WM29: Aftermath and General Discussion

[rge2010]

I am sad that WWE have gone to P Diddy for 'Coming home' as their theme tune. I suppose it makes sense. Maybe next year they can use The Scripts 'Hall Of Fame'...that song has meaning and is apt!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtgoDXEOxTM

 

[Killercam]

I just got back into wrestling after a 7-8 year hiatus and got back into it when I heard Rock was coming back to host 27. It took me a while (and patience) to get to know most of the roster since most of the guys were new to me, but eventually got back into it. But I have to say the way this card is shaping up is gonna be a make or break for me. If all we get is rematches with Rock-Cena, HHH-Brock then that is a huge fail in my opinion. Hopefully we will get Punk-Taker because I feel like with Taker returning at that house show and Punk basically left with nothing as of now then a match with those two is the obvious plan. Punk-Taker is a WM dream match, however there is going to be very little time to build up an emotional feud and Taker looks fat and hasn't fully recovered since his surgeries. This would be the match that makes me spend the $ on the show (other than it being WrestleMania) but I won't even be expecting a good match. Then we have Del-Rio, Swagger and this is God-awful in every way, Del Rio is a terrible face IMO and Swaggers push is just too sudden (even though the storyline has potential this should be a match made for an event in South America, not NYC). Everything elsecon the card is pure speculation, you can't even point towards an obvious match being made too end a feud because booking is so poor they haven't built anything up properly for a WM blow-off. So it looks like we have two rematches, a bad World Title match and the only possible saving grace (punk-taker) will probably end with the best wrestler in the game loosing to an over-weight 50 year old (with all due respect to Taker). I hope they can pull something out of their ass (they usually do) but I think we may look back on this one as one that coulda, shoulda been a lot better. I just hope I get my $'s worth

 

[Nadeem Ahmad]

There really is barely anything intriguing about it so far, but I'll be one of the few people to think that Triple H versus Brock Lesnar could be somewhat impressive. The thing is, that when I first read about this Wrestlemania being planned for New Jersey last year, I didn't even want to go to it back then, and I live about forty-five minutes away to an hour away, when there is not a lot of traffic. Unless they bring back some people who can actually wrestle well, like Drew McIntyre and Wade Barrett, I probably won't even watch clips of it. Still, with the shoddy booking the WWE uses these days, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Three Man Band make it on the non-airing portion of the show.

...Del Rio is a terrible face IMO and Swaggers push is just too sudden (even though the storyline has potential this should be a match made for an event in South America, not NYC).

Actually, in the tri-state area, there is a large Latino / Latina fanbase, so the place seems fitting.

 

[smizzy]

You will get your money's worth..it's Mania.

Rock vs Cena will be great. Brock vs Triple H will be great.
Presumably; Punk vs. Taker will be phenomenal. (No pun intended)
The Shield and Ryback will surely make the most of their first Mania.
Del Rio is getting a good face response and I'm sure the match will be very solid. Not to mention with Ziggler lurking.
Cesaro is gonna pull off some jaw dropping moves.

Oh. And it's Mania.

 

[The Butcher]

Looks fine to me. I've long lobbied for Rock/Cena II. A triple threat would've diluted affairs. They're the two biggest stars in the industry, and I enjoyed their match last year.

I didn't want Triple H/Lesnar II, but I don't make those decisions. They're both talented storytellers, so at least I know I won't be getting ripped off. And there's always the chance that they steal the show and make me actually want a third match.

Whatever 'Taker does is fine by me. If he indeed faces CM Punk then sign me up right now. Like I've said elsewhere, Undertaker is gonna have to be a lot fatter and balder than he is now for me to stop being a fan.

Swagger/Del Rio has been a breath of fresh air, storyline-wise. I've enjoyed every moment of it. They're both good hands and both have guys in their corner who could get involved. Plus Ziggler and his briefcase loom large over this match.

And, as Jake so eloquently said, "it's 'Mania." I mean, come the hell on. No offense intended to anyone who has or will comment here, but I think some wrestling fans actively try to ruin the fun for themselves. Sad too, because WWE is delivering the goods.

 

[Killercam]

I thought the Rock-Cena year long build for last years Mania was epic, and yes it did deliver, but put me in the category of people who don't want to see a part II, which is probably why I think they've dropped the bal on this one (of course Cena fans want to see it and I understand that). If they knew they had Rock committed to this years Mania and wanted a title run for the Rock they should have booked him to win the title at SummerSlam, then have Punk get it back around Survivor Series and if you absolutely HAVE to put the strap back on Cena then you could have Punk drop the title to Cena at Mania (and just not booked the two against each other the past year so the match is somewhat fresh). Then, you could have booked Rock-Taker and you would still have Brock-HHH (even though I would rather see HBK come back to take on Brock). Like I said, I have faith WWE will put on a good show, I would just prefer the main-events to not be rematches from 28 and last years SummerSlam. And as far as Del Rio/Swagger, it is at least something fresh but make it a flag match or something and let more worthy/over guys go at it for the world title (this match is going to built more around politics than the title anyway). Another thing on the undercard that's going to be screwed up is either having Bryan and Kane in a singles match as tag champs (so we don't get a tag title match) or we get a tag title match with Hell No taking on some team they've beaten a hundred times. I'm sure everyone would have a different card if they could book the event but compared to what were going to get I think a little more planning and thinking outside the box (just a little) would have made for a more anticipated event.

 

[The Eighties]

This Mania is an easy pass for me, I just have no interest in the 3 top matches. I thought Cena vs Rock was very mediocre the first time around and this year doesn't even have the element of the unknown as regards to who will win. I can't stand Triple H and I'm huge fan of Brock, so I just wish he was wrestling someone else instead of being put in a rematch so Haitch can get his win back. Taker vs Punk could be good but there's not even the hint of doubt over the result and while I am a huge fan of Punk I don't think he's in a position right now to pose an interesting threat.

I'll probably catch Taker vs Punk and The Shield's match on youtube later in the week but there's nothing here I'd shell out money for.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Some people complain that they are getting rematches. I just watched Punk/Cena 5?6?7? I don't know anymore and it was terrific. For me HHH (old guy) vs UT (older guy) fight at WM for the third time last year was my favorite match of my adult life. We are still many weeks away from Mania. If this were boxing, MMA or the frickin' Super Bowl everyone and their moms would be excited to have a rivalry. When WWE does it, we bitch about that it is stale or not thinking outside the box. People bitch about predictability, maybe your too mature for it, or maybe you have to accept that there are only two guys and one is likely to win, or remember every movie you watched where the good guys won. It's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase.

If you can't get excited for this Mania then you probably have no business watching WWE anymore. It's going to be a great show, I'm sorry we won't get to chat about it at our next BBQ.

 

[scomvp316]

I think WWE is over analyzing Rock/Cena despite the exceptional buyrate from last year. Everyone knows Rock is going to drop the belt to Cena because of Rock's work schedule. Yes we all know wrestling is fake but it wouldn't surprise me if this match gets alot of boos from the live crowd. I am going to try my best to try and get back to enjoy wrestling like I use to instead of being a critic. HHH/Lesnar would be great inside HIAC in a last man standing match. If Punk loses to UT Punk should come closer to a win than HHH and HBK. Something like after four GTS Taker still kicks out and then Taker goes on to the win with a Tombstone. I would prefer Punk winning as Taker would put Punk over and by SSlam Punk would be a face going against Lesnar and by next WM Punk would go through the Shield because I think Punk/Ambrose could be classics

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Some people complain that they are getting rematches. I just watched Punk/Cena 5?6?7? I don't know anymore and it was terrific. For me HHH (old guy) vs UT (older guy) fight at WM for the third time last year was my favorite match of my adult life. We are still many weeks away from Mania. If this were boxing, MMA or the frickin' Super Bowl everyone and their moms would be excited to have a rivalry. When WWE does it, we bitch about that it is stale or not thinking outside the box. People bitch about predictability, maybe your too mature for it, or maybe you have to accept that there are only two guys and one is likely to win, or remember every movie you watched where the good guys won. It's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase.

If you can't get excited for this Mania then you probably have no business watching WWE anymore. It's going to be a great show, I'm sorry we won't get to chat about it at our next BBQ.

I completely agree with this statement. Here is how Mania is looking to shape up thus far:

WWE Championship: John Cena vs. The Rock - Given that The Rock is being advertised to appear at the Extreme Rules ppv, the outcome of this match is no longer a guaranteed John Cena victory. I still think that Cena will walk out with a win but win or lose, this match will still be highly entertaining and will probably have the huge New York crowd frothing at the mouth.

World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger - Del Rio is finally interesting again. He feels fresh as a babyface, in my opinion, and has momentum. Again, something he hasn't really had in a long time. Zeb Coulter has elevated Jack Swagger to a different level. Coulter is a great mouthpiece and this angle featuring him & Swagger has been the most genuinely controversial angle wrestling has seen in years. On top of all that, Del Rio & Swagger are both damn good in the ring.

Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar - While this match hasn't been signed officially, we all know it's coming. This match will be extremely physical and I expect it to be under some sort of no disqualification stipulation. I wasn't all that excited about this prospect but the execution of the start up towards this match on Raw last Monday was about as close to perfect as it gets.

The Undertaker vs. CM Punk - I think it's pretty much a done deal that Taker is coming back, otherwise they wouldn't have shown that brief clip of Taker's entrance at that house show in Waco this past Monday night on Raw. Punk's promo used words like "immortal" and "icon" so, to me at least, that suggests that it will be Taker vs. Punk. I think Taker will pop up on Old School Raw this Monday. It's true that Taker is hurt and has been for a while, but if anyone in wrestling is going to be able to help carry Taker in a match that can steal the show, it's CM Punk.

Sheamus, Randy Orton & Partner vs. The Shield - This is an assumption on my part, but I think it's going to go down. Sheamus & Orton coordinated an attack on The Shield last Monday night. At this time of year, just about everything significant that takes place in the ring has WrestleMania implications. We've seen The Shield wrestle three times in WWE thus far and in all three matches, they pretty much stole the show. If there is another six man tag match featuring The Shield at 'Mania, I have little doubt that they can put on another huge performance.

These five guaranteed and/or probable matches, all of them have me highly anticipating WrestleMania. All of them have the potential to steal the show and deliver extremely high quality action. If that's not enough to excite you then, frankly, you might as well just stop watching WWE altogether.

 

[The Eighties]

I'm always happy to see fans looking forward to any show, I've never saw the point in the "How the hell can you look forward to that card?" attitude, but by the same token I don't see how not fancying a card means you can't enjoy WWE at all.

Barber makes a good point about maybe being too old really enjoy wrestling as it's truly meant to be, I actually have only just started watching again after taking a rest from it for 5 months, but I personally still enjoy enough matches and segments that I don't see why it's wrong to just pick and choose what I watch and skip a PPV that doesn't interest me, as opposed to not watching at all.

 

[Master JM]

Bullshit - you'll watch and enjoy it no matter how the card shapes up, and you know it. I'm not seeing the reasons for your complaints, quite frankly, because right now, every match has a good reason for hype. Take a look:

-Rock vs. Cena, which is only their SECOND match, yet people are treating it as if it's their 398338th. No matter how obvious the outcome is, if it's not exciting in your eyes, you need a re-evaluation. This is THE BIGGEST match you can possibly have right now.

-Swagger vs. Del Rio, which is not only a fresh matchup between two people who can deliver a good match with their eyes closed (OK, maybe I wouldn't go that far), but also one of the more controversial and compelling angles in recent years, augmented further by that Glenn Beck fiasco.

-Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar. Again, only the second match. Again, the rather obvious outcome means piss-all. It will be a great story to watch and the match will kick all kinds of ass with Brock Lesnar and Triple H's haircut killing each other repeatedly with whatever gimmick they get.

-CM Punk vs. Undertaker. You complain that Punk is losing to a 50 year old man. IT'S THE UNDERTAKER, who Punk has no business beating at Wrestlemania. Merely fighting the Deadman at 'Mania is enough of a rub for Punk, and he will definitely recover and will not get buried. Also, the match will not suck. If you think that 'Taker would wrestle a bad 'Mania match in this day and age, re-evaluate yourself. Again.

Don't constantly look at the negatives, and enjoy the fact that the biggest damn wrestling event of the year is coming. Of course it's shaping up to be a good fucking 'Mania, you wild troglodyte. To say that it's not is balderdash of epic proportions.

(Don't be offended by this, I get sad when I offend people)

 

[Elchicano15]

I would have to disagree. I think this year's mania will be pretty good. I think I'm one of the few that would rather have Rock/Cena 2 then Punk added to make it a triple threat. Mainly because I'd like to see Taker/Punk (God lol) which I think will defiantly be match of the night, and frankly the reason why I would be ordering this PPV. I can't help to think should the streak ever end Punk would be the best choice to end it. I always thought the streak never should end but Punk would make a lot of sense to be the person to end it.

Rock/Cena 2 can be very interesting. With talks that Rock may still be around for Extreme Rules I wouldn't be surprised if he walks out as champ. Another interesting twist to all this is if they ever were going to make Cena heel, that night would be the perfect time to do it on the grand stage at Metlife, especially with the heat Cena will get from NY/NJ crowd.

Alberto Del Rio vs Jack Swagger has another potential to be match of the night. I really like the direction of Swagger's new character and the more aggressive side he brings to the ring. Sucks that he got arrested. I don't see him winning the title that night. Ziggler will probably cash in on Del Rio. I do hope Swagger can possibly get another run though.

Brock Lesnar vs Triple H is almost a sure thing, and that's ok. Both these performers will take each other to the limit. There will be blood.

I actually now think the shield may go against The New Age Outlaws and Randy Orton. With the promo the shield made on monday about "No army can take us down" I couldn't help thinking DX Army to add nostalgia. Randy Orton may turn heel by taking out the loss on the outlaws.

Sheamus vs Wade Barrett seems likely. I don't think it'll be for the I.C title. More like a grudge match. Barrett may either drop the title before mania to someone else (due to Sheamus interfering or something) and add more fuel to the fire of this feud, or it may be just a non title grudge match. A feud between the two last year was kind of hinted which I thought was interesting.

Chris Jericho vs Ryback I still think may happen with Ryback turning heel over frustration with the shield.

Booker T/Big Show I still believe can possibly turn into a one one or like what someone mentioned in another thread Team Booker vs Team show. You gotta throw in some of your mid card stars

IC Title/U.S Title THrow more of your midcarders in a match. I was watching WM 2000 just last night and it would be interesting to have like a 4 Coroners 2 fall match for both titles similiar to what they did with the Euro and I.C title with Kurt Angle. It throws other stars on the card.

Team Hell No is on the road to break up. It may happen at the event.

I think AJ is the only opponent left for Katelyn to take on for the Diva's title

And finally this year's class of the HOF is another reason why I want to see Mania.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I'm always happy to see fans looking forward to any show, I've never saw the point in the "How the hell can you look forward to that card?" attitude, but by the same token I don't see how not fancying a card means you can't enjoy WWE at all.

Because I can't understand wanting to be a part of a product that disappoints so often. It seems masochistic. We are talking about the biggest matches on the biggest card of the year. You complain about predictability but other than Swagger/Del Rio, I can't see how you've sat through WWE lately without at least knowing there is a high probability that they were building to the card being put in front of you. A card that is not exactly set and could have some terrific selling points in the next month.

Barber makes a good point about maybe being too old really enjoy wrestling as it's truly meant to be, I actually have only just started watching again after taking a rest from it for 5 months, but I personally still enjoy enough matches and segments that I don't see why it's wrong to just pick and choose what I watch and skip a PPV that doesn't interest me, as opposed to not watching at all.

Trust me, I get it. I watch 90% of Raw on DVR. Of that 90% I fast forward through 25%. I will probably not watch the first hour of Mania so I can put my kids to bed. I would understand if you and others came out and said that Mania didn't interest you enough to pay for it but as long as people are sitting through the clusterfuck of ups and downs that is Raw, it makes no sense (other than money) that someone would not be interested in this WM card. This card is stacked with talent, stories, history, and unknowns. Five weeks before last year's show I wasn't overwhelmingly interested. In the end I thought they blew the roof off with action and surprises. At times I felt like that kid again that marked out when Hogan slammed Andre.

You guys don't have to watch but I know you're more interested than you are pretending to be. You on the internet talking about it.


WWE should hire me to hold and be the main inspirational speaker at Negative Nancy Conventions

 

[The Eighties]

Because I can't understand wanting to be a part of a product that disappoints so often. It seems masochistic. We are talking about the biggest matches on the biggest card of the year. You complain about predictability but other than Swagger/Del Rio, I can't see how you've sat through WWE lately without at least knowing there is a high probability that they were building to the card being put in front of you. A card that is not exactly set and could have some terrific selling points in the next month.

Oh yeah I knew what card they were building towards but I enjoyed some of the steps along the way. I guess I've just reached a point where I can watch what I want and then read the results of the stuff I choose to skip, and never really feel like I'm missing anything. I don't get annoyed when it doesn't go how I wanted, I just simply step away and wait for it to reach the next cycle of programs, hoping one might really catch my interest.

Trust me, I get it. I watch 90% of Raw on DVR. Of that 90% I fast forward through 25%. I will probably not watch the first hour of Mania so I can put my kids to bed. I would understand if you and others came out and said that Mania didn't interest you enough to pay for it but as long as people are sitting through the clusterfuck of ups and downs that is Raw, it makes no sense (other than money) that someone would not be interested in this WM card. This card is stacked with talent, stories, history, and unknowns. Five weeks before last year's show I wasn't overwhelmingly interested. In the end I thought they blew the roof off with action and surprises. At times I felt like that kid again that marked out when Hogan slammed Andre.

You guys don't have to watch but I know you're more interested than you are pretending to be. You on the internet talking about it.

Yeah the money is a factor for sure, I mean it's one thing to scan through a free TV show to see the guys I like, but I'm not going to pay money to watch a show with matches at the top end I simply don't have any interest in seeing as the stories behind them and the direction they are heading is just not of any interest to me, however had I not sat through the clusterfuck that has led here I'd have missed a couple of great Punk/Rock promos, Lesnar F5'ing Vince and that fantastic Cena vs Punk match from this past Monday. To me that's enough positives to stick the TV on in the background each Monday and watch some decent free wrestling.

Some may be more interested than they are pretending to be, I just like a bit of wrestling discussion such as this.

 

[Rocky84]

Some people complain that they are getting rematches. I just watched Punk/Cena 5?6?7? I don't know anymore and it was terrific. For me HHH (old guy) vs UT (older guy) fight at WM for the third time last year was my favorite match of my adult life. We are still many weeks away from Mania. If this were boxing, MMA or the frickin' Super Bowl everyone and their moms would be excited to have a rivalry. When WWE does it, we bitch about that it is stale or not thinking outside the box. People bitch about predictability, maybe your too mature for it, or maybe you have to accept that there are only two guys and one is likely to win, or remember every movie you watched where the good guys won. It's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase.

If you can't get excited for this Mania then you probably have no business watching WWE anymore. It's going to be a great show, I'm sorry we won't get to chat about it at our next BBQ.

I think you're getting a little too carried away here dude. Not to mention a little too angry.

How can you act like people have no right to be upset? There are more people from what I've seen who don't want to see it than who do want to see it. Enough people to where JR himself needed to address it in his blog. Of course he had to say something positive about it though..it's his job. Difference here is that these rematches are from last years Mania main event, and this past Summer Slam main event. Plus the top star today in a match where it'll be 100% of a predictable outcome with Punk vs Taker.

It is completely different from a Superbowl etc because it's FAKE. Football and basketball, MMA, etc are not pre-determined! So the excitement is real when there is top notch competitors going at it. Horrible comparison dude.

The Rock and Cena is nothing like The Rock and Austin. Those fueds were completely different every single time. Completely different in terms of storyline, character, and situation. Plus they weren't back to back. Cena isn't near Austin's level either.

With The Rock and Cena II...NOTHING has changed. Just a belt. That's pathetic imo. Same goes for HHH and Brock....wtf changed here?? It's the same thing. Punk vs Taker=predictable, and with Taker being so out of shape, and injured, I'm not excited at all about the match. I thought a street fight type match with Brock would have been a little more fitting.

Usually when you are upset about one match, you can say hey, you know what, at least we have a few other top exciting matches left. Not this time. All the top ones are bad. The matches may be decent or good, but when I know what the outcome is going to be, it kills the excitement entirely. That's not hard to understand.

For you to be angry at others for being understandably upset, is ridiculous. Seriously. I had no idea what things were shaping up to be this year. Hell, I thought Austin was going to come back and wrestle Punk, and was thinking a Rock vs Brock match made perfect sense. Could've had Cena vs Taker or Jericho, and HHH vs Ryback as a heel. That would have been a much better card imo, but obviously didn't work out that way.

Bottom line, it's just ridiculous for people to criticize others for not liking it. Of course all the Cena lovers/Part timer haters will enjoy Rock and Brock losing, but news flash, it's fake, and the part everyone else wanted to enjoy was not knowing the outcome. That's where the excitement comes in. Not in a guaranteed win.

Like the OP said, the big $ this thing will cost will not be worth it if you feel as I do. And let's face it, Mania isn't always what it's cracked up to be...there's been quite a few disappointments since it's creation. And this one definitely seems like one of them. The Mania label doesn't guarantee a great event sorry. And to sit here and defend it like it's always perfect is wrong...no show is ever perfect, and it's our right as fans to voice our opinion without being chastised for it.

 

[deadtaker]

I am not looking forward to Wrestlemania this year. The announced matches and potential matches don't work for me. The outcome, build up, and results all seem to be lackluster or uninteresting.

John Cena vs The Rock was interesting the first time. Similar to how The Rock vs Hulk Hogan ten years ago was interesting. Adding the title this year doesn't make it more important or appealing. Does anyone expect The Rock to win? Does the feud and build up add to anything different from last year. I am also wary that they have a different match from last year.

Brock Lesner vs HHH in a repeat match from Summerslam. What is the point of this match besides the fact they are well known wrestlers. The winner of this match gains nothing, there is nothing to feud about. They are fighting for the sake of fighting and thats it. Once the Match is over both will disappear for months

Del Rio vs Jack Swagger for the WHC in another thrown together match between a guy whose been gone for a few months and a guy many don't really see as a main event guy. The title is secondary to the WWE title in everyone's mind including those in management. Del Rio spent much of last year losing to Sheamus for the WHC and Swagger spent last year losing to guys like Santino. Nobody cares who wins

CM Punk vs Undertaker is a consolation prize for Punk carrying the title for over a year and being left out of the big match. What benefit is there to this match. Punk is in no man's land now that he is out of the title picture. Who else does he have to fight? Whats the benefit of this match? Undertaker will win but will be gone til next years Wrestlemania. How does that help CM Punk? This is also another match that has no reason for happening other than the fact they are big name guys. There is no build, and no benefit going into the summer.

Sheamus, Randy Orton and ??? vs The Shield in a match that will happen only because you need a spot for the top talent.

 

[The Butcher]

CM Punk vs Undertaker is a consolation prize for Punk carrying the title for over a year and being left out of the big match. What benefit is there to this match. Punk is in no man's land now that he is out of the title picture. Who else does he have to fight? Whats the benefit of this match? Undertaker will win but will be gone til next years Wrestlemania. How does that help CM Punk? This is also another match that has no reason for happening other than the fact they are big name guys. There is no build, and no benefit going into the summer.

I've got to disagree with this from top to bottom. For starters, if the getting the streak match is a consolation prize, what does that make everything else? For five WrestleManias running, the streak match has either headlined the show or been the best match on the show. Many hold the streak in higher regard than the WWE Championship and for good reason.

This match benefits CM Punk immensely, as well. You yourself chose "deadtaker" as a handle, so clearly you know who The Undertaker is. If it's still possible for any wrestler out there to give CM Punk the proverbial "rub," it's The Undertaker. To say there's no build... well no shit. It's February. WrestleMania is in April. That's more than enough time for CM Punk to say, "Screw the championship, been there, done that. Bring on The Undertaker." Then The Undertaker shows up and points at the WrestleMania sign. Match built. As much as people bitch about WWE's writing sometimes, I'm amazed anyone would want creative mucking up a bout between two all-time greats. And without a crystal ball and magic abilities unknown to modern man, you couldn't possibly know if it will benefit CM Punk going into the summer.

Everybody is entitled to their opinions, and I'm not here to defend this show. Order or don't, I gives a damn. I stand by what I said earlier, though. I think some of you aren't even giving the show a chance, and that is unfortunate. Is WrestleMania always great? No. But WrestleMania is the Super Bowl of professional wrestling, and if you're a fan then you shouldn't dismiss the show out of hand more than a month in advance.

 

[scomvp316]

I am a huge wrestling fan so I buy and watch no matter what. I am trying to get back to what I loved about wrestling and shy away from being a critic. I want to enjoy wrestling again and like anyother form of entertainment whether its a tv show or a movie we all will never be totally satisfied. With UT apparently out of shape this works in Punk's favor as he will have to control the majority of the match. I can see UT kicking out of four straight GTS and even seeing Punk kick out of two choke slams but losing on a jumping Tombstone similar to UT's finish of HBK losing his career. At the end of this match I could even see Punk shoving Heyman and the Shield away as he shakes the UT's hand but instead UT give him a hug and raises his hand. If that happens Punk as a face will slowly begin towards SSlam

 

[Nadeem Ahmad]

Looks fine to me. I've long lobbied for Rock/Cena II. A triple threat would've diluted affairs. They're the two biggest stars in the industry, and I enjoyed their match last year.

It definitely would have declined the quality of the match, for sure. The problem is, that with them being the two biggest stars in the industry, something just doesn't feel right in terms of how they stack up against previous legends at Wrestlemania, like a Shawn Michaels or a Hulk Hogan, in terms of drawing people in. I don't mean that they won't bring interest, as they sure did last year with helping to set records, in terms of how many people bought abilities to see the event, and in terms of how much money was raised at the gate, but in the magnitude of sheer charisma and history in the business, these types of wrestlers don't come off like mega stars of the eighties. I feel like Rocky is more known for Hollywood anyway, but that thought is not what this thread is about. The match will maybe deliver though, as John Cena did bring some more energy back this Monday against C.M. Punk.

I didn't want Triple H/Lesnar II, but I don't make those decisions. They're both talented storytellers, so at least I know I won't be getting ripped off. And there's always the chance that they steal the show and make me actually want a third match.

Uh, they do seem to match up well against each other. This match might be the most impressive contest of the show, in terms of athletes with sheer strength.

Whatever 'Taker does is fine by me. If he indeed faces CM Punk then sign me up right now. Like I've said elsewhere, Undertaker is gonna have to be a lot fatter and balder than he is now for me to stop being a fan.

It's not so much the appearance of him that throws people off, but he will need to make it seem like a really hard hitting fight, to really keep the caliber of the streak going. I'm sure he could do it.

And, as Jake so eloquently said, "it's 'Mania." I mean, come the ____ on. No offense intended to anyone who has or will comment here, but I think some wrestling fans actively try to ruin the fun for themselves. Sad too, because WWE is delivering the goods.

OK, because you guys brought that part up, I'll give it another approach, but still don't want to pay for it, as only one match seems very interesting right now to me, and that is Lesnar versus Triple H.

Everybody is entitled to their opinions, and I'm not here to defend this show. Order or don't, I gives a ____. I stand by what I said earlier, though. I think some of you aren't even giving the show a chance, and that is unfortunate. Is WrestleMania always great? No. But WrestleMania is the Super Bowl of professional wrestling, and if you're a fan then you shouldn't dismiss the show out of hand more than a month in advance.

I know I wasn't giving it a chance, but now that a possible classic match seems more likely, in terms of C.M. Punk versus Undertaker, I'll try to maybe catch some of the matches in the future, but still don't think they are worth paying for, more than a few bucks on demand anyway. Now, if talented younger wrestlers like Wade Barrett and Drew McIntyre end up on the card, I might consider a rental after the event is released on a blue ray or something.

 

[Dysturbed]

If they knew they had Rock committed to this years Mania and wanted a title run for the Rock they should have booked him to win the title at SummerSlam, then have Punk get it back around Survivor Series

They shouldn't have though, because if they had booked him that way they would have had a no show since he was already commited to other things during that time period.

What benefit is there to this match. Punk is in no man's land now that he is out of the title picture. Who else does he have to fight? Whats the benefit of this match? Undertaker will win but will be gone til next years Wrestlemania. How does that help CM Punk?

At this point, as Taker nears the end of his career, he is only facing big names at WM and with each passing year the streak, despite being considered a redundant thing to many, gains more prestige. The fact that that Punk is considered a legit opponent for Taker is a benefit imo. Maybe, a short term one but still a benefit.

This is also another match that has no reason for happening other than the fact they are big name guys.

Imo that is a pretty good reason considering that one of the big name guys would want the match to try to accomplish something big and the other would want it to test their continued legitimacy against another top star.

Regardless, Punk has made it clear over the last couple of years how relevant the WWE title is to him and how much he wanted to get it, hold onto it, and get it back. The two main things (other than injury) that believably (storyline wise) would get someone with that passion for the title to stay away from it would be to 1) be forced out of the title picture, or 2) have his attention diverted by something or someone else. Number one happened on Raw, but it would still be fitting for him to complain about wanting to be a part of storyline wise and try to get back in it, if not for number two happening, apparently with the Undertaker. Punk has accomplihsed a lot in WWE already but there are at least three major goals that any wrestler currently on the roster would probably want. Those are being on the final match on the WM card, winning the rumble, and stopping Taker's streak at WM. The only time that anyone can try to or actually achieve those three benefits is once a year. If Punk wants to prove that he is best in the world then this is the closest opportunity to accomplish scratching the Taker thing off of his list. Of course, barring a surprise, he won't, but he and anyone else who faces Taker at WM believes that they can.

There is no build, and no benefit going into the summer.

More than a month and a half of build would be better, but even without being in the title picture, chances are that Punk will continue to get significant airtime on any given edition of Raw. Between that, possible SD appearances, and the inevitable repeteteive video packages, there will be a decent to good amount of buildup to the match. As for no benefit going into the Summer, not from that match but I see it this way as of now. The post WM ppv tends to consist of at least some Wrestlemania rematches. Punk vs Taker is probably unlikely for Extreme Rules meaning that Punk will have a new opponent, unlike many others, meaning that his feud may actally stick out a bit more since it would be the new feud. Plus, the yet to be named June ppv is in Rosemont (or as WWE calls it Chicago), meaning that, even if Punk isn't in the main event, he'll probably have some sort of prominence, which is a benefit.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I think you're getting a little too carried away here dude. Not to mention a little too angry.

Please don't mistake my tone for anger, I was taking a dump while typing.

How can you act like people have no right to be upset?

Not sure where I said people have no right to be upset. I just think people are full of shit or completely short-sided in their reasoning.

There are more people from what I've seen who don't want to see it than who do want to see it.

Who are your sample population? Are they fans of prior WM's? Do they watch Raw? Do they always decide whether or not to watch WM this far in advance?
Do they read books a quarter of the way through and decide the ending is going to suck so they rip the last few chapters out of the book?

Enough people to where JR himself needed to address it in his blog. Of course he had to say something positive about it though..it's his job.

I don't read JR's blog, was he wrong about anything?

Difference here is that these rematches are from last years Mania main event,

So you've never enjoyed a rematch before? You didn't enjoy Punk and Cena's rematch from Raw this week?

and this past Summer Slam main event.

Again, you've never enjoyed a rematch? You've never seen a rematch blow an original out of the water? HHH/Taker from last year did nothing to produce the slightest bit of increase blood flow in your nether regions?

Plus the top star today in a match where it'll be 100% of a predictable outcome with Punk vs Taker.

Are you saying Punk is WWE's biggest star? Regardless, how do you know Punk can't win? How do you even know Punk is facing the UT? Do you really think UT can do this forever? Is it so hard to believe Mr. Professional UT isn't willing to put over a guy before he walks out the door?

Did you really think WWE was going to let a movie star part-timer get a clean pin on their money making juggernaut last year?

It is completely different from a Superbowl etc because it's FAKE. Football and basketball, MMA, etc are not pre-determined! So the excitement is real when there is top notch competitors going at it. Horrible comparison dude.

Horrible ability to undertand the comparison dude. Did you stop watching Flair/Steamboat after their first bout? How about Rock/Austin? Mankind/UT? Flair/Sting? Hogan/Andre? Flair/Hogan? Lita/Trish? I know these are not all WM repeats but it doesn't mean it can't still deliver. This is a horrible argument.

The Rock and Cena is nothing like The Rock and Austin. Those fueds were completely different every single time. Completely different in terms of storyline, character, and situation. Plus they weren't back to back. Cena isn't near Austin's level either.

Not sure when I equated Austin and Cena.

With The Rock and Cena II...NOTHING has changed. Just a belt.

So by NOTHING you mean something.

That's pathetic imo.

Not pathetic but shortsighted is saying nothing has changed when they haven't even started feuding yet. Is it so hard to believe that WWE may have something in mind over the next month or do you really expect a repeat of last year's pre-match feud (which I thought was kind of a letdown)?

Same goes for HHH and Brock....wtf changed here?? It's the same thing.

They've had one brawl and there is a month left to go.

Punk vs Taker=predictable,

I don't agree with this but even if it is true, who cares? If unpredictability is important to you, you have no business watching a FAKE business like WWE. Even as a child I knew Hogan would win, it doesn't mean I didn't watch and just wait for the box score the next morning.

and with Taker being so out of shape, and injured,

You mean like last year? And the last 5 years of The Streak? Those years where he put on some of the best WM matches of the night? Plus, how do you know how injured and out of shape he is? Dirt sheets? A pic from Waco? Is he in your jazzercise class?

I'm not excited at all about the match. I thought a street fight type match with Brock would have been a little more fitting.

That would be enjoyable, maybe more than what Punk and UT can deliver. But even if there is something better out there it doesn't mean the match and event are not worth watching.

Usually when you are upset about one match, you can say hey, you know what, at least we have a few other top exciting matches left. Not this time. All the top ones are bad. The matches may be decent or good, but when I know what the outcome is going to be, it kills the excitement entirely. That's not hard to understand.

What are you willing to wager on each outcome? There are gambling sites that take small bets on WWE. I am not going to take your bet, but that's because I don't think things are nearly as predictable as you think. Certainly less predictable than 28.

For you to be angry at others for being understandably upset, is ridiculous.

It would be if I was angry. I understand people being upset. I was there at one point but I've thought more about and I think it is ridiculous that I've made some of these assumptions with the event so far away.

I was once like you, I was once like you.

Seriously. I had no idea what things were shaping up to be this year.

But you know who the main eventers are? You watch Raw? You have a computer? Sure there was a possibility of people moved here and there but I see no other reasonable card that is that much better.

Hell, I thought Austin was going to come back and wrestle Punk,

When WWE has Austin committed to wrestling on a program you can bet they will let you know immediately.

and was thinking a Rock vs Brock match made perfect sense.

Why is Rock/Brock so much better than Rock/Cena? And please don't say "unpredictability".

Could've had Cena vs Taker or Jericho,

Isn't this too predictable? Cena/Jericho again? What the story? Why are they fighting?

and HHH vs Ryback as a heel. That would have been a much better card imo, but obviously didn't work out that way.

Again why is it so much better? What do HHH and heel Ryback have to feud over? Do you really think Ryback is on HHH's level yet?

Bottom line, it's just ridiculous for people to criticize others for not liking it.

Not if their reasons are rubbish and shortsighted.

Of course all the Cena lovers/Part timer haters will enjoy Rock and Brock losing, but news flash, it's fake, and the part everyone else wanted to enjoy was not knowing the outcome. That's where the excitement comes in. Not in a guaranteed win.

I have no idea who would win between Jinder and Fandango. Book it as the main event.

Winning and losing in wrestling is a small percent of the experience. Otherwise why watch Raw or wrestling at all? Why have anything more than squash matches?

Like the OP said, the big $ this thing will cost will not be worth it if you feel as I do. And let's face it, Mania isn't always what it's cracked up to be...there's been quite a few disappointments since it's creation. And this one definitely seems like one of them. The Mania label doesn't guarantee a great event sorry. And to sit here and defend it like it's always perfect is wrong...no show is ever perfect, and it's our right as fans to voice our opinion without being chastised for it.

Chastised? Ok.

I didn't say any of this. Sure there are shit Manias. This may be one of them. But they were not shit because they were rematches or predictable. They were not shit because they had HHH or another part timer in a big spot. They were not shit because they had a guy who only recently returned or a guy who is really over with a certain demographic. They were shit, because they were shit.

But I will end by saying there have been some great Manias that a lot of people missed because they made judgments a month before the event and were wrong about it. I don't think the arguments put forth here are the slightest bit persuadable that this will be a card not worth watching. Please don't "chastise" me for my opinion.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Negative nancy. Wrestling is a variety show.
Lesnar/HHH will be a brutal brawl
Cena/Rock is the glam-wrestling mega draw
Punk/Taker is the emotional wrestling match
ADR/Swagger will be solid and have political undertones

The undercard will be a mix of fun and "wham bam" matches with Shield, Sheamus, Barrett, Ryback, Daniel Bryan, etc.

The show will hit a lot of different tastes which is a good thing. It's shaping up to be a pretty damn good show IMO.

Please don't mistake my tone for anger, I was taking a dump while typing.



Not sure where I said people have no right to be upset. I just think people are full of shit or completely short-sided in their reasoning.



Who are your sample population? Are they fans of prior WM's? Do they watch Raw? Do they always decide whether or not to watch WM this far in advance?
Do they read books a quarter of the way through and decide the ending is going to suck so they rip the last few chapters out of the book?




I don't read JR's blog, was he wrong about anything?



So you've never enjoyed a rematch before? You didn't enjoy Punk and Cena's rematch from Raw this week?



Again, you've never enjoyed a rematch? You've never seen a rematch blow an original out of the water? HHH/Taker from last year did nothing to produce the slightest bit of increase blood flow in your nether regions?



Are you saying Punk is WWE's biggest star? Regardless, how do you know Punk can't win? How do you even know Punk is facing the UT? Do you really think UT can do this forever? Is it so hard to believe Mr. Professional UT isn't willing to put over a guy before he walks out the door?

Did you really think WWE was going to let a movie star part-timer get a clean pin on their money making juggernaut last year?



Horrible ability to undertand the comparison dude. Did you stop watching Flair/Steamboat after their first bout? How about Rock/Austin? Mankind/UT? Flair/Sting? Hogan/Andre? Flair/Hogan? Lita/Trish? I know these are not all WM repeats but it doesn't mean it can't still deliver. This is a horrible argument.



Not sure when I equated Austin and Cena.



So by NOTHING you mean something.



Not pathetic but shortsighted is saying nothing has changed when they haven't even started feuding yet. Is it so hard to believe that WWE may have something in mind over the next month or do you really expect a repeat of last year's pre-match feud (which I thought was kind of a letdown)?



They've had one brawl and there is a month left to go.



I don't agree with this but even if it is true, who cares? If unpredictability is important to you, you have no business watching a FAKE business like WWE. Even as a child I knew Hogan would win, it doesn't mean I didn't watch and just wait for the box score the next morning.



You mean like last year? And the last 5 years of The Streak? Those years where he put on some of the best WM matches of the night? Plus, how do you know how injured and out of shape he is? Dirt sheets? A pic from Waco? Is he in your jazzercise class?



That would be enjoyable, maybe more than what Punk and UT can deliver. But even if there is something better out there it doesn't mean the match and event are not worth watching.



What are you willing to wager on each outcome? There are gambling sites that take small bets on WWE. I am not going to take your bet, but that's because I don't think things are nearly as predictable as you think. Certainly less predictable than 28.



It would be if I was angry. I understand people being upset. I was there at one point but I've thought more about and I think it is ridiculous that I've made some of these assumptions with the event so far away.

I was once like you, I was once like you.


But you know who the main eventers are? You watch Raw? You have a computer? Sure there was a possibility of people moved here and there but I see no other reasonable card that is that much better.



When WWE has Austin committed to wrestling on a program you can bet they will let you know immediately.



Why is Rock/Brock so much better than Rock/Cena? And please don't say "unpredictability".



Isn't this too predictable? Cena/Jericho again? What the story? Why are they fighting?



Again why is it so much better? What do HHH and heel Ryback have to feud over? Do you really think Ryback is on HHH's level yet?



Not if their reasons are rubbish and shortsighted.



I have no idea who would win between Jinder and Fandango. Book it as the main event.

Winning and losing in wrestling is a small percent of the experience. Otherwise why watch Raw or wrestling at all? Why have anything more than squash matches?



Chastised? Ok.

I didn't say any of this. Sure there are shit Manias. This may be one of them. But they were not shit because they were rematches or predictable. They were not shit because they had HHH or another part timer in a big spot. They were not shit because they had a guy who only recently returned or a guy who is really over with a certain demographic. They were shit, because they were shit.

But I will end by saying there have been some great Manias that a lot of people missed because they made judgments a month before the event and were wrong about it. I don't think the arguments put forth here are the slightest bit persuadable that this will be a card not worth watching. Please don't "chastise" me for my opinion.

One of the best shreddings of a short sided negative nancy I've ever read. Awesome work. This is one of my biggest complaints with "aww he's being made to look weak" or "aww I can't believe they did that" or "NOTHING is different"....you don't know the whole story.


Also, he said "NOTHING HAS CHANGED" with Rock and Cena. Which is stupid. First time around Cena hadn't lost to Rock. Cena hadn't been beat down for a year. This time, Cena was beat down and is making a firey comeback. The belt actually also means a lot. It heightens the match just a bit. What did you want to change? Rock as Rocky Maivia and Cena AZ A HEELZ!!!!?

 

[justinsayne]

LMAO, Only two matches have been officially announced, with Triple H/Brock be all but official, how can you possibly know that it's going to be a shit show at this point? It's a four hour show, you have maybe an hour worth of matches at this point even three more hours worth of show for WWE to fill, why don't you at least wait until more of the card is announced before shitting all over the show. I didn't think this years SB match-up was going to be much of an interesting game but then it turned out to be a great one, just cause it doesn't look entertaining to you on paper doesn't mean it's not going to be good... well, unless you're one of those dicks that is hellbent on hating this show, & making sure everyone knows it by bitching about every little stupid ass detail along the way.

 

[Rocky84]

Dude, that response hardly "shredded" me lol. It was incredibly long however, and I'm waaaay too lazy and don't care enough to respond to something so damn lengthy. The card sucks so far. Nobody does or should care about the undercard matches nearly as much as the headliners which makes every Mania. It's not like a select few are imagining things here...the reality is that there are shitloads of people pissed off about the multiple rematches as the main events, and the other 100% predictable Taker-Punk match. So stop acting stupid, and keep pretending it's a good card, unless you're a Cena nut hugger who is sooo happy to see him win a fake match against the Rock lol.