wrestling / Columns

411 Fact or Fiction Wrestling: Should TNA Sign The Ryback?

August 11, 2016 | Posted by Larry Csonka

Welcome back to the latest edition of 411 Fact or Fiction, Wrestling Edition! Stuff happened, people loved/hated it and let everyone else know. I pick through the interesting/not so interesting tidbits and then make 411 staff members discuss them for your pleasure. Battling this week are 411’s Jack Stevenson and Tony Acero!

  • Questions were sent out Monday.
  • Participants were told to expect wrestling-related content, as well as possible statements on quantum physics, homemade pharmaceuticals, the Turtle Total Trip Theorem, pizza and hydroponics.

    1. TNA should sign The Ryback.

    Jack Stevenson: FACT – TNA is often belittled for its over reliance on WWE talent, and I have been more than happy to join in said belittling in the past because doing so helps serve my anti-TNA agenda. Of course, it really doesn’t matter where TNA gets its talent from as long as they have something to offer; its problem in the past has been signing not especially motivated or talented people based solely on the fact that they were once associated with WWE. I happen to think The Ryan ‘Ry’ Back is both motivated and talented. His social media outburst that led to the breakdown in his relationship with WWE wasn’t one of a man who had fallen out of love with wrestling; he still clearly cares about it and the people within it. He’s also fairly underrated as a performer, I feel. He’s delivered some decent promos, has a great physical presence, and also has this kind of weird, slightly unhinged charisma about him; you don’t know whether he’s going to clothesline you really hard in the face or start informing you about this inspirational book he’s read by a suspiciously cheerful middle aged man who is almost certainly repressing some hideous childhood trauma. In the ring, as well, Ryback is more than competent, and the way he pretty much saved Kalisto’s life in his final WWE match shows he’s someone with much better ring awareness and a much more adept wrestling brain than the likes of CM Punk would have you believe. He’s even got proper name value, having main evented a fair few PPVs and even been one of the biggest stars in the company around 2012/2013, which in TNA terms is like headlining WrestleMania 300 times, all of them yesterday. Ryback’s got a bright future if he’s given a chance, but he will any of the fashionable indies give it to him? TNA seems his best bet for me, and it could be a hugely beneficial relationship for both of them. Lashley joined TNA a deeply flawed wrestler and in the intervening seven years ago has really developed into a pretty great one. The Ryback of 2016 is much better than the Lashley of 2009, so why couldn’t he do even better?

    Tony Acero: FICTION – Let me first preface this by saying that I have always been very hot or cold with Ryback. At any given moment, he can be a part of a match that is slightly above average, but for the most part he’s just sort of another meathead. His tweets and personalities in interviews, both in character and out have really soured me in terms of how he perceives himself. With that being said, the question of whether or not TNA should sign him is a relatively easy one to answer. One of two things will happen: TNA will shoot him to the top of the card, and he’ll be looked at as another WWE has-been (or never was), or TNA will NOT put him at the top, and Ryback will feel entitled to be nowhere else but the top. In either situation, I see no one being happy, and a relationship souring easily.

    2. Wrestlers and wrestling fans have completely over reacted to MMA fighter Conor McGregor’s recent comments on WWE.

    Jack Stevenson: FICTION – I can understand why to an outside observer it would look a massive overreaction, because it was basically a throwaway line in a press conference that only became such a big deal precisely because almost the entire WWE roster poured onto Twitter to condemn it. And of course, McGregor’s correct when he says he could probably beat the entire WWE roster, with the notable exception of Lesnar of course. I think any wrestling fan, however, is aware that when people say things like ‘don’t you know wrestling’s fake?’ or ‘WWE wrestlers couldn’t win in a real fight,’ that’s not what they’re actually getting at; if they were, they’d be the most banal, irrelevant observations and no one would bother making them. What people are actually saying when they talk about wrestling in those terms is ‘your favorite art form is stupid and invalid and a lie.’ And obviously, that’s upsetting, because we all know that professional wrestling is the best thing in the world, approximately ten billion times more entertaining than tedious, tedious MMA where even the most exciting fight is inherently less interesting than a wrestling match because A) in a wrestling match people tend not to just lie on top of each other for five minutes; B) in wrestling there is often mega cool flippy shit, whereas in MMA flippy shit is non existent and the liveliest thing that happens is a quite good punch or kick, and C) no one even gets brained with a folding chair in MMA. We also all know that while if you threw a random WWE guy in the Octagon tomorrow he’d get eaten alive, Conor McGregor also would struggle at almost every aspect of professional wrestling if he were to switch careers in time for this Monday’s Raw. Sure, he’d be a fantastic promo, but in the ring he’d be a complete disaster, dangerously uncoordinated, all his offense would look fake as anything when he’s not allowed to actually hurt people, and if Kalisto had miscalculated badly on a dive to the floor and was hurtling head first towards the ring floor at quite literally breakneck speed, McGregor would have watched and gawped in horror, rather than plucking him effortlessly out of the sky and guiding him safely into the barricade as Ryback did. That’s not even taking into account the grueling travel schedule; I mean, I only vaguely kept up with the story, but didn’t McGregor refuse a fight at UFC 200 because he was all pissy that his media commitments were interfering with his training schedule, or something? John Cena surely considers him a whiny little man baby. No one would dispute that being an MMA fighter is a grueling and painful profession, but I wonder how McGregor would deal with doing three or four wrestling matches a week, every single week, and only getting the lightest smattering of days in the year off to relax at home? The point is, when McGregor mocked pro wrestlers for being “messed up pussies” and bragged about being to beat all of them up, he was suggesting that pro wrestling shouldn’t even exist, sneering at it because it’s an elaborate, exaggerated performance of a combat sport, and he doesn’t like that. I don’t like MMA, as I may have already mentioned, and I don’t like Radiohead, and to be honest, I don’t really like watching movies all that much, but I don’t question the legitimacy of what they do. I mean, OK, I did state pretty categorically that MMA was factually tedious, but I know really that loads of people find it massively entertaining and thus accept that it isn’t intrinsically stupid and that it must have massive appeal I just don’t quite see. And that’s what we as pro wrestling fans tolerate time and time and time again, the assertion that there is something wrong with the very fabric of pro wrestling, and almost nobody else experiences this with their interests, and that’s why McGregor’s comments have provoked such a furore and why it was completely understandable that WWE wrestlers attacked them so vehemently. Woody Allen once marveled in horror at ‘the level of the mind that watches wrestling.’ You and I might marvel in horror at the level of the mind of someone who… well, it’s probably not the best idea to finish that sentence.

    Tony Acero: FACT – Oh that’s for damned sure, but so what. If we are smart, then we know why McGregor said these things; publicity. It’s always been his game, and always will be. In regards to the idea that what he said is true, you kind of have to understand that he’s supposed to believe this as an MMA guy. I laughed heartily at Reigns’ response of McGregor being as big as his leg, but at the end of the day, McGregor trains for this, lives for this, he is – in every sense of the word – a fighter. Wrestlers, although tougher than dirt, and have a more rigorous schedule, really have very little to argue. The facts are that no one would know unless they were actually placed in the predicament where McGregor faced off with any one of these guys. The over-reaction has proven one thing, though, and that is that we are a passionate as fuck fan base, and that makes me love you guys all the more.

    3. At this point, it’s safe to say that Global Force Wrestling will never be a thing.

    Jack Stevenson: FACT – Global Force Wrestling certainly fills a gap in the market for people who love TNA so much they’re quite keen on the idea of a watered down version of it with a patchy, uninspiring roster and an owner who has never heard of a pyramid scheme. For everyone else though, why precisely does Global Force Wrestling need to exist? What is it doing that’s new or exciting? Are its live events generating buzz from all the great matches that take place there? The inexorable march of progress has led us all to really amazing pro wrestling from all over the world, available to watch right this second on your computer screen, often for free. There is literally too much awesome wrestling in the world for anyone to watch in there lifetime, so for a promotion to carve out a name for itself it has to be actually better than awesome, and even the most ardent believer of Global Force couldn’t fairly describe it as that. Global Force Wrestling is a thing in the sense that it exists and puts on shows, but it isn’t a thing that means anything, never really has been, and now, almost certainly, never will be. I do think Jeff Jarrett seems a pretty nice guy, though.

    Tony Acero: FACT – I jokingly asked Larry what “A Global Force Wrestling” was, and he gave me an answer assuming I was serious, which leads me to believe that he would understand if someone truly did not know what GFW is. What THIS leads me to believe is that – no – GFW will never be a thing. The little engine that couldn’t is Jarrett’s attempt to be…different? I don’t know. The point is, we’ve heard hardly a thing about it unless we actively search for it, and even if it does gain some semblance of popularity it will, in fact, never be….a thing.

    SWITCH!

    4. TNA, ROH and Lucha Underground should all make a play to sign Joey Styles as their lead announcer.

    Tony Acero: FICTION – This is a tough one. Mainly because Styles is wanted by many, and would be amazing in any of the three aforementioned. The thing is, he’s a relic of the past, and all that’s good for is nostalgia. Which is to say, chances are he may not gel well with the current product, and in doing so, he will be open to ridicule. This is truly one of those leave the memories alone where Styles’ voice worked with the product he was accustomed to, and today’s market just may not be able to handle it – or care, for that matter. Would I love to hear it? Sure. But would he actively make me search out a TNA episode? No. Hell no. So, that kind of makes my want have a lot less….impact.

    Jack Stevenson: FICTION – Joey Styles’ excellent reputation as an announcer is well earned, but I’m not sure I agree with the level of enthusiasm for his skills that the statement suggests. Remember, he hasn’t actually been a regular commentator for 8 years, and even then he was just another WWE announcer, indistinguishable from your Matthews’ and your Grishams. The reason he remains so highly regarded is his ECW run, and that ended 15 years ago. I think it’s a stretch to say he could waltz into any of the second tier North American wrestling companies and improve their product. I mean, TNA’s commentary is frequently dreadful and so I’d be more than happy to see him arrive in their broadcast booth, and while ROH’s is basically OK it certainly has plenty of room for improvement, and maybe Styles would provide that (although there are so many areas ROH needs to become drastically better in that are far more important than the announce booth). I think the Lucha Underground announce team works well- Matt Striker can be grating from time to time but you can’t tell me you haven’t watched an old ECW PPV and found Styles’ occasionally irritating with all his yelping. Put it this way- I would be pleasantly surprised to hear Joey on my TV again sometime soon, I also wouldn’t be at all bothered if he didn’t. He’s talented, but he’s not a game changer.

    5. You are disappointed that Shelton Benjamin is not returning to WWE.

    Tony Acero: FACT – So Fact it’s not even funny. Man was I excited when I found out Shelton had been signed. I watched highlight reels on YouTube to prepare myself, and Momma Benjamin aside, I just loved everything. The dude is a beast in the ring, and I was truly looking forward to see what he would bring to the table. Then, the news that he had a nagging injury caught by the WWE put all of my excitement to rest. The good news – if there is any – is the fact that the WWE caught it before he hurt himself even more. Knowing that this injury may have already existed, and they found it really is a testament to how the WWE has changed in recent years, and it’s all for the better of the health of their wrestlers past and present.

    Jack Stevenson: FICTION – First and foremost, it’s obviously awful that Shelton was so close to making a WWE return and then had it snatched away from him by circumstances beyond his control. I’d rather Shelton was happy and healthy and having inoffensive Smackdown midcard matches and occasionally doing something mental off a ladder than have him sitting at home with a serious injury. However, based purely on what I expect he’d have done on the main roster, I can’t say I’m grieving for all the aborted Shelton Benjamin matches we’re never going to see. Benjamin’s been on the independent scene for six years now and, aside from a scattered couple of tag bouts with Charlie Haas in Ring of Honor and, weirdly, a series with Katsuhiko Nakajima in the miserable purgatory that is Pro Wrestling NOAH, he’s done nothing of note. Occasionally, he’s looked downright disinterested, which is not promising considering he’d surely have spent a lot of his WWE return in fairly bland storylines on Smackdown’s undercard. From 2003 to 2006 or so, Benjamin was one of the most consistently enjoyable performers in WWE. He had numerous outstanding tag matches as part of the World’s Greatest Tag Team, he tore the house down as a singles guy against Triple H and Shawn Michaels, he brightened up the midcard immensely with bouts against Chris Jericho, Christian and Rob Van Dam, and his magnificent performance in the first ever Money in the Bank match revitalized the entire Ladder genre almost single handedly. I am wholly aware of and grateful for what he did in his first stint with WWE, but he tailed off considerably towards the end of it and I don’t think he’d be rejuvenated this time around. There are so many talented wrestlers in the world- there has to be someone more worthy of a shot on Smackdown than Shelton Benjamin.

    6. What is your current excitement level for the WWE Summerslam PPV and why?

    Tony Acero: 9 out of 10 – Call me crazy – go ahead, do it – but I am LOVING more of the WWE post-draft than I have pre-draft in a long, long time. There’s something about the simplicity of it all mixed with the risks that they are taking with new stars. For years, I’ve wanted them to shit or get off the pot with certain people, and it seems like – at least for a short while – they are doing just that. I’m pumped for amazing wrestling with the two main events, as well as the culmination of SIMPLE stories heading into the event as a whole. Sign me all the way up.

    Jack Stevenson: 7 out of 10 – Summerslam is now solidly the second biggest show of the year in WWE’s eyes, and while I think fans still care more about the Royal Rumble, there’s always a fantastic atmosphere around the Biggest Party of the Summer, especially now it’s become almost a mini festival with NXT and EVOLVE in the area and Monday Night Raw serving as the epilogue the following night. The card is legit stacked as well, moreso than last year’s I feel. Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton is a match I’ve wanted for ages and I’m thrilled it’s finally happening, although I wish it was occurring at a better point in Lesnar’s career than the drugs shame/too many suplexes per match lull he finds himself in at the moment. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte and John Cena vs. AJ Styles should reach the higher echelons of the star ratings system, while Enzo & Cass vs. Jericho & Owens and Roman Reigns vs. Rusev are quality undercard additions. I actually think both the title matches might be a bit disappointing, but then, I’m not the biggest fan of any of the four guys involved. That dampens things slightly for me, but I still think they’ll be perfectly watchable. There’s reason for optimism about Summerslam- the WWE will want their first post draft show to be a huge hit, the TV’s been decent leading up to it, and, hey, it’s Summerslam, it’s had its fair share of super moments over the years and there’s always the possibility for more. I’m looking forward to it, and I’m looking forward to Takeover Brooklyn as well, and Cody Rhodes EVOLVE debut. OPTIMISM!!!