The Road to Wrestlemania

[Bigelow34]

Trying to remember Mania expectations vs. delivery of years past. Any thoughts on this? I remember WM26 was really hyped...the build was awesome and a lot of people were amped to see it and then it was just OK, a little flat.

 

Have there been any that had low expectations heading in and then over delivered? I loved WM23, don't really remember the feeling heading in...

[soup23]

Here is what I remember:

 

WM 28 : Freaking mess. Cena vs. Rock in lame joke offs, undercard muddled with Teddy vs. Johnny war and stuff like Kane vs. Orton. Jericho getting diminishing returns every time he came out ( and people criticizing Cena's shift in tone last night should track Jericho last year). Sheamus vs. Bryan felt like an afterthought. HHH vs. Taker was built to well. I like this show less than a lot so YMMV on whether actual show met expectations.

 

WM 27: Mainly sold on thought that you haven't seen this guy in 7 years, so plop down money for him. HHH vs. Taker was built to pretty well and I liked the "Aint no Grave" narrative. That match also gives me some sliver of hope for Punk vs. Taker because damned if live I didn't think the streak was over when HHH hit the Tombstone. Cole vs. Lawler was built to well but then was a trainwreck at the show. Miz vs. Cena did not feel like a main event and the match was not good. I don't remember much about Del Rio vs. Edge. Show did not meet expectations going in.

 

WM 26: Vince vs. Bret weaved in and out between hokey and good stuff and the match was a mess. Main event was built well and had big implications. I also liked the build for both title matches. Overall probably best built to WM in past 5 years. Show met expectations for me if you cut out the Vince/Bret shit.

 

Before this it starts to get hazy but even watching the yearbooks, Wrestlemania 6 ( I know your baby Justin) is not built to well at all with the rambling promos. Honestly Ted vs. Jake may be the best built match on that show. Wrestlemania 7 build is much better as an overall show and the buyrate was worse. I don't know if this says that Wrestlemania is sold on the matchups instead of the build or what but I do think that theory should have some thought put into it.

[Graham Crackers]

The Road To Bali was on TV the other day. I suggest people track that down and watch it instead. It's not nearly as good as Road to Rio or Road to Morocco, but it's still better than this.

If this was DVDVR I would like this.

 

Trying to remember Mania expectations vs. delivery of years past. Any thoughts on this? I remember WM26 was really hyped...the build was awesome and a lot of people were amped to see it and then it was just OK, a little flat.

 

Have there been any that had low expectations heading in and then over delivered? I loved WM23, don't really remember the feeling heading in...

There wasn't much about the actual build of WM23 that had me excited about the show but the overall in ring quality of WWE during the months going into that show were so high that I was just kind if excited about the product overall. It ended up being my favorite Wrestlemania.

 

I've only sporadically been following current wrestling lately and from what I've seen WWE isn't at that level at the moment. In the last few years they have delivered some great big matches that may be at the same level or greater than high end 2007 WWE (Cena vs Brock, Cena vs Punk, Punk vs Bryan, Henry vs Bryan, Punk vs Henry, Shield TLC) but week in and week out they are nowhere near the quality level they had from 2006-2008. On paper none of the matches on this card have the potential of those other recent great matches. It looks like I'm streaming it this year so we'll see if I'm wrong.

 

I would really like to be wrong about this.

[Jmare007]

I think WM 24 over delivered when talking about the build up to it.

 

Taker vs Edge only got interesting after Mania but I thought it was a really good main event.

Cena/Orton/HHH I don't remember anything about that build, but they had a fun triple threat.

Shawn vs Ric was well done and delivered on PPV

Floyd vs Show. I don't know what was the feel around the internet for this but I was disappointed as hell with this feud. Mayweather is perfect for 24/7 but he wasn't very good on live TV. The match was way better than I expected.

[Negro Suave]

I seem to recall one year the Streak opponent being decided in a tournament... Or was that a Smackdown video game storyline?

Actually the first thing I thought of was the Smackdown or whatever gameit was road to wrestlemania storyline

[Marty]

I seem to recall one year the Streak opponent being decided in a tournament... Or was that a Smackdown video game storyline?

Actually the first thing I thought of was the Smackdown or whatever gameit was road to wrestlemania storyline

 

All Stars?

 

I think the Streak storyline on SvR was the 2011 game. Somehow, I doubt this storyline will be as good. But it would be awesome if Punk fought a bunch of druids in a darkened, empty arena.

 

Favourite Undertaker storyline in a SvR video was in 2006, when Eddie Guerrero stole the urn and controlled it.

[rvd356]

Here is what I remember:

 

WM 28 : Freaking mess. Cena vs. Rock in lame joke offs, undercard muddled with Teddy vs. Johnny war and stuff like Kane vs. Orton. Jericho getting diminishing returns every time he came out ( and people criticizing Cena's shift in tone last night should track Jericho last year). Sheamus vs. Bryan felt like an afterthought. HHH vs. Taker was built to well. I like this show less than a lot so YMMV on whether actual show met expectations.

 

WM 27: Mainly sold on thought that you haven't seen this guy in 7 years, so plop down money for him. HHH vs. Taker was built to pretty well and I liked the "Aint no Grave" narrative. That match also gives me some sliver of hope for Punk vs. Taker because damned if live I didn't think the streak was over when HHH hit the Tombstone. Cole vs. Lawler was built to well but then was a trainwreck at the show. Miz vs. Cena did not feel like a main event and the match was not good. I don't remember much about Del Rio vs. Edge. Show did not meet expectations going in.

 

WM 26: Vince vs. Bret weaved in and out between hokey and good stuff and the match was a mess. Main event was built well and had big implications. I also liked the build for both title matches. Overall probably best built to WM in past 5 years. Show met expectations for me if you cut out the Vince/Bret shit.

 

Before this it starts to get hazy but even watching the yearbooks, Wrestlemania 6 ( I know your baby Justin) is not built to well at all with the rambling promos. Honestly Ted vs. Jake may be the best built match on that show. Wrestlemania 7 build is much better as an overall show and the buyrate was worse. I don't know if this says that Wrestlemania is sold on the matchups instead of the build or what but I do think that theory should have some thought put into it.

Didn't watch the tv before WM28 cuz of no cable so can't speak on that.

 

WM27 actually had some great builds in my eyes. My favorite was the Punk/Orton("Randall Keith Orton" ha); or when he lured Orton out to his bus and beat him with a wrench. Good old school stuff. I hated Lawler-Cole because the feud ran 2 hours, throughout every Raw broadcast. Plus it was another not special Austin appearance(seriously should have kept him away after 2004 & brought him back in a big way like Rocky.) The Taker/H stuff was real good; apart from the random start of it. I liked the 3way interview with Taker, H & HBK where Shawn tried to Superkick Taker & he caught his leg, great live acting that only a few can do. Plus the match was my favorite of their 3. The Rock/Cena/Miz interaction was fun because Rock was so fresh again but I knew the match would suck & it did.

 

Basically this Mania gets a bad wrap because the main event was an abortion(the worst in history. You can say Sid/Taker or Bundy/Hogan or whatever the consensus is but in 2011 main events are supposed to deliver, with the crowd(as before) & in ring. Also the Lawler/Cole match was awful. Basically you had legends in Lawler, Austin & Rock in 2 awful marquee matches on the biggest show in the world. BUT H/Taker delivered as the other 1/2 of the main event and Orton/Punk & Rey/Cody delivered as midcard matches. Hmm now that I looked up the card it also had that shit Snooki tag match & the 1 minute 8man tag. Maybe I'm wrong.

[air_raid]

So, other than the top 3 matches which could have been predicted 3 months ago and Swagger/Del Rio, any further clues for Mania matches? Shield v Orton/Sheamus/Ryback? Be a bit poor for those three guys to say they only had a six-man tag for 'Mania, as much as I love The Shield as an act. Jericho v Ziggler? They cooled it off after two days Rumble/Raw of the two at odds, but what else is there for either? Or throw Show into the Shield match and they can have the rumoured Ryback/Jericho match, even though I don't know why the match is rumoured since they haven't interacted much and both are faces. If not, Show stuck with Mark Henry and one of them turns face to precipitate that match? Kane/Bryan to split, or to defend the belts at 'Mania? Anything for Miz, Barrett, Sandow or Cesaro to do? I'm just shitting thoughts out, really.

 

All that has to happen now that it's set in stone that Punk won't be in the main event of 'Mania (and they've publicized that Taker is wrestling again) is one promo on Monday about how he'll do the next best thing which is beat Taker, and how his 434 day streak as champion was more impressive than Taker beating a load of Giant Gonzalez and Bundy type rubbish, and job's a good 'un and you have 4 weeks to build it.

God, I'm good.

[jpchicago23]

It looks like Henry Ryback might happen and add Show to the Shield match.

[Negro Suave]

I seem to recall one year the Streak opponent being decided in a tournament... Or was that a Smackdown video game storyline?

Actually the first thing I thought of was the Smackdown or whatever gameit was road to wrestlemania storyline

 

All Stars?

 

I think the Streak storyline on SvR was the 2011 game. Somehow, I doubt this storyline will be as good. But it would be awesome if Punk fought a bunch of druids in a darkened, empty arena.

 

Favourite Undertaker storyline in a SvR video was in 2006, when Eddie Guerrero stole the urn and controlled it.

 

We have a good few weeks of shows yet. We can only hope.

[Slasher]

Now I am remembering a bit more, wasn't Shawn Michaels's appointment the first time vs Taker a result of a multi-man affair or was it just HBK vs JBL? I could have sworn Rey was involved for some reason.

[air_raid]

Now I am remembering a bit more, wasn't Shawn Michaels's appointment the first time vs Taker a result of a multi-man affair or was it just HBK vs JBL? I could have sworn Rey was involved for some reason.

It was HBK v JBL on the 23rd Feb Raw, and he also had to beat Kozlov (ugh) the week after.

[Kevin Ridge]

I'm going to WrestleMania but that still have no desire to actually watch the weekly TV build to the show. Just past the point of being able to stick through a whole show and watch it. So WrestleMania comes down to having good matches for me to watch live in person. I'm disappointed with Rock/Cena and Lesnar/HHH as those are two matches I really don't want to watch again. Just seems like the losers from previous matches will get their wins back. I'm guessing there will be some big tag team match to get guys on the card. I'm just hoping the mid card delivers some quality matches. Punk/Undertaker will make for an interesting live experience but I don't see Punk winning at all.

[Dylan Waco]

Man you know they are desperate to try and make people interested in Punk v. Taker as a worthwhile match when they pull this shit to start the show.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Worked for me, especially since the end of the show kicked ass. That Kane/ Punk match was good shit. Kane actually getting the win to give us all an actual feel good moment on a WWE show, but still moving ahead the angle into something to care about besides "Punk Title reign vs The Streak" was great.

And yes, it's all because of Paul Bearer's passing. And I'm not always the biggest "that's what he would have wanted" type, I'm thinking it this case, it's cool. I marked out when Kane won, and Taker and him did the salute with Percy up on the screen, and when Punk attacked Kane with urn, stole it, mocked Taker, and then Taker did the "YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD." throat slash? Shit...I'm all about this match now. I want to see Punk get his ass kicked.

[Dylan Waco]

Kane getting the win was fucking idiotic, unless they are abandoning the streak as a part of the angle at all and going with the "EDDIES DOWN THERE!" 2.0 gimmick revolving around Paul Bearer. If Punk can't beat fucking Kane, there is no way in hell he's even a marginal threat against Taker.

 

You will get your wish and Punk will get his asskicked. Logically he should get about as much offense as Vince got against Bret a couple of years ago, but one way or the other I hope he is gone after Mania for a lengthy period of time.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Kane getting the win was fucking idiotic, unless they are abandoning the streak as a part of the angle at all and going with the "EDDIES DOWN THERE!" 2.0 gimmick revolving around Paul Bearer.

It's obvious that Punk wants to beat the Streak, he kept going on about it, and now he's using mindgames because he's a fucking asshole douchebag who will do whatever it takes to get to Taker and throw him off his game...so he can beat the Streak.

 

 

If Punk can't beat fucking Kane, there is no way in hell he's even a marginal threat against Taker.

 

Kane only beat Punk because Taker's gong went off, Punk got scared for a second and an exhausted Kane hit a chokeslam, after a no DQ match where they beat the fuck out of each other. THEN Punk destroyed Kane with the Urn, leaving him lying there. Don't give me that old "He took a pinfall, that's all that matters" stuff.

 

And come on, man...you didn't mark out even just a bit, as Taker and Kane saluted Bearer at the end of that match? Have you no heart, sir?

[Dylan Waco]

Don't give me that "wins and losses don't matter" dog shit, especially when the whole fucking premise of guys working Taker at Mania is that wins and losses are all that matter.

 

Punk can play mind games all he wants. He hasn't beaten a top of the card guy in a meaningful match in god knows how long. Now he's jobbing - in a basically clean fashion - to Kane on Raw. No sane person thinks he's got any shot against Taker the way he's been booked, which in a sense makes the "grudge" match aspect more sensible because it takes attention off of The Streak.

 

It really doesn't matter from a business perspective because Mania will do well no matter what and this match doesn't have to sell the ppv. But it further strengthens my feeling that Punk is the new Jericho (at best) and if they want to get any value out of him going forward he needs to take months off after Mania

[Matt D]

I want Punk to have a Ministry of Darkness using the urn to summon his own version of the Dungeon of Doom. I'll be satisfied with nothing less here.

 

This Mania build is shot to hell anyway.

[Cross Face Chicken Wing]

If this restults in the Yeti returning, I'm all for it.

[goodhelmet]

I took Punk jobbing to Kane the same way I took HBK jobbing to Rey after Eddie died... a way to give the fans a feel good moment after someone died that is ultimately meaningless.

[Matt D]

If this restults in the Yeti returning, I'm all for it.

Khali could totally be the Yeti.

 

He could wheel out legless Kamala, blame Taker for it, and drive poor Parv from watching wrestling forever.

[Cross Face Chicken Wing]

How would you book the Yeti's return?

 

Would you try and make him (it?) into more of a badass character? Or would you have him reprise his initial debut and just waddle into the ring and start humping somebody?

[Matt D]

If it's Khali, then I send him out there dressed like a mummy to dance and I give Neidhart a Luna Vachon gimmick.

[Badlittlekitten]

Don't know why Dylan's getting upset about Punk. Him losing to Kane that way doesn't harm him in the slightest. It set up a nice feel good moment between Kane and Taker which Punk ruined, got his heat back, stole the urn and looked like the biggest prick in the world. In fact, this Raw has got me more interested in Punk/Taker more than I ever imagined.

 

The mid-undercard is a complete shambles though. The Alberto/Swagger feud is a shit boring feud between two shit and boring guys. It still bugs me that two guys that were a complete irrelevance not long ago are getting this kind of attention. Why spend last year building up guys like Sheamus, Ziggler, Ryback, Sandow, Cesaro, Team Hell No etc. only to give them absolutely nothing when it matters?