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411 Fact or Fiction Wrestling: Will Daniel Bryan Return in 2015?
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 Todd Vote and Tony Acero!
1. As of right now, you are more excited for the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn special than the Summerslam PPV.
Todd Vote: FICTION – While I have no doubt that NXT Takeover: Brooklyn will deliver on the action, there is one factor that stops me from being more excited for NXT than Summerslam. The two big matches going on at NXT Takeover are Balor vs. Owens, and presumably Sasha Banks taking on Bayley. While both of those matches will deliver, the outcomes are pretty apparent. Sasha and Owens are both on the main roster now, so there is very little chance of either of them walking out with a title. Summerslam, while not really looking great on paper just yet, at least has an air of unpredictability to it this year. For that reason, I am a bit more excited for Summerslam.
Tony Acero: FICTION – There tends to be an inability for the fans of the WWE to divide these two as equally entertaining, yet different enough to be enjoyed by everyone. I feel the same way in answering this question in that I am not more or less excited about NXT Takeover than I am about Summerslam. What I am excited about is the upcoming card for both, and the potential that they both have to make me a happy wrestling fan – for different reasons. I’m super happy that NXT is continuing to show that there is a pocket of the WWE that exceeds expectations of the basics of wrestling (storytelling, character, WRESTLING), while still finding entertainment in our weekly episodic television known as WWE mainstream.
2. Daniel Bryan will not be back in a WWE ring in 2015.
Todd Vote: FACT – Certainly is looking more and more like that is the case. After last night, with the way The Miz hammered home how Bryan wasn’t yet cleared to be in the ring, it’s probably safe to say he might remain on the shelf for the rest of the year. Honestly, that could be a blessing in disguise for the Yes-man. Give his body time to fully recover from years and years of in ring physicality. He may be cleared by his personal physician, but until the WWE doctors clear him, he’s not going to be wrestling.
Tony Acero: FACT – I don’t see any reason for him not to, but at the same time, I’d rather he didn’t until around Mania season. I feel it would lend to a better story with more eyes. We are close to the doldrums of the winter after August here, and it’s where stories slow down until January. I don’t really want Bryan involved in that. There’s also the reality that the longer he rests, the better he will be upon return (assuming he doesn’t mess anything up again). I like the idea of little guest appearances, and allowing him to recuperate and ride the high of his book, enjoy his wife, etc. After reading his book, it’s easy to see that this man doesn’t really take much time off, so maybe this will help him prevent a burnout, and hopefully we’ll see him better than ever come 2016.
3. The Miz would be far more effective if rebranded and made a full time manager and host of Miz TV.
Todd Vote: FICTION – While I think he would be a great heel manager for someone, he’d overshadow his wrestler in the places where it counts. Miz is an effective heel, evidenced by his program with Sandow earlier this year. Sandow’s act wouldn’t have been near as good without someone to play off of that the crowd can easily hate. You make a character like The Miz a manager, and people are going to care more about him getting his arse kicked than they will about the talent he is managing.
Tony Acero: FACT – I agree with this, but only to a degree. I think The Miz has been doing AMAZING work as a slimy, Hollywood heel, and gets better each week with the little things. I say fact only because he as a manager or host of Miz TV could work so well, but I just don’t see the need to rebrand him. He’s The Miz. He’s a brand that works – in all of its wonderfully annoying glory. There is also the thought – and this may get some heat – that I’m not sure he needs to stop wrestling. I never got the hate on the guy. I mean, he’s not the greatest by any means, and certainly wouldn’t be on my top ten list – yet I still find him capable. Anyways, back to the question – I do think his effectiveness would be better served as a manager or host, but it’s unlikely we’ll see that happen.
SWITCH!
4. You are surprised that the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event sold over 13,000 tickets.
Tony Acero: FICTION – Of course not! I’m not gonna sit here and say I called it – or saw it coming – but I’m also not surprised that it has happened. NXT has done everything it can to rebrand itself as something worth watching and can’t miss. This is a result of that. We also have to take into consideration that it’s in Brooklyn, a city within a state that seemingly LOVES wrestling. Every time they are there, the crowds are hot and a bit smarter than most, so it’s not a surprise at all that at least 13,000 of the millions of people that live there are willing to spend their money on NXT. It’s worth it.
Todd Vote: FACT – Honestly, yeah I am a bit. I know NXT has been one of the best things WWE has done recently, but that number still surprises me a bit, since they technically just started being a touring company. Congrats to the fledgling brand, and to everybody who has had a hand in making NXT what it has become.
5. With Lesnar vs. Taker as the main event of Summerslam, the “winner takes all, title vs. title” match between Seth Rollins and John Cena will likely end in a no contest.
Tony Acero: FICTION – This isn’t to say that the match will NOT end in a no contest, but I don’t think it has anything to do with Lesnar vs. Taker main eventing Summerslam. I think this would have been the plan either way. I don’t really know why they are having Cena come back to the top of the card, or why the US Title needed to stay with him – as it could have been a great starting point for the Cesaro v Owens program that needs something other than what they have right now. If the rumors are to be true, this is all about selling a shirt or two, and I’m pretty sure we’ll get evidence of that come Monday night when a new shirt is debuted. Anyway, the fact that Cena vs Seth will likely end in a no contest has more to do with the writing staff not knowing how to write compelling, long-lasting television than it has anything to do with Taker vs Lesnar (which is long-lasting, but anything besides compelling).
Todd Vote: FACT – They have sort of painted themselves in to a corner here with that match stipulation. Cena has been doing great things with the US title this year, and you would hate to see that stop if Rollins were to walk away with both titles. On the other hand, nobody really wants to see John Cena holding both titles either. The question then becomes, how do they get to the no contest in a way that won’t piss everyone off? Hell, are we even sure Cena will be cleared to wrestle at Summerslam?
6. With news that Lucha Underground won’t be back until January at the earliest, you do not think that they will be back at all.
Tony Acero: FICTION – I’m going to go with fiction because I want to stay hopeful and positive. I think Lucha Underground is one the best things to happen to wrestling. I, admittedly, am only about half way through the first season, but you can already see and feel the differences. Whereas other companies tried their damnedest to be an alternative, Lucha just went out and become what THEY wanted to become. The byproduct of such focus is that it immediately became an alternative. It is my hope that they work out whatever they need to work out to continue to be that alternative, and once they do, I’m sure I’m not going to be the only one supporting the return.
Todd Vote: FICTION – Or at least, I hope not. While I haven’t seen much of the show yet, everything I have heard about it has been very positive. Hopefully they can figure out a way to make the second season work and keep the promotion alive.
