ECW On SyFy Results (11/17/09) Shelton comes to the ring and he tells Zack that he accepts his challenge. Shelton says that since Rosa was in Zack’s corner last week...
WrestleMania is celebrating its silver anniversary on Sunday. On one hand, it's an amazing feat, seeing Vince McMahon's brainchild grow from a star-studded spectacle in its infancy to full-fledged adulthood. On the other, WrestleMania at 25 doesn't seem much different than most 25-year-olds in this day and age in that it seems like it's going through a quarter-life crisis.
That recent phenomenon plaguing those in their mid-20s, the "quarter-life crisis" usually involves feelings of uncertainty and searching for some sort of compass to guide the way. That said, it could describe the current state of WWE. Lately, it seems as if it can't make up its mind as to if it wants to be "family-friendly entertainment" or continuing to gear itself towards adults.
Regardless of a fan's state-of-mind towards WWE's weekly programming, WrestleMania is always something to get excited about by the time the flagship PPV airs. Although, initially, the card on tap for WM 25 seems lackluster, there could be a few hidden gems. Here are my predictions for winners and possible outcomes of matches at this year's WrestleMania:
JBL vs. Rey Mysterio I predict that this Intercontinental Championship match will be the first non-dark match at the top of the WrestleMania card. While JBL may enter the ring with the belt, Rey Mysterio will likely leave with it (provided he wears a mask that fits him and isn't fiddling with it to ensure it stays put for the duration of the match). The bulk of making this an entertaining confrontation will rest on Rey's shoulders. JBL's in-ring repertoire is limited and Rey will attempt to set the tone for the evening by morphing into a one-man spot-fest to hype the crowd up for the rest of the night.
With Tazz's recent departure, I'm going to jump on the bandwagon with the belief that JBL will drop the Intercontinental strap to Rey, setting a festive, feel-good tone for the night. From there, JBL will swing by the broadcast booth and pick up where he left off.
While I'm not a fan of JBL's in-ring work and cringed when I heard he was lacing up the boots again, I loved him as a color commentator. JBL would be a great fit beside Jim Ross, rekindling the type of animosity that J.R. and Jerry "The King" Lawler once shared when they called RAW many moons ago. The Texas vs. Oklahoma rivalry alone can make for some great barbs swapped between the two commentators. Furthermore, JBL is so relentlessly mean and harsh with his comments that you wish you had said them out loud yourself.
Although Matt Striker has been rumored to take over Tazz's abandoned slot, it might be too bold of a move to slap the headset on Striker at WrestleMania. Although he hasn't done it in awhile, JBL is still a proven commodity in the booth. JBL's commentator tenure may just be temporary with Striker stepping up to the plate sometime soon. Since JBL has recently purchased an interest in OVW, his calling matches may detract from time spent on his investment. With these factors in mind, I predict Rey Mysterio to defeat JBL for the Intercontinental Championship. Winner: Rey Mysterio
Tag Team Championship Match: John Morrison and The Miz vs. Carlito and Primo Colon This is a tough one to call. It would be a travesty to have Miz and Morrison lose their Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania. However, belts or no belts, they're one of the most entertaining tag teams with a genuine chemistry and camaraderie together. As singles wrestlers, they're equally good. Whether or not they hold the belts, Miz and Morrison are still a great team and don't need a title to reinforce their reputation in WWE.
With that said, Carlito and Primo need the belts more than Miz and Morrison. The Colon brothers aren't quite over with the fans, although they have potential. Carlito seems to have done his penance and may see his career once again on the upswing. Primo is still somewhat green and could use a lot more of his brother's polish and charisma on the mike. Perhaps handing them the Tag Team title may give them more of an opportunity to develop.
As much as I really want to see Miz and Morrison retain the belts, I'm going to predict the Colon boys taking the titles. Winner: Carlito and Primo Colon
Money in the Bank Ladder Match Traditionally, this match is almost always the highlight of every WrestleMania it's been featured in since its inception. The Money In the Bank Match has traditionally been one big, glorious spot-fest with its entrants pulling off jaw-dropping maneuvers for a crack at the ultimate prize: a shot at any title of the winner's choosing to be cashed in whenever they please.
That said, this year's Money in the Bank match feels like it could be a bit clunky. Inserting Mark Henry in a match that involves climbing a ladder positively screams "blown quad" and begs for an injury. For a big guy, Kane will likely hold his own in the match. As much as I like Kane and feel he's overdue for one last title run, he seems out of place in a MITB match. Finlay and Kofi Kingston seem as if they're thrown in to cater to the younger fans, which is a mistake in this sort of match. (I'm just hoping the inevitable Hornswoggle appearance to assist Finlay isn't too ridiculous.) With CM Punk having had his shot at the briefcase and a title run last year, he will no doubt contribute to the match in a big way, but probably won't win it.
Look for Christian, MVP, and Shelton Benjamin to carry the load of this match and provide some of the most memorable WrestleMania moments. While I like MVP, his recent turn as a fan favorite may make him a part of a title picture, but not as an active pursuant with the briefcase in his arsenal. Christian, while a veteran of ladder matches, is still re-earning his stripes in WWE and probably won't get his shot at the title just yet. I predict a long overdue win for the Gold Standard, Shelton Benjamin. He's a proven commodity in this sort of match (remember him appearing on the ladder out of nowhere on a prior MITB match!?) and has not only the flashy moves, but the technical amateur wrestling skill to back him up. I'm pulling for -- and looking forward to -- Shelton Benjamin winning and cashing in his Money in the Bank card for a title run sometime in the upcoming year. Winner: Shelton Benjamin
Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy The brother vs. brother thing has been done before and this time, it feels slightly uncomfortable. Both Hardy brothers (particularly Matt) have had more than their fair share of their personal lives mined for storyline potential. With this match as an "Extreme Rules" contest, it should be interesting. Considering the amount of dead weight packed into the Money In The Bank Ladder Match, this match may just end up being the night's biggest spot-fest.
Jeff Hardy is already extremely over with the fans and Matt could benefit much more from a WrestleMania win with this match. He seems to have much more fun as a heel and this feud could get a lot more mileage with Matt continuing to push the envelope with a win. Regardless of who wins, I predict this match to be the sleeper hit of WrestleMania 25. Winner: Matt Hardy
25 Diva Battle Royal Although all of the contestants involved in this match have yet to be revealed, some familiar faces from the past will be a part of the Diva Battle Royal. Although Lita and Wendy Richter turned down an appearance in the match, other notable former Divas will be making a return. I'm particularly excited to see the confirmation of appearances by Sunny, Torrie Wilson, Molly Holly, and (one of my all-time favorite divas) Victoria. It hasn't been confirmed whether or not Trish Stratus will be a surprise entrant in the match. If she is, I would look for her to win and be bestowed with the title of Miss WrestleMania. Given her contributions to women's wrestling, it would be only fitting considering she started as a Diva and ended her career as a legitimate women's wrestler.
If Trish isn't involved, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of Mae Young as a last-minute entrant, possibly duking it out with Santino Marella in drag (or the "mankini") as part of a comedic twist on a match that (given the current state of the Divas roster) would otherwise be a great opportunity to head to the bathroom.
Given the amount of centerfold wannabees currently populating the Diva division, already misused talent like Beth Phoenix and Nattie Neidhart probably won't emerge victorious. If there is one hope for the next generation of Divas to step up their game, it may lie with Gail Kim who possesses the sort of female physique WWE favors and is also extremely athletic. Winner: Gail Kim, Trish Stratus, or Mae Young
Chris Jericho vs. Legends "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka There's no way that the team of Legends, including newly inducted Hall of Famer, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, will let Chris Jericho's unnecessary beating of the retired Ric Flair at RAW go unchecked. This won't be as much of a match as it will be a WrestleMania moment with the Legends defeating Jericho and allowing their corner man, Ric Flair to get a few chops in, allowing him to put in a WrestleMania appearance and still stay retired.
As an added bonus, I predict that WWE will utilize Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke's ringside presence to introduce yet another 2009 Hall of Fame inductee into the mix, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. It's a logical move considering Austin is appearing alongside Rourke in the upcoming Sylvester Stallone flick, The Expendables Add to that Austin's prior rivalry with Chris Jericho and it opens the door to give Austin one more WrestleMania match and an added treat to fans. Winner: Legends with an assist by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels Although this isn't a title match, The Undertaker's unbroken WrestleMania win streak against Shawn Michaels' status as Mr. WrestleMania just may be the PPV's showstopper. Both men guarantee a consistently great performance with any match that they're in. This year, I expect both Undertaker and Michaels to pull out all the stops.
As much as I love Michaels' return to the cocky, swaggering HBK and would love to see him win this match, I predict Undertaker will leave WrestleMania 25 with his fabled streak intact. There's no way Shawn's blatant parodying of the Undertaker will go without retribution. Michaels was already given the honor of retiring Ric Flair at WrestleMania last year, so he will probably lose to Undertaker this year. Unless Undertaker is planning on retiring, I would not look for his streak to end any time soon. Considering how much he has given to WWE and his status as a locker room leader, he will probably retire undefeated at WrestleMania whenever that time does come. Winner: Undertaker.
Edge vs. John Cena vs. The Big Show Ah, there's nothing like a three-way match to suck the life out of a WrestleMania title picture! John Cena, while a mainstay of every championship title picture for the past 5 years now, seems to have been gratuitously inserted in this one. While it would be easy to assume that it's just another cheap ploy to put the belt on Cena yet again, I think WWE is going to swerve us and give The Big Show a run with the belt. After sucking it up at last year's 'Mania and "taking one for the team" in that abomination with boxing gloves against Floyd Mayweather, I think WWE may give him a title run, albeit a short one.
While his matches aren't always action-packed, Big Show is a solid performer in the ring and cuts a mighty entertaining promo. Actually, all three guys involved in this match can give a clinic to the rest of the roster as to how to deliver a promo. Big Show is probably one of the funniest, most shameless guys in the WWE and Edge is just pure gold on the mike and with his facial reactions. John Cena still manages a funny, scathing promo from time to time, but if he were allowed to step away from the Romper Room box he's been shoved into, there's a shot he could be entertaining again.
Alas, this match is not going to involve all three men engaging in promos. Edge will likely have to carry this match. None of the guys' wrestling styles mesh together well, and Big Show may likely show the momentum quite a bit.
My prediction is that the rumored "Vickie Guerrero is pregnant" storyline will figure into the match and add to the outcome. Giving the belt to Cena yet again would just be too easy, too predictable, and too convenient. (Although I'm not entirely ruling it out). However, I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict Big Show as the winner of this match. If Vickie is pregnant as part of the storyline, it will probably result in an even bigger feud between Edge and Big Show with the title still a prize on the line in addition to the fruit of Vickie's loins. Winner: Big Show
Triple H vs. Randy Orton If Batista wasn't injured, we probably would have been treated to a Johnny One Note of a match with him against Orton. Instead, we get a much more emotionally complex match with Orton pulling a Chris Brown on Triple H's wife Stephanie, and planting one on her after laying her out. Adding insult to injury, Trips was handcuffed to the ring ropes and forced to look on.
Considering that WrestleMania usually wraps up the feuds of the old year and ushers in new ones, I'm going with Triple H retaining his title against the young, upstart Orton. There has to be at least one "happy ending" at WrestleMania and the face has to exact his retribution. (Although Orton is no doubt seeking retribution for that time when he became "the youngest WWE champion in history" for about five minutes -- if only to eradicate Brock Lesnar's distinction from the record books-- and his Evolution stablemates led by Triple H gave him a beat-down.) While I'd call it even, beating the tar out of your ex-bestie's wife and then smooching her in front of him stands on a whole other level.
Not that I think Triple H would have a problem putting over Orton (again). Say what you will about Triple H, but in the past few years since his comeback, he's stayed in good shape and has been rather willing to roll for some of the younger guys. However, the concept of former Evolution members feuding years after its dissolution has been done to death already. The HHH vs. Orton feud is stale. Although I like Orton as a champion, right now, he may be better used giving some character to his own new stable, Legacy (or, as I like to call them, "Disappointment"). Orton could get angry with them for not having his back and turn on them, repeating the whole, sordid cycle. Without the title in the picture, he could feud with the stable of his own creation and give Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, Jr. a shot at developing their personalities.
I'm still sticking with my "WrestleMania 25 needs one happy ending" theory and predict: Winner: Triple H
There you have my predictions for the biggest wrestling PPV of the year. We'll see how right or wrong I was by the end of tomorrow's evening.
I will be covering WrestleMania 25 live on my Twitter page. If you like your wrestling served up with a dose of snark and MST3K-style commentary, please feel free to follow me over on Twitter tomorrow night. You can add or follow my Twitter page at the following address: http://twitter.com/pimpstressllc
