Only problem is, "The Showcase of the Immortals" was fitting back in the day when competitors like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, The Undertaker and others were on the card but that phrase doesn't necessarily seem as applicable this time around. While the Hulkster is involved in WM30 as the special guest host of the show (he's returned home to WWE after having been with iMPACT Wrestling for the better part of 3 years, which does nothing to explain why WrestleMania needs a host in the first place), the line-up for WrestleMania XXX isn't exactly making me want to throw down $60 to watch the show live on pay-per-view. If anything, it's making me want to ignore the whole thing in the hope that it blows over and the next day WWE's creative minds organize some kind of a company-wide nullification whereby the results make for a convenient reset of existing storylines. Things have gotten messy here lately and the only way out of it at this point, to me, seems to be to take the slash & burn route - razed to the ground, as it were, in the hope of going somewhere better than where we are right now.
In case you haven't been paying attention, the series of events leading up to WM30 have been interesting but not necessarily in the way that leads to people actually wanting to buy into what is most definitely the biggest wrestling-related pay-per-view event of the year. For one, Batista returned in similar fashion to how The Rock came back last year at WM29 - that being to use the WrestleMania appearance as a vehicle for promoting something, in this case the upcoming MARVEL film Guardians of the Galaxy in which Batista plays the role of Drax the Destroyer. It seemed as though WWE assumed the fans would welcome his return as being that of a hero, but the reaction he received was nothing short of remarkable. The fans immediately turned on him, booing him mercilessly. This wasn't "you're a bad guy and we're booing because we're supposed to"-booing, this was "WE HATE YOU AND WE WANT YOU TO DIE"-booing.
Why did they react that way? Because their true hero, Daniel Bryan, was getting snubbed from being in the main event of WrestleMania 30 in favor of some has-been wrestler who left to be an actor in Hollywood.
The adulation Daniel Bryan has garnered is magical, quite frankly. I cannot recall the last time a fanbase literally rose up and commanded that a performer (especially one who was: A) fired by WWE at one point for essentially having played his character too well, and B) looked upon by WWE management as being nothing more than a strong hand and good mid-card talent at best) be "the guy" the way that fans have for Bryan. I'm not saying he wouldn't have gotten to where he is without the fans; the fact of the matter is without them he'd be floundering somewhere in mediocrity right now (like what's happened to other talent - such as Zack Ryder, Fandango, Dolph Ziggler, and others - who got over with the fans on their own) instead of being at the top of the heap like he is.
Another aspect of why Daniel Bryan has become the focal point of WM30 is the fact that CM Punk left the company, taking what WWE Chairman Vince McMahon himself referred to during a WWE shareholders meeting as a "sabbatical". Punk's sudden departure made Bryan the biggest fan-favorite on the card (greater even than John Cena - some people hate Cena whereas no one seems to dislike Bryan) and set in motion a series of events that have lead to several matches on the WM30 card being augmented due to his presumed absence on the show. It was believed that Punk's opponent for WM30 would be Triple H, even though Hunter had by that point long assumed the role of company brass rather than in-ring performer. The two had begun sparring with one another, albeit indirectly, and Punk vanished as soon as the feud looked to have ignited itself organically. Try as the fans might to will Punk back into the ring by chanting his name during televised events, Punk has shown no signs of returning and the reality of the situation is that he may never come back as his contract with WWE is set to expire this Summer.
All that having been said, as of this writing there are 5 confirmed matches for WM30. If recent history is an accurate indicator of what the final card will look like, there will be a total of 9 matches - 1 on the pre-show and 8 on the main broadcast, as has been the format for the past two WrestleManias. I've done my best to try and predict not only the outcome of each match but also what those final 3-4 matches will be. I stand to be wrong on a lot (as in A LOT) of these predictions this year because of the uncertainty of things, however I'm going to do the best I can based on where things seem to be headed as of right now.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match - Randy Orton (c) vs. Batista vs. HHH/Daniel Bryan
You have to assume that Daniel Bryan gets into this match by way of defeating HHH earlier in the evening. If he doesn't, I wouldn't think it out of the realm of possibilities that more than a few people in attendance at WrestleMania 30 begin making their way to the exits. Unless they're hanging around to fling random bits of refuse at the ring, that is, which would be an amazing visual and a big middle finger to everything WWE has done creatively for the past 5-6 months.
Even if we do wind up with this match being Orton vs. Batista vs. Bryan, I don't expect Bryan to walk away from WM30 as champion and for a number of reasons. Bryan is getting married (no, really, he is - it's not some silly wrestling wedding) soon to one of the Bella Twins. You'd think he's going to take a little time off to celebrate his nuptials, or at least I assume he would, and there's no point in putting the belt on him when he won't be around full time. Additionally, Batista signed a 2 year deal with WWE when he returned to the company meaning he's not going to up and disappear as soon as the final bell rings. I feel as though either he or Orton will come out of WM30 as champion, and as much as it may pain me to say it, I think Batista's getting the rub.
** PROJECTED WINNER: Batista **
It's old-school booking, but there's just more that can be done with a heel champion in wrestling than with a good guy.
The WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship were unified in 2013, and the new title is referred to as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It was a unification more or less in name only seeing as how Randy Orton has been the champ ever since then but he's had to carry around both of the old belts. One of the rumors going into WrestleMania 30 is that there's a chance we may finally see a new singular belt to represent the company going forward, possibly something that will feature a new WWE logo like the one that's been used thus far in promoting the WWE Network and also in the logo for WrestleMania 31.
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen - it would be a significant development in the eyes of people like myself who have an interest in graphics, especially those relating to championship belt designs.
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt (formerly known as Husky Harris, who is the son of Mike Rotundo - better known as Irwin R. Schyster - and brother of WWE NXT star Bo Dallas) is one of the best things to come out of WWE in a very long time. Not only has the gimmick been a throwback to an era where wrestling villains could be legitimately scary, but Bray has displayed a unique style of violence with his ring-work that makes contests featuring him feel more like back-alley brawls than matches.
On the other side of the coin, John Cena is John Cena. He's been doing the same thing for years, and there's no end to it in sight because he sells tickets & merchandise like no one else. People are going to adore Cena regardless of whether or not he wins or loses at WrestleMania, which makes him winning this match completely pointless.
** PROJECTED WINNER: Bray Wyatt **
Wyatt wins at WM30, and I fully expect him to go on to greater things in the year that follows.
The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
It has become an expectation, or perhaps a presumption, that The Undertaker will return every year around WrestleMania and begin a feud with someone so that he can continue his WM winning streak. (Fun Facts: Undertaker's winning streak began in 1991 at WrestleMania 7. He did not compete at WM10 or WM16. During this run, he has faced Kane and Shawn Michaels twice but HHH holds something of a record of his own as he's lost to Taker 3 times at WrestleMania.) At this point, the Dead Man is a perfect 21-0 at WrestleMania, having defeated a literal who's who of top-tier competitors over the past twenty-three years.
Brock Lesnar will be win number 22 for The Undertaker.
** PROJECTED WINNER: The Undertaker **
This match, to me, has had the least fanfare in its build up of any match associated with the Undertaker in the past 5 years. There's been some cool moments leading up to where we are now but this doesn't have the same appeal. Fact of the matter is that Brock does not deserve to be the one to break Undertaker's streak. He's a fine athlete and has had fantastic success in both pro wrestling and mixed martial arts, but when it comes to his long term value within WWE he's simply not fit to be the one to unseat Taker.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
This match is a new addition to WrestleMania lore as it will apparently become a regular aspect of the show (we'll see how long that lasts). Previously fans could count on a "Money in the Bank" ladder match - a bout where the winner would receive a contract for a guaranteed shot at the WWE champion - somewhere on the card as a means of elevating young talent (it's also a means of getting a whole bunch of people involved in the show without having to expel much effort on doing so), but this seems to be the latest & greatest idea for accomplishing that task at WM30.
Thirty competitors will enter the match which will be played out under normal battle royal rules; that being no pinfalls or submissions, the only way to eliminate an opponent is to throw them over the top rope so that both of their feet touch the floor (a rule that has been used to create drama very effectively over the years). As of this writing, the list of known participants is as follows.
- Cesaro
- Sheamus
- Christian
- Rey Mysterio
- Big Show
- Cody Rhodes
- Big E Langston (current Intercontinental Champion)
- Ryback
- Curtis Axel
- Fandango
- Dolph Ziggler
- Alberto Del Rio
- Titus O'Neil
- Damien Sandow
- Mark Henry
- Heath Slater
- Drew McIntyre
- Jinder Mahal
- The Miz
** PROJECTED WINNER: Cesaro **
Notice that in this match you have the potential for several existing tag teams - Swagger & Cesaro, Ryback & Axel, Rhodes & Goldust - to be put in play on the card but not in the confines you'd expect. What this does more than anything else is it potentially eliminates them from contention in terms of having a match against The Usos for the WWE Tag Team Championship. It's not unlikely that some of those guys get pulled from this match to be in a tag match for the titles, in which case I would hope the available spots in the battle royal would be filled by rising stars from WWE NXT. Wrestlers like Sami Zayn, Adrian Neville, Mojo Rawley, and others.
Daniel Bryan vs. HHH
Of all the matches on the card, this one stands to be the most emotionally charged. Not Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair emotional, but Daniel Bryan has fought for months to overcome being thought of as a "B+ player" and the fans have rallied to his cause, meanwhile HHH and Stephanie McMahon have continued to belittle him despite his successes. It's a true David vs. Goliath scenario and I'm certain that these two will have a fantastic match structured around that kind of narrative. It will be violent, brutal, and quite possibly beautiful.
The bigger picture here is the added stipulation that whoever wins this match will then be added to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match in the main event of WM30, making that contest a three-way bout where the current champion doesn't even have to be involved in the decision to lose the title.
** PROJECTED WINNER: Daniel Bryan **
Unless WWE truly wants to take a huge, steaming, dump on its fans (as if to say "We don't care who you like or what you want!"), Bryan wins this match and goes on to the main event. I admit that I want Bryan to win, however I won't lie to you here as it would be epic to see him lose and the audience go nuts about it. I'm fairly certain the Super Dome would get burned to the ground if that happens.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Every match from this point forward is pure speculation on my part. I've done my best to put together the remainder of the line-up based off where things stand as of the date of publication for this entry. In other words, if you're reading this a month, year, or whatever after WM30 and are wondering what the hell I was thinking, now you know.
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Kane vs. Roman Reigns
The thing about a group like The Shield is that it's not going to last forever. At some point a break up will occur and the three of them will go their separate ways. The questions are how and when it happens, and who's the real star to emerge from the ashes of the wake? The how and the when haven't been answered yet (even though there's been more than a few teases lately of its impending development) but all signs are pointing to Roman Reigns coming out of whatever leads to The Shield's implosion as someone who could be a big-time player in WWE for years to come.
Reigns is a physical specimen with the kind of warrior good-looks that make most women and certain men feel all warm & fuzzy in their naughty bits. Despite this fact he's not equipped with the gift of gab and his wrestling ability is questionable. He's been carried along by Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, two journeymen wrestlers with a wealth of experience on their side as a result of having been stars on the independent pro wrestling scene for years prior to coming to WWE. They're more than likely going to be the Marty Jannety's of The Shield to Roman Reigns' Shawn Michaels.
** PROJECTED WINNER: Roman Reigns **
Kane is 46 years old, has been with WWE for almost 20 years, and has held every major WWE title (other than the long defunct European Championship) at one point or another in his career making him one of only 12 wrestlers who would qualify for Grand Slam Champion status. He'll be fine for having lost this match is what I'm getting at.
The Shield (Dean Ambrose [current United States Champion] & Seth Rollins) vs. The Wyatt Family (Luke Harper & Eric Rowan)
Oftentimes there will be a match on a card that gets little to no hype but that flies in under the radar and blows everyone's minds with how awesome it was because the players involved realized the opportunity that was in front of them. If this match happens, that's what will take place when Ambrose & Rollins pair up against Harper & Rowan.
These teams have already had what some view as match-of-the-year caliber bouts at pay-per-views and other live events, and it's likely that they'll turn in another similar performance if they're allowed the time at WM30. It would be as good a moment as any to have something with a sense of finality transpire that leads to The Shield's split, with Ambrose potentially turning on Rollins or vice versa.
** PROJECTED WINNER: The Wyatt Family **
There is one thing about the prospect of this match that bothers me, and it's the same sentiment I have towards Big E Langston being in the battle royal. Ambrose and Langston hold WWE's other singles championships, both of which are viewed historically speaking as being stepping stones to a competitor potentially being a world champion down the line. You'd think then that they'd be worth defending on WWE's biggest event of the year, but that simply isn't the case. The Intercontinental title was defended at WM29, albeit on the pre-show, and the United States title was nowhere to be found. The US Championship in particular seems to be of no concern when it comes to WrestleMania cards; MVP and Chris Benoit wrestled for the strap back at WM23, and it was later defended in a dark match at WM27 but hasn't gotten any attention since then.
ALTERNATE: The Shield vs. Kane & ?
There are rumors circulating the web (meaning some guy with a blog and/or website, like myself, wrote about it then someone else picked up on it and it became gospel on pro wrestling news sites from there) that instead of the two matches I just described we could get a 6-man tag match featuring Ambrose, Rollins & Reigns vs. Kane and two compatriots of his choosing. Since it stands to reason that The Wyatt Family (Harper & Rowan) will be involved with Bray Wyatt and John Cena's match, the decision of who to put with Kane isn't at all cut and dry. There's a tag team in WWE's NXT developmental system that would make perfect sense to make subordinates of Kane - Konnor & Victor, otherwise known as The Ascension, the current NXT Tag Team Champions.
Konnor once worked for a promotion in Charlotte, North Carolina (NWA Charlotte, may you forever rest in peace) where he was known as Ryan O'Reilly. He was a star in that company thanks to his size and ability, and I am glad to have been able to see him there as he's no doubt bound for greater things in his career.
Truth be told, the idea of these 6 guys going at it is really cool to me. I have a feeling it would be a visceral bout that might not be the best thing on the card but it would be an old school brawl of a match featuring a lot of bright, young talent and one of the most respected veterans on WWE's roster.
** PROJECTED WINNER: Kane & The Ascension **
No matter which of the three matches we get involving these groups at WM30, the fact remains that The Shield's time is almost up. They're either done at WM30 or soon thereafter.
Divas Championship Match - AJ Lee (c) vs. The ENTIRE WWE Divas Division
I can't lie, I have literally no idea what's going on in the WWE Divas Division right now other than the fact that AJ Lee is the current champion. All I seem to hear about in regard to women's wrestling as it relates to WWE is the Total Divas TV show - by some way or means that show has become what women's wrestling should be about in the realm of World Wrestling Entertainment, and that's a real assault on the fact that there are many, many talented wrestlers out there who just happen to be female. They shouldn't have to belittle their athletic abilities by having to play the role of ditzy or catty women. It's disrespectful but I gather it pays well, so at least there's that.
As for who AJ will potentially face at WM30, the possibilities are seemingly endless because there doesn't seem to be a clear number one contender. Since I have to make a guess here, I'm going to say that the most likely scenarios are for either Natalya, one of the Bella Twins, or Tamina to be Lee's opponent. Of those, the better match would be either AJ vs. Natalya or AJ vs. Brie Bella.
** PROJECTED WINNER: Someone Other Than AJ Lee **
No matter who AJ faces, I don't think she's leaving New Orleans as the Divas Champion. She has the misfortune of being a piece of wreckage left floating around in WWE after CM Punk's departure. The two of them have been romantically linked for quite some time now, and it's not uncommon for WWE's management to take out their frustrations on someone for who they happen to be associated with.
Tag Team Championship Match - The Usos (c) vs. The New Age Outlaws/The Shield/The Wyatt Family/Los Matadores/The Real Americas/RybAxel/The Rhodes Brothers
I truly don't think WWE knows what they want to do with the Tag Team Championship at WM30, if anything. As I've mentioned already, a lot of the talent who are in existing tag teams have been listed as participants in the battle royal. While it's not impossible that they could have two matches on the same show, it's highly unlikely seeing as how it's all but certain that Daniel Bryan is pulling double-duty (no point in going to the well that frequently, in other words).
There have been attempts lately to establish a number one contender in the tag division recently but those matches have ended in ways where no clear winner was decided. It appears to be that we'll see a 3 or perhaps even a 4-way match for the Tag Team Championship at WM30. The Real Americans (Cesaro & Jack Swagger) and RybAxel (Ryback & Curtis Axel) are their most likely opponents but The Rhodes Brothers (Cody Rhodes & Goldust) and The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg & Billy Gunn) are lurking out there. It's not out of question that The Wyatt Family (Harper & Rowan) get an opportunity, however the more I think about it the more I expect they'll have some involvement in Bray Wyatt's match with John Cena.
** PROJECTED WINNER: The Usos **
I, personally, am not a fan of Jimmy & Jey Uso. They just have never appealed to me for whatever reason - most likely because when I think of Samoan wrestlers I like to think of big, burly brawlers who look like intimidating tribal warlords instead of two guys who wear face paint and, for reasons unknown, have back pockets stitched onto their ring gear. They've established themselves with a following, though, and I wouldn't be shocked if their run as tag champs continues for another couple months.
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