411 Wrestling Fact or Fiction: Will WWE Be in Business Forever?

Welcome back to the 411mania Wrestling Fact or Fiction. I’m your host Jake Chambers.

Well, I’ve promised this one long enough and today we will finally found out who wins the 2020 411mania Wrestling Fact or Fiction “Road to Wrestlemania” Invitational Tournament.

Yes, this tournament started almost 2 years ago and, yes, if you can do the math you’ll deduce why the finals got sidetracked. The two men who fought their way to the finals have endured much over the past 2 years, like most of us have, and are returning today to battle it out for this prestigious championship!

Let’s here it for 411’s Man of 1000s holds (columns), Steve Cook and columnist legend in absentia, Len Archibald.

Last year summer we had a now long-removed warm-up column with these two for today, which you could read to refresh your memory on just how we got here: Fact or Fiction – Wrestling is an Essential Part of Our Lives

What I also mentioned there is re-naming this the Annual Larry Csonka Memorial Fact or Fiction Tournament! So not only will today be the finals of this tournament’s previous moniker, but will also be the 1st Round of the the Larry Classic, meaning the winner today will move straight into the finals of “this” year’s tournament (more on that in the weeks to come).

So without further ado, I present to you now the incredible showdown of two of the greatest writers this site has ever seen. Enjoy!

Statement #1: The WWF/E has been around for roughly 40 years, you believe that it will be in business for at least another 40 years.

Steve Cook: FACT – With the money they have? If they’re not in business for another forty years, either they’re historically incompetent or the world has ended. For the sake of our existence, should WWE go out of business it’ll be the former.

The one thing that gives me pause: a sale. It certainly seems like things are headed in that direction, doesn’t it? Should a sale happen, I would assume that it’ll be to a large media company that will want WWE to provide programming hours. Much like how WCW existed for so long because it was part of a large media company that used WCW to provide programming hours. There is a precedent for somebody new to get power in a large company and decide they don’t want pro wrestling as part of their portfolio. I just think it’s much less likely now, as there are plenty of places for wrestling-hating executives to put the product so they don’t have to deal with it and they can keep collecting money from wrestling nerds. 

Len Archibald: FACT – It would take something earth-shattering, like a massive financial scandal that bankrupts the company, or a worse-case scenario where most of the talent die on a trip together, or a sale to another party that is on a level of mismanagement that rivals what Dixie Carter did with TNA before WWE ever folds. They are a BILLION DOLLAR corporate machine. I mean, everyone knows why Nick Khan was hired, right? He’s a hired gun with the sole purpose of going through the books and advise the McMahon family on how they can pinch and squeeze every penny from their family INVESTMENT. WWE is not a business, or a promotion. WWE is now an entity on the NYSE, numbers to gamble on, run by shareholders who only want to see increases in their portfolios and doesn’t care how that’s achieved. They are in the too big to fail category, and if the $18.5 million that went to the state of Florida was able to purchase being viewed as an “essential business” with no repercussions, why does anyone think our sweet, sweet government that doesn’t even have much balls to enforce anti-trust would allow WWE to sink. They make too much money that contributes to the economies of so many American cities that considering they won’t be around in 40 years is laughable. I will say this, though: while WWE continues to be the giant of its industry, the WalMart of professional wrestling, other promotions will be thriving in remarkable ways and fans will soon realize, hey, there’s a Target, and a Meijer, and a Kroger and you may find a hidden gem in Marshall’s. This is the future of pro wrestling. The boom won’t be one singular event like the birth of Hulkamania or Austin winning the title at WrestleMania 14, but it will be a gradual increase of interest in other promotions that will make it more desirable to invest, mostly through streaming services and headed by production heads who were former or still current wrestling fans. I’m probably wrong, WWE could crumble tomorrow, but logically it makes sense.

Statement #2: At a non-wrestling public event, you would wear an extremely ugly t-shirt to promote your very favourite wrestler.

Steve Cook: FACT – I mean, “extremely ugly” is certainly a matter of opinion. Most of what I might deem as something worth wearing probably wouldn’t make Mr. Archibald or Mr. Chambers’ wardrobe, as they’re both much more GQ-worthy than myself. So I’m just going to cast that part aside and say that at this point in my life, wearing pro wrestling t-shirts in public isn’t something I worry about. Oh no, somebody might find out that I watch wrestling? How will my reputation possibly recover from such a revelation?

Just recently I took a trip out of town for work that ended up lasting a day longer than I expected. Hence, I went to the Target across the street from my hotel to make a couple of purchases to wear on the extra day. One of them was this WrestleMania t-shirt featuring the Ultimate Warrior, Macho Man, Hart Foundation, Jake the Snake, Brutus the Barber, Rowdy Roddy Piper & Big Boss Man. The idea of my co-workers guffawing at my wrestling shirt didn’t occur to me, I was just excited to have a shirt featuring some of my favorite wrestlers from back in the day. And Brutus Beefcake.

I probably wouldn’t wear a wrestling shirt if I was going to church, or a court hearing. Most of the places I regularly go? It ain’t no thing.

Len Archibald: FACT – I already have. I have a New Day shirt with just the three of them basically “mean mugging” and it is all at once terrifying and hilarious. I wore it at a farmers market in Worthington, OH…I got horrible and terrified looks from a lot of people. It was great. Sometimes you need to freak out the system, man. Fuck people up. New Day Rocks indeed. #anarchy

Statement #3: You would rather watch a pro-wrestling PPV at home than sit front row at the live event.

Steve Cook: FACT – Don’t get me wrong, some of my best memories involve attending live wrestling shows. I’ve never been front row for a PPV, but I have been in the third row. The experience I had at Bad Blood 2004 was much more memorable than the show itself. If you’re somebody who hasn’t had such an experience, I highly recommend it. Me? I’m old. At this point in my life I try not to go out in public unless necessary in order to make a living. Here in 2021, wrestling PPVs aren’t as “necessary” as they used to be. You may disagree, I assume that some of you have friends and like going out in public. I prefer my couch.

Also: Have you seen these crazy people that attend wrestling shows these days? They run down and attack people like Seth Rollins for no reason. Who knows what these maniacs are capable of? Give me my television or laptop any day of the week.

Len Archibald: FICTION – Here is my opinion, and it is mine alone: anyone that says fiction to this is not a true fan of wrestling. Wrestling is performance art and what sets it apart from other forms of art is the interactive nature between wrestler and audience. Try to envision the two major matches at the WrestleManias I attended: Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior and Hollywood Hogan vs. The Rock with no sound. A blank canvas, no one there to react to the test of strength, the in ring crisis cross, the hulking up (the reaction to his Hulk up at X-8 is STILL the single loudest sound I have ever heard). As much as we need bodies to will themselves past the point of pain for our pleasures of choreographed malice, wrestling needs us as well to react and help enrich and even enhance the experience. This is the one art form where “you only get out what you put in”. The CM Punk/MJF segment that most everyone went bonkers for could perhaps be effective as several vignettes, but it HAD to be done live because the Chicago crowd’s reaction helped to tell the story. We needed to hear the “CM Punk” and “Asshole” chants to define hero and villain. We needed the first “oooh” when MJF said he drops nukes instead of pipebombs to establish MJF is no joke on the microphone. The references to Cena and HHH got big reactions which on a superficial level, establishes a sense of realism (which don’t most of us complain we want more of, so why WOULDN’T MJF point out CM Punk’s failures and those attached to them at WWE? The point MJF is simply making is that there is a history of CM Punk never being able to break the glass ceiling to be that #1 era-defining superstar….the logic is EVERYWHERE.) Where would that promo be without the reaction to Punk’s mic-drop calling MJF basically a Stan for Miz which established that Punk may be old, but he’s still a BAD, BAD MAN. Everyone, EVERYONE that breathes should attend at least one professional wrestling event in their lifetime, doesn’t matter if it’s WWE, AEW or any other promotion. Everyone should attend just to see the interaction between fan and wrestler, to be able to observe the fundamentals of the choreography and psychology that builds a professional wrestling match. To feel the passion of fans who cheer for their heroes and the venom of those who they despise. To witness firsthand how these men and women literally put their bodies on the line for our sick enjoyment, and they should go simply to feel how something so many mock as “fake” can provide so much real joy.

¡SWITCH!

Statement #4: Bald wrestlers are better than those with long hair.

Len Archibald: FACT – What the fuck question is this, dude? Okay let’s put up what most people would use as the easy answer to Mt. Rushmore: Flair, Hogan, Austin, Rock. Flair and Hogan had…shit what is Hogan? Do you say he has hair or is he bald? Austin and Rock went to the mountaintop bald. Andre had hair. HHH, HBK, Edge, Taker. All hair. Bret Hart. Hair. Jesus, I forgot about Goldberg. Kurt Angle was bald. So was Big Show….later in his career. Jungle Boy has some goddamn manly hair. Adam Page and Kenny Omega….Adam Cole (Bay-Bay)….I think everyone in the Super Elite has long hair, or at least feels like it. King Kong Bundy. Bald. Cesaro, Ricochet. Man this is tough. I’m going to say bald only because at one point CM Punk was bald and it may be the best work he did. I will also count Hogan as bald, and add Austin, Goldberg and The Rock with their box office and…I don’t know what you call them…The Baldvengers? The Dome of Justice?

Steve Cook: FICTION – As a person with male pattern baldness, I wish that bald wrestlers were better than those with long hair. But I have to be honest and look at the history of professional wrestling. Who are the best bald wrestlers of all time? Who are the best long haired wrestlers of all time? Why didn’t I think of these as potential Top 7 topics before now? Anyway, let’s look at the most notable balds:

Stone Cold Steve Austin – I wrote the guy’s 411 Wrestling Hall of Fame profile. He’s way up on my list.
Verne Gagne – Founded the AWA & held their championship longer than anybody. We make mockery of the promoter who books themselves on top for too long, but Verne was one of the best of his era. There’s a reason the AWA worked for so long.
Kurt Angle – Never had very much hair even before he went shaved.
Lou Thesz – Had quite the combover going for most of his career, but nobody was going to talk shit to him about it.
Bill Goldberg – Not the wrestler these other guys were, but just as big a star.
Arn Anderson – Looked like everybody’s grumpy uncle.

We can also talk about Sgt. Slaughter, the Iron Sheik, Big Van Vader, Baron Von Raschke, Bam Bam Bigelow, Ivan & Nikita Koloff, Bobby Lashley, Big Show and countless others. Then there’s Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage. Both were bald up top. Both had as much hair as many long haired wrestlers anyway. I’m not sure how you classify them.

Let’s be honest though, longer hair lent itself well to your best heel wrestlers, whose luxurious locks were part of why they thought they were better than you. Gorgeous George is considered the man to start it, but it never really stopped. From Nature Boys Buddy Rodgers & Ric Flair to gentlemen like Nick Bockwinkel. Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels were comparable in many ways, including their long hair. Chris Jericho has had long hair more often than not. Then there’s Triple H, Undertaker, Kane, Edge and countless others that had long hair in their prime before shaving their heads when they got older. The Hardy Boyz & Young Bucks. Hangman Page, Kenny Omega & Adam Cole, BAY BAY. Jake Roberts & Rick Rude. Where to stop?

Long hair is where it’s at if you want to be a great professional wrestler.

Statement #5: Under-utilized or misused performers who are released from WWE contracts are actually better off.

Len Archibald: FACT – I am going to call a spade a spade: if what has been reported has truth or merit, WWE is currently in a volatile and toxic period. Whether the reasoning is budget cuts or freeing up a bloated roster, it is definitely a great time for underused, underprivileged released talent to thrive outside the WWE Universe. The truth is WWE is no longer the only, or for that matter THE destination to make a decent living off professional wrestling.

The sky is the limit for performers like Ruby Soho and Malichai Black because they are in a company that respects them as in ring artists and not simply cogs in the Corporate Brand Machine. But it’s not about one’s earning potential and reevaluation of their value as WWE castoffs, but the shifting narrative from those who have never stepped in a WWE ring to proclaim they don’t need WWE or their ultra-polished presentation to make a great living. Moose, Nick Aldis, Will Osprey, the IInspiration and Alexander Hammerstone have been able to create some buzz for themselves in the promotions they represent and most importantly, make a comfortable living for themselves. These companies range in size and finances, and none of them may never reach the size of the WWE, but these are all promotions successful enough to where they can pay their talent well and pay them regularly. That’s all anyone in any profession where they are being asked fo exhaust their talent wants. The latest round of releases soured a lot of fans, myself included for the clinical callousness of it all, calling talents up to the main roster and putting them in one or two segments before cutting ties to simply play keep away – and the seeming randomness of the cuts shouldn’t give any talent to even want to consider going to WWE. Sure, you may sign a cool $300k contract when you join, but how much is guaranteed? How much of your likeness do you keep? What is your cut of merch? What outside projects can you do that may be additional income? Then you sign, are given a segment to debut in the next month, but three weeks in you are pitched. And you can’t work for another company to push your brand out and perform for 90 days on top of that. That doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.

Steve Cook: FACT – I get the argument of wanting to keep one’s job. It’s much better to have a steady paycheck coming in than not. There’s also the factor that most WWE Superstars would certainly cite: they grew up wanting to work for WWE. Even if they’re underutilized or misused, they’re still working for WWE. They’re living their dream, just not quite how they envisioned, or the best version of it. There’s also the fact that all these other wrestling feds only have so many spots.

The argument in favor of one being better off after being released: See Drew McIntyre. See Jinder Mahal. See any number of people that got let go by WWE at one point, put in the work, and later returned as a better version of their original self that wasn’t underutilized anymore. Or, you can take a look at Cody Rhodes, Miro & others in AEW that are getting to prove their worth now. If you’re one of the people that got released by WWE recently, now is the time to prove that the company did underutilize you. It’s a great opportunity.

Awesome stuff! I don’t know who should be the long-awaited winner of this tournament, so just like a a classic Cyber Sunday or Taboo Tuesday I’m leaving it in the hand of you, the 411 faithful, to pick between two of your favourites.

Will it be the vivacious Len Archibald or the effervescent Steve Cook? Only one can be the true champion! Vote now!