WrestleMania 28 – Preview, Predictions, and Preferences – 1 Night Away

One night away. I don’t know if I’ll get any sleep tonight. For this final blog post, I shall preview Sunday’s card, share my thoughts on the matches, and give you my predicted as well as my preferred outcome. Let’s get right into it:

 

Divas Tag-Team Match – Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos vs. Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres

L-R: Maria Menounos, Kelly Kelly, Eve Torres, Divas Champion Beth Phoenix

Trust me, I’m not being sexist when I say this is the most pointless match on the card. Poor creative decisions have made the once great Divas division nothing more than a joke these days. Why would you include the talented Divas Champion in this match rather than have her defend her title? Beats me.The only reason this match is on the card is because WWE felt they needed a last minute celebrity presence so they booked Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos. Whoop de doo.

Predicted Winner: Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos

Preferred Winner: Couldn’t care less.

Team Teddy: Santino Marella, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, The Great Khali, and Booker T w/Hornswoggle vs. Team Johnny: David Otunga, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, The Miz, and Drew McIntyre w/Vickie Guerrero

L-R: Background: John Laurinaitus, Theodore Long; Foreground: Team Johnny: Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, David Otunga, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz; Team Teddy: Booker T, The Great Khali, R-Truth, Santino Marella, Kofi Kingston and Zack Ryder

Bear with me because this might be confusing. Theodore Long is the General Manager for WWE’s Smackdown! brand, and John Laurinaitus is the Executive Vice-President of Talent Relations and the General Manager of WWE’s RAW brand. At WrestleMania they will each lead a team of six wrestlers that they assembled. The winning team will have its General Manager take complete control over both brands. Some of the talent in this match is very impressive, namely Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth, Zack Ryder and ‘The Awesome One’ The Miz. However, I’m only mildly interested in this match. Its matches like this that make me wish WWE still did their annual Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania.

Predicted Winner: Team Johnny

Preferred Winner: Team Johnny

Randy Orton vs Kane

L-R: Kane, Randy Orton

This is a bit of poor booking on WWE’s part, as it features two great talents simply being thrown into a match together. The story revolves around how Kane feels he “became human” when he shook Randy Orton’s hand last summer. It’s something he’s regretted ever since, and when he made his comeback earlier in January, he was his usual twisted, masked monster self again and he was gunning for Randy Orton. It’s a silly story and makes no sense, no matter how much Kane’s mic skills sell it. I really hope they put on a great match to make up for the poor story.

Predicted Winner: Randy Orton

Preferred Winner: Kane

Intercontinental Championship Match – Cody Rhodes (C) vs. Big Show

L-R: Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, Big Show

Cody Rhodes had a tremendously impressive year, beginning with his upset victory over Rey Mysterio last year at WrestleMania 27. He has been Intercontinental Champion for a very long time and has vowed to bring some prestige back to the IC title. Big Show is one of the WWE’s longest running competitors, and at 7 feet tall and 500 pounds, is the self-proclaimed “World’s Largest Athlete”. Earlier this year, Cody began this feud by pointing out that Big Show has had a reputation for under-performing at WrestleMania, even going so far to show clips of the infamous failures, including Big Show getting knocked out by Floyd Mayweather and his embarrassing Sumo Match with Akebono. This will be a great match to watch, and it will be interesting to see how the much smaller Rhodes deals with Big Show’s diverse talents.

Predicted Winner: Cody Rhodes

Preferred Winner: Big Show

World Heavyweight Championship Match – Daniel Bryan (C) vs. Sheamus

L-R: Sheamus, World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan

What makes this match so exciting? Just last year at WrestleMania 27, the same match was booked, with the United States title on the line. It wound up being a dark match (non-televised). And this year it’s a headliner. I’m extremely glad that these phenomenal wrestlers have come a long way I honestly would be glad with any outcome (though I would secretly be doing a dance if Bryan retained). There was a brief version of this feud that existed last year, when Bryan was a face U.S. Champion, and Sheamus was the heel challenger.  Sheamus got the better of Bryan during that brief feud. This year their roles have been reversed, and the stakes are totally larger. But Bryan’s been on a role of pulling of upset victories (mainly through shady means) and he just might do it again.

Predicted Winner: Sheamus

Preferred Winner: Daniel Bryan

WWE Championship Match – CM Punk (C) vs. Chris Jericho

L-R: WWE Champion CM Punk, Chris Jericho

Another exciting facet of this year’s WrestleMania is that CM Punk and Daniel Bryan have both come from the same humble beginnings in the independent wrestling circuit, with particularly successful stints in Ring of Honor Wrestling.  And this year, they headline WrestleMania as World Champions. It’s the dawn of a new era in wrestling, and it looks extremely promising. As for CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho, I believe it will be the show-stealer. As big as Rock/Cena  and the Hell in a Cell match are, I truly believe Punk and Jericho will put on an awesome performance that will steal the show. Their outstanding mic skills have allowed them to create a palpable tension going into this match, and their remarkable in-ring talent should provide us with a quality match.

Predicted Winner: CM Punk

Preferred Winner: CM Punk

Hell in a Cell Match – Triple H vs. The Undertaker – Special Guest Referee: Shawn Michaels

L-R: The Undertaker, Special Guest Referee Shawn Michaels, Triple H.

There is sooooo much to get excited about in this match. Its three wrestlers that I hold in my personal top 10 in the ring together at the same time. It’s the rematch to one of my favorite WrestleMania matches. It’s Undertaker’s 19-0 streak on the line once again. A word on exactly what “Hell in a Cell” Match is. It’s a match with no rules; the only way to win is by pinfall or submission. The “Cell” is a towering structure that will surround the ring, encaging the wrestlers. It stands 20 ft. tall and weighs five tons. The cage extends outside the ring as well, so wrestlers have space to move outside. And the Cell is enclosed on top, so the only means to escape is through a locked door (which has happened multiple times before). Shawn Michaels and Undertaker competed in the first ever “Cell” match. Shawn has also faced Triple H in the cell. Triple H and Undertaker combined have competed in 19 of the 24 Hell in a Cell matches since its creation. But they have never faced each other under its confines. This match is billed as “the end of an era”, and I firmly believe it will be just that. It’s entirely possible that this will be the last match for Triple H and certainly for Undertaker. The fan in me is weeping with excitement. The kid in me just peed his pants.

Predicted Winner: The Undertaker

Preferred Winner: The Undertaker

The Rock vs. John Cena

L-R: John Cena, The Rock

Certainly the main event, and certainly the last match of the night. A lot of fans have been critical of WWE’s decision to book this match a year in advance and have the feud stretched out over a year. To quote Bilbo Baggins, it felt thin “like butter scraped over too much bread”. However, I wouldn’t go so far as some fans to deny my interest in the match altogether. This is still the first match The Rock is competing in in over 7 years. And boy have I missed him. I’m excited to see him in the ring again, even if it is against a guy who isn’t worthy to lace up his boots. The outcome to this match is one that I’ve known ever since it was first booked. It happened when Hulk Hogan faced Andre the Giant, and it happened when The Rock faced Hulk Hogan. It’s called a ‘passing of the torch’.  And I’m certain that the final image of the night will be of The Rock congratulating John Cena and raising his hand in victory.

Predicted Winner: John Cena

Preferred Winner: The Rock

If you’re watching WrestleMania, I wish you happy viewing. If you aren’t, whassamattawitchya?! Expect an in-depth review the morning after. Good night world!.

Wrestlemania 28 – The Players of Wrestlemania (Part 1) – 5 Nights Away

It’s past midnight, so that title isn’t entirely accurate. I just had a heated discussion on facebook over why John Cena refuses to change his character. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, read on. I figure I would explain who the key players of this year’s WrestleMania are in this blog entry.

I must take a moment to explain exactly what a ‘wrestling character’ is. Wrestlers in this day and age all play a role. That role is either that of a face (a good guy) or a heel (a bad guy). Characters can range from an anti-establishment rebel to an Irish Leprechaun. The characters that wrestlers play are usually extensions of their real life. For example, Stone Cold Steve Austin isn’t really a beer swilling redneck who loves to beat up his boss, but he has had some problems with management, he is from Texas and he does enjoy a cold beer occasionally. So without further ado, here’s a lowdown on some of the important performers at WrestleMania 28.

The Undertaker: It’s only fitting that I begin this list with a man whose name has become synonymous with WrestleMania. Since his debut at WrestleMania 7, Undertaker has wrestled at 19 WrestleManias, winning every match at them. He holds a record of 19 wins, 0 losses.  Yes wrestling’s fake, but this is still a big deal. It represents the company respecting your talent enough to put you on an insane winning streak. It would be like winning the Oscar 6 years in a row. The Undertaker has wrestled in a main-event capacity for over 20 years, and has come to be known simply as “The Phenom”. And that is truly who Undertaker is. He is a living phenomenon. At WrestleMania 28, ‘Taker once more puts his legendary streak on the line against Triple H, a man he’s beaten on 2 previous WrestleMania encounters. As always, WWE has added more thrills to the match. It will be contested inside Hell in a Cell- a tortuous match that has become the forte for both Undertaker and Triple H. And serving as the special guest referee is the Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who on two separate occasions delivered match-of-the-year performances in his attempts to end Undertaker’s streak.

Triple H: Alongside Undertaker, Triple H stands as one of the WWE’s most tenured competitors. Following his debut in 1995 as ‘The Connecticut Blueblood’ Hunter Hearst Helmsley, there were few who could identify him as a future superstar. However, his stellar in-ring talent speaks for itself, and today, ‘The Game’ Triple H has had 13 world title reigns to his name. Triple H also plays an important role in WWE’s backstage operations, taking on the role of Executive Vice President of Talent. Now it would be ignorant of me if I neglect to mention Triple H’s personal life and his marriage to Vince McMahon’s daughter Stephanie. However I don’t buy that this is the sole reason for Triple H’s success. He’s an awesome competitor in the ring, and it shows in his matches. At WrestleMania 28, he challenges Undertaker for his legendary undefeated streak a third time.  The match shall take place in Hell in a Cell, match that Triple H considers his ‘proving ground’. The special guest referee also plays an important part. After all, Shawn Michaels has always been Triple H’s best friend. Will this affect the outcome of the match? WWE never gives us a clear answer, and the only certainty is that Triple H and Undertaker will deliver a brutally entertaining match.

CM Punk: A man who represents the future of the WWE, last year was the most important one of CM Punk’s career. After defeating John Cena in his home town of Chicago, CM Punk did the unthinkable and left the WWE as World Champion, earning the title of the “Best in the World”. The truth is, CM Punk backs up his claims with his phenomenal ability both in the ring and on the mic. As it was made obvious last year, when CM Punk picks up a microphone, the world listens. He’s developed a reputation as an anti-establishment upstart, saying things on-air that very few people would dare to say, occasionally blurring the line between fake and real (such as criticizing WWE management for letting talent like Brock Lesnar go and criticizing the “idiotic” antics of Stephanie McMahon). This character that Punk has developed is really the end result of a man who has fought and clawed to find success in this business. With humble beginnings in independent wrestling promotions and adhering to a strict straight-edge drug and alcohol free lifestyle, Punk finally made it to the WWE in 2005. Punk is a man who identifies the injustice of the “model champion”, and the talent that gets ignored along the way. It’s one of those statements that blurs the line of reality and fantasy, and as a certain brand of wrestling fans know, Punk speaks a version of the truth. So CM Punk has risen through the ranks as a “voice for the voiceless”, a “savior”. At WrestleMania 28, CM Punk defends his WWE Championship against a returning Chris Jericho, who has pulled every dirty trick in the book to make this feud a personal war.

Chris Jericho: After reading Chris Jericho’s acclaimed autobiography, it became obvious to me that the man was a genius wrestler. Jericho is a guy who has travelled the globe, amassing a wealth of experience. He has a great knowledge of how the business works. He holds the wrestling tradition of respecting storyline in high regard, and prides himself on being a step ahead of the fans. Jericho frequently makes sure that he is always moving forward, always thinking of new means of making his character interesting. Jericho made a huge comeback earlier this year, in confusing fashion. He quickly explained that he was turning his back (yet again) on his “wannabe” fans, and criticized the “wannabe” wrestlers who have plagiarized the ideas he created during his career. Jericho is yet another wrestler who proclaims himself to be the “Best in the World”, a moniker that lead to his feud with CM Punk leading to WrestleMania. However the fued has quickly escalated, as CM Punk has called out Jericho for ignoring the WWE and focusing on his personal pursuits (including Dancing With the Stars), and Jericho taking cheap shots at CM Punks family by calling his father an alcoholic and his sister a substance abuser. The feud between these wrestlers will reach a boiling point at WrestleMania, and only good things can come of it. Because at the end of the day, both Jericho and Punk are outstanding performers, and their match could be one of the best of the night.

Wrestlemania 28 – What is Wrestlemania? – 6 nights away

Hello and welcome to the first in a series of blog entries that no one will read. I am a huge pro-wrestling fan, particularly the WWE. And in just six nights is the biggest wrestling event of the year, WRESTLEMANIA. Weird things happen to me during this period of the year. I seem to be in a daze when people or talk to me, or I use statements like ‘that’s the bottom line’, ‘I got two words for ya’ or ‘OOOOOOOHHHHH YEAAAAAAH!’ in everyday conversation. During this time of the year, I live, breathe and sweat wrestling. I’ve been watching my wrestling DVD’s, reading my wrestling mags and having heated online discussions. I know, geekiest stuff I have ever admitted to. But with all the hoopla surrounding ‘Mania, and how much it’s on my mind, I figured I might as well blog about it. So I decided I would drop one blog entry a night leading up to the show of shows, and conclude in my review of the event. So here’s entry #1: What is Wrestlemania?

Wrestlemania is wrestling’s equivalent of the Superbowl, the Oscars, or the Stanley Cup. It’s an annual event that represents an end to the fiscal year of pro-wrestling. Storylines are wrapped up, rivalries put to rest, and all hell breaks loose on Wrestlemania.

Wrestlemania began in 1985 when Vince McMahon Sr. had the dream of holding a wrestling extravaganza and charging people to watch it. It was the birth of Pay Per View, and Vince Sr. is still regarded as one of the fathers of PPV in general.  That Wrestlemania was held at the mecca of sports arenas, Madison Square Garden in New York City. And from the onset, it was clear that it was not going to be any average show. Guest celebrities were involved, from Cyndi Lauper and Liberace, to Billy Martin and Muhammad Ali. The main event featured the tag team of Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper and ‘Mr. Wonderful’ Paul Orndorff. The event was an insane success, and Wrestlemania was born.

28 years later, and some of wrestling’s finest moments have been at Wrestlemania. Wrestlemania X holds the distinction of being my earliest memory. Ever. The event has frequently set attendance records for every arena it’s been in, and Wrestlemania 3 held the indoor attendance record of 93,000+ for more than 20 years. Celebrities like Lawrence Taylor, Donald Trump, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Motorhead and Mike Tyson have been involved in the event in some way. It’s the pinnacle of sports-entertainment. It’s the granddaddy of all shows.

I have to address the most obvious question: Isn’t wrestling fake? Yer damn right it is. But boy is it real sometimes. ‘Wrestlers’ have to be athletic, and they have to be able to act. It’s pageantry, pomp and circumstance. It’s a circus act: it’s theatre at its base. And to me, it’s the greatest show on Earth.

So yeah, I can be criticized for being a geek, but I have to take a moment to explain why I respect this business so much. Because I seriously believe that wrestlers are the hardest working performers in the world – More than any sport or entertainment industry. There is no off-season in the WWE. They don’t win the Stanley Cup then take 4 months off. They have to go right back to work. Most of them wrestle for upwards of 300 days a year. But simple athleticism is not enough. They have to be able to entertain. You can be the most athletic person on the roster, but if you don’t have the ability to entertain the audience both on the microphone and in the ring, you won’t have a job very long. Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura described the life of a wrestler as a life of pain. And he wasn’t kidding around. No other competitor in the world will dedicate his blood sweat and tears to their job at the level that pro wrestlers do. So how can I not respect them? How can I not be a fan.

This year’s Wrestlemania is the 28th entry and it takes place at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida on April 1st, 2012. There are eight wrestling matches on the card, and at least four of them promise to be class acts. It’s only six nights away, and it’s all I can think of.

I’ve been a wrestling fan my entire life. My earliest memory was watching wrestling. And this time of year is like Christmas to me. I am more excited for Wrestlemania than I am for any movie that has ever come out in the history of film. I like wrestling more than I like any TV show, movie or band. This is the epitome of entertainment for me. So prepare yourself for a week of gushy fanboy blog entries. It’s Wrestlemania, baby!