The Road to Wrestlemania

We're on the road to Wrestlemania with Nakamura the Rumble winner who wasn't even on tv last week. AJ the current champion, much the same story.

Coming up next who will win the chance to face Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania in the Elimination Chamber?

The entrants are: Elias. John Cena. Braun Strowman. Finn Balor. Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns. The Miz.

There will be the first ever women's Elimination Chamber with the title on the line.

Mandy Rose. Sonya Deville. Sasha Banks. Bayley. Millie James. (c) Alexa Bliss.

Ronda Rousey signs her contract at EC. Who's thunder will she steal and will this make it clearer who her opponent will be? So far she's only interacted with Asuka snd Stephanie.

Is the focus too much on Raw just because they have the next ppv?

So what exactly was the point of the gauntlet match on raw last night? We already know Miz is first man in, and Elias is the last - why bother having it, if there was no advantages to winning? All it's done is show Seth has unbelievable stamina, and builds him hugely (there are rumours he'll be Ronda's tag partner at Mania vs Steph and Trips), and not much else.

Still not clear what a lot of guys will be doing at Mania, Braun and Finn are too big to get shoved into the Andre battle royal. Going by last night, Seth's going to be doing something of importance, what about Bray and Broken Matt? And most of the SD side is up in the air too.

Braun vs Miz for the IC title apparently.

What was the point? For HISTORY.

IT WAS HISTORICALLY HISTORIC. And they historically book big matches even if it jeapordises the upcoming PPV because they get a chance to gain momentum or something lol

I liked how they did the "look Roman doesn’t always win" booking lol. Even though we all know he probably took the first pin to give everyone else a chance before his huge Sunday performance. Unless he and Seth get put in the tag title match at WM

Won't it be a good thing to have Lesnar face someone that can give and take a good beating though. If people do get annoyed at Roman winning then they are going to miss the point of what that match should be about. Absolute destruction and improbable survival to conquer him. There's a few guys that could take the spot, but would it really be as good overall?


Rollins has been given an excuse to lose on Sunday without totally ruining him. Fatigue, wear and tear. I imagine Miz, Balor and Rollins will start. Balor lost a qualifying match and Rollins only got in with a double pin so surely they deserve the disadvantage along with Miz who lost a first entrant match.

That roll through FU from Rollins was great by the wsy. I was thinking it was a perfect way to end it but these damn Indy shows are always overdoing the finishes lol... They definitely let Seth get back to being Monday night Rollins to match his new shirt.


That Ronda rumour was that she requested if it's the tag match vs HHH and Steph she wants Angle, Shane or Rollins. All would make sense and have a backstory so she probably ddidn't actually ask for them, they will have been the 3 ideas written in the absence of The Rock.


Seen Braun vs Miz and Balor vs Miz mentioned. Balor seemed to focus on the Miz in his raw post match promo. And Braun kind of got in a really good soundbite for if he faced Lesnar. The one on one vs Reigns is the best story to tell, but WWE have a pleasant problem lots of full timers that deserve big spots on the card, not just because they've worked hard, but because they are over as fuck right now. It will be interesting to see if they stick with the plan or bottle it and try to please noisy fans

So if you could pick your Mania card that you want to happen and not what you think will happen, what do you go for...?

Hmm... warning the following contains typed thinking out loud lol

Roman vs Brock - the story is there. One on one's should mean more. RAW

AJ vs Nakamura SD bit meh atm, but it's still the dream match.

I'd have Asuka say "I challenge BOTH" So Asuka vs Flair vs Banks. Asuka wins. But have Carmella cash in and take the SD title. Getting the undefeated streak out of the way in a way that leads to Asuka going crazy and holding on to the Raw title until Rousey gets good.

Roode vs Orton (vs  Rusev. Add Rusev in to any title match to be fair) (Ziggler, Gable, Benjamin etc if I fancied a ladder match) US

Miz vs Balor IC

Young Bucks vs Revival vs Uso's lol

Matt vs Jeff Asylum Match. Or Bray but that's pretending they've not booked him in to me not giving a shit about him lol.

Braun vs Kane buried alive. They teased it enough but never did it. But the tease of it makes me want to see it. A good ending for Kane and a decent moment for Braun.

Undertaker vs Sting. If you're giving the spot to two established part timers, that's the dream match. Not Cena.

Cena vs Joe

Bliss vs Nia

Owens vs Zayn. Or have them vs Uso's. I want there to be an important tag match, but the divisions are fluctuating. Oh the New Day. Jesus. Of course! New Day vs Uso's last time before they get split to different brands.



Right to tidy it up.

Brock vs Roman Universal title
Sasha vs Charlotte vs Asuka all women's titles
AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura WWE title
Undertaker vs Sting
Rousey doing something armbar related
Braun vs Kane Buried Alive
Cena vs Joe
Matt vs Jeff Asylum
New Day vs Uso's tag titles
Miz vs Balor IC
Bliss vs Nia
Roode vs Orton etc US title
Owens vs Zayn
Pete Dunne vs Cedric Alexander CW

10 hour supershow Hosted by Drew Gulak

What does anyone else want to see? Slightly more brutal talent cuts probably lol.

I keep mulling it over and coming back to...

Lesnar vs Reigns - Universal title. Their last match was really good at Mania 31, and I'd love Brock to retain.

AJ vs Nakamura - WWE title. No storyline, just to see who's the best.

Cena vs Braun. Have Braun just kill him.

Tag titles: Usos vs New Day (SD)

Ronda vs Steph

Trips & Shane vs Kurt & Bryan (some kind of GM stip)

Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor

KO vs Zayn

IC title 4 way: Miz vs Joe vs Cesaro vs Sheamus

US title 4 way: Roode vs Orton vs Rusev vs Ziggler, I guess

CW: Cedric vs Pete Dunne

Asuka vs Charlotte

No Undertaker at all. Or Goldberg.

Cena vs Braun would tidy my card up a bit too. Cena's last big monster match up would be cool. I suppose if they do book him vs Taker i'll look at it that way. He worked all the big nasty monsters but never faced the deadman. But it's really not the match for me.

Word on the street is that Brock is set to feud with someone you don't approve of after WM. So you probably don't want that to be for the title Personally I want to see Reigns win and go back to his post mania 33 style 15 minute one line promo. But this time have a better done bullet club or Shock the System interrupt to start the season off big. I can also imagine Cena interrupting and Reigns simply saying "No John" after Cena losing to whoever at WM.

That's a good point about undertaker. He doesn't have to be there. And I'd rather not see another match where he retires again. Surprised they don't use him in non wrestling roles though, his character has always had power over people, even if he was himself controlled by an urn

How about an appearance from Batista? Even though at the time I didn't like him, I think I miss his promos haha

Elimination Chamber

I really enjoyed the women’s elimination chamber. Can’t pinpoint why, but I thought it went even better than they could have hoped. With the newer less injury heavy chamber you have to use the chains to keep it gritty, and they did that.
Everyone was made to look important in the lead in video too. Sonya Deville was bumping like crazy. Everyone’s facial expressions were good. Bliss climbing away was great and her overall performance was maybe her best? Sasha booting Bayley in the head happened (Pull the trigger ON IT and they will give you gold). I’d have accepted either of the final 2 winning, but Bliss has probably earned it. Her post match was fantastic, showing her babyface ability, before going back to what got her to the very top. Maybe i can explain why I liked it. Ha.

Tag match

I kind of totally ignored this. I missed the finish too but wasn’t interested enough to rewind. Might have been good. But I’ll never know. A shame for Sheamy and Cesaro to be in that position for me, because I enjoy their work.

Women

There was more important feeling videos for the women. And Nia crushing an Asuka mask. Their match was a good enough David vs goliath. Feel like i’ve seen it before with Nia and Sasha and Bayley in NXT. Always a guillotine choke spot... Finish was good for both. Asuka wins regardless that’s who she is. Nia didn’t get knocked out or end up tapping, which is who she is at the moment.


Hardy vs Wyatt

So erm, was anyone really deleted? Pinned but hardly monumental life altering circumstances for either character. Bray just looked a bit embarrassed at best. The crowd though. Jesus. No one cares about you. Reign it in let them try and tell a story even if the ending and the sense that these matches are just normal matches is poopy booking all round. His dad is an agent for crying out loud, have a word. The start was good though when Matt vanished into the PA system. And they did all they could within the restraints of working to a standard ending, and the crowd not giving a shit because no one was doing high spots.

Rousey

I thought the Rousey segment started a little bit awkwardly. But Kurt being a cheeky cunt getting his revenge for being bossed around and Ronda putting HHH through a table is always going to be satisfying. Steph still throwing those big bitch slaps. They had Rousey as a character stay cool and calm, signing the contract instead of just beating the piss out of her. Build intrigue and make her seem cerebral, check. Piss off the beachballers, check.

Mens EC

Pretty standard but maybe because I preferred the chemistry that Dean, AJ, Cena had last year to this years bunch, but it did what it had to. The women got more out of the structure I’d say. Think we saw every possible situation one on one on Raw, and the multi man spots were nothing we've not seen before. Shield bomb with friends, double suplex, double superplex... Braun got on the pod so damn fast though. The days of lumbering big men is over. It just needed either more clever sequences or more face smushing. There was a moment when 2 guys were down and one was recovering waiting for the next to come out of the pod that I thought, why doesn’t the fresh guy just come out, pick up a prone guy and hit a big move for the pin while the other puts a submission on another other guy. Why square off? But that’s being picky as hell.

And thank god Roman won. WWE follows through a logical booking decision. Can’t wait for the boo boy beachballer’s reactions on Raw. Pipe down, you’re getting a huge, brutal match with a 4 year storyline pay off. It would be a disrespect to Undertaker to book something else. I’d say Lesnar has been pretty dominant since defeating Undertaker. And now the man that retired Taker gets to step up and settle who really runs the yard in his absence (please don’t book Cena Vs Undertaker on the same card and tell the story properly)

I'd agree with most of that, to be honest.

Men's EC - I enjoyed the woman's more, but purely because the winner wasn't so obvious. With the men, there were so cool moments, Balor and Seth looked good, Strowman looked awesome, but you just knew Roman would win. That predictability - whilst on the one hand is good that there wasn't a shock just for the sheer hell of it, did make it a slightly less enjoyable match.

Women's EC - I really enjoyed it. The final three were good, and I think we'll get Sasha vs Bayley on the Mania pre-show. My only concern is with Bliss vs Asuka - if Nia Jax couldn't get the job done vs Asuka, Bliss should have no chance.

Jax vs Asuka - possibly my favourite match of the night. Jax looked a beast, even in defeat, Asuka looked great in victory. One of those rare matches were both looked better at the end.

Hardy vs Wyatt - utterly, utterly, meh. I love Bray, I really do. I just think WWE have no idea how to book the guy. My high point of this was Graves trying to explain that the silence in the crowd was the audience's way of supporting Matt - no, Corey. It really wasn't. Both guys need to do something new, and fast.

Tag match - tricky one. Sheamus and Cesaro didn't seem to give a crap, Apollo and Titus did nothing to impress. You missed nothing by skipping the end!

Overall, it was a bit of a nothing show. I probably won't remember anything about it in a few weeks time, other than Roman and Bliss won.

Tonight on SD Cena is challenging Nakamura at Fastlane for his title shot at Wrestlemania.

Good way to give the SD rating a boost. They really need to make Shinsuke look amazing to WWE fans before WM, but part of me would like to see how the internet woukd react to Nakamura "losing his spot"

Yeah the women's singles match was good, I think I was just picking because I've seen it a few times over in NXT where they had no problem making Nia strong in losing to Banks, Bayley, Asuka etc. In WWE it is a bit more rare they do that right lol.

And yeah it is hard to care about the EC as much when they are trying to make you believe anyone can win, but saying things like Strowman is putting in the best performance ever every two minutes it just reminds you that we know who is winning, and even with that being a positive long term, it hinders the match.

Rumours online that the guy who reckoned he sold steroids to Reigns has proof of it that he's willing to release. If that's true, Strowman is the back up plan to be added to the main event.

If it's rubbish, it's looking like Strowman vs Elias, and Miz vs Rollins vs Balor for the IC title.

If you had the evidence would you not wait until he is champion to release it? That would have to be a worry.

Roman's "shoot" promo on Raw. I'm calling it now, this is stage one of Vince and Dana White working together to get a bigger collective hype. And I think Vince probably came up with Brock and Dana meeting in Vegas so they could play on Brock mysteriously not showing up, when he was never really scheduled to. Possibly only known to Vince, HHH and Steph, not the writers or talent. I say this becayse even though I haven't read the reports, I've seen a few titles mentioning the "original plans" for Brock at Raw. It stinks of a work. Tell people that Brock is coming when he never really was to make sure Roman is the babyface wrestling guy, and Brock is the scary but lazy MMA bad guy.

Or wait until a few days before he headlines the biggest WWE show of the year...? Interest in WWE is at a yearly high, I don't think it matters if Reigns is champ or not in this story.

Rumours going round this morning it'll be Cena vs Rey at Mania. I'd prefer that to Cena vs Undertaker.

Didn't Brock no-show a few years back, when his contract was last up and went to a UFC show? Some kind of power-play to Vince to pay him what he's worth. Could be the same thing again - I can see Brock leaving after Mania, having a UFC fight in the summer, then coming back for Summerslam or Mania next year.

PW Insider Mike Johnson has said Brock wasn't even in Vegas and that UFC's current owners are on great terms with Vince and WWE at the moment. A company that owns UFC is one that represents wwe in big money tv negotiations etc. Maybe my theory has a bit of legitimacy. Using UFC as a storyline threat and align them with their top guy in such a way to make him the heel vs their favoured top guy.

And John Cena had a win and you're in match with AJ on SD for the chance to be added to fastlane.

And that match was fantastic. Check it out if you haven't yet. Apart from seeing Cena call one spot on camera, a classic great sequence call by Cena, it was pretty tight too. Forgot how great their chemistry is. The let's go Cena. AJ Styles chants were now 70/30 to Styles, I'd say too. He's won round the classic Cena fan to such a point where in the story of that match they want AJ to win,go on to defend at FastLane and they are maybe buying that Cena is now a desperate man trying to manufacture chances at other people's expense. The count out spot was really well done too. AJ stopped the ref counting Cena out, but Cena was happy to take the count out win. It feels like a solid slow burn turn for Cena

Ok we are on the orad to wrestlenia but im not excited for it one bit at the moment. AJ Vs Nakamura is going to steal the show and I think Cena Vs Taker WWE has waited far to long to do on the big stage but could still be good depending on the health of Taker.

I think the one thing that's killing it all for me is the fact Reigns is going over at mania well that is all if this jon bravo documentary bout reigns being linked to the steroid drug ring could cause him to be suspened for 60 days meaning Braun will take reigns place which I would prefer in all honesty.

The planned match of IC could be good if happens Miz Vs Rollins Vs Balor Vs Elias, Now Elias is my fav susperstar at the moment but in such a star studded match I cant see Elias leaving with the title.

I don't know if this is a controversial view, but If WWE don't book Reigns to go over it would be a huge stinking turd on the legacy of the Undertaker. The 4 year story of Taker losing to Brock, Brock going on to dominate, Roman retiring Undertaker, taking over his yard and going on to defeat the man who broke the streak. The whole Brock, Roman feud will have to include lots of undertaker. And having Roman as this bad ass champion who can take on all of WWE's newer main renters is the best way to build the division up together. Plus AJ vs Roman... That's WWE's big money match of the future.

Unless he is guilty, then he is a complete twat and he should do one. Not for doing steroids, but for coming out and denying it so strongly. If he is guilty he should show up at Vince's door and work out a plan how to make WWE not get badly crippled when it comes out. If he's guilty after the denials, he's just not a team player, and bringing it back to Callaway, that's the role he was expected to take from him, locker room leader, along with the figurehead of WWE.

But veering dangerously into the defence of Reigns, what other option does he have? A guy getting arrested for dealing 'roids make an unfounded accusation, Reigns would be an absolute idiot to say turn around and admit it on the spot. All he can do is deny it, as he did, and hope there's no evidence if he has been a pillock.

Anyway, a couple of new Mania matches confirmed:

IC title is a triple threat with Miz taking on Rollins and Balor. It's looking like Elias vs Strowman might also be added, or depending on the Reigns vs Drugs situation, Elias into the IC title match and Strowman to the main event.

Angle & Rousey vs Steph and Trips has also been confirmed.

I'm guessing more will happen on the SD side after Fast Lane.

Admit it to Vince so the lawyers deal with it behind closed doors, instead of doing his water off a ducks back "nah it ain't me I haven't even heard of him" thing. Which is why I'm thinking (hoping) it's bullshit, because he'd have to be stupid to have said that if he is guilty, because it makes everyone look worse and wwe look inept. But then again he does have that stupid arrogant vibe... lol

I like Rousey, always thought she'd be great in wwe. There's been a few cringe bits in the build, but I'm looking forward to seeing more. I think the story might be to get HHH to tap at WM if they allow cross over contact in the rules. Steph would tap in a millisecond in reality and in kayfabe o it has to be HHH, right?

Her facial expressions are miles better than cheesy Cena already. And Vince has always said (correctly) the money is in the face. I said a while back Strowman could be this generations Austin. But it might be Ronda.

I think with Rousey, there's an absolute ton of potential with her. If they can resist the urge to put her and Asuka together on Raw from the night after Mania, there's a huge match for Mania 35 right there. I think it'll be Steph tapping very quickly to her at Mania, after Trips and Kurt work most of the match.

I've been thinking what they can do on the SD side of things - if we assume AJ faces Naka, Cena vs Taker (did anyone spot Cena's awesome little gesture at the Mania sign this week? Rather than point, he did the Taker hand to the sky he does at the end of matches), I think they'll end up going for a big US title match, with Roode, Orton, Ziggler, Jinder, and Corbin (pre-show?), the Usos vs New Day for the tag titles (has to be done given how amazing they are together, and has to be on the main show), and KO vs Sami, with Shane and Bryan somehow involved.

i agree with the SD matches but perhaps chuck Rusev into the US match as for tag match I think the bludgeon brothers will be involved. Ive also read online the planned main event for next years mania like I did last year with reigns vs lesnar and the planned main event for next year is Ronda Vs Asuka.

I was thinking pre show would be Sasha vs Bayley. Cruiserweight title. Raw tag team championship. Unless something good happens with that.

Rusev has to be added to something and if that's the US then that's a good show opening match, especially if he won that would perk people up. Unless they keep him quiet and he wins mitb this year instead. But as you put it in your post it sounds very pre show at the moment. Imagine if the guy you had as champion for what 6 months? Is on the pre show taking the pin.

The little break in the New Day Uso feud has worked out nicely. Two more big matches to end the season strong for the tag teams. A unification ladder match at WM could save Sheamus and Cesaro and be EPIC. But that's wishful thinking.

Asuka vs Rousey is money.

I still don't want Cena vs Undertaker. I think I'd prefer Cena to win a 17th title than that. And that's after AJ's 'more shoot than Reigns' promo on SD. Where it felt like he was still trying to convince management that him vs Nakamura is actually a big deal. It was kind of strange how legit his emotion came off. Almost like it isn't a sure thing

I'm sure AJ winning isn't a given at the moment. I think there's a genuine fear Reigns vs Lesnar is going to get the Mania 20 Lesnar vs Goldberg treatment, and closing the show in a massive stadium like that isn't going to be good. That's part of the reason I think SD closes the show, and having Cena break Flair's record would be the way to do it.

For my money, pre-show is Sasha vs Bayley, CW 205 title, and if it goes ahead, the Andre Battle Royal (although I'm not sure who's left to go in it!). The US title on the pre-show would be a shocker, not only if Jinder's in it as a recent world champ, but Randy Orton too. Saying that, though, Ambrose was on the pre-show last time round...

And not forgetting Hardy vs Wyatt and ultimate deletion
, of course...

Oh shit yeah. They had the dilapidated boat on Raw haha. I don't see that transferring into a stadium match though. This might all get done on Raw. Seeing the production and style of the Hardy Vignette I'd guess they've let Borash in on the Hardy content since signing. The more they do off site, the less Vince can change as it will just be an agent on site with them too.

Yeah. AJ did look like he was fighting a losing battle in his promo. As long as what we get is good I don't mind the exact make up of it. SD is a bit weird as nothing has really been fully built yet. Apart from the tag match which is using the old rivalry as a start point. I liked the AJ and Ziggler interaction. Because you know Vince is just poking Ziggler to get more out of him again. Same as when they told him he wouldn't be champion. That's motivational stuff they always use. But he really looks like he believed they meant it lol. 10 years and you've not reached your full potential is both true and clearly a line from Vince not AJ.