so wrestlemania..........

[Guest mastermind]

Ladies and gentlemen. Smarks and marks. Long time posters and new posters. Let's really analyze this card. Remember I will be a Torontonian watching this event at a bar(too cheap for Mania seats I guess). I have watched WM 17 TWICE in the last two weeks because I always felt it was one of the better over-all WrestleMania shows. Many people here tend to agree. So I will use last year's bar to judge this year's show on paper.  However, something is truly missing from last year's WrestleMania. SIGNIFICANCE! Yes, I'm starting to think last year's Mania will bear no significance. It's the wwf's booking starting from the top with turning Austin back face. That's for another thread.

 

Main Event world championship match

Rock/Austin. No doubt the classic we all hoped for. Excellent finish with probably the only thing earthshattering and significant was Austin turning in Texas with Mcmahon. However, since Rock has yet to get revenge and with Austin a face the match is becoming less significant.

 

Compare to the UNDISPUTED UNIFIED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Why the wwf doesn't promote the title as being unified is beyond me. In all rights, this title match this year should have more historic value just because it's the unified championship. So the question begs is it going to surpass Rock/Austin's title match last year? It's going to be tough for HHH/Jericho to go 40 minutes not truly knowing how winded an over bulked Triple H could get and how fast. This one is a bit iffy. I'm leaning towards last year's world title match beating this year's match although a few moments at the beginning dragged in Rock/Austin.

 

Okay, now let's compare the participants. Jericho was in a NOTHING I-C title match last year that wouldn't even be a hot main event on RAW. The I-C title match meant nothing and didn't help either Jericho or Regal. So, Jericho is obviously in a better spot to succeed and entertain this year. So, let's hope Jericho actually can put on a performance where he can win over his biggest detractors(the casual fans).

 

Triple H was in a match against Taker last year, but he was in peak form. He can obviously do better with Jericho(although how much he's in form is the BIG question), so Triple H is also in a better position to entertain more than last year at Mania. Trips/Taker is another meaningless match as Taker always wins at Mania and only added another victim on the list. Triple H this year can finally regain the title as a face and wear the gold since the middle of 2000.

 

The participants of the "main event" are in a better position to create a more entertaining match than what they had last year, but it will be tough to surpass Rock/Austin. Look at it this way. Now I want to talk about the I-C title match.

 

For all this talk about Regal he somehow seems to find himself in supposedly the second most important title match at WrestleMania. He stunk last year plain and simple. He will this year as well. The only shining spot about this match is the fans may finally get a champion they REALLY rally behind unlike Jericho heading into Mania last year as champion. If RVD is booked somewhat how Warrior was booked at SummerSlam '88 this I-C title match can have a lot more significance than last year's borefest. If RVD gets the tv title treatment the match would have catapulted the best I-C champ since the days of The Rock in 1998. So, this year's I-C title match gets the nod because you can bet the world will be relieved when Regal loses that belt and the crowd reaction can be off the meter. It can't be too much worse than last year's I-C title match. Remember how RVD was getting big pops over Austin in Toronto on SmackDown and RAW last year? Actually, he was challenging Rock with the pops.

 

Hogan/Rock. Okay, the position as world champion by Rock last year was an obviously bigger position. However, Rock yet again at the event and lost the title yet again to Austin. He still hasn't won the big one at WrestleMania and he can only recuperate that loss by beating someone like the "Immortal" Hulk Hogan at Mania. He was in a better position to put on a better match last year though. Rock beating Hogan can actually help shatter Rock's choking last year. Rock is in an equal position of importance as he was last year. This time the fans won't be 50/50 about who they want to win(actually don't be surprised by Toronto as they did it in 1990). Will the match surpass his match last year? Not in ring quality, but the excitement will be there and so will the sports entertainment. I don't think it will be any worse than Trips/Taker last year. The Rock should win here, but still get a big beatdown where Hogan wins the rematch the following month. Hogan losing helps out the wwf long term. Hogan losing won't necessarily kill the angle if you correctly remember Piper beat Hogan at Starrcade '96 and the NWO was still hot.

 

Steve Austin/Scott Hall. So, Austin isn't exactly the main event of the card, but he is a main eventer nonetheless. He needs "new" faces to compete with. Yes, Austin was in a better position last year and obviously would have a better match last year(which shows Rock isn't as bad as some make him out to be). However, he is facing someone apart of the biggest angle of the modern era, so it's not like he's facing Kamala the Ugandan Giant in there. The match will be solid don't kid yourselves. I'm still betting for a HBK return here as the storyline is just to built in. The last time we saw the man he was stunnered by Austin at Mania and he returns to cost Austin his first loss in Mania since his win streak from WM 14. Another solid match. Right here we got three matches with some kind of significance. Last year we didn't have that as only Taker/Trips and Austin/Rock had any real significance heading into the event as people thought Trips might have ended Taker's streak.

 

The unified undisputed wwf world tag team title match just plain sucks and from the spoilers it seems the wwf might change this match. I hope they do as it will suck unless we get a squash. No comparison as last year's beats it worse than a whore in a back alley.

 

European Championship. Not yet announced, but I got that gut feeling last year's match will have it beat.

 

Hardcore Title Match: Can't decide for obvious reason.

 

Kurt Angle/Kane: This match might surprise people. It won't be that bad. Were both men better off last year? Only Angle. Angle was also in a better position to entertain with a competitor like Benoit. However, at least Kane's match should be better than his botched hardcore title match last year. Angle will win again, although Kane has taken a beating on television lately. They could have put Angle in the I-C title match against RVD in my opinion, but hey I don't book.

 

Taker/Flair. This match actually gives a lot of reason to believe that Takes streak can end. If they keep it short it would be more memorable and meaningful than Taker's match last year. Sports entertainment segment that should surpass Vince/Flair for sure. Taker defeating Flair to solidify his 10 year streak is historic. If Flair wins it's also historic. Booking wise Taker should win since he is an "active" wrestler on the roster. Taker should lose next year and retire to a young and up and coming star like one of the top HWA stars.

 

Supposedly Dudleys/Stacy vs. Hardys/Lita. Well, it won't come close to anything they did last year, but at least it's a different variant of their match-ups. It should be a better 6 "man" tag match than last year's horrible Tazz/APA vs. RTC.

 

The show won't be that bad compared to last year's in my opinion. I'm sure the woman's title match will surpass last year's crap. The wwf has a much better undercard this year as well, but how they put it together is another story. I mean you got Booker, DDP, GoldDust, Storm, Christian, Edge, Perfect, etc.

 

That's my take for the board's sake!

[Guest mastermind]

I agree the wwf probably should have put Flair vs. Angle. Angle gets enough heel heat as it is recently. It writes itself. I also think the wwf should have pitted the NWO vs. WWF in Hogan/Hall/Nash vs. Austin/Rock/Taker for the simple reason to hide the rust of the NWO. The match could have been built well and hidden the weaknesses. It would have also kept the crapiness to the lowest possible level. Obviously the wwf doesn't feel this way. I also think it would have been a better way for the NWO to actually win and further the angle.

 

Triple H/Jericho for the world title

 

NWO vs. WWF match as mentioned above

 

I-C title match

RVD vs. someone other than freaking Regal

probably Edge is the best bet in Toronto

for a heel I still think Angle would have helped the division and RVD get over as the second tier title

 

Tag title match

The belts should come on the Outsiders before the event because right now this division needs to be built up again.

At least the titles would be noticed on Hall and Nash.

 

This increases the chances for the uppercard, midcard, and lower card guys to shine in solid matches. People like Tajiri all the way to Booker T.

[Guest Army Eye]

The Rock should win here, but still get a big beatdown where Hogan wins the rematch the following month. Hogan losing helps out the wwf long term. Hogan losing won't necessarily kill the angle if you correctly remember Piper beat Hogan at Starrcade '96 and the NWO was still hot.

 

This is true, but.. NWO had about six months of dominance to establish themselves before Hogan's and Giant's losses at Starrcade.