I don't understand... (ECW SPOILERS)

[Fox]

Originally Posted by Noid I love you Fox, but I've got to argue this: Christian returning in the Royal Rumble Match -- and losing -- makes him look better than debuting on ECW and beating the Champion there? Christian returning against Santino Marella makes him look better than returning and defeating the ECW Champion? Maybe it works better in your head, but in mine, it is an instant passage into the mid-card for Christian.

Yes, I do think that. Why? BECAUSE IT'S ON RAW. Not only that, but Santino has been a very prevalent and, to an extent, over character on WWE TV for almost two years. The verbal interchange between them would have been classic, and Christian would have gotten more over in that one segment than he did in the two he was in on ECW. Again, his victory over Jack Swagger was nothing more than assisted build-up for Finlay vs. Swagger at No Way Out. In the big picture, he was just the object that Finlay used to get that last one-up before NWO.

A segment on RAW with Santino would have been a single cell dedicated to Christian - not build-up for another match. It puts the importance on Christian and his return, and not only that, but it would have been on the FLAGSHIP SHOW that gets nearly 3X the ratings ECW pulls in.

Originally Posted by Noid There are a few problems with the scenario you have suggested, although it is one of the most organic of the Edge/Christian/Matt/Jeff ideas I have read: 1) As you saw, Christian returning got a face pop. Do you really want the genuine interest in Christian to be wasted with him enforcing that he is a bad guy? It's playing against the fans, and it's going to confuse and upset them. Some people will cheer Christian hitting Jeff with a steel chair, and that's not exactly a visual you want. It sends the message that Jeff isn't worth cheering, and that this Christian guy is the good guy. It just makes things more confusing.

Christian is better as a heel. Yes, he does well as a face, but his heel character is far more charismatic than his face. He just plays that cocky arrogance to perfection. And as far as your argument that the people who cheer Christian hitting Jeff makes things "more confusing," let me point out a character named John Cena who gets 50% boos on EVERY SHOW, and is the company's "top face."

The marks are what the company cares about. They will boo the guy who is hitting their beloved Jeff Hardy in the head with a chair.

Originally Posted by Noid Christian returning as a face was absolutely the right move. Both from a creative and business standpoint. Hell, while he's hot, Christian might even move some merchandise. He was entertaining as hell on ECW, and he fills a gap in the face line-up that wasn't previously there. Triple H may actually be the closest thing the WWE has to a face with a zinging attitude right now.

That is fine and I understand what you're saying, but once again, Christian is at his best as a heel. Turn MVP face if you need a good face, but use the new guy to his fullest potential because otherwise you are succubusing yourself.

Originally Posted by Noid 2) In your scenario, you have three heels and one face. Maybe that is intentional, but it seems a little messy to me. Jeff Hardy is the only real character for the fans to attach to, so you're basically dedicating 75% of the angle to guys the fans don't like. That could turn some people off. If they were going to do something with those four men at WrestleMania, then I think a tag team match would have been the best option. That way you have two faces and two heels, and things a lot more even.

I did intentionally keep three heels in the feud and here's why: I believe it is Jeff Hardy's time. The match makes him the ultimate underdog in a way that Cena has never been portrayed - he is against three men who know him very well, one of which is his brother, two of which have wronged him deeply, and one who has the thing he wants more than anything. It is his dilemma - it's his story. And of course, it is he who would be winning the WWE title match at WrestleMania.

Originally Posted by Noid 3) This idea immediately violates realism, because you do realise you have "the richest prize in the industry" being defended at the 25th anniversary of the Granddaddy of Them All between four former tag team specialists. Jeff Hardy is a guy with two wellness violations to his name; Matt Hardy has never been a "real World Champion" before, and has never really main eventing a PPV; Christian is only a few months off returning to the company after a three-year absence, prior to which he had no main event experience; with Edge probably being the only proven reliable main eventer of the four. Again, it also leaves Triple H out in the cold. If you think that the WWE Title match at an event like WrestleMania XXV is going to leave out the guy who is banging the boss' daughter, and has been arbitrarily part of a World Title match every WrestleMania he could attend since WrestleMania X-8, for the fucking Hardy Boyz, you're delusional. Unless Triple H was injured with time to plan, there is no way the WWE Title match at WrestleMania is going to feature anyone but Triple H. If you want to include Edge, Christian, Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy, you better make it a Five-Way. Any WWE Title match idea for WrestleMania XXV that doesn't involve Triple H should immediately be disqualified for being unrealistic. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is.

This is a very narrow view point, especially from you. Jeff Hardy has proven he deserves his spot at the top. He is extremely over with the crowd (maybe more so than Triple H), and has been putting on fantastic matches.

I'm not ignorant to the fact that they are not considered "top names in the business." That's why Cena vs. Orton would be the main event of Mania. It would probably go WWE Title 4-Way TLC Match, Undertaker vs. HBM, then the World Title match. That's how WrestleMania usually goes anyways.

As far as Triple H is concerned, he has shown that he is willing to make sacrifices for the company (he's still on Smackdown isn't he?). The time of "oh my god the WWE is the Triple H Show" are passed. He could wrestle in a high profile match against JBL or Big Show. It's just this time. Undertaker has done such things in the past (WM XIX, WM 22) - I don't see why Triple H isn't at that point in his career as well where he will take a backseat to the new guys for one year. It's not like he's going to retire soon. There have been and will be more Manias for Triple H, but this year he could take a backseat. It's not like he's left off the card.

Originally Posted by Noid As for MVP and R-Truth being suitable opponents for Jack Swagger? I'll maybe give you MVP. In fact, I would have loved to have seen MVP on ECW as a face. But that being said, Jack Swagger vs. Christian is definitely a bigger match. So even if you think you're taking away from the epicness of the other matches at the event (and with Edge vs. Triple H and Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy, I don't think you are), you're at least bulking up those lower on the card.

Of course Christian vs. Swagger is a "bigger match." It's because Christian is involved in it! But he deserves more than bringing this new guy to a higher level - he deserves someone on his own level. Who is more on his level than his "brother" and the two guys he broke through with? The storyline is built in.


Anyways, this is a dead issue. The deal is done.