Slasher

The Undertaker is an old school guy. He believes his last match should be a loss. It might not be the Streak at Wrestlemania, but he wants value in using up his credibility to putting someone over on his way out. Then you have to consider he isn't going to do it for any random guy. He's only going to put over someone he can trust will 1. be there long term, 2. will be pushed correctly and well by WWE creative (basically the same reason why the Rock was reluctant to put over the Hurricane with Triple H salivating at the thought of squashing it), 3. has the utmost respect for the WWE and more importantly, the "business". He has said it himself many times in the past, he is putting someone over eventually.

If they are editing him like that, that should satisfy those outraged parents' concerns, seeing how marginalized Benoit would be in the footage.

Perhaps. I just put faith in wrestling fans' intelligence that we know the difference between deifying the guy and simply putting on a match or two from a show they want to spotlight for obviously different reasons than that it had Chris Benoit on it. I can't imagine, for the life of me, seeing a real wrestling fan (which a person watching the WWE Network would have to be) thinking "Hey they are showing Benoit. OMG! They love the guy again... I must never support them ever again!" or whatever your concern is.

Then they are better off putting their heads back in the sand and pretending that they never employed the guy.

Wrestlemania 20 is a milestone event, the 2004 Rumble had matches like Triple H/Shawn Michaels that might be featured. Again, as long as they show the events in full with an objective focus on the overall picture OR focusing on the Triple H/Shawn Michaels rivalry or whatever, and not running a Benoit focused marathon, they should be fine. Anyone scrutinizing them needs to get a life.

Do you really not see the problem? Are there really going to be critics if the WWE just put up the matches and ran them as if it's business as usual? El-P made a good point. They have other unsavory characters they will most likely show footage of. Should they bring attention to each and every one of their misdeed, grave or minor?

What's the point? To me running the advisory brings attention to the murders. Just run the footage and assume the fans are smart enough to know the context behind it. Obviously they won't run a Benoit Appreciation Day marathon or anything so there's no reason to assume the WWE is attempting to celebrate the murderer by airing a match or two whenever appropriate.

I never said it makes sense to me, but I can totally see Vince thinking, "if Cena beats 'Taker, then 'Taker raises his arm, then all those fans who boo him will have no choice but to cheer him!" Not really. Vince doesn't care about the specifics of Cena's reactions as long as he's getting them one way or other. Have you even watched the show the past few years? The WWE have long accepted that Cena is going to get split reactions and have already embraced incorporating that aspect in Cena's character and/or storylines. The only way Vince cares enough to run the match is for the reason Dylan mentioned... it is a vehicle to springboard Cena onto an epic heel run. In fact, I think that is what they want to do eventually but I think they are waiting for a guy to get hot enough to carry Cena's typical role as ambassador (and by that I mean a guy THEY got over by design and fits their narrow vision of an A+ main event performer).

Wait, you really think Undertaker would put over Bryan at the expense of the Streak? I think Undertaker would. I think the WWE wouldn't. That is what I was thinking. Even though Taker has full control over who he might hand over the honor of ending the Streak to, if ever, it also comes down to the WWE being willing to book the match. I don't think the WWE would agree to booking Bryan against Taker if it is known he wants to end the Streak for him. I think Taker could be talked into alternate ideas in which he might just end up extending the Streak against guys like Lesnar or Sheamus or Reigns or whatever OR Taker probably wouldn't mind sitting out the show. He can't be hurting for cash too much if he is only wrestling once a year and I don't think he really cares about wrestling as much as he used to. He probably settled happily into retired living.

Wait, you really think Undertaker would put over Bryan at the expense of the Streak?

How can they turn Wyatts face? It is hard for me to imagine a scenario where Bray steps aside and lets Bryan lead or where Bryan is a subservient willing underling for Bray. Something has to change about the whole dynamic.

Their best period creatively was when they had TWO bonafide babyface aces in Austin and the Rock with guys like Foley, Jericho, Benoit, etc not too far behind and strong heels like Taker, Kane, Triple H, Angle, etc. Meaning they are better served making it an ensemble cast type show again, which helps their philosophy of making the show the draw instead of individuals.

I would though be remiss if I did not say that it is disappointing the way the WWE views their landscape as being John Cena and nothing else. A lot of it is self inflicted in that John Cena was put in main events dating back to 2005 and they have not looked back. They have depended on a mixture of stars established "BC" (before Cena) and flavor of the month guys like The Miz, Ziggler, Swagger, etc around this one guy but there hasn't been the same consistency lent to other people's pushes as to Cena. For a company that wants to make the name "WWE" the star, they have been too reliant on one man. What is wrong with pushing other people to his level? Is Cena really pulling in amazing PPV numbers above whatever else that has been tried? The fans love CM Punk and Daniel Bryan and it isn't even close. I understand the WWE might dig the whole controversial nature of Cena's reactions but I think it looks better if the guys that are purported to be the heroes of the WWE are guys that the fans treat as such on a total scale. What is wrong with spinning Cena off into a sideshow? Devote half hour to a hour of the RAW show to whatever Cena is doing but leave the main storylines to other people... with the occasional path crossing from time to time again. Let other guys grow into acts the WWE can trust. Just a thought.

Like it or not, Triple H loves the Bray Wyatt character. Sure he could eventually sour on him but it is more likelier the WWE sees more value long term in Wyatt. Putting him in a main event at Wrestlemania against Cena would only help to elevate him to where he can be a major player going forward in the new WWE year afterwards. And Wyatt is not a character where you end up exposing him badly in a series of wrong booking moves like the Miz was. He is an evil cult leader figure. That itself is pretty straightforward. Unless of course they sacrifice the stable for Daniel Bryan but if Wyatt is the plan for Cena, I would imagine not.

I think this is like the time Punk joined the New Breed. Everyone was worried about what it would do for him and it turned out just fine.

I am confused. It sounds like Axel is used as the stepping stone for Brock again but I thought Axel wasn't a Heyman guy anymore?

I think that Tyler Black/Seth Rollins's improvement has been overstated. First of all, he is working with better workers in the WWE in terms of structure and knowing how to hit different notes in a match. Second of all, he is working with road agents to help him layout matches. That said, I feel he has only improved as much as a guy making a transition from RoH's carte blanche style to WWE's strict structural style would, in a minimal sense. I still see the sloppy Tyler Black emerge in his WWE matches at points but it has gradually vanished. I am more impressed with what Leakee has been able to do as Roman Reigns because even the RoH style offers a bare bones idea of how to be a good wrestler. Leakee has none of that prior training.

The funny in a sad way is that if they keep Triple H away from Daniel Bryan, it reinforces the idea thst Daniel Bryan won't be wrestlkng "A+" players like him at Wrestlemania. Yeah Shawn is a legend in their minds but this is a retired dude pushing 50. This is the Booker T. thing all over again.

Triple H must want his WM win back from Cena, if that is in fact the direction. It's odd how WWE diverted Bryan's attention towards HBK when it really should be Triple H he should focus on if not in a title match. The end part is why I think they are leading to Bryan-Hunter at Mania. Long term booking and all that. And Trips already got his win back. Night of Champions 2008. Nah, that isn't Wrestlemania. NOC holds nowhere close to the level of prestige that Wrestlemania offers. Also it was a tongue in cheek comment anyways.

The Wyatts are nowhere close to established enough that a match with three of WWE's aces would be compelling. It would be a slaughter in principle.

Triple H must want his WM win back from Cena, if that is in fact the direction. It's odd how WWE diverted Bryan's attention towards HBK when it really should be Triple H he should focus on if not in a title match.

I think he is going to run for U.S. presidency. Just a gut feeling.

I don't think Big Dave is getting involved in the title mix. I think he will most likely have a showcase angle and match designed to elevate whoever they put across the ring from him. I do think Daniel Bryan is locked into a match against HBK and Punk against Triple H. I don't see Punk and Bryan factoring much in title storylines going forward past the Royal Rumble other than the obligatory Elimination Chamber appearances.

Can't see Cena repeating. I think in fact he will be in the title match anyways, either one on one or in a triple threat with Bryan involved. My pick to win the Rumble would have to be Reigns. I think he wins but is somehow not in the title match at Mania. If they are dead set on making him a babyface, having the other two members (or hell, just Ambrose) costing him the Mania shot probably would be a strong way to do it.

I do like the idea of him ending the Streak though if they are sure they are committed to him lomg term. He can't end the streak if in three years the WWE tired of him and made him a Mark Henry type.