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PWINSIDER Q & A: HOW THE INVASION ANGLE COULD HAVE BEEN BOOKED, STEVIE'S PUSH, MITB FAVORITE, SPIKE-TNA AND MORE

How do you feel about former world champions getting IC and US title shots and reigns? I think it is a complete waste. Seeing Jericho get yet another IC title reign after being the first ever unified champion seems like a waste of a talent and other resources. They now have to elevate him again to ever put him in a position to be a world champion. Speaking from a wrestler’s point of view is it considered a success to be the IC champion after having a world title run? It almost gives the impression that the wrestler was never good enough to have truly deserved the success they originally had. 

Like you, I feel it's a waste.  It's like when a star player in sports goes to being a backup.  The glory is gone.  The IC belt is meant for up and coming guys, if it has any meaning left at all at this point.  Putting it on a former World Champion only tells me that the guy used be the top and isn't any more.  It makes him look closer to washed up than to the top.  Speaking from a wrestler's point of view, I would think that most of them feel the same way.  There is no prestige in being the IC champ after you were the top guy.

I know that as of right now that SpikeTV and TNA are happy with their 1.2 ratings for Impact, but how long can TNA stay at their 1.2 ratings and still be content with it? Also, do you feel that if they: 1) got rid of Vince Russo and 2) changed their creative direction/booking philosophy that ratings for Impact would decrease? Looking at their current creative direction, I personally could not see how a change in it would somehow lower ratings. 

As long as Spike is happy with the number and TNA can make the revenue that they need to stay in business, both sides will be "happy" with the current rating level.  That doesn't mean that they wouldn't like to see gains, but their current numbers are solid.  I honestly believe that if TNA got away from doing some of the entertainment stuff, they would draw a bigger audience because I feel that a more old-school, realistic themed product (like the old Mid South/UWF territory for example) would have great appeal to the fans that like a little more steak than sizzle in their wrestling product.  At times, I think TNA is too much like the WWE product and let's be honest, if that is what a fan is looking for they will go to the original.  I think TNA could see a gain in their audience by focusing more on the ring and what happens there.  That isn't to say that they should eliminate the "entertainment" aspect of the business because it's necessary.  But, they should focus on the in-ring product.  

Each year, the MITB match always had a favorite to win it, and you guys, to me recollection, have been pretty accurate ate predicting it. Now that Jeff Hardy is out of Wrestlemania, who do you think is the favorite to win the Money in the Bank match? What do you think of the idea of having Matt Hardy come in a do what many were suspecting would happen with his brother (ie win MITB and then win the title that night)?

Buck and I discussed this topic on one of the four hours of The No Name Show this week.  Right now, I see it as either being MVP or Matt Hardy.  If Matt wins, I think it would be cool if they had Matt pass up the top two titles and choose to go after MVP's belt, given MVP would never give him a shot and the two have unfinished business from their great 2007 program.  Yes, you could make the argument that it would defy logic and brand Matt as dumb for passing up a World or WWE Title shot, but if done right, it could actually play out better.  And really, when has creative ever worried about making their guys look stupid?  As for MVP, he has grown so much this year that I think by next Mania, if not before, he could be ready to get that big push.

Please tell me the reason Stevie Richards was squashed by Khali during his "come back", is because the plans at Wrestlemania are to have Stevie and Khali be the last two in the Battle Royal, with Richards somehow scoring the "miracle" win to get a Wrestlemania title shot against Chavo. I guess to make this a question, what are your thoughts on the above scenario and the Chavo vs. Royal winner at Mania in general?  

I think your scenario would be great but I don't see it happening.  I think they just squashed Stevie because his mini-push was over, or at least because they think that if a smaller guy loses to a bigger guy, there is no harm in it (which I disagree with).  My hunch is that Kane comes out of the Battle Royal and wrestles Chavo for the ECW Title.

I was reading an older Q&A from the other day about the InVasion angle and it had me thinking. If Vince wasn't in charge of that storyline, how would you have booked it?

First off, I would have paid for WCW's top talent (especially when you consider that WWE paid almost nothing for the promotion itself - the tape library alone was worth more than they paid) to come in.  I would have picked up the contracts of Goldberg, Sting, Scott Steiner etc. and had a loaded arsenal of talent at my disposal.  

I would have then booked WCW as an EQUAL power to WWE.  Keep in mind that Nitro was still doing in the 2s and had a healthy audience.  Most, if not all, would have followed their guys to WWE if they were booked properly.  Remember the Invasion PPV did over 700,000 buys, for a non-big four show.  There was serious money to be made.

I would have had a series of competitive PPVs.  One show WWE comes out ahead.  The next show, WCW does.  It would have easy to protect the top WWE guys if that was a concern.  For example, Rock beats Buff Bagwell, Steve Austin beats Lance Storm and Undertaker beats Kanyon but the WCW guys win the other five bouts with their top guys beating lower end WWE guys.  Or, you have the champ have a mandatory defense against another top guy, taking two WWE guys out of the mix for the show.  Whatever, just give WCW some wins to make them equal.  

After doing that through 2001, WCW would be established as a viable promotion on its own.  Then, WrestleMania 2002 would have been the Brawl for it All, with WCW vs. WWE.  There are any numbers of stips and follow ups you could have done.  I would have had it tied coming down to the last match, then WWE wins.  WCW would have then had a ton of credibility now and their workers mean something and draw money for you in the future.

Of course, Vince let ego get involved and decided to crush WCW right at the start.  In the process, a lot of money was thrown in the toilet.

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