411 Fact or Fiction Wrestling: Will Strowman Win a Top Title in 2017?

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 Sean Garmer and Dino Zee!

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. You have no desire to see the rumored AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon WrestleMania match.

Dino Zee: FICTION – I have like a 1% desire to see this, because I know that Shane would probably try to do something really stupid to out-daredevil AJ Styles. And that could be pretty fun to watch. However, the other 99% of me remembers the match with Taker last year. It remembers how Shane definitely looked like he lost 5 steps since his early 2000s heyday. How he just can’t do what he used to do anymore, unless you just want him to fall off of tall things. And so, yeah, the vast majority of me has no desire to see the rumored match. I’m still holding out hope that we can get Nakamura/Styles, as I “called” (while admitting it wasn’t going to happen) while predicting the Rumble. I just don’t see the need to put your absolute MVP of the last 12 months into a match with the almost 50 year owner instead of, you know, a capable wrestler still in (or close to) his prime.

Sean Garmer: FACT – I really would want AJ to have a better opponent than Shane at WrestleMania. However, let’s really think about this, who’s left on Smackdown he hasn’t faced multiple times, aside from Dolph? And who isn’t in another feud heading into WrestleMania either? Yeah… hard to think about. I think many of us would want Shinsuke Nakamura, but realistically, I don’t think it’s gonna happen. There’s always the chance that for some reason they go the route of having someone wrestle in Shane’s place, but considering how great AJ has been and how the wheels are already turning for this match, it’s happening. AJ is gonna give us at least at minimum the same kind of quality match that HBK got out of Vince, probably even better cause Shane can actually move around. It is the bosses son, but still, he couldn’t have been in any better match then with Shane?

2. The New Day hosting WrestleMania 33 is a great idea.

Dino Zee: FACT – Took a little time to think on it, and yeah, I think this is the right call for New Day. They were wasted last year in a total throwaway match, and then played for fools at the expense of the legends. Now without the tag titles, there really wasn’t a match that would seem to benefit them. A rematch for the belts would seem empty. Another multi-man match may fall flat. For a group that thrives on silly entertainment, what better plan than giving them the microphone and letting them do their thing throughout the night? It’s a tough spot that they’re in, and while this may not be the best shit ever or anything like that, I just don’t know what else you do with them at this point that won’t seem like a waste of time. At least this way, the other tag teams might get a spot that they wouldn’t have, and New Day can take some of the spotlight throughout the night.

Sean Garmer: FICTION – Personally, I think the WrestleMania host deal is stupid. This isn’t an awards show. The host really does nothing, unless you are The Rock, and it mainly serves the purpose of giving New Day something to do, while WWE either kills its tag division on RAW or by some miracle finally figures it out. The way they are treating their tag champions right now, it seems like they are going for the former. I’ll give them a ton of credit for picking current guys for the role and guys that are genuinely funny too. However, I’m just not a big fan of the WrestleMania host thing. There’s already enough spectacle at WM. It’s not necessary.

3. You have more confidence in TNA’s 2017 now that Jeff Jarrett, Dutch Mantell and Coach D’Amore are in control.

Dino Zee: FACT – While “more confidence” isn’t really defined, I’ll assume it to mean “more confidence than you had in the previous creative team,” and so, yes, this is a Fact. At the end of the last regime, I had very little confidence in Impact’s 2017. They seemed willing to try new things, but also were just as willing to abandon them immediately. We’re still seeing some of that now (like, say, with E_Li_Drake and Tyrus forming a team and apparently splitting up in roughly 5 weeks’ time), but I still have more confidence in the guys seeing plans through. I know that Dixie still has her defenders who will try to say that NONE of TNA’s bad ideas / executions were her fault (because blaming the boss is always the wrong decision!), but it was her incompetence and inability to recognize her weaknesses that led to many of the problems, and led us fans to continue to lose faith in her, until it was gone completely. Maybe Jarrett, Dutch, and D’Amore have shown in the past some glaring weaknesses as well, but they never put the company in the position it found itself towards the end of 2016. “Better” does not necessarily mean “good,” and I keep that in mind when I say that Impact’s situation is much better than it was. It’s not good, but it’s definitely better.

Sean Garmer: FACT – I think this is a no brainer. You have people that know a lot of the talent, the company’s history and know about how to book wrestling. Especially, D’Amore and Mantell I trust a lot. Jarrett not so much, but this is a smart decision by TNA. My worry is that will anything get them going at this point.

SWITCH!

4. TNA has to get out of Orlando for their TV tapings.

Sean Garmer: FACT – You really aren’t gaining anything by doing the show at the Impact Zone anymore. If Anthem is willing to be smart and book small arenas, actually promote the show around locally and is willing to lose money for a while, it could prove positive for them. Sure, you could get the same apathetic crowds traveling around too. But if you go to wrestling towns, it may help. Going to Bethlehem PA isn’t doing anyone any favors. I don’t think we need to hear the air conditioner on Impact again. The money you save at the Impact Zone, does it really get you anywhere? If the answer is no, then you gotta do something else. Traveling for Impact tapings, may help.

Dino Zee: FACT – Scream it to the mountain tops, this is a FACT. Those Orlando crowds are terrible. They’re filled with people who barely care about the product. You can hear the apathy when ONE sole voice can be heard chanting. Some of them are only there because they stood in the proper line while at the theme park. Now, because people love to slippery slope the shit out of this… this does NOT mean that I think they need to do a full travel schedule like that of WWE. I just think it’s time for them to get the hell out of Orlando. I love Impact. I watch it every week, rain or shine. Nothing ruins that show for me like the tired, “get myself over” nature of those crowds. And I say that while acknowledging that MANY wrestling crowds have people looking to get over. Impact crowds are the worst. Get out of Orlando. Please.

5. Braun Strowman will win one of the main WWE Titles (WWE World or Universal) by the end of 2017.

Sean Garmer: FACT – Oh yeah, no doubt. The dude gets people’s attention, he draws eyes. Vince has to love that. I think he gets rewarded. There’s a lot of time between now and January, I can see it.

Dino Zee: FICTION – I actually like this one a lot. Went back and forth a bit. And while I *do* think he ends up with one of the main belts, I don’t think it’s going to be in 2017. Just a gut feeling. I mean, hell, maybe Brock beats KO, Goldberg beats Brock, and then Strowman beats Goldberg. That could happen, I guess. I still think that, especially as they still struggle to get Roman Reigns to be accepted by fans, that they might remember to bring Strowman up a bit more slowly. He doesn’t need IC or US title reigns or anything like that, but he’ll need an actual, extended feud (not this quickie with Reigns) before I think they try to put a belt on him. If Braun can improve steadily, and continue to give us some unexpectedly fun matches like we got with Big Show on Raw, then perhaps I’ll be dead wrong and he’ll get that belt much sooner than I could imagine. I just don’t think they’ll kick the rocket into hyper drive. He’ll get that belt. No need to hurry.

6. If you’re TNA and have to choose, who do you sign first, Drew Galloway or the Hardys?

Sean Garmer: The Hardys – Right now, TNA NEEDS draws. The Broken Hardy gimmick will run its course, as everything does, but just being Matt and Jeff they draw crowds and viewers. Drew Galloway is a great wrestler and good talker, but would he really be a big blow if he left? Not to the casual audience you desperately need. To us hardcores and TNA fans, sure he will be. However, I’d wager that if it came out tomorrow “Hardys sign with WWE” people would be talking about it a lot more, than if it said “Drew McIntyre returns to WWE.”

Dino Zee: Drew Galloway – Because eventually, you have to plan for the future. Because Drew can wrestle for another ten years, easily. Because Drew doesn’t have to rely on a one-trick character to stay over for the rest of his career. Because you can have your entire roster lose to Drew, and you can do so without sacrificing their collective credibility. Because the only way picking the Hardys over Drew is correct is if you’re extremely shortsighted. Look, all the credit in the world to Matt Hardy for his incredible work this last year or so. It’s been fucking astounding to watch, but he did it. He’s over as fuck, and I won’t deny him that. And Jeff is Jeff, as he always has been. Still, their magic is only for the NOW, and will run out in the not so distant future. You gotta take Drew. You just gotta!