Posted in: Fact or Fiction Fact or Fiction (May): The Legacy, Kurt Angle, Old Farts & More
By SkittleZ
May 15, 2009 - 10:04:11 PM
What's good, homies? Please settle right in for it's time to unleash the May edition of Fact or Fiction! I can't promise you much in terms of this column's quality except for foul language and mature content. Meh... works for me! Anyways, we've brought in some well knowns around the LOP Forums. The Columns Forum Moderator, a Main Pager who knows a thing or two about daily columns, XanMan's estranged birth child, a vile potty mouth and some youngin' from New Jersey. Damn that last one sounded random as fuck, didn't it? In any case, these five guys will be subjected to a few wrestling-esque questions at my mercy. They are to answer FACT or FICTION and give an explanation as well. Now that the combatants and rules have been laid down, lets walk this pony out of the stable.
FACT or FICTION: As a result of the WWE Draft, SmackDown is now a more entertaining show from start to finish than RAW.
(Degenerate) Every single year, it seems that Raw comes up big during the WWE Draft. This year, however, gave Smackdown some big names, like CM Punk, Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio. The only real big name leaving Smackdown was Triple H, and given that he had been constantly present at Raw leading up to Wrestlemania, it didn't seem like a big deal.
However, just because Smackdown seemed to have gotten bigger names doesn't mean that it instantly became the more entertaining show. To me, Raw still has the feel of a bigger show, perhaps thanks to the WWE hammering that through my brain. But also, the names that Raw got in return seem to be names that are ready to reach new heights. MVP, Matt Hardy, the Colons and the lovely Maryse (hey, she's probably the only French-Canadian person I could love) are good, but now they're given the chance to shine like never before. So is Smackdown more entertaining from start to finish? Not for me. FICTION.
(Hustle) As much as I dislike saying it, I have to go with FACT here. For about 90% of the time since Smackdown made its debut, I've been more of a fan of Raw. It usually has the more interesting characters, the bigger names, and the most attention given to it, and that showed in the product that was put forward. Coming out of this year's Draft, I knew that Raw would be a bit loaded with "name" wrestlers, while Smackdown would feature more of the "worker" wrestlers, but to this point, Raw's been taking quite the beating. The two episodes of Smackdown since Backlash have been top-notch, while the episodes of Raw have been mediocre at best.
Super H and Super Shane have been responsible for a lot of Randy Orton's credibility being gone (and even more so of Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes), but putting The Legacy up against a black hole of sucktitude like Batista has been agonizingly bad to watch thus far. Batista just isn't the same as he was when he was feuding with The Undertaker a few years ago. His style just doesn't mesh well with Orton's style, and this storyline has reflected that pretty clearly. On top of all that, Raw hasn't really had the services of John Cena for the last few weeks, so on a personal note, that gives me even less to really look forward to every Monday night. I do like what they've done with MVP in his time on Raw, though. Things are looking bright for him, I'd say. All in all, Raw is a mess right now, and if you want to be a conspiracy theorist, you could say that this is all about Super H getting to say "look how bad the show is without me", just so he can return and dominate yet again. *groan*
Smackdown, on the other hand, has a very bright future for itself. They have a much more wide open main event scene, one that even intertwines quite nicely with it's Intercontinental Title scene. They even came out as the owners of the better end (no pun intended) of the "trade" that sent Divas Champion, Maryse, to Raw in return for Women's Champion, Melina. They got rid of Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard, and they don't have to deal with the extremely lame and far-beyond-its-expiration-date Santina storyline. That makes them big winners, no?
(JoeyShinobi) I’m calling FICTION on this, but it’s not because Raw is the better show. If both brands were stacked to their full compliment, I have little doubt that Raw would be as good a show as Smackdown, with the likes of Triple H and Shawn Michaels there, but there’s a real lack of direction without either of those two. Smackdown is punching above its weight for me, but I don’t think the draft has necessarily made it the more entertaining show. I’d even go as far as to say Smackdown was more entertaining in the first place, but that’s just my tastes. The draft hasn’t made Smackdown the more entertaining show, it’s the lack of quality that’s been coming out of Raw’s supposedly more entertaining roster that’s making Smackdown look really, really good in comparison.
(cicero) In this I assume you presume SmackDown superior in the sense that its lower, mid, and upper cards are collectively a cut above the cloth than that of its red branded brethren RAW; as opposed to the frankly laughable idea that SmackDown has somehow come to find itself more awash with stars then the brethren to who’s dick it used to suck. If that is indeed your quite presumptive assumption (it’s been barely six weeks after all) then I can have no other response but to laugh in your pimple greased face. This is not to say I think Raw superior to its gender confused cousin, frankly they both suck as hard as the other.
Indeed;
It is a FACT that WWE and its closeted chairman can kiss my skinny white ass.
(TheLipBomb) Hold on, first things first...*sniffs deeply into the air*...
Wow, this place smells worse than the forums...Skitz, you guys could use more "napalm". (BWAHAHA, cleverly worked self-plug!)
FACT. Smackdown is much more entertaining then Raw because of two reasons, Michaels Hayes and co. have taken what they got from the draft and have lit Smackdown on fire with new feuds and fresher faces. Unlike Raw who has had the same main-eventers we've seen for years. Now, Raw does have Miz, Kofi, Hardy, and Kendrick. But, why do I have this feeling that those folks are not going to smell major gold with Trips, Cena, Bats, Show, and Orton hogging the lime-light?
Whereas on the blue brand you have Morrison, Benjamin, Rey, Punk, Hardy, Umaga, and Kane up against "Under-the knife-Taker", "My role is really bitchy" Jericho, and "The Rated PG Entertainer" Edge. So with the fresh talent and great booking, Smackdown will become MORE of a joy and "The Flagship Show" will become(or should I say always has been) much of a chore to watch.
FACT or FICTION: If Kurt Angle eventually returns to WWE, he will regain the same status he held before signing with TNA in 2006.
(Hustle) I've seen some people saying that he wouldn't, but, for the life of me, I can't figure out why they feel that way. This is definitely FACT. He hasn't exactly lost a lot as far as in-ring ability goes, and he's still a huge name in the pro wrestling circle (squared circle, or, in TNA's case, a hexagon). Sure, he's lost some muscle mass since his WWE departure, but that isn't really holding people back these days like it was even a few years ago. He'd fit in on both Raw (goes along nicely as another big name guy) and Smackdown (he can definitely "go" in the ring). Hell, you can send him back to ECW and he'd be able to work quite the nice program with people like Jack Swagger (he could even be an on-screen mentor for Swagger, as they come from similar backgrounds), Evan Bourne, Christian, etc. Come on, people, it's not that difficult to see that he'd be just fine if he returned to the company that put him on the pro wrestling map.
(JoeyShinobi) If you mean as a mentally unstable freak, then no. To be honest, Angle’s days as a top-of-the-list title contender should be over if he comes back to WWE, not because he’s not good enough but because he’s like Jericho, in that he doesn’t need the title to be considered a big player. If he came back, his role would be to build up the younger talent and get them to a point to carry the company further so...FICTION.
(cicero) What, you mean that of the guy whose talent was sorely underutilized during the final months of his tenure? The guy who developed an addiction to prescription painkillers as a result of him working twice as hard so as to keep up with Vince’s chosen ones? The guy who was unceremoniously forced into an early retirement all for the sake of a company’s image in the wake of a wholly self inflicted drug scandal?
Yeah, FICTION bruv.
(TheLipBomb) You mean him being star power for ECW? Hardly, if angle returns to WWE,(I really really really hope he does) he will not get a world title reign unless every single main-eventer dies of the swine flu(God forbid).
In fact, if he is resigned to a "lighter" contract then all I can see him doing is giving us quality matches and putting over the next batch of younger talent. Kinda like Benoit was doing before he went Roid-ape-shit. This is obviously FICTION and as much as I love the guy his body has got to be falling apart. And if he doesn't take care of it then he is going to lose it in a way that should never happen.
(Degenerate) I haven't watched TNA in a long, long time, so I don't know if Angle still has the skills he had when he left the WWE. So let's consider that he does. In this case, it would be retarded of the WWE to let petty anger and bitterness to prevent them from pushing one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
I am, however, worried about the years of wear and tear that Angle has accumulated not only while in TNA, but in his 5-6 years in the WWE, as well. He's not a young guy, either. The rumors out there say that if he does return to the WWE, it will be under a reduced schedule. If this is the case, I doubt the WWE will give him a prominent Main Event spot. I blame John Cena for spoiling WWE management. Then again, I blame everyone for every little thing, so don't mind me.
Of these two scenarios, I think the latter is more realistic. If Angle returns to the WWE, he'll be a part-timer, and while he'll probably enjoy some time in the main event spotlight, he will most likely never achieve the same status he had before, so this is FICTION.
FACT or FICTION: Neither The Undertaker or Shawn Michaels will win another World Title before they retire from wrestling.
(JoeyShinobi) I don’t think it’s ever too late to win the big gold, just ask Ric Flair. Neither of these guys need the gold to be huge players, but Hulk Hogan didn’t either, and he still held it most of the time. If there’s a storyline to be had, then sure. Neither of them have won it that often though in comparison to the likes of Triple H and Edge, yet they are arguably far more popular. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them both retire without another reign, although it’s not against the realm of possibility that they might...errr...FACTION.
(cicero) Arggg what a dull question. ‘Taker might (he seems to do so a lot) and considering my distrust for the supposedly suppressed arrogance of HBK it might seem wholly imprudent of me to not assume success for that geriatric wanker as well. So it’s FICTION my good buddy, fiction all the way.
(TheLipBomb) For certain I know that both of these men deserve one more chance to have the big one. Especially Mr. Hickenbottom. But, I'm sure we are all aware that both of these guys are not as young as they used to be. Undertaker is dying his hair and HBK is losing his. Mr. Michaels has said numerous times that he doesn't want the championship. But, I'm sure that if Taker can come back from surgery with a lighter schedule then I don't see why not for the deadman. Although it is a possibility for Mr. Wrestlemania, it is certainly a FACT for Mr. 17-0.
(Degenerate) Both men are legends. Both will undoubtedly be WWE Hall Of Famers. Both are probably the most over wrestlers with the fans. And unfortunately, due to all of this, both will most likely never receive another World Title run.
They've proven time and time again that they really don't need to hold a shiny gold belt to prove their stature in the business. They've done it all before. Everyone knows that they're the best of the best, and can carry anyone to memorable matches. But both men are in their 40s. Sadly, they're towards the end of their illustrious careers. Having them win a World Title will be awesome for us fans (I know I'll be crying for a week straight if HBK won a World Title again), but it really doesn't add much value to what's already there. So as much as it pains me, this is a FACT.
(Hustle)FICTION. I don't think Shawn Michaels will, but I do think The Undertaker winds up as the World Heavyweight Champ again before he returns to the morgue. Taker, simply put, has far less "big name" competition on his brand than Michaels has on his brand. To become the WWE Champion on Raw, Michaels has to deal with the likes of Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista, John Cena, Big Show. Those guys, in the kayfabe world, are all equal to or greater than the level that Michaels is on right now.
On Smackdown, there are zero people who, in the kayfabe world once again, are equal to or greater than The Undertaker. Not Edge, not Rey Mysterio, not Chris Jericho, not Jeff Hardy, not John Morrison, not CM Punk, not Jimmy Wang Yang, not Todd Grisham, not anybody. Upon his return from injury, I see him being placed in the ring with Umaga for their much-speculated-about feud, but after that, he'll be free to pray on the World Champion sometime in the months between SummerSlam and the Survivor Series.
FACT or FICTION: Another significant stable will arise in WWE before The Legacy officially break up.
(cicero) Are the writers these days smart enough to dream up another stable? Methinks not, thus tis fiction. Although in saying that I further think this not so much a case of intelligence as it is a play of politics, in the sense that with Randy Orton the top heel in the company (and Rhodes/DiBiase two of its fastest rising stars) surely there would be no room for a significant stable to arise. I believe therefore this query to be not so much a question of if anyone will step up but rather who could, with the (horrifically noticeable) exception of Shane “suck my dick bitch” McMahon there is no one truly on the same level as Orton and thus seemingly no one who could lead a stable as significant as his.
In somewhat simpler terms any attempt at forming another stable in WWE will look silly when compared to the (relative) might of Randy Orton and “whatever the fuck those greasy dudes call themselves”. Unless of course that stable were formed by Shane’o’cockSlap utilizing some form of familial ties.
...
I’m changing my mind to FACT.
(TheLipBomb) I really have a hard time answering this because the only thing I can think of coming close to what you are asking would be the rumored "Hart Foundation 2.0". And that sounds more like a glorified tag team to me. See, I can't look into the future and I sure don't have clue what the WWE creative team is planning in their minds right now. Hell, with the way they rush things they could be pulling up all of developmental on to Raw this Monday and make them a stable called, "The Greenhorns" or "The Up-Starts" or better yet, "The Future Endeavors List"...
..Nah, I'll go with FICTION.
(Degenerate) It seems logical enough that if there's a stable that's powerful, there should be another stable to combat that power, right? But this is the WWE. It seems like to them, stables are out of style. Of course, I wouldn't blame them after seeing The Union stable from the late 90's.
But seriously, stables are way too predictable. They usually end not because the members split amicably. They split because one or two members go against that very group they hung out with. Evolution? Randy Orton and Batista split. DX, circa 1998-1999? Chyna and Triple H split (in one of the most under-rated heel turns ever, in my opinion). nWo? Got too big, and half the members split to form a new version. On and on it goes.
Legacy will be no different. So there won't be a stable that will bring down the powerful Legacy. It will be because one of the members (rumored to be Ted DiBiase) will turn face and leave the group, meaning that if Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes stick together, it'll just be another tag team. DiBiase face turn = FICTION.
(Hustle) I'm going to say FACT and FICTION here. Really, it depends on how significant you have to be before you can be considered significant. This past week on ECW, we saw the formation of a new stable as DH Smith made his return to the company, joining forces with Tyson Kidd and Natalya to brutally attack Finlay. However, just how significant is that in the grand scheme of things? They won't be heading to Raw to run roughshod on everyone. They'll be significant on their own brand, though, and that's gotta count for something, right?
Other than that, no, I don't see a stable being formed at all, let alone one that will make any sort of a dent in the landscape of pro wrestling. There's just not enough room for that many stables on the roster right now, in my opinion. Thank goodness, as "Faction Warfare" can get really old really quickly.
(JoeyShinobi) From where? Unless WWE are about to reveal that Chris Jericho is actually Bret Hart’s nephew, I don’t think this is happening. I don’t see Legacy ending the year together, and I don’t see any factions really emerging, but then again, La Familia sprang out of nowhere when Edge hired The Edgeheads to confuse the fuck out of everyone. FICTION.
FACT or FICTION: In terms of success, Christian would have been better suited to just stick with TNA.
(TheLipBomb) HAHAHAHAHA!!! Really? Let's see... Who is TNA's world champ? Hmm...Mick Foley. Who is in the main-contendership for the world title scene? The Main Event Mafia. Now, I don't watch TNA but, I know for sure that you can't have the same old guys fighting for the title for too long before it gets stale and unwatchable. Angle, Sting, Booker, Nash, Jarrett, Foley, and now Bobby Lashley!!! That's stacked higher than Raw! And what happened to those that should be there? AJ, Joe, Abyss, Daniels?
Look at Christian right now. He is leading a show that showcases the most wrestling on any channel(and it only runs an hour!). This is a big fat FICTION. He may not be considered a "World" champ with the ECW title around his waist but, it's a start. And even though Mr. Vince McMahon may not be to high on him. Christian has the ability to make to make Vince change his mind. And the only way for that to happen is his crowd reaction.
Look at Jeff Hardy last year. His reaction was so overwhelming that Vince was forced to push him. If Christian can give us a reason for us to cheer our heads off then he needs to find it. The sky is the limit for Christian Cage.
(Degenerate) How do you measure success? If it's by World Titles, Christian already got one of those in the WWE (albeit a 'minor' one). If it's by cheers, Christian's got those too (I'm one of the peeps - sue me). If it's by money made, Christian got more than he had in TNA now. I can't read inside his mind, though, so by all of my accounts of viewable success, this is total FICTION.
A lot of people think TNA was better suited for Christian. Why? Because he had a shitload of television exposure from the late-90's to the mid-2000's? So what? Christian was big in TNA when he got there because of one single reason - He was a big fish in a small pond. That's good for him, of course. He can say he was the main man of a non-indy (and that 'non-indy' stuff is debatable) wrestling organization.
What happened after Christian's initial run of success in TNA? More and more 'big fish' were jumping into the small pond. Suddenly, Christian wasn't 'Da Man' in TNA anymore. Had he stayed, he would be playing second fiddle to Angle, Sting, Booker, Foley and whoever else TNA is paying a whole lot while ignoring the younger guys like Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles.
Christian did the right move. He might not achieve even half the success that his former partner Edge has gotten in the WWE, but he has more exposure, more money, more fans and more opportunities to go places he's never been before.
(Hustle) Not a chance. FICTION all the way. This may come across as a bit of a "markish" comment, but the following is a true statement.. an upper-midcard WWE wrestler is better off than a main event TNA wrestler. The WWE wrestler is probably making more money, is getting more exposure, and is battling against the current best in the world, not the best from 10-20 years ago. Clearly, Christian agrees, otherwise he'd still be in TNA right now. He tried to be diplomatic about it, but it was clear, from the very beginning, from the second that his contract information was made public, that he was ready to return to his previous home. TNA wasn't quite in "sinking ship" mode, but he knew he wouldn't do as much for himself there as he would back in TitanLand.
(JoeyShinobi) A TNA World Championship probably ranks the same as the ECW Championship in terms of prestige, and given that Christian is now performing in front of thousands more fans, for more money, are you really going to dispute that he’s more successful now he’s in WWE? You...simply can’t. FICTION.
(cicero) Let’s talk semantics (and so save ourselves the trouble of a lengthy reply). This is some smelly cock in your ass one hundred and ten percent properly straight up FICTION. Simply put Christian won everything there was to win in TNA during his time with the company yet by comparison in all his time spent with the big boys up north he captured only a fraction of the titles on offer. Whilst one could quite easily argue Christian stood a better chance of owning TNA then he does WWE the fact remains that more is on offer in the lethargic latter. So even though he may yet fail to win jack in his second go round with Vince and co (and please no one try to tell me the ECW title means something) were he to do so then his success would be tenfold that of what he has already achieved in TNA.
Alright there's nothing left to see here, folks. The show is over for now. Hopefully, you enjoyed this filth. I mean I am partially responsible for it. Just don't complain to my boss and there won't be any problems. As always, a brand new Fact or Fiction will come your way next month. I only hope you can find a way to pass the time without going stark mad due to the absence of this epic LOP tradition. Don't let me hoard all the attention though. It's the guys above who made this column so if you've got anything to say or add, hit up the inboxes below. If you still can't get enough, check out LOP's Columns Forum for an abundance of awesome reads.
