I agree there's really not a lot on the card that isn't predictable. Lolreignswins will become a new mantra, sting wins in a match where the two participants together add up to a century, Cena will best rusev in what I suspect will be a flag match so cena can win and rusev doesn't get pinned and America and stuff, either wyatt becomes one of two in twentyone and two or taker beats a young up and comer for no reason either option leaves a bad taste in people's mouths, rollins vs Orton could be the one gem in this card but rollins will probably go over as I don't see a cash in as everyone else does coming, the company's most over star gets wasted in the midcard In a match with sheamus and a ladder match that could be good. I'm not interested in seeing the reigns era start and him main eventing the next ten manias at the expense of a star who people actually want. You know what's crazy is that next year when cena and reigns face each other the cena sucks chant might not even exist because the most hardcore of fans will be chanting for him to win.
WWE Wrestlemania 31 General Discussion thread
- Thread starter LODemolition
- Start date
I agree there's really not a lot on the card that isn't predictable. Lolreignswins will become a new mantra, sting wins in a match where the two participants together add up to a century, Cena will best rusev in what I suspect will be a flag match so cena can win and rusev doesn't get pinned and America and stuff, either wyatt becomes one of two in twentyone and two or taker beats a young up and comer for no reason either option leaves a bad taste in people's mouths, rollins vs Orton could be the one gem in this card but rollins will probably go over as I don't see a cash in as everyone else does coming, the company's most over star gets wasted in the midcard In a match with sheamus and a ladder match that could be good. I'm not interested in seeing the reigns era start and him main eventing the next ten manias at the expense of a star who people actually want. You know what's crazy is that next year when cena and reigns face each other the cena sucks chant might not even exist because the most hardcore of fans will be chanting for him to win.
Jack-Hammer
YOU WILL RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!!
Generally speaking, the build to WrestleMania XXXI has been pretty lackluster. The most popular babyface the company has had in years is going to be in a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship instead of the main event, one special attraction won't even be appearing on Raw to promote his match with Bray Wyatt, another special attraction has yet to say a word during the build for his match with Triple H, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion is MIA from Raw because he's pissed WWE won't bend over for him as far as he'd like and the challenger for said WWE World Heavyweight Championship is has only been wrestling on his own for about half a year, needs a lot more development and is getting crucified by hostile fans night in & night out.
Ugh. I said I was done with wrestling and that I didn't love it, but apparently I like talking about it like a stuffed-shirt know-it-all. What a freaking blow to the ego.
...anyway, as long as I'm here to presumably stay(and take crap for walking out in the first place), I might as well go into some detail over the rather-bland card.
...anyway, as long as I'm here to presumably stay(and take crap for walking out in the first place), I might as well go into some detail over the rather-bland card.
WWE Title Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
My feelings of Reigns in a nutshell: Utterly Indifferent to the man overall, Profoundly disgusted by the blatant, boring, and often-botched pushing he's gotten over the past six months, and completely lacking in any faith towards WWE's ability to build stuff around him.
Essentially, I think Roman Reigns is the first true 'Replicant' Superstar(think Blade Runner) and that WWE has done NOTHING right from the break-up of the Shield to the Royal Rumble in order to build him. Yeah, the Universe is getting someone new in the top spotlight, but it's depressing to look at the overall body of the push and find it rotted out from the inside.
Now I'll admit to outright bias, because I thought pretty much from the start that Daniel Bryan's Main Event Storyline was much more appealing and organic than ANYTHING they could conjure up for Reigns, even when Bryan was out for what seemed like it would be forever and Reigns hadn't yet been betrayed by Creative. Even now I think that's the case. As far as the 'draw' is concerned, that's neither here nor there. I tend to think solid storytelling helps enhance the potential draw of your events, something that WWE seems to neglect more often than not.
But back to Reigns. I can sorta see the result already. You'll see snippets during WM about various people heavily complimenting Reigns on how far he's gotten and how strong he is in the ring, he'll pull the 'Monster Underdog' routine, withstand multiple F5s, hit a spear, 1-2-3, and nearly every wrestler will come to the ring to hoist him in the air and confetti will rain down and.... well, one wonders what the crowd response to such an event will be. If you're predictable, at least be entertaining, and something tells me you'll need to see blood to really rope in the crowd.
I dunno, there's just too many warning signs for the match, and I have no interest in Roman at all.
Sting vs. Triple H
Not gonna lie, a lot of my indifference to this feud is going to be because of Sour Grapes; mainly because I was such a mark for a Taker/Sting dream match that won't likely occur. That said, the recent 'banter' didn't do me any favors.
Here's the interesting thing about Haitch; no one EVER gets a leg up on him from a psychological standpoint. Whether it's directly on the mic or anything outside of an actual fight, he repeatedly gets the upper-hand. You may notice that during the reign of the Authority, the closest anyone's come to 'Firing Shots' at them on the mic is the stuff John Cena said during the Survivor Series build-up. Mostly it's a lot of softballs that don't 'sting' and permit Haitch and Steph to have the upper hand. Or the wrestlers simply want to take it into the ring instead. It works... but at this point I'm saturated by it. So having a Vigilante in Sting who's taking the fight to him directly and having fuck all to say about it? More of the same. Having Haitch talk shit for ten minutes and bend the truth to his whims makes for good heat but I've seen it before and it's why I keep clamoring for someone who will really take shots at him in equal measure, to make it a war. Make it really about Haitch's conduct as opposed to Haitch throwing more lies out the sides of his mouth on each and every raw, like Sting beating him at WM is going to undo all of that.
Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
Like Sting, the same problems. The Dream Match sours my impressions, and the 'build-up' does nothing for me.
I get that it's a torch-passing(and fuck everyone who tries to inform me of this) but I honestly... well, I can't say I expected more. After all, last year's build was utter crap until Brock won. But the fact that we couldn't have Taker in ANY capacity, even a simple voice-over to spook Bray in the ring, depresses me. Bray's promos reached the saturation point ages ago and requires an equal dance partner to build substance out of the smoke and mirrors of his preaching. He's just not getting it though. This might change at WM when Taker finally reappears, but for now there's nothing.
Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
It should've been Dean Ambrose.
No, no, fuck you. It absolutely should have been Dean Ambrose here, because the 'Shield Break-up' angle never ever got resolved(Rollins escaped the Cell match with his skin because of Bray fucking Wyatt needing something HOT to latch onto) and Orton should've been back ages ago. Orton should've at least been back to go after Rollins for Fast Lane if not be a shock participant at the Royal Rumble. But nooooope, Orton was kept as the backup option and kept on hold until now and this is what we're getting. Nothing against Randy, but it should've been Dean, and now it'll never be Dean.
It'll never be Dean because after this match Seth Rollins will unquestionably be upped to genuine Main Event status and will feud with Roman Reigns purely for the title and the broken bonds of brotherhood will mean NOTHING, no matter how often they refer to it. Goddamn it just THINKING about all this shit makes me hates myself for not being able to walk away all the more. Moving on before I kill myself...
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
With the potential exception of R-Truth, this ladder match may very well include everyone that got screwed over by the machinations of Creative. Dolph Ziggler, who got Roman's Survivor Series push and was promptly discarded. Dean Ambrose, also discarded and dumped despite his crazy path of revenge being red-hot and worth watching. Daniel Bryan, pretty much pushed aside for Roman Reigns. Bad News Barrett, essentially the latest in a long line of 'Doormat Champions' that have held this belt. Luke Harper, who SHOULD'VE been one of the bigger enforcers of the Authority but was left on the wayside. Then there's stuff like Stardust or even Sheamus possibly being added to it.
I mean, there's no disguising it; this is the Dump Match of the card- where WWE tries to toss in every popular wrestler they screwed in the hopes that the magic they create will SAVE the PPV.
Even the outcome is probably predictable, not because of the popularity of the winner, but for the benefits of their Top Star. Daniel Bryan's walking away the title holder simply because his position creates a stronger buffer zone that protects Reigns and ensures they tread water in a worst-case scenario. Daniel Bryan as IC champ having real wrestling matches on Raw and Smackdown helps ratings and keeps fan interest up. And it gives Roman Reigns a more favorable spotlight as it'll just be him versus the Authority for the ensuing months that lay ahead.
United States Title Match: John Cena vs. Rusev
The finish at Fast Lane, for the most part, was something I predicted and hoped for; Cena passing out in the Accolade. What I didn't want was the cheap shot that came before it, and the subsequent turn of the plot after the PPV.
WWE's typical botching had a lot to do with this probably, but they got me to see Rusev as a Sheep in Wolf's clothing- as in a Face who was simply a Heel because of what he 'represented'. Given how Rusev feuded with the likes of Jack Swagger, Big Show, and Mark Henry and continually kept looking like the good guy despite being the Anti-American foreigner, what I wanted was to see a conversion for Rusev during this program. Maybe have Rusev pull a Bret Hart and fume over the fact that Cena refused to tap and admit his inferiority, maybe have him in conflict with Lana, who would easily be the bitch heel in this case and say 'No Rematch' while Rusev says 'Rematch'. A number of ways could be done, but the overall gist is a face-face WM match that in a way does something positive for both wrestlers; it lets Rusev vary his path before his Russian shtick runs completely dry, and it lets Cena keep his mojo as the 'Gatekeeper' while demonstrating that someone can be Pro-American and face the man fairly.
...but that won't happen. The heels crowed about the unclean win like little bitches and refused a rematch. Typical. Supposedly the 'better' choice, but again, something I've seen before and something I didn't want to see happen. So that drained what little interest I had in the match.
But yes, John Cena will get that rematch by slightly shady ways(the Curt Axel speculation notwithstanding) and will get the win and the title at WM. And between him and Daniel Bryan, the barrier is set. Unless there's a Unification Match at Summerslam(and don't rule it out), I don't see where the 'EndChapter' moment is.
Andre The Giant Battle Royal II
Pretty much everyone else excluding a number of tag teams. Maybe some NXT guys will take part, albeit mere jobbers. Maybe a surprise guest or two.
But this time- unless he gets roped into a match- it'll be Big Show taking the title.
Keep in mind, it's not about elevating a talent this time around. If Big Show is part of this event, he's winning, because it protects him. The reason they'll protect him like this is because quite frankly, they are not done with him going against Roman Reigns, and he's likely to feud with him openly until the day Rollins finally cashes it in. That's the depressing part.
The dark horse candidate is Sheamus, if the big fella isn't inserted into the IC Match. Beyond those two, just no. Axelmania will get screwed, Mizdow screws Miz directly, Goldust probably screws Stardust in a bid to 'get Cody back', Ryback is but a road bump, Erick Rowan is again an afterthought... just, meh.
Divas Invitational Match
Well, we were spared a pure Bella/Bella match as the lone Divas segment at WM, so that's the good news. Bad news is... well, really, there's still a chance Brie will screw her sister in the bad way and take the belt and resume that feud anyways. Don't put it past WWE either.
I'm tempted to say, if you watch the E! Channel then you deserve a wholly undiscovered strain of STD that makes your junk combust, but that's cutting it kind of cruel. But really, that emphasis on Total Divas is a part of the 'Variety Pack' WWE tries to offer that I could do without. We've reached the point where the show dictates the division and that's bad news.
I wouldn't be surprised if they had Nikki retain. Nor would I really care.
Tag Team Title Match
The barest bones match probably would be Kidd/Cesaro versus the Usos. Given the Battle Royal, that'll likely be the case, as New Day and Ascension and the other jobber teams are likely filling up the ranks. I suppose it could be worse.
This really is shaping up to be another title change with the Usos in the role of the good guys- again. Predictable. Somewhat boring. The only saving grace might be the fact it gives Kidd and Cesaro something to do. While Kidd was doing fine for himself getting NXT Talent over, that Cesaro joining a Tag Team is a MASSIVE step up says everything you need to say about how thoroughly the guy was dumped on prior. Cesaro's one of those guys that would benefit from Smackdown turning into a Wrestling-heavy alternate programming as he'd immediately be Main Event material on that show.
All in all... this is a lackluster card in terms of story. It's gonna take a lot to steal the show and make it attention-worthy.
My feelings of Reigns in a nutshell: Utterly Indifferent to the man overall, Profoundly disgusted by the blatant, boring, and often-botched pushing he's gotten over the past six months, and completely lacking in any faith towards WWE's ability to build stuff around him.
Essentially, I think Roman Reigns is the first true 'Replicant' Superstar(think Blade Runner) and that WWE has done NOTHING right from the break-up of the Shield to the Royal Rumble in order to build him. Yeah, the Universe is getting someone new in the top spotlight, but it's depressing to look at the overall body of the push and find it rotted out from the inside.
Now I'll admit to outright bias, because I thought pretty much from the start that Daniel Bryan's Main Event Storyline was much more appealing and organic than ANYTHING they could conjure up for Reigns, even when Bryan was out for what seemed like it would be forever and Reigns hadn't yet been betrayed by Creative. Even now I think that's the case. As far as the 'draw' is concerned, that's neither here nor there. I tend to think solid storytelling helps enhance the potential draw of your events, something that WWE seems to neglect more often than not.
But back to Reigns. I can sorta see the result already. You'll see snippets during WM about various people heavily complimenting Reigns on how far he's gotten and how strong he is in the ring, he'll pull the 'Monster Underdog' routine, withstand multiple F5s, hit a spear, 1-2-3, and nearly every wrestler will come to the ring to hoist him in the air and confetti will rain down and.... well, one wonders what the crowd response to such an event will be. If you're predictable, at least be entertaining, and something tells me you'll need to see blood to really rope in the crowd.
I dunno, there's just too many warning signs for the match, and I have no interest in Roman at all.
Sting vs. Triple H
Not gonna lie, a lot of my indifference to this feud is going to be because of Sour Grapes; mainly because I was such a mark for a Taker/Sting dream match that won't likely occur. That said, the recent 'banter' didn't do me any favors.
Here's the interesting thing about Haitch; no one EVER gets a leg up on him from a psychological standpoint. Whether it's directly on the mic or anything outside of an actual fight, he repeatedly gets the upper-hand. You may notice that during the reign of the Authority, the closest anyone's come to 'Firing Shots' at them on the mic is the stuff John Cena said during the Survivor Series build-up. Mostly it's a lot of softballs that don't 'sting' and permit Haitch and Steph to have the upper hand. Or the wrestlers simply want to take it into the ring instead. It works... but at this point I'm saturated by it. So having a Vigilante in Sting who's taking the fight to him directly and having fuck all to say about it? More of the same. Having Haitch talk shit for ten minutes and bend the truth to his whims makes for good heat but I've seen it before and it's why I keep clamoring for someone who will really take shots at him in equal measure, to make it a war. Make it really about Haitch's conduct as opposed to Haitch throwing more lies out the sides of his mouth on each and every raw, like Sting beating him at WM is going to undo all of that.
Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt
Like Sting, the same problems. The Dream Match sours my impressions, and the 'build-up' does nothing for me.
I get that it's a torch-passing(and fuck everyone who tries to inform me of this) but I honestly... well, I can't say I expected more. After all, last year's build was utter crap until Brock won. But the fact that we couldn't have Taker in ANY capacity, even a simple voice-over to spook Bray in the ring, depresses me. Bray's promos reached the saturation point ages ago and requires an equal dance partner to build substance out of the smoke and mirrors of his preaching. He's just not getting it though. This might change at WM when Taker finally reappears, but for now there's nothing.
Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins
It should've been Dean Ambrose.
No, no, fuck you. It absolutely should have been Dean Ambrose here, because the 'Shield Break-up' angle never ever got resolved(Rollins escaped the Cell match with his skin because of Bray fucking Wyatt needing something HOT to latch onto) and Orton should've been back ages ago. Orton should've at least been back to go after Rollins for Fast Lane if not be a shock participant at the Royal Rumble. But nooooope, Orton was kept as the backup option and kept on hold until now and this is what we're getting. Nothing against Randy, but it should've been Dean, and now it'll never be Dean.
It'll never be Dean because after this match Seth Rollins will unquestionably be upped to genuine Main Event status and will feud with Roman Reigns purely for the title and the broken bonds of brotherhood will mean NOTHING, no matter how often they refer to it. Goddamn it just THINKING about all this shit makes me hates myself for not being able to walk away all the more. Moving on before I kill myself...
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
With the potential exception of R-Truth, this ladder match may very well include everyone that got screwed over by the machinations of Creative. Dolph Ziggler, who got Roman's Survivor Series push and was promptly discarded. Dean Ambrose, also discarded and dumped despite his crazy path of revenge being red-hot and worth watching. Daniel Bryan, pretty much pushed aside for Roman Reigns. Bad News Barrett, essentially the latest in a long line of 'Doormat Champions' that have held this belt. Luke Harper, who SHOULD'VE been one of the bigger enforcers of the Authority but was left on the wayside. Then there's stuff like Stardust or even Sheamus possibly being added to it.
I mean, there's no disguising it; this is the Dump Match of the card- where WWE tries to toss in every popular wrestler they screwed in the hopes that the magic they create will SAVE the PPV.
Even the outcome is probably predictable, not because of the popularity of the winner, but for the benefits of their Top Star. Daniel Bryan's walking away the title holder simply because his position creates a stronger buffer zone that protects Reigns and ensures they tread water in a worst-case scenario. Daniel Bryan as IC champ having real wrestling matches on Raw and Smackdown helps ratings and keeps fan interest up. And it gives Roman Reigns a more favorable spotlight as it'll just be him versus the Authority for the ensuing months that lay ahead.
United States Title Match: John Cena vs. Rusev
The finish at Fast Lane, for the most part, was something I predicted and hoped for; Cena passing out in the Accolade. What I didn't want was the cheap shot that came before it, and the subsequent turn of the plot after the PPV.
WWE's typical botching had a lot to do with this probably, but they got me to see Rusev as a Sheep in Wolf's clothing- as in a Face who was simply a Heel because of what he 'represented'. Given how Rusev feuded with the likes of Jack Swagger, Big Show, and Mark Henry and continually kept looking like the good guy despite being the Anti-American foreigner, what I wanted was to see a conversion for Rusev during this program. Maybe have Rusev pull a Bret Hart and fume over the fact that Cena refused to tap and admit his inferiority, maybe have him in conflict with Lana, who would easily be the bitch heel in this case and say 'No Rematch' while Rusev says 'Rematch'. A number of ways could be done, but the overall gist is a face-face WM match that in a way does something positive for both wrestlers; it lets Rusev vary his path before his Russian shtick runs completely dry, and it lets Cena keep his mojo as the 'Gatekeeper' while demonstrating that someone can be Pro-American and face the man fairly.
...but that won't happen. The heels crowed about the unclean win like little bitches and refused a rematch. Typical. Supposedly the 'better' choice, but again, something I've seen before and something I didn't want to see happen. So that drained what little interest I had in the match.
But yes, John Cena will get that rematch by slightly shady ways(the Curt Axel speculation notwithstanding) and will get the win and the title at WM. And between him and Daniel Bryan, the barrier is set. Unless there's a Unification Match at Summerslam(and don't rule it out), I don't see where the 'EndChapter' moment is.
Andre The Giant Battle Royal II
Pretty much everyone else excluding a number of tag teams. Maybe some NXT guys will take part, albeit mere jobbers. Maybe a surprise guest or two.
But this time- unless he gets roped into a match- it'll be Big Show taking the title.
Keep in mind, it's not about elevating a talent this time around. If Big Show is part of this event, he's winning, because it protects him. The reason they'll protect him like this is because quite frankly, they are not done with him going against Roman Reigns, and he's likely to feud with him openly until the day Rollins finally cashes it in. That's the depressing part.
The dark horse candidate is Sheamus, if the big fella isn't inserted into the IC Match. Beyond those two, just no. Axelmania will get screwed, Mizdow screws Miz directly, Goldust probably screws Stardust in a bid to 'get Cody back', Ryback is but a road bump, Erick Rowan is again an afterthought... just, meh.
Divas Invitational Match
Well, we were spared a pure Bella/Bella match as the lone Divas segment at WM, so that's the good news. Bad news is... well, really, there's still a chance Brie will screw her sister in the bad way and take the belt and resume that feud anyways. Don't put it past WWE either.
I'm tempted to say, if you watch the E! Channel then you deserve a wholly undiscovered strain of STD that makes your junk combust, but that's cutting it kind of cruel. But really, that emphasis on Total Divas is a part of the 'Variety Pack' WWE tries to offer that I could do without. We've reached the point where the show dictates the division and that's bad news.
I wouldn't be surprised if they had Nikki retain. Nor would I really care.
Tag Team Title Match
The barest bones match probably would be Kidd/Cesaro versus the Usos. Given the Battle Royal, that'll likely be the case, as New Day and Ascension and the other jobber teams are likely filling up the ranks. I suppose it could be worse.
This really is shaping up to be another title change with the Usos in the role of the good guys- again. Predictable. Somewhat boring. The only saving grace might be the fact it gives Kidd and Cesaro something to do. While Kidd was doing fine for himself getting NXT Talent over, that Cesaro joining a Tag Team is a MASSIVE step up says everything you need to say about how thoroughly the guy was dumped on prior. Cesaro's one of those guys that would benefit from Smackdown turning into a Wrestling-heavy alternate programming as he'd immediately be Main Event material on that show.
All in all... this is a lackluster card in terms of story. It's gonna take a lot to steal the show and make it attention-worthy.
Apathetic is the word I use to describe my feelings towards Wrestlemania 31, and the build.
Usually, I'm not one to complain about Lesnar's sporadic appearances schedule, but if we're talking about the build, it's almost impossible to compare this match to Wrestlemania 29 and 30. With Triple H VS Lesnar, you had Brock Lesnar, the marquee special attraction VS a decorated 13 time world champion and a future Hall Of Famer, and Wrestlemania XXX was a Streak match.
The difference between Reigns VS Lesnar and Lesnar VS Taker and HHH is you could rely on both matches to sell themselves for the most part. Lesnar didn't need to show up every week to help promote both matches, but that's not the case here.
It's been said already, but Paul Heyman can only do so much on the mic to fill in for his "client's" absence. After a while, we need a face to face staredown, Lesnar's usual routine, where he circles the ring, stalking his opponent, a physical altercation, something to really hype the match, because Roman Reigns is not Triple H or The Undertaker.
A lot of people (myself included) were too quick to panic and overreact to the crowd turning on Reigns after the Rumble, but the fact of the matter is a lot of uncertainty surrounds Roman Reigns. He's still nowhere near ready for this spot or this push, and there's an uneasy feeling for the smarky Wrestlemania crowd turning on him at Mania, and cheering Lesnar. If that happens, it won't matter what happens in the ring, because the match will be remembered as a sideshow trainwreck.
I don't get the build for Orton VS Rollins. I really don't. Orton returns to a huge face pop on Raw the night after Fast Lane, and we're supposed to buy into Orton playing mind games with The Authority after Rollins put him on the shelf?
Sting VS Triple H, the IC title match, and Rusev VS Cena are the only matches I'm truly looking forward to. It's Sting's first match in WWE, there's a lot of unpredictability surrounding the ladder match, and I'm sure Rusev and Cena will deliver one hell of a match.
Usually, I'm not one to complain about Lesnar's sporadic appearances schedule, but if we're talking about the build, it's almost impossible to compare this match to Wrestlemania 29 and 30. With Triple H VS Lesnar, you had Brock Lesnar, the marquee special attraction VS a decorated 13 time world champion and a future Hall Of Famer, and Wrestlemania XXX was a Streak match.
The difference between Reigns VS Lesnar and Lesnar VS Taker and HHH is you could rely on both matches to sell themselves for the most part. Lesnar didn't need to show up every week to help promote both matches, but that's not the case here.
It's been said already, but Paul Heyman can only do so much on the mic to fill in for his "client's" absence. After a while, we need a face to face staredown, Lesnar's usual routine, where he circles the ring, stalking his opponent, a physical altercation, something to really hype the match, because Roman Reigns is not Triple H or The Undertaker.
A lot of people (myself included) were too quick to panic and overreact to the crowd turning on Reigns after the Rumble, but the fact of the matter is a lot of uncertainty surrounds Roman Reigns. He's still nowhere near ready for this spot or this push, and there's an uneasy feeling for the smarky Wrestlemania crowd turning on him at Mania, and cheering Lesnar. If that happens, it won't matter what happens in the ring, because the match will be remembered as a sideshow trainwreck.
I don't get the build for Orton VS Rollins. I really don't. Orton returns to a huge face pop on Raw the night after Fast Lane, and we're supposed to buy into Orton playing mind games with The Authority after Rollins put him on the shelf?
Sting VS Triple H, the IC title match, and Rusev VS Cena are the only matches I'm truly looking forward to. It's Sting's first match in WWE, there's a lot of unpredictability surrounding the ladder match, and I'm sure Rusev and Cena will deliver one hell of a match.
The Fabulous Rougeau's
Championship Contender
With the events of last night's Raw I think its safe to say the final card is complete with 7 announced matches and 2 more matches that are all but ensured of happening. The following is my predicted order of matches as well as what I think will happen.
WrestleMania XXXI
Intercontinental Title Ladder Match
Bad News Barrett (c) vs Dean Ambrose vs Daniel Bryan vs Dolph Ziggler vs Luke Harper vs R-Truth vs Stardust
This match has opener written all over it. Ladder match with a lot of good workers in the match is a easy recipe for a good match and great open. I think this is a two man race between Barrett and Ambrose. It started with these two and while all signs point to Ambrose winning, you can never count out a guy that WWE seems to bury before a match.
Winner: Dean Ambrose
Prediction: We get the seeds for a Ziggler/Bryan feud in this match to set up the two for a match at Extreme Rules.
Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins
Not official, but with the events last night, you can bank on this match being announced very soon. As of now this is the match I am most excited for based soley on the attack from Orton to Rollins. I think this match is placed here in the card to keep the suspense/tease of Rollins cashing in later with so much time between this match and the WWE Title match.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Prediction: I think this feud ends here as Rollins probably transitions to a feud with Reigns and Orton can feud with a returning Sheamus (if he's heel and joins the authority).
Four Corners Tag Team Title Match
Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (c) vs The Usos vs Los Matadores vs New Day
The other match that's not official yet, but based on Raw seems all but certain. Much like the IC title match this started with two (Kidd/Cesaro and The Usos) but now features multiple participants. And like the IC title match I think the winner comes down to the champs or The Usos.
Winners: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro
Prediction: I think this ends The Usos challenging for the tag titles and we will see the team split up shortly following Mania.
Andre the Giant Battle Royal
Not going to list all the participants, but we still have spots open. For the guys we know I would call Mizdow/Ryback/Rowan the favorites. However, I think Sheamus returns for this match and wins the battle royal.
Winner: Sheamus
Prediction: Sheamus aligns himself with The Authority and turns heel in the process leading to a program with Orton.
US Title Match
Rusev (c) vs John Cena
Match was made official on Raw so we get the rematch at Mania. The build would dictate that Cena finally beats the Russian (he's not really Russian) but I don't think WWE is done with their push of Rusev.
Winner: Rusev (and clean too)
Prediction: Rusev continues his "unbeaten" streak which will lead him to a WWE Title Match by SummerSlam. Cena is a wildcard. Not really sure what is in the near future for him. I think he may get a rest/vacation after the European Tour following Mania.
Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker
The streak is no longer a thing, but this match is still interesting nonetheless. Does Taker lose 2 in a row? Does Wyatt lose 2 in a row? I worry about the quality of the match as I think Bray will have to carry it and I am not sure his style is suited for that.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Prediction: Bray needs the win more to continue this push of his as being the new face of fear. I hope this is it for Taker because even though I wanted the streak to end, I don't want to see him continue to lose at Mania.
AJ & Paige vs The Bella's
Diva's title is not on the line so this match doesn't have much intrigue other than AJ/Paige getting revenge on The Bella's.
Winners: AJ & Paige
Prediction: For winning the match AJ & Paige get a #1 contenders match the next night. AJ wins and goes on to beat Nikki for the title at Extreme Rules.
Sting vs HHH
The most intriguing match of the night because we have never seen Sting wrestle in the WWE and I am not quite sure what to expect from Sting in the ring. That's where the intrigue ends because the result is pretty obvious.
Winner: Sting
Prediction: With the win, Sting gets some sort of control so moving forward The Authority don't have total power.
WWE Title Match
Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns
I worry that the fans are not going to give this match a fair shake and boo it out of the building. For the match itself there is some mystery because depending on Brock's situation past Mania can determine how this match finishes. Regardless of the situation I think the match will pretty much go down the same direction minus the end. We will see Brock dominate Reigns with Reigns making a crazy comeback leading up to the end.
Winner: Roman Reigns
With Brock completely over the condition that lead him away from UFC, his contract being up after Mania, and his attending a recent UFC event I think the writing is on the wall that this is Brock's last match. So Reigns is made to look great by being able to overcome Brock's onslaught. However, the beating takes its toll and he is prone for a cash in. Enter Rollins who now some 3 hours since his match is fresh. He strolls in and cashes in not winning in short fashion but rather about 5 minutes or so with a time or 2 looking like Reigns may pull this off.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Prediction: As I stated I think we have the end of Brock's 2nd run in the WWE with Mania XXXI. Reigns gets his moment by beating the beast, and is given a 2nd chance at getting the fans on his side by chasing Rollins for the title.
WrestleMania XXXI
Intercontinental Title Ladder Match
Bad News Barrett (c) vs Dean Ambrose vs Daniel Bryan vs Dolph Ziggler vs Luke Harper vs R-Truth vs Stardust
This match has opener written all over it. Ladder match with a lot of good workers in the match is a easy recipe for a good match and great open. I think this is a two man race between Barrett and Ambrose. It started with these two and while all signs point to Ambrose winning, you can never count out a guy that WWE seems to bury before a match.
Winner: Dean Ambrose
Prediction: We get the seeds for a Ziggler/Bryan feud in this match to set up the two for a match at Extreme Rules.
Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins
Not official, but with the events last night, you can bank on this match being announced very soon. As of now this is the match I am most excited for based soley on the attack from Orton to Rollins. I think this match is placed here in the card to keep the suspense/tease of Rollins cashing in later with so much time between this match and the WWE Title match.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Prediction: I think this feud ends here as Rollins probably transitions to a feud with Reigns and Orton can feud with a returning Sheamus (if he's heel and joins the authority).
Four Corners Tag Team Title Match
Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (c) vs The Usos vs Los Matadores vs New Day
The other match that's not official yet, but based on Raw seems all but certain. Much like the IC title match this started with two (Kidd/Cesaro and The Usos) but now features multiple participants. And like the IC title match I think the winner comes down to the champs or The Usos.
Winners: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro
Prediction: I think this ends The Usos challenging for the tag titles and we will see the team split up shortly following Mania.
Andre the Giant Battle Royal
Not going to list all the participants, but we still have spots open. For the guys we know I would call Mizdow/Ryback/Rowan the favorites. However, I think Sheamus returns for this match and wins the battle royal.
Winner: Sheamus
Prediction: Sheamus aligns himself with The Authority and turns heel in the process leading to a program with Orton.
US Title Match
Rusev (c) vs John Cena
Match was made official on Raw so we get the rematch at Mania. The build would dictate that Cena finally beats the Russian (he's not really Russian) but I don't think WWE is done with their push of Rusev.
Winner: Rusev (and clean too)
Prediction: Rusev continues his "unbeaten" streak which will lead him to a WWE Title Match by SummerSlam. Cena is a wildcard. Not really sure what is in the near future for him. I think he may get a rest/vacation after the European Tour following Mania.
Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker
The streak is no longer a thing, but this match is still interesting nonetheless. Does Taker lose 2 in a row? Does Wyatt lose 2 in a row? I worry about the quality of the match as I think Bray will have to carry it and I am not sure his style is suited for that.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Prediction: Bray needs the win more to continue this push of his as being the new face of fear. I hope this is it for Taker because even though I wanted the streak to end, I don't want to see him continue to lose at Mania.
AJ & Paige vs The Bella's
Diva's title is not on the line so this match doesn't have much intrigue other than AJ/Paige getting revenge on The Bella's.
Winners: AJ & Paige
Prediction: For winning the match AJ & Paige get a #1 contenders match the next night. AJ wins and goes on to beat Nikki for the title at Extreme Rules.
Sting vs HHH
The most intriguing match of the night because we have never seen Sting wrestle in the WWE and I am not quite sure what to expect from Sting in the ring. That's where the intrigue ends because the result is pretty obvious.
Winner: Sting
Prediction: With the win, Sting gets some sort of control so moving forward The Authority don't have total power.
WWE Title Match
Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns
I worry that the fans are not going to give this match a fair shake and boo it out of the building. For the match itself there is some mystery because depending on Brock's situation past Mania can determine how this match finishes. Regardless of the situation I think the match will pretty much go down the same direction minus the end. We will see Brock dominate Reigns with Reigns making a crazy comeback leading up to the end.
Winner: Roman Reigns
With Brock completely over the condition that lead him away from UFC, his contract being up after Mania, and his attending a recent UFC event I think the writing is on the wall that this is Brock's last match. So Reigns is made to look great by being able to overcome Brock's onslaught. However, the beating takes its toll and he is prone for a cash in. Enter Rollins who now some 3 hours since his match is fresh. He strolls in and cashes in not winning in short fashion but rather about 5 minutes or so with a time or 2 looking like Reigns may pull this off.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Prediction: As I stated I think we have the end of Brock's 2nd run in the WWE with Mania XXXI. Reigns gets his moment by beating the beast, and is given a 2nd chance at getting the fans on his side by chasing Rollins for the title.
King Patrick Star
K. O. T. R. 2007 - Team Undisputed
This is the first WrestleMania that I would not pay $60+ for. If it wasnt for the WWE Network, I probably would have skipped WrestleMania 31 to watch the season finale of The Walking Dead. With that being said, I hope Roman Reigns reigns over the WWE Universe by Sunday night, around 11 PM.
Aeon Mathix
Has Ascended
I am excited as hell for Wrestlemania. Last year and the year before I wasn't. Mostly due to Wrestlemania 29 looking like a snoozefest on paper with all of the rematches. And I am also not a huge Daniel Bryan fan and Wrestlemania 30 was the Daniel Bryan show so needless to say I skipped out on just about everything the last 2 shows.
This one though has my attention. Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar has me amped no matter what anyone says. I think they will give a great performance and it will be hard hitting. Sting for the first time ever in a WWE ring? Against Triple H nonetheless? Speaks for itself. Seeing Taker back after a year away is always worth checking out and it will be interesting to see what kind of condition he is in. Hell even the divas tag has the possibility to be good.
Not sure what everyone is up in arms about with this Wrestlemania but I am excited and can't wait to see how it pans out.
This one though has my attention. Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar has me amped no matter what anyone says. I think they will give a great performance and it will be hard hitting. Sting for the first time ever in a WWE ring? Against Triple H nonetheless? Speaks for itself. Seeing Taker back after a year away is always worth checking out and it will be interesting to see what kind of condition he is in. Hell even the divas tag has the possibility to be good.
Not sure what everyone is up in arms about with this Wrestlemania but I am excited and can't wait to see how it pans out.
OYDK
King Of The Ring
To start off, I want to make it clear that this is not me armchair/fantasy booking the finish to the Mania 31 matches. I was skimming through reports and I came across one that listed "the best possible outcomes for each contest", and I thought I'd get some opinions on this. The report mostly looks at the impact the outcome would have on each wrestler going forward, and what the most logical route, at this point, would be.
How would you feel about Mania if it were to go down this way;
Fatal 4 Way Tag Team Championship Match: "A clean victory for Cesaro and Kidd would help them gain momentum and further credibility as champions."
"With WWE understandably wanting to keep The Usos strong, beating Fernando or Diego of Los Matadores would be the best finish for WWE Creative to book, especially when one takes into account just how inconsequential that team is in the grand scheme of things."
Really no other way to go here unless they want to give The Usos another Mania moment which would make very little sense imo. Just please, don't give it to the New Day.
ATG Memorial Battle Royal: "Though it is unlikely to mean much beyond a few stunning visuals with the winner holding the Andre the Giant trophy, The Miz winning the match by eliminating Mizdow would be the catalyst for the split between the two Superstars."
"As Miz celebrates his win, Mizdow could pull a Bret Hart from WrestleMania IV and send Miz to the arena floor before breaking the trophy and solidifying himself as a clear babyface going forward, no longer under the rule of the Hollywood A-lister."
I wouldn't mind this personally, however I feel Ryback needs this win after dropping off the face of the WWE landscape this past few months. If he's swept under the rug again, I'd say that's the end of the Ryback main-event experiment.
IC Ladder Match: "Withstanding the challenge of Stardust, Luke Harper, Bad News Barrett, R-Truth, Dean Ambrose and the man who defeated him twice, Dolph Ziggler, to emerge victorious, Bryan (with 70,000 fans chanting "Yes!" in unison) would instantly help change the WWE Universe has regarding the secondary title."
"That label, "secondary," would change under Bryan."
"Thus, the best finish is for the Aberdeen, Washington, native to once again climb the ladder and achieve championship glory."
I like this outcome as well, as it gives Bryan something to do for the foreseeable future and thrusts the IC title in the spotlight. Bryan feuds with Ziggler, Ambrose, Barrett, and Sheamus alone should have the fanbase salivating.
Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins: "A babyface is only as good as the heels they have to work with, so if Orton were to defeat Rollins cleanly Sunday night, finishing him off with an RKO, it would seriously hurt one of the few legitimate, main event, full-time heels the company has left on the roster."
"Thus, the best finish is for Rollins to pick up a tainted win over Orton, one possibly involving the same J&J Security that he shoved in harm's way Monday night during the handicap match against the Viper."
"Rollins winning in that manner stays true to the character, allows Orton to save face and lays the groundwork for the continuation of the program."
Been there, done that. I definitely don't want to see J&J get involved at all in this match. If Rollins is to win unfairly, I hope the finish is more creative. I think the outcome is spot-on however. As much as people want to see Orton win this one, the feud so far has been all him and Rollins kinda needs the Mania victory at this point in his career.
Paige and AJ vs The Bellas: "While WWE Creative may be tempted to go with AJ as the winner, probably with the Black Widow submission hold, they should opt to put Paige over. After all, AJ is a made woman, a performer with a wealth of backstory to help keep her over with fans, while the Brit is still trying to make that all-important connection, which has been interrupted thanks to inconsistencies with her use by the writing staff."
"The Ram-Paige to Nikki, allowing Paige to pick up the pinfall win for her team, would go a long way in helping establish the second-generation wrestler as the face of the Divas division."
I'd agree with this decision as a Bella win offers no real payoff. I see Paige and AJ feuding after Mania... whether the WWE adds the Divas title into the feud is up for debate.
John Cena vs Rusev for the US Championship: "From the minute Rusev embarked on an impressive win streak beginning the night after last year's WrestleMania, everything that he has accomplished and has been booked in has been in hopes of setting him up for John Cena to knock down."
"Like Umaga before him, Rusev proved critics wrong, showcasing his ability to move around the ring with the speed and agility of a cruiserweight, despite possessing the size of a heavyweight. He defeated former world champions on his path of rage, but come WrestleMania, Rusev will run into the unstoppable force in the form of Cena, who will defeat him and regain the United States Championship for the first time in a decade."
Can't help but agree on this outcome as well. I think it's time for Rusev to walk on his own without the crutch of an undefeated streak helping him. Cena winning would most likely continue this feud, which seems to be the plan post-Mania.
Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker: "The Undertaker winning would make sense and serve as a nice "thank you" for agreeing to put Lesnar over at WrestleMania XXX, but it would also hurt Wyatt, who has picked the right time to become motivated again and deliver some of his finest promo work to date."
"This is the one case where WWE should rethink its obsession with providing fans with the happy ending at WrestleMania and book toward the future. Wyatt could prove his claims right and cement himself as the new Face of Fear with a win, all the while having the proverbial torch passed his way by one of the greatest performers of all time (in any form of entertainment)."
"A pinfall win over a beaten Undertaker, courtesy of Sister Abigail, would be a defining moment in young Bray Wyatt's career, one that could catapult him to the top of the card, a spot he has sniffed in the past but been unable to successfully hold onto."
I agree.
Sting vs HHH: "There really is only one way that Sting vs. Triple H can conceivably end, and that is with the face-painted, baseball bat-wielding icon pinning The Game and picking up the victory in his history-making first match in World Wrestling Entertainment."
"A pinfall victory following the Scorpion Death Drop would be nice, but even better would be a tapout win, the result of the Scorpion Death Lock that he, not Bret Hart, popularized in North America."
Is there really any conceivable way HHH goes over here?
Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns for the WWEWHC: "At WrestleMania, the best finish for everyone involved would be for Lesnar to destroy Reigns with three F5s, only for Reigns to kick out each time. After a fourth, and with Lesnar reeling from a series of Superman Punches and spears, he just barely squeaks by with the win."
"That scenario puts Reigns over as a hellish competitor who kicked out of everything Lesnar threw at him until his body could not take more. It would earn the respect of the people rather than giving him the Super Cena push to the top of the company, suffering boos and jeers along the way."
I can accept this outcome were it to happen at Mania, but I'd be more inclined to see a Roman Reigns victory after a match like this. I'd also like to see the WWEWHC defended more often that it is with Brock.
How would you feel about Mania if it were to go down this way;
Fatal 4 Way Tag Team Championship Match: "A clean victory for Cesaro and Kidd would help them gain momentum and further credibility as champions."
"With WWE understandably wanting to keep The Usos strong, beating Fernando or Diego of Los Matadores would be the best finish for WWE Creative to book, especially when one takes into account just how inconsequential that team is in the grand scheme of things."
Really no other way to go here unless they want to give The Usos another Mania moment which would make very little sense imo. Just please, don't give it to the New Day.
ATG Memorial Battle Royal: "Though it is unlikely to mean much beyond a few stunning visuals with the winner holding the Andre the Giant trophy, The Miz winning the match by eliminating Mizdow would be the catalyst for the split between the two Superstars."
"As Miz celebrates his win, Mizdow could pull a Bret Hart from WrestleMania IV and send Miz to the arena floor before breaking the trophy and solidifying himself as a clear babyface going forward, no longer under the rule of the Hollywood A-lister."
I wouldn't mind this personally, however I feel Ryback needs this win after dropping off the face of the WWE landscape this past few months. If he's swept under the rug again, I'd say that's the end of the Ryback main-event experiment.
IC Ladder Match: "Withstanding the challenge of Stardust, Luke Harper, Bad News Barrett, R-Truth, Dean Ambrose and the man who defeated him twice, Dolph Ziggler, to emerge victorious, Bryan (with 70,000 fans chanting "Yes!" in unison) would instantly help change the WWE Universe has regarding the secondary title."
"That label, "secondary," would change under Bryan."
"Thus, the best finish is for the Aberdeen, Washington, native to once again climb the ladder and achieve championship glory."
I like this outcome as well, as it gives Bryan something to do for the foreseeable future and thrusts the IC title in the spotlight. Bryan feuds with Ziggler, Ambrose, Barrett, and Sheamus alone should have the fanbase salivating.
Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins: "A babyface is only as good as the heels they have to work with, so if Orton were to defeat Rollins cleanly Sunday night, finishing him off with an RKO, it would seriously hurt one of the few legitimate, main event, full-time heels the company has left on the roster."
"Thus, the best finish is for Rollins to pick up a tainted win over Orton, one possibly involving the same J&J Security that he shoved in harm's way Monday night during the handicap match against the Viper."
"Rollins winning in that manner stays true to the character, allows Orton to save face and lays the groundwork for the continuation of the program."
Been there, done that. I definitely don't want to see J&J get involved at all in this match. If Rollins is to win unfairly, I hope the finish is more creative. I think the outcome is spot-on however. As much as people want to see Orton win this one, the feud so far has been all him and Rollins kinda needs the Mania victory at this point in his career.
Paige and AJ vs The Bellas: "While WWE Creative may be tempted to go with AJ as the winner, probably with the Black Widow submission hold, they should opt to put Paige over. After all, AJ is a made woman, a performer with a wealth of backstory to help keep her over with fans, while the Brit is still trying to make that all-important connection, which has been interrupted thanks to inconsistencies with her use by the writing staff."
"The Ram-Paige to Nikki, allowing Paige to pick up the pinfall win for her team, would go a long way in helping establish the second-generation wrestler as the face of the Divas division."
I'd agree with this decision as a Bella win offers no real payoff. I see Paige and AJ feuding after Mania... whether the WWE adds the Divas title into the feud is up for debate.
John Cena vs Rusev for the US Championship: "From the minute Rusev embarked on an impressive win streak beginning the night after last year's WrestleMania, everything that he has accomplished and has been booked in has been in hopes of setting him up for John Cena to knock down."
"Like Umaga before him, Rusev proved critics wrong, showcasing his ability to move around the ring with the speed and agility of a cruiserweight, despite possessing the size of a heavyweight. He defeated former world champions on his path of rage, but come WrestleMania, Rusev will run into the unstoppable force in the form of Cena, who will defeat him and regain the United States Championship for the first time in a decade."
Can't help but agree on this outcome as well. I think it's time for Rusev to walk on his own without the crutch of an undefeated streak helping him. Cena winning would most likely continue this feud, which seems to be the plan post-Mania.
Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker: "The Undertaker winning would make sense and serve as a nice "thank you" for agreeing to put Lesnar over at WrestleMania XXX, but it would also hurt Wyatt, who has picked the right time to become motivated again and deliver some of his finest promo work to date."
"This is the one case where WWE should rethink its obsession with providing fans with the happy ending at WrestleMania and book toward the future. Wyatt could prove his claims right and cement himself as the new Face of Fear with a win, all the while having the proverbial torch passed his way by one of the greatest performers of all time (in any form of entertainment)."
"A pinfall win over a beaten Undertaker, courtesy of Sister Abigail, would be a defining moment in young Bray Wyatt's career, one that could catapult him to the top of the card, a spot he has sniffed in the past but been unable to successfully hold onto."
I agree.
Sting vs HHH: "There really is only one way that Sting vs. Triple H can conceivably end, and that is with the face-painted, baseball bat-wielding icon pinning The Game and picking up the victory in his history-making first match in World Wrestling Entertainment."
"A pinfall victory following the Scorpion Death Drop would be nice, but even better would be a tapout win, the result of the Scorpion Death Lock that he, not Bret Hart, popularized in North America."
Is there really any conceivable way HHH goes over here?
Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns for the WWEWHC: "At WrestleMania, the best finish for everyone involved would be for Lesnar to destroy Reigns with three F5s, only for Reigns to kick out each time. After a fourth, and with Lesnar reeling from a series of Superman Punches and spears, he just barely squeaks by with the win."
"That scenario puts Reigns over as a hellish competitor who kicked out of everything Lesnar threw at him until his body could not take more. It would earn the respect of the people rather than giving him the Super Cena push to the top of the company, suffering boos and jeers along the way."
I can accept this outcome were it to happen at Mania, but I'd be more inclined to see a Roman Reigns victory after a match like this. I'd also like to see the WWEWHC defended more often that it is with Brock.
Mustang Sally
Sells seashells by the seashore
Why in the world did they wind up putting the IC Ladder Match and Andre the Giant contest off the main card? I'm surprised; in another topic, some folks picked either of those matches to be the one that steals the show....I thought they were main attractions of the evening.
However, if I'm reading it correctly, we can see these events, by going to the WWE Network at 5PM. I wonder if folks who don't have the Network but pay $60 for the PPV have the same option.
Still.....sitting in front of the TV for 6 hours? Jeez!
Hope they give ample time for a couple of bathroom breaks. We've got a bunch of people coming over.....but only one restroom.
Hell, you think you've got problems?
However, if I'm reading it correctly, we can see these events, by going to the WWE Network at 5PM. I wonder if folks who don't have the Network but pay $60 for the PPV have the same option.
Still.....sitting in front of the TV for 6 hours? Jeez!
Hope they give ample time for a couple of bathroom breaks. We've got a bunch of people coming over.....but only one restroom.
Hell, you think you've got problems?
Sally they have put the Tag Team Championship and the Andre the Giant Battle Royal on the preshow. The IC Ladder Match is opening Mania I believe.
And I can answer your question on the PPV buy. If you buy the PPV you only get the it from the start of the actual show. Here in Canada before we got the network, I used to buy them every month, and never saw one preshow. The purchase price is for the main PPV only, so those that don't have the network will miss the preshow altogether.
Mustang Sally
Sells seashells by the seashore
Thanks, Navi. I got that wrong....and I'm glad I did because it seemed to me the IC match is a prime attraction of the evening and I couldn't understand why they'd want to bump it off the main card.
Well, that's rough for folks who shell out $60(US). That they don't get everything the Network subscribers get seems like a WWE tactic to get folks to subscribe, right?
And it's pretty good tactic if I do say so myself. Most of the card will be in that Battle Royal, so if you want to see some of your favourites you have to subscribe.
Yea if you buy it, the feed doesn't kick in until the official show opening. Sucks because I used to hear about these matches taking place and could never watch them. If you're going to pay that amount of money, you should get the preshow as well.
Terry Gyimah
Championship Contender
Either way this year's WrestleMania I would say is by far a mile better than last year's WrestleMania in my opinion especially given the quality of matches but also the fact of time length considering this year's Mania will be over 4 hours I mean come on it doesn't get any better than that and considering the HOF ceremony as well, Macho King, aka Macho Man headlining this year's Hall of Fame class, OH YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
You think you've got problems? It doesn't start to 11PM my time tomorrow night and won't finish until 5 in the morning... Still, a bit like you, I am having people over for the event and it should be a good atmosphere. To be honest with you, the matches could go either way and that is always for the best when it gets to a Mania event. The fun of it all is people supporting their favourites and booing those that they hate. But I totally agree with you, 6 hours seems like a long time. Still, as a wrestling fan with a couple of days off around, I can't wait!
The match card looks good, something that I really didn't think that I would be saying a few weeks ago. But the WWE have produced something with very little time to spare if you ask me. Sure, things could have gone a lot smoother but they've produced a card that I am interested in seeing. Having pushed some of the filler from the main card, I am hopeful that this means that matches like Sting versus Triple H and Rollins versus Orton gets a lot of time to show us a match that we know they are capable of.
I'm obviously excited. It's Wrestlemania, it's kind off hard not to be.
The thing that strikes me about this Mania is the unpredictability. For each match I'm not 100% sure about the winner. Sure Sting is more than likely but other than that I can't call it. For the first time, The Undertaker match isn't a certainty. I could easily envisage a Bray victory and, indeed, I would support it.
Rusev v Cena could go either way. Even if Cena is the favourite; Rusev has so much momentum right now. Rollins/Orton is in Seth's favour but, again, Orton is a big star and might win this. The IC ladder match could have about four winners. Also, the possibilities moving forward with Bryan as champ would be fascinating. The Divas match could be won by either team. Even on the pre-show, the battle royal has a few potential winners.
The best example is, of course, Reigns/Lesnar. I was certain about a Reigns victory but the mixed reactions paired with Lesnar resigning has given me doubts. Lesnar could so easily have a massive babyface run if they so chose and this might be the start. Of course, there is the potential of Reigns walking out as a heel champion.
There is a lot going on with this Mania. The build across the board has been average but the actual card look good. If every match delivers then this could easily be one of the top ten Wrestlemanias - maybe even higher. I like the unpredictability from this show and hopefully everyone delivers.
The thing that strikes me about this Mania is the unpredictability. For each match I'm not 100% sure about the winner. Sure Sting is more than likely but other than that I can't call it. For the first time, The Undertaker match isn't a certainty. I could easily envisage a Bray victory and, indeed, I would support it.
Rusev v Cena could go either way. Even if Cena is the favourite; Rusev has so much momentum right now. Rollins/Orton is in Seth's favour but, again, Orton is a big star and might win this. The IC ladder match could have about four winners. Also, the possibilities moving forward with Bryan as champ would be fascinating. The Divas match could be won by either team. Even on the pre-show, the battle royal has a few potential winners.
The best example is, of course, Reigns/Lesnar. I was certain about a Reigns victory but the mixed reactions paired with Lesnar resigning has given me doubts. Lesnar could so easily have a massive babyface run if they so chose and this might be the start. Of course, there is the potential of Reigns walking out as a heel champion.
There is a lot going on with this Mania. The build across the board has been average but the actual card look good. If every match delivers then this could easily be one of the top ten Wrestlemanias - maybe even higher. I like the unpredictability from this show and hopefully everyone delivers.
I'll openly admit that this show was MUCH better than I expected. Here are my overall thoughts on Wrestlemania 31....
Tag Team Championship Match
The right team won. The champions definitely needed to retain, but why weren't The Ascension in this? Definitely glad this was on the pre-show instead of the main card.
Andre Battle Royal
This started out good, but the ending destroyed it. I am SO sick of Big Show. He's boring and there's no point in pushing him at this point. Sandow needed the win here. Worst match outcome of the whole night. Thank goodness this was on the pre-show, as this taking place on the main show with its stupid ending would have been an even bigger disappointment.
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
This was great. Lots of crazy spots and a great effort out of everyone involved, even Truth. Bryan winning was another good decision. He has the potential to be a great Intercontental Champion. Couldn't think of a better way to start the show.
Randy Orton VS Seth Rollins
I was a bit surprised by the Orton win, but given the ending of the show it made sense. Now the feud can possibly continue on a bigger capacity. Lots of cool moments here, especially all the RKO's.
Sting VS Triple H
Really enjoyed this. Trips' entrance was a bit cheesy, the one he had last year against Bryan was much better. The cameos by the original nWo members as well as Michaels and the DX guys were really cool too. Honestly, the only bad thing about this match was the result. Why exactly did Trips win? Trying to prove once and for all that WWE is better than WCW was? It ended 14 years ago, you won. Time to move on. Anyways, great stuff otherwise.
AJ & Paige VS The Bellas
This went on longer than I expected. I had a joke going to see if I could eat a giant bunny gummy candy by the time this match ended. The bunny lasted 8 minutes longer than this match did. Anyways, the right team won. AJ and Paige now have the momentum they need to challenge Nikki for the belt. Worst match of the main card, but you can blame The Bellas for that.
John Cena VS Rusev (US Championship)
The entrance by Rusev was very impressive. I was expecting something bigger for Cena's entrance. He used to have amazing Wrestlemania entrances each year but they have been underwhelming the last few years. The match itself wasn't bad.
Triple H, The Rock, Stephanie, and Ronda Segment
Not a match but worth mentioning. This was one of the better parts of the night. Trips VS Rock and Stephanie VS Ronda could both get set up through this. I'd be up for seeing both of these matches. Good segment either way.
Bray Wyatt VS Undertaker
This was also better than expected. I was wrong about this one too. I wanted Bray to win, but given Taker's victory and the quality of this match, he might not be done after all. Such a big step up from last year. Now if only it could have been darker so Bray's entrance could have been even better.... Oh well. Still good overall.
Brock Lesnar VS Roman Reigns VS Seth Rollins (World Heavyweight Championship)
This was WAY better than I expected, but that is due to Rollins' cash-in. The first part of the match wasn't that great. I would have wanted to see a little more offense from Reigns, but that's just me. Seth's cash-in saved this match and gave us an amazing ending to the show. Absolutely brilliant.
Overall Thoughts
While I preferred Wrestlemania 30, this year's Wrestlemania delivered an excellent show with an ending that will be remembered forever. Not a single bad match on the main card, many cool moments, three new champions, and the best Money In The Bank cash-in of all time. Very good show.
Dagger's Review
A
Tag Team Championship Match
The right team won. The champions definitely needed to retain, but why weren't The Ascension in this? Definitely glad this was on the pre-show instead of the main card.
Andre Battle Royal
This started out good, but the ending destroyed it. I am SO sick of Big Show. He's boring and there's no point in pushing him at this point. Sandow needed the win here. Worst match outcome of the whole night. Thank goodness this was on the pre-show, as this taking place on the main show with its stupid ending would have been an even bigger disappointment.
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
This was great. Lots of crazy spots and a great effort out of everyone involved, even Truth. Bryan winning was another good decision. He has the potential to be a great Intercontental Champion. Couldn't think of a better way to start the show.
Randy Orton VS Seth Rollins
I was a bit surprised by the Orton win, but given the ending of the show it made sense. Now the feud can possibly continue on a bigger capacity. Lots of cool moments here, especially all the RKO's.
Sting VS Triple H
Really enjoyed this. Trips' entrance was a bit cheesy, the one he had last year against Bryan was much better. The cameos by the original nWo members as well as Michaels and the DX guys were really cool too. Honestly, the only bad thing about this match was the result. Why exactly did Trips win? Trying to prove once and for all that WWE is better than WCW was? It ended 14 years ago, you won. Time to move on. Anyways, great stuff otherwise.
AJ & Paige VS The Bellas
This went on longer than I expected. I had a joke going to see if I could eat a giant bunny gummy candy by the time this match ended. The bunny lasted 8 minutes longer than this match did. Anyways, the right team won. AJ and Paige now have the momentum they need to challenge Nikki for the belt. Worst match of the main card, but you can blame The Bellas for that.
John Cena VS Rusev (US Championship)
The entrance by Rusev was very impressive. I was expecting something bigger for Cena's entrance. He used to have amazing Wrestlemania entrances each year but they have been underwhelming the last few years. The match itself wasn't bad.
Triple H, The Rock, Stephanie, and Ronda Segment
Not a match but worth mentioning. This was one of the better parts of the night. Trips VS Rock and Stephanie VS Ronda could both get set up through this. I'd be up for seeing both of these matches. Good segment either way.
Bray Wyatt VS Undertaker
This was also better than expected. I was wrong about this one too. I wanted Bray to win, but given Taker's victory and the quality of this match, he might not be done after all. Such a big step up from last year. Now if only it could have been darker so Bray's entrance could have been even better.... Oh well. Still good overall.
Brock Lesnar VS Roman Reigns VS Seth Rollins (World Heavyweight Championship)
This was WAY better than I expected, but that is due to Rollins' cash-in. The first part of the match wasn't that great. I would have wanted to see a little more offense from Reigns, but that's just me. Seth's cash-in saved this match and gave us an amazing ending to the show. Absolutely brilliant.
Overall Thoughts
While I preferred Wrestlemania 30, this year's Wrestlemania delivered an excellent show with an ending that will be remembered forever. Not a single bad match on the main card, many cool moments, three new champions, and the best Money In The Bank cash-in of all time. Very good show.
Dagger's Review
A
