411 Fact or Fiction 10.11.07: Kong signs with TNA, No Mercy one of the Year’s Worst Show’s, Angle’s DUI and More

Posted by Larry Csonka on 10.11.2007

Week ONE HUNDRED and FOURTY-SEVEN features Michael Weyer, Matt Adamson and discussion on whether or not TNA will punish Kurt Angle for his recent DUI!

Welcome back to another week of 411 Fact or Fiction: Wrestling Edition! This week, two 411 writers go to battle as Shining a Spotlight's Michael Weyer enters the 411 arena to do battle with the returning Destiny author Matt Adamson!

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Let's get to it!

1. With John Cena being injured, playing Hot Potato with the WWE Title at No Mercy was the right move to make.

Matt Adamson: FACT. Not only do I think it was the right move to make, I felt as though it was the best move to make. Something that has kept my interest in WWE a little low as of the last few months was that it was terribly predictable. That changed at No Mercy. I honestly thought that it was going to be Randy Orton, but how it all went down was a complete surprise to me and made me glad I saw the event. If they had gone head with a generic triple threat and ended at that, it would have been extremely disappointing. Good job WWE for bringing back some element of surprise in the age of the IWC.

Michael Weyer : FACT. Now, normally, I hate hot-potatoing as it was a key reason WCW lost so much favor with fans. But consider that Cena had been holding the belt for an entire straight year, it needed a shake-up. More importantly, it made No Mercy much more interesting to watch with HHH winning one more title but then ordered to defend it twice. Say what you will about him but Hunter always brings his A game to the big ones and put Orton over big time, making him a more respectful champion than if he'd won a triple threat match or something. More importantly, as Matt points out, it's a great way to shake up fans, something WWE could use now to get more interest.

Score: 1 for 1


2. WWE is running the risk of turning off PPV buyers with their recent string of DQ and or No Finish matches on PPV.

Matt Adamson: FACT. It was this type of situation that WCW was in around 1997 and 1998. People eventually became tired of paying money to see what should have been on Nitro and getting what should have been on Pay Per View for free. For the most part over the last 3 or 4 Pay Per View's WWE has gone this route. I for one have found it more and more difficult to plop down the money for a beer at the local bar to watch the Pay Per Views for free these days as they almost aren't even worth my time. If it weren't for them being free at the bar, they would have lost my money as well. I think the unpredictable nature of the WWE title situation at No Mercy was one sign that it could change, but given the circumstances and that the same soap opera writers are involved, I'm doubting that change is coming.

Michael Weyer : FACT. Matt nicely sums it up but I do have hope that the new champion situation might change that. I understand how they want to do that sometimes to keep the belt on a champ but not hurt his opponent. Still, doing it over and over does get more annoying than a Dusty finish and the E has to be careful that they don't follow the same route of WCW and keep shoving it down so fans are driven away. But with a heel champion, they may be able to get more wins (albeit no so clean ones) and pull away from this annoying trend.

Score: 2 for 2


3. No Mercy was one of the worst PPV's of the year.

Matt Adamson : FICTION. If it weren't for the surprises involving the WWE title I'd be more likely to say "absolutely". Then again, was it really that much worse than Summerslam, Hard Justice and Unforgiven? It's just about as bad as those three, but the element of surprise was absent from those three, while it was shockingly present at No Mercy. Unlike many, I find the most mind-numbingly dull stuff coming from the Smackdown side as it is, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Sorry Hornswaggle fans, any segment involving the little man is going to do nothing to add to any Pay Per View, he is NOT the answer.

Michael Weyer : FICTION. Not just because of the wild WWE title situation but the under card wasn't as horrible as people say. The women's title match was actually pretty good with Phoenix going over and the Punjabi Prison match was about as you'd expect. The key reason was the WWE title, of course as fans knew there was a new champ going to be crowned, which put in automatic buzz. Having Orton and HHH trade it between them gave the show a great vibe that charged it up far more than the last few. Besides, as much as folks rank on the E as the tops of horrible PPVs, TNA has had a couple of duds this year as well that should be remembered (or maybe better off forgotten). Even without the HHH-Orton stuff, this wouldn't have been one of the worst of the year but that did help elevate it and make it one of the years most notable.

Score: 3 for 3

---SWITCH~!---

4. TNA has announced that the Ultimate X Match between LAX and XXX will kick off Bound for Glory. This is the right match to open the show.

Michael Weyer : FICTION. Will this be a great match? Hell yes, it will. It's XXX and LAX and it's Ultimate X so it will be great. Is it right to open? No. Don't get me wrong, I love a great opening match as much as the next guy but if it's TOO good then the rest of the card suffers in comparison. BFG has typically opened with an X Division match up of some sort and that should be the right opener here as well. This is a match that should be saved for the midpoint of the card to give it a big boost and enhance the action. Giving it away so early will get things off but risks blowing the load so soon rather than build up on the action as we go. So great match, wrong placement.

Matt Adamson : FICTION. I'm with Weyer here. My thinking is that for a match like this to open the show, you'd want to use it to draw viewers in that aren't currently watching. Using it to open a Pay Per View is more or less just making the match look less important as in order for anybody to see it they will already have had to purchase the show. Bad planning on TNA's part. The only reason I can see this making sense is if TNA is planning on removing the supports for Ultimate X after the match, which would save them the mid-show setup in which case it is wise if not irritating and failing to provide justice to how awesome this match will likely be.

Score: 4 for 4


5. TNA will do nothing to punish Kurt Angle for his recent DUI.

Michael Weyer : FACT. First off, TNA still has nothing like a wellness policy to work with. Second, Angle has been given an insane push ever since he was hired as TNA is determined to keep him on top, even over more deserving TNA-based workers. He's their champ and in the middle of a major program with Sting and, of course, they paid big bucks for him. So if TNA can't handle the steroid problems we know they have to have, why would they care about a little drunk driving problem? Would it be worse for someone lower in the roster or even Styles or Daniels? Maybe. But for the champ they've been pushing for the last year? Please, Angle will go on with no problem or official chastising.

Matt Adamson : FACT. TNA will probably talk with him and say, "hey, please Kurt, don't drink and drive and get caught". That'll likely be it. Kurt is actually in the power position here and he has plenty of other opportunities to take if TNA doesn't do things as he pleases (to a small degree of course). I think Weyer summed up the thinking pretty well. I hope they do something, but right now, pretending like nothing happened is likely the best business move, because his DUI isn't creating a lot of waves as it is.

Score: 5 for 5


6. TNA signing Amazing Kong to a contract is a good move for their women's division.

Michael Weyer: FACT. I'm saying fact on the basis of it being a good sign so far. Kong is a terrific worker and it says a lot TNA is going for someone who can actually, you know, wrestle instead of just look hot. However, I reserve some judgment until we see how they use her. Anyone remember how WWF once signed a great worker but then told her not to use any of the moves that made her famous and turned her into Bertha Faye? So far, we still have a ways to go to make a women's division in TNA more of a reality. Signing Kong on is a good thing but now they have to use her right and I think we all know TNA's rather...spotty track record with properly using and marketing their workers as of late. So yes, a good sign but still some doubt as to how effective it will be.

Matt Adamson : FACT. Is there really any question? She is one of the top women's performers in the world and she's twice as good and interesting to watch in the ring as any of the WWE divas, with exception to Phoenix, who, in my opinion still isn't in the same league as Kong. She is brutal and technically sound. I think TNA is smart enough to not turn Kong into another Bertha Faye, but stranger things have happened. She has many obvious strengths and very few weaknesses and if she's able to do things her way, TNA just might be able to give the past of joshi a run for it's money. Where is Aja Kong when you need her. That would be a fun match to watch, "Clash of the Kong's". TNA, give her a mic and have her talk about Al Sharpton and the NAACP and such and you will have the next Dwayne Johnson. Trust me.

Score: 6 for 6

These two finish 6 for 6 and highly disappoint me, because disagreement is fun! Join us next week for more Fact or Fiction!