The Consolidated WWE Superthread

[Philistine]

I must be watching too much wrestling, it’s affecting my mind in strange ways. I watched all thirteen hours of Wrestlemania on Kayo (actually about six hours, fast-forwarding through the endless promotion and talking heads), and the only match result I failed to predict in advance was the six team all-in for the tag title(s). I got that half right, because I realized they needed to correct the balls-up from two years ago when they united the Raw and Smackdown titles (two sets of belts is better for business than one), but I couldn’t work out which two teams would be anointed.

Does this mean I’m clairvoyant, or is it simply that the booking has become mind-numbingly predictable?

 

[Freakzilla]

I must be watching too much wrestling, it’s affecting my mind in strange ways. I watched all thirteen hours of Wrestlemania on Kayo (actually about six hours, fast-forwarding through the endless promotion and talking heads), and the only match result I failed to predict in advance was the six team all-in for the tag title(s). I got that half right, because I realized they needed to correct the balls-up from two years ago when they united the Raw and Smackdown titles (two sets of belts is better for business than one), but I couldn’t work out which two teams would be anointed.

Does this mean I’m clairvoyant, or is it simply that the booking has become mind-numbingly predictable?

It was actually very obvious for a few reasons:

1. In the lead up the commentators kept saying that the teams have to retrieve BOTH sets of titles for the match to be over.
2. Damien Priest was going to cash in his MITB briefcase soon so had to lose the tag titles.
3. R-Truth had never won a match at WM & was feuding with DP.
4. Raw is going to Netflix in January so the titles had to be split again.
5. Theory & Waller were the best team in the match from Smackdown.

 

[Philistine]

It was actually very obvious for a few reasons:

1. In the lead up the commentators kept saying that the teams have to retrieve BOTH sets of titles for the match to be over.
2. Damien Priest was going to cash in his MITB briefcase soon so had to lose the tag titles.
3. R-Truth had never won a match at WM & was feuding with DP.
4. Raw is going to Netflix in January so the titles had to be split again.
5. Theory & Waller were the best team in the match from Smackdown.

Your tells are spot on, but I wasn't paying much attention to the tag titles. The Rock and his antics pushed everything else to the background.

When I saw the Rock with Jinder Mahal, it was obvious that he hadn't got a match in him. The bookers could not put Rock into a singles match, and so he spent three months doing promos, sneak attacks, and the like, and his sum total of actual wrestling was 2 - 3 minutes of a 30 minute tag match. Now he has made a final appearance on Raw, seamlessly turning back to a face again, and teasing a big match with Cody Rhodes that will never happen, before riding off into the sunset. Sometimes I wonder why I watch this stuff - I could do a more credible booking job myself!

 

[Freakzilla]

Your tells are spot on, but I wasn't paying much attention to the tag titles. The Rock and his antics pushed everything else to the background.

When I saw the Rock with Jinder Mahal, it was obvious that he hadn't got a match in him. The bookers could not put Rock into a singles match, and so he spent three months doing promos, sneak attacks, and the like, and his sum total of actual wrestling was 2 - 3 minutes of a 30 minute tag match. Now he has made a final appearance on Raw, seamlessly turning back to a face again, and teasing a big match with Cody Rhodes that will never happen, before riding off into the sunset. Sometimes I wonder why I watch this stuff - I could do a more credible booking job myself!

The Rock will 100% come back to have singles matches against both Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns within the next 12 months.

 

[Berries]

Wonder what Rock gave Cody at the end of the Raw promo. Speculation it was Dusty’s Rolex

 

[Philistine]

The Rock will 100% come back to have singles matches against both Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns within the next 12 months.

That is a big call, and I can see a couple of problems with it:

i) Rock appears to be in better shape than he was in January, but nowhere near ready for a singles match. Roman Reigns can't carry him, I'm not sure whether Cody can. He can of course keep working on his fitness back in Hollywood - but will he?

ii) Booking Rule 101 states that Babyface Rock (which he will be) cannot be beaten one on one in a "clean" match. Rock vs Reigns would work for the mythical leadership of the Bloodline, and would be a massive attraction. But what do you do with Rock after he has beaten Reigns? As for Rock vs Cody? Refer to Booking Rule 101. We would have a champion whose pattern of appearances makes Reigns look like an ever-present workaholic. Besides, Cody looks set for a long run as champ.

 

[Wahesh]

Night 1

Rhea Ripley (c) defeated Becky Lynch by pinfall.

I actually thought that Becky was going to win, so it was good to see Rhea win and consolidate her place as possibly the best women's athlete in the game today. It would be awesome to see her feud and go up against Jade Cargill sometime in the near future.

A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) and The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) defeated The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c), #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa), The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods), and New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) by retrieving the SmackDown and Raw championships, respectively.

I don't generally like tag team matches, but this was a ladder match with many participants in it. It was a thoroughly entertaining match, perhaps the most entertaining of the night. I really think though that WWE should only have ONE Tag Team championship, and the other should be a Tornado Team championship (the type of match where all 4 wrestlers are fighting, and no 'tagging' is required). It was also good to see a second Aussie winning in a row - both in championship matches. Sure Grayson Waller is annoying as but puts the Aussies firmly onto the map.

Rey Mysterio and Andrade (with Carlito, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, and Zelina Vega) defeated Santos Escobar and "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio (with Angel, Berto, and Elektra Lopez) by pinfall.

This pretty much was the expected outcome, but I didn't expect Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson to play a part in this.

Jey Uso defeated Jimmy Uso by pinfall.

Expected result.

Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair, and Naomi defeated Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane) by pinfall

Again, expected result, but was good to see Jade Gargill wrestle. I'm not sure what was with her attire. It's as if she cut her hair and had some kind of line painted down the middle of her body. I'm not sure why.

Sami Zayn defeated Gunther (c) by pinfall

Yet again, expected result.

The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) (with Paul Heyman) defeated Cody Rhodes and Seth "Freakin" Rollins by pinfall.

So there were some things overlooked in this match that should've gotten the Bloodline disqualified like low blows etc... but everyone wanted a big main event for Night 2 with Bloodline rules, so this was the outcome that most wanted given what was going to take place on night 2.

Night 2

Drew McIntyre defeated Seth "Freakin" Rollins (c) by pinfall

I though Seth would win. What happened next though...

Damian Priest defeated Drew McIntyre (c) by pinfall

I don't like it when a championship match is won at a PPV and someone cashes in MitB shortly after, because it makes that match appear useless. The prior match was good and should've ended after that. This kind of set up a Punk v McIntyre feud.

The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford) (with B-Fab) defeated The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar) (with Scarlett and Paul Ellering) by pinfall

There was absolutely no control by Bubba Ray, but that's what made this match somewhat entertaining. I enjoyed it and it didn't go on forever.

LA Knight defeated AJ Styles by pinfall.

This was a meh match. AJ Styles appeared to be the face for this match for someone who doesn't watch wrestling that much, but seeing him as the heel made the entrances somewhat odd.

Logan Paul (c) (with IShowSpeed) defeated Kevin Owens and Randy Orton by pinfall

We all knew that when 2 faces are up against 1 heel, they would turn on each other, and that's what happened. The same thing also happens when 2 heels go against 1 face, they always turn on each other. Predictable outcome.

Bayley defeated Iyo Sky (c) by pinfall

As expected.

Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) by pinfall

This match lost it's meaning when Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, John Cena, The Rock, and The Undertaker all made appearances, but the outcome everyone wanted at last years WrestleMania took place.

 

[Freakzilla]

That is a big call, and I can see a couple of problems with it:

i) Rock appears to be in better shape than he was in January, but nowhere near ready for a singles match. Roman Reigns can't carry him, I'm not sure whether Cody can. He can of course keep working on his fitness back in Hollywood - but will he?

ii) Booking Rule 101 states that Babyface Rock (which he will be) cannot be beaten one on one in a "clean" match. Rock vs Reigns would work for the mythical leadership of the Bloodline, and would be a massive attraction. But what do you do with Rock after he has beaten Reigns? As for Rock vs Cody? Refer to Booking Rule 101. We would have a champion whose pattern of appearances makes Reigns look like an ever-present workaholic. Besides, Cody looks set for a long run as champ.

The Rock is not a babyface. He was full heel in the interview on Raw after Mania.

Rock has lost plenty of times clean as a babyface. Like he did to John Cena a decade ago.

 

[Philistine]

The Rock is not a babyface. He was full heel in the interview on Raw after Mania.

Rock has lost plenty of times clean as a babyface. Like he did to John Cena a decade ago.

If Rock's performance on Raw was not a face turn, I don't know what one is. He started out calling the crowd "trailer trash", and they were rapturous in their cheering, so he didn't have too many fences to mend. Then his talk with Cody was a positive love-in, which he finished by giving Rhodes a "gift", which we will hear all about in the fullness of time.

The version of the Rock who lost clean ten years ago was not the biggest star in Hollywood, WWE's ace-in-the-hole, nor a member of the board of the parent company (pick one that works for you).

 

[Freakzilla]

If Rock's performance on Raw was not a face turn, I don't know what one is. He started out calling the crowd "trailer trash", and they were rapturous in their cheering, so he didn't have too many fences to mend. Then his talk with Cody was a positive love-in, which he finished by giving Rhodes a "gift", which we will hear all about in the fullness of time.

The version of the Rock who lost clean ten years ago was not the biggest star in Hollywood, WWE's ace-in-the-hole, nor a member of the board of the parent company (pick one that works for you).

It was nowhere near a face interview. I have no idea what you were watching.

The Rock pinned Cody Rhodes on night 1. That was his win over Cody. Cody will get revenge in their 1 on 1 match. That's how wrestling works.