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So we have WRESTLEMANIA in less than.... That's awesome. Great time of the year. We have the NCAA Tournaments really catching my interest, Spring Training heating up and MLB just around the corner, NFL free agency making headlines daily, and the WWE hitting their peak time of the year. NHL and NBA, do those leagues even exist? But anyway, the Wrestlemania card is shaping up nicely (though I have some critical nitpicks below) as follows:



-Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle in a Pillow Fight
-Boogeyman vs. Booker T
-Trish Stratus(c) vs. Mickie James for the Women's Title
-Kane/Big Show(c) vs. Carlito/Chris Masters for the RAW Tag Titles
-Chris Benoit(c) vs. John Bradshaw Layfield for the United States Title
-Edge vs. Mick Foley in a Hardcore match
-Money in the Bank Ladder Match(RAW has Ric Flair/Rob Van Dam/Shelton Benjamin while Smackdown has Fit Finley/Matt Hardy and ???)
-Vince McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels in a No Holds Barred match
-Kurt Angle(c) vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Randy Orton for the World Title
-John Cena(c) vs. Triple H for the WWE Title



My analysis... Overall, I think it's a good card. I'm excited to see the main events, Trish vs. Mickie, Money in the Bank, RAW tag match, Benoit/JBL, while I figure Edge/Foley and McMahon/Michaels will be entertaining. But what I want to get into is what is the difference between HARDCORE and NO HOLDS BARRED? Seriously, what's the difference? Fact is that both Edge and Shawn Michaels are essentially working "Best of Backyard Wrestling" style matches against two non-wrestlers. Yeah, Foley WAS a wrestler. Don't give me that. His last match against Orton was nothing close to what we once saw from Foley. They guy had some great ability before he retired, but resorted to a more hardcore side when making his comeback against Orton. And McMahon? Both his match against Hogan and his son Shane McMahon at past Wrestlemanias have been straight out of the backyard. Entertaining, yes, as Vince McMahon is dumb enough to put his body on the line for his prize show, but there's only so many times you can go to that kind of match. Look at the crap match he had with the Undertaker more than 2 years ago if you'd like to see the formula getting tired.



But what's the difference between Hardcore and No Holds Barred? Having both gimmicks, very similar in nature, is going to take away from each other. For instance, say Edge vs. Foley happened first. Then, when you watch Michaels vs. McMahon, you'll say to yourself "I already saw a weapons match". Zero difference. What's even worse is that drawing the Foley and McMahon cards have become extremely tired on the WWE roster. I'm tired of the lazy booking that the WWE puts on with the McMahons being actual wrestling equals to wrestlers (seriously, in a real world, Shane McMahon couldn't even compete with Test, Angle, Michaels, or Kane), while it's becoming especially sad to see that the current roster lacks a guy who will put over wrestlers in a big way. Foley is called to the roster to put over Edge and Orton because other wrestlers either do not want to do the job, are in tight with management, or aren't striving to make their careers better to get to the point of giving other wrestlers the rub.



Anywho, I see that Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James is officially going down (duh, it was obvious before Saturday Night's Main Event). That match could deliver in a big way, for the WWE booking has been quite dead-on for pushing Mickie so well. Excellent character development and I figure we'll be treated to an actual good women's match at Wrestlemania. When has THAT ever happened? Does anybody still have bad memories of Christy "5 head" Hemme against Trish from last year? However, we'll get a bad women's match with Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle. Granted, this won't be hard on the eyes, as both women are sooooo stunning. But wrestling-wise, look no further than when the WWE brought in those beer commercial chicks for a "pillow fight" at another Wrestlemania. 'Nuff said.



Booker T vs. Boogeyman will go down at Wrestlemania. And I mean "go down". I'm not seeing the hype of the Boogeyman, as his gimmick seems to be masking if he's a good wrestler or not. I think eating the worms is funny at first, but it wears off quickly. What's bad about that gimmick is that you have to ask yourself: "why is he in wrestling?". If he was a Boogeyman, you'd figure he'd torture people outside of the wrestling realm. And what does he do when he's not on television? You'd figure that any justice department division would look into a psychopath who eats worms and stalks people. Welcome to 2006 where goofy things are no longer believeable. This gimmick will always restrict the wrestler behind the gimmick and it's going to be a shame if Booker T and Bradshaw had to put over this guy on 2 consecutive "big" Pay Per Views.



The Money in the Bank match is crap on the Smackdown roster. Matt Hardy? Fit Finley? Seriously, folks, neither guy is even in the class, here in 2006, of Ric Flair, Rob Van Dam, and Shelton Benjamin. Both guys, and I hate saying this cause I like both guys, are OLD NEWS. Hardy is still your same ol' Hardy, thinking that his Version 1.0 gimmick is actually cool. Still wrestles the same, despite actually adding some good bulk to his physique. Fit Finley seems to be out of his element and somewhat obsolete with his wrestling style. Plus, he's not a name wrestler. Everybody knows RVD, Flair, and Benjamin. People are beginning to laugh at Hardy and they don't know Finley.



One thing I know is that Triple H vs. John Cena MUST deliver at Wrestlemania. With Angle/Orton/Mysterio, there are 3 guys and 2 of which can keep things interesting and fresh. Both HHH and Cena haven't delivered well on Pay Per View main events. With HHH, since his quadriceps injury in 2001, only his matches against Shawn Michaels/Chris Benoit have delivered huge at Pay Per Views. With Cena, it's his match with Chris Jericho at Summerslam 2005. The RAW brand needs a blockbuster main event and badly. HHH vs. Batista was BAAAAAD last year, while Booker T vs. HHH in 2003 sucked and Chris Jericho vs. HHH in 2002 sucked. It might be more HHH's doing than anything. It MUST deliver so that both guys look strong coming out of the match. WWE is hyping this match to be huge, given how loved Cena is among children and for the fact that nobody has dominated RAW like HHH. They have to deliver, just as Rock vs. Austin always delivered, and after that match, both guys still looked strong and their matches are still talked about to this day!



This is Wrestlemania. It's time for both HHH and John Cena to step up and deliver a fantastic match. Rumor has it that Cena and HHH don't like each other backstage. HHH has a lot of backstage stroke and has probably booked the finish to the match. It would benefit both guys if they gave great effort and didn't dog it on the biggest event of the year. It's like the Prisoner's Dilemma, for when both guys work together for a great product together, they'll deliver a great match. If HHH decides to dog it to start depushing John Cena, HHH will be the only one coming out of the match who will smell like a rose. It would be zero sum game with one guy staying in the main event while the other will enjoy the midcard. HHH vs. John Cena MUST deliver, and if I were HHH, I would seek to desperately add something to his WWE legacy. Only Wrestlemania 17 against the Undertaker and his 3 way at Wrestlemania 20 stick out for HHH at Wrestlemanias. His other matches aren't there (though I liked the heel turn at Wrestlemania 15 against Kane), nor were they relevant to the card. As the so-called top star of the WWE, HHH's matches need to stick out. They don't, as other matches on the cards keep overshadowing him. And secondly, it's time for John Cena to step it up. He's been a bit robotic within the ring and he has a personal distaste for HHH. Cena needs to up his workrate by adding an extra bit of energy into his step and he must realize that this is Wrestlemania. Put all personal dislike for HHH aside and give yourself a huge Wrestlemania moment by stealing the show with a great match.



In fact, if HHH vs. Cena doesn't deliver, it will be a LONG summer for the RAW roster.

My predictions

Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle Playboy Pillow Fight - Candice Michelle

Boogeyman vs. Booker T - Boogeyman

Trish Stratus(c) vs. Mickie James for the Women's Title - Trish Stratus (I hate Mickie... )

Kane/Big Show(c) vs. Carlito/Chris Masters for the RAW Tag Titles - Chris Masters & Carlito. They deserve some gold.

Chris Benoit(c) vs. John Bradshaw Layfield for the United States Title - Chris Benoit

Edge vs. Mick Foley in a Hardcore match - Mick Foley

Money in the Bank Ladder Match Rick Flair vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. RVD
vs. Finlay vs. Matt Hardy vs. Bobby Lashley - Matt Hardy, but I think RVD or Lashley will win.

Vince McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels in a No Holds Barred match - Vinnie Mac. But... I know The Has Been will win. sad

Kurt Angle(c) vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Randy Orton for the World Title - I hope Kurt angle or Mysterio... I hate Randy Orton, but I think he's going to win.

John Cena(c) vs. Triple H for the WWE Title - HHH. Cena is a wigger.

i think Edge is gonna win cuz he has 0 loses at WM go edge

taker will win no way he is gonna job to henrey

if triple H loses then ya all triple H is good for is a WM jobber

I'd personally have Kurt Angle go over and turn him into an ultra heel. I'd have him feud with Rey Mysterio all summer and build Mysterio towards an eventual title win. HOWEVER, we're living in a world where Randy Orton is loved by the McMahons, so I believe Orton will win and Mysterio will feud with him through the summer until Batista comes back. I guess Batista vs. Orton for the title is what the WWE wants, and maybe at the end of the day, that might work. I'm just not sold on Randy Orton just yet. At age 25, he has way too much to learn before being a World Champion. Angle has the credibility of being a world champion (yet he doesn't need it to define his greatness) and Mysterio defeating him would be a huge deal.



So as to who SHOULD win it, I say Angle should retain... but Orton is clearly winning at Wrestlemania and Mysterio will feud with him over the summer, probably winning the World Title once, in honor of Eddie Guerrero.

I'm just going to put in what I hope:

Undertaker beat Mark Henry in Casket match. (Don't throw
your lame monkey s**t at me, keep it in your pockets,
one complaint, I'll lose it. stare )

Matt Hardy or Lashley for the Ladder match.

Triple H for sures going to win against Cena.

Not sure about JBL vs Chris Benoit. Looks like JBL,
butI stand behind Benoit all the way.

I'm not sure about the Booker T, Sharmell, Boogeyamn
match, but because I like him better, Boogeyman...

Mick Foley shall beat Edge.

Big Show and Kane better beat Masters and Carlito,
or I will cry.

What I couldn't care for:

Any diva matches, I don't give a rat's a** what goes
on with those, all divas are... divas. I hate them.

Rey, Angle, RKO match, don't care. Mysterio's going
to win. It's the only time I'll ever agree with Randy,
but I just feel everybody's taking it easy on him. stare

Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels... I hope they both lose,
god, get DQ by Shane or something, no contest is better,
I just really hate that storyline. I'll be happy if Bret Hart
shows up.=^.^= But he's not going to.

So, that's what I basically think of it.

LoL not really spamming.. you are talking about something surrounding WM 22 at least.

That would be hilarious too.