Like it or not, it can’t have escaped the attention of people who’ve been reading my column for the last month that I’ve focussed on writing about Wrestlemania, and the majority of things that I have said have been negative. Before I continue, I want to clarify a few things. I love the WWE. If I didn’t then why the hell would I have let it take up so much of my time and money over the last fifteen years? For better or worse I have objectively supported the WWE even when I have felt the need to criticise the product for one reason or another. Whilst the performances and abilities of the WWE wrestlers are fair game for analysis and criticism, I would never denigrate the hard work and sacrifice that they inject into the business and I freely admit that they live a life that I will never know and never fully appreciate just how demanding it is.
I have taken a dim view of the upcoming Wrestlemania event solely because I feel that the WWE has not afforded the booking and preparation for the PPV the right amount of time and diligence and the build up for the card is littered with carelessness and superficial writing. I have approached this subject by writing columns comparing it to last year’s event, suggesting an alternative card, assessing the World Champions and their respective challengers and looking at what the future holds for the company post-Wrestlemania. What I’m trying to say is, I’m done. I’ve addressed this issue from every possible angle and I’m happy that I’ve challenged the WWE’s thinking to its fullest. With that in mind, the time has come to let go and move on to a different angle so in this column I will unleash the fan inside and write about the positives of Wrestlemania. The things the WWE has done right in the build up to the event and what I’m looking forward to on the card. I’m not used to smiling for long periods of time but I’ll try to keep the mask of optimism from slipping. Wish me luck.
Now even though I feel as though it peaked a few weeks early (ooh, that was almost a negative) the HHH/Batista feud has been keenly handled and nicely written. Not showing any of the signs of being rushed like Orton’s turn was (damn this is difficult) Batista’s slow-burn accession to the top face position on Raw was treated with subtlety and unfolded for the most part one step ahead of what the audience were thinking. Despite the crap that several writers have daubed on the Internet in some kind of dirty protest, HHH has done a spectacular job above and beyond the call of duty in putting Batista over and his current animalistic persona owes a lot to the fundamental change in character adopted by HHH during the build up. Batista’s in-ring performances have remained solid, if unspectacular, but the aspect in which he has excelled has been in portraying the Dr Jeckyll side of his personality (man I hope you kids still read books or that meant nothing to you). If Batista’s character was nothing but the ‘beast’ then he would be a standard, one-dimensional ‘monster’ but his coolness and serenity in backstage segments has added new layers and has improved his image greatly. Although it is up for debate how much of an influence Ric Flair’s presence should be during the Raw main event at Wrestlemania he has done a superb job of being the third point on the triangle and has shown as much passion and enthusiasm for this as he did for his title matches as an active wrestler. This match wont be a fluid, technical classic but the positives have been accented in the right way and I’d be amazed if it wasn’t booked correctly, especially with HHH as Batista’s opponent.
Does anyone else think that the Cena/JBL match might be the better of the two main events? HHH is obviously the more accomplished wrestler of the four but I’d say the momentum during the latter stages of the build up is with the Smackdown side and this could translate into a more rewarding final match at Wrestlemania. I find it hard to believe that Vince is going to allow a title match to be diluted with the sheer volume of interference that the cabinet brings so I expect a one-on-one bout to be guaranteed in some way and the crowd to respond accordingly. Cena’s efforts of late have been sleeker, less histrionic, and I hope he carries this over into his Wrestlemania match with a more serious, business-like performance in both promos and between the ropes. I’ve already commended JBL on his ‘road to Damascus’ style conversion into a main event player but this is the big test and will ultimately prove whether or not he established himself as a watchable heel and a successful champion.
All right then, I’ll say it. Ladder matches are cool. And the ‘Money in the bank’ six-man ladder match at Wrestlemania should be no exception. Some of the best wrestlers in the WWE (and Kane) will put their bodies on the line for our entertainment and, for those of you making predictions, the title shot incentive is quite the pointer for which performer you will choose to be victorious. Personally, I’ll be looking for progressions and innovative moves utilising the ladder in different ways and not always harking back to the spots by which ladders have been used previously in similar contests. I’m sure the match will have lots of choice moments for crowd incredulity and the ‘holy sh*t chant will more than likely make an appearance but creativity and preparation beats brutality in this type of match and they should have no problem with that considering the wrestlers involved.
Regarding the match involving Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero, mentioning those two names alone should be enough to awake the interest of any wrestling fan. Who needs angles or storylines? Just wind these two guys up and let them go at it for twenty minutes and you’ll have a sure-fire match of the night candidate if nothing else works. The connectivity between them should be the very definition of ‘clicking’ stemming from years of knowing eachother personally and working with eachother in the ring. I think it’s questionable whether Eddie will take the chance to cheat for the victory (should the opportunity arise) and I feel that this internal struggle may decide the outcome of the match and determine Eddie’s immediate future as a character.
Orton against Undertaker is a tough match to figure out. Individually, Orton is a superb athlete who despite a faltering start to his upper-card run is still a very marketable product and the Undertaker is that rare thing, a respected veteran with enough left in the ring to justify a good position on the card. The fact that there’s been so little build up in close proximity could have been to the detriment of the match but it has retained its freshness and will certainly have a crackling atmosphere once the bell rings. The 12-0 issue adds a nice side angle to the encounter (despite the run being made up mostly of such luminaries as Bundy, Gonzalez and Sid) and Taker’s entrance is always a marvel to behold regardless of his opponent.
Besides being a dream match, Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels’ encounter at Wrestlemania will more than likely be the best pure wrestling bout on the night, assuming the grudge element of the feud doesn’t overshadow the action. I’m not sure about the ‘best wrestlers of their generations’ idea, because I feel Bret Hart and Chris Benoit might have something to say about that, but you can’t deny that Michaels and Angle have shone at the highest possible level many times before so the predicted Wrestlemania classic is a fair expectation. It’ll be fascinating to see how their styles mesh together and how fluid and fast they can make the exchanges if they have ‘one of those nights’ where everything they try seems to work. It’s been a while since HBK has had to be the bouncing ball to a man only slightly bigger than him (I think the last one was the British Bulldog) but I expect to see Kurt throwing Shawn around with suplex variations and then taking it to the mat with wear down holds. Michaels will use ‘abuse and recovery’ as the motif for his match as the crowd always seems to respond to HBK’s calls for help and escaping the ankle lock will play a big part towards the end of the match, although I don’t anticipate a tap-out finish.
If anything, you’ve got to admire Christy’s balls (or was that Chyna?). She’s entering into a situation where she’s almost got nothing to gain and everything to lose. At best she’s going to hit her spots and not mess up completely but the worst doesn’t really bear thinking about, not on this big a stage. She’s lucky that she’s got Trish Stratus standing across the ring from her and we can only hope that the match has been booked so tightly that you couldn’t squeeze one of Sable’s pencil-thin arms in between the moves.
Now I’m struggling to be positive with this last one but I’ll say this; if it’s a genuine sumo match and not a work then I might just be interested enough to see who wins. But don’t quote me on that.
In the non-wrestling segments, The Piper’s Pit should be at least mildly entertaining and the procession of the Hall of Fame inductees will be a nice moment, if only to see if most of them can stand still and keep their mouths shut for roughly five minutes.
So okay, I let the optimism slide a little at the end but disliking something doesn’t have to mean that you are cold or indifferent towards it. It denotes passion and can be the best way of realising the things that are wrong and putting them right. In fact, why am I being positive again? I like being a sarcastic, complaining, insulting son of a bitch. Rest assured that normal service will resume after the PPV and I can promise nothing but put downs and cheap gags for all your favourite WWE stars. Miss me? Well I’m back.
Aren’t I the ‘drama whore’?
Before I finish, I just want to add a few things:
I’d like to wish all the wrestlers on the card the best of luck and hope that they stay safe.
The event is being broadcast here at Midnight (because of the time difference) so I suggest all UK fans staying up to watch it either get some sleep during the evening or overdose on coffee. And remember to be considerate, the rest of your family will probably be fast asleep so no cheering too loudly when Orton loses.
Cheers everyone. Enjoy the show and I’ll see you on the other side.
Helpful column note: I have invited fellow wrestling columnist Linda Robin (of ‘Linda’s Thoughts’) to discuss the highs and lows of Wrestlemania 21 in the week following the event and I will post our discussion as a column next weekend. It should make for interesting reading.
Lee
