Tag Archives: Rey Mysterio

Apr 15

Wrestlemania XXX: Imagining What the Card Will Look Like

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“We support your local sports team” say the WWE – Photo from Wikimedia

With a very disappointing Wrestlemania XXIX in the books it’s time to look forward to what the big event will look like next year. For the past six years the company has been like Star Trek movies, brilliant showings for the even numbers, and dullsville for the odd ones. Hopefully next year things will continue, as the company is sure to go all out for the event next year in New Orleans.

There have already been rumours of a Brock-Rock showdown and every year there is some talk of Cena-Taker taking place, where would this leave the likes of CM Punk, Triple H, Daniel Bryan, or the star that seems to have been born in Fandango.

So with a little bit of speculation we get the following matches…

Tons of Funk, R-Truth, Santino Marella and Zack Ryder vs. Prime Time Players and 3MB
YouTube Pre-Show Match

This is sort of a thrown together 10 man tag to get people who would pop the crowd on the card. They could all dance around, hit their spots and move on.

Lights, fireworks, GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

Chris Jericho and Christian vs. Rhodes Scholars
WWE Tag Team Title Match

Of course this is dependent on Jericho returning, but a reunion run with Christian could be exciting. They could have a nice little run with the tag team titles and have a showdown with two of the best smarmy heels in the business. Hopefully a chance to open the big event is a big apology to the Rhodes Scholars for leaving them off the card like they did. It could be extra fun to get Edge in the corner of the blond Canadians as a nice little nod to the past.

Sheamus vs. The Miz

This match fits the “no idea what to do with these two guys on the card spot”. It’s safe to say that The Miz won’t be a face this time next year, since he’s been pretty flat in this role. He can go on and on about being undefeated at Wrestlemania and drop this match cleanly, possibly foreshadowing another first time loss at this big event…

Antonio Cesaro  vs. Wade Barrett vs. Fandango vs. Kofi Kingston 
 vs. Mark Henry vs. Kane vs. Big E. Langston vs. Justin Gabriel
Money in the Bank Match

The card this year really could have benefitted from bringing Money in the Bank back. It would be a fun match early in the card and it could get some big exposure for the mid-card names like Kingston and Cesaro. Besides the gimmick gets overdone with two a year. They could easily have a different event in July. This match could be hurt by big guys, but it could be fun to see them throw the little guys around. If Gabriel is not over enough they could replace him with a host of other talent, preferably on the face side of things.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Rey Mysterio

Every year there is talk of a Cara-Mysterio match, but every year it doesn’t seem to work. Sin Cara does not seem to be working out in the WWE so the company strapped the rocket to Alberto in order to make a new Latin star. With Rey’s body breaking down, this could be a perfect chance to end his career on a high note in a great place. Plus they can finally do the mask record that they want, and have them all be for Rey as a sort of tribute.

Natalya vs. Charlotte
Diva’s Title Match

Charlotte is one of the bright spots in the NXT Divas Division and just so happens to be Ric Flair’s daughter. Natalya is the most talented, yet underutilized member of the Divas on the roster, and she just so happens to be a relative of Bret Hart. Wrestlemania X and XX had certain bursts of nostalgia so it seems reasonable that this could be an easy chance to have something similar happen here. If they had their Hall of Fame family members in their corners it could be pretty epic and actually make the ladies a draw at the big event.

CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler
World Title Match

Wrestlemania XX featured quite possibly the best triple threat match ever for the Big Gold belt contested between three of the top workers of the era. What better way to draw back to that then have three of the top wrestlers compete for the same belt? It doesn’t much matter who is the champ going in but Punk is the most established so we may as well have him as champ going in. We would all be able to sit back and enjoy the show.

Ryback vs. Big Show

The match that was long rumoured to happen at this years event. This match should be a quick squash to put over Ryback as a legit giant. It could be a nice quick cool down after the classic that we would see right before.

The Shield vs. Evolution

Yet another call back to Wrestlemania XX when the young upstarts took on some of the hugest names in the business. Now here is a chance for those former upstarts to be the big names and put over The Shield in a huge way. There have been rumours of a Batista return and this would be a great way to use him and Triple H, plus we could get an interesting dynamic with a potentially heelish Orton. Sure it’s not that different than the six man tag from this year, but it could still be a ton of fun.

The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar

This match has been rumoured for a while now and it would be a huge celebrity match with the obvious twist that both celebrities are former WWE Champions. These two had an amazing match and feud in 2002, so they could easily draw on this as being “11 Years in the Making”. Of course The Rock was injured facing Cena, so he may be decapitated wrestling someone as stiff as Lesnar, but that’s a chance I sure am willing to take!

Hall of Fame ceremony featuring Macho Man Randy Savage and Owen Hart!

John Cena vs. The Undertaker
WWE Title vs. Streak

This is the last true dream match featuring WWE superstars, so you know it has to happen at Wrestlemania, somehow, someway. This could be an absolute gold mine for the company if they do it right. The most obvious question would be just how they would handle Taker. Could this be his last match? Would they let him retire as champion? Or could they have him win only for the Money in the Bank winner to cash in the next night or something of that sort. Or  heaven forbid they pull the trigger and end The Streak, giving that honour to Cena.

 

Sure 10 matches was too much this year as they whittled things down to 8 with one week to go. However, if they cancelled the Diddy Concert, took away one of Brock Lesnar’s 700 spine busters to Triple H, and canceled one of the videos hyping the show we were already watching they easily could have fit two more matches in with little problems. They had 10 matches at Wrestlemania XXVI and 11 at XXII, and both of those were fun shows.

Any ideas? Changes?

Feb 14

Wrestlemania XXIX: Another Idiot’s View of How the Card is Shaping Up

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Apparently they build stadiums on state borders… – photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Now that the Rumble is in the past and the Elimination Chamber is just a bit ahead it’s becoming that time when we start to get really hyped up for Wrestlemania! It seems like Rock and Cena are set to do battle, but what about everyone else on the roster? CM Punk has to fit somewhere, and so does Dolph Ziggler and his briefcase. Add in the fact that the WWE has debuted a lot of talent in the past year and the usual part-timers like Undertaker and Triple H need a seat at the table and we could have ourselves a packed card.

The last few years we’ve had eight matches on the big card but that included the ridiculous 14 man GM battle last year. Unless we get a huge match we may see the number of matches climb, so like our look ahead back in November — wait, we had The Shield facing those shmucks? — we have 10 matches on the docket and it includes a few multi-man affairs, but nothing as crowded as last year.

29 Man Last Chance Battle Royal

YouTube Pre-Show

Yes, this is a copy-paste from last time, but it just makes sense.  The winner of this Battle Royal gets a spot on the main card as the final member of the multi-man Intercontinental Title Match that we’ll talk about in a few paragraphs. Let’s have the winner be Bo Dallas to further his underdog story.

Fireworks! Explosions! God Bless America!

Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

Who is the Tag Team Champions?
Special Guest Referee: Dr. Shelby

After spending the past few months building up the Tag Team Division, the company sure has torn it down, haven’t they? The Rhodes Scholars go the way of Kingston and Truth, Rey and Cara are MIA, The Shield are focused elsewhere, and every other team is treated like a joke. The money is in a singles match between these two and it would be kind of fun to have them do a match to determine the Tag Team Champions, sure it was lame when WCW did it 15 years ago, but so was everything in WCW then. Plus if both men find a partner they could feud for the title for a few months afterwards.

Wade Barrett vs. Bo Dallas vs. R-Truth vs. Jack Swagger vs.
Christian vs. Mark Henry vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Sin Cara

Gauntlet Match for the Intercontinental Title

Apparently the company is considering making the Intercontinental Title the focus of Main Event and what better way to kick that off than to give it some focus on the big show? Instead of just doing a ladder match, which nobody would be opposed to, we could do a gauntlet match or something else like that. We could have Dallas pin Barrett and then he himself loses so we can transition the title away from that feud. We could also get a tease of Rey-Cara, which the company has put the nix on apparently. I’d have either Mark Henry or Christian get the big win here, but any one of them would be fine choices for champion.

Antonio Cesaro vs. The Miz
Flag Match for the United States Title

These two have a decent feud going and hopefully they can have them last until the big event to give us a good mid-card Wrestlemania moment. Making it a Flag Match seems like a logical blow-off to Cesaro being an anti-American US Champion so let’s go with that. Once The Miz wins he can transition the title to the pro-American heel Jack Swagger in a few months while Cesaro moves up to the top talent and works his way to hold one of the top titles within a year.

Ryback, Sheamus, Randy Orton, and Kofi Kingston vs. Brad Maddox and The Shield
Eight Man No DQ Match

I know that this isn’t that different than the match going on this Sunday, but hopefully The Shield can stay strong at the Elimination Chamber. Not to give too much away for the SHOULD vs. WOULD this weekend, but the match is totally set up to have a new member of The Shield, either Brad Maddox or a new guy like Conor O’Brian. As much as we would all love a War Games match, let’s settle for a No DQ Match where Ryback can finally get his comeuppance on The Shield.

Kaityln vs. Tamina
Lumberjill Match for the Diva’s Title

There needs to be at least on Diva’s match on the card so let’s go with the only two that anyone can name. We need a cooler match, especially after what should be a huge, crazy war. Let’s get this out of the way and maybe they can finally bring some of those talented women in NXT after Wrestlemania.

Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar

We all know that this is going to happen, maybe there will be some sort of stipulation related to Paul Heyman taking control of the company attached in here. Either way, we can only hope that Lesnar goes 2-0 against Triple H here.

Wrestlemania Dance-Off!!!
Featuring Brodus Clay, Tensai, Fandango, Santino Marella, Zack Ryder, 3MB, and a few legends

Ok this isn’t a match, but it could be pretty entertaining and a decent cool-down segment after that last big match and before the other three huge matches on the card.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Big Show
World Title Match

More spoilers for the COULD vs. WOULD but a multi-man match for the Big Gold Belt could just be in the cards. A simple Ziggler cash in coupled with a Jericho Chamber win could set up this very fun encounter. All four men deserve high profile matches and this is a great way to merge the two storylines and feuds. The ground work was already laid on Main Event this week as Alberto had a confrontation with Jericho and then a match with Ziggler. Hopefully Ziggler can walk in and out of Wrestlemania with the belt to look like a world beater.

BookDust vs. Rhodes Scholars

Sure the Rhodes Scholars “broke up” but we could get a great reunion match especially after the great Cody-Goldust segment in the Rumble and Cody calling out Booker T last week, we could get this as a short, fun comedy/nostalgia match.

The Undertaker vs. CM Punk

This match has been rumoured for a few months now and it could be an absolute classic. With the other two high profile matches being reruns, this could get some great fresh eyes on the product. Of course The Streak should continue, but this could be highly compelling.

The Rock vs. John Cena
WWE Title Match

This match is happening, we all know it. Their encounter last year was a ton of fun, and the rematch should have some added heat to it. As entertaining as a triple threat with Punk would be, this is where we are almost certainly heading so we may as well enjoy it.

 

Obviously the card is subject to change in the next month and a half.

Dec 14

WWE TLC – What SHOULD Happen vs. What WILL Happen

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“Good thing that Ryback thing worked out” said the people who made this poster months ago- Photo from Wikimedia

Welcome back one and all to an irregular feature here at Blade Jobs of Steel. With a major PPV coming up this Sunday, it is time to look at the event from both the critical and prophetic eye that all smarky wrestling fans same to have. We will look at the event and examine what (probably) will happen according to current WWE logic and trends and compare it to what, in our humblest of opinions, should happen.

For the second straight month a match involving the WWE’s newest Main Eventer, Ryback was changed. Last month he was scheduled to be in a tag match opposite CM Punk that was scrapped and he was given a title shot, now this month he was scheduled for a title shot and it was scrapped for a tag match instead. Now obviously there were different circumstances, but it’s interesting none the less. This month we will see the in-ring debut of The Shield as they take on Ryback and Team Hell No. Will they have the courage to give the new guys the win? Will it hurt Ryback’s mystique to have him end up on the losing end for three straight events?

Enough with the preamble, let’s get right down to it!

The card order will be in the order of what SHOULD happen, with some discussions as to what will happen along the way.

YouTube Pre-Show
“Santa’s Helper” #1 Contender Diva’s Battle Royal

What SHOULD Happen: Is no match taking place an option? No? Well then I guess we’ll have AJ winning to get us to the eventual AJ vs. Vickie title match we’ve all been begging for.

What WILL Happen: Seems pretty likely actually…

Match #1
Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara vs. Rhodes Scholars
#1 Contenders Tag Team Tables Match

What SHOULD Happen: These two teams worked great together on RAW a few months back and there’s no reason to think that lightening won’t strike again. The addition of the tables really plays into the luchadores style. The victor of this match will really tell us a lot about the company’s plans for the tag division. A win by Rey and Cara could point us in the direction of The Shield winning the Tag Team Titles, while a win by the Rhodes Scholars could lead to them finally getting their run with the belts. A win by either team could still lead to the split of Rey and Cara, but it depends on how they want that to happen. Will we see the two face off while they are both tag team champions, or have one get fed up after losing? Hmmm…perhaps a losing streak is in order for the masked wrestlers, let’s have it start here when some miscommunication leads to Rey getting thrown through a table.

What WILL Happen: Since Cody Rhodes vs. Kane has already been booked for Main Event next week, it seems likely that the plan for the Rhodes Scholars to get a shot has been set in motion.

Impromptu Match/Segment #1

What SHOULD Happen: Miz TV segment with the Rhodes Scholars, where they are asked about their newly earned tag team title shot. They end up in a war of words, as a follow up to this past Monday, which breaks down and turn physical. This will lead to Morrison coming back for a big tag match down the line.
What WILL Happen: Something with Vickie and Vince, maybe to book the eventual Punk vs. Ryback match that’s rumoured for January.

Match #2
Kofi Kingston vs. Wade Barrett
Intercontinental Title Match

What SHOULD Happen: These two will go out and give 110% out there in a 15-20 minute match with a clean finish. Either winner would be fine, but Barrett seems poised for the Main Event soon enough, so it may be best to let Kofi run a little bit longer with this belt.

What WILL Happen: Probably about the same, maybe with 10 or so minute length instead.

Match #3
John Cena vs. Dolph Ziggler
Ladder Match for the Money in the Bank Contract

What SHOULD Happen: This is one of the more compelling non-title matches that the company has put on in recent memory. At first glance, this match could go last, since Cena has closed 9 out of 11 pay-per-views this year — one he was injured, and another was the Royal Rumble. However, there is quite a bit more intrigue if this match goes early, more specifically, if it goes earlier than the World Heavyweight Title match there is the possibility of a cash in on the same night.

There are so many questions for the aftermath of this match. If Cena wins, will they have him somehow use this contract to get a shot at the Rock’s WWE Title? Will they go for a Title Unification Match? Or will they have him unsuccessfully cash the title in twice? Will they have Ziggler retain the briefcase and cash it in the coming months? Or will we see a swerve like have the case switch to Cena here and back to Ziggler later?

Here’s a great chance to make Ziggler a big time player that he’s been ready to be for a long time. A clean Ziggler win would be ideal, but that’s very unlikely, so some sort of a Vickie and AJ cluster that leads to Ziggler grabbing the case would work. Plus it will lead to the potential AJ/Cena break-up that the company is pushing towards.

What WILL Happen: Ziggler will win but look like a total bitch in the process. Chances are we could see the following people interfere: Vickie Guerrero, AJ Lee, The Shield, a returning Jack Swagger, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, The 1976 Philadelphia Flyers, New Members of The Shield, and/or CM Punk. A Shield beat down of Cena would be probable, especially after the events of this past Monday.

Impromptu Match/Segment #1


What SHOULD Happen: Another “Found footage” style promo from The Shield. That one last week was golden.
What WILL Happen: Some segment between Cena and AJ.
Match #4
Antonio Cesaro vs. R-Truth
United States Title Match
What SHOULD Happen: These two have a longer match than they did last month, same result with a clean Cesaro.
What WILL Happen: These two have a shorter match than they did last month, same result with a clean Cesaro win.
Match #5
Big Show vs. Sheamus
World Heavyweight Title Match
What SHOULD Happen: These two have another great brawl that leads to Big Show retaining and in a very fitting moment, Ziggler limps down to the ring and cashes in. Show and Ziggler have a short little match, say 5-7 minutes long and Ziggler wins clean as a whistle to get the Big Gold Belt and a nice little face turn in the process.
What WILL Happen: Sheamus retains, Ziggler doesn’t show up, and Big Show gets his rematch at the Royal Rumble.
Match #6
Ryback and Team Hell No vs. The Shield
TLC Match
…well sort of…
What SHOULD Happen: This really should go last to make The Shield look like the new stars that they are being primed to be. Hopefully everyone in this match comes out looking strong. We can have plunder all over the place, a ton of near falls, and brawls all over the arena.
As much as we would all love a clean pinfall, that is probably too much to hope for. Let’s have CM Punk come out for commentary and continuously deny his involvement with The Shield. During the match Ryback throws Seth Rollins through the commentary table and it bumps Punk. He gets into it with Ryback and the two begin to brawl to the back. This leaves Team Hell No outnumbered 3-2, eventually they powerbomb Byran on to Kane, through a table and pin both of them. The show ends with three new stars standing tall.
What WILL Happen: The Shield will win but look bad in the process, probably on the account of Brad Maddox, crooked referee.
As much as we all want The Shield to look great, we must remember the last time a group of rookies made their pay-per-view debut in a tag team match, the show ended with John Cena standing tall.
Nov 24

Wrestlmania XXIX: Another Idiots Attempt to Predict the Card

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The big event comes to the New York area for the 37th time in 29 years! – photo courtesy of wikimedia

Now that Survivor Series has come and gone, we wrestling fans find ourselves looking in one obvious direction: Wrestlemania. Rumours have really started to kick into overdrive as questions have started to be fly. Will CM Punk still be WWE Champion? How will part-time performers like Triple H, Brock Lesnar, and The Undertaker be involved? Will Dolph Ziggler have cashed in his briefcase by then? How about rising stars like Ryback, or the newly debuted NXT Trio?

In this post, I’ll try to answer those questions as well as speculate on a few key matches. In a few months, once the card actually starts to shape up, we can look back and see just how wrong I was.

 

29 Man Last Chance Battle Royal

YouTube Pre-Show

These YouTube Pre-Shows seem to be here to stay, and there is no reason to think that they won’t try something big this year. The one thing I’m not certain about is if they even have 29 spare roster members to put in this match, if not it can be a smaller amount of competitors. The winner of this Battle Royal gets a spot on the main card as the 8th member of the Money in the Bank match. Let’s have a returning Christian win, but if he’s not up for it then the winner should be R-Truth or Brodus Clay with an outside chance of Evan Bourne if he’s ready.

Fireworks! Explosions! God Bless America!

Ryback vs. Big Show

On paper this may seem like a dull match to have jerk the curtain, but if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. The Big Show is a recognizable name to the casual fans that only watch Wrestlemania and Ryback is a name that the WWE clearly wants to be recognizable. Get them out both out there right away to get people paying attention and excited. Better still, have Ryback beat the Big Show quickly. Make the match less than five minutes long, including 500-pound Shell Shock to give Ryback a true Wrestlemania moment.

Wade Barrett vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow
vs. The Miz vs. Antonio Cesaro vs. Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio

Money in the Bank Ladder Match

That’s right, this is the year that the Money in the Bank Ladder Match comes back to Wrestlemania! Apparently the Money in the Bank was a plan in the works for last year, but Wade Barrett’s injury made them reschedule. So let’s assume that Barrett’s recovery leads to their original plan this should be a go. While the field is very heel heavy, it makes sense given the landscape of the company at the moment. I ranked the competitors in order of likeliness of victory, with Barrett being the obvious front-runner and Cody Rhodes as a likely second option, assuming he recovers from his injury.

Rey Mysterio vs. Sin Cara

The only thing standing in the way of this match is the injury bug. This is a total dream match, and is clearly the end point of their current foray into the tag team division. Apparently the company is interested in breaking the record for most masks worn at the same time, so it’s quite logical that these two would need to fight to give a great shot of everyone wearing the masks, and having everyone put the mask on would be a great cool down after the chaos of Money in the Bank. Now if the company wants to have the masks be split among the crowd, it makes sense to keep this a face vs. face match, especially since neither wrestler would make a great heel. If they want to add some more motivation they could give either wrestler one of the secondary titles, preferably the Intercontinental strap, but it’s not really necessary. Expect Sin Cara to come out on top in this match no matter the title or face/heel dynamics.

Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

Special Guest Referee: Charlie Sheen

There’s not doubt that this match is somewhere on the company’s horizons, it’s just a question of how soon will it happen. To me, they are at the perfect time to set it for Wrestlemania. Have them drop the tag titles in the next month, accidentally eliminate each other from the Royal Rumble, both compete in the Elimination Chamber which leads to a full blown break-up and here we are. Having Charlie Sheen involved may be a bit of a reach for this event, but it makes a lot of sense since the whole “Anger Management” thing was how this partnership started and Sheen was supposed to appear at Summerlam but they couldn’t get a deal done. Celebrities always play a role at Wrestlemania, so it’s obvious that he would come back. Whoever is the face in this match (probably Bryan) would be the logical winner here.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus

World Title Match

These three men have been doing the lion share of work on the Blue Brand for a while now and should all be rewarded with a big high-profile match. Add in the fact that they all have a clear chemistry with one another and this match should be great. Ziggler walking in as champion, after the Money in the Bank cash in, makes the most sense, but if he still had the briefcase there could be an interesting side story as well. There have been rumblings of both Orton and Ziggler turning heel and face respectively, so that could very easily play into the build if need be. The winner really depends on where they want to go with any of the three being totally acceptable. I’d vote for a Ziggler win to really help establish him as a top level talent.

Eve vs. AJ

Diva’s Title Match

There’s got to be a Diva’s match on the card, and this is the only one of any interest left to do, is it not? Trish Stratus, Lita, and Mickie James: you are surely missed! I guess AJ should get her first taste of Diva’s gold in as much of a Wrestlemania moment that we can get.

Triple H (w/ Shawn Michaels) vs. Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman)

This match is pretty much set now isn’t it? Not really sure what the point of bringing in Lesnar to have him feud with Triple H and John Cena was, but surely there was some logic there. Their Summerslam match was quite good and the rematch should be equal to the task. Add Shawn Michaels as a corner man and the inevitable Sweet Chin Music on Heyman and it could be even better. If Lesnar is leaving the company then he would leave on his back, again, but if he is sticking around then there is the chance for him to pull out a big win in order to further some other feud.

Seth Rolins and Dean Ambrose vs. Team CoBro
vs. Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd vs. Prime Time Players

WWE Tag Team Title Match 

This assumes that the NXT trio that attacked Ryback are here to stay, and will function as a tag team. This group, potentially called The Shield could benefit from a Wrestlemania match and with the renewed focus on the Tag Team Division, a good spotlight match could be just what the doctor ordered. In my mind The Shield has the tag team titles by this point, and is able to defend them under Free Bird Rules.  The young trio could greatly benefit from walking in and out of the big event with the belts, even if the match would no doubt be cut short as a bit of a bathroom break/cool down affair.

John Cena vs. The Rock

Once in a lifetime, eh?

Since the company has all but decided on doing Rock-Punk at the Rumble, that leaves the rematch as the main option for The Great One. Their match at Wrestlemania XXVIII was fantastic, and there’s no reason to think that the second one won’t exceed it. Obviously Cena gets the win back, much to the chagrin of 70,000 New Yorkers.

Hall of Fame Spiel featuring Mick Foley and Randy Savage!!!


CM Punk vs. The Undertaker
WWE Title vs. Streak

That’s right, this is pretty much the only match that can go on after Rock-Cena. With two of the top matches scheduled to be rematches, it’s exciting to have a fresh attraction. Sure they faced off in two pretty terrible matches back in 2009, but post-pipe-bomb Punk is very different, and well this is Taker at Wrestlemania.

Oddly, the Streak has gotten to the point where being a Streak Victim really helps in the long term. I mean, think of the recent additions to the list: Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Edge, Batista, Randy Orton, Ric Flair, The Big Show, Kane. These are all surefire Hall of Famers, sure Mark Henry and A-Train were omitted  but they can’t all be great. To have Punk added to that very exciting list is nothing short of amazing.

Besides, it’s a great way to get the title off of him after over a year holding it. They can easily do a tournament or whatever right after Wrestlemania when Taker leaves again, or better yet have Wade Barrett or Cody Rhodes cash in the next night on RAW, that would be pretty amazing too.

So there we have it, ten matches, which may be a lot, but it is certainly doable. The last time the company had a ten match Wrestlemania it was Wrestlemania XXVI, and that had some nice long matches, so the company can balance it out again, no thirty minute epics like we had last year, but several matches in the 12-20 minute range and we should be fine.

Obviously, the card is subject to change over the next four months…

Oct 28

WWE Hell in a Cell: What Should Happen vs. What Will Happen

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Halloween Contest Runner Up 2012 Will Defend His WWE Title- Photo from Wikimedia

Welcome back one and all to an irregular feature here at Blade Jobs of Steel. With a major PPV coming up this Sunday, it is time to look at the event from both the critical and prophetic eye that all smarky wrestling fans same to have. We will look at the event and examine what (probably) will happen according to current WWE logic and trends and compare it to what, in our humblest of opinions, should happen.

This event has been one of the most talked about non-big four event in recent memory. It looked like the company was set to give the epic multi-year Punk-Cena feud a great showdown inside their ultimate blowoff gimmick match. Instead, Cena’s elbow gets injured and they pull a substitute. Instead of taking an established name like Randy Orton or pull out a lovable veteran like Mick Foley, the company decided to take a big gamble and trust relative newcomer, Ryback, into the top billing. Ryback has been booked as an unstoppable monster, so the question seems obvious, which do they value more, their new star or the longest running title reign in six years? Is Punk-Rock set for the Royal Rumble, or could Ryback-Rock be more engaging? Add in the fact that we have an apparent resurgence in both the tag team and intercontinental divisions and an intriguing big man showdown for the World Title, and we have ourselves some very interesting possibilities.

The card order will be in the order of what SHOULD happen, with some discussions as to what will happen along the way.

YouTube Pre-Show
John Cena Speaks

What SHOULD Happen: Cena takes questions from fans, announces that he has recovered from his injury. Paul Heyman interrupts and the two have a dueling promo which ends with Heyman reminding Cena that he’s never beaten Punk and so he had better hope that Ryback wins or else he’s not getting another sniff at the title. He then goes on about how much it must upset poor Vince McMahon to have a Paul Heyman guy hold the belt for so long, and that Vinnie Mac had best get used to it.

What WILL Happen: Cena takes forever to announce that he’ll be at ringside for the Main Event. Nothing else of consequence takes place.

Match #1
Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz
Intercontinental Title  Match

 What SHOULD Happen: These two have yet another fun, fast paced match to get the crowd going. Lots of near falls make both men look great and Kofi Kingston hits the Trouble in Paradise out of nowhere to get the win. Both men move on to new feuds starting on Monday. As Kingston is celebrating we cut to the back and see Sheamus lying backstage having clearly been attacked.

What WILL Happen: That sounds about right there, although both men getting new feuds may not happen exactly as hoped, and the part about Sheamus seems unlikely.

Match #2
Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio

 What SHOULD Happen: Randy Orton finds his 2011 workrate and these two tear the house down. Alberto wins after the Prime Time Players interfere to both hype their match on Main Event, to potentially set them up as allies for Del Rio, and more importantly to frustrate Orton enough to potentially turn heel down the line.

What WILL Happen: Orton wins in a relatively one-sided match that gets maybe 8 minutes.

Impromptu Match/Segment #1

What SHOULD Happen: Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara vs. The Prime Time Players - Immediately after the PTPs help Del Rio win, the luchadores run down to save Orton. Teddy Long interrupts the pull apart brawl to book the match. After some back and forth action, Orton interferes and lets Rey and Cara win, but the dishonesty doesn’t sit well with Rey.

What WILL Happen: The same match is booked at the last minute but it ends with the luchadores winning totally cleanly and with no reference to the six-man tag scheduled for this week.

Match #3
Sheamus vs. Big Show
World Heavyweight Title Match

What SHOULD Happen: Big Show takes a microphone before the match and wishes Sheamus a speedy recovery. He says that a lot of guys backstage were with him when Sheamus got jumped so he has no idea who it was. The two have a good match but Sheamus is still clearly injured from his earlier attack. Eventually Show connects with the WMD and wins. Ziggler comes out to tease a cash in, but decides to run off and leave Show to celebrate.

What WILL Happen: Sheamus retains, Ziggler runs out and eats a Brogue Kick for his troubles.

Match #4
Eve vs. Kaitlyn vs. Layla
WWE Divas Title  Match

What SHOULD Happen: These three compete in a back and forth match. Kaitlyn gets the upper hand and looks poised to win, Eve then heelishly steals a pin on Layla to put heat on a match for next month.

What WILL Happen: That actually seems likely, does it not?

Impromptu Match/Segment #2

What SHOULD Happen: US Title Match: Antonio Cesaro vs. Justin Gabriel – The two have a heated back and forth match. Gabriel climbs up top to set up for the 450 Splash when Aksana grabs his leg allowing Cesaro to get the US Title Belt and hit Gabriel in the face, knocking him out of the ring in a nasty bump and getting disqualified in the process. Ta-da! Big US Title feud going forward.
What WILL Happen: Either a very long Cena promo or that same match with a clean win for Cesaro.
Match #5
Team Hell No vs. Rhodes Scholars
WWE Tag Team Title Match
 What SHOULD Happen: After a very competitive match, Kane chokeslams one of the two, Bryan tags in, hits a diving head but for the win. While they are arguing over who is the tag team champions, the Rhodes Scholars look to each other and say that it’s time for Plan B with Cody saying they should have gone with it from the start.
What WILL Happen: Team Hell No will retain and argue, they are way too hot to not be champions at this point. Rhodes Scholars can win the title next month when the team finally does explode.
Match #6
CM Punk vs. Ryback
WWE Title Match
What SHOULD Happen: Brace yourself, this one will be a bit long and fantasy booky…
John Cena joins the announce table and spends the match putting over how great of a champion Punk is and how Ryback has got to be the person who can end this reign, especially since Heyman is looked out of the Cell.
Punk fares decent against Ryback, but of course he cannot compete with Big Hungry’s strength. Ryback throws Punk all around the Cell and looks ready to finish him.
When the match seems dire, Heyman waves his hands and yells out “NOW!”. Suddenly Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes jump from the crowd carrying bolt cutters. They hit Cena with them, knocking him out.  All of this distracts Ryback and Punk tries to crawl away. Ryback starts to chase him when all of sudden, Big Show erupts from under the Ring (just like his debut with the company). He and Ryback stare at one another and start to duke it out.
Meanwhile Sandow and Rhodes are able to open the Cell, and jump in with Heyman. Heyman pulls out another chain to lock them back in while Sandow and Rhodes go and attack Ryback. The three men are able to take him down long enough for Punk to come and score the pin, retaining the title.
We have a new super heel stable established and potentially a huge five-on-five Survivor Series match in Punk-Show-Sandow-Rhodes-Lesnar vs. Cena-Ryback-Sheamus-Kane-Bryan. Tell me you wouldn’t pay to see that?
What WILL Happen: Honestly, this is the toughest match to predict in a very long time. There is a huge amount of money in Punk-Rock at the Rumble, and there doesn’t seem to be a plan for Ryback to face anyone at Wrestlemania. This logically implies that Punk will leave with the title, however Ryback needs to look strong. Perhaps some sort of stunted no contest with either Punk falling into the ring like Mick Foley, or maybe even having the Cell collapse on them or something equally strange. Either way, Ryback will look like a monster and Punk will leave with the title.
They of course open the cell.
Jun 27

What the Summerslam Card Could Look Like

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With Summerslam a little over two months away and rumours starting to flow, it’s time to start to speculate on how the card will look. So far there have been rumblings of a CM Punk vs. John Cena title match, to go along with the Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar Main Event. Obviously there is plenty of room on the card for the newly returned Chris Jericho, the soon to return Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, and Wade Barrett as well as the rising stars like Sheamus and Daniel Bryan. With a little bit of speculating, the card may look something like this…

Christian, Santino Marella, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth
vs.
Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, Kane, and Cody Rhodes
Pre-Show YouTube Match

This match is taking a page from last years six-man bonus match involving all of the upper-midcarders that just missed the main match. No reason for something like that not to happen here. Of course this could be added to the main card if they put some sort of stipulation to it or just wanted to give all of these big names a pay day.

Fireworks! Explosions! Biggest Party of the Summer!

Chris Jericho vs. Daniel Bryan

One of these two is due for a faceturn and a feud between these two could be entertaining both in and out of the ring. This could be the obligatory match to get the internet geeks excited and pop the crowd to start the show.

The Big Show vs. Brodus Clay
No DQ Match

While these two had a brief match on Monday this pat week, the feud seems to be a ways from over. Hopefully they can have Clay cost Show his Money in the Bank Match and have the feud kick it from there. These two could have an entertaining match and the stipulation would really help cover up both of their in-ring flaws. Plus, anything that helps get newer talent on the big card is a good thing.

Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton

These feud between these two was not quite finished back in the winter when Barrett went down with his arm injury. Both of these two are due to return soon, and it makes sense to have these two come back and pick things up just where they left off. A big victory over Orton could make Barrett’s return a huge deal.

Prime Time Player (c) vs. Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara
WWE Tag Title Match

This is a bit of an off the board prediction but it certainly makes some sense. Titus O’Neil and Darren Young are very likely candidates to be the next Tag Team Champions. If the company is serious about rebuilding the division it seems like they need to give them a spot on the major card. If Mysterio is returning soon, the obvious feud for him is with Sin Cara, but it would be easy to rush that feud, so why not have them team up? Give them an extended run with the Tag Team Titles before they split and face one another at Wrestlemania. It makes perfect sense, does it not?

Dolph Ziggler (c) vs. Sheamus
World Title Match

Another slightly off the board prediction, but it seems like the feud between these two is not over. Ziggler is completely and totally ready for a run with the title. It seems like he could take it from Sheamus at Money in the Bank, or possibly sometime after (maybe with the briefcase) so let’s have the Irishman try to reclaim the gold at the big event.
Layla (c) vs. Kharma
Diva’s Title Match
Kharma has to be ready to return now, and win the Diva’s Title only to have Beth PHoenix try to chase her, right? Right?
CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena
WWE Title Match
This was already discussed on this week’s Plus/Minus. There is some clear intrigue to this match, especially if they tie into last summer’s epic feud. The obvious line was drawn this past Monday, since Cena can win his Money in the Bank Match and do a pre-announced cash-in for a change. This can really help slow the dilution of the Money in the Bank Briefcase. There have been far too many surprise guaranteed cash ins during recent years, so having Cena announce he is going to challenge Punk on the one year anniversary of losing the the title to him makes plenty of sense.
Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar
This match is all but booked at this point, and what’s not to love? We didn’t see this showdown during Brock’s first run with the company, no matter how many times they tried. Obviously Lesnar needs to win this one, and in a pretty convincing fashion.
Apr 27

Weekly Plus/Minus: Playoff Eliminations, RAW starring Brock Lesnar, Mysterio Suspended, and more!

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Welcome back to our weekly talk about the best and worst of our favourite sport and pseudo-sport! Since we left off last week, we’ve had an Extreme Edition of RAW, and the NHL Playoff Field get cut in half. We’ve got lots to get to, hit the damn banner!

Playoff Overtime: There has been a lot to love, and a lot to loathe with the first round of the playoffs so far. For every crazy-fun Philly-Pittsburgh game or close goaltending duel between Ottawa and New York, there have been some dull trapfests between Florida and New Jersey or Boston and Washington.

But we can most certainly all agree that the insanely high amount of Overtime games is a ton of fun. We get such loveably unlikely heroes as Joel Ward and Michael Boedcker or superstar clutch moments from Niklas Backstrom or Jonathan Toews. The NHL does Sudden Death better than anyone else, and it’s hard not to get incredibly excited by moments like this.

Blaming Luo: Astute readers will look at the banner at the top of this page and presume that we here at Blade Jobs of Steels are not the biggest fans of the soon to be former Canucks goaltender. Having said that, the fact that he has become, in the words of Don Cherry, an escape goat in Vancouver is nothing short of shocking.

Luongo loses two games and is a pariah, Schneider loses two games and is a saint. Sure Luongo has his issues and certainly shares some of the burden here, but this is a team that was only able to score eight goals in five games when it mattered the most. Sure Daniel Sedin was injured, but where was Henrik? Where was Kesler? Where was Booth? Where was Raymond? Where was Burrows? This team has serious problems with clutch goals and finding a new goalie to blame — make no mistake about it Schneider will take the fall someday – won’t solve this.

WWE Monday Night Raw, Staring Brock Lesnar: There is nothing to not love about Brock Lesnar’s contract signing this past week. The stipulation that if he beats John Cena that the name of the show needs to change is nothing short of brilliant.

Lesnar is bound to get some cheers, he’s a huge cross-over name and he’s going after John Cena. But he is coming across like he has utter contempt for the WWE, and there is no way that doesn’t get him some serious heat with even the smarkiest of fans. This run is already starting to remind me of The Rock’s 2003 heel run, which is arguably the greatest that the Great One has ever been. Hopes are insanely high for this right now!

Viva La Roidza! News broke late Thursday night that Rey Mysterio was suspended for his second violation of the WWE Wellness Policy and will miss 60 days after failing a drug test. The next failure on his part leaves him on the unemployed line.

This is horrible news for the company, as Rey Mysterio is consistently one of the top draws in the company and could have made a huge impact on his return. The Smackdown roster has an abundance of heels looking to move up the ladder, and a feud with a returning Mysterio would have helped any of them out immensely. Sadly, they’ll have to wait two months as Rey-Rey clearly hasn’t learned much from his first lesson a few years back.

New Blood Rising: As we talked about once before here, there is a sea change taking place in the Western Conference. None of the four teams still playing in the West have won a Stanley Cup before, so we are guaranteed to have at least one team get a shot at their first sip of the Cup.

Add in the Washington Capitals, and the very strong performances in the first round by the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers and we have some optimism that a few teams will have their names engraved on the Cup for the first time. What remains to be seen is if they can use that to build momentum in the market like Tampa Bay and Dallas, or if they will still have attendance problems and struggle in their market like Carolina and to a lesser extent, Anaheim.

Racist Tools: If you have no read Harrison Mooney’s excellent piece on Puck Daddy about the ridiculous reaction to Joel Ward’s overtime goal, give it a read.

There’s not much to add that Mr. Mooney did not cover, and his perspective as a person of colour really helps drive this home.

Seriously, it’s 2012, why is racism still a thing?

 

 

Prediction for the Week: Cody Rhodes and Kharma leave Extreme Rules as champions.

Mar 31

Wrestlemania XXIX: Predicting the Card a Year in Advance

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Sure Wrestlemania XXVIII is tomorrow, but what about the event after that? Will they announce a Main Event a year early again? Will the Rock show up? What about CM Punk? How about The Streak, is tomorrow truly going to be the end of an era?

This post features a look at nine potential matches for the event next year, sure it’s early and about a zillion things can change between now and then, but it’s fun to consider, isn’t it?

 

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio and Christian
WWE Tag Team Title Match

It’s sort of a shame that Rey and Cara didn’t get to have a match at this years Wrestlemania. With both due to return soon, it seems likely that they may just have their big match by Summerslam. After that feud is done, it seems like there is a ton of money that could be made in marketing those two as a tag team. This could help since both of these wrestlers seem injury prone, so maybe their shelf lives could be extended with the two being put together.

Christian and Alberto don’t necessarily have a ton of storyline reasons to be together at this point, but they would make a great team in the Jerishow or Awesome Truth variety, and be logical opponents for Rey and Cara.

Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz

Of course, these two are both heels at this point, but there have been rumblings about having either guy turn face for a while, and really why not? All of the best rising stars in the company are heels, so it seems like someone will need to turn face in order to break through, much like Sheamus did this past summer. My money would be on having Ziggler turn, but it could just as easily be Miz. An extended feud between these two could be a ton of fun, and could really go a long way to elevating both men to the top of the card where they clearly belong.

CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan

You want to talk about best in the world? We need this match in one way or another, and why not put it on at Wrestlemania? When Bryan first announced that he would cash in at Wrestlemania, this was the only match I wanted to see. But of course plans changed and here we are. These two would put on an absolute clinic in the ring and there an extended feud here would be nothing short of spectacular.

Chris Jericho vs. The Undertaker

This match has been discussed for the last few Wrestlemanias. If this match is really going to happen, it had best happen soon. Jericho is one of the few big names that hasn’t been added to The Streak, and it’ll be incredibly fresh. Given Jericho’s history with both HHH and HBK, he could easily slide into that storyline, which has been running since Wrestlemania XXIV, seamlessly.

United States Title Defended in a Battle Royal!
featuring: Santino Marella, Lord Tensai, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Big Show, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, Hunico, Epico, Primo, Drew McIntyre, David Otunga, Mark Henry, The Great Khali, Jinder Mahal, and More!

This match is quite obviously filler, but it would be fun filler if nothing else. I love the idea of Santino Marella holding pulling a Honka-Meter of some sort and being forced to defend the title against everyone in a battle royal. It would be a great way to get some legends involved in a bit of an Old vs. New Type Match.

HBK vs. Triple H

As I said yesterday, I can’t help but think that we are going to get a Wrestlemania Match here between these two. It seems like HBK is going to cost HHH the match (probably innocently) and have it go from there. This could very well be announced as early as April 2.

Kharma, Kane and Big Show vs. Kelly Kelly, Brodus Clay and Zack Ryder
Mixed Tag Team Match

This is most certainly filler. I’d love to see Show turn heel, align with Kane and go on a rampage with Kharma. The face team was chosen just to have them all come out to Clay’s intro, what’s not to love about that?

Randy Orton (c) vs. Wade Barrett vs. Sheamus vs. Cody Rhodes
World Heavyweight Title Match

This could very easily be split into two separate matches, but we haven’t had a good multi-man match at Wrestlemania in a while, so why the heck not? This year will oddly be Randy Orton’s third straight year out of the title picture at Wrestlemania. He has been stellar in the ring this year, and flat out deserves to be closer to the top of the card. All other three men could help make this a great title match, especially since two of them have yet to hold the title, but I imagine that will change soon.

John Cena (c) vs. The Rock
WWE Title Match

Why the hell not?
I have a feeling that Cena will win this match, then they can set up a rematch for Summerslam, only for The Rock to win, leaving this to be a rubber match. To make it a title match could really add to the hype, as that was teased by Cena last spring but quickly forgotten once Punk burst onto the scene. We may as well make the big match even bigger, right?
I think having The Rock somehow win the title at Rumble or Elimination Chamber could make this even cooler, but I’m not certain that things will go that way.
Mar 12

The Wrestlemania Bubble

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In 20 short days Wrestlemania will be upon us. Yet somehow, only five matches have been booked, with a GMs Battle all but assured. In addition, we can expect 2-4 other matches bringing us in the 8-10 range which has been the norm of the past few years.

Right now only CM Punk, Chris Jericho, Sheamus, Daniel Bryan, Triple H, The Undertaker, The Big Show, Cody Rhodes, John Cena, and The Rock know for sure that they will get the Wrestlemania Pay Day. In this post we’ll look at the next tier of wrestlers and see their odds of getting a slot on the card, and try to speculate where exactly it will be.

RANDY ORTON

I know that he just came back, but he is easily the biggest name not already on the marquee. His feud with Daniel Bryan that was starting in January seems to be forgotten, but he has drawn attention from the Big Red Machine since returning. Although the two will face off this week on Smackdown, so it may be over soon.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: vs. Kane, As a Member of Team Teddy

KANE

Ever since Kane put his mask back on, he has been up near the top of the card. First feuding with John Cena for a few months, and then shifting his focus onto Randy Orton. Let’s not forget the fact that Zack Ryder returned this past week, and could be out for revenge. Also, last week he was used by Johnny Laurinaitus for punishment, meaning he could find a spot in that match.

As an aside, this will be Kane’s fifteenth match on the main card, letting him pass Bret Hart for fourth place behind three men involved in the same match — The Undertaker, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: vs. Randy Orton, vs. Zack Ryder, As a Member of Team Laurinaitus
ZACK RYDER

Speaking of the leader of the Zack Pack, he has yet to be booked for the big dance. He returned with a cane, which he may use to go after Kane (get it?). Or he could go after the #Hoeski that broke his heart. There is an outside chance that he could go to bad for Teddy Long, the man he used to work as an assistant to. But then again, he could be the corner man for a woman taking on Eve.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: Fairly likely
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: vs. Kane, In a Mixed Tag Match vs. Eve, As a Member of Team Teddy

SANTINO MARELLA

The Milan Miracle is really hot right now. His big moment at Elimination Chamber, followed by his US Title win this past week has been a real treat to watch. He could possibly defend his gold against some challenger, or potentially back up Teddy Long in the GM Battle, but expect him to try to go for 3-0 this year, as he builds his own little streak.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Defending the US Title against either Ziggler or Swagger, As a Member of Team Teddy

JACK SWAGGER

The former US Champion already burned his rematch clause in a steel cage match this past week, signaling that his “feud” with Santino could be over, or maybe he’ll earn a title match some other way and try to chase down the Italian Stallion. He was also part of that great three-team match on Raw from a few weeks ago, maybe a rematch at Wrestlemania could be in store? Lastly, he seems to have gotten involved in the GMs feud this past week. Thankfully all of these are better than being an announcer’s corner man like he was last year.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Challenging Santino for the US Title, As a Member of Team Laurinaitus, Involved in a Triangle Tag Title Match

DOLPH ZIGGLER

Really, just copy everything from above, but we can add a bit more to this. Remember when he had a promo battle with Mick Foley before the Royal Rumble? Nothing has really came of that yet you know…

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Challenging Santino for the US Title, As a Member of Team Laurinaitus, Involved in a Triangle Tag Title Match, vs. Mick Foley

THE MIZ

Hey remember who won the Main Event last year? For ridiculous reasons, The Miz has been on a losing streak of late. He needs to turn things around in a bad way. There really don’t seem to be too many options for him out there other than as a foot soldier for Johnny Ace. He also could be a great partner/love interest for Eve to take on Zack Ryder in a mixed-tag match — but that is purely speculative at this point.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: In the Air
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: As a Member of Team Laurinaitus, Teaming with Eve in a Mixed Tag Match against Zack Ryder

R-TRUTH & KOFI KINGSTON

It seems foolish to separate these two, since they will almost certainly be in the same match. With Evan Bourne suspended and potentially on the chopping block, Kingston needed another high-flying partner and Truth makes plenty of sense. He has fun moves, and more importantly a clearly defined personality. These two have been having matches against both Ziggler and Swagger and Primo y Epico, so there is definite potential for a tag team title match. Also, Kingston did have Teddy Long’s back last week on Raw, leaving lots of options for both of these guys.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but Certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: As a Member of Team Teddy, In a Tag Title Match Somehow

PRIMO Y EPICO

Despite the fact that they are currently the Tag Team Champions, they seem less likely to be involved in a match on the main card than their two top contenders for the team. They have had virtually no involvement against in the GM storyline, so do not expect them to be involved in that match. Apparently, the WWE is still hoping for Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara to appear at Wrestlemania. There could be the possibility of those two challenging for the Tag Titles in a match to clearly appeal to the Latino population in Miami.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: In the Air
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Defending the Tag Titles either in a Triangle Match with Kingston/Truth and Ziggler/Swagger or against Rey and Cara

ALBERTO DEL RIO

He has made his in-ring return at House Shows, making his full-time return to TV all but certain. He endorsed Laurinaitis at the Elimination Chamber PPV so he would almost certainly be involved in that match. The only possible exception could be Rey Mysterio returning to challenge Del Rio in a one-on-one match to get revenge for his current injuries.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but Certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: As a Member of Team Laurinaitus, vs. Rey Mysterio

CHRISTIAN & MARK HENRY

Like Alberto, both men endorsed Laurinaitus at Elimination Chamber, and like Alberto, neither have done too much since then. Expect them to be involved in that match.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: All but Certain
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: As Members of Team Laurinaitus

DREW MCINTYRE

He’s been feuding with Teddy Long over his job, so he seems like a very likely candidate for a spot on Team Laurinaitus, unless they are somehow certain to keep depushing him.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: Fairly likely
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: As a Member of Team Laurinaitus

BRODUS CLAY

With Clay’s absence of late, it’s left many to wonder if the Funkasaurus is in fact extinct.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: Fairly Unlikely
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: As a Member of Team Teddy

DAVID OTUNGA

He’s clearly going to be involved in the GMs match, but with the dearth of heel talent available, he may be relegated to being a corner man.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: Middle of the road
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: As a Member of Team Laurinaitus

MICK FOLEY

Foley was rumoured to be involved in a match at Wrestlemania this year. Obviously there are a ton of great young heels that he could have a great match with. Everyone from Cody Rhodes, to Wade Barrett, to Dolph Ziggler, to Jack Swagger, to Daniel Bryan could have a lot to gain from a series of matches with the Hardcore Icon. Right now though it seems like time has run out on getting him on the card.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: Highly Unlikely
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: vs. Dolph Ziggler, As a Member of Team Teddy

SIN CARA

That bump looked terrible at Survivor Series, didn’t it? He’s supposed to be out until May at the very earliest, and there is little to no way that they would take a chance to have him make a big botch at such a huge stage.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: Highly Unlikely
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: vs. Rey Mysterio, with Rey Mysterio vs. Hunico y Epico, As a Member of Team Teddy

REY MYSTERIO

He’s due back any minute now. Will they have him come back to compete at the big event, or will they hold off his return for after when it can be properly focused on? He would be a logical member of Team Teddy or good for a few other possibilities.

Likelihood of Getting Booked: Fairly Likely
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: vs. Alberto Del Rio, vs. Sin Cara, with Sin Cara vs. Hunico y Epico, As a Member of Team Teddy

THE GREAT KHALI, EZEKIAL JACKSON, JUSTIN GABRIEL, TED DIBIASE JR., YOSHI TATSU, HEATH SLATER, TYSON KIDD, JINDER MAHAL, et al.

These are the guys who are currently not being pushed in any real way and are therefore unlikely to make the big dance. Both Khali and Jackson have been on-screen allies with Teddy Long so may find themselves in the match as throw-ins, although I wouldn’t be surprised to have either of them in a Kozlov type role, where they are booked, “injured”, and replaced either in advance or on the show itself.

Likelihood of Getting Booked:  In the Middle
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Either side of the GM’s Battle

KELLY KELLY & EVE

Of course, they won’t be teaming, but they will most certainly be on either sides of a match. It could be a mixed tag, a one-on-one, or as part of a triple-threat match

Likelihood of Getting Booked:  Highly Likely
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Kelly Kelly vs. Eve, Kelly/Ryder vs. Eve/???, Beth Phoenix vs. Kelly Kelly vs. Eve

OTHER DIVA’S

Beth Phoenix has been MIA of late, Kharma hasn’t been on TV since the Rumble, and Natalya is still farting, so there probably isn’t too great of a chance of us getting anything serious.

Likelihood of Getting Booked:  Moderate
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Beth Phoenix vs. Kharma, Beth Phoenix vs. Natalya, some sort of a tag match possibly involving Trish and/or Lita

ANY CELEBRITIES

Shaq vs. Show was in pretty much every rumoured card for most of the past twelve months, but Cody Rhodes seemed to have ruined that. Shaquille O’Neal says that he will be at the event, but I have no idea as to where. No other celebrities (besides The Rock of course) have been mentioned at all. James Roday of Psych is scheduled to appear on RAW tonight, so maybe there could be something there, but it seems unlikely.

Likelihood of Getting Booked:  No real chance
Possible Wrestlemania Matches: Not a clue

Mar 07

Wrestlemania 28: Predicting the Card Three Weeks in Advance

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In three short weeks, we’ll get to see the biggest event on the Sports Entertainment Calendar, Wrestlemania! So far we have five announced matches, which all sound pretty great. We’ve also had some leanings towards Orton-Kane and some sort of GM Battle. I’ve made a habit of trying (unsuccessfully) to predict the card over recent weeks and months.

According to my slightly educated guess, I think that the card could look something like this…

Alberto Del Rio, Mark Henry, Christian, Dolph Ziggler,
Jack Swagger, David Otunga, Drew McIntryre
vs.
Santino Marella, Ezekial Jackson, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston,
Brodus Clay, The Great Khali, Rey Mysterio
Team John Laurinites vs. Team Teddy Long
Elimination Tag Team Match

Some sort of big team match for total control is pretty inevitable, and muti-man matches are fun and a great way to open up a show. Plus, the winning GM gets to serve as an authority figure for the whole rest of the show.

The intriguing thing about this match is figuring out the participants are. At the Elimination Chamber, Del Rio, Henry, Christian, and Otunga all stood with Johnny Ace, so they seem logical. This past week, Swagger and Ziggler got involved in this, and McIntyre has been in on this feud for a while. Santino, Zeke, Khali, and Kingston have all been lumped in with Teddy Long. If we have Kofi on the team then Truth should be there too, and Clay is bot awesome and has some sort of history with Laurinitis. Rumours have it that Rey Mysterio is due to come back soon, and this seems like a great place for him and it raises the start power of the face side here. If Seven on Seven is too many, which it very well may be, then we can axe Otunga, McIntyre, and two of Jackson, Khali, or Clay.

To fantasy book for a second: Mysterio pins Otunga, McIntyre pins Jackson, Henry pins Khali, Mysterio pins McIntyre, Alberto pins Clay, Kingston pins Swagger, Ziggler pins Kingston, Christian pins Truth, Rey and Alberto go double count-out, leaving Santino up against Henry, Christian and Ziggler. In an HBK ’03 moment, Santino pulls a shock roll-up on Christian, then Henry misses a splash and gets pinned by Santino, eventually Ziggler ends Marella’s run and wins for his team. Marella as Cinderella continues, Ziggler gets to gloat and is owed by Laurinitis forever, and we get a good heel authority figure going forward.

Predicted Winner: Team Laurinitis

Randy Orton vs. Kane

These two are involved in the Main Event Feud That Nobody Really Asked For. I sort of feel for Orton, as he should have been involved in the World Title scene. Oddly, this is the third straight Wrestlemania where he isn’t involved in a title match, so much for Smackdown’s Cena eh? This match could potentially use a hardcore stipulation, but that may be saved for the following months Extreme Rules.

Predicted Winner: Randy Orton

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Big Show
Intercontinental Title Match

This is the other match that could start the show off. But I sort of like it here instead. Cody has been downright unreal in this feud, really just oozing villainy. Interestingly, this will only be the second time in the past decade that the Intercontinental Title is defended at Wrestlemania, hopefully this will last longer than the 10 seconds it got last time.

Predicted Winner: Cody Rhodes

Beth Phoenix and Kharma vs. Natalya and Trish Stratus

This could be a straight one-on-one match, but I don’t think that they have enough time to properly build one, especially Beth vs. Kharma. It would be great to have Kharma and Beth team up as the new Diva’s of Doom, and then torment Natalya who seeks help from a fellow blonde Canadian. Obviously Stratus may be a bit of a long-shot to have a match here, but she looked great last year and there is little reason for her to not be able to be involved this year. Hopefully Kharma would turn on Beth to give us a real Wrestlemania moment and the chance to see the women’s feud we have all been wanting to see.

Predicted Winner: Natalya and Trish

Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Sheamus
World Title Match

This is the other match I had starting the show as last year, the WWE Surprised many by having Edge vs. Del Rio open the show. Would it really be surprising if the World Title Match jerks the curtain again? This match could get a middle of the show spot much like Batista-Taker did at Wrestlemania 23. These guys would put on a great match to start the show, and then the World Title wouldn’t need to be awkwardly put in between a Hell in a Cell and a WWE Championship match.

Predicted Winner: Sheamus

Triple H vs. The Undertaker
Hell in a Cell Match
Special Referee: Shawn Michaels

Were this just about any other event in wrestling history and this match may just be the one to close the show, but with Rock-Cena on the card and this has to go somewhere near the end. This match should be absolutely amazing and HBK adds a ton of drama to this match. If he wants to come back  to the ring, this would be a great chance for him to unretire.

Predicted Winner: The Undertaker

Zack Ryder and Kelly Kelly vs. The Miz and Eve
Mixed Tag Team Match

A mixed tag match seems like the most logical way to end the Zack-Eve saga, especially now that Kelly Kelly has been feuding with Eve in recent weeks. Sure Ryder and Eve “got together” this past Monday, but there is no way that can last. Eve’s partner is up in the air, but The Miz’s natural douchebaggery makes him a natural fit to steal someone’s girl. This match is given the worst slot on a card since Lita-Trish-Jazz a decade ago.

Predicted Winner: Zack Ryder and Kelly Kelly

CM Punk (c) vs. Chris Jericho
WWE Title Match

This match has gotten me pretty darned excited for a while now. Give these two 20 minutes and we will get a classic. The winner of this match is probably dependent on the outcome of Sheamus-Bryan match. The only time that they have ever done a double title change at Wrestlemania was when Cena and Batista both won at Wrestlemania 21, which helped forever link their careers. Jericho-Sheamus would be a great feud but hardly an era defining showdown that Cena-Batista was supposed to be. So with that in mind, I’m going with…

Predicted Winner: CM Punk

John Cena vs. The Rock

Damn this is going to be good. What more needs to be said? This will be Hogan-Rock for a new generation.

Predicted Winner: John Cena