It's that time again, right? I am not privy to the dirtsheet scuttlebutt about the WM card, but given that John Cena's just given an interview to TMZ saying both that WWE needs Hogan back for WrestleMania XXX and that he's not sure Hogan could keep up with him in the ring, I'd say it's time to start penciling that one "dream" match in. What are the other rumoured matches?
-Brock Lesnar Vs. The Undertaker -WWE (Unified?) Title: Randy Orton Vs. CM Punk -Cody Rhodes Vs. Goldust -The Shield Vs. The Wyatt Family -BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF THE WWE: HHH Vs. ??? (surely Daniel Bryan)
Hulk Hogan can't wrestle. I mean, he physically can't wrestle. He was barely able to get through his handful of matches in TNA only when hidden in tags and loaded under no-DQ stips to turn them into garbage matches. There is no way Hogan can compete in a 10-minute match on the big stage at Wrestlemania without the crowd totally turning on it within a couple of minutes.
If WWE wants Hogan to come out and make an appearance, or beat up a midcard heel like at WM21, that's all well and good. Actually asking him to take part in a featured main event singles bout is another thing altogether. I'd say it'd be a much smarter idea to have Hogan and Cena actually team up to face, I dunno, the Shield or someone. If they could twist the Rock's arm to come back again, he'd be the perfect third man for Team Big Star. Maybe Rock would be interested in giving his cousin Roman a rub on the big show.
I have a bad feeling that HHH/Cena is the endgame, "soul of the WWE" match being planned, and wow, that will be a disaster. If that's the show closer, people will be streaming out of the stadium before the end.
"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
Originally posted by Amos CochranThere is no way that, with Hogan, Sting and Undertaker available as potential Cena opponents this year, they'll go for HHH/Cena.
I'm curious as to what they've done lately to inspire you to give them the benefit of the doubt about, well, anything.
Originally posted by Amos CochranThere is no way that, with Hogan, Sting and Undertaker available as potential Cena opponents this year, they'll go for HHH/Cena.
I'm curious as to what they've done lately to inspire you to give them the benefit of the doubt about, well, anything.
Thank you.
Its not a bad card. I was really hoping for Austin to some way to be involved. I expect Rock will go to the HOF, so he can be there that night. Hogan/Cena is a dream match that could easily turn into a nightmare. Fans love Hogan, but Rock carried Hogan through that entire match, I don't see Super Cena being able to pull that off. Brock/Taker is my least favorite due to the fact its another match where Brock jobs to old WWE guy. Sting/Taker is my favorite. Punk and Bryan saving the WWE is not going to happen. Bryan is going to turn heel and he will face Punk at Mania for no good reason. HHH will find a way on that card even if it is taking a spot for Ziggler or ADR or someone young and talented.
The Wee Baby Sheamus.Twitter: @realjoecarfley its a bit more toned down there. A bit.
If Hogan really can't pull it together for a one-on-one - and I think they could probably Pat Patterson together a workrate-horrible but storytelling-good match with Cena - then Hogan & Cena Vs. The Real Americans seems like the natural fit.
James, they've not done anything since Hell In A Cell to earn the benefit of the doubt. But WMXXX is Vince's baby having one of the biggest birthday bashes ever. Its one thing to fart about with dumb self-interested booking and boring main events from October to December, it's quite another to tank the biggest PPV in the company's history by doing the same.
Originally posted by RecklessEricAnd I will ask this every time this comes up...why aren't they doing Cena/Undertaker? Do they hate money? THAT is perfect end to the card.
They've made nothing but money for the past few years (well, for all of them really) without doing Cena/Taker.
I figure they're either saving it for Taker's last match, or else for a year when they don't have anything else to push as the top match and need a guaranteed money maker.
Originally posted by Amos Cochran James, they've not done anything since Hell In A Cell to earn the benefit of the doubt. But WMXXX is Vince's baby having one of the biggest birthday bashes ever. Its one thing to fart about with dumb self-interested booking and boring main events from October to December, it's quite another to tank the biggest PPV in the company's history by doing the same.
I could live with Hogan (or Big Show) & Cena (w/Vince) vs. Triple H & Orton (w/Steph) for total control of WWE, or whatever, because then they would all be out of the title picture, and D-Bryan could wrestle Punk for the WWE title.
(edited by Tyler Durden on 28.11.13 2050) #WatchROH
To me, it makes so much more sense for them to do the Cena/Bryan rematch for the undisputed title at WM. Admittedly, they've done an absolutely piss-poor job setting things up for that if that is the plan, but it still makes the most storytelling sense. Cena/Undertaker is the next most interesting idea, but like someone else said, it's an issue of whether or not they have special attraction matches lined up for either guy. I think Hogan would be good to have at WMXXX, but definitely not as an active match participant. Putting him in as a guest ref in a big match would work, something like last year's rumored Punk/Austin match. As for Orton and HHH, I'd actually like to see their bickering devolve to the point where, after Cena unifies the belts, Orton and HHH have a complete falling out and wind up wrestling each other at Mania.
lotjx, I don't think that anyone will be left off the show due to HHH weaseling his way in. I am guessing that the show will get an extra hour like XX. That being said, I really have no desire to see Hogan on the card in any capacity. Not even as a guest host.
I'd really like to see a 10-15 minute match with UT/Sting only because Sting is the last major WCW catch that WWE hasn't gotten. Punk/Bryan doesn't have to involve a heel turn but WWE really needs to let those 2 go all out indy to at least give a nod to hardcore fans. That being said, here is what I'd like to see:
Sting vs The Undertaker WWE Unified Title: Randy Orton vs John Cena Cody Rhodes vs Goldust (I see a Cody turn like Owen) The Shield vs The Wyatts IWC Wet Dream Match: CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan HHH vs HBK (HHH's last match, for the soul of the WWE Universe)
Just to add it in there, I think there will be a Mid-South taste to the HOF. My guesses for induction:
Michael Hayes/Fabulous Freebirds Rock n' Roll Express Midnight Express Eddie Gilbert
I highly doubt they'd induct that many groups/tag teams but all those teams deserve consideration.
Chuck Norris drives an ice cream truck covered in human skulls.
Originally posted by Rush4Lifelotjx, I don't think that anyone will be left off the show due to HHH weaseling his way in. I am guessing that the show will get an extra hour like XX. That being said, I really have no desire to see Hogan on the card in any capacity. Not even as a guest host.
Hasn't every wrestlemania since 20 been 4 hours? That's long enough and allows them to add lots of filler. I don't think anyone would/could survive a 5 hour event.
Other than the fanboy stuff like "Bryan vs Punk for the title. Keep Cena off the card" I have no idea where they might or should go. I have no interest in Sting/Taker because there's no true justification for it. Though I assume they have plans, because the unification thing would've been great for WM. Now it's being done without much build so I assume they want to get it out of the way and have the big guns show up at the Rumble to make their challenges.
Why do people still think Hogan can wrestle? The Leg Drop had been off the table for years, but now I don't even know if he can even get the foot up high enough for the big boot or even fall down without getting hurt.
My guess is he beats up someone like Miz with punches, back rakes and eye pokes after a drawn out segment.
Originally posted by Amos CochranWMXX was five hours, wasn't it?
Ah, you're right it was about 4 1/2 hours. Wow, I don't even remember that. In that case they can pull it off. As long as they deliver a main event that people want to see. Ya know, like the gritty underdog wrestler beating the established and cocky evil guy.
Originally posted by Tyler DurdenI could live with Hogan (or Big Show) & Cena (w/Vince) vs. Triple H & Orton (w/Steph) for total control of WWE, or whatever, because then they would all be out of the title picture, and D-Bryan could wrestle Punk for the WWE title.
Meltzer says Hogan & Cena as a tag team as well as opponents has been discussed. He wonders whether Hogan would even be able to pass their physical, but it seems like there would have to be ways of gaming that system. I mean, Vince wrestled a match last year.
I agree that if they team up, it would have to be for something consequential like the control of the company match. The teams would even call back to WM1 having a tag main event. HHH and Orton would be a good enough heel team to get heat on Cena and then bump for Hogan holding his fist for them to run into it. But if you're trying to sell this show on the last stand of the Immortal Hulk Hogan, you may as well go all the way and make Big Show the heel partner in some logical twist-up ("I'm Big Show, time to turn") and do the bodyslam.
But if I'm booking for me and justifying sitting through the autumn, I definitely have Bryan beat HHH and Punk beat Orton. Triple H's The Cole Conversations interview this week seemed to start laying the groundwork for Punk vs. the Authority in earnest. Triple H screwing Cena to give Orton the unified title at TLC could set up the long-rumored Punk/Orton title match and Cena as Vince's ambassador and true son.
I still wonder what this big idea they had for John Cena's world title match is/was. If it wasn't Sting going after his big gold belt I'm stumped.
People in WWE think Daniel Bryan vs. Shawn Michaels is a real possibility, but like I said last month, I'll believe it when I see it.
I wouldn't rule out them fast-tracking Roman Reigns so aggressively that he's Vince's guy and they're completely transparent about trying to create HHH/Batista. But I'd rather see Wyatts vs. babyface Shield and, eventually, the other Shield guys turning on Reigns.
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoWhy do people still think Hogan can wrestle? The Leg Drop had been off the table for years, but now I don't even know if he can even get the foot up high enough for the big boot or even fall down without getting hurt.
As the resident Hogan mark on the board (less so in more recent, mind-boggling and inexcusable years) even I don't want to see him wrestle. He needs to get that idea out of his mind. Maybe a tag match with him getting "taken out" before the match and coming down at the end to throw punches, but if I can't even see a legdrop (and I can't) it seems a tad pointless.
That being said he deserves one last payday. Shawn Michaels can call himself Mr. Wrestlemania, but it's actually Hogan.
(edited by Hogan's My Dad on 29.11.13 1115) Quiet, Or Papa Spank!
Originally posted by Tenken347To me, it makes so much more sense for them to do the Cena/Bryan rematch for the undisputed title at WM. Admittedly, they've done an absolutely piss-poor job setting things up for that if that is the plan, but it still makes the most storytelling sense. Cena/Undertaker is the next most interesting idea, but like someone else said, it's an issue of whether or not they have special attraction matches lined up for either guy.
The problem with Cena/Bryan again is that Bryan has already decisively beaten Cena, so the story here would have to involve Cena getting his win back and I don't know if that has much appeal, especially considering that the first Cena/Bryan match pulled a poor buyrate.
If I remember reading correctly, Hogan has had NUMEROUS spinal surgeries (very painful ones, at that) since Hogan/Rock in 2002, so using that as a basis for whether Hogan can still do a mach (vs Cena, Michaels, Rock, whoever) isn't a good one. Look at Hogan's TNA work. The guy could barely even be put into a Scorpion Deathlock.
On top of that, I've read (via his lawsuit) that he has a spinal stimulator in his back. Having devices like that, which could potentially shatter when he does a legdrop or falls the wrong way, are a HUGE liability on a big stage like WrestleMania. I wouldn't be worried about the crowd turning on the match. I'd be worried about a SummerSlam '97 scenario where Hogan falls and he can't get up and they have to improvise a finish.
I'm all for Orton/Punk as the title match. Undertaker/Brock bugs me, because I'd so much rather see Undertaker/Cena, but it's a good second choice. The idea of HHH/Cena makes me want to gouge my eyes out. Since they seem hesitant to do something like Brock/Bryan, HHH/Bryan makes a lot more sense and jives well with everything we've been seeing for the last 5 months (9 months by the time WM rolls around).
Brock's due for a loss after beating Punk. Give it to someone worthwhile like Bryan.
As far as the Shield goes, I think Reigns vs Ambrose/Rollins in a handicap match seems likely. I don't see them staying together past the February PPV. I think Reigns puts on the "Diesel" spot in the Rumble, including eliminating Ambrose, and Ambrose and Rollins don't like it, setting up that match.
I wonder if they could get the long desired Hogan vs. Stone Cold match if it's in a tag match where neither man takes the pin. Like, Cena/Hogan vs. Stone Cold/Rock or Rock/Stone Cold vs. Hogan/Sting.
I saw fan-cam video of Hogan's most recent "action" in TNA (it was a tag match on a UK tour a while back, I think) and you'd better hope he doesn't wrestle at Mania. He went for a big boot and could barely kick the other dude (Bobby Roode?) in the knee. And then he had to get his partner (James Storm?) to do the legdrop because Hogan himself couldn't do it. It was really sad to see. Hogan doesn't need to do that to himself on a big stage.
EDIT found it - the big boot to the face made it almost to the belly button
I don't see Goldberg vs. Ryback in the list of rumoured matches, which is fine by me because I don't get the point. Sure, people chant "Goldberg" during Ryback matches, but if Goldberg's going to come back for one last match, he should do a Goldberg match. Big intro, power moves, no-selling, spear, jackhammer, done. And there's no reason for WWE to do that to Ryback when he'll still be there, under contract, the day after Mania.