So...with Elimination Chamber in the books, let's look at the WM card
 

<font color=goldenrod>I'm guessing the following matches are locks:

WWE Championship: John Cena w/ Bret Hart vs. Batista w/ Mr. McMahon

World Heavyweight Championship: Edge vs. Chris Jericho

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

Mask vs. Hair: Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk

Randy Orton w/ Bob Orton vs. Cody Rhodes w/ Dusty Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase w/ Ted DiBiase

Some sort of unification match between the Women's and Divas titles

It's being widely rumored that MITB won't be around this year, which blows and will leave a lot of guys off the card who should be there...I'm also guessing Triple H and Sheamus will have a match since Sheamus got eliminated by Triple H in the Chamber, but it's possible they do something different with them.

---

Now then, while I get that Batista/Cena is the smart main event from the money-making standpoint, it underwhelms me personally. I was expecting it to be on the card, and end with Bret Hart locking Vince in the Sharpshooter, which is fine and dandy...but it being the main event means we already know how WM ends. I know you go into WM expecting the face to win, but usually they at least do a good enough job in buildup to keep you on your toes (like last year, I thought Orton would actually win).

With Cena getting screwed out of the title and them bringing BRET HART back, there is absolutely no way they can suspend my disbelief enough to think Cena won't win the match. Probably the most predictable WM outcome since 2003. So in that regard, it's like going to a movie and already knowing the ending.

But anyway...I'm interested in seeing how they fill out the undercard, especially if Money in the Bank is indeed scrapped.</font>

As if Cena w/ Bret vs Batista w/ Vince wasn't a big enough match on its own...

I don't see them doing a Triple Threat that doesn't involve a title or some type of prize for the winner. So not sure about the Legacy match but everything else looks spot on.

Triple H not having a clear cut feud is pretty cool actually, usually he is set in stone to wrestle for the title by now. Maybe they can do a #1 contender match for the title that isnt MITB and have Trips win that

<font color=goldenrod>Exactly. Much like HBK/Taker, that match really doesn't need a title.

Hell, if I had to pick one of them to be the main event title match...I would have rather it been Taker/HBK because at least that would have been an unpredictable main event. Even with them taking time off after Mania, they could at least appear at the April PPV to drop the belt (particularly Taker who isn't at most TV shows anyway).</font>

Triple H and Sheamus could have a street fight or something. It's about the only way I could care about either man, and it least it gets a gimmick match on the card.

Definitely think Edge/Jericho should be the main event though. Considering Edge won the Rumble (I know this means nothing anymore though).

Also they should have MITB, but if there's a MITB PPV then they'll probably leave it out, which is a shame.

I really hope they do something with Triple H besides face Sheamus because even I don't give a fuck about that match, and I am a Triple H ubermark.

Triple H VS Hornswoggle?

<font color=goldenrod>Punk vs. Rey is sorta like the main event for me. Buildup will probably be fantastic, match should be great...but again, you KNOW the outcome since Rey has said several times he would quit before unmasking again and WWE makes fuckloads on those kiddie masks. But since it's the undercard, it's not that big of a deal.</font>

I'm kind of hoping Rey vs Punk is just a regular singles match. I don't want punk to lose that glorious long hair.

:lol: that'd be amazing!

It's good that at least Punk will finally get a proper match at Mania.

I seriously hate Rey. He'd rather quit then unmask again? Hell, he's already unmasked TWICE (Getting shit on in Mexico City for doing it the second time, IIRC.). It's not like we've NEVER seen his face. Every time he puts on that mask, he shits on Mexican Tradition.

Just make it a regular match.

When was the second time? The Eddie Guerrero tribute thing?

Triple H should join CM Punk's stable...nobody would see that coming.

my outlook on triple h and being involved in WM26 is that he will somehow get himself into the match with hbk/taker. i said in the other thread that it will give us a fresh look at hbk/taker, put trips in an upper card match (at the expense of the putting on a great match). he can't possibly be thrown into the title matches the way the feuds are set up at this point. will add some unpredictability to taker's streak as well. with sheamus having a beef with him he can try to cost him the match as well. will keep a push to the younger guys, no matter how much everyone hates him. and i could actually see sheamus trying to cost trips the match only to somehow give him the win, thus ending taker's streak in the way to surely piss the most people off and give him even more heat. of course there's a ton of other ways that match could go if it was done.

If this were to be the card of Mania, Id be intrigued in every match but Cena/Bats, not only cause it would be predictable, but I cant stand either one of them.

I hope they do Cena/Batista and Vince/Bret in different matches. If not it would be great to see Bret screw Cena for a turn of events. Cena is a cool guy, but I'm tired of him winning all but one of his WM title matches. Would really like to see Edge/Jericho in a ladder match for the title. Now that would be great.

Lol and watch him shrink 50 pounds within a month.

WCW's last years when EZ E made him take it off and he wore those god awful horns on his head...

<a href="http://photobucket.com/images/rey%20mysterio%20devil%20horns" target="_blank"><img src="http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o155/FataMorganaPseudonym/reymysterio.jpg" border="0" alt="rey mysterio devil horns Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a>

Rey looks like a fucking idiot in that picture

Man I lost a lotta respect for that side of him for sure.. He blames Bischoof... I could see that happening... EZ E hates las mascaras...

Since when does Straight Edge mean not lifting weights and eating a high protein diet?

Agreed... Boring... But, I was so pissed at Cena winning, I went out to get popcorn immediately (Here in Cancun we can see the PPV for about $10 at a movie theater.... Badass...) And I missed the Bats spear.... But the replay was awesome!

Dude, Triple H uses anabolic steroids.
Anybody involved, or hell, has even had a passing interest in natural and/or professional bodybuilding can see that somebody his size, let alone keeping in mind his age and schedule, is on roids.

If that was the second time, when was the first?

Cena/Bats
Jericho/Edge
Punk/Rey
MITB (I hope)
HBK/Taker/H
Bret/Vince

I agree that Bret and Vince should have a seperate match. This is likely Bret's last Mania, and it shouldn't be tied in with Cena/Bats. He should have his own moment.

I think adding Trips to the HBK/Taker fued would be interesting. It gives H something to do. Ideally, he'd be booked to continually prevent HBK from winning, only to be the one who does the job to Taker. They could then run an HBK/H program from there.

I really, really hope MITB is on the card, as I cannot fathom a gimmicked PPV being cenetred around that particular match. I just don't understand how it would work. If this match does go through, I would think that The Miz, Kolfi, or Christian would have the best chance at winning it if they were involved.

If no MITB, then there should be decently built programs for both the US and IC titles. I wouldn't mind a final Miz/MVP payoff here.

Batista v. Cena for the championship is fine with me. I'd rather Jericho v. Edge main eventing but that doesn't matter.

Batista/Cena at Summer Slam 2008 was actually pretty good so to see the rematch wouldn't be all that bad. The build should be pretty good.

I've written a whole thread about how much I hate Batista but as a heel he's pretty damn good.

*shakes his head.*

He was unmasked the first time at that one WCW ppv. He was unmasked again a few days (weeks?) later in Mexico, in a match against Psicosis. The fans in Mexico booed him out of the building more or less for putting the mask back on.

its probably bret harts final hoorah...
the excellence of execution DESERVES to have it include a world title....


.... but not so much that we can justify a cena win

Cool. I didn't know about that, which is why I asked.

I'm going to Mania, and I hope Bret and Vince go one on one. I know its wrestling, and they'll figure it out...but the "broken leg" is going to be hard to explain...who can come back from a broken leg in 5 weeks? I hated the car crash angle. I hope they figure out a good way to do that match.

jericho unmasked him :D Y2J!!!!

just recently to wasnt it???
he ran off or somethign and rey was left cowering? set up the mask vs ic title match which rey won?

Ah yeah that's right.....running a mental blank when that was as well.

wwe title: cena (face) vs batista (heel)

world title: edge (face) vs y2j (heel) 1st time ever

career vs streak match: hbk vs taker austin is the guest referee

bret vs vince

mitb:4 frm raw 4 frm sd RAW kingston vs miz vs bourne vs mvp SD mcyntyre vs r-truth vs morrison vs ziggler

I couldn't give a shit about John Cena vs. Batista. I care even less with the WWE Title involved. Actually bummed me out more than Jericho winning the World Heavyweight Title perked me up -- which is SAD!

CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio would be better off in a regular match. Or if they do Money in the Bank (they could shift the date of the PPV by having the MITB Winner cash in before the PPV is announced on the air, and then they can have the PPV later this year, and move MITB without hurting Mania this year), Punk and Mysterio would both be great in that. You can build to Hair vs. Mask later in the year.

If Money in the Bank is actually left off the card...perhaps we could actually see titles being defended at Mania like it should be....with the US Title, Intercontinental, Tag Team, and Divas/Women's titles respectively. Given the opportunity they could showcase some of the titles in perhaps a fatal-fourway, triple threat, and other various matches. I know I would love to see tag team turmoil return for the Unified Tag Titles rather than watching it as a DVD bonus as a pre-match card that was better than some of the matches on the WM card itself. And I think it was a given that MITB wasn't happening since WWE now has a PPV coming up this year entitled Money in the Bank.

I still think the way to do it is to have Money in the Bank this year, with some actual big players in there (CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Kane, Christian, Kofi Kingston, John Morrison, Ezekiel Jackson and William Regal would make a pretty well-rounded MITB, in my opinion), and have the winner cash in their title shot pretty early into the new wrestling year. Hell, John Cena could beat Batista for the WWE Title, and then CM Punk could cash in there and then after a Straight-Edge Society mugging, and John Cena can again have a reign as WWE Champion cut prematurely short.

Then when it comes time to actual start hyping Money in the Bank as a PPV event, Vince McMahon can come out and say that he finds the concept interesting, and he is going to give it its own PPV. Maybe they could even do it in tournament fashion -- with the winner then receiving the title shot? Don't just scrap MITB and move it to another date.

I also see the Intercontinental Title being defended at WrestleMania. Michael Hayes has done far too good a job at building it up as actually meaning something. R-Truth would make a pretty good opponent for McIntyre at Mania. McIntyre retaining would be what my heart wanted to see, but the WWE obviously wants to push Truth, so they could have him end McIntyre's streak, and get himself a nice reign as IC Champ.

The Unified WWE Tag Team Championship is also likely to be on the card this year, as The Miz & Big Show are two guys that are pretty destined to make the show. Ideally, I would like to see John Morrison challenge with a partner, but MVP & Mark Henry have the most heat built up with them so far.

<font color=goldenrod>Cena is good at doing serious, fired up promos...so in that respect the build can be good. But, we all know he's winning and then the next night on Raw we'll be back to THE CHAMP IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!! yet again.

The only thing that has me cautiously optimistic is that I don't think there will be TOO many draft moves this year since they are down to two brands. I figure they'll make at least one big splash though, and a Cena-for-Edge swap isn't completely unrealistic (especially since Cena was set to move to SmackDown in 2008 but then Triple H decided it worked better for his schedule and moved instead)

Yeah, not gonna happen..I know.</font>