Wrestlemania 31 On Paper

[suleman09]

Hey everyone, so I wanted all of us to take a step back and look at Wrestlemania 31 on paper.

Let's forget the build up for the matches and lets not pay attention to what we think about the individual competitors. Let's just look at the card on paper, and in my opinion, this is a really solid Wrestlemania card but the only problem is that they aren't building it properly. Okay now let's put the build behind us for a moment.

Look at this card and you can't deny this is a solid card

Wrestlemania 31:
1. Tag Team Divas Match:
AJ Lee, Paige vs The Bella Twins

2. Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal:
Participants so far:
The Miz
Curtis Axel
Ryback
Fandango
Adam Rose
Zack Ryder
Jack Swagger
Titus O’Neil
Darren Young
Big Show
Kane
Erick Rowan
Damien Mizdow
Sin Cara

3. Tag Team Championship Match (We can expect something to be announced probably this week)

4. Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match:
(c) Bad News Barrett vs Daniel Bryan vs Dean Ambrose vs Stardust vs R-Truth vs Dolph Ziggler vs Luke Harper

5. Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins (All but confirmed)

6. United States Championship Match:
(c) Rusev vs John Cena

7. Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker

8. WWE vs WCW
Triple H vs Sting

9. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match:
(c) Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns
w/ Paul Heyman

In my opinion this is a pretty solid card with the superstars we have today.

Don't bash superstars, this is merely writing on paper saying that it doesn't look bad. No complaining about the build to these matches

 

[ZUMBOdriver]

Look at this card and you can't deny this is a solid card

Wrestlemania 31:
1. Tag Team Divas Match:
AJ Lee, Paige vs The Bella Twins

2. Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

3. Tag Team Championship Match (We can expect something to be announced probably this week)

4. Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match:
(c) Bad News Barrett vs Daniel Bryan vs Dean Ambrose vs Stardust vs R-Truth vs Dolph Ziggler vs Luke Harper

5. Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins (All but confirmed)

6. United States Championship Match:
(c) Rusev vs John Cena

7. Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker

8. WWE vs WCW
Triple H vs Sting

9. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match:
(c) Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns
w/ Paul Heyman

Agree to disagree. Outside of the part timers wrestling, this looks like a random ppv to me. Pretty hard to ignore the booking and build for these matches, but even if that is done, I'm still not very interested.

1. Sorry, just not very interested in the Divas match.

2. Jobber battle royal, last years field was better

3. New Day v Kidd/Cesaro v Usos v Matadores in your token multi team pre show title match.

4. Watered down MITB ripoff match for a prize that far less prestigious than the briefcase. Another lazy looking multiman match that's just to get people on the card they otherwise don't know what to do with. Also, possibly there simply because WWE wants a gimmick match at mania. Thrown together, but I guess I'm supposed to like it because it's a ladder match???

5. I'd say this will be match of the night, based at looking at the card "on paper." It better be really good to save this card.

6. On paper, I'd say "Who cares?" and "Why is Cena fighting for the US title?" Taking into account build, this match looks a little better because at least these two are getting time to tell a coherent, logical story heading into Mania. Not that these two are the most exciting performers to me, but this is the only match that seems to getting the proper treatment heading into mania.

7. Sorry, but old man Undertaker against babbling Bray doesn't get me too excited either, much in part to Taker's loss last year. Also, Bray Wyatt has a great character, but seemingly very little direction, and when it comes time to actually wrestle, his matches often disappoint. Not terrible, but nothing to get me "Wrestlemania" excited.

8. On paper, I'd be lying if I said this wouldn't come off as intriguing. Yet I still wouldn't be expecting an amazing match. I have been one from the beginning, that would have been fine with Sting never coming to WWE. Just my opinion.

9. This one is tough to judge on paper. On paper, I'd say "what the hell is Roman Reigns doing in the main event?" Watching the build, it's obvious how bad they're forcing Reigns. On paper, this match looks like a prelim for Lesnar. Lesnar's contract situation is a bit of a saving grace for this match to help add some unpredictability. But honestly, on paper, I'm simply not excited for this match.

 

[Dave]

In terms of what is available for the WWE, this card is pretty much the best that can be offered at this point with the exception of a few notable corrections. For one thing, Daniel Bryan should be playing a much bigger part in the card. He's the darling of the fans and to simply stick him in the Intercontinental Championship match to get him on the card seems like a middle finger to the fans. But that doesn't bother me as much as it does some people. I don't think he's going to win because it would actually move him down the card and I don't think that's appropriate. I do fully expect Sheamus to be added to that match too, actually.

But in terms of star power, I don't think the roster is strong enough yet. But I would suggest that is because some of the talents that the WWE are building right now are just not at that level yet. They will eventually get there but WrestleMania is going to come too soon for them. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and Rusev are all in high profile matches on the card but don't necessarily look like they can compete with the man standing across the ring from them right now. If this card was coming in a year or two and they had a bit more experience behind them, then every match on this card could be a massive draw. Right now, the WWE are banking on some pretty inexperienced superstars to do the business.

 

[No Count Pup]

Two different answers. I am not trying to simplify because there are probably many categories of fans. But I'm narrowing it down to two: the casual viewers and the frequent viewers.


Casual Viewers

Brock Lesnar is facing that Shield guy? Daniel Bryan is fighting for the Intercontinental Title? Wait, John Cena is facing who? For the United States Championship? What is going on?

This is a very strange card for those who don't watch often. But after the initial surprise wears off, casual viewers will appreciate that it is different. Casual fans like to see something fresh, and they may get that this year.

Fans who haven't watched since WrestleMania 30 will want to see Brock Lesnar get defeated. He ended the Undertaker's streak, and casual fans want justice. The prospect of an "up-and-comer" avenging the loss and taking away Lesnar's title makes the main event must-see. Let's face it, for casual fans the match will be more about Lesnar than Reigns.

Triple H vs. Sting is WWF vs. WCW. On paper this is a dream match. Old time fans aren't expecting Sting to go out there and put on a wrestling clinic. He rarely did that as Crow-style Sting anyway. They want the visuals, they want to see Sting's main spots, and they want to see Triple H toppled by a man that answers to nobody.

On paper, the casual fan might not notice that WWE is forgoing a Sting vs. Taker match. That leads to our next match...

Casual fans are not unlike frequent viewers on the Undertaker front. Taker hasn't appeared on TV or PPV since his loss to Lesnar. That lends mystique to Taker's match with Bray Wyatt. Which Undertaker will show up? Is Bray Wyatt the new Phenom? Questions galore for this match, and casual fans can dig it.

Rollins vs. Orton on paper looks okay. It has the same midcardy feeling of Orton vs. Punk and Orton vs. Kane a few years back. Will casual fans feel the same way? Maybe. Casual fans know what Orton has to offer. However, they may want to see what this "Mr. Money in the Bank" is like. That may be enough to pique some interest.

Cena vs. Rusev will be the head scratching double-take of the evening for casual viewers. Cena is facing some random wrestler for the United States Championship? On paper it's confusing and underwhelming. But it's different, and wrestling fans like different.

The Intercontinental Ladder Match looks like a MITB Ladder Match. That's okay though, fans love ladder matches! They may see Daniel Bryan's placement on the card as a demotion. On the other hand, his presence in the match gives it a big fight feel. So it works.

The Battle Royal fits. Usually the winner gets a nice push on WWE TV so the casual viewer may look on with interest to see who WWE thinks we should care about. I have never heard of a casual fan objecting to a battle royal.

The Divas tag team match may seem odd to a casual viewer. Why not feature a Diva's Title match at WrestleMania? That point has some merit.

Frequent Viewers

This card has plenty of matches that could make the show a homerun. John Cena challenging for a midcard title is intriguing. Going up against the "undefeated" Rusev makes this a compelling match. Reigns vs. Lesnar looks like another match out of the blue. But that's not a bad thing! A wrestler will get a chance to win his first world title at WrestleMania. That's a throwback idea.

Rollins vs. Orton should be pretty good. It looks like the kind of match that would headline pay-per-views on the non-Big 4 shows. Bray Wyatt vs. Undertaker had the air taken out of the balloon a little after WrestleMania 30. Both men lost some mystique after their jobs to Cena and Lesnar last year. This is the match many people envisioned when Wyatt began his ominous vignettes in 2013. We're getting it know, we'll see if Bray and Taker can make it special.

Triple H vs. Sting is WWF vs. WCW. It may not be 1998 anymore but their match will be a transcendent moment in WWE. On paper I have that same feeling I had about WrestleMania X8. In 2002 WWF had the chance to give the fans Hogan vs. Austin. Instead they deferred. This year we could have seen Sting vs. Undertaker. We're not getting that. Is that the wrong choice? Time will tell. As a weekly viewer, however, I am aware that Triple H in 2015 is more capable of getting a great match out of Sting than the Undertaker is.

The IC Ladder Match looks awesome. I think this is the first Intercontinental Ladder Match at WrestleMania since Razor vs. Shawn in 1994. I'm excited for it.

The Andre Battle Royale is a cool idea because WrestleMania featured battle royals in the early days. I like the nod to the past.

The tag team Divas match features the most over Divas in WWE. This may be the Bella's final WretleMania. They get to compete with Paige and AJ, the two best Divas of this generation.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

1.) Just looks like an average Divas Tag match.

2.) Your average Battle Royal. I usually enjoy them & I like that WWE brought back the ATGMB moniker but i agree with ZUMBOdriver that this group of superstars just doesn't look as good as last years. Also if the match doesn't end with Mizdow throwing Miz over the top rope to win it all & go over big, then the whole thing will pretty much be a complete waste.

3.) A last minute match added to fill time, if it get's added at all. I expect it to end up on the Pre-Show.

4.) The Ladder match is really a toss up at this point. It's a waste of Bryan's star power for sure, Truth definitely does not deserve to be in the match & like Bryan, sticks out like a soar thumb when looking at the match (obviously in the complete opposite way though) & it just kind of looks thrown together as well. But hopefully it delivers & Ambrose walks out with the IC Title.

5.) Should be a very good match, if not match of the night. I'm just not all that hyped about it because we've kind of seen it a couple times already & it feels like this match should have happened months ago.

6.) On paper or with the current build, either way I'm just not that interested in this rematch. I wasn't all that impressed with their match at Fastlane & as of now this is just another U.S. Title match, no Submission stipulation or anything.

7.) On paper this would probably be the match I'm most looking forward to. Two awesome supernatural type characters locking up for the 1st time ever, sounds pretty epic to me. But there are just so many other factors not on paper that unfortunately come into play. The current build has been extremely underwhelming so far, Taker's age & health could still be an issue & I'm kind of worried as to when this match actually goes on, if it goes on too early the sunlight might diminish the spectacle of it all.

8.) This match is only a big deal to me because it is Sting's 1st match with WWE. Otherwise on paper HHH vs. Sting really doesn't interest me at all actually.

9.) This would me my 2nd most anticipated match when looking at the card on paper. I imagine an insane parking lot brawl type match with Reigns spearing Brock through some huge plate glass window or wall of debris or something to finally destroy the Beast once & for all. Too bad that's not even close to what we will probably get.

So while I REALLY want Wrestlemania 31 to be amazing, looking at it on paper sort of just flips my feelings about the matches around. The matches I'm actually expecting to deliver appear uninteresting & thrown together on paper, while I start daydreaming of all the amazing scenarios for the matches that I'm thinking will probably be somewhat of a letdown.

 

[MERPER]

My thoughts are as follows:

1. Tag Team Divas Match: Very disappointed by this match. How is the divas championship not on the line here? It's Wrestlemania ffs. This could easily have been a fatal 4-way or kick Brie out and have it be a triple-threat... either way, this is completely pointless.

2. Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: A really pointless time-filler served for no other purpose than to get every single guy on the roster down to the ring.. but why? Heck, in over a year since the inaugural one was announced why have they been unable to tie a single thing to this? At least give us a reason it means something other than some B.S. trophy. Can the winner get a No. 1 contender spot or a championship match of their choosing the next night? Something. Anything. To make this relevant.

3. Tag Team Championship Match: Not announced and will inevitably be unwatchable because the entire division is terrible at this point. Instant fast-forward material if this were RAW and I had recorded it.

4. Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Intriguing match. Has the potential to steal the show. Could be well worth watching.

5. Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins: Another one I am excited for. Should be a very good match, undoubtedly used to push Rollins forward for his inevitable MITB cash-in and likely win sometime in the few weeks following Mania.

6. United States Championship Match: Another intriguing one just cause it's hard to see where they go here. If Rusev loses, it kinda hinders his amazing push towards a potentil championship match in the near future. By the same token, if Cena loses, he can't possible be pushed for any serious run in the next few months. Which superstar gets the push back into heavyweight championship spotlight and which takes a serious step back?

7. Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker: Would be a lot better if we would see the Undertaker once before Mania. I simply can't get excited for this when 'Taker looked so bad and old last year and is in worse shape now. Also, you know the outcome already. No way Wyatt can lose here as it would completely doom him for quite some time. Sooner or later the guy has to go from sideshow to title potential.

8. Triple H vs Sting: Total wild card. Could be 2 old guys with lots of rust where the entire thing is flat by the time the introductions/entrances are over. People will watch and be excited early. I have serious doubts this match is at all good and gets ultimate respect like it would have years and years ago.

9. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Zero intrigue whatsoever for numerous reasons. A major lack of build up and physical altercations preceding it mainly. And quite frankly, because of WWE'S awful decisions handling Brock. Based on how they've booked him, he can't get beat, especially not by Regins. But we all know he's as good as gone, so you can't have him retain the belt, either. In the meantime, other than just wanting to see 2 strong dudes pull off power moves throughout there's zero good reason to watch this or care about what you're watching.

By my estimation that means 3 or 4 matches even remotely worth a lick, less than half. This is supposed to be the biggest event of the year. That's a pathetic percentage.

 

[TheICChampion]

1. Diva's Tag Match. Really? This is something that would happen if a celebrity were involved in a match, but not 4 full-time divas who logically should all want to be champion. I'm hoping this will change into a title match, but I'm not holding my breath.

2. ATGMBR. Meh. If they continue the trend of doing nothing with the winner than I really don't see the point of having this match anymore.

3. I don't know for sure if there will be a Tag title match, but if there is I want it to be a multi-team match just to spice it up a little more. I'm kinda sick of seeing the Uso's involved but unfortunately I don't see any other teams that are even remotely deserving of a shot.

4. IC Title Ladder Match. So....how many people are supposed to be in this thing? Sure, I'm glad this is happening and I'm glad they are, in their own convoluted way, trying to bring up the prestige of the title. I'm just not getting my hopes up for whoever walks out as champion, even if it's Daniel Bryan. Also, I'm betting WWE will have R-Truth walk out as champion just because they can.

5. Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins. IF this match even happens now, I personally have no interest in seeing it. Orton made Rollins his b**** last week and got just about every ounce of revenge he could. Why would I want to see it? I got my payoff. They have to come up with a pretty damn good reason to get me invested in seeing them have a match.

6. Rusev vs. John Cena for the U.S. title. Meh. Don't really care either way, but this could be good for the U.S. belt if Cena does win because regardless of who walks out as WWE Heavyweight champ at 'Mania, Cena will still likely get booking priority.

7. Bray Wyatt vs. Undertaker. This could have been so much more if 'Taker still had the streak. I really don't care too much about this match either.

8. HHH vs. Sting. Well, Sting's finally here, and he's going to have his first match against HHH. Uh....why? Maybe I just haven't been paying too much attention, but can you really blame me?

9. Roman Reigns vs WWE Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. WTF WWE? No, it's not because of who the challenger is, it's the build of the match and the champion. AS SOON AS they knew who they were going to put in that spot, they should have started building him immediately, as well as the match. I realize they had limited dates for their champion, which in and of itself is messed up, but they needed to capitalize on every single second of his appearances. He should have come out at the end of the Rumble and stare Reigns down, it should have gotten physical by now, etc. Instead Heyman has been carrying this feud on his own. Besides, if Lesnar is leaving, then if it's anything like 'Mania XX, Reigns is screwed. I have almost no interest in this match.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

Damn good card and the build hasn't been that bad. At first I hated Reigns vs Lesnar hype. Although I still disagree with the match itself, they've built it kind of like a big MMA or boxing match. Not a lot of physicality but a lot of trash talk.

The card is eclectic and that's all I want.

Ladder match for the IC title with a great group of guys elevates the IC title and will be good.

Rollins vs Lesnar will have a great crowd reaction and I hope they make it entertaining with Lesnar throwing reigns around.

Sting vs HHH is a great "icon" type of match where it's fun just because of who it is.

Undertaker vs Bray is interested to me from a booking perspective and I think it's going to be a great match.

Orton vs Rollins is just going to be a good match.

Cena vs Rusev, meh. Won't be great, won't suck.

Andre Battle Royal was fun last year and I think it will be again.


The build hasn't been as a bad to me as to most of you, but I watch Raw on Hulu so I get a 90 minute condensed version (I don't have cable, so I'm not counted in TEH RATINGZ).

Pretty excited about Wrestlemania honestly. Not as much as last year but I'm a huge Bryan fan.