411 Fact or Fiction 01.29.09: Royal Randy, Against All Odds, RVD, More!

Posted by Larry Csonka on 01.29.2009

Week TWO HUNDRED and FIFTEEN features Andy Clark, Andrew Critchell, Mick Cooper and discussion of TNA’s recent European Tour!

Welcome back to another week of 411 Fact or Fiction: Wrestling Edition! This week we have THREE men stepping up to the challenge as 411 Writer Andy Clark, 411 contributor Andrew Critchell and 411 reader Mick Cooper step into the 411 Arena to do battle in this week's edition of Fact or Fiction!

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1. The TNA World Title Match at Against All Odds, featuring Sting defending against Brother Ray, Brother Devon and Kurt Angle will lead to an Angle title win, and Sting's departure from the Main Event Mafia.

Andrew Critchell: FACT. This Frontline/MEM angle has become more about MEM and less about the Frontline anyway so a break in the ranks of MEM is the next logical step. Add in the fact that Angle is seen as the leader of MEM despite Sting having the belt and the fact that Sting has been in a "Godfather" type role and hasn't been getting his hands too dirty and a turn seems inevitable. Sting as a heel is just so completely unnatural, both for the fans and for Sting himself that an end to his heel run would probably be the best thing for everyone.

Mick Cooper: FACT. Of course he will. It won't even be slightly shocking. Neither of Team 3-D has been built up to be a credible challenger for the World Title, so the only question in this match is whether it will be Angle or Sting taking the belt. I can see Angle sneaking the title with a roll-up (possibly on Sting) and then justifying his actions by saying he "kept the title in the family". That said, whilst I'm sure people will jump all over this as booking the blinding-obvious, it does make good sense. Angle takes the head of the MEM position he's essentially been in for months, and is a more fighting champion. Sting goes back to normal, shifts more merchandise, and (hopefully short-term) fills a gap for top-level face challengers.

Andy Clark: FICTION. Although that's not really a bad guess. I'm not so sure I actually see Sting dropping the title before he leaves the Mafia, unless he loses the title to someone from the Frontline and is then booted and beat down for being a failure. While I certainly see tensions rising in this match (and knowing TNA Angle and Sting could full on brawl and still be partners come Impact), I think the true purpose of this match is to get Ray and Devon over as singles guys that stand a realistic chance of winning individual gold. We'll get to Angle vs. Sting at some point, but I don't think the breaking point is now. The Main Event Mafia has been at a numbers disadvantage this whole time (although it hasn't really hurt them) and I don't think they can stand to split them up just yet unless there is a big name defection from the Frontline to help plug the whole. The way I see it the Main Event Mafia should remain intact as a five-person unit until at least Lockdown.

Score: 2 Fact, 1 Fiction!


2. Rob Van Dam's return at the Royal Rumble was great, but is likely just a one-time deal.

Andrew Critchell: FACT. Van Dam's act gets super stale super quick because it hasn't changed since 2002. It's perfect for a one off because of the nostalgia value but if WWE brought him back full time we all know how it would go; he'd come back to a huge pop, get a decent push, put on the same match week in and week out, get de-pushed, bitch about his spot on the card, maybe get injured or take some time off, rinse, repeat. Does anyone really care to see that anymore, especially with hot acts like Jericho, Orton, HBK/JBL, Cena, etc? I think that WWE can see the value of having RVD around as well as the value of NOT having him around and realizing which is greater. So yeah, it's a one-time deal.

Mick Cooper: FACT. I was almost tempted to put fiction based solely on the fact that RVD's return isn't "great" if it means that we get another 6 months of "Has RVD signed or…" comments all across 411. I mean, it's getting to EPIC proportions. Whilst it was great to see Van Dam back, I don't think this is the start of a new run for him. He's got a lot going on with a number of media outlets (as well as with wife's reported health issues), and nothing I've ever seen from Van Dam has made me believe he needs to money or is incredibly desperate to get back into WWE full-time. He'll pop up on the odd tour or event as McManagment hope to get him excited enough to come back, but – for now – this is a one shot deal.

Andy Clark: FACT. If only to keep the joke alive way past its expiration date. No, I think RVD is perfectly happy being able to stay at home and come back for these one shot deals. To be honest RVD was a little played out when he left WWE fulltime and I think the time off could do him well; I mean, look what it did for Chris Jericho. It's got to be nice being in the position RVD is though: the man can badmouth the company all he wants while he's away and yet he's still welcomed back with open arms. He still looks good in the ring and could command a nice deal when he ever does decide to return full time (which I think is inevitable, even if it's with TNA) so there's really no rush on his part. Plus you've got to think he'd still like spend time with his wife following her victory over cancer and you can't fault him for that.

Score: ALL FACT!


3. Randy Orton winning the Royal Rumble was the right call.

Andrew Critchell: FACT. on is the hottest act in wrestling right now, bar none, so having him win the Rumble is the perfect call. Plus it allows for a lot of different possibilities for the main event of Wrestlemania. Obviously it looks like he'll be facing Cena but a title switch could happen, with maybe HBK getting the belt. He might be forced to forego the title match into to square things up with Vince. And there is the rest of the Legacy to consider as well. Who knows what might happen? One thing that is for sure is that the fans are really into Orton. Most people boo him as a heel but don't think I haven't heard the cheers he's been getting too. Love him or hate him, at least you're interested in what he's doing and that's where the money is.

Mick Cooper: FACT. Based on the idea that Cena will be going into Wrestlemania as champ, and Orton will now be the challenger, it is the most logical choice. Orton is currently the complete antithesis of everything Cena is – the conniving uber-heel vs the clean-cut face. It also means that DiBiase and Rhodes get raised up a level by association, which can only help their development. It benefits more people than any other decision, which could have been made. Most importantly, it gives them an easy get-out clause for Orton punting Vince's head off last Monday. With Orton being given the guaranteed title shot, he presumably becomes exempt from being fired…in ludicrous kayfabe terms only (Isn't it a shame this doesn't work in real life?? "I appreciate I just head butted Mr. Smith from the Accounts Department, but I'm giving a presentation in a few weeks, so you can't fire me…")

Andy Clark: FICTION. But I say that with a great deal of reservation. In truth I have no issue with Orton winning the Rumble. In fact I think having such a signature win is great for his momentum, especially coming off the hot angle with Mr. McMahon on Raw. My biggest issue here is that Cena-Orton, while I suppose a logical replacement for the Cena-Batista rematch, does not excite me at all as a WrestleMania main event. Likewise the prospect of Edge-Triple H as the SmackDown main event, the rematch of the Great American Bash's Aliciagate Match, isn't particularly interesting either. While I love the fact that Orton got the big win, Triple H heading to Mania to face Cena (while Orton deals with whomever the McMahon's throw his way), would have seemed like a much bigger deal for the Silver Anniversary. If Orton somehow gets screwed out of his title shot by the McMahon family or if there are some interesting additions made to the match (a good referee/enforcer could help) then it won't be so bad, but as of now, if Orton's Rumble win leads merely to a one-on-one match with Cena then I'd say it's not worth it.

Score: 2 Fact, 1 Fiction!


---SWITCH~!---


4. The Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy feud will be a failure.

Andy Clark: FICTION. I think the reason many people think this will fail is because of their failed attempt at feuding in late 2001. A lot has happened since then and both men are stronger performers and have stronger bonds with the fans. Jeff Hardy is a legitimate main event player and Matt, while father down the pecking order, had a better connection with the fans than most other wrestlers at his level. Matt showed during his V.1 days that he could heel it up with the best of them, and Jeff Hardy is not only one of the top faces in the company but he has the extra bonus of being Matt's brother, making the betrayal all the more hurtful. You also have to take into account WWE's target demographic these days: children. Younger fans are more likely to get wrapped up in the story than your typical older cynic, meaning that a large portion of the crowd should be all over Matt's case. You can see it starting already as the night of the Royal Rumble Matt Hardy's Myspace page was bombarded with harsh words from angry fans. Both brothers will want to make the other look good and hopefully advance both their careers so we should get their best effort as well. And even if Matt doesn't get over as a heel on his own, something I highly doubt, there is always the guaranteed heat machine of the Vickie Guerrero & Edge duo. I'm not so sure we'll actually see Matt and Edge form a cohesive unit on SmackDown, but when in doubt heel heat is only an "Excuse me!" away. The only problem I could see coming with this feud is, as strange as it sounds, what do the fans cheer during the match? Chanting "Hardy" as normal wouldn't really work in this situation.

Mick Cooper: FACT. Although I really hope not. I'm a fan of both Hardys, but I'm not sure that Matt in particular has the necessary mic-skills to make this feud work. Matt was at his heel best was during the whole V.1 era – Matt the conceited, ultra cocky comedy heel is fantastic. However, for this to work, Matt needs to be convincing as a different type of heel. It can't just be arrogant; it has to be bitter and violent. He needs to show enough aggression that the audience believes he no-longer cares about his troubled younger brother. GOLDEN RULE FOR WRESTLING 101: The best characters are extensions of the performers personality. If Matt Hardy cranks up the negative parts of his personality, then we already know he can do self-deluded and cocky well. But a big part of Matt's personality is the love he has for his brother, and it will be difficult to convince people otherwise. Both Hardys have come on as performers since their lousy 2001 feud, and this will be better than that, but I can't see it being Bret vs. Owen V.2…

Andrew Critchell: FACT. This is pretty easy to predict actually. A feud like this has to be driven by a compelling story and a compelling story has to be driven by great promo work. Matt is a terrible talker and while he certainly has some kind of charisma, he's missing that "it" factor that all stars have. And while I believe that Jeff does have that "it" factor, he's not the greatest promo guy either. So we've got two guys in a storyline that needs good promo work and the best one of them is just OK? That doesn't smell like money to me. Unless a third element is injected into the storyline then look for this to underwhelm completely.

Score: 2 Fact, 1 Fiction!


5. Judging by positive reviews and attendance figures, TNA's recent International tour should be considered a success.

Andy Clark: FACT. Honestly I'm not sure how else you measure success, especially for a company like TNA. If enough people were paying money to come out and see your product, not only are you creating a stronger overall brand but you are also making money off all those butts in the seats. If the shows were getting positive reviews then that means there is more of a chance that those same people will come back next time and word of mouth with hopefully bring you an even bigger attendance number the next go around. So what you will about TNA's television, but I haven't heard a single complaint about the TNA house show experience, and it seems like they may even have a more passionate fan base oversees than they do here in the States. It's those favorable receptions that will help TNA make money and grow, the trick is to be able to transfer that success to the bigger picture with PPV buyrates and the like. Still, this is a step in a positive direction for TNA and they have no reason not to consider this international tour a success.

Mick Cooper: FACT. Judging by the positive reviews and high attendance figures? What else should you be judging it on?! On the tour, the TNA talent performed in front of record crowds, the staff morale was high and the shows were well received creatively. This one really is a no-brainer. There are concerns that a live tour in the UK is drawing significantly higher gates than their top PPV - but to make this judgment is unfair. The UK is desperate for "Professional" wrestling shows and will have gained a strong gate regardless of the technical quality of the show. TNA receives a lot of criticism, but the UK and International tours is something which they should be lauded for it only produces positives for the company both long and short term.

Andrew Critchell: FACT. TNA got to play in front of some of the biggest crowds it's ever had and for fans that are super passionate about seeing American pro wrestling. Unless they had some major overhead, they definitely made some good money on this tour and isn't that what it's all about?

Score: ALL FACT!


6. If the rumors are true, having Mickey Rourke face Chris Jericho at WrestleMania is a great idea.

Andy Clark: FACT. Mickey Rourke isn't going to bring in Donald Trump numbers by any stretch of the imagination, nor will it be covered as extensively as Floyd Mayweather due to the lack of sports media covering the event. Even so, WWE needed to pull out a big card for WrestleMania, and seeing as how most professional sports leagues have wussed out in recent years about letting their athletes wrestle, this was probably the best option they had. Rourke will be getting lots of pub heading into the Oscars and you can bet that even if it is just a passing mention that his WrestleMania appearance will be tacked onto every conversation about "The Wrestler." While the match may not be fantastic, the use of Jericho in this role is a good one. He's one of the best workers in the company so he should be able to compensate for Rourke's shortcomings, he's charming and entertaining enough to do the talk show circuit to hype the match, and he didn't seem to have a big spot on the WrestleMania card despite having such a big 2008. And really I mention Rourke's deficiencies but he's already had some training in preparation for the movie so he's already a step ahead of just about any celebrity-turned-wrestler they've worked with. From a PR perspective this is also a nice move for Vince McMahon. For once Vince is cooperating with something or someone that he has a difference of opinion on instead of going on his insane Vince tirades like he usually does. Even if the motives are purely self-interested it still looks pretty good. The person who could possibly lose out on this deal is Rourke as his Oscar chances could take a hit for "soiling" himself by actually getting involved in wrestling, but in a way that's almost appropriate given the circumstances that Randy "The Ram" lives in. Here's hoping WWE secures the rights to "Bang Your Head" for Rourke's entrance.

Mick Cooper: FACT. But with one almighty clause. It is a Fact for Vince. Fact for Jericho. Fact for Wrestling fans. But an almighty Fiction for Mickey Rourke. Assuming that Mickey Rourke wants to revitalize his career as an actor; a venture into WWE will seriously under-value any kudos he has gained in the acting community from "The Wrestler" (unless you're talking to Freddie Prinze Jr obviously). For the Wrestling community, this is a great idea. Wrestlemania is made for these kind of celebrity attractions. I read someone describe this as the "Worst Crossover Ever". ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Even if he comes to the ring as Randy "The Ram" (which I hope he doesn't... try and retain "some" kayfabe), it is still 1000x better than any of the following - No Limit Soliders. The Kiss Demon. Chucky. Robo-Cop. Pac-Man Jones. Hernie Sadler. DAVID ARQUETTE. The fact that NONE of these are in WWE shows at Vince has at least a slight idea how to do this properly. Jericho is a great choice as he can carry the feud and is unlikely to crumble under the additional spotlight. Shockingly, "Wrasslin" might even get some good press out of this!

Andrew Critchell: FACT. Look, I think any doubts about the yearly Wrestlemania "spectacle" matches being bad have been erased with how well the past few have come off. The hair vs. hair match with Trump two years ago was a lot of fun and the Mayweather match from last year was fantastic and very well done. PLUS both matches got WWE a lot of publicity outside of the wrestling world. PLUS Rourke is up for an Oscar in a movie ABOUT Wrestling so it's a natural fit and won't seem forced at all. PLUS Rourke actually boxed professionally so he is at least somewhat athletic. I don't see how WWE could lose with Rourke's involvement.

Score: ALL FACT!

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