411 Fact or Fiction 12.18.08: Jeff Hardy as Champion, Impact, MVP Losing and More!

Posted by Larry Csonka on 12.18.2008

Week TWO HUNDRED and NINE features 411 Writer Jasper Jones, 411 Reader Geoffrey Landtbom and discussion of TNA replacing Gail Kim!

Welcome back to another week of 411 Fact or Fiction: Wrestling Edition! This week we have TWO men stepping up to the challenge as 411's Jasper Jones and 411 Reader Geoffrey Landtbom step into the 411 Arena to do battle in this week's edition of Fact or Fiction!

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1. Putting the WWE Title on Jeff Hardy at Armageddon was not the right call.

Geoffrey Landtbom: FICTION. Now there's obviously a risk in making this move given Hardy's past with drugs. If he screws up one more time, he's finished. The WWE learned a lesson the hard way a little more then two years ago when they made a bold step by putting the WWE title on Rob Van Dam, a very popular wrestler who the WWE didn't feel was worthy of the title in terms of drawing power and wrestling ability for several years. But they took a huge gamble. What happened? After a fun three-week reign, RVD made a stupid decision to get pulled over and arrested along with Sabu for having weed in their car. The WWE, fearing a public relations. disaster, made RVD drop both the WWE Title and the ECW Title on back to back televised shows and suspended him for 30 days. He was still employed but never won the WWE or ECW title again. But I'm going to go fiction on this for one simple reason. I think Hardy knows that one more screw up means goodbye so I don't think he'll screw up again. What's more is that it's very obvious to me that he's getting the title as a reward for staying clean, having great matches, and being insanely popular with fans. I 'd like to think he's learned his lesson.

Jasper Jones: FICTION. Despite several false starts in his career, Jeff Hardy has finally captured The Big One. Was Armageddon the right place to give Jeff the belt? No. That could have been done back at Survivor Series, the much more important pay-per-view. Was is the right call to put the belt on Jeff? Yes. This gives the WWE fans a new scenario with the title. When Triple H holds it, you know that he's more than likely keeping it for a bit. Edge is your de-facto heel on Smackdown and would just get some recycled storyline. Jeff Hardy brings a little more excitement back to the title picture. With Jeff as champion, there is hinge of uncertainty in the air. Will he keep it? Could he lose it at any minute? Jeff gets to use his "underdog, risk taking" persona to its full potential. It should be some good TV.

Score: 1 for 1!


2. Last week's edition of TNA Impact (12.11.08) was one of the worst free TV shows of the year.

Geoffrey Landtbom: FACT. Now I must confess that I missed Impact due to it being my great aunt's 95th birthday...that isn't a typo by the way. I tried to track down the show on Youtube but had no luck. So I did what any FOF participant confronted with a question on a show they missed would do in a situation like this. I skimmed Chris Landsell's recap. Based on what I read, I'm glad I missed the show. I mean, you can't have 2 to 3 minute matches followed by filler. For a two hour show, fans deserve way more wrestling then they're currently getting from Impact From what I read there was also implied racism in the Feast Or Fired announcements and Curry Man was the victim. That's just unacceptable. And they're still on this Sarah Palin bullshit. End this nonsense now please. You also had stipulations that meant little in the end and bullshit non-finishes, which make me, wonder if Vince Russo and company are on crack. Then again, Russo's been booking like he's been high on crack for years now. By the way, thanks Chris!

Jasper Jones: FACT. Last week TNA was pretty bad, but they've been putting on some pretty bad stuff in general lately. The Main Event Mafia vs. The Frontline storyline seems good on paper, but somehow it's just not working for me. The guys in the angle seem motivated, but it all seems so familiar and overplayed. Who didn't see the ending of the show coming when Brother Ray and Angle agreed to have everyone leave the building? TNA's faces are made to look like complete idiots every week. No wonder no one cares. I used to be a big TNA fan. I loved the X Division back when it meant something. I was a huge Abyss fan, but now he's a jobbing putz. What the hell happened? The shows seem to move like a pinball from one segment to another, never really giving anything a full story. I haven't totally given up on them yet though. The MCMGs, LAX, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Mick Foley, Booker T, and Angle are all still worth watching.

Score: 2 for 2!


3. Rey Mysterio should take WWE up on their offer and sign the 5-year contract they offered him.

Geoffrey Landtbom: FACT. With the way the economy has been, Rey knows that he will not get more money from anywhere but the WWE. I know he's interested in wrestling in Mexico for one of their promotions. If he were to sign with the WWE, that wouldn't happen but at least he could make a nice chunk of change by staying right where he is. On the other hand though, I will say that I think 5 years is too much. They should at least consider offering him the reported 3-year deal he reportedly wants first before doing anything else.

Jasper Jones: FACT. Rey Mysterio would be making a big mistake by not signing the 5-year contract the WWE has offered him. Where would he go? If he went to TNA he'd get lost in the shuffle, be seen as just another old WWE guy, and make no splash in the ratings at all. If Sting, Angle, Booker T, nor Mick Foley couldn't do it, neither will Rey. He needs to stay with the WWE because it's the only ticket in town. That is a secured 5-year deal with a secured global company. Even though Mysterio has proven to be injury prone, the WWE still thinks Rey is valuable enough to offer a 5-year contract to him. Turn the deal down, go to AAA, blow out a knee and see how well they treat you.

Score: 3 for 3!


---SWITCH~!---


4. WWE's excuse for MVP's losing streak is one of the stupidest things you have ever heard.
THE EXCUSE: MVP has been told that his losing streak is due to the company being upset about guys like Lashley and Lesnar leaving, and that they are doing this to him now to see if he can stick it out.

Jasper Jones: FACT. The reasoning here is ludicrous! The reason why Lashley and Lesnar left is because they had everything laid out for them with little effort on their part. They were two huge, physically impressive guys who the WWE saw quick money in. Neither of them came up through the ranks they way most of the WWE main eventers have. Success that quick to someone that young and that green is going to mess with their heads. Once the light on their star fizzled a bit, they hit the road. Who wants to go back down the ladder when you climbed it so quickly? Let MVP simmer. Let him work with veterans like Finlay, the Hardys, HHH, HBK, Undertaker, etc. Allow MVP time to become seasoned, then give him a chance. Chances are, the hard work and the investing will pay off. This losing streak is doing more harm to MVP than helping the WWE gauge his ability to stick it out. There is only so many times that someone can lose cleanly in a row and have it repeatedly pointed out, before irreversible damage occurs. Being called boring, repeatedly, ruined Lance Storm's career. Same could happen here.

Geoffrey Landtbom: FICTION. As ridiculous as their reason for the MVP losing streak may sound, the WWE actually has a right to be concerned. Lesnar and Lashley had huge pushes and promising futures before both unexpectedly quit. The WWE may have huge plans for MVP in the near future, possibly even a future WWE title run but they want to test him to make sure he'll remain loyal first. Look what happened to Kennedy before WrestleMania 23. He went on a losing streak before WrestleMania 23. When WrestleMania rolled around though he won Money In The Bank seemingly out of nowhere. So It's entirely possible that the WWE is making MVP pay some dues in exchange for something bigger down the road.

Score: 3 for 4!


5. TNA will never find a suitable replacement for Gail Kim.

Jasper Jones: FICTION. Gail Kim's TNA run really surprised me. She was completely unimpressive in the WWE, so I expected about the same in TNA. Boy, was I wrong. She stepped up her game ten-fold. If she can do it, someone else can too. TNA might not be able to find a suitable replacement right away, but I bet they eventually do. A good-looking girl with great work ethic and the desire to continually improve is what TNA needs right now.

Geoffrey Landtbom: FACT. Let's face it people. Gail Kim was the best female wrestler that TNA ever had. Awesome Kong, O.D.B., The Beautiful People, Roxxi? All talented no doubt but they will never replace Gail Kim. Not unless Beth Phoenix bolts for TNA in a few years which I highly doubt given their horrendous booking lately.

Score: 3 for 5!


6. Matt Hardy was the one that attacked Jeff Hardy in the hotel before the Survivor Series PPV.

Jasper Jones: FICTION. Matt has a good thing going right now as the ECW Champion, and I'd really rather that not change at the moment. Besides, I have always thought both Hardys are much more valuable as faces than as heels. They are two of the few faces that are truly over with all the fans. The "who attacked Jeff Hardy" scenario seems like a great way to debut a new star. Maybe even re-debut a new star like....Christian! One can only hope right? If they decided to go with this angle it will more than likely turn out to be someone stupid like Kozlov or freakin' Gregory Helms. Bleh.

Geoffrey Landtbom: FACT. That would be awesome and would make perfect sense if he is indeed the one who attacked Jeff. Edge might have planted the seed for that situation on Smackdown last week. If it turns out to be true, Hardy could be jealous of Jeff for the following reasons.

1. To many fans, Jeff was always the more exciting Hardy Boy. Matt was a great workhorse for that team but was also arguably overshadowed by Jeff's insane and crowd pleasing arterial tactics.

2. While Matt is the ECW Champion, Jeff just won the WWE Championship, the belt everybody else including Matt wants. Meanwhile the ECW title, which Matt currently holds, is a 2nd or even 3rd rate title that seems pretty worthless.

3. Jeff is on the blue brand as WWE Champion feuding with main eventers while Matt is a midcard talent on a brand that seems more like the minor leagues of wrestling then an actual brand. I hardly ever watch ECW myself.

Looking at the evidence I just provided, he probably did attack Jeff.

Score: 3 for 6!

Come on back next week for more of 411 Fact or Fiction: Wrestling Edition!