A few random thoughts from last night's RAW

Nice of the WWE to do a show specifically for zombies, because there's no doubt the crowd were dead for the entire night.

Rock really needs to show up at the arena now. They are in danger of this whole thing losing steam

You can see why the Great Khali got fired from that Indian furniture store - he really has no idea how to sell chairs!

Brian Christopher looked like the biggest bag of crap in the world. Just doing his entrance (to no reaction whatsoever) left him so out of breath he couldn't even say his lines. Time has not been kind!

Dolph Ziggler and John Morrison deserve a lot better than having to carry some 2nd rate TV star through a match at Mania. Morrison has really been excellent of late, as has Dolph. They have a chance to cement both in the main event with a top level match at Mania, and they blow it with this rubbish?

They really need to hurry up and add the last couple of matches - there's no way you should be making matches for Mania just three weeks before, or on the spot. The match slots at Mania ought to be like gold dust.

Miz continues to be awesome.

I guess the dead crowds are down to the cycles of fans. I mean, back in the Attitude days, wrestling was quite popular so people knew and remembered the old guys, but once they leave for a few years, specially the less noteworthy people like Brian Christopher, they come back and the newer, younger fans don't have a clue who he is. Obviously The Rock they know but Too Sexay? Ha! Fat chance! And since WWE isn't as popular or as good as it used to be, I guess fans just don't stay for long.

Thing is they were dead all night, even for the guys they do know. It was like a wrestling show in the village of the damned.

It's sad.

After starting to build up Wrestlemania so well, now they seem to be killing off interesting in it, slowly.

What the fuck.

And I say this about their disappointment in handling the Rock/Cena angle and bringing in that stupid fucking jersey woman (which really has me very angry that they are wasting both Raw airtime and Wrestlemania air time on the ignorant slut) and the fact that it's slowly becoming Impact, with tiny bits of wrestling and mostly pointless gab thrown in.

Not watched all of RAW yet, but gotta say: this Rock vignette was the weakest yet. He just proves John Cena right by doing these pretapes, and even the (far superior) part where he attempted to be serious was totally shat on by that corny strings track they shoved in the background. I know WWE thinks they make movies, but they should have a little more bloody faith in Rock's performance.

Yes. It's just amazing, at this point, how this Wrestlemania build-up is crumbling apart like a stale biscuit.

It's almost like they are so cocky now, to the point of saying "We're so confident in our ability to put on Wrestlemania just because it's Wrestlemania, that we're going to start slacking off and doing really stupid shit and we bet everyone'll still buy it!"

They might be right, but this attitude of WWE's at the moment is really starting to piss me off.

Sure, the die-hard WWE fans still seem to be excited for Wrestlemania, but I can honestly say that I was iffy on whether or not i'd bother ordering it for the first time in about 5 years....

But now I do think I won't order it. I was on the fence to begin with, but I think they gave it just enough of a shove to throw me right off.

Well, lets ignore all the crap and strip it down

Miz and Cena will put on a good match, and whatever physical interaction there is with the Rock, especially if it leads to a Cena feud will be worth watching.

Edge and Alberto will have a decent match because both can work.

Triple H and Taker, because its Mania, will have a very good brawl that is likely to involve others as well and both of them very rarely have a bad Mania showing.

Orton and CM Punk have had a good build and can be relied upon for a good match.

The Cole/Lawler stuff with Austin, Swagger, Jim Ross, and god knows who else thrown in will provide some entertaining comedy stuff.

Cody Rhodes and Mysterio will be decent enough.

And hopefully Ziggler and JoMo will do 90% of the work in the 6 man and make that entertaining.

So it will be worth the effort I think - possibly more so than the build suggests.

Still, it sounds like what is left just sounds like a basic decent PPV, not at all worthy of Wrestlemania. Which is exactly what has stopped me from caring about WM for the last 5 or 6 years.

When one thinks Wrestlemania, one naturally thinks of bigger and better than this.

But oh well. I'm once again, very "meh" on the whole thing, par for the course of the last several years, but by all means, hope everyone else enjoys it.

Mike, what do you think they could do to improve Wrestlemania this year? Or, what would you have done this year if you were in charge of booking the PPV?

I'll pick up this question (though of course Mike can still answer it!)

Well, assuming they couldn't get Sting for Taker's streak match, then I would personally have had Barrett booked strong on Smackdown taking over and boasting about getting rid of Taker, then properly built a return angle for the Deadman to take him down. OK, Wade was never going to win, but I'd at least have given him the rub and a decent match.

I'd have kept the WHC on Dolph Ziggler going into Mania, made him look good, and booked a fatal fourway for the gold involving Edge, Alberto, and Christian, playing some question marks in Christian over jealousy at Edge's success. That match would have been set the day after Elimination Chamber.

I'd have done Cena .v. Miz pretty much as is, but I'd have booked Rock to appear live more often.

I'd have put the IC belt on Morrison and then done a unification ladder match with the US title at Mania. That unification match would have been set back in early February, and between then and now the US and IC champs would appear on each other's shows taking on the opposite brand's talent. The unified champ would defend the belts on both shows. The match may even be a fatal fourway.

I'd have spent the last six months establishing some tag teams so that there was a tag division worth talking about and a decent tag team match at the PPV for the belts.

I'd have not buried Sheamus, but would have played up back up as a destroyer and getting the King gimmick over until the King of Kings returned to destroy him at Mania.

I'd have left Cole and King as is, even with Austin's appearance.

I'd book Awesome Kong to destroy Laycool.

I would not have booked a celebrity to wrestle in a six man

Orton and Punk has been OK, Happy with that.

Oh, and I'd bring back a one night only Hardcore 24-7 championship ruling to get mid-card talent on the show.

Well, I was really getting excited for it, when they weren't dropping the ball on the Cena/Rock thing. It started off strong, I really thought he was at least going to come back in for a match, make Rock look like a legitimate threat to Cena, and all that.

Instead, as the weeks have been going, Rock seems more and more like a coward (I know he's not but due to the way the angle has been playing out, it sure looks that way, now) and they've already pretty much killed the anticipation for the #1 Wrestlemania draw, first and foremost.

How I would have fixed that? Easy. They flew Rock out once. They could have flown him out a few times and actually had some real presence on the show, if he was really as dedicated as they are claiming he is.

I cannot under state just how more amazingly effective this would have been, if Rock and Cena would just share the same ring, the same space, the same building, and especially if Rock seemed as passionate as he did that first night.

It's all but fallen to pieces now, and I cannot even conceive that, based on the lackluster way they've handled this and let it all go to shit after that first awesome night, that it feels to me as if it's looking like WWE was starting to see that they've built up something on that first week that they had no intention on delivering on, and are trying to now reverse it all, scale back, and downplay it so that the fans won't (in WWE's mind) be so disappointed when Rock enevitably shows up at WM and barely does anything.

IF in fact he does do anything other than run in and cost Cena the match.

The way they were building it up though, Miz pretty much flew out of the picture. At that point, people wanted to see Rock vs Cena ONLY at Wrestlemania.

My suggestion? Give it to them. Have Cena sacrifice his title shot at the opportunity to face Rock alone, which would, in all honesty amount to a MUCH larger match than Cena vs Miz for the title would have been, the way it was going for those first two weeks (before they pissed away the Cena/Rock fued the way they have anyway).

Sure, maybe some people might be saying "But Rock hasn't been in a ring in years. He couldn't shake off that ring rust." But the point is.. would anyone care about ring rust? Or more accuratly, ask the question... "Was that an issue stopping Rock vs Hogan at X8 from happening?"

Of course it wasn't. Hogan was in terrible shape, and in all honestly, was really out of shape and didn't perform that well in that match. In the end, though... No one cared that Hogan couldn't wrestle.

EVERY SINGLE PERSON knew it was historic, and amazing. It was everything that WM was, regardless of the match quality. It was a dream match come true. Cena vs Rock is dream match quality, but of course, it's been shot down in flames.

The title on the marquee (Rock vs Hogan) was much more masterfully handled and much larger than the actual ring prowness that took place, and the crowd was on fire, regardless.

Oh, the possibilities wasted here with Cena/Rock. They could have just as well built this up between Cena and Rock returning for a final match, and play up the aspect of this being Rock on the OTHER end of where he was at Wrestlemania X8, and hype that to the moon.

Last time, it was Rock in his prime, and Hogan who wasn't. This time, they could have built it as reversal of fourtune. Cena in his prime and now Rock who isn't. And this hype could have been built on one simple question: "Can Rock get it done again? Can he face the circumstances from X8 from the other end and still come out on top again?"

Also, because of this, they could have also given Miz and new opponent. For all of Miz's bragging and preparation, with him being the heel, it would have been great to now have him be thrown off his game by the sudden reemergence of the #2 contender because of Cena's sacrifice to settle with Rock, and a huge feather in his cap by stacking the odds against Miz and then still have Miz come out on top.

In fact, it would have been even better if it was Miz, versius #2 contender AND the shocking return of Triple H used HERE, instead of wasting him in a predictable open and shut Taker streak match.

That's two matches that could have been handled much better than they are being handled now, and would have made me watch.

Triple H and Taker, for reasons stated weeks ago, I could not care less about right now.

They should have put the new head of steam against Undertaker. If it wasn't going to be Sting, it could have been someone else that we could have been led to believe would put the streak in jeapordy.

ANYTHING except for Triple H. (who already lost to him at WM before... Sorry, I just can't get over that, killing my enthusiasm for this entirely).

As long as it would have been someone who Taker hasn't already beaten before, they would have had time to build up an unknown threat against Taker.

I believe that these streak matches ONLY work now, if you present something as an unknown factor rather than a forgone conclusion.

But everyone and their grandmother can predict this match from bell to bell, now.

Taker beats Triple H, Trips retires, settles into his new management position as Vince McMahon's next in line. The end.

No drama. And besides there being no drama, the reason that HHH is even challenging Taker, besides everything else that is wrong with this match, is completely tacked on and unconvincing.

They didn't build up HHH avenging Shawn. They didn't explain it. They barely even legitimate the motivation. No, just all of a sudden, Triple H came back to Raw that one day and said "I want to beat Taker and i'll avenge Shawn, too." Too little for that, and too late. Don't care.

They could have taken all that time where Taker was doing nothing aside from being in lame promos that everyone thought was Sting, and have used that time to build someone NEW that has never faced Taker before.... like, Sheamus, for instance... and suddenly turn him into a monster on a hot streak of his own, and took 4 to 5 weeks building Sheamus up as a threat to Taker, but again, nope.

Also, screw Mysterio. He could have been tossed into a multi-man match up, and instead there could have been built up a really cool fued, for several weeks between Cody Rhodes and Golddust.

They could have become partners, and then had a bitter event shatter that bond and put them in an intense fued (and for god's sake, it would have given then something to do with Golddust for once, that actually uses him to his advantage instead of being the jobber he is.

That would have been a rather good opening match, especially if they could have gotten Dusty involved where he has to pick sides and makes a shocking choice by the end. Wrestlemania moment.

Out of everything else, which still remains a good idea, it all, still feels lackluster in it's build up. Again, everything in this WM just sounds like "This sounds like a decent match" and "This could work.". But when you're thinking of Wrestlemania, "decent" just doesn't cut it. You need "immortal, great, spectacular, unbelievable, and unforgettable" not "decent".

This whole thing with Orton is yes, decent. But not great. What would have been great was finding a way to make it even more personal between Punk and Orton other than the filler tactic of just plowing through the Nexus one by one, week after week, has also been predictable and all those weeks, could have been used for strengthening Orton vs Punk between those two, instead of merely just setting up Punk's henchmen to fall like predictable dominos.

The recurring thing seems to be that WWE were just using filler, or dicking around until Elimination Chamber was over and in the last few weeks, just started throwing together what might be "decent" instead of setting things up with more effort and longer.

So, in the end, the card to me, would have looked more like...

Cody vs Golddust (with Dusty in someone's corner, but who? After a family war and betrayal could have sparked up.)

Cole vs Lawler as is is now (arguably the only match on the card that feels properly built up over the correct amount of time... and it's an announcer versus announcer match. That's just weird that something like this, is the best built thing)

Multi-man gimmick spot match with entertaining wow moments, featuring Mysterio, Morrison, Ziggler, and others.

Orton vs Punk (but with more investment put into it, and probably a much better handling of Orton's character, that also involved more personal twists and turns in the last several weeks than it has here.)

Taker vs Sheamus (or someone) if they had had the foresight to build someone up like a monster more than they had, to the point where you would think Taker's streak would be in jeapordy by someone who HADN'T fallen to him at WM before, already.

Miz versus Surprise Number 2 condender AND also being turned into a three way title match with someone more shocking as well. THIS also could have done very well and would have been much better as Triple H's return, with HHH putting his career on the line in THIS fatal 3 way match.

Edge vs Alberto Del Rio and perhaps could have been anotehr good three way match, if he had been blindsided by a shocking Christian heel turn.

And of course, Rock vs Cena. 1-on-1, after weeks of the Rock actually having BEEN at Raw and actually HAVING real run in's with Cena in the ring, that could have gone unanswered, and built up way better after the 2nd week. Which would end up being the real main event match everyone wanted and no one is actually going to get.

If that was Wrestlemania, hell yes I would have wanted to see it. Because if they had put more long term effort, putting the matches together this way and building them up with a slow, intense burn along with twists and turns getting to this point with more effective build up, then it would be more "epic" and not just this feeling of "eh, it's good enough."

I've not watch a WM for a few years now, probably since ... was it 22 with Show vs Mayweather? Regardless, WWE hasn't cut it for me (neither has TNA mind) on a regular basis enough for me to buy a ppv or stay up to watch it.

The potential was massive for this WM, but again, it looks like we're all going to go away feeling a bit shortchanged, a regular theme for WWE since about 07/08.

Personally, if I was booking Mania I'd begin build-ups just shy of the RR. Everyone knows & loves the RR and it's like the beginning of the road to WrestleMania. Got to get in as much plugging as possible.

I'd open with the fabled Battle of the Bottoms (Brummy vs. Big D)

Rob Arnold vs. Bozo the chimp, with Arnold going over & getting the rub from Bozo

Deadly Alliance vs. School of Hardcore (Limbo competition)

Joxide vs. Leopold "Fat Ass" Schleiselheim in a 2/3 falls, first fall = quickest man to eat a KFC wicked zinger meal, drink coke + eat side, second fall = loudest burp, third fall = HELL IN A CELL!!!!

the REAL Roller Deuce vs. Keeling, (E-fedding's answer to Goldberg vs. Lesnar at WMXX)

Then polish it off with Royal Rumble winner Judy Bagwell vs. David Shand in a Myron Fox on a pole match!

I'd walk away and let her have him. It would be shorter than Sting v Hardy.

I think you need Giznap vs David Erin in a bake-off, then that card will be completely awesome.

Ha! Yeah, definitely.

Oh come on Dave, we all know the Reaper walks away from no challenge! Besides, how fun would it be to grab Myron by the ankle and beat someone round the head with him?

....you have a point.

So come on then, what was the best Wrestlemania?

I've only seen 2 from start to finish: Wrestlemania X-7 and Wrestlemania XX. Both were fantastic shows, I recall. Luckily for me I had the day off school on the Monday after X-7 with a cold so I taped it and watched it twice. Gimmick battle royale FTW. Shame the Iron Sheik won it. Who booked that? I was looking at Michael Hayes or Sgt. Slaughter.

WM-XX was fantastic too. I was really pumped for Goldberg vs. Lesnar so you can imagine how disappointed I was when it came to the match . The rest of the card was great though, except for Evolution going over Rock & Sock. Why not just have Foley win it? He was due a win against Orton.

Wrestlemania III has to be one of the best. The classic Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage match, and Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant. Other Wrestlemania's I've really enjoyed were 2000, X8, XX, and last years XXVI.

XXVI? Really. I thought that was one of the worst Wrestlemanias for years. In fact its the first time since they started releasing them on DVD that I haven't bothered buying it.

I actually think X-7 was the best of the lot. Very very solid card all the way through, great setting, some excellent performances, and it all just seemed to come together brilliantly.

Of course I have a soft spot for Mania XX, but I do think that probably runs a close second, as once again it was a stacked card with plenty of good build up for the matches, all of which (with the exception of Goldberg .v. Lesnar) delivered.

Other manias have had excellent matches. X8 with Rock .v. Hogan, WM3 with Savage .v. Steamboat, WM7 with Savage .v. Warrior, Mania 25 with Shawn .v. Taker, Mania 13 with Bret .v. Austin, the list goes on.

Hmm, second question then. Compile an "ultimate Wrestlemania" card using matches from the previous Manias. Maximum of 12 matches. No one person can be used more than 3 times.

Agree with everyone on X-7.

It is absolutely my favorite, and it's the one that I can watch again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again....

XV, X-7 X-8 and XX have to be in my top four. I didn't mind 21 either. If I had to pick one, probably X-7. I think after 21/22 they wen't downhill fast.

I was really drunk when I watched XXVI round a workmates, so it could have been three hours of Grandmaster Sexay dancing like an idiot and I probably still would have enjoyed it.

OK, ultimate Mania card


1. Main Event: The Rock .v. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Mania 17)

2. The Rock .v. Hulk Hogan (Mania 18)

3. Stone Cold Steve Austin .v. Bret Hitman Hart (Mania 13)

4. Shawn Michaels .v. Undertaker (Mania 24)

5. Eddie Guerrero .v. Kurt Angle (Mania 20)

6. Randy Savage .v. Ultimate Warrior (Mania 7)

7. Ultimate Warrior .v. Hulk Hogan (Mania 6)

8. Shawn Michaels .v. Razor Ramon (Mania 10)

9. Bret Hart .v. Owen Hart (Mania 10)

10. First Money in the Bank Match (Mania 21)

I actually had to go watch the recaps because of the mention of Brian Christopher and wow...just wow. I dont even know whats going on in the WWE but I feel this needs to be...dare I say..on a podcast lol