Road to Wrestlemania 28 - KEEP ALL WM28 GENERAL DISCUSSION IN HERE!!

[rge2010]

The Wrestlemania card looks pretty strong. I love the 3 Main Events in Rock/Cena, HIAC and Punk/Jericho. I dont class Bryan vs Sheamus as a Main Event, I think they could ahve doen so much more for the World Title. Orton vs Kane has my interest, but the story behind is pretty weak but because Del Rio is injured, his proposed match with Orton never happened. In WWE's defence, they have been a little unlucky with injuries. Del Rio, Barrett, Christian, Rey, Sin Cara to name a few, plus Kharma wont be there.

Very much looking forward to it but Rey vs Cara, MITB and Orton vs Del Rio would have been a lot more interesting.

 

[DxArmy]

This year's WM card is looking like one of the best we have seen in a while with matches like HHH vs Undertaker, Rock vs Cena, and even a match like Punk vs Jericho taking a back seat to those two matches. But there is this feeling that it could have been better. I mean just look at the list of injured superstars that could've been at WM had they not been injured.

Rey Mysterio
Alberto Del Rio
Christian
Wade Barrett

Those are some pretty big names that could have added more importance and intrigue to a match that is lower on the card such as the Team Long vs Team Teddy or we could have had Wade Barrett vs Randy Orton like we were supposed to. Those 4 guys could have made this one of the best, if not the best WM ever but WM29 is shaping up to be even better.

If you take all the names that are in this card and the injured ones who will be presumably healed by next WM and the rumored names such as

HBK
Brock Lesnar
Stone Cold Steve Austin

WM29 would be epic with the amount of big names we have now and next year, imagine having CM Punk vs SCSA, Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar, HBK vs HHH, and John Cena vs the Rock to end their series. Those are just some of the draw's that are rumored to be going around and those matches exclude stars such as Randy Orton, Wade Barrett, Alberto Del Rio, Y2J (if he is around next year), Rey Mysterio (same goes for him as Y2J), Big Show, Kane, Christian and many more stars. So any thoughts and opinions on this WM that could've been and next years WM that could be?

 

[TempestH]

I agree with you, and there were rumors that Money In The Bank was scrapped simply because of Barrett's injury.

I personally think that the GM battle should've gone to the low card guys. With the exception of Ryder, Otunga, McIntyre & Santino, the match is a step down for everyone else. The likes of Ziggler/Swagger & Kofi/Truth would've been better served competing for the tag titles. Maybe Miz could've had a last minute open challenge for Mania with someone like Ryder, or even Riley or Gabriel stepping up to the plate. A Miz face turn could've been done if Cody Rhodes were to do the "you're a joke and a failure" angle against Miz instead of Big Show, with Show being put in the GM match instead.

 

[The Idiot]

There's only one stop left...and that's Miami, Florida!

Now that the build is over, how did everyone like it? Let's be realistic here, there's no way you can fully promote every match on the card to 100% of it's potential. You have to focus on the selling points, which in my opinion is the "Triple" Main event of Punk/Jericho, Taker/HHH, and Cena/Rock.

So lets focus on those three. Did you like it? Would you have changed it, and if so, what would you have changed?

I see the glass as half full and believe they did an excellent job promoting this event. For the first time in a LONG time I can't wait for Wrestlemania. For the past decade Wrestlemania to me hasn't felt like a Wrestlemania. Sure, they do the stadiums now, but the only reason why people buy it is because of the name...because it's "Wrestlemania." NOW, you have 3 awesome matches with one being up there with the likes of Hogan/Andre, Hogan/Warrior and Rock/Austin. The other 2 have also been built up well. One match that really caters to the IWC, and the other for the long time wrestling fans, the end of an era if you will.

The one hour special with Rock/Cena was icing on the cake. It's times like these when I'm proud to say I'm a wrestling fan.

 

[ringthebell]

It's going to have to play out just like this.

1. The feud has been silly, but that doesn't mean that a lot of people haven't been paying attention and forming their own opinions. The classic battle of control of WWE programming, ole Team Teddy Vs Team Johnny. WWE has tried to pull the covers over the eyes of the fans, with each team having a member win over the past few weeks on Raw trying to confuse as to who has the upper hand. Team Johnny must win in a controversial way to keep the hatred high and possibly a good rematch on Raw. If Team Teddy wins this match, it wouldn't be a horrible thing, but it would kind of be cliche that the hero team wins again sort of thing.

2. Daniel Bryan must defeat Sheamus on Sunday. Bryan has played a marvelous asshole champion as of late and Sheamus has been riding his Royal Rumble momentum ever since he eliminated Jericho. This is where I'll get the occasional moans and groans about Bryan still holding the title after Sunday but you have to realize that Sheamus has been undefeated since Royal Rumble and Bryan has lost a few times in non-title bouts, you have to realize that Bryan hasn't been champion essentially a long time according to the business and you have to realize that to keep the momentum going of Daniel Bryan and not just dropping him like a bad habit, he has to retain.

3. The title must leave CM Punk's hands on Sunday. I know I am going to get ripped for this one because some of you are afraid of Jericho's schedule upcoming and blah blah blah. Jericho has built his momentum nicely with timely insults and "getting into Punk's head", and Punk has been the original cliche responsive, take out the aggression on other people since Jericho isn't in attendance. I know that Jericho was really brought in to put Punk over but simply put, Punk has been over since his match with Cena at Money The Bank, I mean my God, the crowd was simply burying Cena because CM Punk has become the new hero. Jericho has to walk out champion to keep the controversy swirling and keep viewers a little pissed and interested.

4. Taker vs Trips, I am not even going to say anything here because Taker and Trips is going to be hard to beat. Don't give me that their too old crap, or this match is going to suck. This match is going to be very hard to beat, this match is going to be one of the greatest of all time, take that to the bank.

5. Finally, The Rock must beat Cena. Whoa!!!! The Rock beat Cena? Look, Cena is at the top of the game and has been for a while, The Rock though is just, well as he says, ELECTRIFYING!!!! The Rock's promos have been better, he's cut down Cena very well, and realistically, he's built this match to what it is. If Cena does win, Vince keeps the kiddies and the adult wrestling fans that are all about legends such as The Rock most likely walk. If Cena does win, that would be a disgusting slap in the face to a superstar that helped build that house during the better years of the WWE. The Rock must win, it makes a lot of sense for that to happen, and one more thing, I truly don't believe The Rock is okay with coming back to agree to lose to Cena.

 

[klunderbunker]

This should be a solid show. WWE has done a good job with this show as the card is very stacked. The good thing they’ve done here is that they’ve given themselves a lot of matches that could be show stealers and nothing looks really bad at all. There’s enough middle of the road stuff that you could pretty easily make a card up where you don’t have to cram a bunch of stuff together. The main event is set in stone and I think it’s pretty clear that we know what the match before it will be, but there needs to be something between them. Maybe the Hall of Fame guys would be a good idea here. As for an opener, go with Punk vs. Jericho or Orton vs. Kane. Save Bryan vs. Sheamus for later so you can make it feel bigger.

For a best match, we’ll go with Punk vs. Jericho I guess, because the pressure won’t be on them as much. Rock vs. Cena will probably be great as will the Cell, but at the end of the day, you have two guys who live to steal the show in a huge match on a huge stage. Do you really think they’re going to leave anything in them? Of course not, and we’ll get a great match with a ton of false finishes and it’ll be awesome.

As for worst, the twelve man tag. Just WAY too many people out there for the sake of a WM payday. The match is going to be a mess and it’s going to be almost impossible to keep track of the whole thing. There’s probably going to be interference on top of that, plus the two GM’s plus Horny running around somewhere. I’m not looking forward to it and hopefully it only gets about ten minutes instead of the likely 20 or so.

As for a sleeper, I’ll go with Bryan vs. Sheamus. I like Sheamus’ work and this has very little hype for it. Bryan puts on good matches and the power vs. speed thing should work well here. Sheamus powering out of the LeBell Lock into the White Noise for two would be a great spot and would likely get a great reaction from the crowd. It’s probably going to be good stuff though and that’s all that matters.

I think this is going to be a successful show and with anything under a million buys, it has to be considered a disappointment. They’ve put A LOT into this show and there’s something there for everyone. It’s Wrestlemania and that’s all you need to draw in people, but with the card they’ve presented with everything at least having a story and some of them being good stories, the show should be a blast. I can’t wait for it and you shouldn’t either. It’s officially tomorrow and I for one can’t wait. Let’s get to it.

 

[thebarber]

WRESTLEMANIA 28 FEARLESS PREDICTIONS

these are my predictions of what I think will happen this Sunday.


1. WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
DANIEL BRYAN VS SHEAMUS

This match will open the show, and I cant see another Rumble winner not getting the belt at Mania. I see AJ turning on Bryan and Sheamus kicking his head off, maybe taking the girl as well. No brainer, Sheamus wins

WINNER: NEW WORLD CHAMPION SHEAMUS.


2. RANDY ORTON VS KANE

Crap match, shit build up. I see Orton turning heel after Mania, probably blowing uop because he is in rubbish matches like this at Mania, like Punk last year and Legacy the year before. I see Orton making an example of Kane, and will finish the match in a heel like way.

WINNER: RANDY ORTON


3. WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP
CODY RHODES VS THE BIG SHOW

Do not want to see Big Show as IC Champion, and Rhodes needs a big win to make his reign credible. Big Show’s shit Mania record has been rammed down our throats, which to me makes it obvious they will give Big Show a IC Title run, that way he has held EVERY single title he possibly could have in WWE. Then he is an interim champ before elevating whomever they think is next cab off the rank like Del Rios when he returns or some other joker. Im hoping Cody wins with run in assistance from Goldust, but the smart money is a Big Show memorable Mania moment.

WINNER: NEW IC CHAMPION BIG SHOW


4. HELL IN A CELL:
UNDERTAKER VS TRIPLE H….REFEREE: SHAWN MICHAELS

The streak is not ending, and there has been enough of HBK involved to suggest that he will “accidentally” involve himself in this match. I see a mistimed Sweet Chin Music hitting HHH and Taker getting the pin, and going 20-0. Thus both HHH and HBK have failed twice in the past four years. The next night on Raw, HHH will call out HBK and lay it down that they need to finally find out who in deed is the better man and Wrestlemania 29 will have the one on one match of Shawn Michaels vs Triple H.

WINNER: UNDERTAKER 20-0



WWE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2012 INDUCTEES









5. TEAM JOHNNY : DAVID OTUNGA, THE MIZ, DOLPH ZIGGLER, JACK SWAGGER, MARK HENRY AND DREW MCINTYRE VS
TEAM TEDDY: SANTINO MARELLA, ZACK RYDER, GREAT KHALI, KOFI KINGSTON, R-TRUTH AND BOOKER T

Another rubbish filler match, a way to get 12 mid card guys on the ppv. Not sure if this is an elimination match or one pin and she’s over. I don’t’ see Teddy Long as GM on Raw, so I am tipping a win to Team Laurinatis. BUT, I think the laptop will make an appearance ad it will be the Mystery Raw General Manager. They will say that they are now the Raw General Manager, and im not sure who it will be revealed to be, but it will be a face. My guess is EDGE. Edge comes out as the new Raw General Manager, and John Laurinaits goes to Smackdown replacing boring Teddy as Smackdown GM.

WINNER: TEAM LAURINATIS

6. WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
CM PUNK VS CHRIS JERICHO

Everything is telling me Punk wins and retains as vengeance for the shit Jericho has said about his family. But Jericho losing kills off his BEST IN THE WORLD angle and the angle is over. I see Jericho winning, proving he is all he says he is and thus having Punk chasing the title leading to him regaining in 2-3 months time. Ratings are better apparently when the good guy is chasing the belt.

WINNER: NEW WWE CHAMPION CHRIS JERICHO

Hoping for a Brodus Clay impromptu match, short and sweet to get the crowd hyped up. Not sure who hasn’t got a match as the pre ppv match is the WWE Tag Team Titles Primo and Epico vs Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel vs The Usos, maybe Christian. He might come out and whinge about losing his place on the card to injury but state he is good to wrestle and throws open a challenge. A quick comedy match with Brodus beating Christian would be GOLD.

7. KELLY KELLY AND MARIA MENOUNOS V EVE ANDBETH PHOENIX

Rubbish celebrity match, nobody knows who this celebrity is, so Kelly Kelly and celebrity bird get the quick win. Guessing if she doesn’t even neter the ring, maybe she will replaced by Kharma or Natalya. Either way, this is just filler to get the crowd bored before firing up for the main event.

WINNER: KELLY KELLY AND MARIA MENOUNOS

8. JOHN CENA VS THE ROCK

Somehow can’t see The Rock winning clean and then leaving WWE. Can’t see Cena beating The Rock clean in his home town either. I’m betting on a rematch between the two either at Summerslam or next years Mania, so I’m thinking this match will end with interference and victory to……..John Cena. It makes no sense for Cena to lose when he is the face of the company. The fans are booing him anyway, so have him win but with cheating assistance, whether he wants it or not. This way, Cena goes over, The Rock has the perfect reason to return down the track i.e. to avenge his loss to Cena in his hometown in front of the million…and millions. And the fans have great reason to continue booing Cena. Of course he wont want the help, and that will instigate his next feud while The Rock is off making another movie. So who does the run in?????? It has to be somebody big and not already involved on the card, thus I’m going for either Brock Lesnar or Batista to return and finish the show hitting their finisher on The Rock and Cena pulling off the pin without knowing what has happened. Maybe far fetched, but it’s the only way I can see Cena winning and having a reason for Rock to come back dwon the track.

WINNER: JOHN CENA

 

[Kcorthe]

In addition to giving my predictions for what will actually happen, I will give my opinions on what should happen. Also, the order of matches below is the order that I predict will take place on the show. Here we go...

1) WWE Championship Match
CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho
Yes, I believe the WWE Title Match will start the show. With The Big 3 Matches for this show, WWE will want a hot crowd for each one, which means spreading those matches well apart from one another. Obviously, this match has the potential to steal the show, but it definitely will not be the most memorable. The key thing to remember about this match is that WWE will be in Punk's hometown of Chicago next month for "Extreme Rules," so does that mean Punk will walk into his hometown as the challenger or the champion?
What SHOULD happen: Jericho goes over to win his 7th world title, with Punk on the chase going into Extreme Rules where he recaptures the title in front of his hometown crowd and family. Sure, this strategy is a bit predictable, but it makes the most sense, in my eyes.
What WILL happen: Punk goes over clean, and defeats Jericho again in the rematch next month. Match will probably be around 15 minutes.

2) Team Teddy vs. Team Johnny
I may be in the minority here, but I tend to like multi-man matches. This one, however, does not look too promising. More emphasis will likely be placed on comedy, as well as the non-wrestlers that will surely be at ringside (Johnny, Teddy, Aksana, Vicki, Hornswoggle). This match is not elimination rules, so I predict it will go fairly short. Has the potential to be entertaining, but will more likely be annoying.
What SHOULD happen: Team Johnny goes over, giving some spotlight to the likes of Dolph Ziggler, and getting rid of Teddy Long on SmackDown!, whose act has grown stale (he's been the GM of SmackDown! on & off since August of 2004).
What WILL happen: I believe Team Johnny will indeed secure the win, as they should. I see either Miz or Ziggler scoring the pinfall over probably Kofi or Zack Ryder. Match will likely be around 7 minutes.

3) Intercontinental Championship Match
Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show
I think this could actually be a pretty entertaining match. I think Big Show's latest run has been one of his best in years. He's leaner and seems to actually care these days. Cody gets better every time we see him. Most would say that Cody should leave with the belt here, but I actually disagree. Like giving Kane a world title run in 2010, Big Show deserves to be thrown a bone, and given a title he's never held before, the Intercontinental Title. Give Big Show his WrestleMania moment. The feud will likely extend to Extreme Rules and maybe beyond. In the end, this should be Cody's last feud in the mid-card.
What SHOULD happen: Big Show goes over, while Cody still looks good in the process for fighting with a giant.
What WILL happen: Tough to say. I could see it going either way, but I'll stick with Big Show for the actual win. Match will last around 8 minutes.

4) Kane vs. Randy Orton
Match should be decent. I actually see it as probably being pretty boring, now that I think about it. Rest holds galore, probably. Will be watchable, but other than the Divas match, probably the match I am least looking forward to, despite what Orton claims in interviews.
What SHOULD happen: Apart of me says to throw Kane a bone, since he just lost his feud to John Cena. Losing another match to Orton won't do him any favors in the long run. But then again, Orton's the bigger star and will probably be reentering the World Title picture post-'Mania. So, yeah, let's give Orton the win here.
What WILL happen: Orton wins with some sort of innovative RKO, after 11 minutes.

5) Hell in a Cell, End of an Era, with Shawn Michaels as the guest referee
Triple H vs. Undertaker
This should be awesome. I know for the internet wrestling community, their match received mixed reactions last year. While I'll agree that there was just a tad too much lying around last year, I still enjoyed it. Not to the level of 'Taker/HBK, but still very good. I think this match will be even better, and actually I think they'll get less time so the match is more "fast and furious" this time around. It will be weird seeing 'Taker wrestle bald, wish he would've kept the hair. Will there be blood? I don't know, but if ever there was a match for WWE to override their "no-blood" policy, it would be this one. I'll go ahead and predict that we see a little bit of blood, maybe like a nick on the bridge of the nose or something, but nothing too major. As for HBK's involvement, its really tough to say. I think, more than anything, there will be a lot of teased tension/spots, but he'll end up calling it right down the middle. My prediction is that he gets knocked down at some point for the mandatory ref spot, then a new/replacement ref runs down to the ring to continue the match. Later, that ref is about to count a fall but HBK interrupts him because HE wants to be the one to officially count the winner, and he Superkicks the referee. This makes HHH mad, and they get up and argue, and HHH turns around and walks into the Tombstone to give 'Taker the win. Some say that HBK and HHH will wrestle at next year's WrestleMania. I disagree, but its far from impossible.
What SHOULD happen: No need for HHH to get the win here. 'Taker should go 20-0.
What WILL happen: 'Taker goes over. Even if HHH were to end the streak, he would never be forgiven, and would be criticized for using his backstage power to give himself the win. Another note, will this be 'Taker's last match? Possible, but I highly doubt it. The match will go around 25 minutes.

Hall of Fame inductees come out to the stage to wave and such, giving the fans a chance to catch their breaths.

6) World Heavyweight Championship Match
Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
A lot of people online are predicting that this match will open the show, but I doubt that even WWE would have the SmackDown! world title start the show 2x in a row. Even if the opening match doesn't mean the same thing it did 15 years ago, it is still perceived by much of the audience as the least important match, no matter how untrue that might be. Now, on one side, you have Sheamus who won the Royal Rumble Match. No Rumble winner has actually gone on to win the title at WrestleMania since The Undertaker did in 2007 at WrestleMania 23, taking the World Heavyweight Title from Batista (in what was one of Batista's greatest matches ever). Will this be the year that breaks the Rumble curse of the last 5 years? Up until recently, I would have said yes. I really thought Sheamus would win the title on the grandest stage of em all, but as we draw closer and closer to the big event, I think Bryan's gonna keep the belt. I could see it going either way, but Bryan's character still has a lot of steam behind it and I don't really think they should derail his push by having him drop the belt. He should win here, by cheating obviously, to sneak out of Miami with the big gold belt. Sheamus can take his win either at Extreme Rules or Over the Limit in May.
What SHOULD happen: Daniel Bryan goes over, probably thanks to help from AJ. NO matter how he does it, Bryan should NOT go over clean.
What WILL happen: I do think Bryan will actually end up going over. Match will probably be about 12 minutes.

7) Divas Tag Team Match
Kelly Kelly & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Eve
I think there's about a .001% chance of Beth & Eve going over here. The bigger question is which one of them takes the fall to Maria, who actually broke her ribs recently while training for Dancing with the Stars. What this means is that Kelly Kelly will probably do most of the ring work, and then make the hot tag to Maria who will probably have literally 30 seconds or less of in-ring work, before pinning Beth Phoenix. I don't like the Divas Champion being pinned here, but I don't see them having Eve take the loss, with her new heel character.
What SHOULD happen: Well, I don't know. A case could be made for Beth & Eve, the two full-timers, to go over here, but in the long run, more publicity comes from Maria and Kelly getting the victory.
What WILL happen: There is absolutely no way that Beth & Eve win this match. Match will not go any longer than 3-4 minutes.

8) Once in a Lifetime
John Cena vs. The Rock
And here we are. The big one. WWE would tell you that it's the biggest match of all time, and while that's certainly arguable, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility. I wrote in a previous blog that more positives come from The Rock going over, and I stand by that. Most would say, annoyingly enough, that John Cena is the full-time guy, and thus Rock and WWE gain "nothing" from Cena losing. I completely disagree. If Cena wins, it is the exact same shit we have gotten for the last 7 years. Nothing changes. Cena enters his next feud by April 9th, and we all go on our way. Not only that, but Cena does not need the win. He already has the "torch." He's been WWE's top guy for almost a decade. Furthermore, Rock will likely be wrestling again, and so a win for him here would make him look even stronger for when he DOES lose to someone next year (such as Punk or Orton). And finally, the biggest reason of all, is to give us something interesting to watch on television every week. Cena losing, whether he remains a babyface or goes heel, gives his character some much-needed development. It won't be the same old shit; it will give us, the viewers, something new and fresh to sink our teeth into. Either Rock going over, a Cena win via turning heel, are the two best options for this match. Unfortunately, neither will happen.
The CROWD REACTION: Some would say that Rock will destroy Cena in terms of crowd reaction, but I don't think so. Rock will be the favorite, sure, but WWE has done an effective job of tearing Rock down to the level of Cena. The crowd will probably be 65% for Rock, 35% for Cena. Let's not forget that even though they are in The Rock's hometown of Miami, much of the crowd will be visitors from other parts of the world. The atmosphere will be amazing, but not as amazing as it could have been. I do not see the same passion for "IF CENA WINS, WE RIOT" type of crowd heat. Not only that, but the open stadium will prevent the crowd reaction from surpassing that of Rock/Hogan ten years ago at WrestleMania X8.
What SHOULD happen: Two things: Option A) During the climax of the match, Cena realizes he cannot beat The Rock, and he resorts to cheating to pull out the victory. Option B) Rock defeats Cena, and Cena destroys The Rock the next night on RAW.
What WILL happen: We will be subjected to the exact same shit that we have been for years now. And WWE will continue to wonder why their ratings and buy rates continue to plummit. Cena will go over clean, and after the match, they will probably shake hands, which is bullshit. The thing that I fear most is that the next night on RAW, they will agree to a rematch. I do NOT want to see that, regardless of who wins. But there's a good chance we will. The match will be about 22 minutes. The pre-match stuff, with the entrances and videos and etc., will probably kill a full 15-20 minutes.

Surprise returns: Batista, Brock Lesnar, and Matt Bloom (Lord Tensai) are all rumored to be returning in Miami. Of those three, I consider Lord Tensai to be the most likely, probably during the Team Teddy/Team Long match. I do not see Batista or Lesnar returning, but if either did, it would be huge. Maybe Lesnar costs Cena or Rock the match in the main event? I don't think so, but I am not ruling it out completely.

Overall, the event should be great. I am really looking forward to it.

Match of the Night: In terms of memorable and epicness, Rock/Cena for sure. In terms of in-ring action, probably Hell in a Cell.

I can't wait for the show. I'll be watching it live in HD with my dad and fiancee. Hope everyone enjoys it!

Join me on Twitter at @WrestlingwWords for conversation on WrestleMania and all wrestling topics.

 

[Elchicano15]

As we're hours away from the curtain jerk, I can't help but to be super stoked as this mania card is one of the best I've seen in a long time and feel that tonight is gonna rock. So here are my predictions.

Cody Rhodes vs Big Show. As time has passed I feel more so that Big Show might win this. I was drawing more to the fact that Rhodes was going to win but I heard recently that he's working through pain. I think Show wins the match but by something cheesy like a DQ or countout. I don't think he'll win the strap nor do I feel he needs it. He'll still have that moment by knocking out Cody.

Team Johnny vs Team Teddy This is a no brainer. Team Johnny for the win. His team is more stacked with future main eventers. Teddy has had the upper hand on Johnny since day 1 yes, but I think Johnny will get the payoff. Maybe fire Teddy afterwards. I honestly think either Drew Mac or The Miz will score the win. That way Miz's streak will continue to develop (so it seems to me) and get a refreshed push.

Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus Sheamus ends the 5 yr RR winner curse and becomes the new world heavyweight champion. I see AJ inadvertently costing D-Bry the match and title culminating some kind of new program between the two. However if D-bry wins, I will not be upset in the least bit as I feel he's doing a fantastic job as champion. He's like a modern day Kurt Angle.

Randy Orton vs Kane This one is a hard one. I think because this match next to the divas is one match I've had very little interest for. Orton will get the win. I feel Kane should get it otherwise this whole resurrection gimmick would be so pointless.

Chris Jericho vs CM Punk The match I'm looking forward the most. Punk wins this one. I feel he's holding the title till Barrett returns to get his revenge on for kicking him out of Nexus. Works so well.......but that's a story for another time i'm sure. Punk will win this and Jericho is going to make him look good tonight.

Brodus Clay vs Heath Slater or Jinder Mahal None of those guys are even in the dark match but it's going to be a squash match with Clay getting the win.

HOF Segment Maybe Edge comes out last and leaves by exiting through the Miami crowd just how he entered.

HHH vs Taker Taker easily goes 20-0. I'm hearing talks about Brock Lesnar returning and interfering in the Rock/Cena match but I don't think that's the case. I think he's going to return in this match. F5 both HBK and HHH for undertaker. Chioda, or some other ref runs to the ring and makes the count for taker. Lesnar explains that no one is ending the streak except Brock himself to set up next year's mania.

Kelly Kelly and Maria Mononous (sp) vs Beth Phoenix and Eve. I don't really care but Kelly Kelly and Maria wins this. Always bet on the special celebrity guests at Mania. They never lose.

Rock vs John Cena I used to think Cena will win but I think more so the Rock will win this. From what it sounds this feud will probably keep going on until Summer Slam.

Well those are my predictions. I hope everyone has an awesome evening, and enjoys the show. Time for me to start drinking. Cheers.

 

[WackerJr]

Here's hoping for a great night. Anyway, just a few quick predictions:

Cody Rhodes (c) vs Big Show
I'd love to see The Big Show finally get a decent Wrestlemania showing and after weeks of Cody getting the better of TBS, I predict a Big Show win. However, I think it'll be by DQ or Count-Out so no title change.

Team Johnny vs Team Teddy
I can't see anything else but a Team Johnny win. He's had more air time and is more of a 'character' (like it or not) than Teddy. Miz for the pin and win.

Randy Orton vs Kane
An excuse to get both of these WWE stalwarts into Wrestlemania. I'm going to go for a Randy Orton clean victory (however much I'd prefer to see Kane pull this one out). Is this one an opportunity for a WWE return/surprise though....?

Divas Tag Match
WWE usually goes with the celebrity. I think they'll finally buck the trend this year and we'll see Beth and Eve victorious. I'd love to see a Beth Glam Slam on our illustrustrious guest!

Daniel Bryan (c) vs Sheamus
I'd like to see Bryan slither out and win as I like the heel character he's become. I don't see it happening though, as Sheamus has been booked so strong going into this.

CM Punk (c) vs Chris Jericho
Both my prediction and hope is for this to be match of the night. CM Punk for the win after an epic back and forth encounter.

HHH vs Undertaker
Undertaker to keep the streak going. I'm worried that the lack of attention paid to this being a Hell in a Cell match means it won't be as brutal as it could be. I hope these two can deliver though as there's so much potential in this one. HHH rarely disappoints with his performances though so I've every faith.

Rock vs Cena
The most difficult to predict for me.... My heart says Rock, my head says Cena. Can they make this finish cleanly...? I'm going to say yes, following 3 Attitude Adjustments from Cena.

Fingers crossed for a great event, which has some strong matches and some mid-range ones. There's potential here. Let's enjoy this one folks!!!

 

[Kcorthe]

Wow, what a show. I’ve looked around, and I feel that the general consensus is that it was a great show. I was off on the match order in my predictions, but I did go 5-3 in my predictions for the winners.

Overall, amazing show. Top 5 WrestleMania of all-time. Not top 3 though. Highly recommended. I’ll have to watch it all again, but having just seen it once and live, I think Undertaker/HHH was one of the greatest, most emotional matches I have ever seen. My Personal Top 10, for sure. Great emotion, great drama, great story. I was worried about HBK’s involvement, but it worked well, and he seemed very caught up in all of it. Match played off the last 3 WrestleManias (Taker’s two matches with HBK @ 25 & 26, and his match with HHH last year). Just an epic match. One minor complaint is that they hardly used the HIAC. But we did get to see a little bit of blood, as I predicted. I have a hard time believing that Undertaker will wrestle another match after that. I didn’t believe that coming into it, but after seeing the match and post-match, Undertaker was humanized and I think I even saw a tear or two. The three shared in a group hug on the stage afterward. Oh, and J.R. called the match (his only match to announce during the entire show), which further makes me believe that it was Undertaker’s last match, as well as probably HHH’s (though HHH will likely wrestle a few more times over the next several years), and maybe even J.R.’s final match to call. Again, great match that I strongly enjoyed.

Jericho/Punk, while very good, I think failed to meet expectations. I’ll watch the match again, but I really thought it could have been a lot better. Still a very good match, in the 3.5 star range, and it was good to see them get a lot of time out there (around 22 minutes).

And finally (FINALLY….), the big one. Once in a Lifetime. The Rock vs. John Cena. If you’ve read my previous blogs, than you know that I really did not think that The Rock would win this match. What a pleasant surprise. Crowd was way into the match, too, although I do think it suffered from being a tad too long. It went 30 minutes, and I would have cut it down to 25. I think they were trying very hard to make it epic and satisfying, which it was. Rock seemed pretty tired about half-way through, but he did very well for his first one-on-one match in NINE years (hard to believe it’s been that long&#8230. Overall, great match, and 2nd best of the night (2nd to Taker/HHH). Some are upset that Rock won, since he is a part-time, but I am very happy because this means we will see what we have needed to see for a LOOONG time now, and that is some character development for John Cena. Where does he go from here? He “needed” to win this match, remember? It will be extremely interesting to see where WWE goes from here. I highly doubt WWE would give The Rock the clean win like that without having a major plan in place for Cena starting tomorrow night.

One final note: I was disappointed with Sheamus/Bryan going just 18 seconds, but I am not as upset about it as some others. Though I think that 18-second match might have been better served for Show/Rhodes. Bell rings, knockout punch, Show wins. But. I can live with it.

The most fascinating thing from here is where the WWE, and particularly John Cena, goes from here. I can’t recommend this show enough. Go watch it now, if you’re one of the few who didn’t see it. Can’t wait for RAW tomorrow….will we see Brock Lesnar?

Remember to follow me on Twitter for nonstop wrestling news and opinions: @WrestlingwWords

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

-I have no idea why Sheamus and DB went nowhere. Maybe someone was hurt, not enough time, whatever. Honestly, I don't care. The build was shit anyhow.

-Orton did his best to bring a great match out of Kane, and it worked... sort of. Really good match given the limited build and time, but I don't get Orton losing. He was in a worst spot from last year, and didn't even win the fucking match. I don't care if he wins at Extreme Rules or not, that was fucking stupid. Stop shitting on this guy, seriously. It's getting fucking old.

-Big Show and Cody ended the way it should have ended. Cody shat all over Show for more than a month, and got what he deserved. The older guy shouldn't always lose. Get the fuck over it. It made sense given the story. Decent match.

-I pissed and grabbed a drink during the female fest. No one cares.

-The Undertaker/HHH match was fucking fantastic, best of the show easily. However, I must say one thing here - Shawn nearly fucking ruined it with his insane acting and weird actions. Fucking idiot. I love the guy, but he has a tendency to do this. He looked ridiculous, but then again, he shouldn't have been there in the first place. However, not even his asinine behavior could ruin this. On par with HBK/Undertaker I.

-The 12-man tag was what it was. Entertaining, solid finish. I'm sure it's not over.

-Jericho and Punk put on a nice show. I wouldn't call it a classic, but it was really good. I thought Punk was even sloppier than usual, but that's something I've come to expect. Honestly, I thought Jericho looked better and more ready, oddly enough.

-Rock and Cena blew the roof off. Listen - if you were looking for Bret vs. Shawn, you were never going to be happy. This was a glorified Hogan/Warrior scenario - two brawlers wanting to know who the tougher guy is. Period. It worked. Second best match of the night, in my opinion.

I don't care who won, it doesn't matter. I wouldn't have cared had Cena won. However, given this outcome, they're definitely wrestling again, which is more than fine with me. If this is the kind of match these two can give us, they should main event WM 29.

Great show, overall. I'd put it in the top ten, possibly top five, I'll have to see it again. Much, much, much fucking better than last year. Felt like a big event, something missing last year. Loved it.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

WWE WrestleMania XXVIII - April 1, 2012

America The Beautiful - It's WM tradition to sing this song before the start of the show each year. Personally, I think it should be the national anthem. Lilian Garcia nailed the song. I knew she could sing really well but she was excellent here. I still think Ray Charles' classic version of this song is the best, but Lilian's rendition got my blood pumping at any rate. Thumbs Up

1. Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Championship - I had an ominous feeling about this match and it was correct. This was an absolutely horrible way to start this show off, not to mention a shitty way of treating Daniel Bryan. Bryan has worked his ass off for the past 5 months or so was had an entertaining reign, only to have it end in 18 seconds? WWE should be embarassed by this. Sheamus wins and is the new champ. N/A

2. Randy Orton vs. Kane - For the most part, I thought this match was better than I expected it to be. Orton & Kane delivered solid action throughout and it really kicked into high gear in the second half. Given the outcome of the "opening match", if that's what you want to call it, I expected the crowd to be dead for this but Orton & Kane both worked hard and got the crowd invested. The ending surprised the crap out of me because I didn't see it coming. Kane not only got the win, via a modified chokeslam off the second rope, but he got a clean and decisive win over Orton. Kane gets the win at the 11 minute mark. ***

3. Cody Rhodes vs. The Big Show for the WWE Intercontinental Championship - Solid match overall, pretty much how I figured it would go. They told a good story and Cody did give Show a competetive match and got in a surprising amount of offense. I expected Cody to retain here, most likely through DQ or count out. However, Show catches Cody with a rough looking spear in which some of Show's shoulder had to catch Cody in the balls. He then delivers the WMD at the 6 minute mark for the win. Big Show is the new Intercontinental Champion. **1/4

4. Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos vs. Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres - Not a classic by any means but, in all honesty, better than what I was expecting. Surprisingly, this match told a pretty coherant story and featured some decent action. Maria was working the match injured, allegedly, and I honestly thought she did a good job of selling the effects of her injury and the offense of the match. Kelly Kelly actually hit some fun offense. The counter from the Glam Slam into a bulldog looked a little clunky but it still worked and delivered a high impact move that got the crowd into things. Her forward flipping thing off the top looked nice as well. I wasn't wild about having Maria roll up Beth Phoenix for the win, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't expect it. The babyfaces get the win at the 7 minute mark. *1/2

5. The Undertaker vs. Triple H in Hell in a Cell - This match was fucking fantastic from start to finish. This match was another extraordinary example of storytelling and drama in a wrestling match done the very best it can be done. The action was extremely physical and hard fought throughout. I couldn't help but wince everytime I looked at Undertaker's back. It was covered with welts & bruises from those chair shots. I thought Shawn Michaels played his role perfectly and in a way I didn't expect. I figured Shawn would be a more in your face type of ref, sort of like we've seen in the past, but that didn't happen here. He was more of a "bit player", or at least as close to one as someone like HBK can ever get, and didn't try to overshadow the match and the overall story. Both Taker & Trips put their hands on him, including Taker locking in Hell's Gate. HBK getting a little revenge by hitting Sweet Chin Music on Taker just before Taker took a Pedigree from Trips was a great touch. The live crowd was completely buzzed for this match and the raw emotion was there. HBK begging Taker to let him stop it and Taker pleading for him not to was just great drama. Taker looked more human in this match than in most I've seen. I was pleased to see Taker get the win at the 31 minute mark after delivering a final Tombstone. The ending of the whole thing with Taker & HBK helping Triple H out of the ring, carrying him up the ramp and embracing each other was classic. It was genuinely emotional for me because I literally grew up watching these three guys do their thing. It dawned on me that I'll probably never see all 3 of those wrestlers in this kind of setting together again. It's going to be hard to top this match. *****

WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012 - It's always a great moment when they bring the Hall of Fame class out on the stage. It was especially good to see the Horsemen out there. It shocked me a little just how much Barry Windham now looks like his father. If you were to take Windham now and put him beside Blackjack Mulligan 20 years ago, you'd think they were brothers. It was also nice to see Ric Flair back at a WWE event. Just a fun and classy bit of filler. Thumbs Up

6. Team Teddy vs. Team Johnny - In all honesty, this match was about everything I'd realistically hoped that it'd be. It wasn't a fantastic outing or anything but it was an overall solid match with good action and good storytelling. It had the unenviable job of following Taker vs. Triple H but the wrestlers still worked hard to deliver a good match. I was worried that there'd be tons of silly shenanigans going on at ringside that would ultimately deter from the match and overshadow it. There were a few shenanigans but, honestly, nothing overt that got in the way of the match. When Santino hit Miz with the Cobra, I thought it was over. Ziggler made the save, literally, at the last possible instant. I thought having Eve screw Ryder over was a nice way to go here. It looked like, on the surface, that she was just caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment, but she provided enough distraction for Miz to come up from behind, hit the SCF and score the clean win for Team Johnny at the 11 minute mark. Eve kicking Ryder in the nuts afterward was a nice little way to cap things off and put tons of heat on Eve. **3/4

6. CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship - Again, this match was pretty much everything that I'd hoped for. Great storytelling and great back and forth action featuring two wrestlers that can be called "the best in the world" by someone with legitimacy. It started off slowly and built up to a great back and forth pace. The stipulation JL put into the match had me nervous at first as I thought we might see a screwy ending. Fortunately, the DQ stip turned out to be only a prop to help tell the two add another level to the story. They hit each other with all they had and left it in the ring. Punk ultimately gets the clean win via submission due to the Anaconda Vice. Jericho escaped the move earlier by delivering knee shots to the back of Punk's head. This time, however, Punk shifted his weight and moved his head out of range of Jericho's knees. Punk retains and gets the win at the 23 minute mark. ****

Brodus Clay - This was moderately entertaining. It served as a good filler if you needed to get up to use the bathroom, get something to drink or just stretch for a bit. Personally, I thought it was kinda funny. "Mama Clay & The Bridge Club" made me chuckle quite a bit. It was harmless and fun. Thumbs Up

8. John Cena vs. The Rock - In my opinion, the main event lived up to the hype of a year long build. The Rock & Cena worked their asses off and delivered a killer back and forth match that also told a great story. I thought they worked at a good pace and liked how they just started slowly and worked things up as the match went along. Both of them hit their biggest moves and just worked hard to make the match live up to the hype. The ending surprised me as I didn't see Cena losing. Cena delivered an AA that Rock kicked out of and Cena decided to mock him a little by going for the People's Elbow. Rock recovers and catches Cena off the ropes with a Rock Bottom for the clean win at the 31 minute mark. Cena not winning was surprising, but WWE, Rock, and Cena played the psychological games ahead of time making it seem like Cena would win. Now that Cena lost, due in part to getting a little cocky, it makes me just want to see the follow up on Raw and see where we go from here. ****

Final Thoughts - Overall, this is the best WM I've seen in a very long time and well worth the $55 price tag. My only real complaint was the WHC match. Sheamus & Bryan both deserve better than that and I'm hoping and praying that WWE will make it up to us and give us a real match with these two. Aside from that, the ppv delivered with great action, storytelling, drama and emotion. One thing I really enjoyed about this ppv is that there were absolutely ZERO screwball endings. There was some cheating here and there by the heels of course but even when the heels won, they won cleanly and without tons of crazy, off the wall overbooking that almost always takes away from the matches. The matches had decisive and definitive winners. The three top matches most certainly delivered, especially Taker vs. Triple H. It's going to be hard to top that at MOTY in my view, but Punk vs. Jericho & Cena vs. Rock were fantastic matches that could've closed any ppv in my opinion. So to answer the question of the thread, no, I don't want my money back. I most definitely got my money's worth.

Grade: A-

 

[LittleJimmy]

All I can say about WM28 is thank god I didnt waste money on it.

Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan for WHC- 18 seconds?? Really?? What a joke of a start to Wrestlemania. Yeah the build hasnt been great but its not the wrestlers fault. They have been overshadowed by other feuds but still to have a WHC match go only 18 seconds is pathetic booking on WWE's part. 1/5 only cause Sheamus won. (As I type this a report came out that WWE wanted this to be the quickest WM title match in history, it failed)

Randy Orton vs Kane- Some others have said this was a good match but I disagree. It was very sloppy thoughout with quite a few botched moves. It seemed as though Orton did legit hurt his leg on the drop kick but we will see. I was very surprised though that they gave the win to Kane as I was sure they would put Orton over. Makes me kind of wonder if Orton is in VKM's doghouse right now. I think I wil give this match 2.5/5 only cause of the surprise Kane win.

Big Show vs Cody Rhodes for the IC title- I never really had much interest in this match to begin with but I will say it wasnt a bad match. My only question is why they gave the belt to Big Show? Makes no sense what so ever. Maybe now Cody goes on to bigger and better things. I cant really see Show keeping this belt for long, but then again they dont really have many IC title matches anyway. I give this match another 2.5/5

Kell Kelly and Maria chick vs Beth Phoenix and Eve- Very predictable match as the celebs always go over but still this match would have been better served as Beth Phoenix vs Natty for the Diva's title. I can see Beth being in limbo from now till Kharma returns, whenever that is. .5/5

"End of an Era" HHH vs Undertaker- All I can say is..... This was an amazing match between 2 of the greatest ever. I did think that the addition of HBK would ruin things but he played his part very well. The emotion and intensity of this match will never be outdone. I hope the younger stars were watching this match and taking notes...this is how you tell a great story in a match. Also I loved the mowhawk look for Taker, gives him that MMA feel. I, along with 95% of the viewers, knew Taker was going to win but they still played it off that HHH was going to win at times which made the match even better. Seeing Taker and HBK carry HHH to the back almost brought a tear to my eye as I really do think that HHH and Taker are finished in their careers but we'll see. The ballots are closed and no more votes needed, this was the Match of the Year hands down. 5/5

Team Johnny vs Team Teddy, 12 man tag team match- I said it before, this match would have been better served as an elimination match but oh well this is what we got. Another pretty predictable match as Johnny Ace is here to stay for a while and Teddy seems on his way out. The action in the ring was good but you had to know that 1)Miz was going to gain the pinfall and 2) Eve would get involved somehow. I think too much time was given to this build that would have been better suited for other feuds in the event. Also, Booker T still looks like he could go at it full time again. 2.5/5

CM Punk vs Chris Jericho for the WWE title- First off, making the DQ stip before the match was another one of those head scratchers that made no sense. Making it a no DQ match may have been better but I would have prefered a straight up match. As for the action, it was very good. I loved how Chris was trying to get into Punk's head early to get Punk DQ'ed. Even though the crowd wasnt much into the match, I was. Great back and forth action by the two ending with Jericho submiting to the Anaconda Vice. I was surprised that Punk won as I would have liked to see Punk chase Jericho to Extreme rules in Chi-town. This ending makes me think that Jericho is going back to his band and may have been around only to get a WM paycheck which is a shame. I hope he proves me wrong though as his "End of the World" return has been mostly forgettable. 3.5/5

Brodus Clay segment - The only reason I bring this part up is that it makes me even more pissed about the WHC match. They gave a WHC match 18 seconds but give this fatass clown more time? Terrible on all fronts. 2 thumbs way down!!!

"Once in a Lifetime" John Cena vs The Rock-Well folks we have waited over a year for this, and the moment has arrived. The match had a big feel to it but not as big as Hogan/Rock, even though Cena/Rock tried to have a simular stare down simular to WM18 before hte bell rang that didnt go as well. The match itself was more of a test of who is stronger than anything else. The fact that they had The Rock go over tells me one big thing, this is not the last time we will se these 2 face each other in the ring. I can see a rematch happening at SummerSlam since it is in LA (with Cena winning) then a tiebreaker at WM 29. Now, was it a good match? Yeah. Was it a great match? Sure. Did it live up to the hype?.....NO!! Then again with all that was invested how could it? It iwll be interesting to see where Cena goes from here. Will we see the typical Cena promo thanking Rock then going about his business? Probably. Or does Cena snap under the pressure of failing to win "for the boys in the back" and finally turn heel? One could hope, but probably not. Anyway I will give this match a 4/5

Overall, Was WM 28 better than last year....yes but not by much. Everything that took place before HHH/Taker was a waste with some terrible booking involved. Everything after (with the except of the Clay segment) was what we have come to expect from a good Wrestlemania. I am not going to be like others on WZ.com (specifically Chris Cash, Nick P., Justin LaBar and and some of the forum mods) and make it seem as WWE can do no wrong. Chris Cash actually thinks the WHC match made sense which gave me a laugh. In the end i give WM 28 a 3.5/5 and that is being very generous. Did I get my moneys worth? Yeah, but then again I didnt pay for it.

 

[Elchicano15]

I really don't understand why people think this was a horrible mania. IT wasn't the best, but I thought it was money well spent. Maybe because I appreciated the whole presentation compared to last year's awful Mania, and this year defiantly made up for it. I can't wait for the DVD to come out

D Bry vs Sheamus So the opening match might have been a disappointment. 2 reasons. I hate it when they have the WHC as the curtain jerker, and second this match didn't have to be a squash. I knew D Bry would lose but in an 18 second squash?.....it was a real slap in the face to the hot crowd. One good thing came out of it. It's going to make D bry evolve. He hasn't been this over ever and it's nice to see this taken to a another level. I just hope the crowds are this hot in the coming weeks. SD is still in the state of FL tonight, I hope some from Miami are going. I don't know where it's headed but I'm looking forward to it. "YES, YES, YES" and yes, I do agree if played out right this will be the new "WHAT" 2/5

Kane vs Randy Orton I thought was a solid performance. I was happy to see Kane get the win. Nothing against Randy Orton, but it was a nice surprise. 3/5

Big Show vs Cody It was nice to see Show finally get his moment. I didn't think he would have won the strap as well. Nice to see the IC title change hands at a mania. 3.5/5

Diva's Match Actually turned out better than I thought. I would watch this match over last year's mixed tag involving snooki. 2.5/5

Taker vs HHH Best match outta the 3 they had at past Wrestlemanias. For the amount of time they went on it seems like they weren't as laggy, and overtired like last year. 4/5

HOF segment is always a 5 star for me. When they announced Edge I couldn't help to feel like I wanted to shed a tear just from his induction speech the night before and being one of the youngest living Hall of famers after a tremendous career that had to get cut short.

Team Johnny Vs Team Teddy Too chaotic, and predictable. I knew Miz was going to get the win for the team to help him get pushed again. 3/5

CM Punk vs Y2J Still an amazing match. Not as hype as I thought it would be but I still enjoyed it. Maybe because I was under the mind state that this is going to steal the show. 4/5

Brodus Clay segment Nice lil segment with Mama and the bridge club. It was entertaining. I laughed hard when they said they're gonna bring out mama's bridge club. 4/5

Rock vs Cena Just amazing. Lived up to the year long hype and they defiantly stole the show. I honestly thought Cena was going to turn heel after losing infront of that hostile crowd in a cocky manner. 5/5

Dark match was a nice opener to. It's always a pleasure to hear Striker on commentary. He should have been the third commentator. 3/5

Overall rating B