The actual proper Wrestlemania 29 Thread

[Chest Rockwell]

Torn off the bone is a bit different than strained though, right?

 

Why didn't he just make up a slightly more believable injury?

[PowerButchi]

Yeah, wasn't it Foley in his first book who said tearing his abdominal muscles was the absolute moist painful thing he experienced ever? Or was it Goldberg who had loads of problems with it fucking killing him in the NFL?

 

I just remember reading one of them say something about it, even if they're two fucking strange people to mix up.

[Statto]

Yeah, Foley definitely says it was his most painful injury. IIRC, he says the night he did it he laid in bed and cried he was in so much pain. I think he also says it was one of the handful of times in his career that he took pain pills, although I might have that confused.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Well, Rock is filming Hercules in a few weeks. His daily routine includes having to look like Incredible Hulk's bigger brother.

 

A lot of muscle tears for the Rock this last year. Maybe this is a sign that he shouldn't be putting 20 pounds of muscle on in a fortnight like he did last year. And if he has hurt himself bad, this might be it for him in terms of wrestling ever again.

[Chest Rockwell]

The prospect of him not wrestling again doesn't upset me half as much as it would have a few years ago. I think a lot of other people must be in the same boat.

[Jaffa]

Yeah, wasn't it Foley in his first book who said tearing his abdominal muscles was the absolute moist painful thing he experienced ever? Or was it Goldberg who had loads of problems with it fucking killing him in the NFL?

 

I just remember reading one of them say something about it, even if they're two fucking strange people to mix up.

As Statto says, Foley called it the most painful injury he'd ever had and couldn't understand why. He goes on to write that the same injury ended big Bills NFL career.

 

You haven't mixed them up, you're right about both.

[JNLister]

So, Lesnar-Batista for WM30 then?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

That's the match Batista said he would come back for. That story writes itself if they ever wanted to tell it properly. And a Batista return would be pretty huge I think, especially against Brock. Cena vs Undertaker and Batista vs Lesnar would do massive business. Can't see Austin returning to be honest. Although, now more than ever I'd say Punk vs Austin would be a pretty big deal. I'd love to see it.

 

I remember it seemed like Shawn Michaels was gone forever when he retired in 1998 and returned in 2002. If Batista comes back for WrestleMania 30, it would roughly the same stretch Shawn did when out with a back injury. And it doesn't even seem like Batista's been gone that long.

[PowerButchi]

Millions of dollars. Right there. Dave needs to get back on the gas for it though.

[Chris B]

I remember it seemed like Shawn Michaels was gone forever when he retired in 1998 and returned in 2002. If Batista comes back for WrestleMania 30, it would roughly the same stretch Shawn did when out with a back injury. And it doesn't even seem like Batista's been gone that long.

 

Yeah, it felt like forever with Shawn. I think it was that so much changed while Shawn was away. You had what felt like a completely fresh roster by the time he came back, and so many potential new matches. You'd already had the Austin Era and the HHH/Rock era. If Batista comes back next year, the main event picture isn't that different to when he left.

[air_raid]

Can't see Austin returning to be honest. Although, now more than ever I'd say Punk vs Austin would be a pretty big deal. I'd love to see it.

 

Latest thoughts on this from the man himself from last month's PS, interviewed 8th Feb :

 

Nearly a decade has passed since you were an active in-ring performer : you wrestled your last match against The Rock at WrestleMania XIX on March 30th, 2003 in Seattle, Washington, and the withdrew from the squared circle due to a serious neck injury. After all these years, can we now assume that you have retired?

 

Well, I don't know. Right now I'm happy being where I'm at. But if someone comes up with a creative idea that sounds good, I'd be willing to entertain the business offer, listen to the pitch and move forward or say "Thanks, but no thanks."

 

I would keep an open mind to a return of some sort. To what degree? Well, obviously, would I go back on the road full-time and be a pro wrestler? No. But would I be part of something that sounded good and was a good business plan and a good creative plan that I would enjoy doing, and the fans would enjoy seeing? I would certainly entertain the talks of that.

 

Reading between the lines, "the business offer" would be paying him enough, and "a good creative plan that I would enjoy doing, and the fans would enjoy seeing" would be him winning the big match.

 

Is there anyone in wrestling today whom you could picture yourself wrestling?

 

Oh, yeah. The names that immediately come to mind are a John Cena, CM Punk or a Brock Lesnar. Just three names off the top that would be possibilities. Brock because of the physical stature and specimen that he is - and I've always liked Brock personally. CM Punk for what he brings to the table in the vein of a 'Stone Cold' persona, obviously done in his own way. That would be a fresh match. And John Cena, as he's the number one guy in the business right now, and a great promo. Chemistry and story lines could be created for all three of those guys.

 

So... yeah, read into that whatever you want. I like the line "I've always liked Brock personally" - he's always maintained his walk out in June 2002 was not due to having to lose to Lesnar, but the lack of business sense of giving away Austin vs Lesnar on free TV with one week build. I'm with him on that one. I mean, from a storyline point of view I can understand Austin entering the KOTR since there was a title match for the winner at stake, but fuck me, if you're going to have young rookie Brock Lesnar go over Stone Cold Steve Austin en route to winning the thing, surely that's your final??

 

They asked Austin about Punk, and he was full of praise again, even though Flexen asked him a Martinesque question about Punk's use of the worked-shoot style promo. Danny's lips, but Fin's thoughts, trying to see if he can get an industry big name to agree with his opinions. LOLZ.

 

When I interviewed you for Power Slam on August 15th, 2011, you were effusive in your praise of CM Punk. Do you think he cooled off later that year by using too many insider references in his promos?

 

I saw several of his promos when I thought they were awesome, but none where he was really talking too much about something that went on backstage that would have lost me. I thought the guy did a tremendous job, and is doing great.

 

Do you think Punk is better as a heel than as a babyface?

Definitely - I definitely like him better as a heel. I don't want to speak for him, but it just seems, when I watch him, that it's easier for him. He enjoys being that guy, from what I gather. And if I'm paying my money, I want to see that guy work heel. I don't want to see him do good things, I don't want to see him stick to the rules : I want him to see him break things and be a heel.

 

Fair assessment, although I don't think Punk "enjoys being that guy" - he IS that guy. He's an arsehole.

[Arch Stanton]

In his podcast episodes Austin mentions his physical condition, referring to the operations he has had in recent years to fix him up a bit and sort out some of his old injuries. All that time away from the ring has really helped his body out and he's kept himself in good nick thanks to all the action movie roles he gets. He's only ever a few months' diet and gym work away from looking almost as good as he did when he retired. I'm beginning to believe more and more that he will wrestle at Mania next year.

[TheShowOff]

I just remember reading one of them say something about it, even if they're two fucking strange people to mix up.

 

They have shared an odd cross reference in my mind for years, when Goldberg pulled out of doing a Hustle show in 04, Foley stepped in his place for the exact money Goldberg would have got. Always thought that was a proper odd replacement. Foley has said he did it solely for the money (one of the biggest pay days of his career) was not in any sort of ring shape and basically got the shit kicked out of him for that payday.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

In his podcast episodes Austin mentions his physical condition, referring to the operations he has had in recent years to fix him up a bit and sort out some of his old injuries. All that time away from the ring has really helped his body out and he's kept himself in good nick thanks to all the action movie roles he gets. He's only ever a few months' diet and gym work away from looking almost as good as he did when he retired. I'm beginning to believe more and more that he will wrestle at Mania next year.

The operations he's had are from injuries he's suffered in recent years. If anything, the fact he's feeling decent despite knocking on the door of 50 and having a knackered neck and two knees which will need placing probably gives him more of a reason to stay away from the ring. If he'd wanted to come back, I imagine he would have by now. Never say never and all that, but Austin was always touted as being someone who wouldnt be comfortable in later life. He probably shouldn't ruin that.

 

But fuck him. Its not me doing it. I hope he returns. And I'd like to see one last leg drop, brother.

[FrankCastle]

Thing is, unless WWE generate an astronomical star in the next 12 months, Mania will once again rely on legends to secure it's success. I think it's a given that at least one of Rock, Austin, or Batista will wrestle next year.

 

Personally, from The Rock's matches, he looked very, very good against The Miz and R-Truth in the tag match at Survivor Series 2011, and Punk v Rock 2, but average in Rock v Cena 1 and Punk v Rock 1, and awful in Rock v Cena 2. I wonder how much that's down to the opponent he's working with. Not to go on a Cena hate trail, but his best matches have come against opponents other than him. Based on that track record I'd say a match against a younger, quicker, hard working opponent (Orton?) would give him a worthy send off in what should be his last match.

 

I'd like to see Punk v Austin. I think Austin has been away long enough that his return would generate a lot of interest, and his match against Punk would be unpredictable, especially if Punk were given the chance to cut loose in the build up and portrayed as having a genuine chance of beating Austin.

 

Lesnar v Batista would draw amongst a wrestling crowd, but it's not mainstream enough to draw in people outside of a wrestling audience. Lesnar is barely recognised outside of MMA and WWE, and unless I'm wrong, Batista won't have hit the big time in Guardians of the Galaxy at that point, so he won't be a big Hollywood star then. I think the match would be interesting, but Lord above I would hope that it doesn't turn into Lesnar v Goldberg part 2.

 

I really, really, don't want to see Cena v Undertaker even though I understand the business reasons for doing so. Taker winning, especially in his current state, would make a mockery of Cena, who is in his prime. How, convincingly, Cena could lose to a man twice his age, half his size, and crippled with injury would stretch the bounds of credibility. The Rock matches were different because people were aware that Rock could still keep up with a full timer, but Taker's matches are getting slower, and beating the man who is the long term future of the company, whether you like it or not, might protect The Streak, but harm Cena's longevity.

 

Similarly, I don't want to see The Streak broken by Cena, who doesn't need it. He's never, ever going to turn heel, so there's no filip for him or way to use it as a turning point. Plus, it would annoy me that guys like Michaels, Triple H, Flair and Punk couldn't do it, but Cena did, and that would give Vince further reason to shove Cena down our throats. They should avoid it, put Cena mid card in a title defence against the number one contender (assuming he's still champion, which wouldn't surprise me), and put Taker in a showpiece match against an old enemy like (don't laugh) Kane, or even Hogan, where the storyline would mean more than the match itself.