411 Fact or Fiction Wrestling: Is Booking Jinder Mahal vs. Brock Lesnar For Survivor Series a Bad Idea?

Welcome back to the truncated edition of 411 Fact or Fiction (damn viral meningitis), 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 Jeremy Thomas & Len Archibald debate!

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. Booking Jinder Mahal vs. Brock Lesnar for Survivor Series a bad ideal.

Jeremy Lambert: FACT – I don’t know if it’s a bad idea, but I do know that it’s not a good idea. I just don’t see the point in it. You’re either doing a screwy finish to ensure both champions are strong (the correct move) or you’re beating one of you’re champions and outright saying, “This title is more important” (the likely move). It’s also not a good idea because it won’t be a good match. Jinder is flat-out bad and Brock isn’t carrying anyone at this stage.

Len Archibald: FICTION – Yes, the correct answer is fact, I know. Hear me out: this match is needed because it encompasses where WWE is at in its current state. The company has become complacent in its creativity and has grown so stagnant and similarity desperate for stars that they pay $5m a year for one who shows up every four months and scrape the bottom of the barrel to manufacture another in the hopes of globalization. So this match is a good idea. Why? To expose exactly to the wrestling world why they are having issues selling out arenas, why talents like Neville are leaving the company and why fans are showing growing interest in New Japan. Mahal can’t work to save his life. Brock can…but he chooses not to. I’m not a giver or believer of snowflakes, but I would not be surprised to see this potential main event get the negative star treatment, because I expect this match to be dumpster fire bad. Suplexes, lumbering headlocks and more suplexes. And the higher ups at WWE need to see that so they can hopefully wake up and course correct before other talents decide that they no longer want to be simply toys in Vince McMahon’s playground.

2. You are looking forward to Neville’s post WWE run.

Jeremy Lambert: FACT – 100 percent yes. Neville is going to be awesome on the Independent scene. He found a great character in the Cruiserweight division and can have good matches with just about anyone, especially now that he doesn’t have to work WWE style. Neville is going to be everything Cody Rhodes wishes he was.

Len Archibald: FACT – Neville is in the same position Vader was in WWF 1996. He should have been a huge get for the promotion and been able to showcase his talents on the big stage, be able to win over fans with his talents and be able to climb the ladder. Same as Vader, WWE totally mismanaged and undervalued Neville. He was a good face, a bit bland, but was still able to get the crowd behind him. His heel turn and King of the Cruiserweights moniker was BRILLIANT and wound up as one of the best characters in WWE. So what does he get for it? The WrestleMania pre-show. And he and Austin Aries STILL nearly stole the show. Now that Neville has an understanding, maybe even a mastery of character, he will thrive post WWE. In New Japan, Ring if Honor, or anywhere he goes, Neville will be a hot topic and I’m looking forward to what he says, even going so far to say that Neville will end up as the biggest name outside WWE this time next year.

SWITCH!

3. Following Neville, there will be 2-3 more WWE departures before the end of 2017.

Len Archibald: FACT – Nia Jax may be gone (wouldn’t be surprised), I think Hideo Itami’s time is coming to a close. It pains me to say this, but I would be surprised is Rusev and Lana is with WWE by the end of the year. I’m not quite sure if professional wrestling was ever Nia Jax’s first priority. Sure, she’s part of arguably wrestling’s most celebrated family dynasty, but she was a model and it always seemed WWE just recruited her to play off the fact that she IS a plus-size model to show that the company was accepting of different sizes for women. I think Jax goes back to modeling and if she does, I wish her all the best. If Itami and Rusev exit, those will be HUGE blows to the company. Itami will most certainly go back to Japan as KENTA and will proceed to be another big name to bring fans to NJPW with his NXT notoriety. Rusev is the wild card if he is on his way out: IMO, he is a great worker, willing to adapt to any style and has untapped charisma that can take him far. Rusev in Ring of Honor or New Japan will reap great rewards for the Bulgarian Brute. Having Lana at his side only enhances his visibility. Him, Neville and Itami could enhance the independent and NJPW scene to greater heights. Oh, and Dolph Ziggler may leave too. But he is invisible right now. Poor guy.

Jeremy Lambert: FICTION – There’s not a lot of time left in 2017 and guys may want to stick around for that holiday bonus. I assume they get a holiday bonus. But maybe they don’t. They probably don’t. Still, there’s not a lot of time left in 2017 and these departures don’t happen every month. Including Neville, I’d only count him, Austin Aries, and Jack Swagger as notable guys who have asked for their release this year. That’s three guys in 10 months. Now there are supposed to be three more in less than three months? I wouldn’t count on it.

4. You have faith that Asuka will be booked well on the WWE main roster.

Len Archibald: FICTION – It is telling this question comes up in light of questions about The Shield, one of the best booked acts in WWE compared to speaking about Neville leaving WWE because he hasn’t been placed in a role so he can reach his full potential. I am going with the odds, unfortunately. With the exception of Charlotte and Alexa Bliss (maybe Sasha Banks) the women called up from NXT have been handled horrendously, and lately, even saying Charlotte is being booked effectively on Smackdown is a stretch. So why would things be different? I am hoping against hope: I mentioned in the State of WWE that Tony Acero and I are working on (PLUG PLUG) that I believe Askua arriving on Raw would be the start of Phase 2 of the WWE Women’s Evolution. It is a hope. A candle in the wind, Elton John. But here are the facts: Askua is not blonde. She is not American-born. English isn’t her first language. She is known for her asskickery in the ring more than attitude on the microphone. Askua is the easiest piece of booking to fall in WWE’s lap in a long time. Make her the female Brock Lesnar in the women’s division until someone is able to take her down and have a grand celebration at WrestleMania (if it was up to me, Askua would stay undefeated until WM 35 when Ember Moon finally exorcises the demon of never being able to defeat the Empress of Tomorrow.) But, alas. I will be shocked. SHOCKED. FUCKING GODDAMN SHOCKED if WWE does right by her on the main roster.

Jeremy Lambert: FICTION – Set your expectations low with WWE booking, that way you won’t be as disappointed and possibly pleasantly surprised. It’s pretty simple on how to book Asuka. She beats Emma on Sunday, beats Alexa Bliss at Survivor Series, continues that feud until January, and then works a program with Sasha Banks and Bayley leading up to WrestleMania. She doesn’t lose until that point and then, depending on the reactions, you can either have her win the Mania triple threat or have her lose the title without being pinned. Either way, your next program is built that night and Asuka still hasn’t been pinned. I think they’re smart enough to follow a similar path of not having her lose until at least the Rumble. But I’ll set my expectations at she’s wearing a blonde wig and being made fun of for being foreign by her third Raw.