The Road to Wrestlemania

[Jmare007]

Man. Watching Ryback/Henry makes me angry that we wont see Lesnar/Henry. I don't care what anyone says, but a heel Brock w/Heyman vs gun for hire Henry w/Vince fucking draw fucking money. The two most believable monsters going at each other...and the trash talk, god damn the trash talk.

[Matt D]

I think to a casual audience HHH vs Brock II is a bigger draw than Mark Henry vs Brock. A lot of the casual nostalgia audience they're trying to draw see Henry as a joke still or a big boring fat guy.

[El-P]

Two monsters against each other mostly never work anyway.

 

The issue I have with this WM card, is that from where I stand, all three big matches are predictable as hell, with two of them consisting of one guy "getting his win back". And I never cared for Taker's Streak, which makes every damn WM Taker match the epithome of obligatory self-conscious epic with garanteed result anyway. I don't believe for a second that CM Punk can be any threat to Taker anyway. I really have no desire to watch anything involving Triple H, I was bored to tears by him by 2001, so using Lesnar this way really doesn't excite me one bit. And as much as I had fun watching Cena vs Rock last year, this year just doesn't seem that special to me. Any kind of upset in one of these three matches would make my day, but I very highly doubt it.

[Badlittlekitten]

I do think there's a very slight possibility that Brock could be victorious in that match, especially if the stip is Retirement Match.

[s1rweeze]

I do think there's a very slight possibility that Brock could be victorious in that match, especially if the stip is Retirement Match.

HHH has jobbed quite a bit at Wrestlemanias...

 

If they do this, there's no doubt they have a forced HHH "moment" only for the crowd to sit on its hands, a la WM18, WM25

[Dylan Waco]

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.

 

In an isolated setting I wouldn't disagree with this, but they basically used Paul Bearer's legit death as angle fodder all night long, HBK wasn't booked the way Punk has been for the last six months and he wasn't going for The Streak at Mania.

 

I've said this before, but WWE was way better when I convinced myself to completely ignore their terrible writing and storylines and focus on Chris Masters matches

[Dylan Waco]

Don't know why Dylan's getting upset about Punk.

 

Upset is the wrong word. Having said that I don't think it's a mystery why I am annoyed by the booking since I"ve gone into detail about it multiple times.

[ohtani's jacket]

Why do people care about the undercard so much when none of the matches will get enough time?

[rvd356]

Why do people care about the undercard so much when none of the matches will get enough time?

This. Every year I get all worked up over the undercard of Mania: make up my own, read others thoughts. And every year I am dissapointed with almost every undercard match.

 

For instance Rey Jr. vs. Punk @ Mania 26. I thought for sure hands down match of the night & match of the year. Eddie/Rey @ Havoc for this decade was what I hoped for. And then it was 6 minutes long. I mean sure it was a great sprint(***1/2 imo) but damn if I wasn't let down. Of course they made up for it @ Capitol Punishment 2011 with an awesome 20 minute match(****3/4 easily, 2nd best MOTY).

 

But almost every year there's 1 really good undercard match I believe. Almost. I think The Shield match will be rockin(they always are) & I have high hopes for Ryback-Henry(like Warrior-Hogan, its a 50-50 toss up on who's going to win). I guess you could say Taker-Punk is an undercard match? Or is every year now a quadruple main event?

[rvd356]

Took this from 411mania Wrestling(does someone have a better non pay site? 411 has become the biggest piece of shit site ever. 4/5 times click on a link I get re-directed to an ad. not to mention the floating banners. Fuck. Seriously 13 years ago when I started on wrestling sites I expected this shit but now? Greedy fuckers.):

 

As previously reported, WWE's VP of Creative Eric Pankowski was let go last week which has led to Vince McMahon being more hands-on this week on Raw. The final straw that led to Pankowski's firing was his decision to book Fatal 4 Way match last week on Raw between CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show with the winner getting to be Undertaker's WrestleMania 29 opponent.

 

Pankowski was reportedly told that it was a bad idea, but he went through with it anyway. McMahon signed off on it, but it is believed he did so in order to let Pankowski's work speak for itself.

 

Credit: PWInsider via Rajah

 

 

Basically McMahon bombed his own angle to justify firing someone. Those roids have mucked up his brain.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Took this from 411mania Wrestling(does someone have a better non pay site? 411 has become the biggest piece of shit site ever. 4/5 times click on a link I get re-directed to an ad. not to mention the floating banners. Fuck. Seriously 13 years ago when I started on wrestling sites I expected this shit but now? Greedy fuckers.):

 

As previously reported, WWE's VP of Creative Eric Pankowski was let go last week which has led to Vince McMahon being more hands-on this week on Raw. The final straw that led to Pankowski's firing was his decision to book Fatal 4 Way match last week on Raw between CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show with the winner getting to be Undertaker's WrestleMania 29 opponent.

 

Pankowski was reportedly told that it was a bad idea, but he went through with it anyway. McMahon signed off on it, but it is believed he did so in order to let Pankowski's work speak for itself.

 

Credit: PWInsider via Rajah

 

 

Basically McMahon bombed his own angle to justify firing someone. Those roids have mucked up his brain.

I don't buy that for a second. Vince McMahon doesn't need a reason to fire anyone.

 

And Dylan has been touchy lately because Mark Henry isn't in the WC Match with Del Rio, and I agree. But don't let it turn you to the dark side, man. It'll be ok.

[jackwebb]

Took this from 411mania Wrestling(does someone have a better non pay site? 411 has become the biggest piece of shit site ever. 4/5 times click on a link I get re-directed to an ad. not to mention the floating banners. Fuck. Seriously 13 years ago when I started on wrestling sites I expected this shit but now? Greedy fuckers.):

Use the google chrome browser and get the 2 adblock extensions from the web store.

[Dylan Waco]

Took this from 411mania Wrestling(does someone have a better non pay site? 411 has become the biggest piece of shit site ever. 4/5 times click on a link I get re-directed to an ad. not to mention the floating banners. Fuck. Seriously 13 years ago when I started on wrestling sites I expected this shit but now? Greedy fuckers.):

 

As previously reported, WWE's VP of Creative Eric Pankowski was let go last week which has led to Vince McMahon being more hands-on this week on Raw. The final straw that led to Pankowski's firing was his decision to book Fatal 4 Way match last week on Raw between CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show with the winner getting to be Undertaker's WrestleMania 29 opponent.

 

Pankowski was reportedly told that it was a bad idea, but he went through with it anyway. McMahon signed off on it, but it is believed he did so in order to let Pankowski's work speak for itself.

 

Credit: PWInsider via Rajah

 

 

Basically McMahon bombed his own angle to justify firing someone. Those roids have mucked up his brain.

I don't buy that for a second. Vince McMahon doesn't need a reason to fire anyone.

 

And Dylan has been touchy lately because Mark Henry isn't in the WC Match with Del Rio, and I agree. But don't let it turn you to the dark side, man. It'll be ok.

 

I have no clue what is going on with any of this

[rvd356]

Jack- I would but don't have a computer. Just a blackberry with a crap browser.

 

Johnny- I'm not real bummed on that honestly. I was mad that he didn't win the chamber but I think Del Rio's face turn is bombing & I'd hate to have Mark blamed for that. Del Rio/Swagger is going to die a sad death @ Mania, it's going to make Del Rio-Edge @ 27 look like Hogan/Rock in crowd heat.

 

I'd rather have in the Ryback match. Its gonna be hot.

[WingedEagle]

Took this from 411mania Wrestling(does someone have a better non pay site? 411 has become the biggest piece of shit site ever. 4/5 times click on a link I get re-directed to an ad. not to mention the floating banners. Fuck. Seriously 13 years ago when I started on wrestling sites I expected this shit but now? Greedy fuckers.):

 

As previously reported, WWE's VP of Creative Eric Pankowski was let go last week which has led to Vince McMahon being more hands-on this week on Raw. The final straw that led to Pankowski's firing was his decision to book Fatal 4 Way match last week on Raw between CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show with the winner getting to be Undertaker's WrestleMania 29 opponent.

 

Pankowski was reportedly told that it was a bad idea, but he went through with it anyway. McMahon signed off on it, but it is believed he did so in order to let Pankowski's work speak for itself.

 

Credit: PWInsider via Rajah

 

 

Basically McMahon bombed his own angle to justify firing someone. Those roids have mucked up his brain.

I could see them letting an angle with the divas, tag titles or just about any mid card program flounder for that reason. But Undertaker's mania match? Not buying it at all.

[goc]

That story is really hard to believe because why would you need to let the Fatal Four Way happen to "prove" it was a bad idea? It was obvious to just about everyone on every wrestling message board the moment they announced it.

[rvd356]

You guys are right it does seem far-fetched but you guys this is vince McMahon, the guy who spent upwards of 100 million to get a Senate seat for his family, the guy who created a football league to challenge the NFL. This doesn't seem that crazy to me.

 

*****Smackdown SPOILERS BELOW******

 

 

 

 

 

So here's the current card. On SD Big Show wanted in on the six-man tag against the Shield but Sheamus & Orton told him they already chose Ryback. But later in the show Mark Henry beat down Ryback so it looks like Show will take his place & Ryback/Henry will be made a match. Dumb that they would do the Ryback/Henry match on tv instead of save it for Mania. Just bad booking all around leading to Mania:

 

 

* WWE Title Match: The Rock © vs. John Cena

* World Title Match: Alberto Del Rio © vs. Jack Swagger

* Stipulation to Be Decided by Lesnar: Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar

* The Undertaker vs. C.M. Punk

* The Shield vs. Ryback, Randy Orton and Sheamus

[artDDP]

You guys are right it does seem far-fetched but you guys this is vince McMahon, the guy who spent upwards of 100 million to get a Senate seat for his family, the guy who created a football league to challenge the NFL. This doesn't seem that crazy to me.

And books himself in angles where he makes out with every young woman on the roster and tried to book an angle where he fathered his daughter's child, books people he doesn't like to kiss his butt on live TV, and fired Jeff Jarrett on the air. Kurt Angle said in his book that he's pretty sure Vince booked a TV match with him just so he could crow about taking down an Olympic gold medalist.

[Dylan Waco]

Please tell me no one is going to defend that Raw. I was chatting with several people during the show - including a lot of people who have been much more favorable to me on the Mania build - and the consensus was that it was an unbelievably bad show. I guess the Triple Threat was better than expected, but my soul had been crushed by that point. I honestly can't imagine anyone thinking that show presented any sort of interesting build for Mania or even anything interesting to make someone keep watching. I can't believe I made it through the whole show and it was a total waste considering how much I have to watch.

[Exposer]

Let's see. Primo looked good in that tag. Mark Henry's music is awesome. That's all I got.

[Matt D]

Please tell me no one is going to defend that Raw.

[Cox]

Booker T's HOF video not only featured GWF footage (when did they get THAT library?) but it also featured the clip of the time Booker T called Hulk Hogan the n-word. Also, the video reminded me that few people did a better job with shitty WWE-style comedy than Booker T. Oh, and Paul was pretty awesome in the contract signing segment. Other than that? Eh, I've got nothing.

[Ricky Jackson]

I really liked the video for Rock-Cena. The Booker T HoF video was good. I'm looking forward to Team Hell No vs Ziggy and Biggie. I was only half watching as usual, but I would say the show was more mediocre than outright bad.

[Bix]

Booker T's HOF video not only featured GWF footage (when did they get THAT library?) but it also featured the clip of the time Booker T called Hulk Hogan the n-word. Also, the video reminded me that few people did a better job with shitty WWE-style comedy than Booker T. Oh, and Paul was pretty awesome in the contract signing segment. Other than that? Eh, I've got nothing.

What he said.

 

Though weirdly the shitty build is making me more excited for Mania. Lowered expectations and all that.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Please tell me no one is going to defend that Raw.

 

 

Damn straight.

Maybe I'm just in a great mood because I knocked it out of the park tonight at my audition for our local community theater's upcoming production of "Fiddler On The Roof", but this RAW wasn't anywhere near "worst ever." It really didn't have an exciting feel except for a couple of parts, I'll say that. I've read some shit about "It didn't build Mania" and I'm not getting that. Shit if anything, the show did nothing BUT establish and build Mania. Whether you LIKED they way they did it or not is up to you, but they did it.

 

Shit on RAW I Dug:

 

1. Rufus "Pancake" Patterson. Titus is fucking great, and someone was referencing Rufus R. Jones and Thunderbolt Patterson when they came up with it.

2. I loved the whole Ryback and Mark Henry bit, despite the Teddy and Vickie shit proving that they DO need writers.

3. Punk/ Taker was great. Punk is such a raging asshole douchebag. I'm a heel fan and I want to see him get his ass kicked.

4. The tag was ok, besides that phantom dropkick bump and the camera catching Primo having a conversation in Bryan's ear.

5. Larry Zybysko was name dropped!

6. Cody/ Del Rio was decent, but it did kind of bore me. Until the post match stuff with Swagger. That shit ruled. Hey, you may not be a fan of the angle, and those spoof videos sucked big cock, but the brawl, beatdown, and breaking of Ricardo's ankle fucking ruled. Oh, and Ricardo's bump from the ring to the floor was a SPLATT! of Foley type shit. Loved it.

7. Booker in the HOF. I'm a fan. I've always dug Book, especially King Booker. The GWF footage was a surprise. I gotta be honest though. I get WHY he's the celeb guy, but seeing that douchebag moron Trump's face on the same graphic as Bruno, Backlund, Foley, etc actually annoys the shit out of me.

8. Big Show coming out to let Shield know he's gonna kill them dead at Mania was fucking awesome.

9. Kofi and Ziggler had their match. Big E's taking out Kofi in mid air looked scary. I liked AJ accepting the challenge while Ziggler was saying "no."

10. The three way started out "eh", but kicked in to be a pretty good match. I love Jericho's "Y2J 2013" tights, as he's embracing both his wanna be rock star shit with his wrestling character. His tights are like a t-shirt you buy at a band's reunion tour they do every few years, which is what he's doing wrestling-wise.

11. TOUTS! HOLY SHIT. I normally FF thru that shit but thank God I didn't tonight. TOUT Girl is my new fav. But black TOUTer was as cool as the other side of the pillow.

12. I LOVED the contract signing. Bearded indy scum badass was just darling. And watching HHH beat up Paul Heyman was

"Wunnerful, wunnerful, wunnerful!"

 

Someone at DVDVR said it was like a Wrestling Challenge from the 80's where it was all Mania build up with JTTS matches, I can see that.