Wrestlemania 23 at Ford Field Detroit

[CanadianChris 0]

If they're planning to build to Hogan/Austin, they're even more fucked up than I thought they were.

 

If it was Hogan from 1985 vs. Austin from 1997, and they'd both been regulars in the company for awhile and could make the match mean something, then I might want to see it. But Hogan right now is a walking self-parody, Austin is a shell of his former self and probably wouldn't be all that motivated, especially if Hogan insists on going over (and you know he will), the match would suck quality-wise, and it would be totally meaningless.

 

Yeah, that would totally be worth seeing.

 

Unfortunately, the world doesn't revolve around YOU, and therefore, there's many, many wrestling marks/fans that would spend there hard earned money to see that. Regardless of your apathy towards the match, it's a big draw. One of the only big money matches left in this industry. And definitely the only one that could/will come close to selling out a 65,000+ seat arena nowadays.

Did it take you very long to set up that strawman?

 

I never said it wouldn't draw. Of course it will draw. But it's going to suck, and it's just another indication of the sad state of affairs WWE is in that they insist on bringing back washed-up "legends" because they don't have a compelling product with the younger guys on the roster and the current creative staff. They never -- NEVER -- would have done something this even six years ago. Whatever else Vince was about, he was always about living in the present, at least.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

It wouldn't suck. Austin and Hogan are master workers and could draw out a 15 minute match that would have everyone and everything going nuts and just use punches. It just wouldn't be a ballet or gymnastics routine, and that's not wrestling anyways.

[slabinskia 0]

CanadianChris-What choice do they have other than hogan/austin to fill the arena next year ?While it won't be a good match,it will be a pleasant waste of time like hogan/rock was.There is nobody they can build up for next year and draw a huge crowd.They have to go with hogan/austin.If nothing else,I would rather watch that than a john cena match.

 

Btw,whoever said rock/hbk would be a good choice for next year had a good idea but I can't see vince putting two dream matches on the same show.

[CanadianChris 0]

CanadianChris-What choice do they have other than hogan/austin to fill the arena next year ?While it won't be a good match,it will be a pleasant waste of time like hogan/rock was.There is nobody they can build up for next year and draw a huge crowd.They have to go with hogan/austin.If nothing else,I would rather watch that than a john cena match.

And that's exactly the problem. Barring a miracle, there's nothing else from the current roster that could fill that arena. So the main event of the biggest show of the year is going to be a match that can't do anything but be a pleasant waste of time. It's not a title match, it's not a blowoff match to a big feud, it's not anything but fantasy booking. And they're going to have to devote a ton of TV time before the event showcasing two guys that won't be used to build anyone else up, taking that time away from people that could actually use it.

 

Knowing the history between those two, I wouldn't put the match at much better than 50/50 to actually happen anyway. Why would Austin come back specifically to lay down to Hogan? Hogan sure isn't coming back to lay down to Austin, so that's all we're left with.

[converge241 0]

for anyone who doesnt know they did confirm it as expected tonight

 

 

and they filled Safeco for 19 without a huge dream match (to the public)

 

and safeco looked great for a venue..im thinking ford field will look great as well

[Naked Snake 0]

This card won't sell out right away, but I am sure it will sell out. This isn't 1995 or anything like that. The WWE is still drawing well, and 2003 sold out even though 2002 was a horribly booked year (and the company name change to boot!)

[Guest QUP2CME]

Next years WM has the potentil to be really great. Love them or hate them Austin and Hogan could have a fart contest and it would still draw.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens with the main players on the Roster between now and then and also the up and commers.

 

HHH, Angle, Cena, Batista and Orton. They IMO are at the top of the WWE at the moment. I'm not saying they are the best worker or the biggest draws but they consistently get the most exposure, mic time, match time etc. I guess you can add Rey mysterio there now but I dont see him having a long reign at the top.

 

I left HBK and Taker off the list on purpose. Taker is part time and I heard HBK is taking some time off after Mania.

 

Carlito if booked right could be the dark horse of 2006/07. He has charisma, ring presence, aura, is good on the mic and can hang in the ring. If given the ball I think he can run with it. I'm not saying hot shot a World title program with him in it, but dont do to him what they've done to Shelton and RVD.

 

And speaking of the two where will they be? Where will Show and Kane be? Benoit and JBL? Will the spirit squad still be intact or will Jeter and Doane have blossomed into strong midcarders?

 

Any card headlined with Hogan V Austin will draw but I think the support acts for next years event will be very stong.

 

Who knows, maybe even Brock Lesnar is back by then. I dont think anyone believes we've seen the last of him in a WWE ring.

 

Imagine this card:

 

Hogan V Austin

 

HBK V The Rock

 

Batista V Brock Lesnar

 

Those three matches alone would see the place out and ensure huge PPV buyrates. I know it's a pipe dream but a card like that would be awesome.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

If they give me Austin vs. Hogan I will pay top dollar to sit and watch it in the stadium. I'll be super pissed and bitter if Hogan wins...but I'll pay to see it nonetheless.

 

We're talking the two biggest stars in the history of the company...bar no one...

 

I don't care if theyre in their 90s and they decide to tango together at the old folks home...

 

I'd pay to watch it.

[Hawk 34 0]

Next years WM has the potentil to be really great. Love them or hate them Austin and Hogan could have a fart contest and it would still draw.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens with the main players on the Roster between now and then and also the up and commers.

 

HHH, Angle, Cena, Batista and Orton. They IMO are at the top of the WWE at the moment. I'm not saying they are the best worker or the biggest draws but they consistently get the most exposure, mic time, match time etc. I guess you can add Rey mysterio there now but I dont see him having a long reign at the top.

 

I left HBK and Taker off the list on purpose. Taker is part time and I heard HBK is taking some time off after Mania.

 

Carlito if booked right could be the dark horse of 2006/07. He has charisma, ring presence, aura, is good on the mic and can hang in the ring. If given the ball I think he can run with it. I'm not saying hot shot a World title program with him in it, but dont do to him what they've done to Shelton and RVD.

 

And speaking of the two where will they be? Where will Show and Kane be? Benoit and JBL? Will the spirit squad still be intact or will Jeter and Doane have blossomed into strong midcarders?

 

Any card headlined with Hogan V Austin will draw but I think the support acts for next years event will be very stong.

 

Who knows, maybe even Brock Lesnar is back by then. I dont think anyone believes we've seen the last of him in a WWE ring.

 

Imagine this card:

 

Hogan V Austin

 

HBK V The Rock

 

Batista V Brock Lesnar

 

Those three matches alone would see the place out and ensure huge PPV buyrates. I know it's a pipe dream but a card like that would be awesome.

 

Rock, isn't coming back. If he were, he wouldn't work Michaels anyways. I said it eariler but I'll say it again...

 

Batista/Angle needs to be the Mania match for SD. Mysterio is dropping the title to Orton, probably on the summer SNME and thats about when Batista returns. Batista and Orton has already been teased and that probably should be the SummerSlam program and Batista goes over and gets title reign #2. I would continue to book Batista as they were before he was injured. An ass-kicking machine who cant be beaten. TBS/Kane, one of them probably ends up on Smackdown after the annual draft. Batista will work a revenge angle with them after the Orton program. Mysterio should resume his role as Batista's little buddy, and keep insisting that he wants a title shot.

 

Batista, won't give it to him because they are good friends and he can't control the animal inside the ring and doesn't want to hurt Rey. Rey, finally gets a title shot at Batista @ Survivor Series. It's built that Mysterio takes Batista to the limit but he couldn't beat Batista's power and strength and there's no heel turn or anything. A straight up respect angle built around a David V. Goliath angle.

 

This is where you start Angle/Batista build up.

 

Angle, probably will work Rey the next couple of months. I would give Angle time off to rest and not to burn out his matches. Angle, returns at Survivor Series to participate in a elimination match. Who is involved in the match doesn't matter. Angle, goes over beating 3 men at once. So Angle is looking strong and Batista is on a roll. The obvious collision is bound to occur. It's a simple story of "Who is the best?" The Animal Vs The Wrestling Machine.

 

Kurt, doesn't need the rumble victory as Raw will probably have it next year.

 

Raw, probably will have Triple H against Carlito. I'm convinced by this August, Carlito will be very over and will probably get another IC title reign and that'll carry over into a program with the champ (HHH) for Mania.

 

We have no clue who'll get called up by WWE and who won't be with the company next year, so making WM23 card predictions is stupid. The bottom line is? They can't sit on their asses and wait until 6 weeks to start building the matches, especially the main events.

[theintensifier 0]

I'll definitely be going if WrestleMania is in Detriot. Ford Field is beautiful, and I love wrestling, so it's all good.

 

Austin and Hogan will more than likely clash, which is fine by me. It's obviously not going to be a match that people years from now will say "classic wrestling, bumps, spots, and brawling, a perfect match." No, it'll be remembered as the match that pitted the two biggest superstars in wrestling history, a match that everyone has wanted to see one time or another. This match will put butts in the seats.

[theintensifier 0]

Next years WM has the potentil to be really great. Love them or hate them Austin and Hogan could have a fart contest and it would still draw.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens with the main players on the Roster between now and then and also the up and commers.

 

HHH, Angle, Cena, Batista and Orton. They IMO are at the top of the WWE at the moment. I'm not saying they are the best worker or the biggest draws but they consistently get the most exposure, mic time, match time etc. I guess you can add Rey mysterio there now but I dont see him having a long reign at the top.

 

I left HBK and Taker off the list on purpose. Taker is part time and I heard HBK is taking some time off after Mania.

 

Carlito if booked right could be the dark horse of 2006/07. He has charisma, ring presence, aura, is good on the mic and can hang in the ring. If given the ball I think he can run with it. I'm not saying hot shot a World title program with him in it, but dont do to him what they've done to Shelton and RVD.

 

And speaking of the two where will they be? Where will Show and Kane be? Benoit and JBL? Will the spirit squad still be intact or will Jeter and Doane have blossomed into strong midcarders?

 

Any card headlined with Hogan V Austin will draw but I think the support acts for next years event will be very stong.

 

Who knows, maybe even Brock Lesnar is back by then. I dont think anyone believes we've seen the last of him in a WWE ring.

 

Imagine this card:

 

Hogan V Austin

 

HBK V The Rock

 

Batista V Brock Lesnar

 

Those three matches alone would see the place out and ensure huge PPV buyrates. I know it's a pipe dream but a card like that would be awesome.

 

Rock, isn't coming back. If he were, he wouldn't work Michaels anyways. I said it eariler but I'll say it again...

 

Batista/Angle needs to be the Mania match for SD. Mysterio is dropping the title to Orton, probably on the summer SNME and thats about when Batista returns. Batista and Orton has already been teased and that probably should be the SummerSlam program and Batista goes over and gets title reign #2. I would continue to book Batista as they were before he was injured. An ass-kicking machine who cant be beaten. TBS/Kane, one of them probably ends up on Smackdown after the annual draft. Batista will work a revenge angle with them after the Orton program. Mysterio should resume his role as Batista's little buddy, and keep insisting that he wants a title shot.

 

Batista, won't give it to him because they are good friends and he can't control the animal inside the ring and doesn't want to hurt Rey. Rey, finally gets a title shot at Batista @ Survivor Series. It's built that Mysterio takes Batista to the limit but he couldn't beat Batista's power and strength and there's no heel turn or anything. A straight up respect angle built around a David V. Goliath angle.

 

This is where you start Angle/Batista build up.

 

Angle, probably will work Rey the next couple of months. I would give Angle time off to rest and not to burn out his matches. Angle, returns at Survivor Series to participate in a elimination match. Who is involved in the match doesn't matter. Angle, goes over beating 3 men at once. So Angle is looking strong and Batista is on a roll. The obvious collision is bound to occur. It's a simple story of "Who is the best?" The Animal Vs The Wrestling Machine.

 

Kurt, doesn't need the rumble victory as Raw will probably have it next year.

 

Raw, probably will have Triple H against Carlito. I'm convinced by this August, Carlito will be very over and will probably get another IC title reign and that'll carry over into a program with the champ (HHH) for Mania.

 

We have no clue who'll get called up by WWE and who won't be with the company next year, so making WM23 card predictions is stupid. The bottom line is? They can't sit on their asses and wait until 6 weeks to start building the matches, especially the main events.

 

I like the way you think Hawk. As for QUP2CME, not so much.

[Wrestlefreak 0]

Austin and Hogan are master workers

 

Hogan is great at working the crowd, but in terms of ring work he's crap!

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Work is working the crowd.

[Guest lox]

Austin and Hogan are master workers

 

Hogan is great at working the crowd, but in terms of ring work he's crap!

 

Point exactly. He is great at working the crowd, as is Austin. Put them two in front of 70,000 screaming fans at WrestleMania ... and you have another "BIG TIME" moment. Regardless of their in ring work ... does it really matter? No. Not when you have Hogan/Austin it doesn't.

[Hawk 34 0]

Austin and Hogan are master workers

 

Hogan is great at working the crowd, but in terms of ring work he's crap!

 

Point exactly. He is great at working the crowd, as is Austin. Put them two in front of 70,000 screaming fans at WrestleMania ... and you have another "BIG TIME" moment. Regardless of their in ring work ... does it really matter? No. Not when you have Hogan/Austin it doesn't.

 

No, Hogan is brilliant worker (maybe the best ever). He doesn't need to do chain-wrestling to be a good worker. Working is more then just the moves within the ring. Working the crowd, is working a match.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Austin vs Hogan would be pretty much terrible from a technical standpoint, but phenomenal from a heat standpoint. That's all there is to it. I mean, there's no question it would get as much heat as Rock/Hogan, if not more, which was pretty insane.

 

I made this point earlier and no one commented on it, but basically, I don't hold it against WWE that they want to have this match. I hold it against them that they basically _need_ to have this match, for the biggest show of the year. WWE really needs to build up some new superstars. Cena isn't cutting it, and there's no one else who comes close to Rock or Austin type overness.

[chaosrage 0]

Austin vs. Hogan is the biggest match of all time. Of course it goes on last.

 

If it happened 8 years ago, yes. Now, it would be the most retarded thing ever. EVER. Do you really think it's a good idea to have the main event of the biggest show of the year be two guys who aren't in the company anymore?

[nl5xsk1 0]

The biggest star of the 1980s vs. the biggest star of the 1990s.

 

But it'll be in the year 2007, and on guy will be 20 years passed his prime, while the other will be 10. Oh, and neither man can bump & neither will want to sell for the other one.

 

The promos will be gold; the match will be rubbish. I don't care how 'nuclear' the crowd will be for the match; the fact that Vince & company will likely need to drag out the dinosaurs to save this show shows how sorry the state of the company is right now.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

The main event should go to the biggest match. Otherwise you will get a WM 18 situation where everyone in the audience (which included me and LOTC) doesn't give a shit about any match that came after the biggest match because they had already wasted all their energy in cheering for the big match.

[Hawk 34 0]

The main event should go to the biggest match. Otherwise you will get a WM 18 situation where everyone in the audience (which included me and LOTC) doesn't give a shit about any match that came after the biggest match because they had already wasted all their energy in cheering for the big match.

 

And there's not one single match that could follow that match, unless it involved The Rock and even that is a stretch.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

The Rock vs. Andre The Giant, maybe, and that's only because of the attraction of seeing Zombie Andre.

[Dangerous A 0]

Personally, I don't think they are going to do Austin vs Hogan. If I'm wrong, then I'm cool with that because I'd like to see that match. However, I just don't think they can come up with a finish either man can agree to. If one guy needed more money than the other, I could see someone caving in, but I just don't see either man agreeing to job to the other. They are too fiercely protective of their characters.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I've said all along that I think Hogan will end up jobbing if they ever do this match.

 

I think he'll be happy enough to claim credit for drawing the house and the monster Mania buyrate it would do.

[Hawk 34 0]

I've said all along that I think Hogan will end up jobbing if they ever do this match.

 

I think he'll be happy enough to claim credit for drawing the house and the monster Mania buyrate it would do.

 

Hogan, will want something in return. That's always the deal-breaker. However, Hogan is more likely to take the job before Austin. Who knows? Maybe Austin gets in another scandal with his GF and will get wiped out with court costs that he gives in and takes the job to Austin.

 

That's probably what it'll take for Austin to lay down. They wouldn't have the balls to do an non-finish.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I say don't decide on the finish until the fans decide who they want to win. Whether that be in the build to the match or during the match itself.

[Hawk 34 0]

I say don't decide on the finish until the fans decide who they want to win. Whether that be in the build to the match or during the match itself.

 

Who you see winning that one? The fans turned on Rock for Hogan but Hogan was coming off a 2 year hiatus from the main-stream and 10 years from WWE-land and Rock was still stale at that point.

 

Certain places, such as Canada/Florida/California/Ny would favor Hogan but Texas/Mid-west, would go towards Austin. Detroit fits in the mid-west section, so maybe Austin has the advantage in site location.

 

I say it's split right down the middle ala WM6 (unless someone takes a complete heel direction)

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

It would be Austin's first match in 4 years if it happened...

 

I don't think he'll get booed.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

It's tough to say. I am leaning towards Austin, but Hogan is just weird in the way fans take to him.

[Guest Brian]

I'd love to see them sell out the house, draw the big buyrate, collect their paychecks, do ten minutes on Broadway and just walk.

[Dangerous A 0]

I think Hogan would try his bag of tricks to steal the crowd, but Austin is pretty smart to that kind of thing and it would be fun to see Hogan try something and Austin counter it. I just think both men are too savvy. I could possibly see Hogan agree to job, but try to steal the heat at the end a la WM6 and WM18, but Austin pull something out to where that wouldn't happen.