WrestleMania 41 Postscript

April 23, 2025 by Leave a Comment

WrestleMania 41 week has finally finished. It feels like WrestleMania runs longer than a seven game World Series. It is a lot of fun, but it is also a lot to take in.

My initial reaction to the Saturday and Sunday shows is that they were entertaining but fell short of perfection. There were some great matches and some fun moments. But there were one or two head-scratching moments that were a distraction.

With a few exceptions, it was a good weekend to be a bad guy. It is rare to have a WrestleMania end with the bad guy winning, but both main events featured just that. The heels thrived in the undercard, too.

We were led to believe the Saturday main event was a story about CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns. But that match was all about WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman. Heyman started off dancing to Living Color as he walked CM Punk to the ring. He proceeded to off the rare feat of making two heel turns in a single match, turning on both CM Punk and Roman Reigns! Who saw that coming?

The Sunday main event won’t be remembered as a classic. The match’s major creative flaw was that The Rock failed to appear and interfere. Instead, Travis Scott was the heater. I never understood why Travis Scott was at the Elimination Chamber, and I don’t understand why he interfered in the match at WrestleMania. Nobody talks about him and his motivations, and he never cut a promo.

On the WrestleMania Sunday post show, Peter Rosenberg quipped that nobody will “put the match in The Louvre”. But the historic outcome remains, John Cena won his record-breaking 17th world championship, breaking Ric Flair’s record of 16.

Elsewhere over the weekend, The New Day, Jacob Fatu, El Grande Americano, Drew McIntyre, Dominik Mysterio, and Logan Paul all won as heels. Dominik Mysterio got a huge babyface reaction to his win. It is almost as if the bad guys are the good guys in today’s WWE.

The only major heel to lose was Gunther in a fantastic match against Jey Uso. But don’t shed too many tears for him, his attack on Pat McAfee on the following Monday Night Raw will keep him very hot going forward.

The biggest takeaway from the weekend was it is apparent where the WWE is headed, and where it is not headed.  

The company is clearly behind the John Cena retirement tour in 2025. Seth Rollins was anointed as another top star in the company with his main event win. Jey Uso is going to have a long run as the secondary champion. Dominik Mysterio is going to rule the mid-card with his Intercontinental Championship run. Bronn Breaker went from losing his championship to being a Paul Heyman Guy.

On the other end of things, Roman Reigns is now stuck in neutral, he no longer has Paul Heyman, The Bloodline, or a championship. Cody Rhodes, whom the fans willed to a championship win at WrestleMania Xl, was loudly booed during his match which he lost. These two feel like they are a long way from their “face of the company” tenures.

My breakdown of winners and losers is as follows.

Losers

  • The War Raiders: That was probably their last big match in WWE.
  • LA Knight: What is he going to do now that he is no longer a champion of any kind?
  • Charlotte Flair: Her comeback from injury was botched by the company, no way someone of her stature should have lost to Tiffany Stratton.
  • Roman Reigns: If he isn’t the top guy, where does he even go from here?
  • Bayley: I don’t know if her injury is real or not, but it sucks to get pulled from the WrestleMania card like that. It tells me her best days are behind her.
  • The woman in the front row: Steve Austin is either losing his ability to drive or was drunk when he hit that barrier knocking that woman to the ground. How much did she pay for that ticket?
  • Cody Rhodes: Is it me, or is he losing the crowd? That’s almost unfathomable considering where he was just one year ago when he finished his story. Maybe he needs to write a new one. I hear that being a heel is all the rage these days.
  • Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn, and Braun Strowman: There was nowhere on either card for these guys?

Winners

  • The fans that no longer have to listen to “F!EIN”: That had to be the worst WrestleMania theme song of all time. That is not because I don’t like the genre. It is because it is objectively bad. It was just someone singing “FE!N” repeatedly. It didn’t have a hook or anything catchy to it at all. Give me Flo Rida or The Weeknd any day over this guy.
  • Jey Uso: He is an organic babyface that won gold at WrestleMania. A difficult feat to achieve these days.
  • Jacob Fatu: This guy came out of nowhere to win a WrestleMania championship match. He has a lot of upside potential.
  • El Grande Americano: The best luchador on the roster today!
  • Seth Rollins: Biggest win of his career, and a red-hot storyline going forward.
  • Iyo Sky: She looked terrible headed into WrestleMania but pulled off a big win in a surprisingly fun match.
  • Drew McIntyre: He always looks good no matter what he is asked to do.
  • Dominik Mysterio: A signature win for this Judgement Day member. He even managed to win over the crowd.
  • Joe Hendry: Whoever this guy is, he managed to have his WrestleMania moment even though he is not a WWE wrestler!
  • Logan Paul: Just keeps on winning.
  • John Cena: GOAT status with his 17th championship win, and first as a bad guy

I am excited for the possibilities for the rest of 2025. There is a two-day SummerSlam in my home state of New Jersey and I expect excellence!

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WrestleMania 41 Analysis and Predictions

April 19, 2025 by Leave a Comment

The WWE hits Las Vegas this weekend for a two-night celebration of professional wrestling at its best. The WWE has such a glut of talent on the main roster that even fourteen matches over two nights do not have enough spots for some familiar names. There was room on the card for Nia Jax, Sami Zayn, Braun Strowman, or Solo Sikoa. But all that means is that we should expect the best of the best to attempt to collectively raise the bar from last year’s classic WrestleMania XL.

There are a lot of matches to analyze and predict so I will get right to it.

WrestleMania Saturday

The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) in a Tag team match for the World Tag Team Championship

Kingston and Woods were working with the most tired and overused gimmick we have seen in some years and were overdue for a change when they turned heel. Despite the necessity for a change, the heel turn landed with a thud and these guys are still boring and uninteresting.

The War Raiders endured a litany of name and gimmick changes under Vince McMahon’s direction in the beginning of their WWE run. They’ve finally settled on something that works for them, a straight-talking, badass duo. They will undoubtedly be excited for this opportunity and will bring their A game to the show.

Prediction: Winners and still World Tag Team Champions, The War Raiders

Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

Rey Mysterio is somehow still hanging on as a full-time performer in WWE. He is often referred to as the greatest luchador of all time. But he now has competition for that title as he faces off against El Grande Americano. This relative newcomer to the WWE is handling himself like a tenured veteran. This match will be a great demonstration of the lucha libre style of wrestling.

Prediction: Winner, El Grande Americano

Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

This match is barely fit for Smackdown, let alone WrestleMania. This feud is boring, and neither one of them is very good in the ring. These two are taking a spot that could be used by wrestlers that are compelling to watch.

Prediction: Winner, Naomi

LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu in a Singles match for the WWE United States Championship

LA Knight is good for his staccato catchphrase and not much else. His promos are short and sweet, and they resonate with the audience. But Jacob Fatu is force to be reckoned with. In his short time on the WWE main roster, this Bloodline member (where do they get so many of them?) has gotten over quickly with both his credible microphone work and his in-ring skills. This is a great opportunity for both guys to put on a signature WrestleMania match.

Prediction: Winner, and new United States Champion: Jacob Fatu

Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair in a Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship

Many consider Charlotte Flair to be the women’s wrestling GOAT, yet somehow the WWE managed to botch her return from injury at the Royal Rumble. The crowd was not too pleased when she won the Royal Rumble match, punching her ticket to WrestleMania. Tiffany Stratton is the current champion but has not done much to distinguish herself. This program is so boring that the two of them had to dig into each other’s personal lives in a live segment just to get people talking.

Prediction: Winner and new WWE Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair

Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso in a Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Jey Uso shocked the wrestling world when he eliminated John Cena from the Royal Rumble to clinch a WrestleMania championship match. Out of all the entrants in the Royal Rumble, Uso was the darkest of horses to have his hand raised. But this former WrestleMania main eventer has what it takes to carry a big match, and he has an army of fans behind him.

Gunther is a legitimate superstar in his own right. He built a reputation as a no-nonsense bruiser who is almost adorned in championship gold. Most importantly, he is easy to hate, and he is the perfect foil for the fan-favorite Uso. This should be the hardest-hitting and most physical match of the night.

Prediction: Winner and still World Heavyweight Champion, Guenther

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk (with Paul Heyman) vs. Seth Rollins in a triple threat match

Leaving the company for ten years did nothing to help accelerate CM Punk’s timeline to main event WrestleMania, nor did his immediate injury upon his return in 2023. But here we are in 2025 and CM Punk is a WrestleMania main eventer for the first time.

This story behind this match blends a lot of real-world situations into the worked drama. Paul Heyman was a mentor, friend, and protector to Punk early in Punk’s career. Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns have a slightly less dramatized off-screen friendship to match their on-screen relationship. Seth Rollins harbors a grudge with CM Punk for leaving the company in 2013.

Heyman’s allegiances to Punk and Reigns will be tested. Rollins stands as the wildcard in this situation. These are three of the best wrestlers in the world right now and this match has instant classic written all over it.

Prediction: Winner, Roman Reigns

WrestleMania Sunday

Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley in a Triple threat match for the Women’s World Championship

While the triple-threat main event on Saturday night has the potential to be an instant-classic, this triple threat has the potential to be a disaster. The big difference is talent. The Saturday night main event has three of the best wrestlers in the world. This match has two of the best female wrestlers in the world, and one of the worst.

Bianca Belair already proved she can carry a WrestleMania match very capably when she main-evented WrestleMania Saturday at WrestleMania 37. Rhea Ripley dominates the women’s division right now and can stand with anybody. But Iyo Sky is a mess. She is undersized, cuts bad promos, and does not look like a credible threat against anybody. This is one of the bigger booking mistakes we have seen in the Triple H-era, and it would have been much better had they rolled with Belair vs. Ripley only.

Prediction: Winner, and new WWE Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez (c) vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria in a Tag team match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

I watch a lot of wrestling, and I still wouldn’t recognize Lyra Vaklyria if she bit me on the ass. Is that on me? Or does she just not make an impression? Maybe I haven’t given her enough of a chance, but I do not have high hopes for this match. It will be tough for these four that were thrown together to find some chemistry with each other and make it look good.

Prediction: Winners, and still WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez

AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul

This match is slightly lost in the WrestleMania shuffle but has a ton of promise. Styles and Paul are two of the very best the WWE has right now, but with the logjam of talent at the top they are stuck on the mid-card of WrestleMania Sunday.

In his short and part-time WWE run, Paul has mastered crowd psychology like a 15-year veteran, and his athleticism is unparalleled. Styles wrestled all over the world and has been to the top of the WWE himself. This could be a hidden gem on this WrestleMania card.

Prediction: Winner, Logan Paul

Bron Breakker (c) vs. Penta vs. Finn Bálor vs. Dominik Mysterio in a Fatal four-way match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

This looks like one of those “let’s get everyone booked somehow” matches from afar. But under the surface, there is a compelling championship match between four entertaining wrestlers.

Breaker is off to a good start on the WWE main roster. He is still a little rough around the edges and has a bit of a ways to go, but his speed and athleticism have delivered some noticeable in-ring spots. I would not want to be on the receiving end of his 22mph spear.

Bálor and Mysterio are a bit of an unlikely duo but have undeniable chemistry in the Judgement Day. The jealousy and mistrust between the faction members is classic heel work.

The newcomer Penta is one of several luchadors on the roster but received an open-arms welcome by the WWE fans upon arrival. WWE fans always like new and Penta is fun to watch. This is a quick ascension to WrestleMania status for him so he should be motivated to try to steal the show in what should be an unpredictable match.

Prediction: Winner and new WWE Intercontinental Champion, Dominik Mysterio

Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre in a Sin City Street Fight

Much like Logan Paul and AJ Styles match, this match features two stars who could be in the main event themselves. Both are former champions and are known for putting on hard-hitting matches. If you want a preview of what you could see, check out the McIntyre vs. Punk Hell in a Cell match from 2024.

A Street Fight allows for a lot of creativity. Expect this match to go anywhere in the stadium, maybe even out to the Vegas Strip!

Prediction: Winner, Drew McIntyre

Randy Orton vs. TBA

Kevin Owens had to bow out of his announced match against Randy Orton due to a spinal injury that requires surgery. It is good to see Randy Orton still on the card with an open challenge match and I am looking forward to seeing who the surprise entrant is. An NXT callup? A top star left off the card like Sami Zayn, Braun Strowman, or Solo Sikoa? A Hall of Famer? Goldberg?

Prediction: Winner, the other guy

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. John Cena in a Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Championship

The reaction that John Cena has received since “The Heel Turn Heard ‘Round The World” has been amazing. His heel promos are so good that the audience can’t help but cheer him when they are over. With Cena set to retire in 2025, he has saved some of the best work for the end.

Cody Rhodes is hanging on as a babyface champion a year after finishing his story at WrestleMania XL in an epic main event against Roman Reigns. It is not easy to keep the crowds hot for a year as a babyface in today’s WWE, but Rhodes has connected with an audience that loves him.

This is Cena’s last WrestleMania match it it might be his biggest one ever. Rhodes is no stranger to WrestleMania events, having competed in two at WrestleMania XL and in the Sunday main event at WrestleMania 39. All the ingredients are in place for this match to punctuate an epic WrestleMania weekend in Las Vegas.

Prediction: Winner, and new Undisputed WWE Champion, John Cena

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The Top 10 Most Impactful Heel Turns of All Time

March 8, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Among the most important facets of professional wrestling is the heel turn. A wrestler who is favored by the fans does something to draw their ire, thus changing the trajectory of their character.

A heel turn can take on many forms. Some are surprise acts of betrayal. Others are teased over a longer period until the situation boils over. But whether you see them coming or not, the best heel turns have a lasting impact on the wrestling landscape.

It has been a week since John Cena turned heel (spoiler alert, it will make the list) and it was such a welcome surprise that it transcended WWE and was widely covered in the mainstream media. It had a huge impact on WrestleMania season and will define his farewell tour in 2025. This was a heel turn done right.

Following last week’s shock, the Internet was plastered with lists of the greatest or the biggest surprise heel turns. I have a different take on what makes a heel turn great, and that is the aftermath of the act itself. Here is my list of the top ten most impactful heel turns of all time.

#10: Triple H Breaks up D-Generation X at WrestleMania XV

A European Championship match between X-Pac and a corporate Shane McMahon took a shocking twist when Triple H interfered in the match on behalf of McMahon. D-Generation X was the hottest faction in WWE at the time and nobody saw it coming. The fans did not want to see D-X break up, but Triple H went on a decades-long run as a top superstar in the company, ultimately accumulating enough credentials to be enshrined as a two-time member of the WWE Hall of Fame.

#9: Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin double-turn at WrestleMania 13

The submission match between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin with Ken Shamrock as the special guest referee was the best match on an otherwise forgettable WrestleMania card. Hart was an established babyface at the top of the card. Austin was an upstart talent that found a character that worked so well, the crowd was beginning to cheer for him despite him being a heel.

The match was executed so well that over the course of the match, both men turned. The crowd turned on Hart and cheered a bloody Austin as he refused to submit to the Sharpshooter. One of the biggest babyface runs in WWE history was launched at that moment, due in large part to Hart turning heel to put Austin over.

#8: Roman Reigns returns to the WWE at SummerSlam 2020

Roman Reigns was a multi-time WrestleMania main-eventer and WWE Champion as a babyface. Despite, or maybe because of his overexposure, the fans never embraced his character. He seemed very disingenuous as if he was pretending to be someone he was not.

In real life, Roman Reigns is a cancer survivor and in the early days of COVID-19 in 2020, he decided it would be best to skip WrestleMania 36. A few months later, he made a surprise return at SummerSlam. Following the main event WWE Universal Championship match between Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman, Reigns attacked them both.

It was the heel turn the fans had been begging for. It was the beginning of The Bloodline storyline that dominated every WrestleMania from then on.

#7: Steve Austin makes a deal with the devil at WrestleMania X-Seven

During the Attitude Era Steve Austin and The Rock took turns as the top babyface in the company. Throughout Austin’s run, his chief rival was not a wrestler, but the authority figure of Mr. McMahon.

Austin and The Rock both entered the main event of WrestleMania X-Seven as babyfaces. But to the shock of everyone, Austin sided with Mr. McMahon to underhandedly tilt the match in his favor to defeat The Rock and become champion.

This was a controversial heel turn as the fans did not want to accept it. But Austin was able to take chances with his character and he did some of his best work with his ensuing heel run.

#6: Seth Rollins turns on The Shield: There’s always a plan B

The Shield was one of the first NXT success stories following their main roster debut in 2012. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose were an unlikely trio, but there was no denying their individual and collective talents. They worked heel at the beginning, but the crowd cheered them on anyway and they became a wildly popular faction.

At WWE Payback in 2024, a surging Shield defeated Evolution in a six-man tag team match. At the following Monday Night Raw, with The Shield in the ring, Triple H told them that there is “always a plan B”. Without warning, Seth Rollins smashed Roman Reigns on the back with a steel chair and broke up the stable.

The fans did not want them to break up, but it was time for them to move forward as individuals. All three eventually won the WWE championship. Ambrose foolishly departed the WWE for the obscurity of AEW, but Rollins and Reigns are still on WWE Hall of Fame trajectories in the WWE.

#5: Shawn Michaels attacks Marty Jannetty on The Barber Shop

The Rockers were an entertaining tag team. The relationship between Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels had begun to fray. They attempted to air it out their differences on the Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake hosted Barbershop. Just when it seemed like things were smoothed over, Shawn Michaels stunned Jannetty with a superkick. What happened next cemented the heel turn when Michaels violently through Jannetty through the Barbershop glass.

Shawn Michaels went on to be a two-time WWE Hall of Famer. Marty Jannetty went on to be, well, Marty Jannetty.

#4: Andre the Giant challenges Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship

Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan were long-time veterans of the professional wrestling territory circuits, working both as babyfaces and heels. But the era of nationally televised wrestling began with WWF in the mid 1980’s, so most fans knew them both as good guys.

On the eve of WrestleMania III in 1987 that was set to be held in the Pontiac Silverdome, Hulk Hogan needed a challenger for the WWF Championship. On an episode of Piper’s Pit, much to Hogan’s, and everyone’s surprise, Andre the Giant appeared with Bobby Heenan to challenge Hogan for the championship.

Hogan reluctantly accepted the challenge, and Andre was suddenly a bad guy. The interest in that main event sold out the Silverdome. WrestleMania went on to be the biggest annual event in professional wrestling.

#3: Vince McMahon: Bret Screwed Bret

In a turn of events at the 1997 Survivor Series colloquially known as The Montreal Screwjob, Shawn Michaels applied the sharpshooter to Bret Hart and Vince McMahon ordered the timekeeper to ring the bell despite Hart not submitting. While McMahon had always been the owner of the WWF, most fans only knew him as a television announcer and did not know he had actual authority in the company. On top of that, nobody in professional wrestling ever admitted to the fans that it was a work.

Vince McMahon had to make a critical decision about how to present things to the fans on Raw is War just two days later. Of all the things he could have done, he borrowed a move from 17th century Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes and interjected himself into the story.

In an interview with Jim Ross, McMahon said that let Hart go to the WCW for financial reasons and was forced to call the match short because Bret refused to drop the title to Michaels on the eve of his departure. He unapologetically declared that it was not his fault and that “Bret screwed Bret”. Not only did McMahon admit that wrestling was fiction and that he called the shots, but he gave birth to the Mr. McMahon authority figure character that was the reigning heel for the Attitude Era.

#2: John Cena turns on Cody Rhodes

There is some recency bias here, but in just one week this became known as “The Heel Turn Heard ‘Round the World”. In 2025, an all-time great John Cena is in the final year of his career. If there is any knock on him is that he was overused and was always a babyface for nearly two decades.

All that changed in an instant following his victory at the 2025 Elimination Chamber. The Rock came to the ring (accompanied by Travis Scott for some reason that is not clear) and asked Cody Rhodes if he was willing to sell his soul to him. Using some not-safe-for-work language, Rhodes declined The Rock’s offer. Cena gave Rhodes a celebratory hug, but The Rock gave Cena a throat-slash gesture and Cena’s smile turned to a frown. Cena kicked Rhodes in the clackers and all three men gave Rhodes a beatdown in the middle of the ring.

Not only did this upend the storylines for WrestleMania 41, but it was the most shocking and unpredictable heel turn since #1 below.

#1: Hulk Hogan joins The Outsiders to form the nWo

The heroic Hulk Hogan character that dominated the wrestling landscape for a decade had grown stale. In WCW in 1996 he needed a change. Scott Hall and Kevin Nash had recently departed the WWE for the WCW and loosely branded themselves as “The Outsiders”. They teased the crowd by saying there was a third member of the group.

At the 1996 Bash at the Beach, Nash and Hall delivered a beat down to Randy Savage. Hogan walked down the ramp and appeared to be there to save his long-time friend from further damage. In a Shakspearian Twist, Hogan immediately delivered a leg drop to Savage and the newly formed trio beat him to a pulp.

In a post-beatdown interview with Gene Okerlund, Hogan admitted he was the third member of the group and called it the New World Order of wrestling. The nWo was formed at that moment and went on to be the most influential heel faction in wrestling history.

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2025 Royal Rumble Analysis and Predictions

February 1, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Cody Rhodes and CM Punk, possible adversaries at WrestleMania 41

WrestleMania 41 season begins with the Royal Rumble, and the WWE is riding a creative high headed into the event. The two keys to their recent string of creative success have been effective long-term storytelling, and an embarrassment of riches of talent at the top of the card.

Fans were miffed that Cody Rhodes failed to capture the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 39. But that just gave us a year of anticipation headed into WrestleMania 40. That WrestleMania 39 loss made his WrestleMania 40 win that much more satisfying. Now ten months into his championship run, he has maintained his momentum as a babyface champion and is still a big draw for WWE.

WrestleMania is a two-night event now, and even that does not seem like enough time to feature all the main event-level talent on the roster. It seems likely that Rhodes is a lock for one of the main events, it is hard to predict who else could join him. It could be anybody in this list: John Cena, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Damien Priest, Gunther, Drew McIntyre, The Rock, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, Logan Paul, Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley.

Some of those names obviously have longer odds than others of qualifying for one of the two main events. The Rock is probably the first domino to fall. If he is available to compete (it would require a break in his schedule to train for a match), he would likely get one of the spots. But after his appearance on the first Raw on Netflix, he seemingly buried any feud he had with Rhodes or Reigns, so there is no obvious path for him to return.

Looking past The Rock, John Cena and Roman Reigns look like the top candidates to be in a main event. John Cena announced that this is his last WrestleMania, so this is his last chance to main event a WrestleMania. Roman Reigns would qualify based only on his stature. Assuming those two qualify, the next likely candidate to join them would be CM Punk. Punk was probably slated for a top spot at WrestleMania 40 had he not been forced to miss the event due to injury, so he could get his shot this time. But so many others on that list are hot right now and none of them would be a huge surprise to be featured in one of the main events.

The undercard features a compelling championship match between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, and two filler matches. My expert predictions are as follows.

#DIY (c) vs. Motor City Machine Guns in a two out of three falls match for the WWE Tag Team Championship

Everybody in this match is terrible, and there is no good reason it should be a two out of three falls. There is no good storyline coming into this match, and there will be no good outcome coming out of it. With any luck, none of these guys are on the WWE roster by the end of 2025.

Prediction: Winners, and still champions, #DIY

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens in a Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship with the “Undisputed” and “Winged Eagle” championship belts will be suspended above the ring.

That is certainly a mouthful. I mean, what could be better than a regular ladder match, but one with two belts suspended above the ring. Who even thinks of this stuff?

If you look across the whole roster, there is nobody better at playing the good guy than Cody Rodes, and there is nobody better at playing the bad guy than Kevin Owens. This business about Owens stealing Cody’s belt and pretending it is his own is priceless.

That is what makes this match so intriguing. Owens did all the work to really make the crowd hate him, and Cody sold it perfectly. These two are going to tell a great story in the ring at the Rumble.

Prediction: Winner and still champion, Cody Rhodes

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

As of the Smackdown before the match, only 14 women were announced for this match. That speaks volumes about the state of the women’s roster. There are a handful of credible wrestlers, and the rest are there to make them look good. Pick between Nia Jax, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and Liv Morgan to win. The rest, as a certain disgraced promoter used to say, have no chance in hell.

Prediction: Winner, Charlotte Flair

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

The Rumble is a perpetual creative trap for the WWE. If we know that the winner is going to get a title shot at WrestleMania, it eliminates the plausibility of winning for most of the field. But this year the field is stacked with main-event level talent. Many of them have spent the past few weeks giving killer promos telling us exactly why they are going to win the Rumble. 

As of the Smackdown before the Rumble, 18 men have been announced for the match. That tells me that the likely winner is one of those 18, and the others will be a handful of competitors from the main roster, a few NXT callups, and one or two returning legends, none of whom have a shot.

I would expect that there will be a lot of positioning for WrestleMania to take shape for those who do not win, too. All the top guys are going to be booked for WrestleMania, so they will come out of the Rumble with a direction to head in. I would pay attention to who eliminates who and how they do it.

The field can be separated into probability buckets.

No Chance in Hell

  • LA Knight
  • Rey Mysterio
  • Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Penta
  • Chad Gable
  • Bronn Breaker
  • Carmelo Hayes
  • Santos Escobar
  • Jacob Fatu

Outside chance, wouldn’t be shocked with a win

  • Jey Uso
  • Drew McIntyre
  • Sami Zayn
  • Logan Paul
  • Damian Priest

Likely winners

  • John Cena
  • CM Punk
  • Roman Reigns
  • Seth “Freakin” Rollins

I’ll go out on a limb and make a prediction. John Cena wins the match by eliminating CM Punk. Cena goes on to face Rhodes at WrestleMania. Punk then can complain that Cena always screws him and gets the top spot. But he goes on to win the Elimination Chamber. Then he faces Roman Reigns for the title at WrestleMania after Roman defeats Gunther somewhere along the way. Man, I feel like I should be booking this stuff!

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WrestleMania XL Postscript

April 10, 2024 by Leave a Comment
Triple H
Triple H during the first WrestleMania under his creative control

After an epic build up and a near-perfect execution over the weekend, WrestleMania XL is still generating significant buzz. That is not just because so many things went right. It is also because Triple H made an emphatic statement by declaring that we are in a new era of professional wrestling, and over the course of the weekend, he showed us what that era is going to look like.

WrestleMania XL was the first WrestleMania that was not under the creative direction of Vince McMahon, the hard-charging visionary that brought professional wrestling to the masses yet was allergic to the actual term “professional wrestling”. Despite the ugly ending to his career, there is no denying that Vince had an amazing run for most of his career. But the last five to ten years of his creative ideas were bizarre and off-putting to most long-time wrestling fans.

WrestleMania XL was an indicator that the Triple H era is a welcome change. There was a long-term storyline lead-in to most of the matches. The weekend itself told a continuous story with the main event on Saturday leading to the main event stipulation on Sunday. There were unexpected moments that fit in perfectly. It took us on an emotional roller coaster and reminded us why we were fans to begin with. It left us wanting more and ready to tune in to Raw and Smackdown week after week.

A lot of stars came out of the weekend looking better than before. A handful, not so much. Here are your losers and winners.

Losers

  • Becky Lynch: Her act is getting stale, and she is no longer the darling of the women’s division.
  • Austin Theory: He seems like the one star who is in decline without Vince McMahon calling the shots.
  • #DIY: These guys need to go back to the drawing board, their gimmick sucks.
  • The New Day: They just can’t keep on going without Big E, they badly need a breakup.
  • Karrion Kross: He looks lost in a WWE ring, there was no need to bring him back.
  • AJ Styles: Remember when AJ was cool? How does he get that back?
  • Seth Rollins: He went 0 for 2 on the weekend and lost a championship in the process. I guess someone has the be the doormat at WrestleMania, this year was Seth’s turn.

Winners

  • Rhea Ripley: She is carrying the whole women’s division right now.
  • Jey Uso: Most times, splitting from your tag team and faction sends you on a one-way trip down the card, but Jey has managed to elevate himself as a solo performer.
  • Sami Zayn: If you haven’t noticed, Sami now has three great WrestleMania matches in a row, and he walked out of this one with a championship belt.
  • Gunther: He just finished up the greatest Intercontinental Championship run we have ever seen, there is only upside for the big man going forward.
  • The Rock: Despite his age and prolonged absence from the ring, he has never looked better. And he did it all as a heel, too.
  • Damian Priest: A feel-good WrestleMania for the former Mr. Money In the Bank. He would gladly trade that title for the championship he walked away with.
  • Drew McIntyre: Well, at least he can say he had a brief WrestleMania moment and won a championship while he was at it. His quick loss to Damian Priest is going to lead to some great storyline material.
  • LA Knight: It wasn’t a very hot storyline between Knight and AJ Styles, but he got a big win and looks good right now.
  • Logan Paul: His Prime Hydration company pulled over a billion dollars in sales last year, and this guy wrestles on a future hall-of-famer level.
  • Randy Orton: How great is it to see Randy back in a WrestleMania ring after suffering a career-threatening back injury?
  • The Undertaker: A chokeslam on the Rock for old-time’s sake!
  • Roman Reigns: His championship run was nothing short of epic. WrestleMania XL was the culmination of his pivot to the Tribal Chief character which completely changed the trajectory of his career.
  • Cody Rhodes: Cody is probably the most inspirational babyface champion the WWE has seen since Hulk Hogan.
Filed Under: WWE Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WrestleMania XL Analysis and Predictions

April 6, 2024 by Leave a Comment

The Rock summarized it best when he said that professional wrestling is cool right now. How cool is it that he can even call it professional wrestling and not sports entertainment? A fantastic confluence of events led to both things.

The first was Vince McMahon being forced from the WWE for a second and final time, and it is no longer under his outdated creative control. The second is the plethora of top-level talent on the roster, both full-timers and returning superstars. The third is the #CodyCryBaby movement which altered the original plan for the Sunday main event and forced The Rock to work as a heel. Heel Rock is the best kind of Rock, and professional wrestling has not been this hot since the Attitude Era!

I was a fan of what was believed to be the original plan to have Cody Rhodes challenge Seth Rollins on WrestleMania Saturday, and for the long-rumored Rock vs. Roman Reigns match to take place on WrestleMania Sunday. The Reigns vs. Rock match needs to happen, and this year seemed like the perfect time to do it. Rhodes vs. Rollins would have been a great throwback-type main event between two of the best talents in the world in the prime of their careers. Not to mention that we got Rhodes vs. Reigns last year and I’m never a fan of consecutive WrestleMania main events.

Then the #CodyCryBaby movement took over and Triple H apparently pivoted as a result. The new plan features Rhodes, Reigns, and Rollins competing both nights, The Rock relegated to a tag match, and Drew McIntyre getting a World Heavyweight Championship title shot.

But the most important pivot of them all is that The Rock masterfully pulled off a heel turn. After all the years away from the ring and at age 51, he is still adding to his legacy as one of the greatest of all time and is doing some of the best work of his career.

A peek further down the card on both nights reveals a lot of other intriguing match ups. It is not just the main event talents that are firing on all cylinders right now, the mid-card stars are putting in some of their best work at the right time as well.

I am still a firm believer that WrestleMania should be a three-to-four-hour event featuring the best of the best. But the two-night event is here to stay, so I am looking forward to making a weekend out of it. I have high hopes for what is to come. Here is my breakdown of the card.

WrestleMania Saturday

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch in a Singles match for the Women’s World Championship

Rhea Ripley is arguably the best superstar to compete in the Women’s Division since the WWE decided to prioritize it in 2015. She has a great look and can work a convincing match without blowing any spots. She also has the distinction of being the leader of a popular mixed-gender faction, The Judgement Day. Traditionally, they have been fronted by men.

Becky Lynch has more charisma that in-ring talent. Often, that is good enough to make you an elite performer in the WWE. Just ask the Ultimate Warrior.

These two are veteran main event-level performers. If there is one women’s match on WrestleMania weekend that has a chance of being good, this one is it.

Prediction: Winner, and still champion, Rhea Ripley

Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn in a Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Gunther will forever be remembered as one of the most important Intercontinental champions of all time. He has already surpassed the length of Honky Tonk Man’s record title reign. His matches are brutal and convincing.

Sami Zayn is in his third straight big WrestleMania spot. This might be a bit of a step down from last year’s WrestleMania Saturday main event, but he is still being given a chance to stand out amongst the crowd. His vignettes with Chad Gable leading up to the match were equal parts hilarious, dramatic, and inspirational.

The only reason it would make sense for the underdog Zayn to unseat the champion would be to move Gunther up to the main event picture. Other than that possibility, this one is straight forward to predict.

Prediction: Winner, and still champion, Gunther

The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) in a Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship

This is one of those “let’s get everyone on the WrestleMania card and try to re-create an old-school tag team ladder match” type of matches that looks like it is going to be a mess.

Tomasso and Ciampa are terrible and need to be sent back to NXT. The New Day gimmick was overplayed even before Big E suffered a career-ending neck injury, and they should just break up. Theory and Waller were just thrown together and have no chemistry. Dunne and Bate have not done much to distinguish themselves at all.

The only two challengers to Bálor and Priest who deserve this spot and can be expected to perform well are The Miz and T-Truth, but they are going to get lost in this twelve-man mess. The Judgement Day deserved better.

Prediction: Winners and still champions, The Judgement Day

Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso

Good guy versus bad guy? Brother versus brother? A singles match with no stipulations or title on the line? A grudge match based on a years-long storyline culminating at WrestleMania? Yes please! This one has the bad guy winning written all over it.

Prediction: Winner, Jimmy Uso

Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)

What did Bianca Belair do to deserve this? She is the only other healthy woman on the roster on the level of Rhea Ripley. Damage CTRL has always been horrible, and they got even worse when Bayley was jettisoned. This is going to be a throw-away match that nobody will remember.

Prediction: Winners, Belair, Cargill, and Naomi

Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee) vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio

Dominik Mysterio has emerged as one of the best heels in the WWE and is usually someone that you must watch. But this match does not seem to have much heat behind it. Maybe it is because Rey Mysterio is over the hill and the father versus son angle has been played out ad nauseum. Escobar and Lee are not going to enhance that storyline very much.

Prediction: Winners, Escobar and Mysterio

The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins

Stipulation: If Rhodes and Rollins win, all members of The Bloodline will be barred from ringside during the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match on Night 2.

If Rock and Reigns win, the championship match on Night 2 will be held under Bloodline Rules.

Take three of the best active professional wrestlers today and one of the best to ever do it and throw in a crazy stipulation that will directly affect the WrestleMania Sunday main event. That gives you all the ingredients you need for an instant-classic WrestleMania match. If the chips had to fall this way to fit the WrestleMania trajectory for Rhodes, we ended up with a great outcome.

Look for everyone involved in this match to shine. The Rock is going to look to prove to the world that he can still bring it. This is arguably the most important match of Rollins’ long career. Rhodes and Reigns are going to have to set up their WrestleMania event the very next day. Professional wrestling does not get much better than this.

Prediction: Winners, The Bloodline

WrestleMania Sunday

Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre in a singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Drew McIntyre backed his way into this spot when CM Punk was injured and the #CodyCryBaby movement ripped up the script. That is not to say that he does not deserve to be here. McIntyre was the WWE pandemic-era champion who was forced to perform almost exclusively on a television set with no live audience members. He carried the title well when we had nothing to do but stay home and watch TV. If Punk is not available to challenge Rollins, McIntyre is the best available option to step up.

This is the best championship run of Seth Rollins’ career. He is the second “face” of the WWE behind Roman Reigns. He is the champion we get when Reigns is on one of his regular breaks from WWE television. His Randy Savage-inspired style, his maniacal personality, and his top-notch work rate make him a compelling watch.

Rollins is working with a legitimate knee injury. He is also going to wrestle two nights in a row so I would expect that the injury works its way into the storyline during both matches. CM Punk, who is on commentary for this match, and seemingly is in a feud with both  Rollins and McIntyre will certainly factor into the outcome of the match.

Prediction: Winner and new champion, Drew McIntyre

Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley in a singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship

This match is a great example of why I think WrestleMania is too long.

Prediction: Winner and new champion, Bayley

LA Knight vs. AJ Styles

Remember when AJ Styles was champion? Remember when LA Knight was hot? This match seems like it has been lost in the shuffle. Maybe, despite a weak lead-in, these two veterans will leave it all in the ring and give us something to remember.

Prediction: Winner, LA Knight

Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens in a triple threat match for the WWE United States Championship

This should be a good one. Orton and Owens have both worked WrestleMania main events. Logan Paul continues to surprise wrestling observers with his amazing in-ring skill set despite his lack of experience. This match falls short of being over-booked and should be exciting from bell to bell.

Prediction: Winner and still champion, Logan Paul

The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford) (with B-Fab) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar) (with Scarlett and Paul Ellering) in a six-man tag team Philadelphia Street Fight

I do not know what happened to Bobby Lashley, but he has taken a pretty steep tumble down the card. The union of Dawkins, Ford, and Lashley has helped none of them. Kross should not even be on the WWE roster. Akam and Rezar have potential but have not done much since their recent return to the WWE to warrant a WrestleMania match. Do they really need two managers in their corner? This is going to be a mess.

Prediction: Winners, The Pride

Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes in a TBD match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Congratulations, Cody Cry Babies! You got the same main event you got last year. Is Rhodes going to “finish his story” this time? Is he finally going to win the championship his legendary father failed to grasp? Or are we going to get a repeat of last year when Reigns found a way to win?

I have a feeling that after these two compete against each other in a tag match on WrestleMania Saturday, this match is going to be somewhat of a letdown. It feels like a creative trap that will be hard to escape from. How many ways can they figure out how to work WrestleMania main events against each other?

Regardless of what stipulation is used for this match, The Bloodline will certainly play a role in the outcome of this match, much like they did last year. I have a feeling that the Cody Cry Babies are going to end up crying some more after this match is over.

Prediction: Winner and still champion, Roman Reigns

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2024 Royal Rumble Analysis and Predictions

January 27, 2024 by Leave a Comment

The fans thought WrestleMania 39 had the perfect setup. A year prior at WrestleMania 38, Cody Rhodes returned to the WWE after a six-year absence, during which he competed in wrestling’s minor leagues. Gone were any of the lame gimmicks he was saddled with as a young wrestler and was finally a made man. He had one of the best years a superstar could have in the WWE and even a gruesome torn pectoral muscle injury did not stop his momentum. He won the Royal Rumble earned the WrestleMania main event spot for the WWE Championship against Roman Reigns.

There was no way he could lose, right? It was the perfect way to end Reigns’ dominant championship run. By giving the win and the title to Rhodes, it would fulfill his lifelong dream to win the title that eluded his father, WWE Hall of Famer “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

That was not what happened. Roman Reigns retained his title even after a year-long build that led us to believe Cody was going to win.

There is a lot more that goes into deciding who gets to hold the WWE championship beyond a creative decision. The business impact of who is the champion is the major driver of the decision. Marketing, merchandising, television ratings, social media impressions, tickets sales, appeasement of the Saudi Royal Family, and the TKO stock price are all factors that supersede fans chants of “YOU DESERVE IT!”.

But a letdown like that is a creative opportunity. Coming out of WrestleMania 39, we thought that maybe Cody needed another year to really heat up and finally take Roman down on his next shot. Who else could possibly be the person to fill that spot?

Then, the returns happened. First, Randy Orton came back from a year-and-a-half injury-induced hiatus. On the same night, Hell froze over and CM Punk returned to the WWE to a hero’s welcome in his home city of Chicago. To top that all off, The Rock returned to Raw and referenced a challenge to Reigns. Suddenly, Rhodes found himself in a very crowded field of top-level talent fighting for that WrestleMania main event spot.

At no time in recent memory has the WWE been this stacked with talent. In addition to the aforementioned performers, there are several others that are plausible opponents for Reigns on WrestleMania Sunday. What about Kevin Owens who main evented two straight WrestleMania Saturdays? How about WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins? He is certainly deserving of a WrestleMania main event spot. Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre, and AJ Styles are all former champions who could make a case as a formidable opponent for Reigns. LA Knight is a red-hot fan favorite who could surprise us all.

There are also a whole host of part-time performers who have main-event potential. How about Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Logan Paul, or even Bad Bunny?

This is not to mention that maybe the plan is for Reigns to drop the title at the Rumble so he can face off against the Rock with no title on the line!

The possibilities are endless. Typically, the Royal Rumble is a creative trap for the WWE that makes the finish somewhat predictable. But this year, there are going to be multiple stories to tell throughout the night. I can not remember a time that I knew less about WrestleMania season headed into the Royal Rumble than this year. I am psyched and I cannot wait to see it unfold! Until then, here are my predictions.

Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight in a Fatal four-way match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

There is a big question hanging over this match. We know Reigns is going to compete in the main event on WrestleMania Sunday, but will he be defending the championship? Or will he face off against The Rock in a dream match with no title on the line?

It is a compelling theory, but the sticking point with me is that out of the other three in the match, I do not see someone hot enough to both end Reigns championship streak and carry the title to WrestleMania. All three of them look good right now, but just not good enough to be in that spot. I believe that Reigns will retain the title.

Prediction: Winner and still Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns

Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens in a singles match or the WWE United States Championship

Logan Paul’s nascent career continues to impress. He has had fewer than ten matches, yet he looks like a ten-year veteran. He is taking on the always dependable and versatile Kevin Owens in what should be a very entertaining match.

Prediction: Winner and still WWE United States Champion, Logan Paul

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

The WWE Women’s division continues to disappoint despite the focus that has been placed on it. With Charlotte Flair on the shelf, the only talents right worth watching are Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. The rest are incapable of getting through a match without a botched spot. Expect this match to be a complete disappointment.

Prediction: Winner, Bianca Belair

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

This is going to be very unpredictable. As of the writing of this post, only about half of the participants have even been announced. Cody Rhodes and CM Punk would seem to be the favorites. But there will almost certainly be surprise participants that will have a chance of winning. I could very easily see The Rock, Brock Lesnar, or John Cena swoop in to take it. I’ll break out the announced competitors and possible surprise entrants as follows:

No Chance in Hell: Shinsuke Nakamura, Chad Gable, Otis, Akira Tozawa, Kofi Kingston, Santos Escobar, R-Truth, Carlito, Austin Theory

Possible Surprise Winner: Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, Gunther, Damian Priest, Jimmy Uso

Odds-on Favorites: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk

Possible Surprise Entrants: Jey Uso, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, The Rock

Prediction: Winner, CM Punk

Filed Under: WWE Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WrestleMania 39 Postscript

April 4, 2023 by Leave a Comment

All it took was one heel turn. Roman Reigns was a disaster as a babyface champion, and all of his WrestleMania main events were near dreadful affairs. In 2020 he took some time away from WWE and returned as the bad guy that we all wanted him to be. That moment set him up to finally live up to his potential as the best performer in the company.

The Bloodline saga was punctuated with two top-notch WrestleMania main events this year. There were plenty of other good matches that exceeded expectations, but this was The Bloodline show. Cody Rhodes won the fans over and was the betting favorite on offshore betting websites, but it was not meant to be for him. Roman Reigns was set to maintain his grip on the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship the whole time. The initial critical reaction was that Reigns vs. Rhodes was the greatest WrestleMania main event of all time. It might be a bit early to make that call, but it certainly felt like an important match that will be remembered fondly.

WrestleMania Sunday overcame two significant injuries to close the weekend on a strong note. Both nights were captivating from start to finish.  Most of the undercard matches were wildly entertaining. Matches were kept simple, and they were based on storylines that resonated with the audience. The broadcast duo of Corey Graves and Michael Cole nailed it on commentary.

The critical acclaim for this WrestleMania is no doubt due to the creative direction of WWE content under the stewardship of Triple H. He clearly learned well under the tutelage of Vince McMahon but brought a fresh perspective to the approach of storyline and character development that connected with the fans.

There were more ups than downs, and many wrestlers came out of the weekend in a better place in their careers, having elevated their status through their performances, or by cementing indelible WrestleMania legacies. The winners far outnumbered the losers.

The Losers

  • Bobby Lashley: Got the short end of the stick when Bray Wyatt had to pull out of action. The big guy deserved a spot on the card and didn’t get it.
  • Dominik Mysterio: Come on, kid! If you are going to step up to your old man, you better beat him.
  • Shane McMahon: Legitimately tore his quadricep muscle seconds into his first in-ring action in over a year. Maybe his body is telling him something.
  • Gable Steveson: Remember Steveson being introduced to the crowd twice during WrestleMania 38? What happened to him since then?

The Winners

  • Austin Theory: Welcome to the big time, son. A victory over John Cena at WrestleMania is as good as it gets.
  • Logan Paul: Triple H said it best, “he has no business being this good”.
  • Seth “Freakin” Rollins: Seth can be counted on to work with anybody anywhere and make it look great. He continues to author a great WrestleMania legacy for himself.
  • Gunther: What a great Intercontinental Championship run for this ethnic heel. He got a late start to his main roster WWE career, let’s see what else he is capable of.
  • Sheamus: Just put this guy in the Hall of Fame now. Sheamus has quietly been one of the most important players in WWE over the course of his decade plus career.
  • Drew McIntyre: Drew carried the championship well during the closed-arena era for WWE. But his calling card of late has been his ability to capture a moment. He did just that, along with Sheamus and Gunther in this match.
  • Snoop Dogg: Does Snoop even know how to throw a working punch? Or run the ropes? Or drop a People’s Elbow? None of that stuff is easy! Well, he sure figured it out on the fly.
  • “The Demon” Finn Bálor: He recovered from a nasty cut that stopped the match and put on a show with Edge. This was the best WWE match the 41-year old has been involved in.
  • Edge: He is already in the Hall of Fame so it’s not like he needs to add to his legacy. But he sure did anyway. With Triple H retired, he got to take over the “cool entrance” spot with his Brood Edge character set to Slayer’s “South of Heaven”. Amazing!
  • Kevin Owens: If you are keeping score at home, this is the second WrestleMania main event in a row for the kid from Quebec who learned English from watching WWE programming. Is there a cooler story?
  • Sami Zayn: The MVP of the WWE was prominently featured in both WrestleMania main events. He knocked it out of the park this year.
  • The Usos: They already surpassed Demolition and The New Day with the length of their title run. But most importantly, they are the backbone of the Bloodline, and I don’t think Roman would be as good without them.
  • Solo Sikoa: This rookie played a critical role in the main event. He wasn’t a competitor in the match, but he hit his time cues perfectly and delivered the final blow to Cody before the match-ending spear from Roman. Solo played his part perfectly.
  • Paul Heyman: Roman Reigns is in the midst of one of the greatest championship runs ever, but Paul Heyman gets to wear the championship title belts to and from the ring. That pretty much makes him the coolest dude in WWE.
  • Cody Rhodes: He got his big WrestleMania main event and will be remembered for this match forever. This loss isn’t going to set him back, it is just another chapter in his story. Watch this space.
  • Roman Reigns: The face of the WWE is in his prime and delivered his best WrestleMania match yet. Look for him to be in this spot again next year in Philadelphia.
Filed Under: WWE Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WrestleMania 39 Analysis and Predictions

March 31, 2023 by Leave a Comment

WrestleMania 39 will be of historic significance, but not because of what happens in the ring. It will be the first WrestleMania without Vince McMahon at the helm of the creative direction of the show. Triple H has overseen the on-screen product since SummerSlam in August. He has had an immediate positive impact on what we have seen on Raw and Smackdown. Here are a few of the improvements under Triple H’s regime which are apparent up and down the card:

  • An investment in long-term storylines that are engaging and meaningful.
  • Championship reigns are longer and more important.
  • Giving pushes to NXT call-ups that would have been previously discarded under McMahon.
  • Re-signing performers who never should have been fired in the first place.

The Bloodline storyline was the best angle I can think of in years. It lasted for months, made you want to tune in to find out where it would go next, and elevated everyone involved, especially Sami Zayn and The Usos. Shakespeare couldn’t have written it better. It was such a good story that its outcome will be prominently featured both Saturday and Sunday night.

The rest of the card is also centered around solid storytelling and will complement the main events well. There is a lot to cover, so what you need to know about each match is as follows.

WrestleMania host, The Miz

There is not much of an obvious direction where this is going to head, but it is clear that Miz is hosting both nights. Maybe he will set up an angle on Saturday that pays off on Sunday. Maybe he even ends up in a match somehow. Maybe he gets involved with a returning superstar or a celebrity. Your guess is as good as mine.

Saturday Night

Austin Theory (c) vs. John Cena in a Singles match for the WWE United States Championship

WrestleMania was once John Cena’s show, now it belongs to Roman Reigns and Cena is just a participant. But he Cena not so far removed from his heyday making this a great opportunity for Austin Theory. There may have been some truth to the promo Cena cut on Theory that Theory is not ready for the WrestleMania spotlight. But Theory is young and has the look and the tools to be successful, and Cena is known for making young talent look good.

Prediction: Winner and still WWE United States Champion, Austin Theory

Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Logan Paul

Logan Paul’s early work in the WWE has been unprecedented. In his very limited set of appearances as a part-timer, he has impressed both on the microphone and in the ring in the biggest spots imaginable. He wowed the crowds at WrestleMania and at Crown Jewel, and he has made seamless transitions from heel to babyface and back to heel. Paul being matched up with the talented veteran Seth Rollins should be a treat for fans and an opportunity for a WrestleMania moment for both individuals.

Prediction: Winner, Logan Paul

Trish Stratus, Lita, and Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky) in a six-woman tag team match

Not even two hall-of-famers can save this from being a complete disaster. Trish Stratus wasn’t capable of working a match without a blown spot when she was in her prime as a full-time competitor so don’t expect her to be better in retirement. The Damage CTRL gimmick is displeasing and needs to be wound down in a hurry.

Prediction: Winners, Trish Stratus, Lita, and Becky Lynch

Braun Strowman and Ricochet vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs. Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) vs. The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar) (with Valhalla) in a Men’s WrestleMania Showcase fatal four-way tag team match

Try saying that one fast. This is a typical “let’s get everyone on the WrestleMania card” tag team match. They tend to be uglier than a bowling shoe. Everyone will try to get one big spot in before they quickly get pinned. The only thing that can save this match is a heel turn.

Prediction: Winners, Alpha Academy

Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley complements the rest of the Judgement Day faction members very well, and her work with Dominik Mysterio got her hot and afforded her the opportunity to take on Charlotte Flair for the championship. Given that it is the only women’s match of the night, one would hope that they give it their best effort.

Prediction: Winner, Charlotte Flair

The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a tag team match the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship

Sami Zayn might be the WWE MVP these days, but don’t overlook how well the Usos have played their parts in this saga. The twins were given a chance to show their individuality and turned Zayn from a trusted friend to a foe. Kevin Owens — star of last year’s WrestleMania Saturday main event – is dependable in his role as always. This should be the main event on Saturday, but even if it isn’t, it will be the most important match on the card.

Prediction: Winners and new champions, Owens and Zayn

Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio

I always say that professional wrestling is at its best in a one-on-one grudge match. And what kind of grudge match is better than father versus son? Dominik and the Judgement Day have tormented Rey for months and the payoff happens on Saturday, on the night after Rey is inducted into the Hall of Fame. What better way for Rey’s WrestleMania weekend to end than to have him job to his own son?

Prediction: Winner, Rey Mysterio

Sunday Night

Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre in a triple threat match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Quite often, the Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania is either over-booked or an afterthought. Neither is the case this year. These three brawlers have already worked together and have great chemistry. This is going to look like it hurts because it actually will hurt.

Prediction: Winner and still WWE Intercontinental Champion, Gunther

Edge vs. “The Demon” Finn Bálor in a Hell in a Cell match

We have not seen a Hell in a Cell match since the Hell in a Cell premium live event was eliminated, and that is a good thing. It cheapened the HIAC gimmick to have it on the calendar every year. It is much better to bring it out when the situation warrants it. This is a situation that warrants it.

Edge is likely to wrap things up very soon and call it a career again. This could be his swan song, one last emotional and violent match at WrestleMania. Finn Bálor is still searching for a signature in-ring moment in the WWE, and he is teasing bringing back his “demon” gimmick for this match Expect the two of them to create WrestleMania memories.

Prediction: Winner, Finn Bálor

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya and Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler vs. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville in a Women’s WrestleMania Showcase fatal four-way tag team match

If they were going to have an over-booked men’s fatal four-way on Saturday, might as well showcase an even worse women’s fatal four-way on Sunday. If you are experiencing WrestleMania fatigue by Sunday night, this is your opportunity to flip through the channels, you won’t miss anything important.

Prediction: Winners, Ronda Rousey and Shana Baszler

Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka in a singles match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship

Belair was a participant in what is considered by most to be the best Women’s WrestleMania match of all time against Sasha Banks two years ago. She typically saves her best work for premium live events. If you must watch one of the women’s matches on this card, this would be it.

Prediction: Winner and new WWE Raw Women’s Champion, Asuka

Brock Lesnar vs. Omos (with MVP)

This is a cold pairing for Brock Lesnar who did not have an obvious main-event level opponent for this year’s Showcase of The Immortals. Lesnar has done some of his best work these past two years. Omos still is struggling to sell credibly for his opponents, which is a critical skill for a monster heel to master. With any luck, Lesnar can make Omos look good but it will be an uphill battle.

Prediction: Winner, Brock Lesnar

Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Cody Rhodes in a singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Roman Reigns has completely transformed himself from the “Ruiner of the WrestleMania Main Event” to the unquestionable number one star of the company in just a few short years. The Tribal Chief has connected with the audience in a way he was unable to earlier in his career, and it is making his matches must-see events. He is enhanced by the talents surrounding him in The Bloodline, and he enhances the superstars he competes against.

Cody Rhodes took an unusual path to this year’s WrestleMania. Since the inception of AEW, he is the only talent who has switched from WWE to AEW, and then back to WWE. He played the companies off of each other to his own advantage, elevating his status as a performer each time. Despite the setback of a significant injury in 2022, Cody was able to ride the wave of momentum he is on to the main event of WrestleMania while doing nothing flashy. He is not the most gifted wrestler, and his promos are centered around true stories about himself and his family. It worked for him, he connected with the audience and they want to see him in this spot.

It should be an enjoyable and emotional match, but this one is tough to call, there is a compelling case for both of them to have their hand raised as champion.

Prediction: Winner and still Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns

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2023 WWE Royal Rumble Analysis and Predictions

January 28, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Cody Rhodes returns to the WWE in the Royal Rumble after suffering a gruesome injury while training for Hell In a Cell

Welcome to the most unique WrestleMania season we have ever known. As far as we know, Triple H is entirely in charge of the WWE creative product and for the first time in the history of WrestleMania, Vince McMahon is not. I say as far as we know because McMahon weaseled his way back into the WWE board of directors after having had to retire in disgrace because he is a lecherous old man. Ostensibly, his role as chairman of the board is not the same as his hands-on role as CEO and he is just there to re-negotiate the television rights and possibly sell the company.

Wrestling fans and critics largely are hoping McMahon does not return to WWE creative as he had become increasingly erratic with his decisions regarding talents and the on-screen product, and he was severely out of touch with his audience. Triple H has taken things in a much different direction. He brought back fan-favorite talents that McMahon abruptly fired. The NXT callups to the main roster were given a chance to get over on television without being instantly buried. He even gave two-named wrestlers turned one-name wrestlers their first (or last) names back!

The product is far from perfect, but it has been noticeably more enjoyable with Triple H at the creative helm. But the pressure is going to be on for him to deliver at WrestleMania, and that will only be a success if things get off to a good start at the Royal Rumble. There are only five matches on the card and two of them are inconsequential women’s matches, but there is still a lot to unpack here.

Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight in a Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match

It is good to see Bray Wyatt back in the WWE after he was unceremoniously fired from the company following WrestleMania 37. However it is somewhat incongruous for his supernatural character to be featured in a match sponsored by Mountain Dew. It remains to be seen (or not, I guess) what a Pitch Black Match looks like, but if this progresses Wyatt’s character headed into WrestleMania, it will be worth the icky corporate tie-in.

Prediction: Winner, Bray Wyatt

Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Kevin Owens in a singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Roman Reigns may be the face of the WWE, but it is Kevin Owens that keeps the company running. There is no more important opponent for the main-event level talent in today’s WWE than Kevin Owens. This is his second high-profile match in the last twelve months, having experienced his career peak with a main event match against Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 38. Owens can work with anybody in any type of match and can come off as a credible opponent.

The tie-in with Sami Zayn is critical to this angle. Zayn has never been more popular than he is right now. The crowds at live shows are enamored with him and his compelling storyline with The Bloodline. His tenuous status with the Tribal Chief and his cohorts changes from show to show, and the twists and turns in their relationship always leave us wanting more. There will certainly be a twist to this match that propels Sami towards a high-profile clash at WrestleMania 39.

Prediction: Winner and still Undisputed WWE Universal Champion: Roman Reigns

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

There is virtually no build up to the Women’s Royal Rumble Match as evidenced by the fact following the go home episode of Smackdown, there were only a total of twelve entrants announced. One of them is Emma (insert face palm emoji here). The only one that has doing anything of note right now is Rhea Ripley.

Ripley is the centerpiece of the only interesting storyline involving any of the female talent on the WWE main roster right now. The Judgement Day is a serviceable faction, and she is their most visible member.

Prediction: After countless blown spots and anti-climactic surprise returns, your winner will be Rhea Ripley.

Bianca Belair (c) vs. Alexa Bliss in a singles match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship

Alexa Bliss is in the longest yo-yo of a career arc we have ever seen. She was aligned with Bray Wyatt until his firing from the company, and the unwind of her supernatural character was pretty much wrapped up when he was rehired. So, it appears that she is headed back to be part of a faction with him. Other than that possibility, there’s nothing to see here.

Prediction: Winner and still champion, Bianca Belair

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

The return of Cody Rhodes from a gruesome torn pectoral injury has been the talk of the rumble. There has been criticism levied at the announcement of his return instead of making it a surprise. But this was obviously going to happen for quite some time, so it made sense to build up his return.

There are still at least ten entrants that have not been announced yet so there is room for legitimate surprise entries into the rumble. Edge seems like the most logical one because it is time for him to return to gear up for his WrestleMania program. After that you can let your imagination run wild. It could be a few NXT callups, a returning Hall-of-Famer who gets tossed in thirty seconds, or maybe The Rock?

I would guess that the winner is in the pool of entrants that were already announced. I have them bucketed as follows:

No Chance in Hell:

Kofi Kingston, Santos Escobar, Ricochet, Baron Corbin, Omos, Karrion Kross, Dominik Mysterio, Xavier Woods, Braun Strowman

Dark Horse Winner Potential:

Edge, Austin Theory, Rey Mysterio, Gunther, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, The Miz

High Probability of Winning:

Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Bobby Lashley

Odds-On Favorites:

Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes

In reality, the condition that the winner of the Royal Rumble goes on to face the champion at WrestleMania is a creative trap that limits the pool of potential winners to a select few. But WrestleMania is two nights long now so there is potential for multiple angles to be set up from the outcome here.

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