Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 1:34 am
Also LittleKuriboh. I have the feeling Xavier Woods just said "Hey, we should do this specifically as a shout-out to these guys I love. I know they have tickets, they'll be in the audience." and nobody said "No".Leress wrote:Around 0:24 you can see a couple of the members of TeamFourStar with Lani holding a their logo.
So what did I like? (The answer isn't GrumpyCat going "NOTHING", it's just a long-ish breakdown)
-The women's match: first let's mention that they retired the fucking Diva's title with that fucking awful pink butterfly logo that looks like someone vajazzled it on. But beyond that? The match itself was great. Becky can suplex like Bork Laser, and there were some great spots. They made full use of the triple threat environment, and that was rad. It's a shame the ending was ruined by Ric Flair, but let's be honest here: Charlotte's character and the entire feud were ruined by Ric Flair. That's only going to stop when he finally dies, and he probably won't do that until after Hogan goes.
-Bork Laser vs Ambrose: again, the ending kind of ruined it, because people want Ambrose to actually win something and not just be the whipping boy. But the problem is, he was in the Shield and isn't called Roman Reigns, so he's not allowed to succeed unless he turns heel. But before it ended, it was full of great spots (pulling the chainsaw out - does "It's No DQ" protect you from murder charges now? - any number of suplexes, the breaking of the kendo stick, Heyman losing his shit when Ambrose found something effective and the referee pointing out "It's a street fight, anything goes")
-Nothing about the Styles vs Jericho match
-New Day vs League of Nations: Xavier Woods' hair. Their entrance. The cheap pop from nostalgia where three old men came out and levelled the LoN at the end. I'm okay with Wrestlemania being the stage for legends to make a brief return and do something goofy.
-Women's Tag Match: it had Paige in it
-Nothing about the Kalisto vs Ryback match
-Ladder Match: there were some good spots in it. I personally hate Zack Ryder, so his victory turned this from "I don't really care" to "Oh for fuck's sake, I thought we were supposed to care about this prestigious title once held by Jericho, Benoit, Chyna, Guerrero, HBK and more". Everything good in that match involved either Sami Zayn or Kevin Owens. Usually both.
-Hell in a Cell: this was poorly booked from the outset from a story perspective. The reasons for it were really dumb. But if you put that aside, it was a good match. There were lots of good spots (mostly involving offence from Shane O Mac). But honestly, I would be able to accept the retirement of the Undertaker if it meant Shane taking control of Monday Nights and the authority fucking right off. And seeing as one day the Undertaker is going to have to retire, it's for the best that they sweeten it with something like that. So Undertaker winning made sense from a "Who is better at fucking murdering people inside a steel cage?" perspective, but... it doesn't bode well for the future.
-Nothing after Hell in a Cell
-Bork Laser vs Ambrose: again, the ending kind of ruined it, because people want Ambrose to actually win something and not just be the whipping boy. But the problem is, he was in the Shield and isn't called Roman Reigns, so he's not allowed to succeed unless he turns heel. But before it ended, it was full of great spots (pulling the chainsaw out - does "It's No DQ" protect you from murder charges now? - any number of suplexes, the breaking of the kendo stick, Heyman losing his shit when Ambrose found something effective and the referee pointing out "It's a street fight, anything goes")
-Nothing about the Styles vs Jericho match
-New Day vs League of Nations: Xavier Woods' hair. Their entrance. The cheap pop from nostalgia where three old men came out and levelled the LoN at the end. I'm okay with Wrestlemania being the stage for legends to make a brief return and do something goofy.
-Women's Tag Match: it had Paige in it
-Nothing about the Kalisto vs Ryback match
-Ladder Match: there were some good spots in it. I personally hate Zack Ryder, so his victory turned this from "I don't really care" to "Oh for fuck's sake, I thought we were supposed to care about this prestigious title once held by Jericho, Benoit, Chyna, Guerrero, HBK and more". Everything good in that match involved either Sami Zayn or Kevin Owens. Usually both.
-Hell in a Cell: this was poorly booked from the outset from a story perspective. The reasons for it were really dumb. But if you put that aside, it was a good match. There were lots of good spots (mostly involving offence from Shane O Mac). But honestly, I would be able to accept the retirement of the Undertaker if it meant Shane taking control of Monday Nights and the authority fucking right off. And seeing as one day the Undertaker is going to have to retire, it's for the best that they sweeten it with something like that. So Undertaker winning made sense from a "Who is better at fucking murdering people inside a steel cage?" perspective, but... it doesn't bode well for the future.
-Nothing after Hell in a Cell
How I Would Have Booked It:
Ideally, Vince should have given up on the Reigns Project a long time ago. Ambrose should have won the Rumble to become champion, leading to him defending at Mania against... okay, there isn't much there. Almost everyone else is either injured, kind of shit, or just not fitting the title picture. Maybe have Bork Laser challenge at Mania, have the same brutal match, let them physically dismantle the ring because it's the main event, and have Ambrose come out on top. Maybe have multiple referees knocked out in the process and literally every announce table demolished. Bonus points for a German Suplex onto the German announce table.
Reigns could face a Jack-in-the-box for all I care. Or maybe have Triple H pull some "Hahaha, well you lost the big one, but don't worry, I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU! You can challenge for a title at Wrestlemania... THE US TITLE, TROLOLOL" and suddenly he's in the mid-card.
The Undertaker would be facing someone who, if I had my druthers, would have graduated from NXT after (or at) the Rumble: Finn Balor.
There wouldn't be a big Diva Scramble. There'd just be a one-on-one match to determine the number one contender for whomever should win the Women's Title later that night. It would naturally be Paige beating any opponent. For the Women's Championship, it would basically be exactly the same as what was booked, but with Ric Flair not showing up because he's busy getting drunk again.
New Day would not be "Well people cheer them, so I guess they're faces. Make them fight the League of Losers! Make them lose, too!" New Day would still be "heels, honest", facing off against Enzo and Cas. They would use some heelish tactics (against a team people cheer for, no less!), but still probably get their own love from the crowd.
The Styles/Jericho feud would have ended with their handshake, only for Kevin Owens to piss AJ off again. They teased a feud for those two at the Rumble, I'd like to see them face off. So that would be their Mania match, Styles vs Owens for the IC title. I don't really mind who would win that one. The ladder match just wouldn't happen, but I'd probably look for a good opponent for Sami Zayn in one on one.
As for Shane? I'd totally have him enter the way he did, and for Vince to put him in a match. But it'd be one that makes more sense for the story: "You will face my one true son, the real heir to my throne... TRIPLE H"
And then Shane would obviously[/b] beat HHH.
Koumei for Creative
Reigns could face a Jack-in-the-box for all I care. Or maybe have Triple H pull some "Hahaha, well you lost the big one, but don't worry, I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU! You can challenge for a title at Wrestlemania... THE US TITLE, TROLOLOL" and suddenly he's in the mid-card.
The Undertaker would be facing someone who, if I had my druthers, would have graduated from NXT after (or at) the Rumble: Finn Balor.
There wouldn't be a big Diva Scramble. There'd just be a one-on-one match to determine the number one contender for whomever should win the Women's Title later that night. It would naturally be Paige beating any opponent. For the Women's Championship, it would basically be exactly the same as what was booked, but with Ric Flair not showing up because he's busy getting drunk again.
New Day would not be "Well people cheer them, so I guess they're faces. Make them fight the League of Losers! Make them lose, too!" New Day would still be "heels, honest", facing off against Enzo and Cas. They would use some heelish tactics (against a team people cheer for, no less!), but still probably get their own love from the crowd.
The Styles/Jericho feud would have ended with their handshake, only for Kevin Owens to piss AJ off again. They teased a feud for those two at the Rumble, I'd like to see them face off. So that would be their Mania match, Styles vs Owens for the IC title. I don't really mind who would win that one. The ladder match just wouldn't happen, but I'd probably look for a good opponent for Sami Zayn in one on one.
As for Shane? I'd totally have him enter the way he did, and for Vince to put him in a match. But it'd be one that makes more sense for the story: "You will face my one true son, the real heir to my throne... TRIPLE H"
And then Shane would obviously[/b] beat HHH.
Koumei for Creative