Road to WrestleMania Part 6 - WrestleMania Preview and Card Breakdown Part 4 - The Asylum of Beasts

No Holds Barred Street Fight: Brock Lesnar versus Dean Ambrose

I have never been a huge Brock Lesnar fan. However, Brock is never better than when he is smiling, and seemingly having fun. I get the feeling Brock is looking forward to this match.

Everyone seems to think this match is right up Dean Ambrose’s alley. That this is his ball game. The WWE makes this claim because he is the ‘Lunatic Fringe’ with some subtle hints to his Combat Zone Wrestling days.

Brock is bigger, stronger and, I think few would argue this, the better wrestler and athlete then Ambrose. So what does Ambrose bring?

Ambrose is a punching bag that punches back. He will take a beating, get back up, take a beating and get back up.

Make no mistake, Ambrose will take a beating. And he will get up. He will hit back with every weapon in his little red wagon. Question is, will it be enough? Brock can use the weapons too.

But what can you do to a man who refuses to die? Brock can beat on Ambrose all night, but if Ambrose keeps getting up, what does Brock do? At some point does Brock punch himself out? Can Ambrose win because Brock tires himself out from beating Ambrose up?

Ambrose needs the win and the Mania moment more than Brock. He needs a big win to showcase that he is ready. He has proven he can hang, no it’s time for him to do more. If he can beat Brock, that puts him in an elite category – he can beat anybody.

A Brock win is almost a given 100% of the time. So when he loses it is a big deal. That is the one nice thing about Brock, beating Brock means something. Would a win at Mania do Brock good? Yeah. Will a loss hurt Brock? If this was a regular match, yes it would.

Since this is No Hold Barred and Ambrose can use any weapon, Brock is somewhat protected. If Ambrose wins, Heyman can shrug it off, saying Ambrose needed a weapon to beat Brock.

No matter what, expect a good match. Ambrose always delivers, and Brock seems to look forward to this one. He is smiling after all.

Road to WrestleMania Part 5 - WrestleMania Preview and Card Breakdown Part 3 - Divas in Triplicate, Title and Ladders, and Best in Style

Triple Threat Match for the Diva’s Title: Charlotte (c) versus Sasha Banks versus Becky Lynch

This match could and should be something special. If the WWE lets theses WOMEN shine and do something. This should be a marque match given how good the girls are and how long and hard the WWE have been building up to this match. Since the Royal Rumble at least.

In-ring wise the three are a close to even as any could be, with slight edges going to each woman.

Charlotte is the most technically sound, speed and agility goes to Becky, while intensity and aggressiveness goes to Sasha.

The only drawback each have is in how they are being used. The Charlotte of old in NXT was more well-rounded as a character. I know many people think she has turned the corner, I think otherwise. She hasn’t become a character, but a caricature of her father. She isn’t Charlotte, she’s Baby Flair.

The WWE has basically made Becky ill relevant at this moment, the third wheel that gets lost in the shuffle.

Sasha, as good as she is, spends more time posing than anything else, the WWE not letting her break out – even when the fans are chanting: WE WANT SASHA!!

This match is what the Divas Revolution should be all about. New talent, new era. Use Mania as the launching pad, let these Women go.

Charlotte is being set up for the long haul, like her father. If she loses, we all know she’ll get the title again. It’s okay for the Heel to lose, ask Ric. Becky really needs a win, out of the three she could use the Mania moment the most. Otherwise, more of being lost in the shuffle.

Sasha – Sasha demands the win. So does the Fan Base.

Ladder Match for the IC Title: Kevin Owens (c) versus Sami Zayn versus Dolph Ziggler versus Zack Ryder versus Sin Cara versus The Miz versus Stardust

Expect a car wreck. That is what these matches usually are, sometimes by design. This is basically the match set up to get all these guys on the card. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Ziggler have history, and The Miz has been involved to some degree. Ryder, Sin Cara and Stardust were thrown in at the last minute.

The lynchpin: no one likes KO, not even his fellow heels.

WWE can go two ways with this match, have KO win and look strong, position him as a great IC Champ and for a future World Title Chase and/or Run.

Or, they can give the IC title (even for a short run) to someone new and let them run with it.

AJ Styles versus Chris Jericho

The Best in the World at What he Does versus The Phenomenal One. We’ve seen this match twice so far, and neither one has been a letdown. The first match was Flawless.

Here is the thing, we know both these guys can do stuff they didn’t do in those first two matches. Will they step it up for Mania?

They stand currently at 1 win a piece. Jericho has survived losses at Mania before (Fandango), and is a good guy that helps talent get over. He doesn’t need the win, but it wouldn’t hurt Styles in Jericho does win.

Styles is in a unique position for his first Mania. If he wins, he is elevated quickly and he has beaten Jericho twice. It is Jericho and that means something. If he loses, that’s okay, because it is Jericho. Plus, how many talent in the past go into their first Mania with people expecting the match to be the best on the card.

All anyone needs to know about this match is six words:

IT IS STYLES    IT IS JERICHO

Road to WrestleMania - Part 4 - WrestleMania Preview and Card Breakdown Part 2

US Championship and Day of Nations

US championship Match: Kalisto (c) versus Ryback

This is an odd match and the most miss-matched match on the card. It came about basically because Ryback decided it’s time to be about one person, Ryback. He put out the challenge, Kalisto man upped and accepted.

They say styles make matches. Kalisto is full boar Lucha, highflying, high spot, risk taking style. Ryback is old school, smash mouth, pound and ground style – but he has expanded that out a lot lately.

There are really two options for this match. A quick squash with Ryback winning in seconds, or a longer more entertaining match that showcases Kalisto’s abilities.

If they want to build Kalisto up as a giant killer and the new Rey, he needs the win. Ryback can ill afford a loss, at this point it is make or break, losing here may do too much damage. Ryback needs a win, and a title run to be relevant.

Both men need the win, and the title. It will be easier for Kalisto to bounce back from a loss, for Ryback a loss here is bad news.

3-on-4 Handicap Match: The New Day versus League of Nations

I love the New Day, this was the best thing for all three guys. As single competitors, I love ADR, Sheamus, Wade and Rusev. Hell, two years ago Rusev was my wrestler of the year. However, together they just don’t work. The League do seem to have chemistry, but nothing else.

They are pushed as dominate, but lose too often, and often to just one man named Reigns.

The New Day are truly the most entertainment people in the WWE today and the most dominate. They are the WWWWEE World Tag Team Chhaammppionsss.

Question is, who are the heels? Both teams? I’m cool with that.

League of Nations need a win. A big win. New Day are at a point where a loss doesn’t hurt them.

League of Nations will try to use the man advantage, plus their overpowering brawling style. New Day needs to stick to Kofi’s wrestling skills and athleticism, Big E’s Strength and Xavier’s brains.

I expect a good match, impactful moves and lots and lots and lots of cheating.

Road to WrestleMania - Part 3 - WrestleMania Preview and Card Breakdown Part 1 - The Pre-Show

I am going to focus on the actual WWE WrestleMania Pre-show, not the just announced Sports Center at Mania coverage. Or the USA Coverage.

I usually watch the Pre-show, but barely pay attention. I only watch so I can see the Pre-Show match and make sure I don’t miss the start of the PPV.

There isn’t much too usually watch. It isn’t much different than any other sports Pre-Show. Like the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL the WWE Pre-Show has pundits talking about the event, what to expect and giving their predictions.

On the WWE Pre-Show the Pundits gives their prediction based on whether they are Faces or Heels, or who Renee Young finds most attractive (I’m kidding).

There is always at least one match on the Pre-Show. Sad thing is, this time there are three. Yes, this is Sad. Two of these matches should be on the main card, not in purgatory on the Pre-Show.

The Matches:

The Total Divas (Brie, Paige, Natalya, Alicia and Eve Marie (NOOO!) versus B.A.D. & Blonde (Naomi, Tamina, Lana, Emma (Yeah!) and Summer Rae)

When the Hell did this match get announced and why is it happening? Wait, last night’s RAW. Why? Brie, Paige and Natty should be on the main card. I can’t breakdown this match because there’s nothing to it.

The Usos versus The Dudleys

Really? The Pre-Show? The Usos have been left out in the cold it seems, but have put in some good stuff lately. The Dudleys have really stepped it up in the last month, becoming the Dudleys again. They have really built this match up and the Dudleys have been on fire, and now they get buried. Makes no sense.

That said, this should be a good match. The Dudleys are pro, they know how to lay out a good match, even if they have lost a step. The Usos are great athletes, who I think have still yet to reach their peak as a tag team.

I expect the Usos to confound with high flying moves, combined with out-of-nowhere wrestling moves. The Dudley’s will ground and pound and try to out hit the Twins.

This could be a show stealer, and it’s stuck on the Pre-Show.

The Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Why? Why do you relegate the Eighth Wonder of the World to the Pre-Show?

They claim this is supposed to be prestigious and in honor of Andre, then put in on the MAIN CARD.

The only announced participants (on TV) so far are The Big Show, Kane and the Social Outcasts. It can be assumed that those involved in the Brawl on RAW and in. Plus, there are other ‘so-called’ confirmed participants on-line, but we have to wait and see. Hopefully some NXT guys will be included.

Whoever wins, they NEED to do something with them. They did nothing with Cesaro. Big show was basically a Career Achievement Award.

Use this to build someone and positon them for bigger and better things.

The Pre-Show can be nice, but let’s be honest about what it is really for.

It is not for people who plan to watch Mania.

It is for those who haven’t made up their minds yet. It is to get those last minutes PPV orders or the last minute Network signups. They recap everything to get people caught up, and throw in the matches to whet the appetite.

Hell, if they didn’t have matches, would anyone watch the Pre-Show? (Maybe just for Renee).

Road to WrestleMania - Part 2 - RAW GO HOME SHOW

RAW GO HOME SHOW

Yesterday, I ripped the WWE a new one for its lackluster product on the Road to WrestleMania. Today I cannot do that. Last night’s GO HOME SHOW was the best RAW since Shane’s Return. And it needed to be.

We started out hot with Shane and the Undertaker bickering back and forth, then fisticuffs and Shane laying out the Taker with a TV Monitor. Elbow from the top rope, through the announce table, and Shane leaves the Undertaker flat out.

As Shane makes his way triumphantly back up the ramp, the Undertaker rises, mad as evil.

Nice segment, good work, but let’s be honest, does anybody believe that Shane stands a legit chance?
This segment set the tone and format for the entire night, as it should, over the course of the night, every feud and match was touched upon and the ball set rolling (finally) for this Sunday.

Even though it has been announced and on the official card for weeks, apparently the Jericho/Styles III match at Mania wasn’t official until last night.

It took AJ getting an Y2Jackass chant going in Brooklyn, distracting Jericho enough for Zack Ryder to pin him, for Jericho to officially accept the match.

I loved this. I also loved Ryder being involved and Jericho putting him over.

Thursday night it was Charlotte versus Sasha, with Sasha getting the big win. Tonight, with help from Papa Flair, Charlotte pinned Becky with Sasha looking on. Interesting build to this triple threat match as no one really seems to have an upper hand.

Back stage an interview with Vince becomes a face to face with Shane, who makes it clear he is taking the company from his father.

A ‘match’ between Kane/Big Show and the Outcasts broke down into a brawl that involved all the participants in the Andre Battle Royal. In the end only Kane and Show were left standing. Typical big brawl to set up a battle royal, nothing new. Not given a whole lot of time as this is a pre-show match.

The Authority! Roman Reigns! Hunter ran off. Stephanie bails after glares from Roman. Short segment to set up the main event no one wants. Roman booed again.

The Highlight of the night was The New Day and League of Nations. New Day was great on the mic as usual, but the story here was a great match between Kofi and Del Rio that saw Kofi come out on top! Big win for Kofi!

After this, Coach! He celebrated with New Day and made the announced of the night: Sports Center will be LIVE at Mania.

During an interview with Renee, Roman proved that balls do not triumph brains. He was suckered in by Bubba Ray, and beat down by the Dudleys and Hunter.

Roman was booed. The beat down of Roman was cheered. Does anyone within the WWE understand this?

To prove that he can hang with a big man, Kalisto beat Connor of the Ascension. Followed by a stare down with Ryback. I am not sure what I think of this match. I do know this, using Connor proves nothing. I’m not the biggest Ryback fan, but he is better than Connor.

Brock is here. Brock is here! He looks menacing. Heyman talks loud and proud. Dean shows off his new red wagon. Brock smiles. WTF!

Following that oddness with Ambrose, we have the worse segment of the night, Paige versus Emma with a bunch of Divas in tow to set up a Divas Tag Match on the Mania Pre-Show? Eva Marie on RAW, and Mania?! NO! NO! NO!

It was nice to see Emma on RAW.

Excellent six-man tag team match to set up the IC Title ladder match. Ziggler, Sin Cara and Zayn versus The Miz, Stardust and KO. Fast paced, exciting match with twists and turns . . . Miz bails on KO. Stardust bails on KO. Sammie Zayn pins KO for the win!

Great set up – is Zayn the new champ?

To end the show we have another in-ring confrontation between Hunter and Roman that leads to the locker room rushing down to separate the two.

The Road to Mania is finally on fire!

FINAL THOUGHTS
Now this was a GO HOME SHOW. Finally something that makes one want to see Mania and does the job of making this PPV feel like Mania. This is what we should have been getting for the last month.

LOW POINT OF THE NIGHT: Divas Tag Match Set Up
IMPACT OF THE NIGHT: Coach on RAW, Sports Center at Mania
MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Kofi Kingston versus ADR
WRESTLER OF THE NIGHT: Zack Ryder! (He did pin Jericho)

RATING: 7

Road to WrestleMania - Part 1- From The RETURN of Shane McMahon To the CHOKESLAM on Vince’s Hands.

Part 1

From The RETURN of Shane McMahon

To the CHOKESLAM on Vince’s Hands.

I had planned for this piece to be up on Sunday, as mentioned in my State of the Master Blog on Saturday. That blog also explained why I and Wrestlementary have been quite recently.

I am not going to go in depth into the RAWS and SMACKDOWNS I didn’t cover in the normal course of Wrestlementary here. Instead I am going to give my thoughts in general on the Road to WrestleMania. Going in depth broadcast by broadcast would take too long, and has been done elsewhere by this point.

Since the 90’s the Road to WrestleMania traditionally begins with the raising of the winners hand at the Royal Rumble. That didn’t happen this year as the winner won the title, not the chance to compete for the title at Mania.

No, the Road to WrestleMania started this year on Monday, February XXXXXX with the epic and surprising and shockingly non-rumored return of Shane McMahon. His words with Vince started things rolling and then Vince set things on fire by setting up a match with the Undertaker versus Shane for control of RAW.

That RAW was the second best RAW of 2016. Many people predicted it was the beginning of a new Attitude Era. It should have been the beginning of a new era, it should have set the Road to WrestleMania white hot.

What it ending up being was a false start. Since then Undertaker has made two appearances and been poorly used. Vince has disowned Shane and Shane (when he shows up) has danced around.

The RAWS following in Shane’s return have fallen flat. Other matches have been announced and set up, but outside of AJ Styles versus Chris Jericho III, nothing truly stands out.

Hunter v Roman – maybe the least wanted Title Match in Mania history, Divas Title Triple Threat, IC Title Ladder Match, New Days versus League of Losers, Kalisto versus Ryback and Uso’s versus The Dudley Boys.

The Andre the Giant Battle Royal has barely got a passing mention.

If it wasn’t constantly shoved down our throats that it is WrestleMania Season, no one would probably know.

Neither RAW or SMACKDOWN have been particular good, when they should be outstanding.

Typically this time of the year produces the best WWE product there is. Post Mania is usually excellent as well, but so far, what should be a Royal Road is still in the Post SummerSlam Slump.

Every year for the last near decade, WWE slumps after SummerSlam, and Rises Up at The Royal Rumble.

This year however, WWE is not putting its best forward for Mania.

Have there been good matches recently, of course.

Are some guys stepping it up? Yes.

AJ Styles (new comer), Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler (as always), The Dudley’s, Social Outcast, have all step up for the coming Big Show.

Shane has stepped up too, so has Vince. Just look how Vince shoved his son into the Undertaker for a wicked Chokeslam. 

Mania is Mania and may do well just on the brand name alone. But it would do better if the WWE could produce better.

Will tonight’s Go Home Show steal the night? We’ll find out.

Ace.

THE DIVA DISH #2

In this addition: Charlotte generates heat, we get a WrestleMania triple-threat (but could it be a 4-way maybe?) and how a reality show actually got someone my respect for the first time ever!

As I expected, the Divas at Fastlane had the memorable match with Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks vs. Team B.A.D., and a so-so Divas Title bout between Charlotte and Brie Bella. The latter bout, however did solidify Charlotte's bitch goddess status with the audience.

(Charlotte puts the squeeze on Brie Bella en route to her Fastlane victory. Source: WWE Network)

The match was technically adequate and Charlotte, as predicted, carried the weight of the storytelling en route to a figure 8 submission win where Brie, for no apparent reason could find the ropes right next to her. That faux pas was forgotten, however once Charlotte backed smugly up the ramp with her proud papa, mockingly doing a "yes" chant as Brie was on her knees feeling the gravity of her ultimate defeat. Maybe it's just cheap heat, but on road to WrestleMania, this was an important step for the Nature Girl as she is taking a much more proactive role in angering the fans. Her heel turn was a smart move to use backlash to WWE's advantage and to keep her character viable after not taking the time to flesh out her personality beyond "Woooo!" She has taken her antagonism of her fellow divas to another level as illustrated when Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks vied for the #1 contender slot and the coveted title match at WrestleMania.

(The Boss and Becky were unstoppable and opened the show right at Fastlane against Team B.A.D. Source: @BeckyLynchWWE twitter)

Team B.A.D. vs. the ad hoc alliance of The Lass Kicker and The Boss opened Fastlane and set a great tone for the rest of the show. More importantly for the Diva's division, Becky Lynch came out of the contest looking strong, building upon her raw connection with the audience. Sasha Banks at this point is more tweener than baby face. The adoration of the masses going her way is the inverse of the backlash that Charlotte faced. Banks came off red hot matches with Bayley, had a ton of it factor and a cemented character that walked big, talked big and wrestled big, but the storyline kept her inexplicably small as the Diva's revolution unfolded. Fans demanded more of what they were seeing in her, just as they refused to cheer on someone who, while a great technical wrestler and outstanding presence, was reduced to a catchphrase and the famous WWE hard sell to like it or lump it. Banks’ actual behavior is really very heel-like and hasn't changed much. This makes it more important than ever for Becky Lynch to capitalize on being the only true baby face the fans are embracing in the Divas division right now.

(Adversaries once more: Lynch and Banks fight for control during their second #1 contender's match on the 3/3 edition of Smackdown. Source: WWE.com)

WWE is booking with that mindset in light of Charlotte ramming Lynch into the barricade then making Banks kiss the floor hard with an exploder suplex. With the second bout between them ruled a draw as well as the first, Charlotte reaps what she sows with her interference and must face both at WrestleMania 32. This was far from a huge surprise, but one could see WWE passing on Lynch for WrestleMania simply because Becky is only red hot and not a blazing supernova like Sasha Banks. With Becky joining the fray at the Show of Shows it's not hard to imagine all three women bringing the same intensity they did with their landmark matches in NXT. It's good to see these talented, beautiful and truly strong women get their due, but I've also found as I poured over WWE content for this edition of the Dish, there's another I can view in a more positive light after watching, of all things, Total Divas.

(Hustle, loyalty and smooches. Nikki Bella's significant other John Cena at her bedside soon after her surgery)

Nikki Bella has been out of action since the end of January following surgery on a herniated disc in her neck. I'm not unsympathetic to her injury, as I have suffered back and neck trouble but was fortunate enough to avoid surgery, although I felt compelled to hang up playing college football as a result. Still, beyond feeling basic sympathy for another human being living with pain, her injury was just another part of the news feed and a mixed blessing for me as a fan since that meant the new Divas on the main roster would be able to prove themselves without having the Bellas forced into their storylines unnecessarily. That changed when I watched a recent episode of Total Divas when the cameras were on Nikki as she was coping with a serious injury for the first time.

I recalled the back spasms I once had as she described them. I saw how she was in too much pain to meet a fork halfway to her mouth at dinner and how she seemed to wish she wasn't on TV at all as she asked John to massage the base of her neck. I watched her dealing with the realization she was too hurt to even work out before going to Cena's favorite neurosurgeon. I saw the look on her face and could imagine what was going on within her mind as the Doctor administered injections to alleviate the muscle tension around her vertebrae. It's hard watching someone realize for the first time the warranty on her body expired. Beyond the bullshit context of the reality show this was set in, looking past the canned drama, this is all apparent, and that her choices to up the entertainment factor of her matches was a major reason.

(Nikki sets up AJ Lee for the rack attack. Source: Tumblr)

Sure, it’s hard to imagine the politics of romance, the pragmatism of reality show ratings and the general porntastic nature of being one half of a set of totally hot twins not factoring into them being forced into every meaningful Diva feud over the years. Yeah, the Jerry Springer stuff should have been a separate feud from Paige's and AJ's title feud a couple years ago. Yeah, Total Divas did set the women's division back until the big call up of Lynch, Charlotte and Banks. This hasn't changed. What has changed is that Nikki Bella has shown that she really does love professional wrestling.

(While she shouldn't have been pushed upon the fan base as a great champion, the Divas division would be minus a solid heel personality in Nikki Bella. Source: WWE.com)

The rack attack has been her finisher up until she was diagnosed with her injury. This probably wasn't such a good idea for a small, if strong, woman to do working 300 days a year. There is no doubt that it gave her character an edge and a certain menacing quality in light of that fact she was notably green in the ring compared to the likes of AJ Lee, Paige, and the current Divas in the spotlight. Holding another woman on her shoulders as she dropped to her knees on the mat, the opponent's weights coming right down with her – on top of her upper shoulders and the base of her neck.

(While Nikki gets credit for significant improvement in the ring over the last three years, NXT women like Carmella and Alexa Bliss have reached that level in barely two years. But that's not the point... Source: WWE.com)

Yeah, she probably has the record for longest reigning Diva's Champion just to give CM Punk and his wife AJ Lee the finger. And yes, there have been plenty of times we were basically ordered by WWE to like her character when there was nothing especially likable about her, twin magic or much of anything she did in the ring.

Finally, let's not forget how hard it is not to vomit when we've heard fan boys gush over her improvement in the ring when even 1 is better than zero. There are women who have been in NXT barely two years like Carmella and Alexa Bliss who started just as green and are already at Nikki's level. Forget all this.

(Nikki rack attacks Brie at WrestleMania 30. Source: WWE.com)

Nikki Bella actually loves what she does. She genuinely wants to be great at it. Sure, maybe she doesn't want to be the best technical wrestler who ever lived, but she wants to carve out a genuine legacy in WWE's world of sports entertainment – and she is willing to take the same risks all of those around her are. That is what has earned her the respect of this has-been former athlete who knows how it feels when the warranty on one's body has expired.

I'll still probably have plenty to rant about though upon her return as she's injected into an awful storylines . . . again . . .

Next time in the Dish we examine the potential fallout from a house show injury Charlotte suffered over the weekend, the continuing road to WrestleMania, how you're missing out on some great Diva action on WWE Superstars, and what Bayley, Asuka and the rest of the gang are up to leading into NXT Takeover: Dallas.