01-21-2017, 11:22 PM | #481 |
Posts: 61,095
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There's no chance Triple H is sitting out Mania, but doing some thinking, would a six-man tag pitting Triple H, Kevin Owens & Chris Jericho against a babyface team led by Seth Rollins be a better overall direction? It's Triple H, his new chosen one and his best friend against the former chosen one. It makes sense and will probably "energize" people a lot more than Triple H vs. Rollins one-on-one will.
Sami Zayn seems like a logical choice for Rollins' first partner. He's fiery and has personal issues with Owens. The third man is trickier. I was actually thinking that this could be where Shinsuke Nakamura shows up. The idea would basically be that he respects Rollins & Zayn and when they need someone to fight against villainy, he steps forward because he's Shinsuke fuckin' Nakamura. |
01-21-2017, 11:39 PM | #482 |
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Random card:
* AJ Styles (c) vs. The Undertaker for the WWE World Title * Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman vs. Finn Balor for the WWE Universal Title * John Cena vs. Samoa Joe * Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar III * Triple H, Kevin Owens & Chris Jericho vs. Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn & Shinsuke Nakamura * Street Fight: Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt * Charlotte (c) vs. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax for the RAW Women's Title * Andre Battle Royal featuring Big Show, Shaq, Baron Corbin, Sheamus, Cesaro, Rusev, The New Day, Luke Harper, Kane, Dolph Ziggler, Kalisto, Apollo Crews, Gallows & Anderson, Enzo & Cass, Mark Henry, Mojo Rawley, Heath Slater, Rhyno, etc. * Scramble Match: Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Mickie James vs. Nikki Bella vs. Natalya for the SmackDown Women's Championship * Dean Ambrose & Renee Young vs. The Miz & Maryse * Neville (c) vs. Kota Ibushi for the Cruiserweight Title * American Alpha (c) vs. The Revival for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles This gets WrestleMania down to a 12 match main card. Kickoff will probably be a UK Title match, a cruiserweight cluster maybe a RAW Tag Team Championship match with the teams all appearing in the Battle Royal later anyway, which they try to make a big deal. Maybe they add a stipulation that the winner of the Battle Royal, since it is all about dominance and presence, gets a spot on the WWE 2K18 video game cover and SummerSlam poster. Maybe they can get a title shot too. For those thinking that I have given The New Day little to do, I can see them interacting with The Rock later on in the show and I'd give Big E the Battle Royal with Kofi & Xavier counting themselves as winners too. It'd really be a Big E earmarking moment. The Triple Threat for the Universal Title seems weird, but if you lock in Brock vs. Goldberg, assuming Vince wants to do it, and if you have Taker challenge Styles for one last Taker classic before he puts over Cena next year, then your remainder is really Strowman. He could be the runner-up in the Rumble (foreshadowed by Strowman watching The Undertaker segment) and after losing just starts attacking Roman Reigns wherever he goes. He takes his destiny into his own hands and inserts himself into the title picture. Finn Balor returns from his injury and injects some color into the proceedings. The Usos jump from SmackDown to RAW and there is the possibility of Bloodline/Balor Club involvement. Between the Women's Championship matches and mixed tag, you are highlighting 11 different female performers. You could possibly add Lita to the SmackDown Scramble, but I think that's already pretty full and Mickie James is sort of filling the legend role in there. Neville could easily defend against Rich Swann, Cedric Alexander, Kalisto or Gran Metalik, but I think the "dream" match is him versus Ibushi. It would turn a lot of heads and get people buzzing about the division. Ibushi could win the belt and be a traveling champion, but if he refuses to sign with the WWE full-time, you can easily just put Neville over and make him look like a world-beater. Politically it might seem uncouth to jam Ibushi into a major singles match at Mania over guys who did sign, but he's a bigger star, frankly, and I think most of the boys would spend more time marking out than complaining. The Revival getting the SmackDown Tag Team Title match is a bit of fan service. Alpha currently have the belts because Vince wants them to stand out and be something, I imagine. Why not book their greatest rivals as their Mania opponents. Alpha can retain the belts against The Usos at Elimination Chamber and then get attacked by The Revival who kick down the door and set the table for Mania. If there is legitimate heat on them, just let that be pressure for them to live up to their own hype. Plus, you don't have to put the belts on them. Alpha can defeat Dash & Dawson soundly and then get their arms raised by Hulk Hogan or something, who makes sure not to wipe his palm on his pants after raising Jordan's. They can even come out with Hogan at the start to "Real American" as a way to pump the crowd up wearing red and yellow singlets. I did have an IC Title Ladder Match on the show, with Dolph defending against Kalisto, Crews, Corbin, Kane and Harper (you can always add a seventh guy like Rawley, Slater or even Ellsworth to kill him off), but the show is pretty stacked and by pushing those guys into the Battle Royal you might help its importance. You would probably keep the IC Title on Ambrose until Mania then, and maybe have a stipulation that the title can change hands in the event of a decision involving the women. It does appear that the Renee Young stuff has been dropped, but that might be to just put it on ice until closer to Mania. But if you don't do the Mixed Tag, then Ambrose vs. Miz vs. Ziggler vs. Kalisto vs. Crews vs. Kane vs. Harper would be fine with me. Corbin can try and win the Battle Royal and be the only two-time winner in history and be the last guy eliminated after getting rid of Shaq, Big Show and Cesaro (the celebrity and the two former winners). Another slight tweak, for continuity reasons, could be to have Sasha Banks out of the RAW Women's Title match because she was supposed to have received her last shot. I doubt that is the plan though. Emmalina could be inserted in Banks' place and Sasha could face either Stephanie McMahon or jump to SmackDown as an ally to Becky Lynch and find herself in the Scramble, which could just become a Six-Pack Challenge or something. Or maybe it's s six-woman tag with Sasha, Becky & Nikki facing Alexa, Mickie & Nattie. I guess it just depends what sort of mood you are in. |
01-22-2017, 12:37 AM | #483 |
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The more I think about it, the more I want that card to happen. As for the winners:
* I'd put Styles over Taker. Styles is around full-time and will basically be seen as a babyface by this point. This will be his confirmation as "the guy." He can clutch the WWE Title after defeating The Undertaker like it is one of his children. Taker can give Styles a sign of respect after the match and all can be good in the wrestling world. * I'd put Finn Balor over Reigns and Strowman. The "faces" can work together to neutralize Strowman and he can take a bump off the stage or something. Reigns and Balor can then tear it up with each other before Strowman returns like a bat out of hell and destroys both guys getting near falls on both. Gallows & Anderson, who have been teasing an alliance with Balor hit the ring and end up taking out Strowman again. This brings out The Usos to fight with them to the back. Reigns Spears Strowman but Balor breaks it up with a Coup de Grace and then hits a new finishing move to pin Roman Reigns and become the two-time Universal Champion. * Joe chokes out Cena. I'd love for Cena to tap, but they will probably protect the "Never Give Up" thing. Still, a submission victory on the books for Joe against Cena at Mania puts him right in Styles' sight as a challenger for the WWE Title. I'd really love it if he took out Undertaker too, but that is optional. * I'm still thinking I'd put Goldberg over Brock. Make Goldberg that one dude that Brock just cannot beat, even when he is focused and ready. Heyman can talk Brock out of the loss and it lets you keep Goldberg on your shelf of draws. * In the six-man, I'd put the babyfaces over. Nakamura is debuting and it'd be good for Rollins to get a Mania win as a babyface. Owens & Jericho are probably heading to the dissolution too. Triple H and Owens can blame Jericho for the loss (and indeed he is pinned by Nakamura) and that heads towards Owens vs. Jericho in the post-Mania season. * Bray Wyatt could really use a WrestleMania win. It's also building another heel for Styles, and perhaps his immediate challenger. Maybe Orton can re-align with Bray after losing and realizing that he is the ruler he needs? Styles vs. Orton could be a lot of fun too. I'd like to see SAnitY on the main roster after WrestleMania, and having them force The Wyatt Family back together might be a fun little program that makes The Family faces, as crowds clearly want to cheer them. Whatever. This little spat ends with Bray winning and then you can do whatever. * The Rock's cousin probably walks out of Mania with the RAW Women's Title. She can pin Sasha Banks, who I would move to SmackDown after this. Charlotte's streak can be broken and the frustrating thing is that she wasn't involved in the decision. Bayley also wouldn't have been pinned. Charlotte can be babyfaced by this decision, go on to beat Jax for the belt back, and that's when you can do Dana turning on Charlotte and helping Emmalina secure the belt and call up Asuka to RAW, because they are really going to need to broaden that division. Looking at those plans, you don't really need to move the belt until Emmalina wins the belt on a RAW, and you can keep the streak of Charlotte's alive. Maybe you do go with Charlotte winning at Mania? * Big E wins the Battle Royal. If you do the IC Title Ladder Match (I would), then you can have Rusev be the last guy in there to give him some focus and shine. It can look like he is about to win, but Kofi & Woods re-enter, Rusev tosses them out again, but then finds himself the victim of some babyface fire from Big E to clotheslines Rusev out and wins the match. * I'd love for Becky Lynch to win the SmackDown Women's belt back. I think she's the most over babyface they have in that division (well, she was the last time I watched), and there are so many great stories you can tell with her. She can get the last submission on Mickie James here, so Alexa can blame her for the loss and the two can feud moving forward. Sasha jumps over to SmackDown and immediately teases some tension with Becky Lynch. You'll have Nikki Cross coming in with SAnitY. I'd probably move Naomi, Carmella and Nikki Bella over to RAW in exchange for the girls that come over from RAW (Sasha Banks, Summer Rae and Paige...if they smooth things over with her). Natalya probably isn't necessary on SmackDown after this point either. She can go to RAW and work with Bayley and help get her more over. Becky, Sasha, Mickie, Cross are more than capable of carrying the division forward, with Alexa being the earmarked pet project. Asuka can finish things up with Ember Moon and then maybe join them on SmackDown. I think she'd fit the aesthetic of the show and be a lot of fun beating up both Becky and Sasha. I imagine that the Peyton Royce/Billie Kay double act will see the main roster at some point too. I wouldn't mind them joining Emma on RAW, but they could probably be used to "sex" up SmackDown with their more serious looking female wrestlers. * Dean Ambrose & Renee Young win the mixed tag when Young hits Dirty Deeds on Maryse. I mean, that is what she'd be in there to do, right? * I'd spin Dolph and Kalisto off into a singles feud after the Ladder Match. It'd be nice to see Kalisto get a run with the IC Title, but I can see them eventually heading towards Hair vs. Mask and you don't really need the title involved with those stakes already there. Kane would not be in there to win. Corbin is a guy they'd probably like to give a run with the belt, but I think it'd be more an anchor for the sort of performer he is. You can give him some shine in here without actually putting him over other acts. It really comes down to either Crews or Harper for me. I'd be fine with Harper winning the belt, but it could really help Crews if he somehow gets his head above water here and pulls down the belt. He's lacking in the personality department, but if he's built to be a champion it's time to start treating him like one. With Big E going over in the Battle Royal and American Alpha winning the opening match, Crews winning could also add to the black excellence of the event. * Even if he doesn't sign a full-time deal with the WWE, I'd still put Ibushi over in the CW Title match. You can always have Neville win back the belt later. * American Alpha win the opener. So your champion roll call coming out of Mania would hopefully be: WWE Champion: AJ Styles Universal Champion: Finn Balor IC Champion: Apollo Crews US Champion: Chris Jericho might still have it, or it might have bounced between Jericho, Zayn, Rollins and Owens -- but let's say Jericho RAW Tag Team: You can probably leave them on Sheamus & Cesaro in this scenario SmackDown Tag Team: American Alpha RAW Women's: Charlotte SmackDown Women's: Becky Lynch CW: Kota Ibushi |
01-22-2017, 12:54 AM | #484 |
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As for which male wrestlers would kind of be done on their brands after Mania, I can kind of see them moving Cena, actually, as Braun Strowman could use a piece of meat to toss around, and Cena seems to be in something of a rebuilding stage. He could align with Enzo & Cass for the stable wars against The Bloodline and The Balor Club. It'd be tempting to put The Shield back together and have SAnitY debut against them -- and that would be sick, but I think Reigns is already going to have a lot to do so I don't think the reunion happens.
But Rollins would be pretty well wrapped on RAW, so he'd be free to head over to SmackDown, where his interactions with Dean Ambrose could get interesting. He'd be a nice babyface to bounce around for Samoa Joe and The Wyatts in the short-term too. Crews wouldn't need a long run with the IC belt, and he could even drop it to Harper at the next SD PPV, and then drop it to Rollins, who is yet to have a run with the belt. The Miz could pull some interesting stuff out of Rollins too. I think it would be a good move. As soon as they lose the RAW Tag Titles, I think Sheamus could use a change by heading over to SmackDown too. I mean, I'd like to see him get kicked in the head by Nakamura first, but after that he would make another good heel on SmackDown. He would actually have a lot of fresh match-ups over there. American Alpha and The Revival are going to be the cornerstones of that division. #DIY probably get the nod up very soon after Mania too. I like The Fashion Police staying on SmackDown, but basically all the other teams can fuck off to RAW and be fodder over there. I don't see much room upwards for Heath Slater or Mojo Rawley on SmackDown, so they'd be good candidates for a change of scenery to do things on RAW. Slater's goofy stuff would probably work better there anyway. With Joe and Harper as monsters, you can keep Kane around to put them over and focus on grooming Harper, but Rawley doesn't have much room to go up. Curtis Axel can move to SmackDown where he becomes jealous of American Alpha being sponsored by Hulk Hogan. He could partner with Jack Swagger as a new Real Americans tandem? I guess you could put him with Bo Dallas, Curt Hawkins or even Rhyno though. But Axel's a steady hand that could put over Alpha and #DIY. Maybe Sin Cara to put over the likes of Dolph Ziggler and/or Kalisto. But yeah, that would be my general direction after WrestleMania. The major moves would be John Cena jumping over to RAW with Nikki Bella with Sasha Banks, Seth Rollins and Sheamus coming over to SmackDown. |
01-24-2017, 02:24 PM | #485 | |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,776
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UPDATE
Former WWE writer Brian Mann has stated that: Quote:
Last edited by slik; 01-25-2017 at 12:14 AM. |
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01-24-2017, 07:54 PM | #486 |
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Uh....where will the title be? No interest in Shane v Styles. Like, none. I'd rather Styles go in as champ and defend it to legitimize his run against a top face. The only other guy like that is Taker.
Cena is a stud. Confident whatever program he's in will lead to a good match. Maybe he's going against the rumored Samoa Joe. Lesnar Goldberg closing is meh. But we'll see. |
01-24-2017, 08:17 PM | #487 |
Former TPWW Royalty
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Those plans would pretty much guarantee RAW is getting the Rumble winner and the main focus for the Road to Mania. Wouldn't be surprised outside of whatever Cena is doing, Smackdown feels like an afterthought for Mania till the Chamber ppv. Would also fit with recent rumors of Vince going overboard with total control of Mania plans.
Had they not just abruptly drop the tensions between Ambrose and Shane, that would have been a better Mania feud than whatever half-ass plan they have in store for Shane-Styles. |
01-24-2017, 08:38 PM | #488 |
Trickster Demon
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I wonder if Shane will win the Rumble and face Styles for the title at WM...surely they wouldn't do that...right?
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01-24-2017, 08:48 PM | #489 |
Make the IWC Great Again
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01-24-2017, 11:23 PM | #490 |
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I thought the plans were in place for months?
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01-24-2017, 11:45 PM | #491 | |
3 Dicks Out For Trips
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01-24-2017, 11:57 PM | #492 |
King of Love and Piss
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01-25-2017, 12:04 AM | #493 |
Trickster Demon
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edited post 488 to include:
* Bray vs Randy Orton will be the WWE Title program that will end up middle of the card |
01-25-2017, 12:19 AM | #494 |
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I'm for that if Wyatt finally wins the big one.
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01-25-2017, 01:00 AM | #495 |
Former TPWW Royalty
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Makes sense considering everyone else for Smackdown's IC/WWE title scene is either way too early for a possible title reign (Corbin) or likely going to be busy with other stuff (Ziggy, Miz, Ambrose). AJ-Shane makes no sense as a title feud so Styles is more likely losing the belt and if Cena isn't in a title match for Mania, it leaves just Bray and Orton as the top choices left.
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01-25-2017, 01:05 AM | #496 |
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Would they blow off the historic Cena title win only to have him drop the belt the next month?
Does Orton turn face again and dethrone Styles, then drop to Bray at Mania? |
01-25-2017, 04:30 AM | #497 |
Trickster Demon
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01-25-2017, 08:38 AM | #498 |
Make the IWC Great Again
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01-25-2017, 08:44 AM | #499 |
Make the IWC Great Again
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Could see it either way. Cena could get the historic moment, but then get screwed at the Elimination Chamber. Or Styles beats Cena again, only to lose at EC, which fuels his beef with Shane for booking that match in the first place.
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01-25-2017, 08:48 AM | #500 |
President of Freedonia
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01-25-2017, 08:53 AM | #501 |
President of Freedonia
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I actually have no idea what's in store for Cena if there is truth to the latest rumors that he won't be in the WWE Title match because Orton/Wyatt will be.
Maybe Cena enters the Rumble after losing to AJ and eliminates Undertaker from the Royal Rumble? I mean, he WOULD be the heel in a Cena/Taker match, surely. |
01-25-2017, 08:56 AM | #502 |
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Stars need to be squeezed in, I don't think Shane is a star as a wrestler in 2017. No need to force him in.
It is fascinating though, I will say that. I don't remember, even at the peak of the attitude era, having so many possible Rumble winners and combinations for matches at Mania. Undertaker, Lesnar, Goldberg, Cena, Triple H, Rollins, Reigns, Angle, Braun, Jericho, Miz, Joe, Balor and probably a few others I am forgetting, could all conceivably be in the match and win it. That is crazy when you compare it to years when it was out of two guys. It really is fantastic and WWE should be commended for it. |
01-25-2017, 08:56 AM | #503 |
President of Freedonia
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Out there idea - but maybe Cena ends up going for the Intercontinental Championship? First off, SmackDown's done a good job of making the belt seem important, it very often main events the weekly television shows.
WWE seem to at least be aware of the hype NJPW is getting, and their Intercontinental Title is viewed as a true 1-A belt with main eventers gunning for it. Having Cena go for that belt just as he did for the US Title a few years ago is something I could see doing. Also, WWE like "completeness" in a wrestler's resume. Jericho winning the US Title was just made a big deal because it was the only singles belt he hadn't won. Well Cena hasn't won the Intercontinental Title yet so it gives him another accolade. |
01-25-2017, 10:17 AM | #504 |
It's all Bullshit
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Have the Miz beat Ambrose at the Rumble
Have Shinsuke Nakamura win the Rumble but have him go for the IC title instead at WM and throw Ambrose in with Rollins and Zahn against HHH/Jericho/Owens. Have Miz lose but feud with Nakamura until its time for Summerslam and then have Cena in the picture leading to Cena/Nakamura for the main title at Wm |
01-25-2017, 10:43 AM | #505 |
( ._.)
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If WWE liked completeness the would have Christian win the WWE title
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01-25-2017, 01:19 PM | #506 |
Resident drug enabler
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01-25-2017, 04:02 PM | #507 |
Feeling Oof-y
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Not really on board with Orton/Wyatt with the title on the line.
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01-25-2017, 04:27 PM | #508 |
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It feels very rushed. Feel like Styles deserves to walk into Mania as champ. They should've held off the Cena match till then.
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01-25-2017, 05:02 PM | #509 |
Resident drug enabler
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01-25-2017, 05:09 PM | #510 |
It's a blood match!
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01-25-2017, 06:40 PM | #511 | |
Make the IWC Great Again
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Quote:
Taker could eliminate Cena at EC. Or try to help him against The Wyatts, but it backfires and he costs Cena the belt. |
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01-25-2017, 10:21 PM | #512 | |
Former TPWW Royalty
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Possible post-Rumble and Mania plans in regards to RAW:
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01-25-2017, 10:24 PM | #513 |
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How many times have they made a big deal out of Cena winning the title only for him to drop it in the ensuing 2 months.
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01-25-2017, 10:31 PM | #514 |
Quark is Less Impressed.
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01-25-2017, 10:52 PM | #515 |
Resident drug enabler
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Well that would be a horrible reason.
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01-25-2017, 11:19 PM | #516 |
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No thanks on Balor v Taker. Number1, can someone tell me if and how much so was Balor over when he was on the Raw roster?
Number 2, I don't like the mismatch in size. I know that's a very old school way to view it, but it would bother me, for a big time Mania match. Reigns Stroman makes sense. Two of the new generation guys going into a big program. |
01-25-2017, 11:28 PM | #517 | |
Quark is Less Impressed.
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01-25-2017, 11:51 PM | #518 |
3 Dicks Out For Trips
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The entrances for Balor vs Taker would be longer than the match itself.
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01-26-2017, 12:54 AM | #519 |
Trickster Demon
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Per the new Wrestling Observer today...
Goldberg vs. Lesnar Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns HHH vs. Seth Rollins Jericho vs. Owens Wyatt vs. Orton Show vs. Shaquille O’Neal Charlotte vs. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax Dave is not certain on plans for Cena, Strowman, Balor or Ambrose. He said Cena vs Samoa Joe was pitched at one point recently however. He feels confident they are leaning towards AJ Styles vs Shane and Nikki Bella in the SD women's title match. He also said Wyatt and Orton could be the SD Title match. |
01-26-2017, 01:13 AM | #520 | |
Rigged from the start
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