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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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.
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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 38 Saturday: Analysis and Predictions

April 2, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Seth Rollins vs. who?

I promise my ranting about WrestleMania being two nights long is over. It is WrestleMania weekend, and I am consumed with everything going on and am looking forward to it all. The stage for the weekend has been set by an emotional Hall of Fame speech by The Undertaker which hopefully inspired the current talent to be at their very best when it is their turn on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

I already expressed my opinion on the main event KO Show featuring Kevin Owens and Stone Cold Steve Austin so now I will take a look at the actual matches on the card.

Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz and Logan Paul

While I have never been much of a Rey Mysterio fan, I certainly admire his longevity in the WWE. Rey’s status helped his son Dominik cut the NXT line and get a spot on the main roster. At Rey’s age, however, the writing is on the wall that he is nearing the end. They Mysterio’s are going to want to impress at what could be their last WrestleMania appearance as a team.

The Miz drew the celebrity match card for a second year in a row, this time he has the celebrity on his side. Well, if you can call Logan Paul a celebrity. I am not sure exactly what his claim to fame is, he never really showed up in my YouTube feed. It remains to be seen if he has enough moves to work an entire match, or if The Miz will have to carry the load for his team. I would guess that The Miz will work most of the match and they will give Paul one big high spot.

Prediction: Winners, The Miz and Logan Paul

Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin (with Madcap Moss)

Drew McIntyre was the pandemic-era champion of the WWE. Unfortunately, most times when a babyface champion loses the title, he ends up sliding down the card. Looks like that is what happened to Drew when he landed in this match.

Happy Corbin works a different gimmick every year. This time around he is… happy? I do not get it either. Somehow this guy seems to have enough talent to be good, but he never connects with the audience. With Madcap Moss in tow (I do not get him either), he should be able to deliver a bruising match against McIntyre.

Prediction: Winner, Happy Corbin

The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs in a tag team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship

The veteran Usos are in their best professional run. They are both the best tag team in the WWE, and they are great heaters for Roman Reigns.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs are an odd pairing that are hard to understand. Nakamura has under-delivered throughout his WWE run that was supposed to have a lot more promise. Boogs somehow took Elias’ gimmick and does not bring much else to the table.

Prediction: Winners, The Usos

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

Becky has not done much of anything interesting since her return from maternity leave. Belair uses her hair as a weapon. Do not expect much from this match.

Prediction: Winner and still WWE Raw Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch

The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) vs. Sheamus and Ridge Holland (with Butch)

This was originally supposed to be a six-man tag team match with a fully reunited New Day, but unfortunately Big E’s career came to a sudden end when he accidentally broke his neck in an encounter with Ridge Holland on Smackdown a few weeks ago. The New Day does not have the same cachet without the big man.

Sheamus is the veteran member of his team and being used to get Ridge Holland over. Butch, the former Pete Dunne from NXT, has not had enough time on the main roster with his new name and gimmick to connect with the audience. Sheamus is really going to have to do all the work in this match.

Prediction: Winners, Sheamus and Ridge Holland

Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey in a singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship

I was at WrestleMania 38 when Rousey managed to mess up the finish of the first ever women’s main event at WrestleMania. I regret not leaving early to beat the traffic. Then she disappeared for three years. I don’t imagine she has gotten much better since then, and I don’t have high expectations for this match.

Prediction: Winner and new WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion: Ronda Rousey

Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. TBA

Mr. McMahon will announce Rollins’ opponent during the show. I won’t get into what the rumors are because most wrestling Internet rumors tend to not come true. Although this one seems likely to happen, you never know.

That makes this one hard to predict. But you can count on Seth Rollins to be his very best no matter who they trot out to wrestle him. He is known for his WrestleMania performances and this match is very likely going to steal the show.

Prediction: Winner, Seth Rollins

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WrestleMania 38: Where Less is No Longer More

March 28, 2022 by 2 Comments

As an aficionado of the Jim Ross podcast, I’ve often heard him use the phrase “less is more” as a bit of advice he would give in-ring talents for how to construct the flow of their matches. Well, that phrase does not apply to the big picture in the WWE. For the third year in a row, WrestleMania is a two-night affair. The previous two double-WrestleMania’s appeared to be necessitated by the pandemic. Unfortunately, that trend appears to be permanent.

Were any fans really clamoring for a two-night WrestleMania? I did not even like the trend of the show getting longer and longer every year to begin with. Like the rest of the world, my attention span gets shorter and shorter all the time. I would be fine with a three-and-a-half-hour card featuring the best full-time talents on the show that save their best efforts for the Grandest Stage of Them All.

The WWE business model is about grabbing new revenue opportunities at every turn. It is like the Star Wars Effect where a conglomerate super-sizes content such that creativity suffers greatly, but it makes a lot more money, so the creators really do not care about the quality of their product. Case in point: Two superstars who were prominently featured at WrestleMania 37, Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt, have since been fired due to “budget cuts”, but now the WWE paradoxically must fill two shows without them. The WWE gets to earn more money while spending less on in-ring talent.

At the time of this writing, there are fourteen matches announced in total for the weekend, and an appearance of Stone Cold Steve Austin on the KO Show. The cards are watered down and bloated even in isolation. The only match that seems like a big deal is the Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar title unification showdown. Maybe that is because this is the third time these two will face each other in a WrestleMania main event.

Everything else that has been announced does not move the needle. A handful of celebrities that I do not care about, and a bunch of matches that look like they belong on Raw or Smackdown.

But hey, it is still WrestleMania weekend. Even if it sounds like a chore to sit through both shows, that is what I am going to do! Maybe Edge and AJ Styles have big plans for their match. Maybe Seth Rollins brings his A game to his mystery opponent. Maybe Johnny Knoxville finally breaks every bone in his body on live television and I can say I saw it. And if I get tired or bored, I can take a nap during one of the women’s matches!

Keep an out for my expert predictions and analysis later in the week. I sure have a lot of typing to do!

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2022 Royal Rumble Analysis and Predictions

January 29, 2022 by Leave a Comment

The Road to WrestleMania 38 begins Saturday night at the Royal Rumble in St. Louis. WrestleMania is now an unnecessarily long two-night event, so there are a lot of storylines to lay out between now and then. The matches on the Rumble card that will have the biggest consequences for WrestleMania are the men’s rumble match, and the two men’s championship matches.

Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz and Maryse in a Mixed tag team match

A lot of what Miz does these days is mid-card work that promotes his outside interests in reality shows. He is still the most dependable heel the WWE has on the roster and could easily move up the card if he was not mired in situations like this.

You would be hard-pressed to find an Edge fan who wanted to see him come out of retirement to be in a mixed tag team match with his wife. This is a long way down from last year when he won the 2021 men’s rumble match as the #1 entrant and went on to get smoked by Roman Reigns in the WrestleMania main event.

Prediction: Winners, The Miz and Maryse

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Doudrop in a Singles match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship

No comment.

Prediction: I’m going to take a nap during this match.

Brock Lesnar (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Bobby Lashley (with MVP) in a singles match for the WWE Championship

These are two of the very best in the game right now. Both competitors have similar backgrounds as amateur wrestlers-turned pro who then bounced between professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Lesnar has been near or at the top of the WWE for his entire career, but Lashley was more of a late bloomer, not winning his first WWE championship until he was in his mid-40’s.

Time has not slowed these two down at all, they are both peak athletes and freakishly large. This is a WrestleMania caliber match that I cannot wait to watch.

Prediction: Winner and new WWE Champion, Bobby Lashley

Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins in a Singles match for the WWE Universal Championship

These two former Shield members are feuding again. They have both undergone many character machinations since Rollins took the belt off Reigns at WrestleMania 31. Reigns took longer to find himself but he finally figured out how to be the top guy in the company. This will be the first time they clash as heels. The Uso’s have been banned from ringside so Reigns will have to go it alone.

Prediction: Winner and still WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

Ronda Rousey is going to make a surprise return to win the Royal Rumble and go on to face Becky Lynch at WrestleMania.

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

The rumor mill has not had much to say about this year’s men’s rumble winner. The main men’s matches at WrestleMania are going to feature Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar (potentially even head-to-head) so that leaves a spot open for someone to jump into the main event picture.

The WWE is cross promoting the new Jackass movie and will place Johnny Knoxville in the rumble match where he will likely eliminate Sami Zayn. Zayn always seems to be the mark to get guest celebrities over. Not a bad spot to be in.

At the time of this writing, there are five spots that have yet to be announced. They’ll likely be filled by NXT call ups and returning retirees. None of them have potential to contend for the win.

I am handicapping the field as follows:

No Chance in Hell

  • Angelo Dawkins
  • Montez Ford
  • Dominik Mysterio
  • Austin Theory
  • Johnny Knoxville
  • Happy Corbin
  • Madcap Moss
  • Sami Zayn
  • Omos
  • Riddle
  • Chad Gable
  • Otis
  • Dolph Ziggler
  • Robert Roode
  • Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Rick Boogs
  • Ricochet

Dark Horse Potential

  • Sheamus
  • Damian Priest
  • AJ Styles
  • Kofi Kingston
  • Randy Orton

Favorites

  • Rey Mysterio
  • Big E
  • Kevin Owens

The No Chance in Hell field contains nobody with WrestleMania main event potential, at least not in 2022.

Damien Priest has been on the rise this year and could surprise with a big win. The rest of the dark horse field are former champions and can be counted on to carry a WrestleMania title match. A win by any of them would be a surprise, but not a shock.

Rey Mysterio has been at the forefront of WWE storylines and is on the cover of the latest WWE video game. The geriatric luchador apparently is still a moneymaker and might have one big main event run left in him.

Big E is a recent former champion and may be poised to take off again. He would match up well against Reigns or Lesnar in a one-on-one match.

Kevin Owens recently returned to working as a heel which is his natural state. He would be able to sell a WrestleMania main even against a top babyface in his sleep. Maybe this is finally KO’s time to have a big WrestleMania moment.

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WrestleMania 37 Night 1 Analysis and Predictions

April 8, 2021 by Leave a Comment

After a year of not having fans in attendance, the WWE is “back in business” with a live crowd at WrestleMania 37 in Tampa. The WWE product has been downright bizarre to watch without real fans in attendance this past year and having a crowd for the performers to work off will be a welcome change.

Splitting WrestleMania into two nights leaves a lot less clutter on the WrestleMania card than in a normal year where they over-book many matches to get as many people on the card as possible. There are lot more singles matches than we would have seen in years past.

The WWE has also seemingly admitted that the “Women’s Revolution” in the WWE has been an abject failure. Just two years ago, the WrestleMania event was a triple-threat between Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Ronda Rousey. This year, none of the three are even on the card. Something is clearly wrong with the creative process that has left most of the women in the WWE out of a prominent spot at WrestleMania.

There have been some creative missteps on the men’s side of things as well. The bizarre saga of Bobby Lashey as champion (more on that in a bit) has been a head-scratcher. For the life of me, I can not understand the appeal of Riddle. And the sudden emergence of Apollo Crews’ fake Nigerian accent almost makes me embarrassed for him.

But this is WrestleMania, and the card is stacked with talent who will have ample time to tell good stories. Without the involvement of John Cena or The Undertaker, the members of the current roster will look to cement their own WrestleMania legacies. Even if the lead-in to WrestleMania was weak, this two-night event could be professional wrestling at its best! On to the match predictions.

Bad Bunny and Damian Priest vs. The Miz and John Morrison

WrestleMania history is rife with celebrity guest appearances, many of whom actively participated in matches.  Mr. T. started the tradition when he teamed with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 1.  This year, Bad Bunny gets the nod as the token WrestleMania celebrity used to bring in viewers that are not part of the current fan base. 

The appeal of Bad Bunny is lost on me, I guess I am not in his target demographic. However, there are reports that his WWE merchandise is a huge seller right now, so this appears to be a good business decision for the WWE. He is not a trained wrestler so The Miz and Morrison are going to have to carry him in the match. The rookie Damian Priest will not be much help in covering Bunny’s weaknesses. I would not expect this match to be remembered as a WrestleMania classic.

Prediction: Winner, The Miz and Morrison

The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) (c) vs. AJ Styles and Omos in a Tag team match for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship

This is an interesting spot for AJ Styles, having been assigned the task of getting NXT call-up Omos over as a main-roster competitor. I am not sure I like the creative direction this angle has taken, Omos seems to be lacking on the microphone, and attempts at the two of them being comedic have fallen flat. His appearance and skill set seem better suited to “monster heel” than comedic sidekick, but this is what we get so we will see how he does. For Omos, this is a great spot in which to make his debut in a championship match at WrestleMania.

The New Day continue to flounder as a duo, having lost their most charismatic member, Big E to a singles push. It is time for this team to break up, no better time or way to accomplish that than a WrestleMania swerve and a heel turn for one of them!

Prediction: Winners and new WWE Raw Tag Team Champions, AJ Styles and Omos

Lana and Naomi vs. Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose vs. The Riott Squad (Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott) vs. Natalya and Tamina in a Tag Team Turmoil match, winners receive a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match on Night 2

This is a late addition to the card to placate those who were upset there was not enough involvement from the Women’s division. There is not a single wrestler in this match who is worth watching.

Prediction: This match is going to suck

Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon in a Steel Cage match

It is WrestleMania! Time for Shane McMahon to jump off something high and attempt to mount credible offense against someone he has no business being in the ring with! Stop me if you have heard this one before.

Prediction: Winner, Braun Strowman

Sasha Banks (c) vs. Bianca Belair in a singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship

The only bright side about this match is that it is the only women’s singles match on the card.

Prediction: This match is going to suck

Cesaro Vs. Seth Rollins

I have always felt that WrestleMania needs more matches like these on the card. No-gimmick singles matches that are based on a grudge and nothing else. It gives the competitors a chance to tell a unique story and showcase their skills.

Both superstars in this match are at an interesting crossroads in their individual careers. Cesaro has been a constant under-achiever as a singles competitor, and this is his first singles WrestleMania match. Seth Rollins was on a roll with his “Monday Night Messiah” gimmick, but that appears to have been taken away from him. He kept the look but not the personality which makes no sense at all. Even still, Rollins is one of the best in-ring competitors the WWE has on the roster today and he should be able to carry Cesaro in this match.

Prediction: Winner, Seth Rollins

Bobby Lashley (c) (with MVP) vs. Drew McIntyre in a singles match for the WWE Championship

This is an intriguing matchup of two superstars who took long and difficult trajectories to a championship match at WrestleMania.

Drew McIntyre had poor timing for his first WrestleMania moment as it took place in a taped match at the WWE Performance Center with no fans in attendance. He likely would have gotten a huge pop from a live crowd if there were fans in attendance. He spent most of the following calendar year as champion without performing in front of a live crowd. This match finally gives him a chance to reconnect with a live audience since his ascension to the top.

Bobby Lashley was the other feel-good story during the pandemic, having won his first ever major WWE championship at age 44 in March. The WWE is doing everything it can to muddy his creative waters since then. At the time of his win, he was presented as a vicious mauler who had to chase down a cowardly Miz and ragdoll him to win the championship. He was surrounded by a stable that supported his aura and was on top of the wrestling world.

In the ensuing weeks, he flipped to being a cowardly heel by putting out a “bounty” on Drew McIntyre, then his stable inexplicably broke up. I do not know how this helps build a WrestleMania match, but I believe that these two veterans will still step it up when the bell rings and bring the house down.

Prediction: Winner and still WWE Champion, Bobby Lashley

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