With tonight's edition of Friday Night Smackdown under our belts, wrestling fans now look forward to Sunday, and the biggest wrestling event of the year: Wrestlemania XXVII.
Interestingly enough, tonight's Smackdown served as little more than a recap for Monday's Raw, with only a couple of matches unfolding. The rest of the show's two hours were filled with video packages and replays that we'd all seen just a few nights before. Nevertheless, it did help to add one final match to the card, and did a great job of hyping Sunday's event for all it's worth.
Certainly, there are things WWE could do to round out the show. There are no real celebrity guests aside from Snooki and Keri Hilson. But really, what I was anticipating was that there would be an unmasking of the "anonymous" Raw General Manager. How much longer is WWE going to keep this up? Isn't Wrestlemania a rather ideal time to unveil a new GM and set the stage for the coming year? Weren't Superstars like Edge and Chris Jericho on a vendetta to just that only a few short months ago?
In any case, I digress. Here's an opportunity to look at every match and I will make my final predictions for Wrestlemania XXVII.
Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes
So apparently Cody Rhodes thinks that Mysterio deliberately damaged his face, which looks to be remarkably unscathed.
The biggest issues I have with this match is that the storyline makes little to no sense and comes off as something that I might see at Judgment Day, or Summerslam at best. This is Wrestlemania, and this guy is mad because Rey tainted his "Dashing" good looks?
This should be Rhodes' chance to shine, but unfortunately, he is going nowhere fast. He's sorely lacking in charisma and I just don't feel compelled to watch him. Cody should be getting a nice push to keep the youth movement going in the WWE, but instead he comes off as a simple doormat for Rey Mysterio. I hope these two put on a terrific match (we know they are both capable) and prove me wrong, but I just don't see the feud leading anywhere.
Who should win: Cody Rhodes
Who will win: Rey Mysterio
WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
WWE United States Champion Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan
Sheamus works really well in his role, here. He's a bully, and he's at his best when he's beating people up and taking things that probably are better suited on someone else. The thing about Sheamus is that he peaked so early in his career, winning the WWE Championship, that anything less than that feels like a step back. I always thought Sheamus was a great mid-card worker, but after seeing him in feuds with the likes of Cena and Triple H, it's hard to watch him begin to pick on someone like Daniel Bryan.
On the other side of the coin, we have Bryan, who has yet to have that one truly fantastic match that we all know he can have. We got a taste of what we can expect from him at this year's Royal Rumble event when he and Punk sparred between entrants, and I thought for sure that WWE would be using this to set up a dream match a Wrestlemania. At the very least, we can hope that Bryan pulls a great match out of Sheamus and shows us what he's truly capable of. This guy needs to be pushed as strong and as soon as possible.
But first, he should probably shave, cut his hair, and change his entrance music.
Who should win: Daniel Bryan
Who will win: Daniel Bryan
EIGHT-MAN TAG TEAM MATCH
The Big Show & Kane, Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov vs. The Corre (WWE Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, and WWE Tag Team Champions Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel)
This was the final match to officially make the card, and accounts for why there aren't more championships on the line (or does it?) It's a confusing match, since I'm not really sure how the teams of Kane & Big Show and Santino & Kozlov are suddenly contemplating how they must co-exist to take on The Corre. Meanwhile, Wade Barrett is running around with Kofi Kingston's Intercontinental Championship, but Kofi is not on the card. I feel like WWE could have done so much more with this. Put the Intercontinental title on the line with Kingston and Barrett, and then have a triple threat tag team match for the WWE Tag Team titles. Seems easy, right? Well, forget it, because WWE would rather cook up some insanely convoluted storyline and throw all the participants into a single bout.
Unfortunately, much like Elimination Chamber and 6-man Hell-in-a-Cell matches, these bouts always devolve into complete chaos. There is no rhyme or reason to the action. One referee cannot possibly maintain order with all these combustible elements. The Corre is a well-oiled machine facing two fly-by-night tag teams who have never worked together as a cohesive unit. Yes, all four of their opponents are former tag champions, but they don't have the look or feel of a team. They may as well have plucked four random opponents from the locker room and thrown them on the card.
The Corre should come out with the victory if only because it will solidify them as a force to be reckoned with in the coming months, and it will be fun to see which Superstars are able to step up to the plate and dismantle their brotherhood man-by-man.
Who should win: The Corre
Who will win: The Corre
Randy Orton vs. C.M. Punk
This is perhaps the most underrated feud on the card. Both these men are terrific in their respective roles, and both are solid performers. Punk has really shone brightly in the weeks leading up to this match, and Orton has been in top, dare I say, "vintage" form. I'm not sure bringing Orton's wife into the mix did anything for the angle that hadn't already been done. This is far from being the personal animosity that was seen between Triple H and Orton just a few years ago. Orton isn't a clear face, so it's hard to say that fans will be 100% behind him, which is probably the most likely reason for his wife being present during his assault.
Orton has done a great job of showcasing his vindictiveness, striking as only The Viper can to eliminate every member of the Nexus from the equation at Wrestlemania. Punk has taken all of this in stride, showing a twisted side of himself that can be at times truly disturbing. Punk believes in everything he says, and that forces the audience to believe it. Punk believes he is doing everything for all the right reasons, and that adds a level of perversion to his methods that might otherwise have been written off as casual acts of an angry wrestler.
It's hard to say who I would be rooting for in this match, and that, oddly enough, makes it more exciting, because unlike other matches, it's not entirely clear who will walk away the winner. Orton is the fan favorite, but Punk and The Nexus are the ones who stand to benefit from a victory here. Either way, this should be an intense match-up that may just surprise a few people.
Who should win: C.M. Punk
Who will win: Randy Orton
SIX-PERSON TAG TEAM MATCH
John Morrison, Trish Stratus, & Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler, Lay-Cool (Michelle McCool & Layla) with Vickie Guerrero
What strikes me as odd about this match is that Snooki is getting so much hype, that we almost forget that Trish Stratus will be back in action for the first time in five years. Sure, you could count her couple of matches from 2008 and sporadic appearances on Raw, but this is the first time in five years that Trish will officially be back in action, and WWE has made little hoopla about it. So much has been made of Snooki, and Trish has been left on the back burner as simply a mentor figure instead of the true force to be reckoned with. She is, after all, the only 7-time WWE Women's Champion in history, as well as the Diva of the Decade. I guess that doesn't count for much when Jersey Shore is in the house.
This will be what all the media moguls are watching, but I'm not sure what they are expecting to see. We all know how this match will go down. I just hope that Trish and Morrison get their fair share of spots before Snooki takes the win.
Who should win: John Morrison, Trish Stratus, & Snooki
Who will win: John Morrison, Trish Stratus, & Snooki
Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Michael Cole with Jack Swagger
SPECIAL GUEST REFEREE: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
This will be the first of WWE's apparent quadruple main event. Everyone is looking forward to this, and having Austin as the ref doesn't hurt, though I'm not sure it was needed in the first place. Cole had plenty of heat before Austin hit the scene, and were it not for the arbitrary involvement of Jack Swagger, his presence might not be necessary.
A lot of people will praise Cole for being able to draw such heat from the crowd, and it is a commendable effort, but an effort that might have been better spent actually building up a heel that will help the company draw money. Watching Cole and Lawler is not going to sell t-shirts, and commentators should not be the ones putting people in seats. The sad truth is that if WWE spent as much time building up some of their other heels, or faces for that matter, as they did letting Michael Cole's monotonous ramblings plague our ears, we might have a roster of characters that we actually cared about instead of a locker room of interchangeable personalities (or lack thereof).
Still, we will all relish in the experience, and the beer bash that will inevitably follow.
Who should win: Jerry "The King" Lawler
Who will win: Jerry "The King" Lawler
WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Edge with Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio with Brodus Clay
It's pretty obvious that WWE intends to put the title on Del Rio. They've been shoving him down our throats long enough to let us see that much is clear. Again, as with Sheamus, my concern is that he will peak too early and after winning the title, simply go back to being another mid-card nobody on Smackdown. Still, it might be nice to see a new face on top for a while, though I'm not sure where WWE plans to go with him, as they haven't really built up any other young talent for him to feud with as champion.
Having their respective cohorts in their corners should add some spice to the mix. Christian and Edge should work together wonderfully to keep Brodus Clay out of the equation. Perhaps Christian will become the new #1 Contender to the World Championship. That would be a great feud that might inject a new spark in Smackdown.
Edge has done a great job holding Smackdown together in the wake of such an absence of star power, but how much longer will WWE rely on him before fans will get bored and tune out completely?
This should be a good back-and-forth battle, but in the end, "destiny" will defeat "opportunity", and we will see what happens to Smackdown when the smoke clears.
Who should win: Edge
Who will win: Alberto Del Rio
NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH
The Undertaker vs. Triple H
The promo on Raw between Undertaker, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels was the stuff legends are made of. The Undertaker cutting out Triple H's entrance music at that iconic moment reinforced the idea that Triple H is playing the Deadman's game (no pun intended). Shawn Michaels' appearance was shocking: a well-kept secret in an age where everything is leaked on the internet weeks in advance. Shawn had actually tweeted just hours before that he was on his way home to San Antonio to catch Raw, and after the promo tweeted that he had "missed" what happened in the last segment.
Triple H made some tremendous points in regards to The Undertaker, the Streak, and his respect for both Shawn Michaels and his Wrestlemania opponent. His most prominent point was, perhaps, the point I attempted to make in my last column: that Triple H is no Shawn Michaels. Triple H openly acknowledges that, and admits to being the underdog in this match. The Phenom then cuts through his words with just a handful of his own, ensuring The Game that the Streak will remain intact. Shawn's reaction to The Undertaker's statements about ending the Showstopper's career gave me goosebumps, and the look of despair on his face as he mouthed the words "You can't win" to his best friend, sent shivers down my spine.
Obviously, WWE wouldn't dare jeopardize something as immortal as the Streak: the likes of which will never be duplicated. But Triple H makes a great argument as a man who could end it, and that, in the end, is what we're paying for.
This will be a classic battle between two men from a dying era, and just might steal the show.
Who should win: The Undertaker
Who will win: The Undertaker
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
WWE Champion The Miz vs. John Cena
WWE almost shot itself in the foot by allowing the confrontation between The Rock and Cena to air live for free on Raw this past week. After weeks of anticipation, The Rock finally met Cena eye-to-eye, but it wasn't at Wrestlemania. It will be interesting to see if the break in tension affects projected buyrates at all, as well as what WWE has in store to outshine that epic moment.
Cena will never win a war of words with The Rock, but I do give Cena props for sticking to his guns and not giving in to The Rock's game. Cena stood by everything that Rock had criticized him for, from the color of his clothes, to his entrance theme, his target demographic, and his mantra of "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect."
Then The Miz arrived to remind us all that it was his WWE Championship that Cena would be vying for this Sunday. Miz's target that night, however, was The Rock. Miz claimed that he was bigger than Rock ever was, and that "The Great One" wouldn't dare lay a hand on him because it would jeopardize his career if Miz was to retaliate.
Unfortunately for The Miz, The Rock was anything but intimidated and proceeded to "Layeth the Smacketh Down," tossing Miz and Alex Riley from the ring before turning straight into an Attitude Adjustment from Cena, who ended the show with Rock on his back as he made his way up the ramp.
The real main event will be to see what happens as a result of the beat down by Rock and Cena respectively, and ultimately, where this puts both men the following night. Will Rock stick around for a while, or is this a simple case of a wrestling "one night stand"? Where will Cena's career be after this historic night, and will The Rock's presence be enough to distract him from regaining the WWE Championship?
The Miz should hold on to that title. Cena has no need of it these days, and keeping The Miz on top a little longer will show some faith in the new generation. It would also be interesting to see how Cena continues to evolve outside of the title picture.
But of course, this is Wrestlemania, "The Showcase of the Immortals," where the impossible always happens and dreams really do come true.
Besides, we can't disappoint all those little kids.
Who should win: The Miz
Who will win: John Cena
Final Thoughts
All in all, Wrestlemania XXVII has shaped up to be a decent show. While it's far from the "biggest Wrestlemania in history," WWE has done a good job of making what seemed like a mediocre show on paper, into a can't-miss extravaganza. I'm sure we will be left with memorable moments. The Undertaker vs. Triple H along with Cena and Rock should be worth the price of the show alone. But WWE's creases are starting to show, and the cracks in their roster are leaving huge gaps. WWE needs to use the coming year to build up new stars, perhaps using the likes of Rock and Austin to help. It'll be interesting to see who comes out of Tough Enough and how/if they are pushed and used. Wrestlemania has a history of setting the tone for the rest of the year, so hopefully we are given more than a few reasons to stay tuned.
See you at Wrestlemania XXVII!
