Friday April 3, 2009
From Move the Needle.net
By Abe Froman-
Vince McMahon and the WWE are spending countless hours and money promoting the prestige of WrestleMania and it’s 25th Anniversary. By the way isn’t it technically the 24th anniversary? Anyways, I can’t imagine anyone outside of Vince McMahon thinks this card looks anybetter than his three-hour ‘Raw’ specials. They are giving us Cena/Edge and HHH/Orton for the 64th time, I counted. Another Diva’s battle royal, and half the excitement of Money in the Bank was thinking any of the contestants could win. Does anyone believe Kane, Mark Henry, or Finlay are climbing that ladder and snatching the briefcase? So once again, as I may one day also get paid to do, I will re-book WrestleMania 25.
WWE Championship: Triple H (c) vs. John CenaPerhaps WWE’s two biggest stars. WrestleMania used to be about waiting an entire year to see the federation’s two biggest stars going at it. That’s what WrestleMania was. Now we get remixed versions of matches we have seen countless times on free television, but now because someone slept with Vickie Guerrero I am supposed to care that John Cena is fighting Edge again? Please. It’s usually tradition to have the good guy go out on top at ‘Mania and no matter who wins this one you get that ending. The feud could be built on who is the best? They still get the Orton/HHH storyline after WM because it could be seen as Orton choosing Edge to wrestle because he was ducking HHH.
My Outcome: John Cena wins the title establishing a new era in the WWE and what better time than an anniversary? Andre, Hogan, Hart, Michaels, Austin, Rock, Triple H, Cena.World Heavyweight Title: Edge (c) vs. Randy Orton.Okay, so Orton can win the title here and you still get the same good guy chases the title story with HHH focusing on Orton after losing his title to Cena at ‘Mania. Lots of storyline ideas here playing off Rated RKO, or Edge feeling disrespected that Orton would think he would have an easier time facing himself instead of HHH. You can even bring an element of Vickie Guerrero into the mix going behind Edge’s back to try and sign Orton to Smackdown should he beat Edge for the title.
My Outcome: Randy Orton. Triple H’s revenge title hunt to follow.Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels.This match has a very “anniversary” feel to it. Both men have been wrestling at WrestleMania for over a decade and both are considered “legends” of the event. As much as I would like to see the Undertakers “streak” storyline used to elevate new talent I can see the purpose in giving a nostalgic match to the anniversary show.
My Outcome: Undertaker. Still think ‘Taker should lose his streak to a freshly established star like Dibiase, Swagger, or even John Cena to further cement his legacy.Money In The Bank. Participants would be: The Big Show, Shelton Benjamin. MVP. The Brian Kendrick. R-Truth. Christian, Kofi Kingston, and JBL. The whole scenario with having certain veterans on the card just so they can receive a WrestleMania payday is dumb. If you think they should be rewarded for their loyalty and longevity to the company then they should be given pushes on television to fit into the biggest show of the year. There isn’t a whole lot of appeal to a match where there is really only one or two logical picks for the winner. Throw in a bunch of guys either being pushed or seen as possible contenders and you have more people caring about watching.
My Outcome: Christian. Still think Christian can make the WWE a lot of money in the world title picture.
Chris Jericho vs. The Ultimate Warrior.Think about it. Warrior just wrestled last year. He has always been about getting a payday. Nobody wants to see Jimmy Snuka or Roddy Piper lace them up again. Piper’s gut looks like he ate Mickey Rourke, which I am only assuming why Rourke isn’t wrestling Jericho here. They could keep Jericho’s opponent a secret stating that nobody knows whom it is but there will be a legend that is coming to WM to shut up Jericho. They have the Legends of WrestleMania video game and they are promoting WM25 as an anniversary of the legendary event, so why not have a WrestleMania legend take on Jericho? Jericho gets an elite match that he deserves. Warrior gets a payday. Fans get their moneys worth.
My Outcome: Chris Jericho. We get the annual returns of legends that interfere attacking Jericho. This is where you use the Pipers, Steamboats, Snuka’s, etc. Mickey Rourke jumps into the ring and gets involved giving WWE their mainstream media highlight. Jericho is rewarded with another world title run dethroning Cena.TLC Match: Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy.What exactly is the back-story to an extreme rules match? The fact that Jeff Hardy just suddenly starting wrestling these types of matches on Smackdown? That Hardy vs. Hardy is so intense they need to kill each other? Simple matches wont settle the score? Okay, the last one I buy. But why not have the match be a TLC match? The match that made them famous? The match that put them on the map, and now we get to see the same match brought back to see who truly carried the team and the Hardy name?
My Outcome: Lots of potential with this feud so you have to give it to Matt Hardy to help continue it.Intercontinental Title: CM Punk (c) vs. Rey Mysterio.I would not have had Punk lose the title to JBL on Raw. This is another “dream” money match that should and used to be reserved for WrestleMania. Two of the most popular wrestlers who have only faced each other once on TV. Two guys whom most people would not know who to pick. Two guys that can help bring prestige back to this worthless title. JBL vs. Mysterio seems like a match made just to get two guys a large payday again.
My Outcome: Rey Mysterio. Continuing to periodically put the title on established stars will bring credibility back to the title until they have someone ready to take it from one of these guys and build their own credibility with the title.WWE Tag Team Titles: John Morrison & The Miz (c) vs. Priceless. 2000’s greatest tag team can wait a night before unifying the tag team titles. The Colon’s don’t deserve to be on this card above Priceless. Legacy cannot grow or be seen as a major faction when 2/3 of the group is left off the biggest show of the year. This is also another “dream” match up between the two best teams in WWE.
My Outcome: Priceless. John Morrison is a star and needs to be elevated as a singles wrestler. Priceless goes on to Raw to unify the tag team titles.ECW Championship: Jack Swagger (c) vs. Evan Bourne.Based on Bourne’s reaction from the fans people want to watch this guy. Every Tuesday WWE attempts to sell the importance of their titles yet when it comes down to it all they do is talk about it instead of actually making the titles important. I am supposed to believe crowning a Miss WrestleMania is more important than defending a “world” title?
My Outcome: Jack Swagger. I would like to see Bourne chase the title a little longer without such a quick blow off, plus I don’t think Swagger established enough credibility to lose the title just yet.Miss WrestleMania Fatal Four Way: Beth Phoenix vs. Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus vs. Lita.
I understand the Diva’s is a selling point of the ‘E. A battle royal with returning Divas like Sunny should be reserved for the 500th edition of Smackdown. If you want to crown a Miss WrestleMania have it be because whomever wins beat other Divas who have actually wrestled at WrestleMania. This match gives a feel off who is really the best Diva of all time? Of course you give Trish the nod here, which if done well could convince her to return to build a feud with Beth Phoenix, which a lot of fans would like to see.
My outcome: Trish Stratus.
play for the Oakland Raiders on a one-year deal.
shower this morning I couldn’t help but think about the guys who helped me lose my fantasy baseball league last season. You know, the guys you thought about but didn’t pick up off waivers? The Carlos Quentin’s, The Ricky Nolasco’s, but instead you picked up Michael Bourn and Jayson Nix. Quit holding onto your waiver claim like it’s Donna Martin’s virginity. Because odds are you’ll just end up wasting it on another Jayson Nix. I enjoyed your production. So drop your Livan Hernandez’s and go grab these guys.
Ben Howland | Jamie Dixon