Wrestling Rumblings #10
April 10, 2009
By: Jose Marrero of WrestleView.com
Wrestlemania has come and it has gone. The biggest show of the year is behind us and while others may want to debate what they thought was the best and worst match of the show or whether the show was worth your money I will fore go that. What I will say is just like last year it was an experience. An experience that if all goes well I would like to continue to have year in and year out. Upon traveling back from Texas this year though I couldn?t help but think about how Wrestlemania is supposed to be the climax of everything and is supposed to be the answers to the big questions and well I honestly felt the opposite waiting to have questions answered. So if you will indulge me I would like to give you the 10 questions I got caught asking myself after this weekend and hopefully some guesses as to what the answers may be?you?re reading ?Wrestling Rumblings?.
1. Who will be the next in line to fall to the Undertakers undefeated streak?
I am not going to mince words with you in my opinion Undertaker vs. Shawn Micheals was easily one of the top 3 Wrestlemania matches ever and I have to give WWE credit as the last few years they have really given the Undertaker foes that pose a threat and somehow manage to convince fans that his streak will end every year. That’s really not something that’s all that easy to do but somehow they do it. I believe that Undertaker is shooting for the big 20-0 record and he obviously has at least 3 more years to get there and as you can see he is starting to run out of those opponents. Earlier this year I advocated for Undertaker vs. Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania it is a match that has never been done which is amazing when you consider that Jericho has been affiliated with WWE for 10 years. Wrestlemania is supposed to be about the fresh and most exciting matches and I for one would like to see a Chris Jericho vs. Undertaker match at Wrestlemania.
2. What is next for the Colons and Miz and Morrisson?
I have to say one of the things that made this Wrestlemania exciting for me as a fan was the fact that I had a hard time getting anything right. It’s that kind of unpredictability that keeps fans like me coming back. One of the matches though that I did get right on the money was Carlito and Primo becoming unified tag team champions. The reason I made that pick is because the remaining members of Legacy need something to do independent of Orton and I think the tag team titles are a good place for them to start and while I don?t agree with how they are already approaching it this week I am glad to see they are wasting no time. As for the fates of MizMo while many are clamoring for a feud between the ?Dirt Sheet Duo? I wouldn?t be too surprised if it got held off or if they just split them up in the draft. After all how entertaining do you supposed a John Morrisson vs. The Miz match would be? Never mind the fact that you would have to turn one of them into a babyface and neither it would seem has a good babyface persona. Personally I would make them tweeners and see how it goes and if it didn?t take off strongly enough than maybe I would split them up.
3. Who is going to be the next ROH world champion?
WWE and their fans are not the only ones who have questions that will await answers after this Wrestlemania weekend. ROH fans saw the crowning of a new world champion this weekend as Nigel McGuinness dropped the title to the seemingly ageless Jerry Lynn. This wasn?t exactly a terrible move as ROH is now on T.V and a name like Jerry Lynn could get them some recognition but the reality of this is Jerry Lynn was not exactly a spectacular drawing card on his own for ECW and I don?t expect much here either. ROH would have much better luck using Lynn’s title reign to help elevate someone younger and with more potential. Another thought that has occurred to me is that ROH’s champions typically are heels or babyfaces with edges to their characters that wind up becoming heels through the fans. While it is conceivable that Lynn can turn heel somehow I just don?t think it works for him and if I had to put money in a pool to name the next ROH champion I would be on 3 names: Chris Hero, Bryan Danielson, and Brent Albright with Roderick Strong as a dark horse candidate.
4. What now happens with The Big Show?
Is it me or does it feel like the whole Vickie/Edge/Big Show triangle angle got dropped almost overnight? As much as people like to criticize The Big Show I have to say he is one of the most unique big men ever in that no matter how much they try to get people to hate him he has a charisma that people seem to eventually cheer for him again. I mean is there anyone in this company who has flip flopped more than The Big Show in his 10 years with WWE? With all that being said you would think he is a easy guy to book but he really isn?t because well you would figure a 7 foot 2 500 pound monster would have to be a main eventer and WWE does not always do the best job of keeping his aura intact and keeping him near the main event. So with John Cena, Undertaker and possibly Edge burned up as potential opponents what do you now do with him? I think at some point The Big Show needs a move and maybe a feud with Randy Orton and the Legacy. It wouldn?t perhaps be the most crowd pleasing match but it is a fresh match and for a big guy The Big Show sells extremely well as I always enjoyed the NWO beatdowns he took and I think he could take those same beatdowns with the Legacy and give them more of an edge.
5. What is next for Santino Marella?
You know as a columnist we are often taught to stay away from predictions. After all those in creative don?t even have the slightest idea of whets going to happen half the time so why should we? Make enough outlandish predictions and you lose credibility though really fast. The trick has always been to make people consider your ideas and make them think. That has always been the good mark of a good columnist not someone who forces his opinions on you and when he is wrong defends it by simply saying ?That is my opinion? because well you can read anyone’s opinion. Many of you have very strong ones yourselves. So take everything I am saying in this piece as ideas and thoughts. If you are going to take one idea very strongly and run with it though it is this next sentence I am going to give to you. Santina Marella ?Women’s Champion. I couldn?t tell you how, what brand or when but it is something that I think is just the next logical step in this Santina angle and one that while many fans would hate the idea of putting a women’s title on a man you would have to admit it’s going to be very entertaining. One idea that I had that I think would just bring attention to more than one show was sort of touched on by Jerry Lawler in a joking fashion this week and that’s that what if Santino/Santina were broken up during the draft? I think if WWE really wants to get mileage out of Santino he should be on more than one show much in the same way that John Morrission and the Miz have been on all shows. I would definitely draft Santino to ECW so he can improve as a worker and help that brand out with his comedy and would keep Santina on Raw or Smackdown until the whole angle can play itself out at least. The more and more I think about it the more and more potential it has for future Santino angles.
6. Who should be the first challenger for Rey Misterio for the Intercontinental Title?
It’s funny but sometimes as a wrestling fan you get really discouraged for certain things and you tend to just stop believing. It’s a very natural occurrence amongst fans when it comes to titles especially. How many fans bring up the glory days of tag team wrestling and how we will never get that back? How many fans talk about the lackluster feel of the X Division in TNA and reminisce on how it was once the most exciting division in wrestling and now it feels it won?t ever get its luster back. Of course you always have the masses out in force when they talk about the Intercontinental title and how meaningless it has become over the years. Me? I am an optimist I like to think that there are certain things that are not beyond saving and the Intercontinental title has always been one of them to me. I feel anytime they really want to WWE can make there midcard strong and important as they definitely have the talent to do so. Just look at the last 3 men who held the Intercontinental title before Misterio (JBL, CM Punk and William Regal) all these men could have been great champions if it was not for hotshot booking that led them to short title reigns. So if I was WWE I would put a lot of stock into Rey Misterio’s title reign after all he is a draw with the kids and the underdog champion bit never really gets old. The best way to do that is by giving him a very good first challenger and for me that first challenger would be Shelton Benjamin. Of course Shelton would have to be drafted to Raw and all of that but who cares I think him and Misterio if given enough time could have spectacular matches where they wouldn?t even have to cut a promo or shoot an angle for it. This match no matter which way you decided it would go could potentially (if creative was interested) give the Intercontinental title the boom that it needs.
7. With many stars catching on in years who will carry the WWE Banner for Wrestlemania 30?
This is somewhat a question that many are asking TNA right now as the main eventers in that company don?t have much left in the tank but it’s also a question that many could ask of WWE. After all the best match on Wrestlmania 25 was Shawn Micheals vs. The Undertaker and with both men in their mid 40’s it’s a safe bet to say they won?t be competing in 5 years. While HHH may still be around he is already losing a step and who knows how many steps he will have lost by Wrestlemania 30. Batista surely won?t be around and I would be very surprised to see Rey Misterio and maybe even Chris Jericho still around and Edge as much as we enjoy him will be 40 and also slowing down. WWE needs to figure out a way to get there guys on that equal playing field now. Sure you have Randy Orton who is still in his prime and might be really peaking then and you have John Cena as polarizing a figure as he is he still generates interest and will still be around but who else? Cody Rhodes has not really impressed me much but will he in 5 years? Ted Dibiase Jr. definitely has the look but can we teach him the poise and skills necessary to help carry a company? CM Punks title reign left many question marks on him can he become that main event star that those on the internet would like him to be? What about guys like DH Smith, Joe Hennig, Jack Swagger and others? You see my point? Wrestlemania 20 John Cena, Randy Orton and Edge were put in place to be headliners five years down the line (OK so Edge wasn?t on the card and was injured but when he came back he definitely got rolling and well speaking of rolling leave me alone as I am on one here) Who did WWE put in position to carry that ball 5 years from now? The only guys I can think of offhand are Jeff Hardy (even though he lost his match) and CM Punk and that is not going to be enough. WWE the time is now.
8. Will Shawn Micheals have a retirement match next year at Wrestlemania and who will his opponent be?
There have been many rumblings in recent months about Shawn already handing in his final date to the company. Some have even speculated if he will still be with the company come next year’s Wrestlemania. I think he will be and I wouldn?t necessarily be too surprised if he was here the year after either. It would be pretty safe to assume that when Shawn finally does hang it up he is going to get a lot of fanfare and the prospect of his last match is going to generate a lot of buzz. Shawn for some reason has always struck me as the kind of guy who when he leaves wants to sort of give back to the business and if you asked me right now who his final opponent would be I would say given that criteria it would be CM Punk. Why? Well its really simple; it’s another fresh match that some might even call a dream matchup and retiring Shawn Micheals would be a feather in anyone’s cap much less a bright star like CM Punk. Of course there is also the argument that Shawn would succumb and just want to have the best match he felt he possibly could and if that’s the case that opponent would be HHH. I have to admit though I really don?t see that happening as I see Shawn having a match with HHH as not rising up to the challenge of trying to have one more show stealer with a young star and we all know Shawn Micheals is definitely someone who loves challenges if nothing else.
9. Who will headline the Hall of Fame class next year?
One thing that I think everyone will have to admit especially after this year’s WWE Hall of Fame is that WWE is running out of headline acts for the Hall of Fame and while there are still many guys they can put in that would generate buzz there are few that they can put in that would be able to headline the event. I want to stress again that this is an idea piece and not a prediction piece because this idea is going to get people talking and that is for WWE to induct Sting next year into the WWE Hall of Fame. If you think about it well it makes perfect sense and it is a very plausible idea for next year. Sting’s TNA contract expires in January and more than likely this is it for him. He has always had a cordial relationship with Vince McMahon and I couldn?t think of a better way to do the Hall of Fame and at the same time stick it to TNA than to induct Sting. This may seem very farfetched but with Macho Man, Ultimate Warrior, and Bruno Sammartino not on the best of terms with WWE and other acts such as Ted Dibiase, Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham not marketable enough to headline it almost makes perfect sense. The only other candidate I can think of is a dark horse candidate and that’s Owen Hart which I am not 100% sure can actually happen since there is a ton of legal mess and heat with his widow that might make it impossible to do so. So WWE give the guy a legends deal, do the DVD, make the action figure and don?t forget the T Shirt but you have to get Sting in next year.
10. What is going to happen with Batista?
I?m sure no one exactly asked themselves that but me but it was something that I sort of thought about when writing this column. Batista has made no secret that he is almost done with wrestling and I can pretty much state this as a fact that the original plan for Wrestlemania 25 was Batista vs. John Cena. A few of my other sources also told me from Wrestlemania 24 that the original plan for the Legacy was to have Batista as a member with a heel turn probably coming on the heels of Wrestlemania 25. I would not be too surprised to see if that still holds true. While we would all expect Big Dave at some point to mix it up with Randy Orton for the WWE title few of us expect him to win it. Part of the initial plan for Batista’s turn was to have him become frustrated with his unsuccessful attempts to regain the title there is no reason you still cannot do that here and have him at some point turn heel and maybe even join the Legacy. I think there is strong possibility there as he has potential matches with Rey Misterio, John Cena and HHH that could do big business for WWE next year if they cash in on it.
So there you have it the 10 questions I had after Wrestlemania weekend. I look forward to seeing them all get answered as we are now officially on the road to Wrestlemania 26 in Phoenix. Of course one question you don?t need answered and that’s that yours truly will still be here and will still want to hear from you so go ahead and send those emails to wrestlingrumblings@hotmail.com and hey the myspace page continues to blow up so go ahead and hit me up there at http://www.myspace.com/wrestlingrumbling and check out the older columns and see some pics and just say ?Hi?. Next week of course I will try to do better and until then I am out.