The problem with Get Everyone On The Card matches

[Wald]

I was sitting back yesterday and wondering about the women's match for next year's Wrestlemania and what would be the ideal scenario. For me I'd go with one of three matches, each of them would be for the women's title as well.

Sascha Banks vs Bayley
Sascha Banks vs Charlotte
Sascha Banks vs Paige

If I had to pick one of those that would be most likely I'd probably go with the Paige and Sascha match. All three would be good to excellent anyway and worthy of being on the card. But then I realised that this is WWE and that they will probably go with a multi-woman match. A battle royale for the title or an eight person tag match or something.

Now on the face of it that isn't such a bad thing for the company to do for its employees. It rewards them for working hard throughout the year by getting them on the most important card of the year. The problem I have with it is the problem I have with a lot of aspects in our society today (chiefly education but that's another issue) in that it rewards everyone regardless of effort or ability. The 'We're All Winners' mentality that is just everywhere today. That takes away the primary incentive for bettering yourself.

I pick the women's match because the men have more options. If Kevin Owens, Ryback or whoever is in the Andre Battle Royale this year well then they still have something to aim for next year, be it the world title match or one of the other premier singles matches. For the women it's different though. I can't see Vince booking two women's matches on the card so they really only have one slot to go for (unless the kick off show is changed in format to allow two matches during the hour). That means they're all likely to get crammed in to one match regardless of their reactions heading in to the event or the matches they've put on within the past year.

This problem has come more into focus this year because of Sascha Banks. Wrestling is subjective but by most people's standards her matches with Bayley rank near the top of any Match of the Year poll so far (I could easily be persuaded that they had two of the five best matches this year for example). Her reactions are very strong and growing and, basically, she deserves a showcase match at Wrestlemania, something she won't get off a multi-woman match.

Not having a singles match for the title also takes away another aspect of wrestler improvement too. Lets say Sascha v Paige is the match set for Mania. Well how pissed off do you think everyone from Nikki to Bayley to Charlotte, Becky and Natalya will be at being left off the card? Go back and listen to all of the top guys talking about their motivations and you'll hear Austin being pissed that Hogan's guys took his spot in WCW, you'll see Punk saying Miz being put in the Mania event drove him on, Bret talking about how he knew he was better than the main event guys in '92 and so on. Wrestlers need to be pissed off or protective about their spots for them to achieve greatness. It's why Vince should rethink his policy of getting everyone on the Wrestlemania card.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

This is yet another of those situations in which WWE simply can't please everyone. In this case, those they should be concerned about pleasing are the wrestlers themselves and I think they're right to include them all in the biggest show, thereby the biggest payday, of the year. Whenever WWE hasn't used everyone, wrestlers bitch, insiders bitch, fans bitch; so it's pretty much business as usual.

Having all the wrestlers have a share of the WM payday is good for morale and morale's obviously important. Sometimes, morale of the employees has to be put ahead of just about anything else. Besides, WrestleMania itself is 4 hours long, not including a 2 hour kickoff show which is where the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal took place for WrestleMania XXXI. For some wrestlers, appearing in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will be the highlight of their entire year; the problem is that winning said battle royal means absolutely nothing as the winner of the trophy doesn't see an improvement in where their career is going.

As for the women, a women's match between Sasha and Bayley could potentially steal the entire show if allowed to happen. Vince is still pretty sexist in his perspective of women and that's why I don't think the women's match will be given as much priority. I think Vince would find it embarrassing for the women to steal the show because it'd be a slap in the face to that macho ego of his. Have a Lumerjill match, keep all the shenanigans with the women outside to a minimum and keep the focus on the two women wrestling.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Her reactions are very strong and growing and, basically, she deserves a showcase match at Wrestlemania, something she won't get off a multi-woman match.

That's true, yet if Sasha has an ongoing program that's so compelling it needs a showcase of it's own at the big event, I think it's fine to give it to her and let the rest of the gals get one big match of their own.

I think it's important to get everyone in on the WM action. It's the biggest extravaganza of the year.....and a 4 hour program. The fans should get to see everyone and the performers should all get a chance to appear before the WM crowd.

As far as the wrestlers go, if WWE were saying: "OK, we can't get you on the card, but you'll be receiving a WM share anyway" I would be disappointed in a performer who was satisfied with that. They're here to strut their stuff, not just make money, although if someone is left off the card by management, it would be good to give them their share, anyway.

What happens at every other PPV is what happens, but I feel WM should feature 'em all.

 

[Un-Bo-Lievable Jeff]

I do find it interesting that you have focused on the Diva's matches, rather than the multi tag matches on the pre-show that include several stars.

I think ground has been broken recently in the women's wrestling division. The NXT iron man/woman match was new. And have they not offered two diva's matches on some Raw's?

A big problem in the past was the level at which the diva's could wrestle. They had very few solid performers who could put on a good match. Sometimes there were a couple, but you can only watch them fight so many times before it becomes boring.

You now have 5-6 solid diva's in WWE, and a couple such as Nikki Bella are improving and I would say some of the matches are at a better standard.

If this continues, I don't see why there wouldn't be two diva's matches at wrestlemania that actually mean something.

 

[kadroan]

I was sitting back yesterday and wondering about the women's match for next year's Wrestlemania and what would be the ideal scenario. For me I'd go with one of three matches, each of them would be for the women's title as well.

Sascha Banks vs Bayley
Sascha Banks vs Charlotte
Sascha Banks vs Paige

If I had to pick one of those that would be most likely I'd probably go with the Paige and Sascha match. All three would be good to excellent anyway and worthy of being on the card. But then I realised that this is WWE and that they will probably go with a multi-woman match. A battle royale for the title or an eight person tag match or something.

Now on the face of it that isn't such a bad thing for the company to do for its employees. It rewards them for working hard throughout the year by getting them on the most important card of the year. The problem I have with it is the problem I have with a lot of aspects in our society today (chiefly education but that's another issue) in that it rewards everyone regardless of effort or ability. The 'We're All Winners' mentality that is just everywhere today. That takes away the primary incentive for bettering yourself.

I pick the women's match because the men have more options. If Kevin Owens, Ryback or whoever is in the Andre Battle Royale this year well then they still have something to aim for next year, be it the world title match or one of the other premier singles matches. For the women it's different though. I can't see Vince booking two women's matches on the card so they really only have one slot to go for (unless the kick off show is changed in format to allow two matches during the hour). That means they're all likely to get crammed in to one match regardless of their reactions heading in to the event or the matches they've put on within the past year.

This problem has come more into focus this year because of Sascha Banks. Wrestling is subjective but by most people's standards her matches with Bayley rank near the top of any Match of the Year poll so far (I could easily be persuaded that they had two of the five best matches this year for example). Her reactions are very strong and growing and, basically, she deserves a showcase match at Wrestlemania, something she won't get off a multi-woman match.

Not having a singles match for the title also takes away another aspect of wrestler improvement too. Lets say Sascha v Paige is the match set for Mania. Well how pissed off do you think everyone from Nikki to Bayley to Charlotte, Becky and Natalya will be at being left off the card? Go back and listen to all of the top guys talking about their motivations and you'll hear Austin being pissed that Hogan's guys took his spot in WCW, you'll see Punk saying Miz being put in the Mania event drove him on, Bret talking about how he knew he was better than the main event guys in '92 and so on. Wrestlers need to be pissed off or protective about their spots for them to achieve greatness. It's why Vince should rethink his policy of getting everyone on the Wrestlemania card.

It sucks because the WM card is so limited with all the part timers coming back. I remember there was supposed to be a rumored Bella Twins vs. Trish/Lita match at WM which I could see happening. Meanwhile, they throw all the other Divas in a battle royal or have them ringside during the match.

I understand the business aspect of it, Trish/Lita = money. I would prefer to see Sasha vs. Paige vs. Nikki Bella, the three big faces of the Divas division over the past 2 years.

 

[d_henderson1810]

This is yet another of those situations in which WWE simply can't please everyone. In this case, those they should be concerned about pleasing are the wrestlers themselves and I think they're right to include them all in the biggest show, thereby the biggest payday, of the year. Whenever WWE hasn't used everyone, wrestlers bitch, insiders bitch, fans bitch; so it's pretty much business as usual.

Having all the wrestlers have a share of the WM payday is good for morale and morale's obviously important. Sometimes, morale of the employees has to be put ahead of just about anything else. Besides, WrestleMania itself is 4 hours long, not including a 2 hour kickoff show which is where the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal took place for WrestleMania XXXI. For some wrestlers, appearing in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will be the highlight of their entire year; the problem is that winning said battle royal means absolutely nothing as the winner of the trophy doesn't see an improvement in where their career is going.

As for the women, a women's match between Sasha and Bayley could potentially steal the entire show if allowed to happen. Vince is still pretty sexist in his perspective of women and that's why I don't think the women's match will be given as much priority. I think Vince would find it embarrassing for the women to steal the show because it'd be a slap in the face to that macho ego of his. Have a Lumerjill match, keep all the shenanigans with the women outside to a minimum and keep the focus on the two women wrestling.

Bayley won't wrestle at Wrestlemania 32, since she hasn't even appeared on "Raw" or "Smackdown" yet, and hasn't been part of this "Divas Revolution". Unless she comes up in the next three months, they won't have Bayley be in the only Divas match at its biggest card of the year, no matter how much NXT fanboys wish for it. (Personally, I think that the "Divas Revolution" should have had a fourth faction, consisting of Emma, Natalya and Bayley).

I think instead it will be a Fatal-4-Way WWE Divas Match with Charlotte, Nikki Bella, Paige & Sasha Banks. These four women have been given the biggest pushes so far, and have gone ahead of everyone else in where they sit in the scheme of things.

 

[d_henderson1810]

It sucks because the WM card is so limited with all the part timers coming back. I remember there was supposed to be a rumored Bella Twins vs. Trish/Lita match at WM which I could see happening. Meanwhile, they throw all the other Divas in a battle royal or have them ringside during the match.

I understand the business aspect of it, Trish/Lita = money. I would prefer to see Sasha vs. Paige vs. Nikki Bella, the three big faces of the Divas division over the past 2 years.

Hey, it used to be worse once.

Be thankful that WWE went away from having Divas pose for Playboy. I remember every year, for four years straight, the WM Divas Match was the champion versus the Playboy Diva, and a Diva like Mickie James, who was the biggest face on the roster, was kept away from a WM match two years in a row.

Did you know that Mickie James had only ONE Wrestlemania match- against Trish at Wrestlemania 22. Yet Ashley Massaro, who was a worse Diva both on the mike and in the ring (and the most talentless in-ring Diva performer I have seen in 30 years of watching wrestling) got TWO Wrestlemania matches, because she shed her clothes in two "Playboy" spreads.

Now, WWE did it for money, and to promote the "Playboy" issue, but it lead to some Divas getting title shots at WM who didn't deserve it and others who did not getting them, because they didn't strip for "Playboy". When Torrie Wilson, Christy Hemme, Ashley Massaro, Maria and Candice Michelle are getting Wrestlemania slots ahead of Mickie James, then there is something wrong with the system.

 

[ShinChan]

I think they should give 2 matches to divas atleast at Wrestlemania...... they can easily do so if they want more interest to be made in their women division!

 

[whoopin' ass]

The problem isn't so much trying to fit everyone on the card, the problem is you have so many guys who "need" to be on the card no matter what that is screws up everyone else. With so few top talents actually leaving wwe, Vince already has a cetain number of matches that he is going to put on the card - Cena vs x, Orton vs x. Taker vs x, HHH vs x. Right there is half your Mania card and at times it gets worse since last few years Lesnar needs a match as well. But they also have guys they want to push who need matches so there are another couple matches. What are you left with? So they toss a bunch of guys into a battle royal, give the divas 10 minutes and there is Mania. Sometimes there is variation but not much - at least 3 "must have" matches are always on the card and get a ton of the time. This wasn't a big deal in the past because people left and went to WCW so you were constantly changing your stars around. Austin was a "main event" in 4 Mania matches from 1998-2003(not always for the title), Cena has main evented and been in WWE/Title matches every Mania since 2005 with the exception of 1 year(his Wyatt match). Because these guys never leave, they have to be put on the card and it messes everyone else so you get those dumb battle royals but they are necessary to keep the rest of the guys happy. Simple solution is to not include some of these guys anymore. HHH doesn't need a Mania match. Cena or Orton can skip the match and appear at the end as a way to set up an angle. That frees up some space and allows you to give the divas and others more time. It is so weird that they expanded Mania to 4 hours, put on pre-event matches and yet there still isn't enough time.