Brand Battle No. 1: The Main Event Scene

Ten people will fight. Nine will die.

Wait, that's not the tag line for this brand new Bleacher Report exclusive series. That was the slogan for The Condemned, starring Stone Cold Steve Austin.

But alas, this new series will bring about a similar competition. Two companies will enter, but at the end of the day, only one will stand with its hand raised in victory.

It all began a few weeks ago on the Internet's No. 1 wrestling talk show, "Hit the Ropes" (check it out every Wednesday).

In a tag team battle of brand superiority, I partnered with Daris Brown to represent TNA and take on Demetrus Strokes and Shane Howard representing the WWE.

Demetrus and I have decided to continue that battle, right here on the cyber pages of B/R. So without further ado, we begin the at-least-10-round gauntlet battle of brand superiority.

You will play a major role in choosing the winner. Each part of the series will have a poll, but please, pay attention to how the voting should work.

This site, as well as the Internet, is filled with WWE marks. Therefore, you are not voting for which company is superior in the respective topical area of the week, but rather who made the better argument in defense of his company of choice, Demetrus or I.

We have instituted a rule of using limited criticisms of the opposition and focusing more on our respective companies, so keep that in mind.

Now let's get to it in our first issue of Brand Battle, focusing on the "Main Event Scene."

Adam's Case for TNA

The main event scene in TNA blends experience, name recognition, cult followings, and up-and-coming all-stars.

From big name, Hall of Fame-worthy wrestlers including Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash, and Mick Foley to young guns like Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, and Christopher Daniels, this company has got it all.

Top feuds in TNA generally keep fans on the edge of their seats and wondering where things head next.

Jarrett and Angle have been engaged in a heated blood feud since last fall, and the Main Event Mafia has become a dominating force, leaving fans wondering where the TNA Universe will end up.

While TNA has kept its championship belt on established superstars since Bound for Glory IV in October 2008, younger stars have been pushed as well, and new stars were tested in the main event scene.

“Black Machismo” Jay Lethal and Kaz have shown what they’ve got in the top spots, and LAX’s Hernandez had a great showing in a title match.

In coming months, the company will likely continue to push more of their homegrown (or home-developed) stars toward the main event.

By the end of 2009, it’s almost guaranteed that Styles or Joe (if not both) will hold top gold again. Lethal could be built up as a legitimate challenger again, and a recently returned Daniels could stand to make a huge impact

Many have questioned the booking decisions of TNA’s main event matches recently, but the company is positioned to redeem itself in the coming months.

Booking has allegedly been set through October, so the company has a solid plan in place for the future.

By mixing experience and name recognition with skill and vitality, TNA has created a solid main event scene that will continue to blossom as the company grows and develops.

Demetrus' Case for WWE

The WWE’s main event scene consists of a group of superstars who have it all: charisma, in-ring ability, and the marketability to sell merchandise. 

With the WWE focusing on establishing each brand as its own since the draft, let's examine each brand's main event stars. 

ECW, having the lighter roster, really only has two main event stars: ECW Champion Christian and Jack Swagger. 

Christian is a seasoned veteran who has held titles in both the WWE and TNA. 

Swagger is a young star who received a huge push from the start, and it’s paying dividends. Swagger gets plenty of heat from the fans and is the top heel on ECW. 

SmackDown’s main event stars consist of World Champion Edge, Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, and The Undertaker. 

Like ECW, SmackDown’s stars are a mixture of relatively young talent and veterans. 

The veterans are still able to put on a quality match, as evidenced by the Undertaker versus HBK classic at WrestleMania 25.   

Raw’s main event scene is led by WWE Champion Randy Orton, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Batista, John Cena, and Big Show. 

Do you see the trend here? 

TNA’s main event scene consists solely of guys well into their 40s who were huge stars in their heyday, but now their time has passed.

Their young talent, like A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe, were once champions, but TNA has put them on the back burner for the more “established” stars.  

So what’s the difference in the main event scene of TNA and WWE? 

The WWE has done a great job of incorporating younger stars with some of their older veterans. 

This gives the WWE a chance to establish new stars while they learn from the veterans. 

This scenario leads to better matches and an overall better product.