This Or That (2/3/2014)

Everybody loves binary decisions, especially wrestling fans! In This Or That, we’ve forced ourselves to choose between two options that relate to wrestling.

Over four questions, @TimWelcomed, @typicalROHfan and @TomBlackett will have to choose one of two options and give their reasoning on each of their choices. You can then vote on which one you’d choose, giving you the false impression that you’re somehow involved and we care about your opinion chance to join the conversation!

This week, @TimWelcomed is unfortunately unable to join us. A Siamese fighting fish bit his index finger and he’s unable to type at a pace Earth demands. We wish him the best in his recovery. Doctors say he should be healthy and home in approximately 20 hours.

Replacing him will be a Canadian reader of the site who has been itching to get involved with Wrestling On Earth somehow. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Vance Florm. Hailing from Calgary *pause for dramatic effect* Alberta, Canada. (He made us add that.)

Before we start, here’s last week’s results:

Lamer rumored Wrestlemania match?

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus – 54%, Batista vs. Randy Orton– 46%

Bigger star making performance at Royal Rumble?

Roman Reigns – 64%, Bray Wyatt – 36%

Better independent wrestling champion?

Adam Cole – 57%, Johnny Gargano – 43%

Better dessert?

Pie – 60% (WE LOVE YOU!), Cake – 40% (WE LOVE YOU SLIGHTLY LESS!)

Who do you blame more for the falling out: WWE or CM Punk?

We don’t know the whole story but there are many reports from often accurate sources that this all stems from CM Punk being frustrated by WWE’s use of him. Is he in the right?

Vance Florm:

I once had a conversation with Vince McMahon about the height and weight of Jack Reacher. We agreed about that, therefore I will side with WWE.

CM Punk

typicalROHfan:

Good for CM Punk. If you’re in an evironment that makes you miserable, you should do everything in your power to leave it. I’m not one of the biggest CM Punk fans compared to most of his seemingly diehard fan base yet I feel I’m one of his biggest supporters in this situation. We have a guy leaving a large sum of money that one would make at Wrestlemania and the biggest spotlight to stand up for his principles and do what’s best for him.

Personally, I will always side with the individual over the company unless the individual is clearly in the wrong. In a world where you are controlled and basically treated like a race horse with a shelf life, kudos to CM Punk. With the industry having such little places to work, someone standing up for what he believes in (whether we do or don’t) is an inspiration for all wrestlers and quite frankly anyone in the working field in today’s culture of America.

In regards to solely the nuts and bolts, CM Punk was never going to get to the position of main eventing Wrestlemania or being a truly equal position of someone like John Cena. If he can’t get what makes him happy in exchange for the sacrifice of his body when he’s in a place where he can pick and choose, find a different place in life that will.

WWE

Tom:

Despite still delivering consistently good promos and matches (with the notable exceptions being the ones he had with Ryback and Curtis Axel, as you’d expect), Punk did nothing to hide how frustrated he was by his position and lack of momentum within WWE. As surprising as his abrupt departure was though, there was something fairly inevitable about it.

Really, aside from John Cena, Undertaker and Triple H, has there ever been a super-popular main eventer that hasn’t had a falling out with Vince McMahon for at least some period of time? Stone Cold is the one that most are drawing comparisons to, but Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Bret and Shawn all stepped away for a while, and even loveable old Mick Foley and Vince’s favourite The Rock have been on the outs with WWE at some point or another.

Simply put, WWE’s a thankless, shitty, controlling company run by a thankless, shitty, controlling human being, and we all know that. If you’re a reasonable human being with ambition and self-respect, it’s pretty likely that you’re going to get fed up with dealing with that on a daily basis. CM Punk leaving was just him taking ownership of his life again. I think he’d gladly accept any ‘blame’ for the situation – he left on his terms, and should he return, it’ll be on his terms too (and likely not involve a feud with Kane).

CM Punk

More exciting Elimination Chamber match-up: The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family or The Elimination Chamber match?

The Elimination Chamber match features Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena vs. Sheamus vs. Antonio Cesaro vs. Christian vs. Randy Orton. Is it a more exciting match on paper than The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family?

Vance Florm:

The Shield and Wyatt Family each remind me of the greatest faction in professional wrestling history – Team Canada from WCW. Elix Skipper, Major Gunns and that sexpot leader. With the Canadian sexpot on my mind, I’m going with the trios match.

The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family

typicalROHfan:

If the tag match was IN the Chamber, I’d have to go with it but for me, it’s the title match. The quality of competitor in it is too good. Daniel Bryan, Antonio Cesaro, John Cena and Christian (Cage) are four of my favorite wrestlers in the world right now and three of them would make my all time top 10. While I’m sure the result will upset everyone, myself included, the match should be something special.

Elimination Chamber match

Tom:

It’s a real missed opportunity if they don’t put The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family in the Chamber – they’re two of the most legitimate groups we’ve seen in the WWE, and it seems like this will be the only opportunity to see them face off against each other. I’m guessing a three-on-three Chamber match smells a little too much like War Games for Vince to sign off on it, but it’d be a thrill to watch.

Meanwhile, the title match looks to be one of the strongest for years (if not the strongest ever), assuming that the six announced competitors are the ones who will make it to the match. I’d love to see Mark Henry replace Sheamus because he’s been a highlight of the past two years, but even without him tossing UNBREAKABLE LEXAN GLASS around, it should still be terrific.

Elimination Chamber match

More optimistic sign for TNA in 2014: the push of Samoa Joe or the debut of MVP?

MVP debuted with a snazzy theme song and a big role in the company on Thursday. Also returning was Samoa Joe to a relevant status on the card as he challenges Magnus for the title at the Lockdown PPV. Which shows more optimism, YES OPTIMISM, for TNA going forward?

Vance Florm:

Boycotting TNA because Daniels and Kazarian dressed in Dumb & Dumber suits.

No answer was given by Vance

typicalROHfan:

As cool as the Samoa Joe push seems to be, I don’t have faith in it lasting or being noteworthy post March. I’m going with MVP. VERY rare does TNA ever debut someone new and have it work out. It tends to fall apart the night of. For MVP, it worked out differently. The hot UK crowd was into it, his look, his music, his initial stature on the card, his pairing with Davey Richards and Eddie “Eddie Edwards” Edwards, it just made him come off as a big deal.

I’m a fan of his and view him as a good add by TNA. They’ve failed with so many ex WWE guys but I think the best of that core to add are guys who were significant enough to have a fan base but not used as a main eventer or to their ceiling so that they could thrive in a different company and not come off as the same ol dude. The only recent match of his I’ve seen was a House of Hardcore bout vs. Sami Callihan which I loved. Hopefully he has some performances like that in his TNA run.

MVP

Tom:

Joe’s certainly looked more involved in recent weeks, and while I’m not sure how long he’ll be kept as a championship contender, it’ll still be fun to see what comes of it – the weird team of him and Magnus were a lot of fun, so I hope that translates into some fun main event matches.

Meanwhile, the MVP thing… I’m not against it, but I’m just so tired of power struggles in wrestling. He’s certainly a fresher character than anyone with the surname Carter, Bischoff, Hogan, McMahon or Helmsley but there’s only so many stories in the world and I’ve seen this one before. As far as matches go, I’ve not seen anything from him since he left WWE, but I’ll be interested to see how he’s changed. However, I’m still more excited at seeing Joe given a good chance to impress.

Samoa Joe 

Better super power: Ability to fly or be invisible?

The age old debate you need to have a stance on to get by in life.

Vance Florm:

I would fly. Fly over libraries and drop bricks on them so those freeloading kids can get punished for stealing from the paperback industry.

Flying

typicalROHfan:

Invisibility and it’s not even close. One of my least favorite things is to fly in an airplane. Why in the world would I want to waste a super power on doing that without seat belts?! Look, I know what you’re thinking. I can assure you these powers wouldn’t be driven by perverted notions. Well, mostly. They would be driven by a cheapskate.

Invisibility gets me into every restaurant, every concert, every sporting event, every wrestling show, every AIRPLANE that can fly me anywhere in the world where I can exploit this power into doing more great things. I will also steal from Vince McMahon in $449 daily increments and give the money to orphans. *drops mic*

Invisibility

Tom:

Okay, I’m going to have to think about this. So, flying seems like the more attractive option initially BUT what kind of flying is it? Superman flying, where it’s effortless? Or will it just be as exhausting as running, except in the air? Will I have to be like Hawkman and have big stupid wings?

There are less questions that come with invisibility, although… like, to be completely invisible, do I have to be naked? Would I constantly have to have my junk out? Because, gross. Or would it be like an invisibility field that would surround my clothes too?

I’ve read a LOT of comics so I really don’t want to just decide rashly. However, like most guys who have read a lot of comics, I’m not that into leaving the house and both powers are things that I’d have to go out into the world to really take advantage of. So… I mean, flying, I guess. But I might just trade it for a 12 month Netflix subscription.

Flying