With Miz now being a double-champion, it looks less likely that the US Title will be defended at the mania. The WWE always leave a spot for Big Show at Wrestlemania and with an influx of tag-teams in WWE (Cryme Tyme, Hart Dynasty, Croft and Baretta, Yoshi and Goldust etc...) we may see a tag team turmoil match, as previously discussed by other posters.
With Money In The Bank seemingly having its own PPV now (Don't get me started, the main eventers are now going to receive an accolade not meant for them), it seems likely that there will be no MITB either.
The Divas/Womens Championships are hardly relevant enough in the WWE currently. Hence why it was the title of Miss Wrestlemania on the line last year. Even though it went to the most irrelevant candidate.
So you'd have to imagine that the IC Title will be defended at Mania again this year. And unlike last year's travesty, it could gain a lot of time.
Now my own personal view is that the WWE won't end McIntyre's reign to Kane, purely because of his undefeated streak. That being said. I have an idea for the IC title to have a story towards it. I don't expect everyone to accept this because of the typical arguments against Matt Hardy ("He's fat!", I forgot Big Show was Jared the Subway guy...), but it could work in my opinion.
I already stated this in a recent post to do with the new pairing of Matt/Maria, and have adapted it for this thread.
Before I start, I chose Matt Hardy for this angle because I think after Kane, there's a lack of midcard faces who you could seemingly just create a good storyline with before Mania, rather than a threw together match. I don't see how you can create a great story with R-Truth or Rey for this (other than Rey saying that he won it last year and he'll do it again, before talking in Spanish... yawn). Plus who knows where the WWE is going with the Morrison injury angle?
The WWE have started seemingly running a Maria/Matt couple angle. And on this episode of Smackdown!, Matt told Maria that you can't win them all. Now Maria is an attractive lass and she's had a fair few on-screen boyfriends in the WWE. I don't see why McIntyre wouldn't be attracted either. So here goes...
The Smackdown after Elimination Chamber. McIntyre tries to hit on Maria telling her that unlike Matt, he DOES win them all. He's undefeated and he even has gold that he's yet to lose. He then asks what Matt has got. And whether she actually thinks Matt and Khali will even win the Unified Tag Team Championships at any point. Matt could interfere and tell McIntyre that she's taken, just for Drew to weasel away. Maria could then look at Drew as he departs. Matt could then vow that he will be undefeated for as long as she's now with him.
In the weeks leading to Mania, Matt pulls off a few big victories. I think given the short amount of time, they will have to be against big stars such as Batista for example. Have him beat Batista via a Cena interference. The commentators can claim that Matt has found a new edge though Drew can still say that it was a total fluke because of what happened. This also helps cross-promote Cena/Batista. Matt could then also face Jericho and interference from Edge could lead to a victory (if WWE are going ahead with Jericho/Edge). Drew could get jealous of the Commentators hyping Hardy when McIntyre has been winning legitimately. He could attack Matt to gain his point and mouth that he's undefeated whilst walking up the ramp, looking at Maria.
It could be announced that at Wrestlemania, Matt Hardy will take his wave of momentum, or his aptly-named Twist of Fate with him to take on Drew McIntyre. Drew could talk about destiny in a promo and how he's destined to be a World Champion but before that, be the greatest IC Champion the WWE has ever seen. Matt could talk about how destiny works in a strange way, and he prefers to call it fate. And come Wrestlemania, Drew will feel his own Twist of Fate. Hardy will vow that he will win the title infront of his fans and infront of his lovely girlfriend Maria, proving that he can climb the mountain again whilst he's not getting any younger. You could even throw in the fact that McIntyre has been personally signed by Vince to be successful but Hardy was fired and "only brought back to settle a squabble with a love rival" (Drew could say)... and the commentators could note that Hardy has this flame in him when his personal and professional life cross, like in this situation even!
Here you could have a perfect angle. Have the commentators actually note that Matt hasn't been as successful as his brother (although WWE may not want to mention Jeff due to "the competition"). Have the commentators note that Maria hasn't been successful. But the two of them together is helping Matt's career and that he is determined to take the IC Title at the biggest stage of them all. In some ways it is slightly like the storyline from the film Wimbledon except neither Matt/Maria have been successful.
The IWC often complain about there not being real storyline feuds for the midcard titles. Isn't this what they want?
With Maria by his side, it can help Matt seem almost credible again. Even if he comes up short in a losing effort (and he should, because having McIntyre defeated by Hardy will not push him). Who doesn't like a good underdog? This storyline would bring McIntyre some serious heat on a grand stage like Mania which can only benefit him. Plus if he retains it will make him look even greater as champion against someone who has held quite a few belts in the WWE. As for Hardy, the fans will buy into him with sympathy, especially if Maria embraces him in the middle of the ring still after a losing effort.
If WWE do this right, this COULD actually do wonders for the IC title and it could help elevate McIntyre (with the commentators asking who else is there for him to face who could defeat him?). It might even put a spring back into Hardy's career and make Maria relevant. You can't deny the prestige of the IC title slightly increasing considering the feuds we've seen recently, having been defended on the grandest stage of them all again in an emotional storyline, as part of a long successful reign for Drew McIntyre.
Thoughts about this storyline? Do you see the IC Title being defended? And if you don't think Matt Hardy, who do you think and how?
With Money In The Bank seemingly having its own PPV now (Don't get me started, the main eventers are now going to receive an accolade not meant for them), it seems likely that there will be no MITB either.
The Divas/Womens Championships are hardly relevant enough in the WWE currently. Hence why it was the title of Miss Wrestlemania on the line last year. Even though it went to the most irrelevant candidate.
So you'd have to imagine that the IC Title will be defended at Mania again this year. And unlike last year's travesty, it could gain a lot of time.
Now my own personal view is that the WWE won't end McIntyre's reign to Kane, purely because of his undefeated streak. That being said. I have an idea for the IC title to have a story towards it. I don't expect everyone to accept this because of the typical arguments against Matt Hardy ("He's fat!", I forgot Big Show was Jared the Subway guy...), but it could work in my opinion.
I already stated this in a recent post to do with the new pairing of Matt/Maria, and have adapted it for this thread.
Before I start, I chose Matt Hardy for this angle because I think after Kane, there's a lack of midcard faces who you could seemingly just create a good storyline with before Mania, rather than a threw together match. I don't see how you can create a great story with R-Truth or Rey for this (other than Rey saying that he won it last year and he'll do it again, before talking in Spanish... yawn). Plus who knows where the WWE is going with the Morrison injury angle?
The WWE have started seemingly running a Maria/Matt couple angle. And on this episode of Smackdown!, Matt told Maria that you can't win them all. Now Maria is an attractive lass and she's had a fair few on-screen boyfriends in the WWE. I don't see why McIntyre wouldn't be attracted either. So here goes...
The Smackdown after Elimination Chamber. McIntyre tries to hit on Maria telling her that unlike Matt, he DOES win them all. He's undefeated and he even has gold that he's yet to lose. He then asks what Matt has got. And whether she actually thinks Matt and Khali will even win the Unified Tag Team Championships at any point. Matt could interfere and tell McIntyre that she's taken, just for Drew to weasel away. Maria could then look at Drew as he departs. Matt could then vow that he will be undefeated for as long as she's now with him.
In the weeks leading to Mania, Matt pulls off a few big victories. I think given the short amount of time, they will have to be against big stars such as Batista for example. Have him beat Batista via a Cena interference. The commentators can claim that Matt has found a new edge though Drew can still say that it was a total fluke because of what happened. This also helps cross-promote Cena/Batista. Matt could then also face Jericho and interference from Edge could lead to a victory (if WWE are going ahead with Jericho/Edge). Drew could get jealous of the Commentators hyping Hardy when McIntyre has been winning legitimately. He could attack Matt to gain his point and mouth that he's undefeated whilst walking up the ramp, looking at Maria.
It could be announced that at Wrestlemania, Matt Hardy will take his wave of momentum, or his aptly-named Twist of Fate with him to take on Drew McIntyre. Drew could talk about destiny in a promo and how he's destined to be a World Champion but before that, be the greatest IC Champion the WWE has ever seen. Matt could talk about how destiny works in a strange way, and he prefers to call it fate. And come Wrestlemania, Drew will feel his own Twist of Fate. Hardy will vow that he will win the title infront of his fans and infront of his lovely girlfriend Maria, proving that he can climb the mountain again whilst he's not getting any younger. You could even throw in the fact that McIntyre has been personally signed by Vince to be successful but Hardy was fired and "only brought back to settle a squabble with a love rival" (Drew could say)... and the commentators could note that Hardy has this flame in him when his personal and professional life cross, like in this situation even!
Here you could have a perfect angle. Have the commentators actually note that Matt hasn't been as successful as his brother (although WWE may not want to mention Jeff due to "the competition"). Have the commentators note that Maria hasn't been successful. But the two of them together is helping Matt's career and that he is determined to take the IC Title at the biggest stage of them all. In some ways it is slightly like the storyline from the film Wimbledon except neither Matt/Maria have been successful.
The IWC often complain about there not being real storyline feuds for the midcard titles. Isn't this what they want?
With Maria by his side, it can help Matt seem almost credible again. Even if he comes up short in a losing effort (and he should, because having McIntyre defeated by Hardy will not push him). Who doesn't like a good underdog? This storyline would bring McIntyre some serious heat on a grand stage like Mania which can only benefit him. Plus if he retains it will make him look even greater as champion against someone who has held quite a few belts in the WWE. As for Hardy, the fans will buy into him with sympathy, especially if Maria embraces him in the middle of the ring still after a losing effort.
If WWE do this right, this COULD actually do wonders for the IC title and it could help elevate McIntyre (with the commentators asking who else is there for him to face who could defeat him?). It might even put a spring back into Hardy's career and make Maria relevant. You can't deny the prestige of the IC title slightly increasing considering the feuds we've seen recently, having been defended on the grandest stage of them all again in an emotional storyline, as part of a long successful reign for Drew McIntyre.
Thoughts about this storyline? Do you see the IC Title being defended? And if you don't think Matt Hardy, who do you think and how?
