411 Fact or Fiction 02.05.09: Austin’s Induction, TNA Impact, Mike Knox in the Elimination Chamber, More

Posted by Larry Csonka on 02.05.2009

Week TWO HUNDRED and SIXTEEN features Rob McNew, Jeff Small and discussion of TNA overseas!

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 writers Rob McNew and Jeff Small step into the 411 Arena to do battle in this week's edition of Fact or Fiction!

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Questions were sent out Monday morning.

Participants were told to expect WWE and TNA related questions.

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1. Bret Hart, and not Vince McMahon, should induct Steve Austin into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Rob McNew: FICTION. The feud with Bret Hart put Austin on the map, but the feud with McMahon is what defined his career. Ask anyone who Stone Cold's biggest rival is they will almost always answer "Vince McMahon." The ones who don't will probably say The Rock. Unfortunately from a mainstream perspective the feud with Bret is just a small blip on the radar screen compared to what was to come. This isn't meant to diminish the tremendous matches between Bret and Austin or that terrific feud, but its just rather small in the large scheme of Austin 's hall of fame career. For what its worth I think it should probably be Jim Ross to do the induction, but if I'm picking between these two guys its got to be Vince.

Jeff Small: FICTION. As much as Bret Hart helped Steve Austin become a viable main eventer, it was Austin's feud with Vince McMahon that launched both the superstar and the company into the stratosphere. Steve Austin would not have had the impact he had in the WWE if it were not for his heel counterpart, Mr. McMahon. Their feud led to the WWE ending WCW's 82-win streak and the subsequent asswhooping the WWE gave WCW in the ratings afterwards. Because of this (and many other reasons), Vince McMahon should definitely induct Stone Cold Steve Austin into the Hall of Fame.

Score: 1 for 1!


2. Thursday's episode of TNA Impact was a horrible show.

Rob McNew: FICTION. Not only was Thursday's episode not a horrible show, as I mentioned in The Brace for Impact, I thought hour one was the most entertained I'd ever been watching Impact. It gave us something different from the norm. Any time Scott Steiner is ring announcing you know its bound to be a good time. Now then was it particularly successful at selling the pay per view or attracting a new audience? No, in fact, I'm not sure it did one thing to make me want to buy the pay per view. But as far as being an incredibly entertaining hour and ten minutes, unquestionably. It really does show what a drag Tenay and West are on the program when they totally stopped the momentum of the program as soon as they regained the booth.

Jeff Small: FICTION. I actually enjoyed Impact up until Foley's return in the early part of the second hour. I understand why people could hate the show as it was full of handicapped matches, everyone but the Main Event Mafia looked good, and I still do not understand how Jim Cornette can book matches but not stop Kurt Angle from sitting in Jeff Jarrett's chair. With that said, Booker T, Kevin Nash, and Scott Steiner all helped make at least the few hour perversely entertaining. I'd rather have a bad but entertaining show than a really boring, bad show.

Score: 2 for 2!


3. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat will be the most deserving inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

Rob McNew: FICTION. This one is really easy. One of the three biggest draws in the history of pro wrestling is being inducted. That alone means Ricky needs to take a backseat to Austin on this one. I'm sure Steamboat himself would admit that. I'm as big of a fan of Ricky Steamboat as anyone. The man is arguably in 4 of the 5 greatest matches of the 80's. But there's more to the wrestling business than putting on five star classics. It's about putting an ass every eighteen inches. Stone Cold Steve Austin did that better than anyone not named Hogan. A cup of coffee with the NWA title and a show stealing performance with Randy Savage doesn't vault you ahead of Austin . Not only is Austin the most deserving inductee in the 2009 class. He's probably the second most deserving inductee ever behind only Hulk Hogan.

Jeff Small: FICTON. Stone Cold Steve Austin is the most deserving inductee into the Hall of Fame. While Ricky Steamboat was a great technical wrestler and had a historic feud with both Ric Flair in the WCW and the Macho Man Randy Savage in the WWE, he did not carry either company on his back like Stone Cold did. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Steamboat's wrestling ability, but in the world of sports entertainment, there are many other important attributes that have to be looked at.

Score: 3 for 3!


---SWITCH~!---


4. TNA's success in their recent International tour proves that they should not only tour there again and soon, but that they should tape both an episode of Impact and a PPV in one of those International markets.

Jeff Small: FACT. With TNA trying to reduce costs, it would almost be impractical if they do not tape more than one event during their next overseas tour. The company could tape two weeks worth of Impact at one show to promote a UK-only PPV and then tape that also on the tour. The UK-only show would be a benefit to TNA as it adds another novelty DVD to the US market (like the Global Impact DVDs) and gives the UK fans something more important than just a house show. My only fear with the success of the International tour is burnout and dimished returns if TNA proceeds too quickly with a return. Rather, the company should already start thinking of holding a show like Lockdown in 2010 in the UK.

Rob McNew: FACT. Why wouldn't they? I thought when I saw the photo of that full arena at one of the UK shows that TNA should use that photo every chance they get. It would be an opportunity to put on a television program in a full arena with a crowd of over 10,000. Wrestling fans in the UK are starved to see a big time wrestling program. Assuming it's feasible from a cost perspective there is absolutely no reason for TNA not do this. If you present your product as a big deal you might actually get people to believe it. A hot crowd and a full arena could do wonders for the product. This makes too much sense for them not to do it.

Score: 4 for 4!



5. Mike Knox being a part of the Raw Elimination Chamber is a joke.

Jeff Small: FICTION. While we all know Mike Knox has no chance of winning the Elimination Chamber, I am not upset about his inclusion in the match. With two Elimination Chambers at No Way Out, it's nice to see other superstars have a shot at the WWE Title. Judging from the star power, the Smackdown EC will main event the night so there's nothing wrong with Knox in the undercard EC. Plus, it's not nearly as insulting as Chris Masters and Carlito being two of the final three competitors in the 2006 EC.

Rob McNew: FICTION. Even the most naive wrestling fan in the world knows that Orton-Cena is etched in stone for Wrestlemania. You're not going to convince anyone that Cena is going to lose the match anyway. With JBL and HBK set to settle their differences in the winner take all match at No Way Out and Randy Orton already locked in to a title match at Wrestlemania there are only so many places they could go. Knox has even been mildly entertaining in his generic monster #19309 role putting on a terrific tag match Monday Night. Knowing that Orton and Priceless are preoccupied with Shane, JBL and HBK are facing off with each other, who else are you going to put in there? You could probably find a place for Punk, but if I was going to take someone out I'd probably go with the always useless Kane or the still green Kofi Kingston.

Score: 5 for 5!


6. TNA's rumored "female" investor will lead to an on air role for Dixie Carter.

Jeff Small: FICTION. Dixie Carter has already been introduced to much of the TNA audience through Spin Cycles, press releases, and at live events. People already know her as the President of TNA, which would be a lackluster surprise for her to be given this on-air role. Rather, I believe that the new "female investor" will lead to the return of Karen Angle! Karen's already had history with the company, has a built in feud with the Main Event Mafia (featuring her ex-husband Kurt), and is a hot piece of ass who needs to be on my television. Simple as that.

Rob McNew: FICTION. Dixie has said on numerous occasions she has no desire to be an on air character. This isn't like Vince revealing himself as owner in '96 either. Everyone already knows Dixie is the President. They don't hide this fact. So in a way she already is revealed so to speak even in kayfabe. I'm thinking that all signs lead to the female investor being Karen Angle. Possibly with the storyline being that she used the money from the divorce to buy into TNA and make Kurt's life a living hell. She's still under contract and has a profile on the website. I believe that Kurt and Karen had an amicable split so it stands to reason that they could still work together. She plays a vindictive bitch quite well and would be good in this role wreaking havoc on Kurt and the MEM. I could be wrong and it could be someone else, but I'm fairly confident it won't be Dixie.

Score: 6 for 6!

Larry Csonka: Jesus, are you too ladies done making out yet? Come on back next week for more of 411 Fact or Fiction: Wrestling Edition!