Enigma 0 Report post Posted March 30, 2003 ANGER MANAGEMENT WWE WrestleMania XIX Preview The RAW Side Crappy Adam Sandler movies forgotten, rest assured this is Anger Management. Let me start off by saying I'm not going to go down the route all these other internet cynics are by saying that, "This WM just doesn't have big time feel" or whatever. When you see the huge setup, when you see the huge crowd, when you see the celebrities, when you just upright watch the show, you know it's big time. With that being said, let's get to the RAW side of the card that will be featured on this 19th installment of WrestleMania. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock Stone Cold's WrestleMania History: -- WrestleMania 12 defeated Savio Vega -- WrestleMania 13 lost to Bret Hart in a Submission Match -- WrestleMania 14 defeated Shawn Michaels to win the WWE Title -- WrestleMania 15 defeated The Rock to win the WWE Title -- WrestleMania 17 defeated The Rock to win the WWE Title -- WrestleMania 18 defeated Scott Hall Steve Austin has a .833 win percentage at WM. The Rock's WrestleMania History: -- WrestleMania 13 defeated The Sultan to retain the Intercontinental Title -- WrestleMania 14 defeated Ken Shamrock by reversed decision to retain the Intercontinental Title -- WrestleMania 15 lost the WWE Title to Steve Austin -- WrestleMania 16 lost a 4 Way Match to Triple H also featuring Mick Foley and The Big Show -- WrestleMania 17 lost the WWE Title to Steve Austin -- WrestleMania 18 defeated Hulk Hogan The Rock has a .500 win percentage at WM. If you have seen the commercial advertisements for WM, you'll know that this match will more than likely main event WM for the 3rd time. With the neck injury to Kurt Angle, which will, barring a miracle, likely decrease the value of his match with Brock Lesnar, Vince will probably decide to put this one on as top billing. And it's a shame. Why? Because, well, we've already seen this match two times. The second one was no different than the first match, so I'm not expecting a darn thing different here. However, if the rumors of Austin's neck being in bad shape again are true, then there will be something different about this match. It won't be any good. Of course, this isn't WWE's fault. It's just an unlucky hand they were dealt when Angle's severe neck injury was discovered. The third encounter between these two started the night after No Way Out, when The Rock used his McMahon-given decision to pick between shows, chose to leave SmackDown!, and jump to RAW. Rocky came out and balked at the fact he wasn't chosen as RAW Superstar of the Year and Austin was. And Rock claimed that the only thing he has left to do that he hasn't done before is beat Stone Cold at a WrestleMania. So, this is the basis of feud #3. The hype and buildup for this match is nowhere near the level as their WM15 and WM17 matches. And, no, Jimmy Kimmel Live is not hype. Basically, it's just been a bunch of yelling at one another. A pretty interesting twist came about when Austin's appearance at ringside assisted The Hurricane on getting a huge upset pinfall victory over Rock. But that's about it. The vehicle angle they ran on RAW last week was pretty uneventful. Austin doing his Jeff Jarrett impression and breaking a guitar just doesn't have the same impact as Rock getting blasted by a beer hose. Not only that, the ''Austin Drives A Vehicle Into The Arena'' angle is just very contrived. It's not new and fresh material like we need to be seeing, just like that hoss A-Train (...). WM17 added a new dimension to the match since Rock was a face, as opposed to his being a heel at WM15. But this 3rd match has no new dimension (the only dimension left is face Rock v. heel Austin, but that was basically done already at Survivor Series 2001) and quite frankly hasn't interested anybody. If you don't believe me, check RAW's ratings for the past three weeks. 4.5 to 3.8 to 3.4. That's not what I call interest. World Heavyweight Championship Triple H vs. Booker T. Triple H's WrestleMania History: -- WrestleMania 12 lost to The Ultimate Warrior in 42 seconds (I couldn't resist) -- WrestleMania 13 defeated Goldust -- WrestleMania 14 defeated Owen Hart to retain the European Title -- WrestleMania 15 lost to Kane by DQ -- WrestleMania 16 defeated The Rock, Mick Foley, and The Big Show in a 4 Way Match to retain the WWE Title -- WrestleMania 17 lost to The Undertaker -- WrestleMania 18 defeated Chris Jericho to win the WWE Title Triple H has a .571 win percentage at WM. Booker T.'s WrestleMania History: -- WrestleMania 18 lost to Edge Booker T. has a .000 win percentage at WM. Well, this is Vince's way of saying, "No way! HHH has no power back here!" But we all know better. This story started when HHH's Evolution buddies, the now-injured Batista and Randy Orton, electrocuted Goldust. The Book, looking for revenge, entered a battle royal the night after No Way Out where the winner would face Triple H at WrestleMania for the World Heavyweight Title. Booker would go on to win the battle royal, last eliminating the consumate pro that is The Rock. In the past 3 weeks, we have seen Booker pin Triple H clean in tag matches twice. This is odd, yes. But does this mean HHH is finally doing something right for the business and passing the belt to Booker? Don't count on it. Like I've said forever now, until Triple H gives me a reason to believe he'll do the right thing, I'll always be cynical. And before you get all antsy and say, "But S_D! Booker pinned HHH in a tag match," I say, "But optimistic wrestling fan! RVD pinned HHH in a tag match once upon a time, and what a huge main event star he turned out to be." RVD's on fucking Sunday Night Heat and didn't even make the 'Mania card. But that's other anger to be managed at another time. A supreme miracle has to happen at WM. Booker T. has got to come out of this match as the World Champion. Everyday HHH hangs on to that World Title, everyday the cancer intensifies. There's no going back. HHH will never be what he once was. No amount of Ric Flair or mid-card squashes is going to change anyone's mind or deceptively increase his value. Booker T. must win at WM. If HHH gets his way and makes it out as the World Champion, then consider one of WWE's feet in the grave. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho Shawn Michaels' WrestleMania History: -- WrestleMania 5 w\ Marty Jannetty lost to The Twin Towers (The Big Bossman & Akeem) -- WrestleMania 6 w\ Marty Jannetty lost to The Orient Express (Sato & Pat Tanaka) -- WrestleMania 7 w\ Marty Jannetty defeated Haku & The Barbarian -- WrestleMania 8 defeated Tito Santana -- WrestleMania 9 lost to Tatanka by countout -- WrestleMania 10 lost to Razor Ramon in a Ladder Match -- WrestleMania 11 lost to Diesel -- WrestleMania 12 defeated Bret Hart in a 60 Minute Iron Man Match to win the WWE Title -- WrestleMania 13 lost his smile -- WrestleMania 14 lost the WWE Title to Steve Austin Shawn Michaels has a .500 win percentage at WM. Chris Jericho's WrestleMania History: -- WrestleMania 16 lost to Chris Benoit in a Triple Threat Match also featuring Kurt Angle defeated Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in a Triple Threat Match to win the European Title -- WrestleMania 17 defeated William Regal to retain the Intercontinental Title -- WrestleMania 18 lost the WWE Title to Triple H Chris Jericho has a .500 win percentage at WM. This in my opinion is the most intriguing match of the card. I am looking forward to this one most of all. This feud begins the night after Armageddon. Shawn had just lost the World Heavyweight Title back to HHH and was calling him out. He got Chris Jericho instead. Ever since then, these two have been in a classic war of words with each other, including the occassional beatdowns. Jericho totally annihilated HBK at the Royal Rumble and eliminated him very quickly, which was an unbelievable boost Jericho needed to his faltering image as a true main-event threat. Jericho and Shawn have taken potshots at each other, but those potshots come to an end this Sunday. This is a match I have been wanting to see for quite a long time. Along with the incredible picture-to-picture comparison that was done on RAW, I can add something else that spices up the history of this inevitable meeting. The date was March 25th, 1999. The scene was WWE's weekly internet show, Byte This. The guest was Shawn Michaels. A caller called in and asked who he saw the most of himself in the crop of wrestlers at the time. Shawn's response? "You know, this may shock a lot of people, but the person I see HBK the most in nowadays is that guy in WCW named Chris Jericho." True story, people. Ever since last year's WM when HHH unceremoniously placed a brand new glass ceiling back over Jericho's head (and the rest of the upper-carders to be exact), Jericho's career has taken an unbelievable downward spiral. I mean, it's hard to sit here and think that this is the same guy who was WWE Champion this time last year. This match could be just what Jericho needs to inject some much needed life into his career, given that the right thing happens of course. The right thing, you ask? Shawn puts over Jericho clean and makes him look like a true superstar. If Shawn's all serious in this God stuff he talks about, he'll do the right thing for Chris Jericho. Either way, this is gonna be Match of the Night. World's Women's Championship Victoria vs. Jazz vs. Trish Stratus Victoria's WrestleMania History: -- never competed in a WM Jazz's WrestleMania History: -- WrestleMania 18 defeated Trish Stratus and Lita in a Triple Threat Match to retain the Women's Championship Jazz has a perfect 1.000 win percentage at WM. Trish Stratus -- WrestleMania 18 lost to Jazz in a Triple Threat Match also featuring Lita Trish Stratus has a .000 win percentage at WM. You think I care about women's wrestling? All I have to say is that this better not be the sub-main event like the Women's Title match last year was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted March 30, 2003 when you see the celebrities, The WHAT? They failed BIG time this year in that aspect. Nice read though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted March 30, 2003 HBK does not have a .500 winning % at WM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enigma 0 Report post Posted March 30, 2003 Heh! Yeah, I had to do it in consideration for the people that actually liked Limp Bizkit and Fabolous. But why didn't I show the same consideration for the people who appreciate women's wrestling? Hmmm, great question. I'll get back to you on that. Maybe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ISportsFan Report post Posted March 30, 2003 when you see the celebrities, The WHAT? They failed BIG time this year in that aspect. Nice read though. They've been failing bigtime the past few years, since WrestleMania XIV. And before that, the last time celebs were involved in WM bigtime was WM VII (possibly VIII). Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobobrazil1984 0 Report post Posted March 30, 2003 well well well look who it is....... good piece tho Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
