Wrestlemania 22 - Tonight
Well, in some ways it seems to have taken ages yet at the same time it does not feel like it has been two minutes since WM21.
What is quite interesting is that apparently Vince has been very indecisive in terms of his match winning decisions - he reportedley changed his mind for those results as much as five times Friday alone.
Here is the full card for tonights PPV:
WWE Championship
John Cena (c) vs. Triple H
This match was always going to happen ever since Cena moved to Raw. One of the biggest things though is will HHH do his best to make Cena look like a proper star the same way he did with Batista and, although he did not need as much help, Chris Benoit?
Overall, while I am not overly excited about this, I do think it will probably be a reasonable match. Although it is fair to say that I am not a fan of John Cena, the one thing I will say is that he works hard and does everything that is asked of him. If HHH is on form, they should be able to have a relatively decent match.
Sheriffs prediction: HHH Win. Whilst Vince definitely appears to still be behind the Cena push, I can not see HHH losing three Manias on the trot. In addition, they may use this as a way of pushing Cena further by having him chase HHH for the title, and eventually winning it back, maybe at Summerslam?
World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio
In terms of the two world title matches, this is the one I am more looking forward to. Three of the most entertaing stars in the business today, all of them consistently have good matches and all three are capable of telling a good story.
Whilst discussing this match with McEyebrow & Buncey they both said it would not be right for Rey Mysterio to be World Heavyweight Champion. To be honest I can see their point, but also I do not feel that Rey is someone that would be right in that role. He does not need a belt to get over, and there are plenty of stars that had great careers but were never really world title material, such as Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka and Jake 'The Snake' Roberts.
For me Kurt Angle is the best wrestler the industry has ever seen, and he should be world champion. Randy Orton is definitely a heel superstar in the making, but his last title reign was a complete waste. That said, it was mainly because 1) HHH took the belt off him a month after he won it, and 2) He was playing a babyface character, which he should just never do.
Sheriffs Prediction: Randy Orton win. My heart says Kurt Angle and I hope that is the case, but me head says Orton is a mate of HHH and is quite possibly being primed for his second run with the belt.
No Holds Barred Match
Vince McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels
If this match measures up to the one Vince had with Hulk Hogan at WM19, we are in for quite a treat. When you bear in mind just how much superior a wrestler that HBK is to Hogan, it sets it up nicely. Both Vince and Shawn are great storytellers, and Shawn is one of the greatest of all-time, and that includes where he is today - one of the best.
Overall I see this being an entertaining match, though I obviously do not expect it to be the best match on the card. Vince has obviously pushed this feud very hard and I expect this to be rewarded this evening.
Sheriffs Prediction: HBK win. The McMahons have had the better of this storyline all the way through, but I expect Shawn to get the last word, even though he will probably have to face such fearsome obstacles as the Spirit Squad... Er...
Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Ric Flair vs. Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Lashley
Last year this match nearly stole the show (it would have done had it not been on the same card as HBK v Kurt) and to be honest, I think it helped Edge evolve as a star over the past year. In all fairness, after the Smackdown main event, I am quite possibly looking forward to this the most...
Shelton Benjamin is one of the best wrestlers on the roster today. It is just his character - and I am not 100% sure where the fault of that lies - that is holding him back from being a huge star. The same could potentially be said of Lashley, and I think it would be best if one of these two got the win here. I certainly do not think it will be Matt Hardy, and it would be pointless to give it to Ric Flair. Finlay is not bad & could be a dark horse, and RVD is probably the most over out of them all. It is mildly intriguing, and I look forward to the outcome.
Sheriffs Prediction: Lashley win. I think Vince might have one eye on a Lashley v Orton feud round about the time Wrestlemania 23 rolls around...
Casket Match
Undertaker vs. Mark Henry
I am sure this match will have some good moments, and Undertaker has, on occasion, being surprisingly good when carrying a match with a big man. However I think that this is the only match that has an almost certain outcome...
Sheriffs Prediction: Undertaker win. No-one actually expects Mark Henry to be the one to finally beat 'The Phenom' at a Wrestlemania do they?
Hardcore Match
Edge vs. Mick Foley
This should be quite a good match, and Edge is fairly consistent at being able to have decent matches. However, unless Edge has agreed to give Foley his 'defining Wrestlemania win' or whatever before Mick gets too old, I expect this to be a similar situation to the 2004 Backlash where Mick Foley made Randy Orton look absolutely superb, and, if Orton has any humility, will look back and thank Foley for what he did for him.
Sheriffs Prediction: Edge win. I would quite like Foley to have a great match and win it. But I think this will be all about making Edge look like a star.
United States Championship
Chris Benoit (c) vs. JBL
I am not sure who will win here. I do think it will be an ok match as Chris Benoit is up there with Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart etc for just being able to have good matches.
JBL is an average worker but his mic skills are superb, and he would probably make for an entertaining champion. The thing here is that neither star reallly needs the belt to help them get over, however, it does at least have a credible feel to a championship match, which can only be good for the US title.
Sheriffs Prediction: JBL win. I think this Mania will be a night for the heels, and I think JBL could possibly have a 'Honky Tonk Man' style run with the belt.
World Tag Team Championship
Kane & Big Show (c) vs. Chris Masters & Carlito
Much like the aforementioned US title match, the one thing I like about this feud is it is a title match with a credible feel. The Tag Team division has been pretty weak for years (hardly the days of The Hart Foundation, Legion of Doom, Demolition, The Rockers etc) but by throwing together some singles stars, that can sometimes lead to a relatively entertaining feud.
I do not expect it to be a great match, but I do think it will be a relatively good effort.
Sheriffs Prediction: Chris Masters & Carlito win. In the build-up to this, Show & Kane have definitely had the better of the exchanges. But I have a sneak feeling that the youngsters may get a little push here.
Women’s Championship
Trish Stratus (c) vs. Mickie James
The feud between these two has been entertaining, and I actually felt that they stole the show at the New Years Revolution PPV in January. As there are not many great alternative options, I fully expect this to carry on beyond Mania.
Sheriffs Prediction: Mickie James win. To give the feud a fresh feel and keep it entertaining this has to happen at some point.
Playboy Pillow Fight
Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle
Nice bit of eye candy for us all, no real expectations.
Sheriffs Prediction: Torrie win. But as the announcers always say, we are all winners.
Handicap Match
Boogeyman vs. Booker T & Sharmell
Oh how Booker T's star has fallen. This feud has not exactly been cringeworthy, but it is fair to say this is little more than a comedy match. The Boogeyman is one of those characters that needs to go elsewhere for the drama & emotion, because you just will not get it in the ring.
Sheriffs Prediction: Boogeyman win. I expect this to be another signal that any hope Booker has of having another world title reign is pretty much dead and buried.
There is obviously the usual, like the Hall of Fame ceremony... JR will be calling the Raw side of things, not Joey Styles. It is hard not to feel a little sympathy for Styles...The news is that Hulk Hogan will not be appearing, though Stone Cold Steve Austin may be... Interestingly, there is apparently a segment lined up between the two for the following nights Raw, though they are the only details I am aware of... It is highly unlikley that Bret Hart will make an appearance other than the Hall of Fame... The only other surprise I can think of outside the active roster would be Batista or possibly even Roddy Piper... Whatever happens, I am looking forward to it!!!
What is quite interesting is that apparently Vince has been very indecisive in terms of his match winning decisions - he reportedley changed his mind for those results as much as five times Friday alone.
Here is the full card for tonights PPV:
WWE Championship
John Cena (c) vs. Triple H
This match was always going to happen ever since Cena moved to Raw. One of the biggest things though is will HHH do his best to make Cena look like a proper star the same way he did with Batista and, although he did not need as much help, Chris Benoit?
Overall, while I am not overly excited about this, I do think it will probably be a reasonable match. Although it is fair to say that I am not a fan of John Cena, the one thing I will say is that he works hard and does everything that is asked of him. If HHH is on form, they should be able to have a relatively decent match.
Sheriffs prediction: HHH Win. Whilst Vince definitely appears to still be behind the Cena push, I can not see HHH losing three Manias on the trot. In addition, they may use this as a way of pushing Cena further by having him chase HHH for the title, and eventually winning it back, maybe at Summerslam?
World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio
In terms of the two world title matches, this is the one I am more looking forward to. Three of the most entertaing stars in the business today, all of them consistently have good matches and all three are capable of telling a good story.
Whilst discussing this match with McEyebrow & Buncey they both said it would not be right for Rey Mysterio to be World Heavyweight Champion. To be honest I can see their point, but also I do not feel that Rey is someone that would be right in that role. He does not need a belt to get over, and there are plenty of stars that had great careers but were never really world title material, such as Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka and Jake 'The Snake' Roberts.
For me Kurt Angle is the best wrestler the industry has ever seen, and he should be world champion. Randy Orton is definitely a heel superstar in the making, but his last title reign was a complete waste. That said, it was mainly because 1) HHH took the belt off him a month after he won it, and 2) He was playing a babyface character, which he should just never do.
Sheriffs Prediction: Randy Orton win. My heart says Kurt Angle and I hope that is the case, but me head says Orton is a mate of HHH and is quite possibly being primed for his second run with the belt.
No Holds Barred Match
Vince McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels
If this match measures up to the one Vince had with Hulk Hogan at WM19, we are in for quite a treat. When you bear in mind just how much superior a wrestler that HBK is to Hogan, it sets it up nicely. Both Vince and Shawn are great storytellers, and Shawn is one of the greatest of all-time, and that includes where he is today - one of the best.
Overall I see this being an entertaining match, though I obviously do not expect it to be the best match on the card. Vince has obviously pushed this feud very hard and I expect this to be rewarded this evening.
Sheriffs Prediction: HBK win. The McMahons have had the better of this storyline all the way through, but I expect Shawn to get the last word, even though he will probably have to face such fearsome obstacles as the Spirit Squad... Er...
Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Shelton Benjamin vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Ric Flair vs. Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Lashley
Last year this match nearly stole the show (it would have done had it not been on the same card as HBK v Kurt) and to be honest, I think it helped Edge evolve as a star over the past year. In all fairness, after the Smackdown main event, I am quite possibly looking forward to this the most...
Shelton Benjamin is one of the best wrestlers on the roster today. It is just his character - and I am not 100% sure where the fault of that lies - that is holding him back from being a huge star. The same could potentially be said of Lashley, and I think it would be best if one of these two got the win here. I certainly do not think it will be Matt Hardy, and it would be pointless to give it to Ric Flair. Finlay is not bad & could be a dark horse, and RVD is probably the most over out of them all. It is mildly intriguing, and I look forward to the outcome.
Sheriffs Prediction: Lashley win. I think Vince might have one eye on a Lashley v Orton feud round about the time Wrestlemania 23 rolls around...
Casket Match
Undertaker vs. Mark Henry
I am sure this match will have some good moments, and Undertaker has, on occasion, being surprisingly good when carrying a match with a big man. However I think that this is the only match that has an almost certain outcome...
Sheriffs Prediction: Undertaker win. No-one actually expects Mark Henry to be the one to finally beat 'The Phenom' at a Wrestlemania do they?
Hardcore Match
Edge vs. Mick Foley
This should be quite a good match, and Edge is fairly consistent at being able to have decent matches. However, unless Edge has agreed to give Foley his 'defining Wrestlemania win' or whatever before Mick gets too old, I expect this to be a similar situation to the 2004 Backlash where Mick Foley made Randy Orton look absolutely superb, and, if Orton has any humility, will look back and thank Foley for what he did for him.
Sheriffs Prediction: Edge win. I would quite like Foley to have a great match and win it. But I think this will be all about making Edge look like a star.
United States Championship
Chris Benoit (c) vs. JBL
I am not sure who will win here. I do think it will be an ok match as Chris Benoit is up there with Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart etc for just being able to have good matches.
JBL is an average worker but his mic skills are superb, and he would probably make for an entertaining champion. The thing here is that neither star reallly needs the belt to help them get over, however, it does at least have a credible feel to a championship match, which can only be good for the US title.
Sheriffs Prediction: JBL win. I think this Mania will be a night for the heels, and I think JBL could possibly have a 'Honky Tonk Man' style run with the belt.
World Tag Team Championship
Kane & Big Show (c) vs. Chris Masters & Carlito
Much like the aforementioned US title match, the one thing I like about this feud is it is a title match with a credible feel. The Tag Team division has been pretty weak for years (hardly the days of The Hart Foundation, Legion of Doom, Demolition, The Rockers etc) but by throwing together some singles stars, that can sometimes lead to a relatively entertaining feud.
I do not expect it to be a great match, but I do think it will be a relatively good effort.
Sheriffs Prediction: Chris Masters & Carlito win. In the build-up to this, Show & Kane have definitely had the better of the exchanges. But I have a sneak feeling that the youngsters may get a little push here.
Women’s Championship
Trish Stratus (c) vs. Mickie James
The feud between these two has been entertaining, and I actually felt that they stole the show at the New Years Revolution PPV in January. As there are not many great alternative options, I fully expect this to carry on beyond Mania.
Sheriffs Prediction: Mickie James win. To give the feud a fresh feel and keep it entertaining this has to happen at some point.
Playboy Pillow Fight
Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle
Nice bit of eye candy for us all, no real expectations.
Sheriffs Prediction: Torrie win. But as the announcers always say, we are all winners.
Handicap Match
Boogeyman vs. Booker T & Sharmell
Oh how Booker T's star has fallen. This feud has not exactly been cringeworthy, but it is fair to say this is little more than a comedy match. The Boogeyman is one of those characters that needs to go elsewhere for the drama & emotion, because you just will not get it in the ring.
Sheriffs Prediction: Boogeyman win. I expect this to be another signal that any hope Booker has of having another world title reign is pretty much dead and buried.
What else will happen?
There is obviously the usual, like the Hall of Fame ceremony... JR will be calling the Raw side of things, not Joey Styles. It is hard not to feel a little sympathy for Styles...The news is that Hulk Hogan will not be appearing, though Stone Cold Steve Austin may be... Interestingly, there is apparently a segment lined up between the two for the following nights Raw, though they are the only details I am aware of... It is highly unlikley that Bret Hart will make an appearance other than the Hall of Fame... The only other surprise I can think of outside the active roster would be Batista or possibly even Roddy Piper... Whatever happens, I am looking forward to it!!!
Labels: General News, The Sheriffs View
posted by Sheriff Kimbo at
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