WWE TV 2nd - 8th April 2018 (Wrestlemania Go Home Shows)

[FMKK]

The fact that they've not announced JOHN CENA VS THE UNDERTAKER by the end of the go-home Raw is either a sign that they're super confident that they have a stacked card or they don't think individual matches are a draw above the Wrestlemania name. If this match was five or six years ago the entire show and hype would probably have been built around it. It's super interesting and refreshing really.

[Cap]

Man, I said this on Twitter, but I just can't relate to fans that aren't pumped for Reigns vs Brock. That match is going to be so much fun. On an absolutely stacked mania card I might be looking most forward to those two beating the ever loving hell out of one another.

 

The Cena/Taker thing is baffling to me. I guess I can imagine a world where they do nothing until Mania itself and Cena just helps hype the crowd, but I would be very afraid that he would take away from what is happening in the ring. I am kind of guessing that they do him the front row (or somewhere prominent) during the pre show, show him buying beers for people around him... blah blah blah... then they do the Taker segment to close the preshow since the second hour will be on USA. Then Cena goes to the back so as to not detract from the show itself and they have their match.

 

I have also seen it floated out that maybe they are going to do the set up this year and the match next, which wouldn't shock me that much now that I think about it. It would be a bit of a let down after all this build up and a huge risk given Taker's age, but it would be a WWE thing to do in a way.

 

That said, my money is still on the match happening. It is really a strange build. Maybe when it is all said and done it will be worth the slow (and somewhat excruciatingly awkward) hype, but right now it sort of feels like they are spinning their tires instead of building anticipation, but that might just be me.

[Loss]

Wrestlemania is now free to new subscribers, which makes it a loss leader. They have far more freedom to think outside the box like this in build now.

[Strummer]

if this was the PPV era there is no way they do this build for Taker/Cena. It would have been announced a month before hand and would have been the center of the hype.

 

also didn't Dave announce last week that the remaining tickets for the show started to sell out as soon as they announced Bryan was going to wrestle? That's pretty cool

[El-P]

I really haven't followed the TV closely (enough to get eye burns from Rousey's make-up and watch Roman get beaten down by Lesnar to cheering fans) and Mania has been awful the last few years, but really, this one is indeed the most stacked in forever. I actually… look forward to it… and think… it might end up being… fun. Yeah, I'm setting myself up for a very long night, but really, this is quite the card for modern WWE.

[FMKK]

The build has been one of the best builds in a decade or longer

[Sean Liska]

The build for Taker-Cena has to be one of the oddest they've done for a big 'Mania match, right? I've actually found it refreshing, but if you step back, it's super weird by their standards.

I find it interesting that Vince at 72 is willing to think so outside of the box. Credit to him.

[NintendoLogic]

Cena should spend the entire show in a skybox like the WCW guys at X7.

[Matt D]

Cena should spend the entire show in a skybox like the WCW guys at X7.

 

Instead of Sunny and the fake Clinton, they could do Stormy.

[sek69]

It seems to me with the Cena-Taker build and the constant mentioning of WM being free for new subs either they are internally worried about the number the next time it gets announced, or they are really close to a milestone number and they wanted to do a big push to make sure they got it.

 

I know we're in a new world where the old rules no longer apply, but it's weird seeing the best Mania card in years and the emphasis on how you can watch it for free.

[Robert S]

To get into the mood I have been watching the last two Raws (not back-to-back, one last Tuesday and the other tonight). The low-points of the show were the Rousey-Angle vs. Steph-HHH build-up and the Nia Jax stuff. Rousey has an uphill battle in front of her, if she wants to succeed in her pro wrestling career. She is not over, pretty bad at the mic and if she can work in the ring still has to be seen. It was almost sad seeing HHH and Steph pretend that Rousey is hugely over, just because the script said so.

Regarding Nia Jax I have no idea how they think that she can work as a babyface. Point 1 she is a monster wrestling an undersized heel, which is quite hard to get it working. Point 2 her screeching and her temper tantrums make her look like a heel anyway. I mean nobody considered Christian 2002 a babyface, did they?

[DMJ]

I know I'm kinda beating the same drum that's been beaten many times before but, man, John Cena.

 

In his segment, we saw him go from over-the-top John to sentimental John to pitch man John back to fired up "southern preacher" John to serious "semi-heel" John. The crowd booed him at the start and chanted his name at the end.

 

I don't think anyone else could've carried this build entirely on their own but this promo cemented that not only did Cena carry it, he sold it to a "WrestleMania" level (as corny as that might sound).

 

I'm not sure where I stand on whether or not the match should happen. The 10 year old in me wants to see it this Sunday, but the 35 year old thinks maybe prolonging it a year, while risky, would make the build that much more epic and, honestly, I'm not sure the match we'd get in 2018 would be all that much different than one we'd see in 2019.

[KawadaSmile]

To get into the mood I have been watching the last two Raws (not back-to-back, one last Tuesday and the other tonight). The low-points of the show were the Rousey-Angle vs. Steph-HHH build-up and the Nia Jax stuff. Rousey has an uphill battle in front of her, if she wants to succeed in her pro wrestling career. She is not over, pretty bad at the mic and if she can work in the ring still has to be seen. It was almost sad seeing HHH and Steph pretend that Rousey is hugely over, just because the script said so.

Regarding Nia Jax I have no idea how they think that she can work as a babyface. Point 1 she is a monster wrestling an undersized heel, which is quite hard to get it working. Point 2 her screeching and her temper tantrums make her look like a heel anyway. I mean nobody considered Christian 2002 a babyface, did they?

I dunno, Ronda came across yesterday just the way you would want her to be, when she had the mic: a cocky badass. People were reacting strongly to her exchanges with Steph.

 

As for Nia... she's a sympathetic figure. It doesn't matter that Alexa is undersized - she was an emotionally abusive person to her best friend, willing to exploit every single psychological weakness Nia had to her advantage. No matter how big you are, everyone is subject to that kind of blow, and no matter how small you are, you can actually play mind games and ruin someone much bigger. Nia's "tantrums" are actually justified when you think about the sheer humiliation she went through the past few months.

 

In fact you could even integrate that storyline she had with Enzo into the whole thing.

[Seabs]

If we get 2 hours of John Cena hijacking the undercard playing house show apron worker Cena from the front row opposite the hard cam then this will be the best Wrestlemania ever and will actually make me watch a match involving Orton, Jinder and Roode. Just imagine Cena marking out for Bryans return match and his look of shock and disgust when Shane turns on him. Ive talked up all these possibilities in my head way too much now that Im inevitably going to be dissapointed when it either doesnt happen or hes only there for a pre-show match or two. I have no idea how they go from Cena is off Mania to Taker turning up and making the match right there and then though. I mean they could do it however they like but as far as something that isnt completely hokey I dunno. Cena turning up in the crowd in full on Deadman attire and thats the breaking point would be absolutely magnificent.

 

Im assuming they do the angle on the second hour of the pre-show thats on USA which is a pretty good idea actually. Would mark so hard if they do the angle and then Vince comes out and is all woah woah woah guys we already have a five hour card booked, theres no room for another match and snubs then both. And then they both take out Nia and Alexa and are all aha theres a spot open now and proceed to work an 8 minute sprint. Id be such a hoot booking this show btw.

[Slasher]

Im assuming they do the angle on the second hour of the pre-show thats on USA which is a pretty good idea actually. Would mark so hard if they do the angle and then Vince comes out and is all woah woah woah guys we already have a five hour card booked, theres no room for another match and snubs then both. And then they both take out Nia and Alexa and are all aha theres a spot open now and proceed to work an 8 minute sprint. Id be such a hoot booking this show btw.

Just to be clear, you are saying you'd have Cena and Taker attack Nia and Alexa, removing them from their spot on the card?

[Seabs]

I was obviously not being serious.

[Slasher]

I'd go with the idea I saw floating around where Taker does the Maven at Royal Rumble beatdown to shut up Cena at Mania, leading to an official match booked for the following year's show.

[ZThomas]

 

Can you imagine WWE not running that Cena vs. Taker match and just doing the ultimate trolljob?

That would be my favourite WWF bait and switch ever, which is really saying something.

This would be the best way for Cena to have an out to go back to doing Movies, because Taker didn't accept his challenge.

 

I never understood the hate for Reigns vs Brock 2 anyway. Many people at the time of the first match was said it was probably the best WrestleMania main event ever and I'd say it's possible that it is. This time you'll be getting a clean finish meaning no cash in. Sure it's predictable as far a Reigns most likely going over but I you have a motivated Brock and Roman isn't capable of having a bad match when his opponent is on.

[peachchaos]

obviously Bray returns from the Lake of Reincarnation as The Undertaker

[FMKK]

Omg, I'm only now considering the possibility of Cena bringing hand written signs

[Zoo Enthusiast]

So, I assume Brock goes to Smackdown and Owens/Zayn wind up on Raw after Mania since Heyman said this would be Brock’s last time on Raw.

 

Anyhow, I am hyped as fuck for Mania. Hoping Cena is sitting by me.

[KawadaSmile]

So. RAW gives us strong segments revolving around Sasha and Bayley, Brock and Roman, BRAINZ Strowman, and a blistering match in Balor vs Rollins.

 

SD gives us Charlotte vs Nattie.

[WingedEagle]

So. RAW gives us strong segments revolving around Sasha and Bayley, Brock and Roman, BRAINZ Strowman, and a blistering match in Balor vs Rollins.

 

SD gives us Charlotte vs Nattie.

 

It was actually pretty decent until the finish, but yeah. Not the most inspired go home show we've seen.

[Cap]

I love this Sami/KO promo. Nothing that special about it, just them being shitheads and riling folks up. Heel Sami is such a treat.

[Strummer]

Shane is so turning on .Bryan on Sunday. Anyone see his shit eating grin while they hugged in the opening segment? It's going down