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Here’s how it works: each time out, we’ll take three current hot issues in wrestling, and then one of us will argue for each, and one will argue against each. For each question, we flip a coin to decide who’s taking which side, and then it’s up to us to formulate a cohesive argument for our position.
This week’s topics…
1- After eight years with WWE, during which time he has seemingly been buried in every way possible, including being taken off the active roster and made head of the developmental program, Tommy Dreamer is coming to the end of his WWE deal. Of all the ECW Originals brought on when the brand was revived in 2006, he is the last survivor, and unless he wins the ECW World Title at Extreme Rules, he will leave WWE and take the last of the original ECW’s legacy with him. Should Dreamer get the title this weekend, or would it not make sense in today’s WWE landscape?
2- Fresh off his latest injury, Batista has returned to WWE and walked right back into the World Title picture, and will be challenging Randy Orton for the WWE Title for the second month in a row, this time in a Steel Cage Match at Extreme Rules. By putting Batista in that slot, WWE is going back to a proven commodity by automatically slotting him into the main event instead of giving somebody new a chance. Should Batista have gone right back into the title picture, or should he have spent some time working underneath to build to another title shot?
3- After years of WWE having two sets of Tag Team Titles on the separate brands, each of which were largely ignored, the two titles were finally unified at Wrestlemania…in the preshow match. While there was a hope that a unified title would mean a renewed emphasis on tag teams, this will seemingly not be the case, as Carlito & Primo have not appeared on Backlash of Judgment Day, and are not scheduled to wrestle at Extreme Rules, either. Should the Colons have a match on Extreme Rules, or is it okay for them to sit yet another PPV out?
Let the debate begin!
Topic 1 – Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer should get the ECW Title at Extreme Rules.
Gregory: Say what you will about the way WWE treats its talent, but they do recognize when somebody’s been a good soldier, and Tommy Dreamer fits that bill. It’s amazing that it’s crept up this quickly, but he’s been working for WWE for eight years. That’s almost a decade, for those of you keeping score. He hasn’t balked at doing any jobs or anything that would make him look ridiculous, he even stepped out of the ring and headed up developmental when WWE asked him to, even though he would later request to return to the ring. While a lot of his fellow ex-ECW guys got the ECW stigma, Dreamer’s a WWE guy at this point, and if he really is leaving the company, he deserves at least a title win before he goes. Keep in mind, we’re not talking about the WWE Title here, this is a mid to low-level title, on a brand that Dreamer has been very visible on for three years now, and he deserves some kind of thank you on the way out. I’m not saying he’s Ric Flair, and I’m not even saying he’s Trish Stratus, but it could be kind of like his badge of honor, and they could do a scenario where Swagger is finally about to beat Christian, but Dreamer rolls him up and gets the win, earning the title and cheating Swagger out of his win over Christian yet again.
Tommy Dreamer should not get the ECW Title at Extreme Rules.
Stuart: When are people going to finally get in the here and now and realize that all the current ECW brand and the old ECW company have in common are three letters and Tommy Dreamer, and it bears as much relation to the original as Dale Gagner’s AWA did to Verne Gagne’s company? Let’s also not forget that Tommy Dreamer has barely won any matches in years, and he’s in there with the two top guys on the brand. I don’t know where you would go in storylines with him if he got the title, because a)he’s probably made the decision to leave by now anyway, and b)if you put the title on him for more than two days, you’d have to have him playing even money with Christian and Swagger, and I don’t think anyone would believe that. As much as we all hate to admit it, ECW is dead, and Dreamer’s been playing in the ashes for eight years. Time to move on.
Topic 2 - Batista
Batista should have gone right back into the World Title picture.
Gregory: Honestly, where else would you go with him? He’s a top guy, and he’s getting what all top guys get when they return from injury: a main event push. Besides, is anyone really complaining about the possibility of anyone other than Orton getting the strap? I don’t think anyone would buy it if he came back and was instantly put into a midcard feud, no matter who it was against. I do agree that we’re treading the same ground by having the same guys in the main event, but there was really no other way they could have gone with Batista. Besides, if he does beat Orton, maybe that could be used to finally build to that Batista-Cena rematch at this year’s Summerslam.
Batista should not have gone right back into the World Title picture.
Stuart: Oh boy, Batista in the main event…again. Against Randy Orton…again. Hey, maybe if he wins, we’ll see him against John Cena…again. Or Triple H might return to the ring soon and face Batista…again. Why WWE doesn’t see the problem with this endless repetition is beyond me. Now, I won’t insult your intelligence by suggesting that Kofi Kingston, Brian Kendrick, or Jamie Noble should get a main event bump, because it’s not going to happen. But what about MVP? To me, at least on the babyface side, he’s far and away the leader to be the next big breakout star. Problem is, he’s on the wrong brand to expect to break through the glass ceiling and that’s a problem in and of itself, but if I had my way, if we have to have Batista in for Extreme Rules, then fine, but he doesn’t get the title, and then after Extreme Rules we start building MVP up as the next top level babyface. Alternately, have Batista win the title and elevate Miz, because using Batista to elevate a guy to main event heel is the only acceptable scenario for him getting the title right now.
Topic 3 – The World Tag Team Title
The World Tag Team Title should be defended at Extreme Rules.
Stuart: It should, but then again there should be two tag titles, each with their own fully stocked roster of challengers. The Cruiserweight Title should also still be around and be respected as a title for the smaller, technical workers to fight over, much like the Intercontinental Title used to be 15 years ago. There should also only be one, unified WWE World Champion who works across all three brands and can be THE true face of the company. Are any of these things going to happen? Not bloody likely. If the last 5-7 years of WWE history have taught us anything, it’s that the tag champions are there to either a)be flunkies to a top heel, or b)be handicap match jobbers for a top babyface. They exist for no other reason, yet I still find it astonishing that something that should have been a big deal, such as unifying two titles into one single, brand transcending title, ended up getting bumped off the main Wrestlemania show and hasn’t appeared on PPV since. I also find it astonishing that in a company that employs great tag team wrestlers like Ricky Steamboat, Arn Anderson, and Michael Hayes as backstage officials, there’s no movement to reinvigorate the tag team scene.
The World Tag Team Title should not be defended at Extreme Rules.
Gregory: Okay, yes: it’s absolutely legitimate to claim that the Tag Team Title is not treated with enough respect, or given enough exposure in general. However, as to the specific question of whether it should be defended at Extreme Rules, I think there’s enough on the PPV already that’s important that it would justify the Tag Team Title missing this specific show. We already have all three top titles being defended, as well as an IC Title match between two World Title-caliber guys, and a four way US Title match which, with all due respect, will be way better than anything Carlito and Primo could put together. Also, a strap match between two of the top “just underneath the main event†level guys in CM Punk and Umaga, and a Hogpen match to pay off a comedy storyline that, say what you will about it, has a strange cult following from non-internet fans I know and has people a lot more interested than anything Carlito and Primo have done in a long time. The title does need more exposure, there’s no doubt about that, but I don’t see the need to have it on this particular show.
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And that’s that. Hope everybody enjoys the PPV this weekend, and don’t forget you can follow the live coverage of the show as it happens right here on PWInsider.com. In the meantime, thanks for reading and if you’ve got any topic suggestions or feedback on this week’s debate, please send it along to stupwinsider@yahoo.com. Take care, and see you all next week!
