There could be said to be broadly two views on this. The
first would be that the returning stars help to attract viewers who wouldn’t
otherwise be interested and that their participation helps give the events that
extra special feeling they’re meant to have. The second would be that the
returnees take away spots from the roster members who work a full schedule and
deserve to participate at a show of WrestleMania’s significance.
My view lies somewhere in the middle of the two. The
returning stars are necessary for shows like WrestleMania to be distinguishable
from the rest of the PPV pack. I don’t think WWE could expect to fill more than
one stadium for a ‘Mania using only
their current roster, and they’d only manage one because tickets are sold so
far in advance. But at the same time I don’t think the list of returning names
would need to be as long as it generally gets if WWE did a better job of making
guys like Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler seem like
they’re genuinely big stars. Part of WrestleMania absolutely should be about
celebrating the past and integrating older stars, but it should also be about
building for the future.
Something that could be done differently is how the
returning names are used. Right now they tend to interact exclusively with one
another. Jericho v Fandango and Triple H v Daniel Bryan aside all the names listed
above have been involved with other stars from past eras at the last few
WrestleManias. An argument could be made for CM Punk being raised up with his
matches against The Undertaker and The Rock, but Punk was already pretty close
to that level anyway. And, y’know, he lost both matches. By the time he left he
was definitely on that level.
I’d be far more interested in a Triple H versus Dean
Ambrose match than I would in a Triple H versus The Rock match. The former is a
match that could easily take place at WM31, WWE having ample time to prepare
it. The latter is a match the men themselves talked about on the SmackDown
fifteenth anniversary show and while I don’t think it’s especially likely to
happen it’s not an impossibility. That it was brought up on company programming
indicates that WWE were interested in seeing how people reacted to talk of the
bout.
For whatever reason WWE doesn’t seem interested in
pitting the veteran performers against the younger batch of stars. Perhaps they
feel the youngsters are beneath the vets. That will cause a problem in years to
come if true because sooner or later it will bleed through into the televised
product and the current roster could be viewed as second rate in terms of star
power.
More likely, given the matchups we’ve had over the last
few years, they feel the Dream Match™ route is the best one to take. Their idea
of what constitutes such a match can at some times be questionable (Cena versus
Rock headlining two ‘Manias in a row f’r’instance) but it’s a solid enough
approach. With all of this in mind I thought I’d run through the various
part-timers WWE does and could make use of and look at the possible opponents,
both part- and full-time, they could be pitted against at the next few ‘Manias.
We’ll start with Mr Hulk
Hogan. He’s a pretty big star, right? Well, yes and no. He was undoubtedly
wrestling’s biggest star in the 1980s and for much of the 90s, but his status
has been somewhat diminished by the likes of Rock, Austin and Cena. His stint
in TNA didn’t help him either. That gave anyone who saw it the impression that
he’s washed up. He obviously was washed up but that TNA really emphasised it.
It wore off what mystique he was still clinging to and he’s only started
getting it back since he started the sporadic appearances for WWE.
 |
| He says he's got one more leg drop left in him, brothers! |
‘The Hulkster’ has dropped a number of unsubtle hints
about wanting to wrestle a retirement match for WWE. I suspect there are a
number of motives for this. One would be the hefty payday. Another would be the
chance to get himself into the spotlight one more time, something he has adored
throughout his career. Third would be the opportunity to go out on top. I mean,
Hogan clearly hasn’t been on top of wrestling since 19-take-your-pick, but
having a retirement match on the upper half, possibly even in the main event,
of a ‘Mania card would do a lot to sate his legendary ego.
There’s only one man I think Hogan could or should come
back to face. That’s John Cena. The reason is pretty obvious. It would be the
biggest current star against one of the biggest stars of the past. They would
not have an especially good match but it would be a spectacle, and there’s
always a room for spectacle at WrestleMania. Cena’s capable (though he wouldn’t
necessarily be willing) of bouncing around to make Hogan look good. Hogan could
probably take an AA. It’s the only feasible match should a Hogan comeback
occur.
Next is the man who Hogan made his initial ‘Mania comeback against back at X8, The Rock. I’ve already mentioned the tease WWE made of a Rock versus Triple H ‘Mania outing. It would be interesting from a historical point of view because they never wrestled in a singles match at the event, despite having a feud that lasted years and took them both from the mid-card to the main event. While doing the match now would allow them to tick off an accomplishment it wouldn’t live up to their past standards. Between 1998 and 2000 the pair had a number of memorable matches on TV and pay-per-view. They’re older now, and ‘The Great One’ is extra cautious of doing anything that could inflict an injury for fear of losing work in Hollywood, and they wouldn’t be able to match their previous high standards. It’s a match best left in the past.
Rock versus Brock Lesnar has a certain appeal to it: the
Hollywood A-lister facing the former UFC champion. It’s the sort of thing
WrestleMania has always been built around: mainstream, outside-wrestling
appeal. But it’s unlikely to happen with Lesnar’s status as champ as it would
need to be for the title and I don’t think either would be back before
SummerSlam. Rock’s health and safety gimmick would probably make this match a
no, too.
Rock versus Rusev is a potential match after their
surprise interaction on the October 6 RAW. I think it could be a very good
match. Rusev’s selling and psychology are good and constantly improving and
he’s got a convincing, and over, set of moves. It would make sense to promote
this match and there’s a reason for it happening. But I don’t think WWE will do
it. The most I think we can expect is a second meeting on TV which ends with
Rusev looking strong. That would help him, but not as much as a WrestleMania
victory in an official match would.
Other than ‘The Bulgarian Brute’ no characters from the
main roster jump out as a particularly good match for Rock. I think Cesaro
would be a particularly nice fit match-wise, but not enough time has been
invested in his character to make it seem a realistic possibility. Meanwhile I
think there’s a natural story to be told between Rock and Roman Reigns, not
least because they’re cousins, but the in-ring action would let them down.
Reigns is not yet experienced enough as a singles wrestler to make this bout
work. But if Rock’s still around for WrestleMania 33 in 2017 it might be a good
idea.
Going back to Brock
Lesnar there are a surprising number of options. Roman Reigns is top of the
list as beating Lesnar for the WWE championship at ‘Mania 31 would be a nice
crowning-of-the-heir-apparent moment. But even though it would make sense it’s
not been announced as a thing yet. ‘The Beast’ could just as easily find
himself working a rematch with The Undertaker or having his first main roster
dalliance with Randy Orton. Had a better job been done of splitting Paul Heyman
and Cesaro then there’d be a compelling, natural story to be told for Cesaro
versus Lesnar. It could still be done, but the time for making it mean as much
as it could has slipped through WWE’s fingers.
Since the loss of his Streak I’ve found myself less
interested in the concept of further Undertaker
appearances. It’s not because the Lesnar bout was bad (although it was), it’s
because the main appeal of ‘The Dead Man’ for me had become seeing him increase
The Streak’s length. It added an urgency to his bouts that just can’t be there
now. I’d convinced myself that he’d go for another year or two, announce his
final match before it took place, and have Cena as his opponent. Cena, more
than Lesnar, would have been able to convince people before the match that he
was going to end The Streak. Because he’s Cena. My logic was that if WWE were
going to end The Streak for anyone it would be Cena.
But that all fell apart when Lesnar pinned ‘Big Evil’ at
WrestleMania XXX. ‘The Phenom’ will still be able to have good matches (if his
body permits it) but they just won’t be as suspenseful. He could have his
rematch with Lesnar and win, but ultimately it wouldn’t matter. The blemish on
his record would still be there.
A lot of people seem to want Sting v Undertaker. I’ve said before that I would have no interest
in seeing that match. Sting as a performer does nothing for me and any
analogies between his role in WCW and ‘Taker’s in WWE are lost on me. One went
off the rails because he felt betrayed during an invasion of cool heels, the
other’s a zombie biker who digs MMA. The most that can be said in favour of
them being a particularly good pairing is that they are both synonymous with
their respective promotions. But WCW closed down in 2001. At this point Sting v
Undertaker would be as much TNA v WWE as WCW v WWE.
But a lot of people want to see it. There’s obviously
something I’m missing. That people seem keen on it makes me think that
Undertaker versus ‘The Stinger’ is the most sensible match for both men at
‘Mania 31. Personally I’d be more interested in either man in a singles match
against Bray Wyatt. He’s a better fit for the characters of both veterans. But
I doubt that will come to pass.
I suspect a lot of people would argue that Sting v Triple H would be a good match. It’s
true that both are top tier performers, but something about their respective
styles makes me think they wouldn’t gel well together. Neither strikes me as a
significant enough name to make the match work. There’s no obvious story to
tell between the pair either.
‘The Game’ is best off working against guys getting
established. He’s a respected (within WWE TV Land at least) performer, a former
multi-time world champion, and the on-screen boss. His status is why guys would
want a match with him and his job allows him to be easily written into
necessary stories. The Daniel Bryan story worked well. More along those lines
would be fine. Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt and Cesaro would be my top choices for
matches against Trips. In time there’s a very obvious Seth Rollins match
waiting to be presented too.
One guy I’m not especially interested in seeing Tripper
wrestle is Batista. Since leaving
over the summer he’s mentioned in interviews that he’d be interested in
returning for a retirement match against ‘The King of Kings’ at a WrestleMania.
Which says a fair bit about how ‘The Animal’ sees his status within WWE
history. In fairness Triple H v Batista would make sense as a retirement match,
given their history as friends and opponents. It would be a neat ending to Big
Dave’s career. It just doesn’t feel like a modern day ‘Mania match, partly
because they faced off at a ‘Mania before and partly because I don’t think
Batista quite deserves that level of send-off.
To me it feels more like a SummerSlam idea.
I think Batista would be of more value facing an Ambrose
or a Cesaro at future WrestleManias. But such matches are probably beneath his
ego, even if he were to win them. A bout with Lesnar would likely satisfy him,
with or without the title on the line, but the trouble there is the same as
with The Rock: Batsy has to keep himself as healthy as possible for Hollywood
duties and Lesnar is not conducive to that. It would be a fresh pairing though
of established headliners though, and that counts for a lot with me.
A man it would be easy to overlook here is Goldberg. No, he’s never been on the
best of terms with WWE. No, they don’t seem to regard him as any form of
exceptional draw (and in fairness there’s little evidence that they should).
But if Sting is going to get mentioned Goldberg should too. At his peak
Goldberg was just as big a star for WCW as Sting.
Were The Streak still intact a decent story could have
been built around ‘Taker pitting it against Goldberg’s mostly perfect win-loss record.
WWE could have ignored ‘berg’s handful of jobs or acknowledged them and
emphasised the screwiness of most of them, either approach would have done the
job. A year and a half ago Goldberg would have been a good choice of opponent
for Ryback. ‘The Big Guy’ was getting compared to Goldberg every week and it
would have given him a boost to face and beat the former WCW champ. It may seem
a peculiar thing to say now, given Ryback’s lower-card status, but had WWE
handled him better during his rushed rivalry with CM Punk and into WrestleMania
XXIX they could have made a headliner out of him.
Those are wasted opportunities. There’s no obvious
scenario for Goldberg at a WrestleMania now. But he’s a big enough name to
attract a few eyes, especially if he was given the Hall of Fame and retirement
match package (not that WWE would deem him worthy of that). The Ryback match
could still just about work, just not as well as it could have previously.
Beyond that matches with Brock Lesnar, Cesaro or a more embedded Roman Reigns
could work nicely.
 |
| One more year for Angle. But it probably won't be in WWE. |
Goldberg is also one of the many names that could work as
an opponent for Kurt Angle. WWE’s
fledging roster split stopped it happening during Goldberg’s previous run,
which was a pity as the pair seem like a natural fit: the powerhouse and the
technician. The trouble is that Angle would likely be taken as the face and
Goldberg the heel, and both do their best work in the opposite roles. The more
significant trouble with doing this match nowadays is that Angle is falling to
pieces and Goldberg isn’t exactly known for his safety.
The really obvious Angle match would be opposite Rusev.
He’s a foreign heel who talks about his superiority to America whilst wearing a
gold medal. It seems tailor made for Angle. The current leading hypothesis is
that Rusev is destined for a ‘Mania showdown with Cena. That would work and
work well, but the ultra-patriotic Angle would be just as good a fit, if not a
better one.
At this point I should probably pause and acknowledge the
fact that it doesn’t look like Angle will ever return to WWE for a match. He’s
said he’ll wrestle one more year part-time and then retire. WWE are said to be
sceptical about Angle’s ability to pass their health and endurance tests, and
they’re almost certainly right to be. Angle was originally let go by WWE in
2006 because of health concerns and he’s visibly smaller now than he was then.
As much as it would be great to see him return for one final run and matches
against Rollins, Ambrose, Cesaro, Ziggler and Rusev (and basically everyone
else on the roster) it doesn’t look as though it will happen. I suspect we
won’t be seeing Angle back in WWE until he’s called it quits on his in-ring
offerings and is ready to accept a (much deserved) spot in the company’s Hall
of Fame.
The same isn’t necessarily true for Angle’s fellow TNA
alums Bully Ray and Devon. The former Dudley Boyz have apparently cut ties with TNA and agreed to some
sort of deal which will see them wrestle at New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom 9. It
seems safe to assume Team 3D were added because the pay-per-view will be
broadcast on PPV in the US (via Jeff Jarrett’s increasingly shady Global Force
Wrestling “promotion”) and Bully and Devon are considered big enough names to
help attract an audience.
While they’re far from being the biggest names in
wrestling ever they are a known quantity. They have the Attitude Era rub that
could attract lapsed fans and a very long list of accomplishments for longer
term fans. I don’t personally feel that they are but I could understand an
argument being made for them being the best tag team ever.
All of which could be used to argue in favour of bringing
them into WWE on a part-time basis. Or it could if WWE had a healthier doubles
division. I’m sure that the Dudleys versus Goldust and Stardust or the Usos
would be good, but neither of the current WWE teams has the status of the
Dudleys. To make the most of rehiring the Dudleys WWE would need a team (preferably
several) with some history and status to pit them against. They’d need that
Dream Match™ scenario, allowing the Dudleys to give the rub to a younger team.
The only duo WWE has right now that look like they have the potential to become
a significant team is The Ascension, and they’re still in developmental.
If WWE wanted to they could hire Bully and Devon as
agents and use them as an occasional treat for house shows crowds. If they
spent the time between WrestleManias 31 and 32 creating an interesting and
worthwhile doubles division with The Ascension as the undisputed stars then a
Dudleys match in 2016 could mean something. But we all know this isn’t
something WWE will bother with.
Finally we come to the man whom I think would prove the
most lucrative name on this list were he to return to the ring: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. He seems
fine with his retirement, having publically exhibited no burning desire to have
one final match. It’s completely understandable. He went out in an extremely
satisfying match in the semi-main event spot of a WrestleMania, losing to one
of his greatest rivals, and friends, at a WrestleMania. He faced everyone there
was to face during his time and became a massive star doing so. It’s hard to
imagine him having any regrets about his career accomplishments or his last
match in particular. While he’s always been careful to avoid committing to
anything he has said that he’d come back for the right opponent and the right
scenario. But I think another match with Austin is unlikely.
But that’s not to say there aren’t options for him.
Because there are. There are tonnes. Austin against Ambrose, Rollins, Ziggler,
or Cesaro. He has spoken highly of all of them in interviews and on his
podcast, which indicates that he’d work a competitive match with them. Austin v
Bryan could be a very good match too, although there you’d have the thorny
issue of Bryan having to play the heel. Any of the four guys above could be
switched to the antagonist role for an outing against Austin, but for several
years now a defining attribute of Bryan’s character has been that he’s the
chosen one of fans. He’s the man we want to see on top and the man we want to
cheer for.
Even less likely than any of those matches is Austin
versus CM Punk. It’s a match that WWE teased in a backstage segment on the 27
June 2011 on the episode of RAW that ended with Punk’s celebrated “pipe bomb”.
The appeal of the match is obvious: they’re characters that have both a lot in
common and some very clear differences. Each elevated their status within the
company as outspoken anti-heroes railing against the management system. Each
won several WWE championships and became credible headline talents. It’s the
specifics where they differ. Austin was the beer-guzzling redneck who would
attack anyone over anything. Punk doesn’t touch alcohol and was never booked to
be as aggressive a presence as ‘The Rattlesnake’. The promos and interactions
the pair could have in the build-up to a WrestleMania match would be
sensational. With both men healthy and capable of hitting their signature spots
a match would almost certainly be well-received.
 |
| The match that never was. |
Then there’s Austin versus Brock Lesnar. The promos there
would have a different feel to them because it would be Austin dealing with
Paul Heyman. There’s a lot that could be brought up there without even mentioning
Lesnar: Heyman managing Austin early on in his career, giving him the
opportunity to do a rough cut of the ‘Stone Cold’ character in ECW in 1995, and
their time together in the Alliance. Then of course there’d be the history
between Lesnar and Austin. The Texan famously walked out on WWE in 2002 after
he was told he was to lose to ‘The Next Big Thing’ on an episode of RAW with no
build-up. Heyman could spin that as Austin being scared of Lesnar and go on to
talk up Lesnar various shoot credentials and WWE accomplishments to add
validity to his claim. There are a lot of topics that could be covered to
create a very tense, very real atmosphere for the bout.
Would it happen? I don’t think it would. While Austin
would probably be more willing to risk injury than Batista and The Rock because
he’s not got as many acting commitments or opportunities he does have a more
serious medical history than either man (which, were it to happen, could be
another topic for Heyman). Austin’s neck and knees would take a pounding in a
match with ‘The Beast’ and I don’t think it would be worth the risk to his
health.
Austin versus Hogan is another match with a very obvious
appeal to it but I don’t think it could ever happen. ‘The Hulkster’ would need
an opponent who could carry him, and that wouldn’t necessarily by Austin after
twelve-plus years away from the ring. Then, of course, there’d be the question
of winning. Can you imagine either man agreeing to lie down for the other? I
can’t. And in this day and age anything less than a clear winner would not go
down well.
There’s also John Cena. He’s already faced The Rock
twice, losing once and winning once. Their matches were not received well and
it’s tough to see things being any different in a Cena v Austin match. Rock
actually seemed like a better fit for the Cena character as he was always a
little more family-friendly than Austin, and Cena’s always about being family
friendly. Something about their characters just made the pairing a natural fit,
just as Austin and Punk would fit well together.
Were the match to happen Cena would obviously find
himself booed. Austin, more than anyone else from the late 90s and early 00s,
embodies the spirit of the Attitude Era. He was the man that sparked that
movement within the company. It would be tough to see the match outside of the
frame of Attitude versus PG and that’s a scenario WWE should want to keep Cena
away from at all costs. The match would probably be as good if not better than
Cena’s collisions with The Rock but that’s not really saying much.
Were Austin to return for a match there’s one match I’d
want to see more than any other. It’s a match that has never happened but was
once advertised as a pay-per-view main event: Austin v Triple H v The Rock. A
triple threat match between the three biggest stars of the Attitude Era.
The match was originally advertised as the main event of
Survivor Series 1999, a lovely bit of deliberate false advertising by the WWF
because they knew from the start that it would never take place. Early on in
the show Austin was “run over” in a car park to write him out of the match and
storylines, allowing him to head off for a neck surgery. He was replaced by Big
Show, who left as the new WWF champion.
Even back then I don’t think the match would have been
incredible but it would probably have been very good. But it’s a bout that goes
beyond concerns over quality. It’s appeal lies in seeing the three biggest
stars of a generation together at the same time. And of course in seeing who’d
be booked to go over. Had it happened in ’99 with all three men healthy it
would have been hard to call. There were reasons for each man to win: Austin
had been the company’s leading man for over a year and a half, The Rock was set
to step up and become just as big a star, and Triple H was the era’s lead heel
who always found a way to escape with the title. If it were to happen now none
of that would be a factor. Times have changed and each man has a Hall of Fame
career behind him. But it would still be one of the hardest matches to predict
a winner for. And I think it would be an incredibly satisfying watch.
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