It's that time of year again: the time when WWE rolls out the red carpet for its biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania.
And, as is generally the case with most wrestling-related blogs and websites, this week I will highlight my predictions for each of the matches on the official card for Wrestlemania.
So without any further ado, let's begin:
10-DIVA TAG TEAM MATCH
MICKIE JAMES, KELLY KELLY, EVE, GAIL KIM, & BETH PHEONIX VS. WWE WOMEN'S CHAMPION MICHELLE MCCOOL, WWE DIVAS CHAMPION MARYSE, LAYLA, ALICIA FOX, & VICKIE GUERRERO
What bothers me about matches like this is that WWE always seems to just cram as many of the "Sexiest Women on Television" into the ring at once and we are supposed to tune in. What they don't realize is that the Triple Threat Match for the Women's Championship at Wrestlemania X8 between Trish Stratus, Jazz, and Lita was a lot more interesting than this hodge podge of estrogen. Worse yet is the fact that WWE has both female champions as heels in this match and on the same team. Normally, you take one face champion, and one heel champion, and make them captains of their respective teams. Unfortunately, you've put both women on the same team and balanced them out by giving that team--Vickie Guerrero.
And this is the sad truth of what the women's division in WWE has come to. Vickie Guerrero is sharing the ring with the Women's and Divas Champions...at Wrestlemania.
No disrespect to Vickie, but seriously, why is she here? Is she seriously going to attempt to compete with women like Gail Kim and Mickie James?
A few years ago, Wrestlemania meant showcasing the best of your talent. You pick the best two or three women in your company and have them represent that division of your organization. The same goes for each title match and even the Money-in-the-Bank Ladder match. These days, I guess it's just about getting as many people on this show as possible.
The worst part about this match is that it will have zero consequences. Rather than have two matches (one for the Women's Championship, and one for the Divas Championship), WWE has wasted all their talent for what will be a chaotic train wreck. That's no disrespect to the women involved. These women work hard to compete on the level that they do, and I respect that, but anytime you have more than four competitors in the ring, the results are rarely Slammy-worthy.
WHO WILL WIN: Mickie James, Kelly Kelly, Eve, Gail Kim, & Beth Phoenix
C.M. PUNK VS. REY MYSTERIO
The story behind this match is a little convoluted to me, but that's probably because I don't follow Smackdown all that closely. Apparently, Mysterio wanted a street fight against Punk, but Punk would only wrestle a Street Fight if Mysterio could beat Luke Gallows. Mysterio failed in that attempt, which means this match will be a straight-up one-on-one contest.
Now, call me crazy, but if you're going to introduce the prospect of a Street Fight to the fans, you better have a Street Fight. Why introduce this element and then dismiss it just as quickly? The fans would much rather see a Street Fight, but now you leave them thinking it's going to be "just another regular match". This is Wrestlemania! Why not pull out all the stops?
Of course, the big story here is that if Rey loses this match, he will be sworn in to Punk's Straight-Edge Society, joining Luke Gallows and Serena.
This is a great idea, since this match will have direct repercussions for Rey and could affect the coming year. This is the type of storyline that WWE needs to do more of all the time, and not just at Wrestlemania. The aftermath of this match could be long-term, and that is a good thing because it makes the match itself more meaningful and the time and money spent more worthwhile.
I would love to see Punk walk away with the win here, if only because it would make for more interesting TV. However, this is Wrestlemania, and this is Rey Mysterio, and since this will likely be one of the lower matches on the card, WWE will probably want to start the show off on a high note, so they will probably give the win to Rey.
WHO SHOULD WIN: C.M. Punk
WHO WILL WIN: Rey Mysterio
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
"THE LEGEND KILLER" RANDY ORTON VS. TED DIBIASE JR. VS. CODY RHODES
This match should have a lot more momentum going into Wrestlemania, but with all the hot angles in WWE, and specifically on Raw, this one gets lost in the shuffle. The breaking up of Legacy should've been huge, but Rhodes and DiBiase just aren't pushed as hard as they should be. Moreover, neither is particularly talented on the mic, which leaves the crowd feeling indifferent.
To make matters worse, there is no clear face or heel here. In contrast to the breakup of Evolution, where Randy Orton played the face trying to escape his tyrannical mentor, Rhodes and DiBiase seem more ungrateful brats to Randy Orton's generosity in taking them under his wing.
Orton himself plays the perfect anti-hero. He isn't doing this for the fans, he's not doing it for fun, he's doing it for Randy Orton, and that is why so many fans are behind him right now. Most fans are tired of the John Cenas and the Hulk Hogans who do everything for the people, or for the greater good. Orton goes out there and, in very "Stone Cold" fashion, does things a.) for himself, and b.) because he can. He's not looking for a pat on the back or praise from his peers or the audience. He's looking for his own personal satisfaction, and that is making him the unanimous favorite in this bout.
If Randy Orton had it his way, he'd beat Rhodes and DiBiase into the ground and we'd never hear from them again. But I'm not sure WWE wants them to go away as they have spent quite enough time grooming them for future main-event status.
As far as Rhodes and DiBiase are concerned, it doesn't really matter who wins as long as Randy Orton loses. This will skyrocket their respective careers either way this match turns out. We've already seen some dissension in the ranks between the two, so chances are, regardless of who gets the pinfall, they will be at each others' throats for a while yet. DiBiase has always been the clear favorite, while Rhodes would probably benefit more from a win over Orton.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Cody Rhodes
WHO WILL WIN: Ted DiBiase
SHEAMUS VS. TRIPLE H
This is one of those matches I find hard to get excited about. Maybe if Sheamus hadn't been pushed so hard already by WWE it might make more sense.
Triple H seems to consider himself the measuring stick to which every future Superstar is to be compared, but I'm just not sure I buy that. Triple H is good. Triple H is very, very good. But Triple H, to me, never reached a level of competition or stardom that men like The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Steve Austin, or The Rock did. Yes, Triple H is a proving grounds for young stars, but when that young star is a former WWE Champion, what more do they have to prove?
Triple H gains nothing by beating Sheamus, but likewise, how much harder can WWE push Sheamus as a result of beating Triple H? Sheamus has already beaten John Cena for the WWE Championship. What more can he possibly attain thanks to defeating Triple H in a non-title bout?
It is nice to see Triple H continuing to take an active role in bringing up young stars. Randy Orton, Batista, and John Cena can all thank Triple H for where they are now. Hopefully Sheamus will be next in line.
But this is Triple H we're talking about...
WHO SHOULD WIN: Sheamus
WHO WILL WIN: Triple H
WWE UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
WWE UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS SHOW-MIZ VS. JOHN MORRISON & R-TRUTH
In my opinion, this match does little more than highlight the weakness of WWE's tag team division. Almost every man in this match has been partnered with someone else in the past year. The Miz and John Morrison were once a great tag team, just as Morrison was when he was part of MNM. But Morrison has since become a former Intercontinental Champion, and The Miz is now the current United States Champion, so overall, it feels like these men should've moved on from tag team wrestling, as is generally the formula in WWE. Big Show was partnered with Chris Jericho at this time last year, and they actually made a descent tag team. But of course, WWE had to borrow Jericho for a match against Edge, so they took two opposing stars and thrust them together to make a mock-up tag team.
It really doesn't matter who wins this match, since the tag titles mean so little anymore. Still, Show-Miz is a more established (and far more marketable) tag team, and should probably keep the gold until WWE can drum up a worthy adversary.
WHO WILL WIN: SHOW-MIZ
MONEY-IN-THE-BANK LADDER MATCH
KANE VS. KOFI KINGSTON VS. EVAN BOURNE VS. MONTEL VONTAVIOUS PORTER VS. CHRISTIAN VS. DOLPH ZIGGLER VS. SHELTON BENJAMIN VS. JACK SWAGGER VS. MATT HARDY VS. INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION DREW MCINTYRE
The inaugural Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match at Wrestlemania 21 featured six competitors.
Wrestlemania 23 featured eight competitors.
Wrestlemania XXVI will feature ten.
Yes, ten.
Imagine packing ten men into a 20x20 space.
Where do you want the ladder?
These matches tend to turn into spot-fests with no real ebb and flow to the match itself. I'm not a big fan of the idea of a match deteriorating into "utter chaos" which is why matches involving more than four competitors generally annoy me.
All of these men are extremely talented, but realistically, only a handful can be seen as World Champions. I make this assumption because every man who has won a Money-in-the-Bank Match in the past has gone on to successfully attain a World Championship.
Kane seems to have found a home here in Money-in-the-Bank, though he has never won. There is little reason to believe this year will be any different.
Kofi Kingston is a terrific talent, but I don't think WWE is committed to pushing him into the main event at this stage of his career.
Evan Bourne, though a great performer, just doesn't have the charisma he needs to carry a title.
MVP is ripe to be pushed, and pushed hard. Fans want to see it, and he is more than ready to do battle at the top of WWE's talent pool.
Christian could use this strong push following the fall of ECW to cement himself as a player in the Raw locker room. Toppling John Cena or Batista would make people notice him, and could help keep his career going despite being a big fish in an even bigger pond.
Dolph Ziggler still needs a lot of work before even thinking about World Championships. A good program with Drew McIntyre would do wonders for him.
Shelton Benjamin is one of the most underrated stars in WWE, and his cult followers have been clamoring for years now to see him finally grab the brass ring. Benjamin has paid his dues and spent the last six or seven years as a mid-card wrestler. I've said before that Shelton lacks the charisma to be a main eventer, but he's never had much to work with, and putting a little faith in him might kick his career into high gear.
Jack Swagger has been a mainstay of Raw for the past year, but I just can't see him as Champion. It would certainly do well to see him parading around with the briefcase for a few months before cashing it in against a face champion like John Cena, but I just can't see how far he would get once he had the belt. Perhaps I'm underestimating him, but I think there's still a lot left to evolve in the All-American American...American...
Matt Hardy doesn't really need a briefcase to be consider for the #1 Contender spot. Like Benjamin, Hardy has spent years at the mid-card level, while his brother, Jeff, managed to ascend to the top of WWE to become World Heavyweight Champion. I'm not sure what is keeping WWE from pushing Matt Hardy, but it is long overdue. It's hard to believe it's been 12 years since he debuted in WWE, and still has no World Championship to show for it.
Drew McIntyre is the Intercontinental Champion and needs to stay that way. As the least experienced man in this match, McIntyre has a long way to go before he can think about what he would do with a World Championship.
One thing that would really rejuvenate this concept and really set the entire night on fire, is some instant gratification. Don't keep the audience waiting. Coming out the next night and bragging about your win and waiting months on end to cash in your prize is going to bore the audience and kill whatever momentum or anticipation the audience felt that superstar had.
Whoever wins this match needs to cash in their briefcase that night against the winner of the John Cena/Batista match and walk away with the Championship. This would be the shocker that sets this Wrestlemania apart from all the rest and would keep people talking for weeks.
I think Christian is a perfect candidate for the job. He's a former ECW Champion, so we know he can carry the title. He's also in the middle bracket of stars that aren't quite on par with men like Triple H, but aren't quite subject to the glass ceiling like Matt Hardy. He's someone the fans will respect, and he could have some great programs with many of the other stars in this match, ushering in a true youth movement in WWE.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Christian
WHO WILL WIN: Jack Swagger
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CHRIS JERICHO VS. EDGE
I'm so glad Jericho got out of his funk of the same slow, monotone promos and insulting the fans and all that jazz. It's great to see him on top of the WWE and working such a great program with an equally talented star.
Edge has been on fire since returning at the Royal Rumble, and I have little doubt he will be walking out of Wrestlemania as the World Champion.
This will be a great match, but the bottom line is that it doesn't offer fans anything new. Both these men are multi-time World Champions, and winning against each other isn't going to do much for them. I hope Jericho remains in the main event picture, but mainly to support some new blood. Edge still has great potential, since I never felt he had a good long run as Champion, and could be the back-up plan for stars who aren't prepared to carry the title. Like the John Cena/Batista bout, this is another opportunity to inject some new blood into the title picture, but on paper, it still looks like it will be a terrific match.
WHO WILL WIN: EDGE
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
WWE CHAMPION BATISTA VS. JOHN CENA
This is an epic battle and one of the best programs either of these men have been involved with in years.
Batista's new attitude is scathing and just the thing to foil John Cena's "white bread" character. Batista won't stand for Cena's long, dramatic monologues or hokey catchphrases. Batista has given voice to all the fans out there who are tired of the same old song and dance from John Cena.
It has really cast Batista in a new light as we get to see "The Animal" truly unleashed. Even if the promos are scripted, there is a token of reality to everything Batista says. These "no holds barred" comments remind me more of the "Attitude Era" when everything was off the cuff and felt more genuine. I can totally buy Batista as a disgruntled employee trying to topple the "corporate tool" that is John Cena.
Everything about Batista demands that you pay attention to him, and giving him the WWE Championship only solidifies his relevance to the audience and to Cena. That title is Cena's: both physically and for what it symbolizes. It belongs around Cena's waist; that is something that even anti-Cena fans can't deny. But Batista's nonchalant, no-frills attitude means he will not budge for Cena on any level, and that is exactly what anti-Cena fans want to see.
The genius about this match is that it appeals to 95% of the WWE audience. Fans who love Cena have the perfect man to hate, and fans who despise Cena have the perfect foil to cheer for.
This will be a classic Wrestlemania match that will go down as one of the biggest matches in WWE history. My only complaint, as I stated earlier, is that whichever way the fates turn it, it offers nothing new to the WWE audience, since both these men have been Champion and both have beaten the other before.
In a perfect world, Batista would bury John Cena and Christian would come out and use his Money-in-the-Bank briefcase to steal Batista's Championship.
But then again, we're talking about John Cena here...
WHO SHOULD WIN: Batista
WHO WILL WIN: John Cena
NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH
MR. MCMAHON VS. BRET "HITMAN" HART
The magnitude of this match is lost on a lot of fans. This should be touted as the biggest match of the night.
This is an encounter that many swore they would never see: Bret Hart back in the WWE and openly confronting Vince McMahon about his actions concerning the Montreal Screwjob.
First off, I just want to say that this entire angle has spoken volumes about Bret's character. For myself, I have gained a mountain of respect for Bret. A man who once swore he would never use the Montreal Incident to "get over" in his career, Hart has allowed himself to be humiliated by the man that screwed him all in anticipation of what will no doubt be the crowning moment of Bret's career.
Not to say that Bret, Vince, and Shawn Michaels are best pals, but for Bret to come out and bury the hatchet the way he did with Shawn Michaels, a man the truly despised, says a lot about the quality of "The Hitman"'s character and integrity. To continue to work this program with Vince, sitting back and taking a lot of criticism and ridicule from the man that tore his world apart, shows that Bret has been a true professional when it comes to this match.
A lot of people will say Bret is simply looking for a paycheck, but I truly believe Bret Hart wanted one last chance to be remembered for something other than what happened in Montreal. I think Bret wants one more chance to be the hero he was to so many, and this is his chance to give closure to that torturous chapter of his life.
Seeing Vince, Austin, and Bret in the ring was a terrific treat for fans all over the world. I don't care what kind of wrestling fan you are, the angle with Bret is epic, and historic.
Of course, I fully expect Bret to win at Wrestlemania and reclaim the glory that was lost in Montreal. Hopefully this will brig Bret the peace of mind he has been searching for and re-cement his legacy with WWE and its fans. What better way to say goodbye?
WHO WILL WIN: Bret "Hitman" Hart
The Undertaker vs. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
By far the most anticipated match of the night is the epic bout between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.
Fans will recognize this as a rematch of what many described last year as "the greatest match in Wrestlemania history". Whether you agree with that assessment or not, you can't deny the chemistry between these two stars. From the first Hell-in-a-Cell, to the first-ever Casket Match, these men revolutionized professional wrestling and left their permanent stamp on the industry.
I'm not sure what to expect from these two, but I can almost guarantee it will be the best match of the night.
Shawn Michaels has long been the master of mind games when it comes to "The Deadman" and is probably the only person in recent history to truly show no fear in the face of "The Phenom". True to his reputation, "The Heartbreak Kid" has vowed to vanquish his nemesis at Wrestlemania, effectively ending the 17-0 Wrestlemania winning streak of The Undertaker.
Should HBK lose, however, his career in WWE will be over.
Now for many, this will ring some familiar bells. Every opponent The Undertaker has faced in the past five or six years has vowed to end "The Streak". Similarly, Shawn Michaels ended the career of "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair at Wrestlemania XXIV. So this is really a hybrid of the paths these two men have walked, and it will culminate at Wrestlemania XXVI.
As far as who will win, it's clear most people expect The Undertaker to successfully defend his record, and go 18-0.
WWE certainly seems to be playing up the drama, releasing Shawn Michaels' "My Journey" DVD set, which is basically a retrospective of "The Showstopper"'s 25-year career, ending with HBK confronting the question of whether or not he is ready to hang it up for good.
Shawn Michaels wrestled what many assume was his last match on Raw against Kane this past Monday, and pulled out the win despite The Undertaker's appearance and subsequent chokeslam. After weeks of distractions that have cost Shawn victory after victory, "Mr. Wrestlemania" was finally able to pull out a win despite being haunted by "The Deadman".
So the question is: is Wrestlemania XXVI Shawn Michaels' last match?
My answer right now is that I'm not sure.
On the one hand, you have the fact that HBK is in the autumn of his career. His pace has slowed, his body is plagued by injuries both past and present. Only Shawn Michaels truly knows how much farther he can push his body, but anyone who has seen Shawn in his prime can clearly see the wear and tear the industry has taken on him physically.
You have the WWE apparently marketing for the end of Shawn's career. The "My Journey" DVD along with a slew of new HBK memorabilia would suggest that WWE is attempting to milk every last cent they can out of HBK's legacy.
Then there is "The Streak", and this is the biggest question mark in the bunch.
It's safe to say something like The Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak will never be duplicated, and therefore, if the streak is to be broken, it should obviously be broken by someone worthy of attaining that honor.
Conversely, it is possible WWE plans to let The Undertaker retire with his streak intact, in which case, this match will mark the end of HBK's career.
And then there are those who feel HBK will reign victorious in his match.
My main argument for this is that this is a rematch. Rematches in wrestling are generally to prove a point, though this isn't always the case in WWE. But think about WWE's Backlash pay-per-view events: there is a steady record of the Backlash main events being rematches of the main events from Wrestlemania. In some cases the entire cards are almost identical. This is because after Wrestlemania there is always that promo where the loser claims that his loss was a "fluke" win by his opponent and that "lightning never strikes twice in the same spot", blah blah blah blah. This calls for a rematch.
These types of rematches are generally used to firmly establish the reign of the Champion, such as in the case of Chris Benoit, John Cena, and Batista. However, in the case of non-title bouts, rematches are generally used to keep the feud going.
In this case, The Undertaker really doesn't gain anything by beating Shawn Michaels. He has already beaten Shawn at Wrestlemania, so he has nothing left to prove.
However, think of what Shawn has to gain.
For a man who has done everything there is to do in the world of professional wrestling, Shawn Michaels has attained many monikers:
The first Ladder Match
The first Grand Slam Champion
Winner of the First Iron-Man Match
Winner of the first Hell-in-a-Cell Match
Screwing Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1997
Winner of the first Casket Match
Retired "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair at Wrestlemania
Shawn Michaels has done it all. Until Wrestlemania 25, The Undertaker had never beaten Shawn Michaels. But what would it do for HBK's career to be known as "The Man Who Broke The Streak"? It's the only thing left for Shawn Michaels to do, and I truly believe he will not retire until he has.
Then there are those who feel HBK will not really retire after Wrestlemania.
Retirement in wrestling is always a big "if" and has turned into something of a joke. Even after the terrific send-off the WWE gave Ric Flair, "The Naitch" returned to in-ring performance in TNA. Mick Foley has returned countless times after supposedly retiring as did Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, and others.
I doubt Wrestlemania will be HBK's last appearance on WWE programming (at the very least he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame), but I do believe when he decides to hang it up, he will not be seeking employment by other promotions. I think Shawn is ready to be done, though only Shawn Michaels will know when the time is right.
If Wrestlemania 25 was any indication, this should be a match for the ages, whichever way the tide turns.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Shawn Michaels
WHO WILL WIN: The Undertaker
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