Today's Observer points out that Undertaker has been painted onto a new company bus advertising Wrestlemania 31. Current booking idea is Undertaker vs. not Sting but Bray Wyatt, but Taker hasn't committed to working yet. If this is the case, I guess that means that, as with last year's Mania build, Bray will have to keep going over the hardcore crowd favorite to build him up.
"The Big Dog" Roman "The Juggernaut" Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar in the second-to-last appearance on Lesnar's current contract Sting vs. Triple H Undertaker vs. Wyatt if he agrees Cena vs. possibly Rusev, possibly after he costs him the Rumble title match (same Cena booking as last year?) Rock is off Mania to film a movie, Batista almost certainly is too Andre Battle Royal II
Daniel Bryan is not factored into plans because of his uncertain health but his goal is to be back to have a Mania program. Hey, that Sheamus thing from last year is still available.
I guess Orton vs. Rollins could be drawn out until Mania but that's a long way to go. Funny deal where Rollins would be the best heel opponent left for Orton, Bryan, and Ambrose. If UT isn't going then Bray would be free too. Orton/Wyatt would be new.
Hindsight being 20-20, last year's Mania should've been the one with Wyatt vs. Undertaker. Giving Bray the Streak would've been an incredible way to put him over (provided, of course, that WWE didn't then book him like a goober as they did for the last year). The argument for Lesnar winning has really been diminished by his near-total absence from WWE programming and the fact that they seem to just want to get his appearances over with as soon as possible.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." --- Bart Giamatti, on baseball
I've been thinking about Rusev, and I think the smartest thing they can do is have Reigns break his undefeated streak between the Rumble and Mania (what are they calling that one again?) and go into facing Brock as the US champ. They never do the secondary title defenses at Mania, it would give Roman some much needed cred after his time away, and they could do the champ vs. champ thing, which is always cool. Bonus, it's not just feeding Rusev to Cena. I mean, I love the guy, but he probably doesn't need propping up.
Rollins has carried that briefcase since the end of June, and he's no closer to cashing it in then he was back then. He's even further away from it now that Lesnar took the belt back to the hinterlands.
He's the top heel right now, and he has to figure in to Mania somehow in a way that isn't a step backward. But we're in the title cycle when every belt is held by a heel. He gains nothing by beating Cena at TLC, and he has nothing to lose; if Cena retains his contender status, Rollins still has the briefcase. He continues to tread water even as he banishes Ambrose and Orton with his Face Hiatus curb stomp.
They gotta have some idea what to do with him, but the best scenario is either a match for the MITB or a title shot, Maybe against renewed IC champ Ziggler?
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Four of the six guys at the top of the card being part timers, and that's being generous, is just so crappy. I know this is what Wrestle Mania has become, but it has got to be demeaning to be on the road for over 300 days only to see 66% of the top slots go to guys just passing through.
I want to go on here, but these guys just had the first Rowan-Harper showdown in a throwaway match so whatever, blah.
Originally posted by JustinShapiro "The Big Dog" Roman "The Juggernaut" Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar in the second-to-last appearance on Lesnar's current contract
Second-to-last? Ooh, does this mean that Reigns gets to beat Brock for the belt, but then someone else (HHH or Cena) pulls rank and gets to run Brock out of wrestling forever? This would be hilarious. This would also, weirdly, be great for Reigns longterm, since it would get him some sympathy from everyone turning on him for being chosen to be Cena Jr.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroSting vs. Triple H
Standing by my feeling that - as a storyline and attraction match - Cena/Sting is the best option here. But this seems written in stone, and again, HHH is the guy most-talented enough to guarantee that this is good enough in-ring for "Sting's only singles match in WWE" standards. My only real issue is that it already feels like they've taken away some of his mystique by just being like "Yeah, Sting was there, that was weird" instead of being like "HOLY SHIT, STING? WHAT?!" Like, Sting casually won a Slammy this week. He's a Magic Wrestling Man with Magic Wrestling Powers. Mystically arriving to save the company should have JBL saying "I AIN'T SCARED OF HIS MAGIC RASSLIN' POWERS, MAGGLE!" through chattering teeth every time it comes up.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroUndertaker vs. Wyatt if he agrees
I'm with Big Bad, this should have happened last year. Bray getting the Streak instead of the entire Wyatt Family getting steamrolled by Cena for three months probably would have been better, I guess. Hard to say! Bray losing to Undertaker but still getting to bury him alive or something would have been better, even. Now, I don't really see what he gets out of it. He's not even in the mix for the New Streak angle they should be thinking about.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroCena vs. possibly Rusev, possibly after he costs him the Rumble title match (same Cena booking as last year?)
Same Cena booking as two months ago, even. I support Cena moving into Special Wrestlemania Attraction mode. I don't support Special Wrestlemania Attraction mode equaling "pick the hottest rookie of the last year, destroy him at Wrestlemania". I mean, if he wants to put Rusev over, that's cool. But I don't see that happening, either.
Ideally, they wouldn't have burned Cesaro to the ground and salted the earth this year so we could have Rusev vs. ARMBaR I Winner and Freakishly Strong Swiss Superman Cesaro for Wrestlemania. That said, I'm noticing a distinct lack of plans for Dolph Ziggler on this card. What about Ziggler vs. Rusev, with Dolph proving that it isn't raw strength that you need to beat Rusev, but a superior fighting spirit and also unbreakable rubber bones?
Originally posted by JustinShapiroAndre Battle Royal II
See above re: Cesaro. They really turned this into whatever is the opposite of a springboard to launch a new star. Are there even any midcarders who would stand to gain from this? Sandow, if he's not in a match with Miz? Or Big E. Give poor Big E something. If not one of those two, give this to whichever one of Neville/Zayn/Itami/Balor gets the Bo Dallas Memorial Call-Up, I guess.
Originally posted by JustinShapiroI guess Orton vs. Rollins could be drawn out until Mania but that's a long way to go. Funny deal where Rollins would be the best heel opponent left for Orton, Bryan, and Ambrose. If UT isn't going then Bray would be free too. Orton/Wyatt would be new.
I mean, Rollins is the only main event heel who has appeared on TV in the last few months. I was assuming/hoping for the Rollins/Ambrose blowoff where Dean finally gets his win, but Orton deserves a high-profile match for nearly saving the Authority angle on his own, and in an ideal world, Rollins AND Ambrose win at Wrestlemania to keep all three ex-Shield guys alive in the New Streak sweepstakes.
I do like the idea of Orton/Wyatt, if just because it's new and because Orton has a hilarious history with supernatural feuds. Have Bray resurrect Josh Matthews from the grave and speak through him. Have Bray show up on the Titantron with the lantern and go "I'm he-" but get cut off by an RKO From Out Of Nowhere®. Have the finish be a crop of new Wyatt Family followers surrounding the ring to sacrifice Orton, but then a giant snake comes tearing in from another dimension and swallows the entire ring and Wyatt/Orton II at Backlash takes place in That Place That Only Randy Orton Goes, which turns out to be the mystical home of the Ancient Snake God who guides Orton. Have Randy shit in Bray's hat. I dunno, lotta stuff to do here.
On paper, it looks boring as hell. There is no real plans for Ambrose, Rollins and Ziggler as a big players. Sting/HHH is the most groan worthy for me. HHH never plays well with WCW guys and I don't see HHH keeping the losing Wrestlemania Streak alive. I can't see Brock making waves and being champ into Mania.
Originally posted by JustinShapiro "The Big Dog" Roman "The Juggernaut" Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar in the second-to-last appearance on Lesnar's current contract
I expect this edited to include "2014 Slammy Award Winner for Superstar of the Year"
Rollins has some prelim match at WM (Ziggler? Bryan?), then Reigns/Lesnar for the belt sees Lesnar win (or maybe get DQed) but get beat up really good by Reigns, Rollins cashes in, gets the belt, then Reigns wins some kind of "loser-leave-town" match with Lesnar either the next Raw or next PPV, proceeds to chases Rollins until Summer Slam (at least). Writes itself.
What with the way both Cena and Reigns keep going on about "brass rings" and all that, you have to wonder whether Cena is going to beat Lesnar at the Rumble only to "pass the baton" to Reigns at Wrestle-Mania.
However, we're past the point of no return as far as taking the belt off Lesnar is concerned, just have him run through to Wrestle-mania now. Otherwise it would essentially be Vince accepting ending Taker's streak was a BIG mistake, It would have been all for nothing.
You made your bed Vin-Man, now lie in it. It must be Lesnar walking in with the title at WM31. Giving Cena what amounts to the streak rub (& not even doing it at WM) would be a misstep of epic proportions.
And now that I've thought about the emboldened bit, I'm going to rant.
Look, people can spin it how they want, but Cena does not need the rub of being 'the one', & if he gets it, it'll prove to me that he isn't just a yes man who 'does what they tell him, boss' but a selfish prick who's only in it for himself.
Remember, once he gets that, no one else benefits, certainly not the guy that beats him. 'I beat the one who beat the one in the 21 & 1' Yeah? Who gives a shit?
Whoever beats Cena at Mania 31, just gets to be the one who beats Cena, & that's no bad thing. Beating Cena is a big deal, but you can have someone beat Cena & someone else beat Lesnar, a perfect way to make two new megastars. Think about the rub of beating Rusev, that's three new mega stars you could make. But once Cena get's the rub of beating the one, that's it. No one else gets that benefit. It becomes just another notch on Cena's belt. And I'm sorry, but that's just pure god damn selfishness on Cena's part, & I hate that some people are actually trying to justify it.
The only concern I have RE: Cena-Lesnar is that Cena doesn't have a WrestleMania opponent yet and WWE may get trigger-shy with Lesnar's contract running out. But, both of those are monumental "IFs" at this point. Lesnar wiped the floor with Cena and ended the Streak so that they could give the rub to Reigns. It's been the plan for quite some time and I doubt they're changing it.
I really don't see why people are still bitching about Cena after the last year. Okay, I'll give you guys Wyatt, but beyond that I've had no problems with the way things have gone.
I think Vince's hard-on for doing Cena/Lesnar three times in a row is stupid (since Orton is RIGHT THERE as the perfect opponent), but at least we get the opportunity for Lesnar to beat Cena after the Night of Champions match and put that feud to rest.
It probably won't be clean, but it shouldn't be. It should be to give Lesnar a win and set up Cena's next feud. Then again, maybe it will be clean. Who cares, since we already have the SummerSlam match? We've already got that. We've already seen Lesnar beat Cena clean. Let's mix things up a bit and put Cena on his WrestleMania trajectory.
People are going to bitch no matter what about this one, it seems. Even preemptively.
Cena should beat Rollins, lose to Lesnar, and then (if this really is the plan) beat Rusev for America with Rusev doing a face turn and Cena giving a speech about how we can all change.
I'll go ahead and say it. After seeing WM 30 in person, I have no desire to see Undertaker on a major card again. Its time for him to be in the Hall of Fame and show up for a nostalgia pop on Raw every year or 2. Even if someone beats him at WM 31, they get the rub of being "1 of the 2 in 21 and 2"? I just see so little to gain for pretty much anyone vs. Taker at this point.
The only match that could be useful would be Taker/Brock II with Taker going over to get the streak loss back, and that would be to cement his legacy and catapult him to the Hall of Fame in 2016. Maybe at WM 32 he does like Hogan did when he was inducted and randomly beats up a heel in a 5 min filler segment.
I could see Cena getting the belt from Brock at the Rumble and they go Wrestlemania 6 with US Champ and Rusev Krush Streak Killer Reigns vs. WWE Champ and Killer of the Streak Killer Cena if they go with Taker/Brock II
Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDI really don't see why people are still bitching about Cena after the last year. Okay, I'll give you guys Wyatt, but beyond that I've had no problems with the way things have.
Really?
I think this has been one of the worst years in so far as obnoxious Cena booking is concerned. He mowed through the Wyatt family, then won the WHC just one month later when the Lesnar squash could've easily been non-title.
Yes, seeing Cena lose decisively was an epic thing to behold, but one month on he 'has Lesnar beat'.
C'mon man.
And now he makes Rollins look like a chump.
Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDIt probably won't be clean, but it shouldn't be. It should be to give Lesnar a win and set up Cena's next feud. Then again, maybe it will be clean. Who cares, since we already have the SummerSlam match? We've already got that. We've already seen Lesnar beat Cena clean. Let's mix things up a bit and put Cena on his WrestleMania trajectory.
See, what this says to me is deep down, you think it really *should* be clean, but know it won't so have to accept the reality of the situation.
Me? I've gotten past the point of justifying the BS that goes on with Jawn at this point.
Originally posted by steven87gillI think this has been one of the worst years in so far as obnoxious Cena booking is concerned. He mowed through the Wyatt family, then won the WHC just one month later when the Lesnar squash could've easily been non-title.
Yes, seeing Cena lose decisively was an epic thing to behold, but one month on he 'has Lesnar beat'.
C'mon man.
And now he makes Rollins look like a chump.
This is not the worst year. The worst year can't be the one where Cena had a 1-month reign and got his ass handed to him clean by Brock Lesnar. If that's the worst Cena year, then a good year must be one where he has a year-long title reign.
There's so much wrong with this. How can Cena/Lesnar be non-title when Lesnar has to win the belt? Daniel Bryan got injured, so someone had to headline SummerSlam with Brock and Cena was the one that made the most sense. You're arguing against something that happened by necessity.
Of course Cena "had Lesnar beat" the next month. You don't have Lesnar squash Cena two months in a row. That's offering the same exact match. You have to switch things up to keep it interesting, and it's more interesting if Cena looks stronger the next time, especially if they're setting up a third match. This makes sense.
And if Rollins beat Cena in the tables match, you know you'd be complaining that Cena lost in a tables match where he "wouldn't get pinned." You've already set it up in such a way that no matter what happens, you'll be complaining about Cena.
Cena beat Rollins, like the guy who's headlining the next PPV should, and the only interference was by two ineffectual half-men (the Neo Stooges), and the Big Show, and the Big Show thing would have worked had Reigns not interfered. It's nowhere near as bad as you're making it out to be.
In fact, it was a lot like how they booked Ziggler/Rollins last month. Almost the same people trying to influence the outcome, too.
Originally posted by SKLOKAZOIDHow can Cena/Lesnar be non-title when Lesnar has to win the belt?
Dude, Lesnar did not *have* to win the belt, that kind of thinking is what's led us to a situation where the title hasn't been seen for 3 months. Arguably, what *had* to happen was for Lesnar to destroy the face of the company in a statement victory. Besides, if you're determined for Cena vs. Lesnar to be for the title, then why not have Rollins cash in on Lesnar directly after the match, then Lesnar can fuck off back to his ranch for the next five months, come back, win the Rumble, & challenge whoever the champion ends up being?
It's not a conventional passing of the torch scenario, but it's a hell of a lot better than having an AWOL champion.
As bored as I am with the Cena character, the question I keep coming back to is, "What do you DO with him?"
-Turn him heel? Highly unlikely, and even then, he's still going to be at the top of the card.
-Move him to the midcard? He's kind of been there on and off since Summerslam '13, and he hasn't gotten any more interesting there.
-Take him off TV for a while until he's fresh again? Probably the option I want the most, but how silly is it to tell a guy, "Hey we know you LOVE your job, but go cool your heels at home for a while so we can see if other guys can do it better."?
At some point, the guy became too big to do anything new with. As long as he's healthy and motivated, he's going to be at the top until he decides not to be. Previous "passing of the torch" moments (Hogan, Bret, Austin) happened semi-organically, but weren't really the decision of the wrestler himself.
Originally posted by SchippeWreckAs bored as I am with the Cena character, the question I keep coming back to is, "What do you DO with him?"
-Turn him heel? Highly unlikely, and even then, he's still going to be at the top of the card.
-Move him to the midcard? He's kind of been there on and off since Summerslam '13, and he hasn't gotten any more interesting there.
-Take him off TV for a while until he's fresh again? Probably the option I want the most, but how silly is it to tell a guy, "Hey we know you LOVE your job, but go cool your heels at home for a while so we can see if other guys can do it better."?
At some point, the guy became too big to do anything new with. As long as he's healthy and motivated, he's going to be at the top until he decides not to be. Previous "passing of the torch" moments (Hogan, Bret, Austin) happened semi-organically, but weren't really the decision of the wrestler himself.
Who ran over John Cena with a Train for an entire year. He is off TV for a year and the announcers still get to talk about him. Everyone wins.
Originally posted by steven87gillBesides, if you're determined for Cena vs. Lesnar to be for the title, then why not have Rollins cash in on Lesnar directly after the match, then Lesnar can fuck off back to his ranch for the next five months, come back, win the Rumble, & challenge whoever the champion ends up being?
It's not a conventional passing of the torch scenario, but it's a hell of a lot better than having an AWOL champion.
Steven, didn't you just say that the only the first guy who pins Lesnar gets the rub of the streak. In a scenario you yourself made up where Cena beats Lesnar, for which you were then extremely mad at Cena for his pure god damn selfish actions, the hypothetical actions that you made up.
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So this is really random, but I'm curious. Did ECW ever run the following angle in one of their elimination triple threat matches, and if so what was the resolution?