This Or That (7/30/2015)

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, @JoeySplashwater and @TomBlargh 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!

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

Who do you side with in their podcast wars?

Steve Austin – 74%, Roddy Piper – 26%

Better WWE reality show?

Tough Talk – 61%, Total Divas – 39%

Better Hulk Hogan Funko Pop? (Well, this is awkward!)

Hollywood nWo – 71%, Hulkamania – 29%

Better Fast and the Furious star?

Vin Diesel – 80%, Tyrese – 20%

Who has had more great matches in WWE: Undertaker or Brock Lesnar?

Has ‘Taker’s long run or Brock’s short run produced more great matches?

Tim:

There are way less Undertaker matches that I like than Brock Lesnar matches. The few matches that I think are classics are on a whole other level though and I don’t think Lesnar’s best matches can even be compared to those Undertaker matches. I do think Lesnar has had more high-caliber matches though. A lot of Undertaker’s catalogue is pretty boring. When Brock wrestles it is special and almost always hits a memorable level.

Brock Lesnar

Joey:

Despite Undertaker having literally hundreds of more matches, I strongly believe Brock Lesnar has had more great ones. In his first run, I recall many classics vs. Kurt Angle, The Rock, Undertaker himself, Eddie Guerrero and others. In his recent run, he probably has another 5-7 truly GREAT matches. Sure, it seems like ‘Taker would have more but really remember the style of matches he used to have before the Wrestlemania streak became a big deal in the mid 2000s and how disappointing a lot of his non-WM matches were. Give me Brock’s library over the Deadman’s.

Brock Lesnar

Tom:

When I got back into wrestling, it was probably the worst time to be re-exposed to The Undertaker – it was a few months after Wrestlemania XV and his matches were mostly a chore. Also, to a 14 year old, he just seemed like an older, less interesting Kane (which seems crazy to say now, but back off trolls, Kane was GOOD AS FUCK back then).

This continued for… god, a solid three or four years, maybe? It was only around 2001/02 that he seemed to get back into the swing of things and started having some memorable matches. Realistically though, I think all his truly great matches were from feuds with Bret and Shawn around ’97 and then the latter half of The Streak – the rest of it is predominantly shuffling around with The Great Khali and that. His great matches could be REALLY fucking great though.

So, even though Brock is my favourite guy to watch currently and his (admittedly smaller) catalogue of matches is of a much higher overall quality, I still don’t think he’s had as many great ones as ‘Taker. Hopefully he’ll get there though! Never leave, Brock.

The Undertaker

More unlikeable on-screen couple: Triple H & Stephanie McMahon or Dolph Ziggler & Lana?

Hate.

Tim:

Pairing Lana and Ziggler together has caused so much damage to Lana’s character that it has to be one of my least favorite things in wrestling. It hurt Rusev a lot as well. It’s not even fun to watch. The only positive from all of this is Summer Rae has something to do. I genuinely believe she has a lot of potential on the mic. Triple H and Stephanie can be pretty enjoyable sometimes. Lana and Ziggler are just horrible TV.

Dolph Ziggler and Lana

Joey:

Stephanie gave us the Divas Revolution and Triple H gave us the NeXT generation of honor. How can you hate them?! I can’t imagine a couple on WWE television ever being as brutal as Dolph Ziggler and Lana currently are. Both are just the dirt worst and most unlikable characters on television right now.

Dolph Ziggler and Lana

Tom:

I genuinely think this might be the first This Or That question with a 100% bias to one response – Ziggler and Lana is one of the most awkward things I’ve seen for quite a while. Just zero chemistry.

Dolph Ziggler and Lana

Which show will be better: NXT TakeOver Brooklyn or Lucha Underground Ultimo Lucha?

Which huge August show will deliver more?

Tim:

Lucha Underground continues to be entertaining although it’s hit a few lulls lately. Ultimo Lucha has definitely been presented as a big deal and I think it’s a pretty fun idea. The NXT show will be interesting to see though. The card is strange but the crowd will be hot and the main event will be fun. Plus it will be surreal to see Liger on a WWE event in 2015. I can’t help but be more excited for it even though Ultimo Lucha will probably deliver a better selection of matches.

Ultimo Lucha

Joey:

NXT will have the superior atmosphere because it will be in Barclays Center but the card doesn’t look too great. Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin and the likely tag title match both seem like snores waiting to happen. Lucha Underground has been on fire for most of 2015 and they’re treating this Ultimo Lucha like it’s another level of an event. My high expectations for Ultimo Lucha has this being a no-brainer. I think it could be a show of the year candidate.

Ultimo Lucha

Tom:

I’ve STILL not bothered to watch any of Lucha Underground! I tend to be out on Wednesdays so I’ve been missing out on the spectacular Wednesday Night Wars, and NXT is the only show that’s easy enough for me to catch up with. I’d dearly love to rectify this – hopefully Lucha Underground makes its way to some streaming service soon enough because I want to become deeply acquainted with Sr. Dario Cueto.

Regardless though, I’m fascinated to see how NXT Brooklyn’s going to shake out. Old Triple H seems very invested in making it an “event”, but I really don’t know what that’s going to involve – hopefully not just pulling in a bunch of old ECW guys for a cameo, because that’d be a bummer. Anyway! We’ll see how it goes, but I have cautiously high expectations, if only for the Finn/Kev rematch.

NXT TakeOver Brooklyn

Which is better: Peanut butter or Jelly?

Serious business.

Tim:

Look, The T Man is allergic to peanuts and all nut-related items. I can’t be having that BUT I don’t think I’d like it anyway. Peanut butter smells awful. It looks like gunk. Just give me jelly. It’s fruit-based, fun to look at, and absolutely delightful.

Jelly

Joey:

Let’s be honest. Peanut butter is absolute trash unless it’s saved by a superior tasting addition such as bananas or even jelly. Imagine having to eat peanut butter by itself and not throwing up or dying from dry-mouth. Throw peanut butter off the stage. Jelly is decent but this is more about peanut butter’s evilness.

Jelly

Tom:

This is such bullshit. SUCH bullshit. All of this started because I took a heavy (and deserved) shot at Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Do you know why? Because the peanut butter in peanut butter cups does NOT deserve to be called peanut butter! It’s gross, artificial, crumbly crap! It’s the worst!

Real peanut butter, however, is close to perfection. I could eat it with a spoon and it’d still be better than most of the meals your own dear mother makes for you. Anyway, I’m done with this, get out of my face.

Peanut butter