Wrestlemania 32 - An Underwhelming Experience waiting to happen..?

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Having just posted on the RAW thread below, got me thinking about Mania 32. Just 10 weeks from what is set to be an event which shatters records will that still be the case and how best can they go about ensuring it does?

Clearly the WWE have been unfortunate with injuries and scheduling conflicts (Cena...Rollins....Orton & The Rock) but once again it could be argued that they have booked themselves into a corner by not establishing stars ready to step in. Whilst it has been a great 18 months in terms of bringing in new talent and showcasing them (WWE have done a much much better job than In the past) it still feels like they haven't trusted them enough or pulled the trigger on the right people at the right time. Even now I have my doubts and others likely do that people such as Owens...AJ and Ambrose would be getting the airtime they have if it wasn't for key injuries.

The obvious elephant in the room heading into Mania is Daniel Bryan...a man who is still the most over guy on the roster yet who is no closer to returning because of concussion issues/ being held back on purpose (take your pick which side you believe)...

All of this leads us to a card that thus far is shaping up as follow;

HHH vs Reigns
Brock vs Wyatt

That's likely the two main events...and both feel just a tad underwhelming. So my question is how do WWE go about ensuring this doesn't bomb in comparative terms to how big it was supposed to be? Do we see Undertaker wresting again? How will they utilise The Rock and do they need Cena or Orton or even both to return in time?

Or should they use this opportunity to showcase the talent they have; Ambrose...Owens...Zayn...AJ Styles..all more than capable of stealing the show.

My concern is that a whole bunch of them are shoved in one gimmick match and given little time to shine..

So what matches would you book and how would you best book this years Wrestlemania...

The person that comes second in the rumble usually gets a pretty good push,can't see them doing it this quickly though,as much as I'd like to see a curve ball like that.

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:I don't see how Ambrose is anywhere near worthy.

I think his matches with Rollins proved that the fans would be perfectly ok with him being champion, he got an excellent reception during those matches especially the Dusty finish.

I've had a thought about a story for Mania and think sharing it here makes sense. Seeing as Undertaker is short on opponents.

Dudleys lose on Raw, Bubba turns heel on D-Von and brings out his Bully Ray persona, randomly attacking a different face on Raw every week for no apparent reason because he's a bully. Kane is one of his victims, leads to Undertaker challenging Bully Ray at Mania. A viable opponent if WWE gets behind him in the build up.

I would rather Kevin Owens than Bully Ray.

I think the dudleyz will win the tag titles at Wrestle Mania as well.

As I've said to you, Bubba can't pull off a decent match. I don't want Strowman, but least he's young and has potential to be their new giant. Prefer him to retire Big Show as his breakout moment though.

Many players in that company who can bring character and a big match

I feel bad for Strowman sometimes, the guys absolutely green as Frak, he shouldn't be anywhere near where he is, that said I like him as the big man in the Wyatts where he can be protected

He's definitely got the backing of Vince so it seems an inevitable huge push is coming his way...I hope talk of both Taker and Brock at Mania/Summerslam are just that...talk and nothing more because there are guys far better placed and over than him who deserve a push that big...

It must be infuriating to be someone without that 'look' that is so often talked of when it comes to WWE. In a time when people are discussing Bryan and his retirement and what he did for WWE it's sad that the likes of Owens (don't see him in a huge match at Mania...and he's been one of top 3 performers in last 18 months), AJ (a match against Y2J looms which will do little) even Ambrose to an extent (is he going to be in a 'big' mania match doubtful) ...are on the outside looking in. Meanwhile front and centre of the pushes are the likes of Strowman, Wyatt (how many chances will he get), Reigns (don't mind him and his booking hasn't helped but he has flaws)... i.e. The big men appear to be front and centre for pushes as has been the case for some time. Is that because they deserve to be there or is the sad truth of the matter that for all of Daniel Bryan's hard work...he has changed nothing and will in the eyes of the top brass both he and his kind always be viewed as B+ players and nothing more?

Meltzer reporting that Strowman vs Undertaker is now dead, which is good. Undertaker vs Owens isn't happening either though.

So who does Undertaker face? Could this be a sign Cena is going to be back in time? Or will he face Kane? Dean Ambrose is another that might be free, but with the IC title that seems unlikely.

Last I read WWE are keeping a close eye on Orton and Cena in the hope they'll be fit enough and that they are they're two top picks to face Undertaker, and that Owens turned the match down.

Would it really be the worst thing if we didnt get an Undertaker match this year?

Remember when Luke Harper was hot as hell and the best thing since sliced bread? Apparently Strowman has got a lot in his arsenal and we haven't seen hardly anything which he's capable of. I'm glad he's being kept away from Taker though.

I don't know whether I'd prefer a Taker match with no build up whatsoever and have him advertised on the card as having an open challenge. Have him come out at Mania and wait for someone to answer the challenge - cue John Cena. I'm not sure if that would get a better reaction and match off the cuff than a rushed 3 week build up with predictable promos would?

I'd MTFO if it was Rollins though.

Samo wrote:Last I read WWE are keeping a close eye on Orton and Cena in the hope they'll be fit enough and that they are they're two top picks to face Undertaker, and that Owens turned the match down.

Would it really be the worst thing if we didnt get an Undertaker match this year?

I don't for one minute believe Kevin Owens would turn down a match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania for two reasons, 1. It's his first WrestleMania and he'd be given an incredible role in the biggest Mania ever and 2. There is no way he would have the sway to knock back anything, he'd do what he was told

As for no Taker match, with so many injured there will be no chance in hell they'd intentionally leave him off the card.

It's in Dallas too. He's not working all these years, working three other PPVs in 2015 and then missing Dallas.

Up in the air with Taker but I suspect they really are waiting on Cena. Would love to see him work with someone a touch smaller if it's not jumpin John. Fancy he could have a great match with Ziggler. Would absolutely love to see him against Stardust. Neither will happen in a million years but they are both very good performers who would do the selling and add pace, and I think both are so smooth that Taker would be well protected.

Having said all that, imagine if he takes on Styles. That would be hugely intriguing.

Just to go back to the main event, is there an alternative that we haven't considered?

That alternative being that HHH doesn't hold the title come Wrestlemania.

It's not beyond reason that he could be "injured" at the hands of <insert suitable candidate here> and be forced to vacate the title.

It's also possible he "loses" the title to someone of his choosing before Wrestlemania.

The wide held belief that HHH v Reigns would end the biggest event of the year on a very much unsatisfactory note surely can't be lost on the writers, can it?! Even allowing for ego.

It would be almost too obvious that HHH would lose to whoever he faced, so instead of backing themselves into that corner, why not take the belt off him beforehand?

It wouldn't stop him featuring in the main event in some way. It would also allow for a less predictable & more positively anticipated main event.

On paper, last years Wrestlemania, especially the main event, seemed underwhelming. It was widely expected by most, including Reigns, that he would be exiting with the title. Instead we were caught out by Rollins.

I'm probably way off but it's perhaps worth considering, even if only briefly.

As for The Undertaker, I find it hard to consider anything other than a match with Cena making much sense. A returning or below 100% Cena allows for a match paced to suit both parties.

If you're going to take the title off Triple H then there was no point in him winning it in the first place, you would have been better having whoever you'd book to take him out win the title and cut out the middle man.

So to go with Reigns v HHH and Undertaker v ???, it's looking likely that the following will be added.

Diva's Title
Charlotte (c) v Sasha Banks v Becky Lynch

IC Title
Kevin Owens (c) v AJ Styles

Dean Ambrose v Brock Lesnar

Would those 5 matches save Wrestlemania considering there's still the US Title (possibly featuring Kalisto) and the Tag Titles (probably featuring The New Day) to add?