411 Fact or Fiction 04.12.12: Cena vs. Lesnar, Foley vs. Ambrose, Roode vs. Storm, More

1. Having John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules is a good business decision.

Dustin James: FACT. Even though I’m old school and I prefer if the “big moments” in WWE are saved for one of the big PPV’s (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, & Royal Rumble), WWE needs to act fast on Brock’s return. Brock Lesnar’s return to the WWE is as big as it gets in recent memory. The guy has been absent from a WWE ring since 2004 and hasn’t wrestled a pro wrestling match since like 2006. I know “The Rock” coming back to the WWE was a big deal, but Lesnar returning is a bigger deal in my opinion. Lesnar’s return has picked up a lot of steam in the MMA world and this is a good opportunity for the WWE to bring back some of those MMA fans who used to be big-time wrestling fans. The only problem is, no one has any idea how Lesnar’s health is.

In case you people forget, Lesnar was battling diverticulitis during his UFC days and was constantly pulling out of fights for health reasons. There’s no telling what could happen with Lesnar’s health and there’s also no telling what could happen in Lesnar’s mind. Lesnar’s bailed on pro wrestling before, who’s to say he won’t do it again if he’s unhappy with something? WWE has a real good chance to regain some of the hardcore MMA fans who have tuned out pro wrestling and have taken their PPV money over to the UFC. Let’s hope they can capitalize on this situation and let’s also hope they do it before Brock gets bored….

Michael Ornelas: FACT. WWE’s stock is dropping immediately after ‘Mania, and they had a very strong line-up there, so who knows what’s influencing the actual business. But this is fact for either scenario: The Rock leaves post-Mania and there’s a big void that is IMMEDIATELY filled by another huge name (with an arguably equal amount of crossover appeal) and there’s no lost momentum, or people weren’t impressed by what WrestleMania had to offer this year, so WWE listens and gives them something else that will hopefully reel them back in. For good business, the WWE needs draws. Lesnar drew. The only big problem is that the wrestling industry as a whole isn’t a societal draw these days, so let’s hope they can make it “cool” again before it’s too late.

Score: 1 for 1

2. Old-school wrestlers being advertised for WWE shows makes you more likely to watch.

Dustin James: FACT. I mentioned earlier that I’m “old school”, which should give you a clue as to how I’m going to answer here. WrestleMania 28 was the first WWE pay-per-view that I have ordered in over a year. The reason for that is I’m just not interested enough in the WWE product these days to throw down more than $50 to watch an arguably “slicker” version of Monday Night RAW. However, with “The Rock” wrestling in the main event and the rumor that Brock Lesnar could possibly return…I was sold. If someone like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin happens to come back and wrestle on a show like “Night of Champions”, well guess who’s buying “Night of Champions”? THIS GUY! I know, shame on me for wanting to see “Stone Cold” more than Jack Swagger, but unfortunately that’s the truth.

Michael Ornelas: FICTION. I’m 23. Most of the guys I grew up watching are either still active or aren’t exactly considered “old-school.” Steve Austin is the only real exception to that, but he doesn’t come back for one-offs when he can’t be the focal point (and rightfully so). I usually enjoy the old-timers, but they don’t draw me in. Regardless, I watch every WWE show every week (including NXT and Superstars), so it’s a guarantee I’m going to see it anyways.

Score: 1 for 2

3. Mick Foley feuding with Dean Ambrose is something you would like to see.

Dustin James: FACT. Dean Ambrose is one of the best young talents the WWE has under their belts and I can’t think of a more perfect guy to give Ambrose the rub. Mick Foley is great at rubbing the younger guys…..errrr, I mean, Foley is great at giving the rub to younger guys and that’s why he’s the perfect man to help further introduce Ambrose to the WWE Universe. Foley did wonders for Randy Orton’s career back when Orton was still somewhat green in 2004 in what was one of my personal favorite feuds of all-time. Who’s to say Foley couldn’t do the same thing here for Ambrose? Ambrose has already taken to Twitter and come across as an arrogant disrespectful asshole. I’d have him come out and interrupt Foley in a segment basically say what he’s been saying on Twitter. You don’t think the fans will get behind Foley when this cocky kid comes out and says no one has any respect for the “Hardcore Legend” and that he doesn’t care if Foley’s kids starve as long as Mick never wrestles again? If the WWE wanted to get really creative, they could even have Ambrose put Foley in a dumpster and roll him off the RAW stage. Now THAT would be a sight to see!

Michael Ornelas: FACT. Of course I would! Isn’t that the point of old wrestlers? To put over the new ones? Mick Foley has been pretty good about that in his later years, and Dean Ambrose is absolutely worthy of the rub that comes from feuding with a former WWF World Heavyweight Champion like Foley. The promo work would be great, and Ambrose’s style would mesh well with Foley. And he’s no stranger to a more hardcore style. It’s essentially what he’s already doing with William Regal in FCW but on a larger scale.

Score: 2 for 3

4. The Three Stooges appearing on Raw was a waste of time.

Dustin James: FACT. Not only was their appearance on RAW a waste of time, but anything having to do with this movie is a waste of time. Can we just let some things rest in history as classics and not have to remake EVERYTHING? I swear, if someone decides to remake “The Goonies”, I’m blowing up Hollywood. Anyway, can we just keep the celebrities off of RAW now? Unless it’s Maria Menounos in some hot tights or the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, I just don’t care.

Michael Ornelas: FICTION. It wasn’t great, groundbreaking, or vital to WWE’s growth, but it broke the show up a little bit. There was a lot of tension and heat with the Cena/Lesnar stuff, so they used the Stooges effectively by bringing in comedic relief (or trying to at least). Santino was great though, and seeing the crowd pop for a fake Hogan was worth it in my opinion. Also, it got WWE mentioned in various news outlets, so that’s what counts at the end of the day.

Score: 2 for 4

SWITCH!

5. You prefer WWE SmackDown airing on Tuesday night instead of Friday night.

Michael Ornelas: FICTION. I prefer it to air on Friday than Tuesday because I’m the SmackDown Instant Analysis guy at the moment, and I can’t do Tuesday nights because of Shenanigans. Fridays just fit my schedule better as I usually take them off to relax (or stay at home and prepare for shooting the next day, but either way I’m home). I also think that SmackDown has established an audience on Friday. Anytime a show changes days, it loses viewers in the short term. There’s not really a point to moving because I think “casual” wrestling fans don’t exist in huge numbers these days since wrestling just isn’t trendy, and the diehards have accommodated their schedules to watch the shows they like.

Dustin James: FACT. I don’t really care what day it’s on, as long as it’s live. I’ve always thought that SmackDown should be a live show as I feel it loses some of it’s luster being taped. Remember back in the days of the “Monday Night Wars”? Everyone tuned into both RAW and Nitro because they were both live and you didn’t know what was going to happen. SmackDown has never really had that feel because it’s a taped show. Plus, who stays home on a Friday night and watches wrestling anyway? I’m usually too busy fist pumping at a tavern in Kentucky with Steve Cook on Friday nights to care about what’s going on in the Randy Orton and Kane feud. However, on Tuesday nights I’m usually sitting at home curdled up with a nice book and a scented candle drinking beer and looking for something manly to do. What’s manlier than pro wrestling and beer?!?! Make this happen Vince and I might actually start having to watch SmackDown again. Remember though, I said “MIGHT”….

Score: 2 for 5

6. Scott Steiner’s ranting against Hulk Hogan on Twitter is not part of an angle.

Michael Ornelas: FACT. Steiner just seems kind of crazy. I can’t say with conviction that this isn’t a work, but it’s what my gut is saying. If it is a work, it’s a little uninspired as the shots that they’re taking at one another are petty. If it was a work, I feel that I’d care by now.

Dustin James: FACT. Didn’t Scott Steiner just get fired from TNA? If so, why would he be ranting on Hulk Hogan for as an angle? Then again, why the hell should I even care? I honestly think the last time I cared about what Scott Steiner did, he had a mullet and was wearing a “Michigan” varsity jacket down to the ring. As for Hulk Hogan, I’m just sick and tired of hearing this guy’s name by now. The wrestling legend has turned himself into a joke over the last few years and I wish he would take a page out of Perry Saturn’s book and just disappear. Unfortunately he’s caught up in drama once again and this time it’s probably not even his fault.

Steiner seems like a disgruntled ex-employee to me who now has a public forum (Twitter) to vent on. That’s the best thing about Twitter though. Anyone who follows pro sports can tell you how often professional athletes get themselves into trouble by posting stupid stuff on Twitter. The UFC has actually fired guys for stuff they posted on Twitter and nothing is better than when someone is PISSED and starts tweeting. While most things in pro wrestling are scripted, fired wrestlers blowing off steam on Twitter is probably going to start becoming a normal thing so we should just get used to it. Something tells me that Steiner probably had a RAGE moment and decided to take it out on his former employers. Can you really blame him though?

Score: 3 for 6

7. TNA Lockdown will be one of TNA’s best PPV events of the year.

Michael Ornelas: FACT. If all goes well, any TNA show has the potential to be among the better PPVs of the year. But oftentimes, screwy booking ruins it. Let’s keep things logical and follow proper story structure. If reports of this show come back positive, I will gladly purchase a replay. I’m really looking forward to Storm/Roode, the tag title match (that could be killer if treated right), and if Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle are as motivated as they were the last time they wrestled on PPV, they could impress all the naysayers of TNA.

Dustin James: FACT. Look, I’m not going to sit here and lie to you guys and say that I’m a TNA fan or anything. I’ve probably seen one or two TNA shows since the promotion started (and it was back when they were doing weekly PPV’s…) so I’m probably the wrong guy to ask this question to. On the other hand, I happen to be a huge optimist and I believe you should always think the next PPV is going to be the best of the year if you do plan on ordering it, otherwise what’s the point? I’ve been covering MMA for about five years now and as you would know if you looked at my bank account, the UFC loves throwing PPV’s down our throats. Not every PPV looks great on paper, but I try to tell myself that it’s going to be the best show of the year to help get myself psyched up. It usually doesn’t work, but I’m stubborn and keep doing it anyway. My buddy who does like TNA said this card is pretty solid and I should answer the question “FACT”, so shoot him if the card is a disappointment. All you have to do is email me for his contact information and I’ll be happy to send it your way.

Score: 4 for 7

8. James Storm will win the TNA Championship at Lockdown.

Michael Ornelas: FACT. While there’s money in the chase, it also has to pay off at some point. I think Lockdown is that point. We should be treated to the match of the night here, and a title change could very well go down as a classic moment in TNA history. I didn’t buy Storm’s first reign because he won the title in like a minute or something like that and then lost it the next week or so. Very weak, but they’ve done a lot to build him up again and I think now’s the time for a strong reign from Storm to carry the company through the summer and possibly to Bound for Glory, where hopefully Austin Aries will be ready for main event consideration.

Dustin James: FACT. As I mentioned above, I’m not a TNA fan so once again I’m not the best guy to ask this question to. However, my good buddy who helped me with the previous question told me that James Storm winning the title is the only logical finish, so that sounds good to me. Wait, this is TNA though and don’t they usually do things ass-backwards? Shouldn’t the answer to this question be “fiction” since my buddy said Storm winning the title is the only logical finish? Great, now I’ve gone and painted myself into a corner….

Final Score: 5 for 8

In a Fact or Fiction first, Dustin answered all of the questions with “Fact”! I think he still feels bad for screwing me over in MMA Fact or Fiction a couple of weeks ago. Feel free to chime in on these topics down in the comment section! Thanks so much to Dustin & Michael for their participation, and we’ll be back next week with more 411 Wrestling Fact or Fiction!