40 replies to this topic

[Call Billy Bob]

Been a long while, but decided to bump this thread since WrestleMania is Sunday and Brock Lesnar re-signed this week. Potentially an underwhelming card, but I'm slightly optimistic. Looking forward to the IC ladder match, HHH/Sting, and Taker/Bray.

[x007AceOfSpades]

It is indeed a very underwhelming WrestleMania. The buildup for the matches has been god awful, especially Lesnar vs. Reigns.

[Call Billy Bob]

My only hope is now Brock has to be winning - you don't re-sign the guy, then have him drop the strap a week later, do you?

[x007AceOfSpades]

Giving him the belt at SummerSlam last year was a major mistake, along with his contract. He only defended the belt twice (Night Of Champions & Royal Rumble) I believe. It's quite sad there isn't or at least was an active champions for four-five months. As Lesnar said, he gets paid full time, but only works part time. I'd rather endure another boring and lazily written championship reign from Cena than have the inactive champion that is Lesnar.

 

WWE is seriously pushing Reigns, and fast too. They want him to lead the brand, because I only see John Cena (28 in August) sticking around for a few more years. The Daniel Bryan-please the fans-plan backfired when he was injured last year shortly after WrestleMania. The Lesnar vs. Reigns feud will continue for a few months. After that, Brock will disappear again, leaving Paul Heyman on the mic again (don't get me wrong, he's excellent) until they call him back. Plus Reigns has been trying his hardest to sell this match since winning the Rumble and at Fastlane. WWE even went out of their way to have The Rock bolster Reigns up at the Rumble.

 

Personally, Lesnar can say he wasn't going to head back into MMA, but all the signs were pointing there. He was most definitely in some serious talks about money and contracts, considering 2014 was the worst year for the UFC in regards of PPV, and they need any and all people they can get to sell fights and events for more buys. McMahon probably (more like definitely) found out and probably gave Lesnar a better deal than he would've received from Dana White and the UFC.

 

More than anything, I want to know where they're taking Seth Rollins in all of this. He has his feud with Orton leading into WM31, but he's been basically nothing more than the poster boy for The Authority. Unless he surprises everyone and cashes the briefcase after the main event, I don't know what they're doing and where they're taking him.

 

As for the event, it is underwhelming, but the ladder match is probably the best thing about the whole card. I may be wrong but this is the first Intercontinental Champion ladder match since WrestleMania X, and Michaels vs. Ramon is one of my favorite matches. Everything else is ho-hum. It is nice to see for a second year in a row Cena not near a major title match, and while it's great to have Sting in the WWE, I can't help but feel that this is fourteen years too late. Plus I'm not sure about Taker vs. Wyatt, mainly because of Taker losing last year, I wouldn't be surprised if he loses this year to boost Wyatt further.

[Call Billy Bob]

WrestleMania has come and gone, so here are my thoughts on the 31st edition (aka WrestleMania Play Button ):

 

-Fatal 4-Way Tag - Surprisingly, a fun match to start things off! Loving the work Cesaro/Kidd, aka Brass Ring Club, are doing and having them retain was the right choice. Though I don't care for any of the other teams AT ALL, I will give credit where credit is due - they all did great work here. And Nattie's outfit?

 

-Andre Battle Royal - Meh... give Big Show the trophy that looks like the guy who he was billed as son to back in WCW... But Mizdow FINALLY turning on Miz made this watchable.

 

-IC Ladder Match - Match of the Night, for me. All seven guys putting in the work, Ambrose getting killed by Harper, and setting up a Bryan/Ziggler feud for the strap: perfection.

 

-Orton/Rollins - RKO! Best one in quite a while. Seth taking the loss here made the cash-in later in the night much more shocking from a storyline standpoint.

 

-Sting/HHH - Felt like I was channel surfing back in elementary school again, and it was fun. Sting losing made me scratch my head a bit... but if we get him and Taker in a double retirement match next year (at WrestleMania Cowboys Logo! haha), I'm ok with this for now. Bonus: Kevin Nash "tearing" his quad again in the DX/nWo scuffle -

 

-Divas Tag - Pretty good for a Divas match. Love seeing AJ and Paige do good things.

 

-US Title Match - CENAWINSLOL! Boring... but we got Rusev on a tank!

 

-Bray/Taker - Having WM on the West Coast did this match a disservice: both creepy guys coming out in daylight? Still, having Taker back was great even though I think he should have taken the pin to put Wyatt over. Learning later that Bray wrestled with a hurt ankle impressed the hell outta me - didn't even show.

 

-Main Event - Very surprised by Roman in this match. Not a fan of the guy, but he looked good here. Brock always looks good. Best Money in the Bank cash-in ever! Thank you, Seth! New WWEWHC!

 

Your results may vary, but I loved this WrestleMania. Worst build-up to the biggest show of the year to one of the better WMs of the past 10 years? Voodoo magic, I tell ya!

[x007AceOfSpades]

Seth cashing in was probably the best part of that night.

 

Can't say the same for Triple H's Terminator outfit/entrance. That was just bizarre.

[Call Billy Bob]

Can't say the same for Triple H's Terminator outfit/entrance. That was just bizarre.

Only reason they got Arnold into the Hall of Fame this year: cross-promotion.

[Call Billy Bob]

It's been a month since Mania... and nothing seems to have changed. But two things stand out to me:

 

1) They need to align BNB with The Authority. Especially after winning KOTR. Even though it was never properly built up to, this is the sort of thing that could make him a main even player again.

 

2) Everything Adrian Neville is doing is brilliant! Such a strong start to his main roster career. I hope they put the IC Title on him now that Bryan is out indefinitely.

[x007AceOfSpades]

As much as I would love to see Barrett become a main eventer, I don't see it anytime soon. KOTR hasn't been relevent since 2006, when Booker T made it special and really made the most of the King Gimmick as champion. Since then, it's just a title. He needs a big push more than anything though. I think they're bringing Neville along quite well and I can definitely see him as IC champ very soon. The less I see of Daniel Bryan, the better.

 

I do agree that not a whole has changed, but I am happy to see Ambrose in the spotlight again so the F4W match should be good. I'm hoping the title switches hand (preferably with Ambrose as I enjoy watching him in the ring), but I have a feeling we'll seeing Seth as champion again and for a while.

[Call Billy Bob]

I do agree that not a whole has changed, but I am happy to see Ambrose in the spotlight again so the F4W match should be good. I'm hoping the title switches hand (preferably with Ambrose as I enjoy watching him in the ring), but I have a feeling we'll seeing Seth as champion again and for a while.

Yes, I'm hoping the title switches hands as well. But I want it to land with Orton, especially since he never lost the title to begin with (Bryan made Batista tap).

[Call Billy Bob]

RIP to a true legend: The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes