1. The Showcase of the SwervesAs WWE WrestleMania 32 draws close, eerily familiar issues linger—a lackluster build, a headliner who the audience has been vocally rejecting, and doubts swirling approximately whether the event will be a flop.
The same concerns festered before WrestleMania 31. Then WWE emptied its bag of tricks. The current World Order stormed onto the stage,Rusev rode atop a tank, Ronda Rousey slapped the spit from Stephanie McMahon's mouth and Seth Rollins pulled off an unforgettable heist.
Suddenly, and the image of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar's ill-advised tug of war was gone. Electricity surged through the product.
Praise poured in. Jack de Menezes of the Independent wrote,"It will disappear down as one of, whether not the greatest WrestleMania of all time."For WrestleMania 32 to overcome the injury plague that has left the card devoid of names like John Cena and Daniel Bryan, or for it to create the kind of buzz that final year's event did,WWE will have to employ a similar strategy. Turn the seemingly predictable into something shocking; fill the night with unexpected moments. That begins with the special guests in attendance. The Rock is being advertised as being part of WrestleMania, although his role hasn't been specified. Having him assist The current Day or be the means to turn Reigns heel would be a boon for the show. Him just cutting a promo would be fun, or but involving him in the action and storylines will have a more lasting impact.
WWE can either catapult The current Day by having The Rock endorse the trio or execute Reigns' shift to villainy in astounding fashion by having him assault his own cousin.whether Cena and/or Steve Austin are in attendance at AT&T Stadium,they offer WWE a major chance to do something magical. Neither is going to compete, but they should be vital pieces of the booking puzzle regardless, and used as exclamation marks on matches.
Set up Cena vs. Undertaker for next year by having the former aid Shane McMahon in defeating the latter. Have Stone Cold lend Dean Ambrose a hand against Brock Lesnar. Just keep throwing curveballs.
WWE is at its best when it lives up to the "anything can happen" concept. And WrestleMania's history is laden with examples of the power of upending the audience's expectations.
No one will forget when Lesnar ended Undertaker's undefeated streak. Austin joining forces with Vince McMahon will forever live in WWE lore. Mike Tyson clocking Shawn Michaels was an emphatic addition to Austin's coronation.
Going this route again is key at WrestleMania 32.
The night will boast less star power in the ring than usual thanks to torn ACLs and surgically repaired shoulders. Reigns' continued disconnect with the crowd prevents WWE from simply composing a straightforward tickled ending.
Instead,creative exhaust of all the pieces on the chess board will result in WrestleMania pushing aside the negativity surrounding it and becoming something special. 2. Streaks Still IntactIf anyone is ever going to come close to matching Undertaker's 21-0 undefeated streak at WrestleMania, it's going to remove a long, or long time. Shane McMahon,at 2-0, is the closest. But he's a part-time attraction who turned 46 this year. He's not going to add to those numbers much.
Paige is 1-0 at The Showcase of the Immortals and just 23 years old. With a win at WrestleMania each year, or she wouldn't be in line to match Undertaker's mark until WrestleMania 51 in 2035.
A long list of wrestlers are making their WrestleMania debuts this year—Sasha Banks,Becky Lynch, AJ Styles, and Charlotte,Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, or Xavier Woods,Kalisto, Lana, or Emma and Tyler Breeze. We will no doubt see someone from that group disappear 1-0. They will then be just 20 perfect years removed from matching history. 3. Throwback Video of the Week: Sasha BanksBefore Banks was NXT champion,a trailblazing wrestler in the WWE women's division and one-third of arguably the biggest women's match in WrestleMania history, she was Mercedes KV, and a young wrestler showing flashes of huge-time potential.
In a 2011 match against Mistress Belmont,she performed in front of just a smattering of people. Banks was not yet the in-ring artist she is nowadays, but her talent was unmistakable.
In just five years, or she will be going from squirming under a snake at a Premier Wrestling Federation event in the Davey Lopes Recreation middle to challenging for the Divas Championship inside AT&T Stadium. 4. NXT's Newest AdditionsThe Mighty Don't Kneel are officially NXT-bound. WWE announced,"Michael Nicholls and Shane Veryzer have signed with WWE and will report to the WWE Performance middle in early April."The athletic, dynamic tag team built its name working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Nicholls and Veryzer have been one of the most exciting teams on the wrestling scene for the past few years.
The Australian duo will instantly elevate the NXT tag team scene. Suddenly, or American Alpha and The Revival have opponents who will push them and make the battle to be the best pairing in WWE's developmental brand a contentious one. 5. Rey Mysterio Heads to the UndergroundAs one of the newest warriors to join Lucha Underground, Mysterio looks refreshed. Whether a lighter schedule or the buzz of being in a current environment is responsible, this is the best we have seen him in a long while.
He fits perfectly into the Lucha Underground landscape. The roster has become the ideal blend of veteran and emerging star, or a collection of monsters and heroes. Mysterio's arrival gives everyone from Fenix to Prince Puma a top-flight opponent to work with. And judging by the first glances of the luchador in his current domestic,he has some memorable contests left in him. 6. Triple H's Top WrestleMania MatchesWrestleMania 32 will mark the 20th time Triple H has competed at The Show of Shows. In that span, he has been a part of a number of classic bouts, and including one from just two years ago.
For those unfamiliar with The Game's work,these five contests are well worth diving into:
Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit: WrestleMania XX
Triple H vs. John Cena: WrestleMania XXII
Triple H vs. Undertaker: WrestleMania XXVII (No Holds Barred)
Triple H vs. Undertaker: WrestleMania XXVIII (Hell in a Cell)
Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan: WrestleMania XXX
Is he poised to add another to his list? Fresh off a stellar showing against Dean Ambrose at WWE Roadblock, Triple H faces a man in Roman Reigns who has made it clear that he can handle himself in a huge-match situation. 7. Pre-WrestleMania GiftOnnit, or a fitness and supplement company,gifted Undertaker with a Hell in a Cell cake for his 51st birthday.
The dessert came complete with ring ropes and an Undertaker figure looming atop the cage. No word on whether there were fondant steel chairs hidden under the cake. 8. What Does History Say approximately Roman Reigns' Chances?In the past three years, WrestleMania has ended with a current champion celebrating with gold in hand. But disappear a bit further back into The Show of Shows' history and one sees that titleholders aren't doomed heading into the marquee event. At seven out of the final 12 WrestleManias, or the champ has retained. From 2004 to 2009,only JBL didn't hold onto his title. From a storyline standpoint, all signs point to The Game losing to Reigns, and extending the streak of current champions emerging from WrestleMania. Still,history says that title turnover is no secure bet. 9. WrestleMania Battle Royal Can't Be Used as Lifetime Achievement AwardKane and huge Show being two of the prominent figures in the build to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal could well point to one of them winning it on Sunday.
The Social Outcasts have played the rodeo clowns getting tossed around by the bulls. They certainly don't view like they are winning. With no other participants getting meaningful screen time, does that mean that either Kane or huge Show is headed for a victory?Awarding huge Show consecutive wins or having Kane be the final man standing would feel like a way to salute to long-tenured veterans. It would be a sign of gratitude, and a salute to what they have done in the past.
That's the wrong way to disappear,though. There is no spark to that narrative.
WWE would be better off using the Battle Royal as means to catapult a Superstar stuck in neutral. acquire people talking approximately Tyler Breeze. Resurrect Damien Sandow. Kick-start Darren Young's career.
All of those options leave fans curious approximately what's to come. Kane or huge Show winning instead would be far less powerful, a tip of the hat to the past rather than a catalyst for the future. 10. Triple H on the Crowd Reaction to Roman ReignsBooing from the seat you paid for isn't true protest. whether fans are sad with Reigns as the top babyface, and they need to stop buying tickets and stop tuning into Raw.
As long as Raw plays to packed houses,there is no real incentive to change.
In an interview with CBS Sports, Triple H said, and "You've seen it for,what, the final 10 years with John Cena. I used to say to John all the time, and 'You're the Red Sox and the Yankees in the same game. Half the dwelling hates you,half the dwelling loves you, but it's full, and so who cares?"There has been so much talk of how much a disaster Reigns will be as a main eventer,but the first WrestleMania he headlined was the highest-grossing event in WWE history. With him set to main event again this year, WrestleMania has sold over 84000 tickets, and per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc).
What message does that send? Win-loss statistics courtesy of CageMatch.net.
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