FICTION. For different reasons, though. I really wanted to hate all of it, and from the first Rosie segment up to the match itself, it wasn't giving me a reason not to. It was beyond embarrassingly terrible and exhibits exactly why the current writing staff are a bunch of nobodies who failed to make names for themselves in Hollywood. However due solely to the fact that it was Sexy Ace Steel I can't in good conscience call this the worst segment ever. I actually laughed a few times during it just thinking about it being Ace in there. Also, Billy & Chuck's wedding wasn't that bad and Big Show's dad's funeral was CLASSIC.

Score: 3 for 4


5. Triple H should retire.

Michael Weyer: FACT. He's done an awesome job, he really has. He carried the company at a tough time, he's held the belt more than enough times, he helped kick-start DX and thus WWF's rebound in the ratings and he's gotten awesome matches out of most anyone (with the notable exception of Scott Steiner). But I do think it's time HHH hung it all up. The last time he came back from blowing his quad, he was noticeably a bit slower and not as technical. He still managed great matches for a few years but all that wear and tear has taken its toll. He's got a family to think about now and Vince is grooming him for a big spot running the company someday so maybe he should consider taking, at the very least, a long break. He's accomplished all he can in wrestling and DX seemed to be a last shot at past glory. While it would be great to see him continue to give guys the rub (as he did with Cena earlier this year and later with Edge and Orton), he has his long-term health to think about. He's still a great promo guy and could do well in some authority figure position but when it comes to being the awesome worker he once was, the Game is over.

Nick Marsico: FICTION. If he can come back without any complications and it doesn't take longer than 6 months to get that leg back up to at least 90 percent (neither of his legs have been at 100% since before 2000), then he can stick around. At the same time, if he can come back at a similar or lower weight that he was carrying at the time of his injury on Sunday, then I think he'll be fine. If he pulls what he did when he came back in 2002 and gains all sorts of unnecessary muscle mass and tons of water weight, then he'll likely either get hurt again fairly quickly (like he did in 2002, injuring his knee, as well as his elbow, I believe) or he'll wrestle like shit, just like he did for months when he came back 5 years ago. I think in the end it all depends on how long it takes him to rehab. If he can't come back before the end of the summer and have his legs in good condition, then that should be all. I don't believe that will be the case, however. I say that if he can come back, though, he should definitely retire within the next couple years.

Score: 3 for 5


6. WWE should only run eight PPVs per year.

Michael Weyer: FACT. With costs high and things still a bit rough creative wise, spreading the PPVs out more can really help. Consider: Rumble, Mania, Summerslam and Survivor Series are both brands. That would give two months or so between RAW-only and SmackDown-only PPVS, which would allow them more time to build up to matches and feuds rather than rush them on. It would also be a good break for the fans, letting them save their money and the shows thus would seem more of a payoff. Not to mention four less PPV events a year can also save the E some cash, which they could also use. I think less PPVs a year can help improve the company's standing and make things better in the long run for the workers and fans.

Nick Marsico: FACT. I'd like to see a system where they do the big 5 (bringing back King of the Ring in a different format as a challenge between all three brands) and allowing all three brands to also all have one show of their own. ECW could do One Night Stand at the Hammerstein, RAW can have a show early in the year and SmackDown could have one late in the year. The matter of actually having this happen would be convincing Vince that less PPVs with more build would equal more people overall buying each show rather than just adding more and more shows with fewer people buying them but with more to buy. It'll never happen, but I'd love to at least see them go back to one per month.

Score: 4 for 6


These two finish 4 for 6! Join us next week for more 411 Fact or Fiction!