What Can Save WrestleMania?
 

You look at the card, and it’s not that strong. There’s no match that jumps out at you. We already have a few matchups that are pretty much set in stone, including:

John Cena vs. The Miz
Alberto Del Rio vs. Edge
CM Punk vs. Randy Orton
The Undertaker vs. Triple-H
Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio
Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole
Money In The Bank
Divas Tag Team

Based off what we can assume the card is going to look like, it does look pretty lackluster compared to last year’s show. It has “the worst WrestleMania” written all over it.

You can put Goldberg vs. Sheamus on the card, and Layla & Michelle McCool vs. Lita & Trish Stratus would be a really nice attraction type bout. Goldberg, Lita, and Trish coming back would bring a lot of attention and gain interest.

John Cena vs. The Miz - The Rock as Special Referee
The Undertaker vs. Triple-H
Alberto Del Rio vs. Edge
CM Punk vs. Randy Orton
Layla & Michelle McCool vs. Lita & Trish Stratus
Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Jack Swagger vs. John Morrison vs. Kane vs. Mark Henry
Big Show vs. Ezekiel Jackson
Goldberg vs. Sheamus
Christian & Kofi Kingston vs. Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel
Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole
Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio

The Rock saved WrestleMania. He and Triple H vs Undertaker are the selling points outside of it being WrestleMania. I honestly feel that those two situations (with Rock being involved in Miz/Cena somehow, even if not a part of the match directly) are more than enough to make this a successful WrestleMania, business-wise.

And personally, I feel the card is good. I'm looking forward to Cena vs Miz, Del Rio vs. Edge (and whoever they may or may not add to the mix), Punk vs. Orton, Taker vs Hunter and Lawler vs. Cole. I'm also hoping for Sheamus vs Danielson, which would be a fun match.

It's a rebuilding year, and considering that fact, I feel they're exceed any expectation I had for this Mania four months ago.

I think the build has been a little weak for some matches, but nothing that can't be corrected in the next five weeks.

Cole v Lawler already saved it.

Also, The Rock.

Just saw that you're already calling this the "Worst WrestleMania". If that's what you think, stop watching now. It's obviously POSSIBLE, but from the card you listed, that is by far not one of the worst WrestleManias, both from an in-ring standpoint and build standpoint.

yeah no way is this the worst Mania ever, Mania 12 was saved by one match the rest was shit, Mania 9 sucked really really bad, no way Mania 27 is worse then either of those 2 overall

25 was the fucking dregs, a one match card.

Hype doesn't give the show any extra chance of being great. In fact, it usually puts people's expectations too high and then they will get upset about the smallest details. Remember the hype for Orton/HHH? Then when that sucked people claimed Orton's career was over. Maybe this year people will actually just sit back and enjoy it.

I should rephrase that. Hype can make a show better, but it also makes the chances of the show being a disaster ever greater.

<font color=goldenrod>Yeah, Mania doesn't need saving. It will get a large buy rate no matter what, and the build-up for different matches should win over people as well.

Frankly, if the build for HHH/Taker is as intense as the builds for HBK/Taker were the last two years, that will be enough for me to order. Hoping the Cena/Miz build gets improved too after Monday's stupidity.</font>

Wrestlemania 11 was the worst Wrestlemania.

"Save WrestleMania" he says

Kinda wish it was Punk vs Cena with Punk being the champ.

It actually looks like a pretty good card.

You're just a negative nancy, stop doing that. :)

'Save Wrestlemania'? Wtf? Its not in any trouble whatsoever.

LMAO at some people saying "Save Wrestlemania" the minute Shawn Michaels is not on the card, I love the guy too, but it is time to move on guys, he's old.

The card looks decent and WWE still has about a month to hype and develop the feuds although none of the feuds are more than a month or two old unlike past years where Mania would have at least one older feud (ex. Taker vs HBK, Jericho vs HBK).

Last year's Mania sounded great on paper but had problems with the flow which made the crowd not react well to some of the big named matches. For example, the crowd died down too much from Hart vs McMahon and hurt Jericho vs Edge as a result.

I think it's disappointing that they didn't push the Nexus storyline to the forefront for the past 2 months in a lead-up to WrestleMania. It really should have been the Corporate VS Austin type of thing that led up to WrestleMania 15. They could've had Orton drop the belt to Punk (or Barrett?), made Nexus a powerful entity on the RAW brand (mass beat downs, constant interference, assistance from the mystery GM and Michael Cole) and made it look like whoever faces the WWE Champ at Mania will have no chance. It was the strongest storyline all year and they should've made the big pay-off moment happen at WrestleMania. Instead, they've basically jobbed out the legitimacy of the Nexus and its leader CM Punk at the last two PPV's.

With Rock coming in to host, it could've been an expected Rock & Cena against Nexus sort of thing, with Punk using his intelligence to pit the two against teach other the way they've been against each other for the past 2 weeks.

I feel like there isn't really a huge draw to Mania this year. Even if Rock referees Miz/Cena, who really cares? We all know how it's going to end - there's no way Miz is walking out with the WWE title at Mania against the biggest face in the company. Del Rio/Edge isn't very interesting and Triple H/Undertaker should be good but it kind of feels like a glory grab for Hunter after HBK's back to back WrestleMania show stealers, and there's no way it's going to be as good as HBK/Taker.

Meh.

Yeah, then everyone would bitch on here about how its "been done before, waaa".

Last years WM had loads of build and failed to deliver for the most part, so that doesn't mean its going to make it a great PPV.

For all he's done this year,Punk should really be in a title match. I guess him and Orton are in the "special attraction" slot.

I'm actually looking forward to this years WM more than the past couple years.

Del Rio vs Edge should be an outstanding match.
Punk vs Orton is shaping up to be a good feud. They're both skilled in the ring, so it should be a good match.
Miz vs Cena should be good as well. As much as I hate to admit, Cena's ringwork has improved vastly lately. Same with Miz.
Undertaker vs. HHH should be another epic confrontation. Maybe not on the level of 'Taker vs HBK, but it is still awesome.

It's amazing that you're probably one of the people that complains that "wwe doesnt have any young talent" or "push the young guys!" and when they have a 'Mania that has quite a few new guys on the card, you bitch calling it "the worst ever." No sense whatsoever.

Isn't he reffing the Taker/HHH match? Lot of old fellas coming back for this one.

In terms of one or two stand-out build-ups or headline matches, I agree, there is something lacking.

But in terms of the overall ppv, I'm excited about it. Lots of new talent, lots of proven ability in the ring to put on good matches, what's not to like about the card apart from the over-hyped 'wow' factor? I prefer this kind of card to focusing on some celebrity or massive gimmick, it looks like a solid wrestling-fan Wrestlemania, not a Wrestlemania pandering to casual fans.

John Cena vs. The Miz - Rock will make this match interesting

Alberto Del Rio vs. Edge - Del Rio's Wrestlemania entrance will be a wrestlemania moment all in itself.

CM Punk vs. Randy Orton - This could steal the show

The Undertaker vs. Triple-H - I still like their last Wrestlemania match. Involve HBK and I'm hooked.

Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio - This'll be a great opener if MiTB doesn't open.

Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole - Fun for everyone, nice and short.

Money In The Bank - Always good, espicially since they have some talent that can win this without a massive surprise factor and still be enjoyable (read: JoMo)

Divas Tag Team - Great oppurtunity to get some beer


Throw in a US and/or IC title match and this card is a keeper.

Some people are rubbishing this Wrestlemania just because there's unfamiliar faces in the title matches. Well we all knew this time had to come sooner or later. There's only so many times you can stick with the same old Cena, Edge, Orton, Taker and Triple H. This Wrestlemania will be interesting as hell and I can't wait for the build over the next few weeks and April 3rd.

Nothing confirmed officially yet.

I felt it was more that Bret beating Vince with a chair for 20 minutes killed the crowd than it was that the crowd was "coming down" during Jericho/Edge. It just didn't feel like the catharsis they were going for of Bret finally getting his revenge as much as it did "Okay, you can stop beating him with a chair now. ...maybe now? Seriously. Put the chair d-- STOP IT!"

MITB is always a sure shot winner in my books, and Kofi + JoMo in there can be pretty awesome. Bourne might make a comeback for it, as might Christian. Nothing wrong with the card, truly Wrestlemania worthy.

Oh, and for all we know Bieber might still sing the anthem for a sudden jump in buy rates if advertised in advance.

Was unaware this wrestlemania needed saving.

yeah the story was just on the front page

do some research

Wrestlemania needing any kind of saving is so 18 years ago

The match was dead because they couldn't actually do any sort of real violence. So that chair is all they had. It's too bad how that match turned out.

Totally agreed. Would probably have been better if they'd saved the Hart Dynasty turn until midway through the match, letting them do the heavy lifting then letting Bret get the feel-good moment with the Sharpshooter.

Yeah.. Ah well I enjoyed it for what it was, I wish it were more brutal but ah well, I liked the amount of chair shots honestly, I would have cut out all the crowbar parts.

It was doomed the moment they decided to fake turn the entire Hart family for 30 seconds and then have Bret say "Just kidding! We're a family!"

This is the first WrestleMania in a long while that has felt like a WrestleMania to me.

The WWE has brought back some icons from the past recently. The Rock is set to be involved in WrestleMania. But it's a pretty safe prediction that both Stone Cold Steve Austin and Trish Stratus will have roles to play on the show, too. In fact, they have arguably more business being there, since they'll have a WWE show starting to air just after WrestleMania. My gut is telling me that Shawn Michaels will be involved in the build to The Undertaker vs. Triple H too, which may not be a great match like Shawn Michaels vs. Taker, but I do think it will tell a better story. Triple H knows he's not Shawn Michaels in the ring, and is going to sell WrestleMania with the story.

The Miz vs. John Cena will be a really solid in-ring match. Both guys will work hard, and I'm not sold that Cena is walking out of WrestleMania the WWE Champion. I think The Miz could benefit more from a win. Or that a certain Money in the Bank Winner could use the spotlight at Mania to boost their star. Cena and the WWE have a chance to create two new stars here.

Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio will be a great match. Del Rio is amazing, and I'm pretty much in love with the guy. He reminds me of a Mexican Kurt Angle. He just "gets it." And, like John Cena, I'm not completely sold that the challenger is walking away with the belt here. I could see shenanigans allowing Edge to retain. I'm also hoping that Del Rio gets an epic entrance where he has different ring announcers from all over the world introducing him.

Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole has been brilliantly set-up, and if you aren't going to mark for King beating Cole senseless, then I do not envy the state of bitterness you must live in.

Randy Orton vs. CM Punk will tell a great story, and Punk has brought his A-game to it already. While Punk is pretty much a solidified main eventer, it still feels like he has something to prove. I predict that this will be his best WrestleMania match ever.

Rey Mysterio and Cody Rhodes are telling a brilliant story over on SmackDown!. Absolutely amazing. I'm already liking this feud more than I do Rey vs. Jericho or Rey vs. Punk. Sincerely. I predict they will work their asses off at Mania.

Daniel Bryan is going to be wrestling at WrestleMania. That's enough of a reason for a smark to buy the PPV right there. Sheamus can work a great match when he's in the ring with someone he can dominate and tell a good story with. If Bryan and Sheamus have half the chemistry that Morrison and Sheamus have, we are in for a treat, and a potentially classic US Title match.

Money in the Bank has the potential to be the best Money in the Bank ever this year. Why? Because just look at the streak John Morrison has been on. He'll do something fucking epic in MITB, and you know it.

Also, LayCool will end up exploding at WrestleMania, and I think people will be surprised about how much of a mark-out moment that will be.

Well, Kane (XIV and XX) and Shawn Michaels (XXV and XXVI) were beaten twice at WrestleManias by The Undertaker. Will Triple H be next (XVII and XXVII)?

The only problem I have with Taker/HHH is I have no doubt in my mind Taker is going over. Other than that I'm fine with it because their match at X7 was the bomb diggity.

It will be fine. It's WrestleMania.

For example:

Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes... boring.

Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes with the build they are giving it for WrestleMania... awesome.