DTTS' Official Ask A Poster: Lock Jaw *Wrestlemania Edition*

[Swiss Ultimate]

L.J. we've always seemed to be pretty cool with one another, so this is merely me giving you some love and asking some questions.

1. What direction (in terms of style and pushing of wrestlers) do you see the WWE going after Wrestlemania?

2. Which match will be the Match of the Night?

3. What are your thoughts on how Wrestlemania is being promoted this year versus the last three years?

4. Should Undertaker keep his streak intact?

5. If you could have one TNA match on the card what would it be?

[Lock Jaw]

1. What direction (in terms of style and pushing of wrestlers) do you see the WWE going after Wrestlemania?

I see Johnny Ace's team winning at Wrestlemania. I see CM Punk losing his title at Mania. I see Punk's rivalry with Johnny being renewed, with Johnny not wanting to give Punk a rematch at Extreme Rules in Chicago. Punk earns the shot anyways, and recaptures the title.

I see some sort of payoff coming for The Miz, and a renewed push. Possibly even getting involved in Rock/Cena somehow. Then he will feud with Cena again, and this time actually win the feud after Lord Tensai makes his presence known. Miz will go to feud with Punk, and Tensai will fight Cena.

Meanwhile, on Smackdown, Christian will receive his one more match against Sheamus (who wins at Mania). Christian will win and hold the title forever. Also, Randy Orton will RKO some dudes.

2. Which match will be the Match of the Night?

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho. Or the Twelve man tag if they announce that it is an elimination match.

3. What are your thoughts on how Wrestlemania is being promoted this year versus the last three years?

I don't like that this year the two title matches are not treated like main events. CM Punk/Jericho is awesome, and have been having good segments... but Punk and the title have consistently been presented as not the most important thing on RAW.

Sheamus/Bryan is just a random match with pretty much no heat, that may just open the card again. Hated how last year the WHC opened the card... and the match seems even less important and has even less heat than Edge/Del Rio.

I don't mind Taker's match being promoted so heavily, nor Rock/Cena... because they should be. It is just that, they need to also be hyping their title matches better.

4. Should Undertaker keep his streak intact?

Yes. The time has passed for them to end it if they were to ever end it.

5. If you could have one TNA match on the card what would it be?

If I am allowed...

Six Man Tag Match
Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, & Bully Ray vs. Sting, James Storm, & AJ Styles

I'd use Kurt Angle, but I feel like I'd want to showcase dudes who we have never seen in the WWE. With the exception of Bully Ray, who is a totally different man.

Wanted to Sting in there, obviously. AJ Styles because he is the "TNA Mainstay", so he's gotta be there.

Unless I have to pick only a singles match.

Singles match...

I'd go with...

Bobby Roode vs. James Storm probably.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Good answers. :D

For the TNA question, I think I'd have Samoa Joe in there...although I don't know what kind of shape he's in lately.

[Lock Jaw]

Considered putting Joe in, but gave the spot to AJ Styles instead.

From my month of watching TNA, Joe seems to be even pudgier than he was... but he didn't look like he lost a step. Still pretty quick and a fun brawler to watch.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Miss Joe's push. Remember being really into it.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Fuck yall for not making this thread a hit.

[Swiss Ultimate]

I agree 2012 DTTS.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Cool thread idea, actually.

[Lock Jaw]

I see Johnny Ace's team winning at Wrestlemania. I see CM Punk losing his title at Mania. I see Punk's rivalry with Johnny being renewed, with Johnny not wanting to give Punk a rematch at Extreme Rules in Chicago. Punk earns the shot anyways, and recaptures the title.

I see some sort of payoff coming for The Miz, and a renewed push. Possibly even getting involved in Rock/Cena somehow. Then he will feud with Cena again, and this time actually win the feud after Lord Tensai makes his presence known. Miz will go to feud with Punk, and Tensai will fight Cena.

Meanwhile, on Smackdown, Christian will receive his one more match against Sheamus (who wins at Mania). Christian will win and hold the title forever. Also, Randy Orton will RKO some dudes.

Well, I was right about Randy Orton RKOing some dudes.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Same questions for the most part, LockJaw.

6.. What direction (in terms of style and pushing of wrestlers) do you see the WWE going after Wrestlemania?

7. What's your WrestleMania "dream-match" for the current roster?

8. What are your thoughts on how Wrestlemania is being promoted this year versus the last year?

9. Who should Undertaker face?

10. If you could have one TNA match on the card what would it be?

[#1-norm-fan]

I bet I know the answer to #9.

[#1-norm-fan]

Hint: It isn't "Jew".

[Swiss Ultimate]

LockJew isn't going to like this, my arch-nemesis.

[Lock Jaw]

Same questions for the most part, LockJaw.

6.. What direction (in terms of style and pushing of wrestlers) do you see the WWE going after Wrestlemania?

Too early to tell, really... I see The Authority stuff still being around and staying prominent. I see the Wyatts being bigger than ever, while The Shield will sadly be broken up. Christian will return and win the WWE World Heavyweight Title and hold it until he retires.

7. What's your WrestleMania "dream-match" for the current roster?

John Cena vs. CM Punk. Yes, we've seen it a whole bunch of times by now... but ever since MitB, their encounters have felt "huge"... I would not be opposed to their rivalry being reignited and having the two clash once again, only this time on the grandest stage of them all for the biggest prize of them all (WWE World Heavyweight Title)

I considered throwing D-Bry in the mix to make it a triple threat, but he would feel like a third wheel. I think he'd be better elsewhere.

8. What are your thoughts on how Wrestlemania is being promoted this year versus the last year?

Well, they really haven't started promoting it. There is more of a mystery around the event this year, I guess. Last year we knew exactly where we were headed. Cena vs Rock. This year, I have no idea what is going to happen.

I expect that when they do start promoting the event in earnest, it will be big... with the milestone number and all.

9. Who should Undertaker face?

Brrrrock Lesnar

10. If you could have one TNA match on the card what would it be?

This is much harder to answer this time around.

Uhhhh... Kurt Angle vs. either Bobby Roode or Austin Aries, or both.

[#1-norm-fan]

Lock Jaw just trying to swerve us now that I spoiled his real answer.

[Swiss Ultimate]

I still haven't watched CM Punk VS. Undertaker.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I agree with Lock Jaw on Cena vs. Punk. Whenever those two step into the ring together, it is magic. Cena has also been a workhorse lately. Cena winning the World Title from Randy Orton and Punk winning the Royal Rumble would have an Austin/Rock vibe to it. Punk's run as a babyface WWE Champion kind of felt flat at times. I always defended it, because Punk was essentially forced to be a face after his pipe-bomb promo and how he managed to ignite the scene. I do feel that a big part of why it didn't really work was that Punk started playing to the fans more (instead of being a complete renegade), but also that Cena didn't bow down as top face. It was still Cena who headlined WrestleMania and Extreme Rules (in Punk's hometown, no less). The WWE have seemingly learnt from that, but how could a guy be perceived as the top draw (as your champion arguably should be) if he's given second billing at best?

NOTE: I'm not entering the discussion about whether or not Punk could have drawn. Just that he wasn't given that top draw billing. He receives it more now that his place in the main event has been more than secured and he was essentially turned face again due to the quality of his performances. Punk could turn heel once more, since he's just that sort of performer, like Eddie Guerrero or Chris Jericho, who could completely re-invent himself at a moment's notice. But his face status at the moment is pretty rock solid, and he's one of the few guys who could, for example, get cheered going against Daniel Bryan.

I always felt that after John Cena won Money in the Bank, they should have done a heel tease (not necessarily a turn), where Cena would talk about cashing in the title honorably. Then on RAW 1000, he would capitalize on a CM Punk beat-down (almost definitely at the hands of The Rock) and cash-in his briefcase to become the WWE Champion. Punk would have had the ammunition to rip on Cena for going back on his word, and Cena could have played it up as "Come on, man! You would have done the same thing..."

Punk would have remained a renegade babyface not willing to drink down Cena's heroic bullshit, and Cena would have shown signs of grey -- perhaps some doubt as to whether or not he could actually beat Punk one-on-one. It also creates Punk/Rock tensions.

The reason I bring this up is because I still think that if Cena were to turn heel, CM Punk would be the best choice (next to a super-over Daniel Bryan or The Undertaker) to do it with. The Austin/Rock dynamic is there, and Cena cheating his ass off to keep the WWE Title from Punk would create such an "uncrowned champion" vibe around Punk. It'd leave the door wide-open for Punk and others to become the new chief babyfaces in WWE. The great thing about Punk is that after winning back the WWE Title, if things don't go according to plan, he can always turn heel at the drop of the dime and make a new star himself.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I also think that Chris Jericho should have been the winner of the 2012 Royal Rumble. It's not a knock on Sheamus, but his World Title shot against Daniel Bryan was given quite low WrestleMania priority and didn't really suit the Rumble victory story. Sheamus could have earned his shot at Elimination Chamber while Jericho could have won the actual Rumble.

How does a "Who is the Best in the World?" story really work if Jericho lost both his PPV matches leading up to event? Jericho would have had so much fire behind him if he had won the Rumble. I also believe that Punk vs. Jericho should have closed the show. Hogan vs. Rock at Mania X-8 changed the way the WWE sees structuring the Mania card, and I get that. Rock vs. Cena was pretty huge and their biggest draw, but in a kayfabe sense, how does it make sense to have a match that is bigger than the one for your top title? If your WWE Title match can't close the show, it shouldn't be the WWE Title match. Cena should have won the Rumble and Jericho should have bitterly cost Punk the WWE Title and they should have had an under-card Mania match based on those issues.

Jericho and Punk could have kept the crowd going too. Is anyone really going to switch off Mania after seeing John Cena perform and plunking the money down for it? Are people really going to walk out after the Cena match? The crowd might be a little burnt out, but that's the pressure that's on the guys who are fighting in the final spot -- it's the big one. If it can't build back the energy of the previous matches, then that's a shame, but it's what it is.

[Mr. Nerfect]

For the record: As much as I love Cena vs. Punk and I wouldn't complain about it, I do think the best route to go is Orton vs. Punk and Cena vs. Taker. This would be in addition to Brock Lesnar vs. Batista, Daniel Bryan vs. Shawn Michaels and Triple H putting his position as Chief Operating Officer on the line against an anti-authority babyface. Since he's probably going to be a big part of WrestleMania, I'll go with Sheamus being that guy. He's a great worker, apparently Triple H is high on him and there's history there. They could make it a Street Fight and Kane could get involved helping Triple H win the match and setting up a post-Mania feud for Sheamus.

[Tazz Dan]

Same questions for the most part, LockJaw.

6.. What direction (in terms of style and pushing of wrestlers) do you see the WWE going after Wrestlemania?

Too early to tell, really... I see The Authority stuff still being around and staying prominent. I see the Wyatts being bigger than ever, while The Shield will sadly be broken up. RVD will return and win the WWE World Heavyweight Title and hold it until he retires.

7. What's your WrestleMania "dream-match" for the current roster?

John Cena vs. CM Punk. Yes, we've seen it a whole bunch of times by now... but ever since MitB, their encounters have felt "huge"... I would not be opposed to their rivalry being reignited and having the two clash once again, only this time on the grandest stage of them all for the biggest prize of them all (WWE World Heavyweight Title)

I considered throwing D-Bry in the mix to make it a triple threat, but he would feel like a third wheel. I think he'd be better elsewhere.

8. What are your thoughts on how Wrestlemania is being promoted this year versus the last year?

Well, they really haven't started promoting it. There is more of a mystery around the event this year, I guess. Last year we knew exactly where we were headed. Cena vs Rock. This year, I have no idea what is going to happen.

I expect that when they do start promoting the event in earnest, it will be big... with the milestone number and all.

9. Who should Undertaker face?

Brrrrock Lesnar

10. If you could have one TNA match on the card what would it be?

This is much harder to answer this time around.

Uhhhh... Kurt Angle vs. either Bobby Roode or Austin Aries, or both.

Good answers.

[Curd]

Wow, Daniel Bryan has come far since his 17-second job to Sheamus! Now 'Taker handpicks him for WMXXX!!!
http://www.tpww.net/2014/01/backstage-concern-over-lesnar-vs-undertaker-more/

[Curd]

And if both Hogan and Piper wrestle at WMXXX, they should be 'The Original Real Americans' taking on the 'Imposter Real Americans'.
http://www.tpww.net/2014/01/major-backstage-update-hulk-hogans-wwe-return/

[Lock Jaw]

Nothing screams "Real American" more than a Canadian in a kilt

[Blonde Moment]

Maybe the Kilt can be rainbow coloured