WrestleMania XIX...great but problematic show.

[Guest RollingSambos]

I sat 2nd row for WrestleMania XIX, right behind Tazz and Cole. This was my 4th WrestleMania, and I'd rank it right up there with X-7 and above X and III (that's just my opinion). But as fucking awesome as the show was, I have some serious concerns for the future...

 

You see, there are many WrestleMania traditions...celebrities, ***** matches, big venues, and new superstars being made. But starting with WrestleMania X-7 in Houston, there was a new WrestleMania tradition born, and its one that I really enjoy: the crowd going absolutely ape-shit for a match (or matches). In Houston, it was Austin vs. Rock. In Toronto, it was Hogan vs. Rock. In Seattle, it was HBK vs. Y2J and Vince vs. Hogan. I'm not saying that the fans at WrestleManias past have sat on their hands, but the crowd reactions these past 3 years have been off the charts. In the case of Hogan vs. Rock or Vince vs. Hogan, the fans actually make the match.

 

So why am I concerned? Because this year, I sat there thinking about what WrestleMania is going to be like when the Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogans, Roddy Pipers, Rocks and Steve Austins aren't around anymore to make the fans go crazy. I also watched 50% of the upper deck of Safeco Field clear out after Rock vs. Austin. I thought that was sad, because I consider Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle to be the only two *legitimate* stars that WWE has created over the past couple of years. They have "future" written all over them.

 

My concern is WWE's ability to make new superstars. Brock and Kurt are stars, but they aren't SUPERstars. They're not up there with Hogan, Austin, and Rock. They're on the same level as HHH and The Undertaker...guys who are huge in the realm of WWE, but can't really draw on their name value alone.

 

Yeah, Hogan and Austin and Rock and HBK will probably show up for WrestleMania XX and steal the show again...but what about after that? WWE can't build WrestleMania on nostalgia forever. Hogan and Austin both have x number of matches left in their tanks, Rock is becoming less and less involved with the company, and even HBK can't go forever...no matter how much time he gives his lower back to rest in between matches. What about WrestleMania XXI, and XXII, and all of the Manias after that?

 

Instead of bringing in quick fixes like Sable and Scott Steiner, I wish WWE would focus on making superstars out of guys like Kurt, Brock, Benoit, etc. Because if they don't, WrestleMania is looking at a very QUIET future.

[Guest ManKinnd]

I believe in Kurt. Some people already knew him from the olympics, and I think he's on his way to being a superstar. Keep him in commercials and whatnot, and in a few years, people will know his name.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

I'd rank it right up there with X-7 and above X and III (that's just my opinion). But as fucking awesome as the show was, I have some serious concerns for the future...

Jeez. I thought it was a bit better than X8 since they finally knew the right guys to push. However, like X8, the right guys didn't get any wins. Bah, politics.

 

I also watched 50% of the upper deck of Safeco Field clear out after Rock vs. Austin.

 

It's more a case of the people in the cheap seats wanting to get to the busses early, I think. A decent number of people up there stuck around (probably the ones with cars.) Hell, I planned to do the same thing if the main event was Hulk vs Vince.

 

Brock and Kurt are stars, but they aren't SUPERstars. They're not up there with Hogan, Austin, and Rock.

 

Kurt's neck injury makes him not the basket you want to stick each and every egg in, despite whatever Anglesault thinks, but he was ready to be a main-eventer whenever.

 

Brock still has quite a bit of fuel in him. Brock vs Austin will draw money whenever they decide to pull the trigger on that.

 

Otherwise, you're mostly complaining about the same thing we complain about. Welcome to the club. =b

[Guest mickberna]

The problem with Kurt Angle is that he ISN'T the future... Kurt is already 34 years old and is having major neck surgery. He has accomplished everything there is to accomplish in both amateur and professional wrestling.

 

I know he's a great talent and competitor, but I wouldn't expect him to hang around too long. Certainly the WWE can't expect to base their company around him.

[Guest Brian]

Cena is the future. Seriously. That whole base of new OVW talent; Lesnar, Benjamin, Cena, and Orton are all guys that will be carrying this company if it is ever to be successful. Unfortuntely, it's going to be at the sacrifice of everyone who came before them, but those are all four strong guys who will develop and have a marketable charisma to them.

[Guest Miss Indy Queen]

Actually I think some people believed that Rocky/Austin was the main event because even the woman sitting next to me asked me if this was the main event which I had to tell her there was one match left. I think that was the problem with that as I saw a bunch of people getting up and leaving before the match even started. It could have also been people trying to avoid the traffic because it took me and my friends almost an hour to get out of the parking lot.

[Damien 0]

Cena is the future. Seriously. That whole base of new OVW talent; Lesnar, Benjamin, Cena, and Orton are all guys that will be carrying this company if it is ever to be successful. Unfortuntely, it's going to be at the sacrifice of everyone who came before them, but those are all four strong guys who will develop and have a marketable charisma to them.