WRESTLEMANIA XL - 4/6 & 4/7/2024

[dogwelder]

2 hours ago, Dolfan in NYC said:

I wanna say the last time the briefcase was switched via a match was Mr. Kennedy losing it to Edge, who cashed in on Taker.   So, while it's not without precedent, remember, they're in Philadelphia and doing something that dumb would cause a riot.  

Didn't Otis lose his to Miz in a match?

[Dolfan in NYC]

51 minutes ago, dogwelder said:

Didn't Otis lose his to Miz in a match?

Nothing that happened in the Thunderdome is canon.  

[Cliff Hanger]

12 hours ago, Leonidas said:

Could the Rock's Bloodline steal Priest's case and cash it in on a newly crowned Cody so we leave WM with the Final Boss as champ? Not that I'm putting that out into the ether or anything, I just wondered if that's a thing that could plausibly happen? I'm not an avid WWE watcher so don't know.

No. When Sami stole the case from Priest to prevent him cashing in on an unconscious Rollins, Pearce made him return it the following week before the show on pain of firing. So while having the contract in your possession is necessary to execute it, it has to be the rightful owner (as others pointed out, there's precedent for it changing hands in a sanctioned match that isn't the ladder match but it has to be an agreed-on stip.)

[The Natural]

I was going to say CM Punk getting injured stopped him main eventing WrestleMania for the first time vs. Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship but then I realised he still wasn't going on last over Roman Reigns/The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes/Seth Rollins. Drew McIntyre has taken the opportunity filling in the gap left by Punk, his work on the microphone insulting him at every turn especially the "I prayed for this and it happened" is the best he's ever done. I'm glad Bayley is getting a high profile singles match for the WWE Women's Championship vs. Iyo Sky as Bayley's booking has been bad since returning from her ACL tear having carried WWE in the pandemic era but she's the only Four Horsewoman to never go on last at WrestleMania. Hope she does at some point. Still pissed we never got Bayley vs. Sasha Banks there.

[The Natural]

Since WrestleMania XXXII in 2016, there has only been two WrestleMania's without a Brock Lesnar and Charlotte Flair match. WrestleMania XXXVII and WrestleMania XL.

[The Natural]

Roman Reigns has main evented 9 WrestleMania's: XXXI, XXXII, XXXIII, XXXIV, XXXVII, XXXVIII, XXXIX and XL x2. Four and five in a row. XXXVII-XL during the same reign as WWE Universal Champion. This will be The Rock's sixth: XV, 2000, X-Seven, XXVIII and XXIX. This will be Cody Rhodes third: XXIX, XLx2. This will be Seth Rollins second: XXXI and XL.

Edited April 1, 2024 by The Natural

[Dolfan in NYC]

Randy & Punk talking about their match at Mania 27:

 

[Sex Machine Gun]

I forgot that even happened. Granted I was in Afghanistan then but still. It was so annoying that Mania was close enough to my hometown that year where I could have plausibly gone to one for the first time but it's probably for the best in retrospect that I didn't. Looks like next year will also be implausible since it's been heavily implied that Minneapolis is next.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Night 1

Roman/Rock vs Cody/Seth

Becky vs Rhea

Gunther vs Sami

Jey vs Jimmy

6 Team Ladder Match

Dom/Santos Escobar vs Rey/Dragon Lee

Jade/Bianca/Naomi vs Damage Control

Night 2

Roman vs Cody

Seth vs Drew

Iyo vs Bayley

KO vs Logan Paul vs Orton

Knight vs Styles

AOP/Kross vs Lashley/Profits street fight

Edited April 2, 2024 by ChesterCopperpot

[Dolfan in NYC]

4 minutes ago, ChesterCopperpot said:

Night 1

Roman/Rock vs Cody/Seth

Becky vs Rhea

Gunther vs Sami

Jey vs Jimmy

6 Team Ladder Match

Dom/Santos Escobar vs Rey/Dragon Lee

Jade/Bianca/Naomi vs Damage Control

Night 2

Roman vs Cody

Seth vs Drew

Iyo vs Bayley

KO vs Logan Paul vs Orton

Knight vs Styles

AOP/Kross vs Lashley/Profits street fight

Card updated at the top of the thread.

[The Natural]

1 hour ago, ChesterCopperpot said:

Night 1

Roman/Rock vs Cody/Seth

Becky vs Rhea

Gunther vs Sami

Jey vs Jimmy

6 Team Ladder Match

Dom/Santos Escobar vs Rey/Dragon Lee

Jade/Bianca/Naomi vs Damage Control

Night 2

Roman vs Cody

Seth vs Drew

Iyo vs Bayley

KO vs Logan Paul vs Orton

Knight vs Styles

AOP/Kross vs Lashley/Profits street fight

Immediate reaction is Night 1 looks better than Night 2 to me.

[RazorbladeKiss87]

Top to bottom this might be the best WrestleMania card ever, on paper. The worst matches on paper are the two six person tags and I'm guessing the street fight will have enough gaga to make it fun. The Damage Control tag should be good and it'll be interesting to see what Jade does. 

I won't be watching until next Tuesday as I'm working three 12-16 hour days starting Saturday but am looking forward to having a cup of coffee and watching all eight hours next Tuesday. 

Edited April 2, 2024 by RazorbladeKiss87

[Dolfan in NYC]

Went pretty unnoted, but we're almost assuredly getting split tag champs again.   Cole said both sets of belts are going to be suspended above the ring, and the tag ladder match will not end until both sets of belts have been retrieved.  

 

[Dolfan in NYC]

AEW would fold in minutes if they had the courage to make this the main event of night 2:

 

[RazorbladeKiss87]

19 minutes ago, Dolfan in NYC said:

AEW would fold in minutes if they had the courage to make this the main event of night 2:

 

Who would have thought the match of the week would take place on Tuesday?

[dogwelder]

2 hours ago, Dolfan in NYC said:

AEW would fold in minutes if they had the courage to make this the main event of night 2:

 

Omos is now the biggest heel in wrestling for putting ketchup on a Philly cheesesteak

[The Natural]

6 hours ago, RazorbladeKiss87 said:

Who would have thought the match of the week would take place on Tuesday?

M. Bison approved ;).

[The Natural]

Potential match order for WrestleMania listed from opening match to main event copied and pasted from f4wonline.com:

Spoiler

Night 1:

Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley defends against Becky Lynch

Six-pack ladder match: Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Judgment Day (Damian Priest & Finn Balor) defend against DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa), The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods), Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth), New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate), and A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory)

Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar & Dominik Mysterio

Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso

Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Asuka, Kairi Sane & Dakota Kai)

Intercontinental Champion Gunther defends against Sami Zayn

The Rock & Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins

Night 2:

World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins defends against Drew McIntyre

Philadelphia street fight: Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam & Rezar)

LA Knight vs. AJ Styles

Triple threat match: United States Champion Logan Paul defends against Randy Orton and Kevin Owens

WWE Women's Champion IYO SKY defends against Bayley

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Cody Rhodes

---

Great seeing Gunther vs. Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental Championship as the semi-main event. Gunther and Triple H take a lot of credit making the belt matter again. Glad IYO SKY/ Bayley for the WWE Women's Championship going on just before Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Bayley wasn't going to main event so match 5 of 6 is very high.

I like how NJPW/UFC lists the match card from beginning to end incase there's only one or two matches/fights you want to see.

[Sex Machine Gun]

I mean, I guess that's nice but I enjoy the feeling of "ohhhhh shit, this is next!" when the next match is displayed during a live broadcast.

[The Natural]

4 hours ago, Sex Machine Gun said:

I mean, I guess that's nice but I enjoy the feeling of "ohhhhh shit, this is next!" when the next match is displayed during a live broadcast.

I like that aspect too.

[hammerva]

This rain better be a weekday issue and NOT a weekend issue

[Dolfan in NYC]

3 hours ago, hammerva said:

This rain better be a weekday issue and NOT a weekend issue

It's supposed to clear up by Saturday afternoon and just be cold.  So, be sure to bring a jacket.  Once the sun goes down, it's gonna get nippy fast.

[The Natural]

WrestleMania XL set reveal:

Spoiler

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=udx4INl2g0o

Immediate reaction is that I'm underwhelmed. Last year's was way better. Best WrestleMania stages:

5. XXIX.

4. X.

3. XXX.

2. X-Seven.

1. XXIV.

 

[Cliff Hanger]

One thing I'm interested in is who (outside the main events) gets the big crazy entrances. Who's gonna get a major band to play them out this year? Who's gonna get the other super-extra treatment like Bianca with the dance troupe or Seth with the LA Orchestra conductor to conduct the crowd's sing-along? I have a soft spot for this stuff in part because WM17 was the only time I got to see Motorhead live, and in part because I'm a theater kid at heart despite not having ever gotten to do theater.

[RazorbladeKiss87]

It would be cool if Paramore played Bayley out to the ring.