RosterMania! Everybody's on the card

[NegativeFeedback]

Here are the number of wrestlers who've had the honor of competing in matches on the prestigious WrestleMania card:

WrestleMania 27 had 25 wrestlers and 1 celebrity.
WrestleMania 28 had 27 wrestlers and 1 celebrity.
WrestleMania 29 had 22 wrestlers.
WrestleMania 30 has 66 wrestlers for now.

I think it's safe to say that WWE has obviously changed their tune on who gets to work the show.

In past years, WWE has always booked 3-4 top singles matches involving their biggest draws. They then added 2-3 more singles matches for up-and-coming mid-carders. And after that, they would "reward" 8-10 other lucky folk by sticking them in some sort of multi-man match. From 21-26, we had Money in the Bank. At WM27, we had a silly 8-man-tag. At WM28, we had a sillier 12-man-tag. And at WM29, they went more conservative and just booked a 6-man-tag.

But at WM30, WWE went all out and booked a 30-man battle royal, a 4-way tag match, a 6-man-tag, and a 14-divas-invitational. That's INSANE and completely unprecedented.

My question for all of you is: Why?

While it's nice to reward the whole roster by getting them on the card, I wonder why they've changed their tune about who gets to work WrestleMania.

My guess is that CM Punk was right about PPV Bonuses going away, and they're trying to appease everybody on the roster by at least booking them on the biggest show of the year. This is probably a way to boost morale.


Right now, it looks like only a select few of main roster members are going to miss out on the card. Those are going to be:

• Evan Bourne, Curt Hawkins, David Otunga, JTG, Ricardo Rodriguez and Yoshi Tatsu who have all been MIA from the 3 main shows anyway.

• Luke Harper and Erick Rowan who will be accompanying Bray in his high-profile match.

• El Torito who is going to accompany Los Matadores to their title match.

• And the truly unlucky bunch: Bad News Barrett, Hornswoggle, Tyson Kidd and Xavier Woods.

Now, there is conveniently 4 open spots in the battle royal anyway, so unless WWE wants to bring in some surprise appearances, it's very likely that WWE just adds all 4 of them to the match.

If they do get those spots, WM30 is going to officially be the first WrestleMania featuring every single main roster member available.

 

[TDFG]

WrestleMania 30 has 66 wrestlers for now.

My question for all of you is: Why?

I guess they want to make a real big fuss about the 30th Anniversary of the biggest event in the calendar & that's why they have a stacked line-up.

Hogan is hosting, Mr. T in the HOF, Andre having a match named after him, it's all part of the event.

 

[Mustang Sally]

In wrestling forums which feature "news & rumors," we're always reading about morale in the locker room, as if it's a measurable commodity. But while one can't gauge percentages ("66% of the people in the company are depressed!") I can certainly understand someone on the inside being able to observe the overall mood of the folks on the roster and report it to the dirt sheets.

But one factor doesn't need quantifying: when the entire roster is gearing toward the biggest PPV of the year, it would have to be a lousy feeling to be left out of it, no matter how low on the roster they might be. If the OP has the numbers correct, it stinks that so many of them were left out of prior WMs......and the company is certainly on the right track by including everyone.

If WWE management is considering locker room morale, this is a great way to keep it high. Take Rosa Mendes, for example. She's in the diva battle royale; they don't have to feature her.....in fact, you don't have to notice she's there at all if you don't want to, yet she's a member of the roster....and therefore a part of WM30.

That's the way to run a sports entertainment company.

 

[Pérez84]

I guess they want to make a real big fuss about the 30th Anniversary of the biggest event in the calendar & that's why they have a stacked line-up.

Hogan is hosting, Mr. T in the HOF, Andre having a match named after him, it's all part of the event.

Basically, this.

Btw, I think there would be room for at least one Barrett's podium segment (if he won't compete at the battle royal) and Ricardo Rodríguez could be on the Spanish commentary table (he is in that role very often lately).

 

[NegativeFeedback]

But one factor doesn't need quantifying: when the entire roster is gearing toward the biggest PPV of the year, it would have to be a lousy feeling to be left out of it, no matter how low on the roster they might be. If the OP has the numbers correct, it stinks that so many of them were left out of prior WMs......and the company is certainly on the right track by including everyone.

WrestleMania has always been the "showcase of the immortals". Only the top superstars would compete on the show. Now with the addition of part-timers every year, that has allowed for even less spots on the show. While it's frustrating to not be on the card, most of them know that they weren't going to make it. It's guys like Sheamus, Big Show and Del Rio that would have a legit gripe with being left out of WrestleMania.

If WWE management is considering locker room morale, this is a great way to keep it high. Take Rosa Mendes, for example. She's in the diva battle royale; they don't have to feature her.....in fact, you don't have to notice she's there at all if you don't want to, yet she's a member of the roster....and therefore a part of WM30.
That's the way to run a sports entertainment company.

Maybe, but this also could prove to be a giant clusterfuck of a card. 30 guys in one match, 14 in another, 8 in another, 6 in one, and 3 in the main event. We're only getting 3 singles matches which is a farcry from most WrestleManias. Then again, it wasn't as bad as WrestleMania 2000 where there was only 1 singles bout and it was a divas match!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'm wondering if this is more Triple H's influence than anything else. While Vince has been involved in wrestling for most of his life, he isn't a wrestler and Triple H is. Trips has a perspective and insight that Vince simply can't have because Vince hasn't traveled a couple million miles of hard road the way Trips has. Getting a spot at WrestleMania, no matter how small, will be the highlight of the year for some of the talent. They'll get a share of the WrestleMania payday and they'll be featured on the biggest show of the year. Something like that can be good for morale, especially for lower card wrestlers. Not everybody can be a star and not everybody can be pushed, but that doesn't mean the company can't show its appreciation for how hard the lower card works by throwing them a bone now and then. Besides, now fans can't bitch about how unfair it is that guys like Brock Lesnar or The Undertaker pop up to take such high profile spots and knock other guys out of a WrestleMania payday.

Last year, with the exception of The Rock, there was very little celebrity involvement with WrestleMania and there doesn't look like there's going to much this year. That's the way it should be, in my opinion. It's called WrestleMania for a reason, the wrestlers are supposed to be the center of attention. The only involvement of celebrity to any degree I'm aware of will be Mark Crozer performing "Live In Fear" as Bray Wyatt comes to the ring for his match against John Cena. Has there been any announcement as to who'll sing America The Beautiful at the show this year?

 

[MCMG]

I'm kind of split on this matter. I understand rewarding the superstars who go through a lot during a year in a physical job but they do get paid to do it. I mean, Justin Gabriel and Rosa Mendes aren't good enough for every other show of the year so why on earth do they appear atTHE biggest show of the year. There is a gap in logic there.

They need 30 men for the battle royal, I accept that. I'd much prefer using legends who have had decent careers and can at least bring back some memories. The divas match is a lost cause and Los Matadores I can accept.

Hornswggle doesn't really count. Tyson Kidd barely features so I put him in the "JTG" category but I suppose he appear in the battle royal. Woods I'm not sure about but, again, he could make an appearance. It seems to me they are setting up Barrett for a Stunner. Maybe Sweet Chin Music. I wouldn't mind a Sharpshooter either.

Using the entire roster is considerate but this is Wrestlemania and should generally be reserved for people who deserve it or indeed have any kind of marketability.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Using the entire roster is considerate but this is Wrestlemania and should generally be reserved for people who deserve it or indeed have any kind of marketability.

I tend to agree. I really don't get why they feel like they need to add EVERYBODY. Having 1 big battle royal is okay, but shoehorning in 28 other people in 3 matches? That's crazy.

Hornswggle doesn't really count. Tyson Kidd barely features so I put him in the "JTG" category but I suppose he appear in the battle royal. Woods I'm not sure about but, again, he could make an appearance.

I was actually wondering about who from the main roster is left, and did some research to figure out where the other guys stand.

It looks like neither Ezekiel, Curt, David, JTG, Yoshi haven't has a match on TV in over a year. Ricardo, Camacho and Tyson have been MIA for ~5 months. And Evan Bourne has been gone for 2 years! Hornswoggle hasn't had a match in almost a year either, but he at least popped up for the St. Patty's Raw.

Their misuse of Tyson Kidd boggles my mind, considering he's a regular on Total Divas. He hasn't appeared in 4 months. One would assume WWE would try to cross-promote the show by featuring him with Nattie on Raw or at least Smackdown.

As for Woods, It looks like he's been sent back to NXT. He stopped tagging with Truth on live events over a month ago, and hasn't been seen outside of NXT since.

It seems to me they are setting up Barrett for a Stunner. Maybe Sweet Chin Music. I wouldn't mind a Sharpshooter either.

I'm thinking it would probably be a Hogan legdrop or clothesline. Too bad Bad News Brown passed away a few years ago. It would've been cool to have him come back for a Ghetto Blaster.