WWE WrestleMania Vegas (42) Discussion

[TheScarlettChad]

17 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Wrestlemania 42, then. Third year in a row TKO have hilariously pissed all over Hunter’s Wrestlemania Season. Somehow funnier than ever this year by leaving it so late.

Hopefully the trend continues and they wait even longer next year, give Trips the ultimate false sense of security, and then sack him on the go-home episode of Smackdown, announcing completely new cards for the weekend.

However, even taking into account the McAfee Catastrophe of the last two weeks, it still feels like we’re in a better position than this time last year. Much better cards across the weekend, too. Not a single Triple Threat in sight! Progress is progress.

I loath to admit it given what a toffee toothed piss monster Lesnar is, but there’s no denying Brock vs. Oba is the biggest, most exciting match of the weekend. A real moment in time. Lightning in a bottle. Absolutely crazy how over Femi already is considering his Main Roster run amounts to a Royal Rumble appearance and a half dozen squashes.

This is Hunter’s biggest test in ages. He’s sitting on a home run. If only there was the most perfect blueprint out there to capitalise and make Oba the next big thing.

That’s what it boils down to, for me. A Goldberg Sliding Door. Do the Goldberg 2016 run where he wrecks Brock in record time and you’re looking at the next WWE Champion. Give him the Goldberg 2003 run where he loses in order to, “pay his dues,” and you’re looking at the biggest bottle job of the decade. Learn from your own mistakes, Hunter. Go back and watch that 2003 run. Admit how utterly shit it was. Prediction: They bottle it. Oba Ambrose. Brock wins. They, “rebuild,” Oba, but we never get anything close to what it could have been.

I wish I was more excited for Finn vs. Dom. I love both lads individually, have a special place in my heart for the Judgment Day (low-key the glue of the boom period, at least on the Raw side), and this is one of the few Mania matches that’s really earned it’s spot. The Demon thing kills it though. For something that should be cool and right up my street (Mankind morphing into Cactus Jack leading into Royal Rumble 2000 is one of my favourite promos ever), the execution of Finn as The Demon in WWE has always been incredibly awkward and cringe-inducing. Flopping about on the floor like a fish against Roman being the ultimate example. So, so shit.

Maybe it’ll be different this time. It sounded like even Finn himself admitted on the Cody podcast that The Demon’s been a wash out, so maybe they’ll switch up the presentation and make it work. It can’t be any worse than the way he danced to the ring at Wrestlemania against Edge! Still gives me nightmares!

Prediction: Dirty Dom wins. Get another Superstar reaction. Latino heat!

Ladder match will be a ladder match. Je’Von Evans will do probably something incredible. A single tear will fall down Rey Fenix’s cheek as he watches from catering.

Considering how little Iyo Sky managed to get out of Jade on last week’s Smackdown, I don’t have high hopes for Jade vs. Rhea. Rhea will need to work miracles to get anything beyond a two and a half star affair.

As far as matches they’ve had to pivot to due to injuries, Seth vs. Gunther is as good as any. A real sense of, “it’ll be alright on the night.” Huge shame Seth’s career isn’t on the line though. The possibility of Seth fucking off forever would make this result more important than any Wrestlemania match in history.

I saw an interview recently where Seth said, “You are going to get the WrestleMania version of Seth Rollins that you know and are accustomed to.” Presumably that means he’s going to try and mask what an empty calorie Whopper he is by attempting something equally as stupid as what put him on the shelf in the first place.

Prediction: Bron Breakker returns. He and Seth Double Shane McMahon it, both injuring themselves. Their match against each other never, ever happens.

Drew vs. Jacob could steal the weekend. Hopefully they go absolutely mental. Drew dodged a generational bullet dropping the belt when he did. Funny old business.

Maybe Randy vs. Cody was always cursed to fail. I saw this graphic floating about recently, which highlighted what a reasonably great hit ratio those Night One Main Events have had.

Impressive portfolio you’ve got there. Would be a real shame if someone ruined it with endless chinlocks!

Randy Orton…as a heel…doing his slow, monotonous heel act…the commentators trying to keep you awake by banging on about a, “methodical pace”? Woof. Cody’s second consecutive stinker feels like a banker. Maybe the best thing for everyone involved will be an on-screen graphic that counts how many times Pat McAfee re-adjusts his glasses. I reckon he’ll hit triple figures.

Saddest part is imagining what could have been. Even more so when I saw it announced that Cena was hosting the show. There’s an alternative dimension out there where Randy joins forces with Kevin Owens, they form the We Hate Cody club, then at Wrestlemania John Cena eventually helps even the odds for Cody. The last few years of storylines all tie together perfectly. Cena and Kevin get their moment together that we lost last year. No-one mentions ticket sales or the fucking Attitude Era. Everyone lives happily ever after.

Prediction: The Streak continues! The Streak being Cody Rhodes being the World’s biggest loser, who everyone turns on. They’re TaKing Over! Why Jelly, Why?!

Given how cold I was on Sami after the Royal Rumble, it’s a credit to him how I invested I am in Sami vs. Trick. Double turn feels nailed on. Get the belt on newly crowned babyface superstar Trick Williams. Set Sami up as a full fledged heel for Bloodline Business that follows.

It’s a shame Roman vs. Punk ran out of steam these last few weeks. It felt humongous after that first promo. What an indictment that after months of build up this doesn’t feel anywhere near as big a Dream Match as it did when Punk was in AEW and they were trading snide digs in press interviews. Mad how it fizzled into a big bunch of nothing, with the go-home promo essentially being Punk and Roman doing their own version of the poem at the end of, “Ten Things I Hate About You.”

But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you,

Not even close,

Not even a little bit,

Not even at all.

What makes this feud extra perplexing is that Punk posted this teaser the other week and I expected we’d get something similar to the MJF feud, where Punk would eventually be pushed to his limits, caked in blood, screaming down the camera, forced to go back to his ROH roots. They’d already licensed the song for the video game, after all…

♫  Nothing from nowhere, I'm no one at all. Radiate, recognise, one slient call. ♫

Always worth remembering how fucking great this was. God, Punk in AEW was so, so perfect until it wasn’t. Look what that empty headed dumb fuck took from us on his way to Greggs with Scurll!

Goosebumps. Every single time.

Does it really make sense now, given the storyline? No. Would many people even recognise the song or get the reference? No. But considering this week’s New Era consists almost entirely of insider shit that only appeals to Newsletter Subscribers, none of that seems to matter. Do it anyway. Fly AFI in to sing him to the ring live. I’ll enjoy it, even if 99% of the viewing audience will think it’s a remix of The Terminator theme.

Match itself should be good. Punk’s had a solid return to form this year and provided you can stomach all the mid-match monologues Roman always delivers on the Big Stage.

Bloodline 2000 reunion seems nailed on, but they’ll probably subvert it to give themselves something to smugly wank about on the next season of Unreal.

Prediction: CM Punk beats Roman Reigns after help from The Usos and Sami Zayn, forming The New Bloodline, with Punk as the leader and new Tribal Chief.

Show goes off the air with everyone shocked to their Corre. No-one saw it coming! Well, except Wade Barrett, of course.

Bravo. Brilliant post. And yeah they need to do something for Punkers entrance. Can't do living colour again. Fly AFI in. 

[Merzbow]

23 minutes ago, TheScarlettChad said:

Bravo. Brilliant post. And yeah they need to do something for Punkers entrance. Can't do living colour again. Fly Killswitch Engage in. 

Fixed, it's WWE and they ain't gonna act like ROH was ever a real thing.

[TheScarlettChad]

You say that but ROH Punk is in the new WWE game. So who knows. 

[wordsfromlee]

Plus Punk has said in the past that he absolutely hated that Killswitch Engage song. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

8 minutes ago, wordsfromlee said:

Plus Punk has said in the past that he absolutely hated that Killswitch Engage song. 

I don't think he loved that he inherited it from Orton, after it didn't suit Randy.

[Supremo]

Where the fuck was this promo on Monday, when they were listing the different ways they actually secretly loved each other?!

[TheScarlettChad]

I know insider shoot stuff is utter bollocks, but if he was listening to the Colt podcast there, the part where he moans about having to put Roman over to make him look strong, and it makes him more and more angry would've been better than that.

[d-d-d-dAz]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXMZyhgja68/?igsh=MWdtMG1nc201djNwbg==

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

Fucking weird that WWE seem only able to sell Wrestlemania based on how shit it is, and all the wrestlers in it too.

[Supremo]

“Remember when Vader smacked that TV presenter about in Kuwait? Save the business! Bring back stiffing people about and looking like a mindless thug!”

[d-d-d-dAz]

3 hours ago, Supremo said:

“Remember when Vader smacked that TV presenter about in Kuwait? Save the business! Bring back stiffing people about and looking like a mindless thug!”

You'll be delighted to know that Cam'Ron has vowed to turn up at Wrestlemania, presumably to interfere in a match which already has celebrity involvement.

I also noticed Cody said that Pat McAfee's involvement is the 'worst angle in wrestling history' and smashed up McAfee's podcast set.

Plus, Roman is out there delivering promo's better than what he did on Raw.

Absolutely pointless watching the TV shows these days. Just watch every crap sports adjacent podcast and follow the right channels on Insta and you're set.

[SuperBacon]

I don't know why Jey Uso is on a podcast with Camron and Mase but there you go.

"I'm about to have 100,000 in the palm of my hand" Yeah, you sure about that mate?

Jey Uso is bloody rubbish isn't he?

[Kfogg1991]

I've read on twitter randy is hunting and banged up if it's true Cody retains there not putting the belt on him only to have to give it up or vacate straight after and if he's not great before mania it's not the news you want going into a main event mania match.....

It would sum this year Up perfectly though 

[SuperBacon]

2 minutes ago, Kfogg1991 said:

I've read on twitter randy is hunting and banged up

You what brother?

[Supremo]

Did someone call for a Real American?

Considering all the rumours about them having to scrap the intended Roman vs. Cody 3 match for this year’s Wrestlemania because neither guy wanted to lose, I thought the below image, from the weekend’s Street Fighter event, was quite funny.

Roman managed to gain his victory. A real sense of telling one of your mates that the Stag Do is fancy dress, only for everyone else to rock up in normal clobber. 2-1 to Big Rome.

[DavidB6937]

If he's doing his bus tour as Guile I'm going!