Report: *POSSIBLE* Plans For WrestleMania XXXI

[Jack-Hammer]

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter released a report today stating that some of the top matches for the show are pretty much set.

According to the report, Brock Lesnar may go at it with John Cena one more time at the Royal Rumble. However, the report says that Cena might be cost the match by Rusev, resulting in a clash between the two of them for WrestleMania XXXI.

The report further states that the current plan is for Brock Lensar to defend the title at WrestleMania XXXI against Roman Reigns, which various reports have been saying for the better part of the last 4 or 5 months.

Triple H is scheduled to have a match at the event and the report alleges that he'll face either Batista, The Rock or Sting. Triple H is said to be Sting's second choice for a match if a bout with Taker doesn't happen, which is looking more and more likely with each passing day.

IF this is accurate, I have to say that I'm not exactly thrilled about these scenarios.

The initial thought that springs to mind is that Rusev will ultimately wind up being fed to John Cena at the biggest show of the year. Vince McMahon is so obsessed with protecting Cena that he's more than willing to hurt the credibility of an up & comer. Plus, seeing as how Cena is this ultra patriotic superman, the writing is on the wall for him to be the guy who ultimately stops the Russian sympathizer.

If there was some more time, I MIGHT be able to get behind Reigns vs. Lesnar for the title. All in all, Reigns has done alright, but I haven't remotely been wowed by him since he went on his own. Reigns may well be on the shelf for the rest of the year, which means he loses precious time to evolve into someone stronger on the mic and as a character. From an overall standpoint, whether it be inside the ring, on the mic, charisma, personality, connection with the fans or any or all of the above, there are several guys on the roster who're stronger or have the potential to be stronger than Reigns currently is.

As for Triple H's match, I have a sinking feeling it'll be against The Rock. I don't know if I'm in the minority on this, but I have zero interest in watching this Attitude Era feud play out one last time and eat up an absolute TON of TV build up time. Aside from those needing a nostalgia fix, I see no real purpose in this match. The Rock has said to TMZ that he doesn't "think so", as far as wrestling at WrestleMania XXXI. Jokingly, he said he's afraid he "might get hit in the mouth." There's still the feeling, however, that The Rock will be in a match at the event, at the risk of pissing off the honchos of major movie studios.

If it turns out to be Batista, I fully expect the match to get the "boring" treatment at the very best, which is understandable because I think it will be a pretty dull match. As with The Rock, there's nothing really to be gained here except rehashing a decade old feud one last time.

A match with Sting could be interesting. I don't know if the match itself would be worth a damn, as Sting's definitely lost a few steps he past several years, but the build up and storyline has potential to make up for that. Trips' is said to be a big fan of Sting and he's the one who ultimately chased after Sting the past few years. If they keep Vince away from booking this and treat it seriously, there may be something to this. While there's really nothing to gain from this match as far as building anyone up either, it'll at least have the novelty of being Sting's first bout in WWE.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

Rusev is destined for the Umaga syndrome. That doesn't surprise me. I never liked him, but they're building him up nicely and to just waste that on John Cena is more of the same old typical thing.

Yeah, Roman Reigns needs time to develop. I like him, but he's still not at that level to be competing for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. There's nothing going for him that makes him his own distinctive Main Eventer. It's just too early.

I'd rather see Sting vs Triple H than any other possible match-up's for Triple H. Triple H is the only viable and realistic option for Sting at WrestleMania since there's no certainty on Undertaker and other top stars are already booked. The Rock doesn't seem likely to be competing at WrestleMania, unless there's a later decision for him to work a program.

 

[Raysvan]

I'd say Rusev is closer to the Ryback Syndrome. Ideally I'd like to see the Rock put him over at RR. Reigns will win the Rumble UNLESS Bryan is healed where I believe he will win after entering at 31 (if the rumours of a 40 man rumble are Accurate).

So going into WM reigns or Bryan will be facing Brock or Cena for the title, Rusev will be on a hot streak and will be facing a Top Face.
Sting and Taker will happen IMO
Cena (unless he is sans title) will be still mixed up feuding with either Ambrose or Rollins.

 

[Navi]

According to the report, Brock Lesnar may go at it with John Cena one more time at the Royal Rumble. However, the report says that Cena might be cost the match by Rusev, resulting in a clash between the two of them for WrestleMania XXXI.

The report further states that the current plan is for Brock Lensar to defend the title at WrestleMania XXXI against Roman Reigns, which various reports have been saying for the better part of the last 4 or 5 months.

Oh God I hope this isn't the direction they're going in. First of all I have no idea why Rusev, who has had nothing to do with Cena since he debuted, would get involved now. It makes zero sense for him to cost Cena anything just to get into a Mania match. Shit the crowd won't know who to boo louder for. I think it will be a horrible match.

For the Lesnar/Reigns match. Well they might have been saying it for the last 4-5 months, but Reigns had surgery a couple of weeks ago, and I don't think he'll be in any shape for a few F-5's from Lesnar. According to reports he can't even hit the gym until he's fully recovered, much less get into a wrestling ring.

If he doesn't return till the Rumble, that roughly gives them one month to get him ready to face Lesnar. Not too bad for a guy who has really done nothing since the Shield broke up, and I'm a fan of Roman Reigns.

I think that what this does show is that they had a plan in place, it's fallen apart and now they are scrambling around trying to figure out what to do. All in all doesn't look good for Wrestlemania 30 unless they can can pull something out of their asses.

 

[rbv13]

I love my country, more than the Average Joe,and have really gotten behind those who've stepped up to Rusev. While I knew Resuv was going to go over a piece of my heat broke. If this report pitting Cena vs. Rusev is true it will be first time in my life where I'll be rooting for the American rep to fail and fail in a major way. It will not exactly be turning my back on the USA but I'll be forced to back the Rusian.

As for Triple H vs. Rock, I'm ok with the two hooking up for one final battle. The history between the two is a very fond memory for many fans. I do think a better setting might be Summer Slam.

 

[OYDK]

Cena-Rusev: Oh lawd. Not only will this match absolutely suck the life out of the building, it would make absolutely no sense. Ok, it makes sense in the way that you have the Russian apologist vs the patriotic Superman, but I'm sure the crowd's hate for John Cena supersedes even their hate for Russia. The crowd would probably be rather quiet apart from their "Cena sucks/Let's go Cena" chants and above all, there is NO payoff for the fans. Here comes this Bulgarian monster who represents Russia and tears down America every chance he gets. Step-by-step the crowd begins to get behind the man fighting for their country whether it be Jack Swagger, Big E, or Mark Henry to the point where they legitimately feel like they're backing an underdog America against a powerhouse Russia. Everybody asks, "Who's going to be the American to bring down Rusev?" If it does turn out to be John Cena, what a waste. It won't be a good moment because the crowd would shit all over it, the opportunity missed to have somebody like Angle or a young guy go over would be a massive one, and most importantly, this would hurt Rusev. A LOT. However, if Rusev goes over, sign me up. It would make Rusev a lot more interesting to me if he actually did beat John Cena clean. It would be that step for Rusev that we have seen WWE be reluctant to take with others like Umaga, Ryback, and Kozlov. Where would Rusev go from there?

Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns: Ah I've talked about this enough. Reigns is not ready and at this point not deserving to main event Wrestlemania 31. I really wish they would replace him with Bryan or Ambrose but WWE seems intent on making Reigns their next guy whether he's ready for it or not.

HHH vs Sting/Rock/Batista: Honestly, all these matches hold some sort of intrigue to me, but that could just be because I'm a huge mark for HHH's in-ring and mic style. I don't know, the guy just exudes realism and makes every feud he's in memorable. Batista vs HHH has to be the match I would least like to see as we've already seen it a few times and both guys are older now, but I think it could work with Batista as a babyface tweener. HHH vs Rock would be fine with me because I always thought these guys should have had their single match at Mania 16 but for some reason WWE fucked that up by adding in Big Show and Mick Foley. These guys have had one of the greatest rivalries of all time throughout their careers, whether they were battling through their factions, battling over the IC title, or battling over the WWE title, and it just makes sense for these guys to have one go at Mania as Legends. As for Sting vs HHH, you don't gotta sell me on this one. I'm sure the match would be fine and the buildup would be epic.

 

[Reflection]

Cena vs Rusev- We can call it the Umaga Syndrome, the Ryback Syndrome, Cesaro, Wyatt, Sandow Syndrome- whatever the hell we want... the outcome will be the same- Cena pinning Rusev's ass on the mat for the 1-2-3, and Rusev stumbling down into the mid card. All the sacrifices by the other wrestlers- Swagger, Big E, Henry, Show, that promo from The Rock- everything will be wasted. Instead, I'd prefer to see Bryan representing America against Rusev. In one match, he'll gain back all the momentum he might have lost during his absence. At least one person will gain something from it.

Watching Sting at Wrestlemania would be a dream-come-true. Convincing Undertaker might be an issue. But if anyone can make it happen, its Triple-H, and I have full confidence that he will succeed in this endeavour as well.

To be the next big thing, you have to beat the current big thing. And Roman Reigns, despite his limitations on certain areas, is my pick for the championship match against Brock Lesnar. The look, the size, the strength, the attitude, the potential marketability- he has the best combination of these attributes, and I can believe that.

By the way, any news about plans for Ambrose or Rollins at Wrestlemania? I never thought that they would perform so naturally and become so successful with their switched heel-face strengths. Maybe Rollins will go against Kane or Orton, and Ambrose against Batista or Bray Wyatt.

 

[jholcomb22]

In regards to Rusev - Cena, I don't think a Mania match matters too much. They will trade victories between Mania and Payback and Vince/HHH will think its for the better of both men. They should ask Bray Wyatt how that's been going lately.

HHH vs Rock/Batista/Sting is...interesting? I think I remember some kind of an end of an era match a couple years ago so HHH vs The Rock seems to screw with that. Batista would be ok with me...it seems to make the most sense and the storyline has already been started. I for one hope that HHH vs Sting doesn't happen because...

Sting vs Undertaker should happen. It's been talked about a lot and this is probably the last chance it could happen. Its amazing to think that 2015 can give us Taker/Sting and Pacman/ Mayweather. Both fights everyone wanted to see....in 2010....or sooner.

Brock vs Reigns, I am all for. I understand most peoples skepticism on Reigns, and I think I have a solution. Have Reigns defeat Brock...it will definitely be time for Lesnar to drop the strap, but hot shooting Reigns could be bad for his career. Enter Seth Rollins. Obviously with Brock being off TV for a while, Rollins won't have the chance, so why not cash in to close out WrestleMania. He is ready to carry the title and Reigns can give chase to someone he already has history with and a ready made feud.

If Rock is going to wrestle, i'd like to see him go against either Bryan or Ambrose, both matches have plenty of potential.

 

[pepentorresHHH]

All good match ups but Im finding the omission of Daniel Bryan from this line up very worrying.

Last year reports called Bryan to face Sheamus on the undercard. Once word got out the yes movement intensified and we had the Royal Rumble embarrassment.

Bryan according to this reports is not being looked at as a main event player after his great appearences at WM 30. The Yes movements is not above hijacking shows and booing anyone not named Daniel Bryan.

I get Reign's appeal but if he cant train and he wont come back till Royal Rumble time, with Bryan coming back at around the same time i see history repeating if Reigns is pushed at the expense of Bryan. He will get booed and Bryan will have to be inserted into the main event anyways.

 

[TheVolFan52]

All good match ups but Im finding the omission of Daniel Bryan from this line up very worrying.

Last year reports called Bryan to face Sheamus on the undercard. Once word got out the yes movement intensified and we had the Royal Rumble embarrassment.

Bryan according to this reports is not being looked at as a main event player after his great appearences at WM 30. The Yes movements is not above hijacking shows and booing anyone not named Daniel Bryan.

I get Reign's appeal but if he cant train and he wont come back till Royal Rumble time, with Bryan coming back at around the same time i see history repeating if Reigns is pushed at the expense of Bryan. He will get booed and Bryan will have to be inserted into the main event anyways.

My thoughts exactly, I don't understand if they think people have forgotten about him or won't care when he does come back. If he comes back to the Rumble, it'll be huge and the place will go nuts. I don't see how you can forget or just look pass the man who headlined Wrestlemania last year and was the most over guy in the company. I'm really worried about Reigns becoming Batista from last year.

 

[L@RISANO]

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter released a report today stating that some of the top matches for the show are pretty much set.

According to the report, Brock Lesnar may go at it with John Cena one more time at the Royal Rumble. However, the report says that Cena might be cost the match by Rusev, resulting in a clash between the two of them for WrestleMania XXXI.

The report further states that the current plan is for Brock Lensar to defend the title at WrestleMania XXXI against Roman Reigns, which various reports have been saying for the better part of the last 4 or 5 months.

Triple H is scheduled to have a match at the event and the report alleges that he'll face either Batista, The Rock or Sting. Triple H is said to be Sting's second choice for a match if a bout with Taker doesn't happen, which is looking more and more likely with each passing day.

IF this is accurate, I have to say that I'm not exactly thrilled about these scenarios.

The initial thought that springs to mind is that Rusev will ultimately wind up being fed to John Cena at the biggest show of the year. Vince McMahon is so obsessed with protecting Cena that he's more than willing to hurt the credibility of an up & comer. Plus, seeing as how Cena is this ultra patriotic superman, the writing is on the wall for him to be the guy who ultimately stops the Russian sympathizer.

If there was some more time, I MIGHT be able to get behind Reigns vs. Lesnar for the title. All in all, Reigns has done alright, but I haven't remotely been wowed by him since he went on his own. Reigns may well be on the shelf for the rest of the year, which means he loses precious time to evolve into someone stronger on the mic and as a character. From an overall standpoint, whether it be inside the ring, on the mic, charisma, personality, connection with the fans or any or all of the above, there are several guys on the roster who're stronger or have the potential to be stronger than Reigns currently is.

As for Triple H's match, I have a sinking feeling it'll be against The Rock. I don't know if I'm in the minority on this, but I have zero interest in watching this Attitude Era feud play out one last time and eat up an absolute TON of TV build up time. Aside from those needing a nostalgia fix, I see no real purpose in this match. The Rock has said to TMZ that he doesn't "think so", as far as wrestling at WrestleMania XXXI. Jokingly, he said he's afraid he "might get hit in the mouth." There's still the feeling, however, that The Rock will be in a match at the event, at the risk of pissing off the honchos of major movie studios.

If it turns out to be Batista, I fully expect the match to get the "boring" treatment at the very best, which is understandable because I think it will be a pretty dull match. As with The Rock, there's nothing really to be gained here except rehashing a decade old feud one last time.

A match with Sting could be interesting. I don't know if the match itself would be worth a damn, as Sting's definitely lost a few steps he past several years, but the build up and storyline has potential to make up for that. Trips' is said to be a big fan of Sting and he's the one who ultimately chased after Sting the past few years. If they keep Vince away from booking this and treat it seriously, there may be something to this. While there's really nothing to gain from this match as far as building anyone up either, it'll at least have the novelty of being Sting's first bout in WWE.

Meh, I dont like any of those matches(yes,even Reigns vs Lesnar doesnt make sense anymore unless his character is handled better and more "human").

Rusev should be fed to Cena Only IF he has really begun to lose heel heat(which shouldnt happen unless he is booked against crap opponents). If he retains overness as a heel then winning the Andre the Giant Battle Royal and then making it worth something post-Mania would be good enough use of him.
There are other worthy opppnents for Cena, that he could put over and not lose a beat(Ambrose and Rollins come to mind).


With regards to Reigns, it depends on when he returns more than anything. However, a programme with HHH remains and should Not be rushed so he can fight Lesnar at Mania. That is totally illogical.
Lesnar can just face someone like Bryan that is over big time. Reigns championship wait can continue till post-Mania. What he needs is to regain some momentum with sensible booking.


As for Sting; he is the only guy besides Stone Cold amongst returning legends that should have a match at Mania31. Bray Wyatt seems a good opponent if Taker doesnt make it.


No need for the Rock/Batista etc. IMO. If the Rock is having a match then maybe a match with Reigns might work. Other than that there is no need for a Rock match,lMO.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

The Cena-Rusev announcement doesn't bother me...it's expected, frankly. As others have pointed out, Rusev is just another Umaga-like monster who is having his time in the sun, but doesn't really have much potential beyond that. All I ask for is a good match between the two, and I think we can get that. Rusev's push is really Lana's push. Lana's character can easily transition to a top Diva position and major heel manager/heat magnet for other wrestlers. She is the true prize for the WWE.

Sting Vs. Triple H - As it hasn't been done before, I think it's a good match. I'd rather have seen Cena and Sting, and honestly, I think that'd be a more rewarding match overall for that kind of stage for both the wrestlers and the fans.

Reigns Vs. Lesnar - Jeez, it's hard to get pumped for this match right now, particularly while Ambrose is doing so well. Reigns just seems so much like the "Chosen One" right now, that it's starting to work against him a bit. Ambrose vs. Lesnar would seem more like the Unstoppable Monster against the Crazy Sumbitch Who Won't Stay Down, which is an appealing theme for a match.

But man, I hate talking about WrestleMania at this point. I mean, it's nearly 6 months away...do we all realize the insanity of this? Do we really CARE about what happens between now and then? This just cannot be a healthy trend for the WWE to keep letting out teasers and prognostications about plans for an event a half year away.

 

[V Dogg]

If Cena and Rusev get together, Rusev will move to the Pit of Obscurity where his entrances won't be televised on TV (he'd already be in the ring warming up and getting ready, usually meaning he'll lose). Rusev should stay in the midcard where he belongs for now and challenge for the U.S. title, even beyond Wrestlemania. But unfortunately, unless Hogan passes a physical and is ready for Wrestlemania to face Cena (which I'd KILL to see), that's the direction WWE will head.

Lesnar and Reigns, IMO, should definitely happen. I like Reigns, actually. He isn't bad on the mic (sounds bad ass), though I think he could use a little improvement in the in ring skills. But I think he's good enough to be the next top babyface. After all, he does have the family genes.

If Sting should face anybody at Wrestlemania, it should be Taker. Sting wants it. It's only a matter of if Taker wants it and if his state of mind can do a match with Sting. I personally wouldn't mind seeing Trips vs. Rock, actually. It'd bring back memories for me with these two.

Imagine a card with Hogan vs. Cena, Taker vs. Sting, HHH vs. Rock, and Lesnar vs. Reigns. Oooh boy, who would go on when? I'd say Taker vs. Sting should close the event. But it's all wishful thinking at the moment.

 

[sMark]

I understand that Sting have the privilage to choose his opponent, but i never considered Sting/HHH one of my dream matches. Sting/HBK, Sting/Rock - yes, but never against HHH, i don't think their characters can work against each other well and make it entertaining. I will more like to see Sting (or Rock) taking on Randy Orton, who should turn into his Legend Killer character again for this one, or Stinger against Bray Wyatt, who's darkside character will work against him. I think Sting/Wyatt + Rock/Orton combo should work the best.

Rusev should face Hogan or Angle, the anti-USA character should face American Hero character at WM, Cena just doesn't fit in this scenario.

HHH should face Ambrose, laying down for him, to fully transform Dean into another star.

Bryan should face Rollins & steal the show. Both are awesome in the ring and should be used to make great matches going forward. Giving them something like IC title to fight for will raise it's prestige level.

So there you have it:
Brock vs Reigns for WWE title
Rock vs Legend Killer Orton
Sting vs Bray Wyatt (buried alive or casket match with Taker cameo?)
Rusev vs Angle (or Hogan) for USA title
HHH vs Ambrose in falls count anywhere match
Bryan vs Rollins for IC title

 

[FarFromFine]

My thoughts exactly, I don't understand if they think people have forgotten about him or won't care when he does come back. If he comes back to the Rumble, it'll be huge and the place will go nuts. I don't see how you can forget or just look pass the man who headlined Wrestlemania last year and was the most over guy in the company. I'm really worried about Reigns becoming Batista from last year.

This is exactly what is going to happen. When guys like Daniel Bryan, Ambrose, Rollins, Wyatt, Ziggler, Cesaro, and Sandow are nowhere near the main events do people really think the crowd is going to cheer Reigns over Lesnar?

One of the biggest problems over the Cena-era (and before to be fair) is WWE trying to tell the fans who to cheer for. The only guys (other than Cena) who have gotten over in this time period are the guys that the fans pick themselves. Add CM Punk to the guys listed above and those are the only ones I can think of that have gotten over recently and they are the guys that the fans have chosen.

Tell us who to like and we'll boo them out of spite. The fans tell you every week what they do and don't want to see (this is stupid chanting during the torito/hornswoggle bs and this is awesome chanting during Rock's surprise appearance in the next segment).

If they want ratings just listen to the fans and stop robbing us of the dream moments. Wyatts/Shield inside the Chamber being a perfect example. It would have been awesome to see, would have had the crowd into the match, and would have been a bigger selling point to the PPV at the time than the Chamber match was. Add in that they were already planning to break up the Shield in the near future anyway and it should have happened. Instead we got robbed of the dream match of that time.

This happens over and over.

Because I don't post often I"m going to go ahead and throw some fantasy booking in and derail with what I want to see from Bray Wyatt.

Let Bray be our "Legend killer" for a little while and "take out" some of the guys that are stale and washed up and need some time off screen. Have him beat Adam Rose, Sheamus, Big Show, and let it lead to Orton/Wyatt at WM31. The Viper vs. The Messiah and the mind games they could play with each other on the build to the show would be amazing.

 

[sMark]

I think Bryan (if able to compete) will be the first entrant in RR match, Ambrose will come in shortly after, then someone (Rollins or Batista?) will eliminate them, taking all the heat and then "the savior" Reigns will eliminate "the bad guy" in 1 on 1 finale for the win & cheap pops. I can't think of another scenario that will not end up into the crowd boo the hell out of the winner.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Rusev should be fed to Cena Only IF he has really begun to lose heel heat

And yet, if he's losing heel heat, what's the point of putting him in the ring with the top man in the company? Cena has taken up & comers and boosted them to greater heights by selling his butt off; the folks on this forum who say he doesn't are plain wrong, imo.

The thing is, a wrestler has to reach main event (or near-main event) level before he draws Cena. If Rusev can keep his character fresh even after the anti-American stuff runs thin, he might very well reach Cena-level on his own, thereby making him a logical opponent. If Rusev can do that.....with Lana presumably playing a vital part.....they might even give him a tainted victory or two before Cena prevails in the overall series.

Yes, if Rusev can't maintain his heat, he might also find himself facing Cena......as a sacrificial lamb. But as I said, if his development stalls, it's more likely he'll be squashed by someone lower on the totem pole without ever seeing Cena across the ring from him.

And if they did meet, I think it would be a better match than some others in this topic suggest. Cena has a way of making both himself and his opponent look good.....and I'm enjoying Rusev's ring work more than others seem to.

 

[L@RISANO]

And yet, if he's losing heel heat, what's the point of putting him in the ring with the top man in the company? Cena has taken up & comers and boosted them to greater heights by selling his butt off; the folks on this forum who say he doesn't are plain wrong, imo.

The thing is, a wrestler has to reach main event (or near-main event) level before he draws Cena. If Rusev can keep his character fresh even after the anti-American stuff runs thin, he might very well reach Cena-level on his own, thereby making him a logical opponent. If Rusev can do that.....with Lana presumably playing a vital part.....they might even give him a tainted victory or two before Cena prevails in the overall series.

Yes, if Rusev can't maintain his heat, he might also find himself facing Cena......as a sacrificial lamb. But as I said, if his development stalls, it's more likely he'll be squashed by someone lower on the totem pole without ever seeing Cena across the ring from him.

And if they did meet, I think it would be a better match than some others in this topic suggest. Cena has a way of making both himself and his opponent look good.....and I'm enjoying Rusev's ring work more than others seem to.

As I alluded to, I'd rather Cena face someone with a higher long-term upside than Rusev(Ambrose and Rollins come to mind).

Like I said; Just have Cena vs Rollins/Cena vs Ambrose(the story already has a fair enough starting point anyways)...whilst Rusev can win the "annual" Andre the Giant Battle Royal and make that victory actually worth something post-Mania.

Don't see why both Lesnar and Rusev have to be 'conquered' at the very same event,tbh.

 

[L@RISANO]

My thoughts exactly, I don't understand if they think people have forgotten about him or won't care when he does come back. If he comes back to the Rumble, it'll be huge and the place will go nuts. I don't see how you can forget or just look pass the man who headlined Wrestlemania last year and was the most over guy in the company. I'm really worried about Reigns becoming Batista from last year.

Ditto.

As a fan of the guy, I too am worried about that, and the lack of reaction to his "live satellite interview" on RAW was also a worrying sign that they have to work on Reigns abit whilst he is out in terms of mic work and if possible, some in-ring work until he returns.


At this point, an epic clash where "the Unstoppable Force meets an Immovable Object" might well fall flat if the crowd isn't behind Reigns in terms of a majority(at least 80-20).


My Fantasy Booking based on the current situation:
Have Reigns return like Batista did on the RAW before the Rumble and again signal his intention to go after the title.
Then later on, have him in a staredown with Lesnar, but HHH comes out and says basically, as long as Reigns can triumph in the Rumble, he can have his chance at the title.


At the Rumble, Reigns has a strong showing like last year, and gets close, but is screwed by the Authority. This will then setup an inevitable Authority conclusion with Triple H becoming Roman Reigns' opponent for Wrestlemania 31, and as HHH did last year with Bryan, he will surely put over Reigns and get his 'Babyface' push back on track.




If not with Triple H, there is always a chance for Reigns to go One on One with the Great One!

 

[sMark]

Rock will squash Reigns on the mic, in pops and in ring ability. Not a wise choice. Even if Dwayne will turn full heel, the fans at WM will be behind him. WM and RAW after it have a very special crowd for the last couple of years who can easily turn against Vince's chosen ones (remember the backlash when Bryan lost in 18 seconds or how CM Punk was cheered against Taker?), WWE must consider it in their creative minds before they choose Royal Rumble winner.

 

[kris8524]

They could do rock vs HHH with steph ih HHH corner vince in rocks. LESNAR vs REGHNS vs BRYAN so lesnar dont look week. CENA v RUSEV Sting vsTAKER and maybe AUSTIN vs ORTON or guest reffere for HHH match

 

[The Perfect Max]

I suppose the match with John Cena would be good for Rusev at the time, but as we are seemingly in agreement here, it's safe to say Cena will come out on top. It's a shame, but it's pretty much a guarantee if this match does take place. I'm still not sold on Rusev anyway if I'm honest, maybe that will change by the time we get to WrestleMania XXXI. I do think it's interesting that, if this match does happen, it'll be the second year in a row John Cena hasn't been in one of the main events. Last year was a breath of fresh air with Bray Wyatt, and now maybe Rusev? It's a nice change I suppose, just thought it was worth noting.

Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns should sound exciting. It doesn't. I think that's because we haven't been given everything we were expecting to be given by Roman Reigns. I'm not entirely sure who's fault that is yet, but regardless, this match will probably not be what it should be come March. With Reigns out presumably until the end of 2014, he will have only three short months to build himself up to a point where the crowd can legitimately believe he will be the one to beat Lesnar. I'm not so sure that's going to happen, and that's concerning because Lesnar should be dropping the title to a guy who will majorly benefit, and hopefully provide us with an awesome moment to remember. I want it to be Reigns, but I don't think, at this moment in time, it seems reasonable.

Don't get me wrong, I love Triple H, always have and always will, but I'm a little tired of him now. The feud with Daniel Bryan is an exception to this, but I just feel everything we get from him seems to be a rehash of something he or someone has done before (I suppose you could say that for many things in the WWE, however). With that said, a match with Batista and The Rock would not help that. I can imagine the builds being good and the matches being equally as good, but do we really want to see it? Maybe when WrestleMania season comes round, my mind will change. As for a Sting match, I'm not really feeling that one either, but that's probably because, in my mind, and most people's really, the Sting match has always been against the Undertaker, and I think it should still be. Sting vs. Triple H does intrigue me though and I think that, if done right, it could be a very good feud. Definitely something new for Triple H too.

WrestleMania XXXI looks like it could be stacked, especially if Hulk Hogan gets his way too. And with Daniel Bryan coming back, and having Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins among others who deserve to be on the card, this WrestleMania could turn out to be quite messy. Still, all the plans do seem somewhat intriguing, and I'm looking forward to see all this unfold.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

After that Smackdown segment with The Rock and Triple H backstage, I am all in on seeing another match between these two guys. It'd be amazing... the promos alone.

The Rock vs Triple H
Brock Lesnar 'C' vs Roman Reigns or Dean Ambrose
John Cena vs Sting
Seth Rollins vs Daniel Bryan

 

[LODemolition]

Rusev will predictably enough go into WrestleMania undefeated, and receive his first loss courtesy of John Cena. The front runners have to be him and Th Rock, after what we saw on Raw. I'm leaning towards Cena because this is the best way possible to get the crowd behind him, since it becomes about patriotism. It's helped Jack Swagger, it's helped Mark Henry, it'll help John Cena. Rusev will be built up as an unbeatable beast for the next 6 months and Cena will "do the impossible." Since I'm not big on Rusev, I personally don't care. But apparently Vince is big on Rusev, so I don't see the need in feeding him to Cena. This will kill him the same way it killed Wyatt, which I still don't understand. The guy was the hottest thing in the business up until his 2nd loss to Cena at Payback.

For one split second, I fantasized about the possibility of a Kurt Angle comeback and an amazing scene of him coming out with the American flag over his shoulders while every single fan waves a tiny flag. Now, back to reality. If not Cena, and they decide to actually keep Rusev's winning streak going...why not have him capture the United States Championship? If Rusev hadn't already faced Mark Henry or Jack Swagger, I think it would've been a good idea to put the US Title on one of them (seeing how Sheamus isn't American). But that ship has sailed, so the options are limited. Assuming Ryback still has a pulse on his career, I don't think it would be such a bad idea to put the US Title on him, turn him face again, and then put Rusev over at Mania. Just a dark horse pick, I suppose. Now, if Hulk Hogan somehow manages to get himself cleared to wrestle, his opponent will be Cena. If The Rock is going to be involved in Mania, then I suppose he would end up facing Rusev as I mentioned.

Here's how I see the WrestleMania 31 card shaping up at the moment, even if I don't agree with all of it.

WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns
I'm on the fence about a triple threat involving Daniel Bryan, but like others have mentioned, this will cause Reigns to get the "Batista treatment" of 2014

Undertaker vs. Sting
Final match for both. Should be amazing aesthetically, but when the bell rings...yawn.

John Cena vs. Rusev
See above

Career Match: Batista vs. Triple H
So long, Batista. It's no secret he was disappointed with how his last run played out and that he can make more money in the movie business. So I look for his last match to take place here, and for his career to be ended by long-time friend and rival, The Game.

Daniel Bryan vs. Seth Rollins
Bryan picks up right where he left off, battling The Authority.

Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton
There's been talk about turning both guys face. Bray already gets the face reaction, so I say make if official. We all know Orton is even more stale as a face. These 2 could potentially have a fantastic feud.

Intercontinental Championship: Bad News Barrett (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
Barrett will undoubtedly reclaim the IC title when he returns. Then at WM, Ambrose will get his first taste of singles gold. Barrett will then move up to the big leagues and get a main event push, or at least he should. I can see him and Reigns having a good 2-3 month feud anywhere between MITB and TLC.

Goldust vs. Cody Rhodes
I thought this match should've happened at Mania a couple years ago and that it should've been a career match, seeing Goldust on the losing end of course. Luckily it didn't happen, because Goldust looks better than ever even in his mid 40s. The Rhodes brothers will inevitably split after losing the tag titles (at the Rumble to The Usos imo) and Cody will come unraveled, much like how they teased before he became Stardust. I could see this being Goldust's last match.

Chris Jericho vs. Bo Dallas
Y2J puts over yet another up and comer. I'll always be a Jericho fan, but a win over him doesn't mean much anymore. He hasn't been relevant since WM28. It might be time for him to call it a career in all honesty. His feud with Wyatt was a big disappointment.

Tag Team Championship: The Usos (c) vs. The Ascension
As I said earlier, I expect The Usos to reclaim the tag team gold at the Royal Rumble. However, their 2nd reign won't last nearly as long as the 1st. When Mania rolls around, the next big thing in tag teams will begin their dominance of the division for the foreseeable future.

Divas Championship Fatal 4-Way: AJ Lee (c) vs. Paige vs. Naomi vs. Charlotte
For the 2nd WrestleMania in a row, AJ will walk in champ with the odds stacked against her. This time, she won't have to defend against the entire Divas division, but it'll be far from a 1 on 1. Paige will still be in the title picture, Naomi will finally get her long overdue share of the spotlight, and I believe Charlotte will be moved up to the main roster by this time. If I had to pick a winner, I'd go with the very deserving Naomi.

2nd Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Tough to pick a winner of a 20-30 man battle royal that you don't know the partcipants of. Some of the favorites could be Sheamus, Ziggler, or The Miz. However, I see Cesaro somehow outdoing himself yet again and winning back to back trophies. He's the king of swing and battle royal royalty.

 

[LODemolition]

After the segment between The Rock and Triple H on Smackdown tonight, I have to admit I would love to see them go one final time. One of the greatest rivalries in WWE history. Whether they were battling it out for the WWE Title, IC Title, or no title at all, their matches always entertained the hell out of me.