FanPost

WrestleMania 30 - Where it all Begins... Again

This is a fantasy booking / omg, please come true prediction post I've been planning on writing for quite a while (basically since John Cena returned) and, after the events of the last few weeks months, I'm really disappointed I didn't do it sooner.

Given what occurred last night at Survivor Series last night on Raw, it seems all too obvious that the WWE will indeed give us that long-awaited title unification match for the main event of WrestleMania 30 a Bryan push to the main event title scene.

Again, this has been my thinking for a long time but my lazy ass hasn't got a post up about it 'till now. So I will just go ahead and quickly share the thoughts I've had on how this should go down.

This is not organized in as fashionable way as I wanted, because that only provides more excuses to keep putting the post off. So if it comes across as a bit rambling, I apologize! ;D

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The Ultimate Underdog

At WrestleMania XX, where it all began again, Chris Benoit wrestled an amazing triple threat match with Shawn Michaels and Triple H to win his first World Championship. The match and its background as told by the wonderful people who do WWE video production can be watched here.

Benoit was the underdog from start to finish. He earned the title shot, as you all know, by entering the Royal Rumble first and surviving over an hour, last eliminating Big Show. The Rabid Wolverine was forced to enter the Rumble as the #1 entrant by the General Manager of SmackDown! at that time, Paul Heyman.

While I couldn't find video of that particular interaction, apparently there is this video of Benoit and John Cena making Heyman eat soap. What sticks out most is Cena being just as lame as he's always been, making the same stupid jokes, and half the audience hates it.

Anyways, Benoit was screwed over by Heyman and put into the Rumble first, needing to overcome impossible odds just to get a title shot. Once he won, he famously "jumped ship" from SmackDown! to Raw, utilizing a loophole in his Rumble contract to do so, which eventually led to a triple threat match being set up once Shawn Michaels interfered in the contract signing and placed himself in the match.

I expect a very similar path to this coming WrestleMania, and I expect Daniel Bryan to play the role of Chris Benoit.

The American Dragon is the Rabid Wolverine

The similarities between Benoit and Bryan have been outlined before:

  • both employ a crossface with a leg scissor variation as a finisher.
  • diving headbutt
  • running knee to gut of opponent near ropes (Dean Ambrose also utilizes this)
  • german suplexes (Del Rio also performs these, but Bryan has actually been allowed to do three in a row a few times; most recently against Cena at SummerSlam)
  • both are smaller guys known as ring technicians
  • prior to their final victory, both had brief world title reigns questionably ended (i.e., had a taste, but not the whole cake quite yet).

So what will be Bryan's path to the main event of WM30? The same as Benoit's.

First, the authority figures must condemn Bryan to the #1 spot in the Rumble. This could be done by HHH, or Kane, or whomever at the behest of HHH, etc.

Alternatively, given Punk's recent clash with the Authority, they could throw us a swerve and have Punk enter #1, just to set him up as the underdog instead of Bryan. This would lead to some speculation that Punk could be the guy to win it. But then Bryan enters second and scrounges out a win after Punk almost makes it to the end.

Bryan would likely have to eliminate Batista last, to play into the rumors surrounding Batista's return. Batista should enter the Rumble in the #30 spot because the hype at the end, knowing it's him and he's the only one left, will be crazy.

Just imagine that scenario for a second...

Punk and Bryan, after entering first and second, respectively, have battled to the end, and are left with about 6 other guys in the ring (or whatever). Out comes Batista, he cleans house, but Punk and Bryan survive until it's just the three of them left.

Punk is eliminated (maybe even by Bryan in a HOLY CRAP THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE way... OH SNAP!!!), leaving us Batista against Bryan.

People will be going nuts. Is this Bryan's chance to be the ultimate underdog we know he is? Is this the WWE pushing him to the main event scene right here, right now? Or is this just another "oh so close, oh so far away" moment, to be taken from him by the hands of a returning superstar who hasn't paid his dues in years, and who is probably all buddy-buddy with Triple H backstage!

Is this the longest, strangest burial in the history of pro wrestling, or is it the greatest underdog tale?

You get the idea. Of course, Bryan wins.

Heading into the Rumble, now that Bryan is a face, him winning will be a predictable theory. Which is why I expect the WWE to go a different route with it... but more on that in the last section.

For now, let me continue the WrestleMania XX triple threat analogy:

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The Triple Threat of our Generation

In the main event at WM30, it only makes sense that the poster boy of the company, John Cena, be the guy carrying the title. As to what this leaves Orton to do, I don't know. Which is a shame because he has stepped his game up recently, but maybe he can have a one off with Batista or something.

Cena is the defending champion of champions at WrestleMania 30. This makes him the HHH of our WMXX analogy -- and not just because he holds the belt(s).

No, Cena is HHH because he will also play the heel role in this contest. He will play the dynasty as HHH played it at WrestleMania XX. He will play "The Champ."

The smarky WM crowd will boo his brains out from start to finish, especially as he fights the real crowd favorite, Daniel Bryan -- who I already stated was the Benoit here.

So then, who is HBK? Who is the tweener? Who is the guy that will probably be half-booed when fighting Bryan but cheered when going back and forth with Cena?

That would be CM Punk.

How does Punk maneuver his way into the match? There are several options:

He complains a whole bunch about how he has been screwed over time and again, and how it should be him against Cena in the main event, not Cena/Bryan. He complains this is supposed to be his moment to be THE GUY ending 'Mania, and he has been held back by the authority yet again.

Maybe he calls HHH out and earns a match with him by continuously insulting his wife. Or maybe he beats Cena one on one and then beats Bryan, earning a shot. Or maybe he pulls an HBK and knocks Bryan out and signs his name to the paper.

None of those, however, have the right heel ring to them. They seem too underdog-ish, too face. Punk is one of the greatest heels ever.

So what I would like to see in the lead up to 'Mania is CM Punk lining BACK UP with none other than Paul Heyman.

Since Heyman is lined up with the Authority now, this lines Punk up with the Authority, too. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em -- the ultimate heel frame of mind. Bryan had multiple chances to join other groups and give up on who he is, but he never truly wavered in his commitment to the WWE Universe.

Only Punk, the "sociopath", the guy who's really only in it for himself, would sell out at just the right time, befriending again all those who back-stabbed him, just to get a shot at HIS dream, HIS legacy: the main event of WrestleMania.

Punk brown noses his way into a favorable position to have himself inserted into the match.

However it happens, Punk gets into the match. He plays up his tweener role by insisting it should be him verse Cena, that his feud with Cena goes way back to before Bryan got big, and so on.

Yes, I'm calling it many, many months ago right now, your main event of WrestleMania 30 will be John Cena as the defending champ against Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.

Alternative way to get there...

The above is one way of getting to our triple threat. I think it's a little too predictable. So what follows is is my preferred way. While Bryan winning the Rumble would be a sweet moment, I think it would be better to do the following:

As I said, alternatively, you could have Punk be the underdog in the Rumble. Then, you would simply have him win it. That's it. Punk has never won a Rumble, and he might not have many years left in him. If he's going to add one to his resume, now is the time to do it. Bryan, in the mean time, is looking to be a HUGE superstar for years to come. He can win the Rumble a year or two down the line with no problem. Punk's time is running out. So this could be his year to do it, instead.

Bryan enters #2 and Punk enters #1 after getting screwed over by the Authority and forced to enter first. Who's the underdog? Both make it close to the end and, with just the two of them and Batista left, they gang up on Batista to ensure he is eliminated. It's a tough fight, and Batista almost eliminates them both a couple times, but they finally manage to get the upperhand and eliminate him.

Batista exits up the ramp, leaving Bryan and Punk to battle it in the ring. They face each other for a moment as everyone "yes's" their heads off, before exchanging blows as the crowd goes crazy. They exchange a dual hit, maybe a double cross body, or something like that, and both men collapse, exhausted while the audience applauds.

Then, this happens.

Brock Lesnar, having owned Big Show earlier in the night and, in doing so, most certainly made himself the #1 contender to (assuming) John Cena's title, makes his way out. He doesn't screw around. He jumps on to the canvas, bounces a couple times perhaps, and enters the ring.

Punk is kneeling in the corner, breathing heavy, staring wide-eyed as the music dies down. Bryan, also very tired, stands behind Lesnar with hands on hips, as Lesnar stares down Punk.

BOOM. Lesnar turns around and decks Bryan. He starts pounding the holy hell out of him and stomps a mud hole in him. He picks him up and F5's him while the Rumble audience goes berserk.

Punk slowly gets to his feet, looking shocked, and Lesnar extends his hand. Punk hesitates. And then shakes it! We wait for Lesnar to F5 him while they shake hands, but it never comes. Punk commands Lesnar to lift Bryan up, which he does, and the Beast dumps him over the top rope, making CM Punk your Royal Rumble winner.

This would set Punk up as a truly no good piece of shit. After all the praise he's heaped on Bryan, just to screw him over at the worst time... what an asshole.

Now it truly is Bryan against the world. No Kane. No Authority. No Shield. No CM Punk. No Wyatts. Who does Bryan have left on his side?

Then we get Punk and Heyman next week, with Lesnar, cutting an awesome promo on why, no matter what happens at WrestleMania, it will be a Paul Heyman Guy standing in the ring as YOUR undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Once Lesnar beats Cena at EC, it will be Punk vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania, and Heyman will be the happiest man on Earth.

Once again, this delays the pay off for Bryan in a ridiculously huge way. So now it's gonna be Punk vs. Cena at the main event, and no Bryan? How could the WWE drop the ball on this AGAIN!? And it makes the rather premature Bryan/Wyatt split seem less premature. They purposefully cut the program early to get our hopes up about Bryan being a face in time for his Rumble win, and then they throw us the dark horse underdog CM Punk and have him take it, but as a heel.

It will create so much tension during and after the Rumble. Imagine the scenario I played out before, where it is Bryan and Batista left and the audience doesn't have a clue what is going to happen, and imagine it instead with Punk thrown in and suddenly winning it. SWERVE CITY, BABY!

But, then again, it makes sense. Cena/Punk is the rivalry of our time, and Punk will finally get his curtain-closing match as the heel and Cena as the face. Good for Punk.

We move forward. Perhaps Bryan will get to face HBK at WrestleMania, or even the Undertaker. Surely he'll get something, right?

Right?

Right...? :'(

Daniel Bryan earns his shot

This will mean Bryan has to find some other way to get into the main event. And, since he's never actually, technically earned a title match (remember, he was given one by way of popularity contest by Cena), I would like to see Bryan directly fight for his shot at 'Mania.

Maybe HBK comes out of retirement and Bryan beats him, though I can't imagine HBK coming out for anything less than a WrestleMania match.

It is this last scenario I haven't quite worked out yet. I would really like to see Punk win the Rumble, with Bryan once again falling inches short of immortality. I want that payoff to be delayed just a bit more. Make Bryan work for it just a little longer... but I'm not sure how to get Bryan inserted in the Punk/Cena match once that is set in stone.

The only way that might make sense is to have Bryan screw Lesnar over at EC in his match with Cena. Then the Authority sets up Lesnar vs. Bryan on Raw in a #1 contender's match, the winner to face Cena and Punk at WrestleMania. That way we get Lesnar vs. Bryan, which I won't complain about at all.

All I know for sure, is that I have had these musings for quite some time about a Cena/Punk/Bryan main event. It would be a guaranteed 5 star match just by name-power and story-line alone, let alone when the three of them go at it in the ring.

Because of the promos leading up to the match, and the match itself, combined with the dynamic the three gentlemen bring to the table, I know this could be the greatest triple threat of all time, ending the 30 year anniversary of WrestleMania in glorious fashion.

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The difference a year makes...

How we'll get there exactly, I'm not sure. But I give credit to the WWE for making these last few months very, very interesting. WrestleMania last year, and the lead up to it, were far too predictable -- and the story being told, of Cena as the underdog overcoming the odds yet again, made me sick.

I'm singing a different tune now. The way the WWE has handled this entire Bryan saga has been lights out. The way they totally gave the Orton cash-in away for weeks, just to make it seem like it wouldn't happen, only to have it happen just like we all thought it would when we least expected it... brilliant.

The way they've kept Bryan hot through this entire thing by consistently delaying the ultimate pay off time and again. Absolutely perfect. Which is why I kinda expect them to delay the payoff one more time at the Rumble, and have Punk win it.

Either way, I think it's cool to have all these scenarios playing out in my head, with absolutely no clue what's going to happen, or where they're going with this. I haven't even mentioned in this post The Shield or the Wyatts, both of whom have unfinished business with Punk and Bryan, let alone the Authority and Paul Heyman's possible role.

This has been the real focal point of the WWE over the past year: building factions. Building groups of people and alliances so that the dynamics are not so clear-cut and not so black-and-white. Displaying tension within an individual is much tougher than displaying it within groups because tension exists more within groups than individuals. By having the WWE roster be more group-oriented, you only increase the likelihood of all hell breaking loose at any moment.

Some think "every man for himself" is more of a chaotic, unstable situation -- but I think alliances lead to all out war. Just ask Germany. Twice.

Plus, alliances build a sense of a greater struggle. It always seems something bigger is at play than just one guy fighting another guy. It always seems there is more happening behind the scenes, in the shadows. We "smarks" love to speculate, and we love to create imaginary scenarios -- so what better way to give us what we want than to create a roster filled with alliances and, therefore, tension. Lots of unresolved tension.

Whatever goes down at WrestleMania, I expect it to be an amazing PPV, and I think this is a great time to be a fan of the sport of professional wrestling.

But I admit I will be very disappointed if I don't get CM Punk and Daniel Bryan against John Cena in the curtain-closing bout.

IT'S BEST FOR BUSINESS-AHHH!!!

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