The Wrestling 5 & 1 3.31.12: Maryse vs. Trish and YOUR WrestleMania Preview!

This Week: it’s #1 vs. #2 in our Versus WrestleMania Madness Main Event!

Will a new #1 be crowned? Trish Stratus gets her shot at Maryse!

#2 – Trish Stratus!

#1 – Maryse!

YOU MAKE THE CALL BY PICKING YOUR FAVORITE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION!

Trish Stratus vs. Layla El vs. Velvet Sky. Take your pick!
Stay tuned as next week as I’ll reveal the winner…!

And don’t forget…

Click on the picture to order all new 8×10’s of Buggy!

Plus next week…
a special WrestleMania Madness Celebrity Challenge!

His week’s DeMarco Five features my…

Credit for all match graphics goes to FanPop.com

The Main Events

This year, he WWE is presenting two matches as THE top matches on this card, and neither involves a world title. This isn’t the first time the world championship isn’t defended in the main event (1, 8, 11 & 26 all immediately come to mind). But the importance of the title matches has never been as diminished as this year. However, the two main event matches do stand on their own…

“Once in a lifetime…one year in the making…never before before—never again!” These are all phrases used to describe John Cena vs. The Rock. Set-up one year ago in Atlanta, Georgia—on the RAW following WrestleMania 27, this match has been the central focus of the past 12 months in the WWE. The Rock’s guest hosting of WrestleMania 27 drew over 1,000,000 buys, and you have to think the WWE expects his match with John Cena to surpass last year’s number. But will it? That remains to be seen.

The build for this match has been undeniable. You can’t avoid John Cena & The Rock. Some segments have been great…and some not so great. But much to the credit of both men, and to the WWE creative team, Monday’s closing segment of RAW was the best in the series. Take a look:

John Cena says it best above. He needs to win more than The Rock. Wrestling is his life—The Rock can go back to Hollywood. And he always wins. All three items are on point, and they all point to the outcome of this match. There is one reason for The Rock to win: the rematch. If he WWE wants to pop a huge SummerSlam number, then they can do the rematch there. They can also have the rematch at WrestleMania 29, where The Rock’s presence is already confirmed. But I don’t see either happening.

Prediction: John Cena defeats The Rock

“The End of an Era.” This match was built on two premises: The Undertaker’s Streak, and the fact that both men are “the last of a dying breed.” I hate that second premise. We’re not building the stars of tomorrow, or even showcasing the stars of today. We’re lamenting on how great the past was. Putting it over the product of today. I hate that. Triple H and The Undertaker are two of the very best, but both have stepped aside in favor of younger talent. So let’s not bury that younger talent.

But once we get past that, this match has experienced a phenomenal build. Hell in a Cell was added as a stipulation. Shawn Michaels was added as a special guest referee. This match is ready. In fact, it was ready two weeks ago, which is why the WWE elected to focus on video packages during RAW, and not have the talent appear.

There is absolutely no reason in hell for Triple H to win this match. The Streak is bigger than Triple H, bigger than Shawn Michaels, and bigger than DX. It makes no sense—from either a creative or business standpoint—for the streak to end against HHH. I can’t imagine a worse decision than that. But the WWE has built a match where the streak seems in jeopardy. In fact, it hasn’t seemed this in jeopardy since WrestleMania X-7. But I still can’t see this going any other way.

Prediction: The Undertaker defeats Triple H

You Decide: Do these matches deserve top billing over the world title matches?

My Main Events

While the WWE considers Rock-Cena & HHH-Taker to be the top two matches on the card, I look to the two world title matches as the two I am most excited about. They are my main events.

Chris Jericho’s return will likely be remembered as a disappointment. The return vignettes were used to confuse and swerve the viewer, not telling any part of the story. And Chris Jericho did not win the Royal Rumble as many thought—Sheamus did. Many promises were made—including “the end of the world as we know it,” and none delivered. But that was all part of Jericho’s plan, right? He trolled us, right? Well I appreciate a well-placed troll just as much as the rest of us, but this one had no place here.

Jericho was inserted into this match by winning a 10-man battle royal on RAW, which wasn’t needed. A challenge and an exchange would have worked just fine. But once CM Punk’s focus was determined, this match became about being the Best Wrestler in the World. It was exciting, fresh and told a story that was actually elevating the WWE Championship. So of course, we had to screw that up by dragging family into the equation, along with drugs, alcohol and promiscuous sex—all addictions that directly contradict CM Punk’s Straight Edge lifestyle.

It wasn’t needed, and unless Jericho carts out Punk’s family at ‘Mania, it doesn’t even factor into the match. And “the match” is what this should be about. Who is the best wrestler in the world, who leaves as the champion.

CM Punk is a new “top guy” in the WWE. He sells huge amounts of merchandise, and has mainstream appeal. He’s not an “elevated mid carder” waiting to be depushed. He’s here to stay. And as a fan of his isnce his days in Ring of Honor, I celebrate that fact. Which is why I see him winning and holding that belt high in front of the WresleMania logo.

But my friend “Die Hard” Derek Gordon said it best on our most recent Greg DeMarco Show. From a creative standpoint, Punk losing makes the most sense. Having a CM Punk on Monday’s RAW that is forced to doubt himself in the face of a gloating Chris Jericho is a money moment and would build a great spring-summer rivalry. But I’m sticking to my guns.

Prediction: CM Punk defeats Chris Jericho to retain the WWE Championship

Daniel Bryan is an alum of NXT season one, was fired for choking Justin Roberts, and was a decorated independent star before going to the WWE. If CM Punk is remembered as a great ROH World Champion, Daniel Bryan should be remembered as the best the company ever saw. He’d make a great WrestleMania undercard story, waiting and cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase on the grandest stage in all of wrestling.

Instead, Daniel Bryan walks into WrestleMania as the unlikeliest of World Heavyweight Champions. Cashing in that briefcase in December, Bryan took advantage of a situation to win the title, and turned heel shortly after. He’s currently bullying his girlfriend AJ around (in support of the WWE’s Be-A-Star campaign) as he avoids his WrestleMania challenger.

Sheamus is a new “face of the WWE.” If John Cena gets hit by a bus in Miami, Sheamus would take that top spot. I’ve also been a big Sheamus fan ever since he won a battle royal for a random title shot at John Cena at the 2009 WWE: TLC pay-per-view, and even called his win. He’s always screamed “WWE Top Guy” to me, based on his size and his abilities in the ring. He has that all-important “it-factor” that is hard to ignore.

Personally, I’d love to see Daniel Bryan retain. There is so much more story to be told. But I feel like here’s a rocket strapped to Sheamus’s back, and the WWE ain’t looking back now. However, he’s not winning the title until after he and Daniel Bryan go out there and likely steal the show.

Prediction: Sheamus defeats Daniel Bryan to win the World Heavyweight Championship

You Decide: Who do you think will talk out of Miami with the world titles?

The Undercard

Sometimes, the gem of WrestleMania comes from the undercard. Savage-Steamboat, Victoria-Molly, Angle-Michaels. Could that happen this year? Personally, I don’t see that. As I said above, Sheamus-Bryan is going to steal the show. However, the undercard is full of some good stuff, and loaded with talent—19 wrestlers and 1 celebrity to be exact.

Randy Orton vs. Kane
Remind me again why they are feuding? Because I honestly don’t know. But in all honesty, they don’t need a stereotypical “reason” to feud. You see, as an old school wrestling fan I remember the days when guys had it out for each other because they were booked to face one another at WrestleMania. And this match could have easily been built in that manner. We all know it’s thrown together because neither man had a match, and Orton wasn’t thrown into the World Heavyweight Championship match (furthering my belief that Sheamus walks out with a win).

I would have preferred this match have been announced before any interaction, then had Kane stalk Orton in an attempt to gain the mental advantage. Feud because of the match, don’t have the match because of the feud. It’s not always applicable in this day and age, but it would have worked here.

There are things I’d rather see both men do on this card. Kane vs. Zack Ryder, for example. Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler, for example. But we’re not getting that. We’ve got this.

As for the match itself, both men are capable of pulling off great performances. Orton has grown into one of the most consistent performers on the roster, and Kane can work with anyone. Now, unless they have a long-term for Kane & Orton, I see no way Orton isn’t winning his third ‘Mania undercard match in a row.

Prediction: Randy Orton defeats Kane

Intercontinental Championship
Cody Rhodes (champion) vs. The Big Show
One man was rumored to be wrestling Shaquille O’Neal, and the other was supposed to wrestle his brother. I like this match-up better. I like the idea of both of the aforementioned matches—for SummerSlam. For WrestleMania, I prefer Cody-Show.

Cody Rhodes has built an amazing reign, one that has people referencing The Honky Tonk Man. The Big Show has held every active male WWE championship except the Intercontinental Championship. Add in the fact that the build has centered around Cody pointing out all of The Big Show’s embarrassing WrestleMania moments, and this one is obvious. Big Show gets his moment.

But it’s almost too obvious. Big Show doesn’t need this as much as Cody Rhodes does. I can see taking the strap off of Rhodes if he’s being elevated, but Cody strikes me as just the right type of guy to be challenging for the World Heavyweight Championship, in the main event level, while still wearing the Intercontinental Championship. So I’m going against the obvious: Cody Rhodes cheats to win, then gets his from Big Show after the match.

Prediction: Cody Rhodes defeats The Big Show to retain the Intercontinental Championship

Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Eve vs. Kelly Kelly & Extra’s Maria Menounos
If Booker T were writing this column, he’d write “WUT DA HELL?!?!” about this one. Of all of the women on the card, of all the matches you have for Beth Phoenix, we get this?

Yeah, we do. And thanks to a Dancing With The Stars related injury to Menounos, this one should be over fast.

Prediction: Maria Menounos & Kelly Kelly defeat Beth Phoenix & Even when Menounos pins Eve

The Battle for Total Control
Team Johnny (David Otunga, Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, The Miz & Drew McIntyre) vs. Team Teddy (Santino, The Great Khali, Zack Ryder, R-Truth, Kofi Kingston & Booker T)
In a match that has dominated far too much TV time as of late, Theodore R. Long and John Laurinaitis are battling for total control of the WWE television programs by being General Manager for both. Instead of having the Board of Directors step in and say “No! Go and do your respective jobs,” we have a match for total control. That’s like a Fortune 500 company ending a pissing contest between the Executive Vice President of Domestic Sales and Executive Vice President of International Sales with an arm wrestling contest tha gives the winner “Global Sales Domination.”

So yeah, the premise is stupid.

Add in the fact that before Christian’s injury change, Johnny had put together an all-star team that saw David Otunga as the only weak link. On the other end you have three comedy acts, two serious wrestlers and a retiree. This is a complete mismatch.

The match itself shouldn’t be a classic, but it should be fun. Lots of finishers, and hopefully a sequence of Mark Henry domination. Sadly, I don’t think this feud will be over at ‘Mania, as I believe we’ll once again have two distinct general managers by the end of the summer.

Prediction: Team Johnny defeats Team Teddy

You Decide: What are your undercard predictions?

Trish is like this chick my buddy dated in college. She was really hot, despite not having a neck (Seriously, it looked like her head just rested on her shoulders), and her ass was tighter than a snare drum.

Posted By: Frisco Kid

And that’s it.

What…

There’s another side to WrestleMania that gets the internet talking, and that’s the order of the matches. Last week I speculated that WrestleMania 27 would be the blueprint for WrestleMania 28.

WrestleMania 27:
World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio
Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio
Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella & Kofi Kingston vs. The Corre
Randy Orton vs. CM Punk
Michael Cole vs. Jerry Lawler
The Undertaker vs. Triple H
John Morrison, Trish Stratus & celebrity Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler, Michelle McCool & Layla
WWE Champion The Miz vs. John Cena

WrestleMania 28:
WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho
Cody Rhodes vs. The Big Show
Team Johnny vs. Team Teddy
Randy Orton vs. Kane
World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
The Undertaker vs. Triple H inside Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as the special referee
Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres vs. Kelly Kelly & celebrity Maria Menounos
John Cena vs. The Rock

So I’ll stick with the above as my “prediction” for your WrestleMania 28 order. However, this week I am going to give you the order in which *I* would book the show, because I know how much you guys love when I do this!

My WrestleMania 28:
Randy Orton vs. Kane
Cody Rhodes vs. The Big Show
Divas Champion Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres vs. Kelly Kelly & celebrity Maria Menounos
WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho
The Undertaker vs. Triple H inside Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as the special referee
Team Johnny vs. Team Teddy
World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
John Cena vs. The Rock

If the WWE really wants a “big opener” then I say go with Orton and Kane. Randy Orton can have the first entrance and garner the big pop from the crowd. Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show makes sense at #2, especially if Cody cheats to win. We only have two “filler” matches this year, so we put the Divas on earlier this time around. Then you have your “first half main event” in Punk-Jericho. You won’t need a filler match to settle the crowd after that match, since you have to lower the cell and have two marathon entrances for HHH & Undertaker. After this you can go with Team Teddy vs. Team Johnny, followed by your second title match and Rock-Cena.

I like this. It gives you a big opening match, puts title matches a little later in the show, and keeps up a good pace.

You Decide: What order would you use for WM28?

The WWE recently fired Ty Bailey, a man in charge of their developmental system. It left a huge void, but one that didn’t stay open for long.

Enter Canyon Ceman.

…wait, who?

Well, according to several different bios on Ceman (pronounced “Sea-Man,” by the way), he holds three different college degrees (BS in Economics from Stanford, MA in Sociology from Stanford, and MBA from UCLA). He also speaks Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian. On top of that, he was his own agent/manager on the Pro Beach Volleyball tour, negotiating endorsement deals with Nike, RayBan and Honda. After retiring, the Association of Volleyball Players (AVP) named him to their Board of Directors.

And people don’t like the hire? Because he’s not a “wrestling guy?” This might be the smartest hire Triple H makes during his tenure.

After retiring, Ceman became successful in “flipping” real estate, he started Canyon Consulting, a “turn around” consulting firm, and boasted changing the fortunes of several companies, and helping start-up several others. Remember when Triple H said he wanted to “revitalize developmental?” This is your guy.

Vince McMahon is known for surrounding himself with “Yes men.” Triple H isn’t doing that. He’s obviously seen what it did to Vince, and how it impacted his reputation backstage. The best top executives surround themselves with the smartest people possible—sometimes smarter than they are. Canyon Ceman is likely smarter than Triple H. He’s the perfect man for the job.

The Greg DeMarco Show, presented by 411Mania.com/Wrestling, comes to you each Tuesday night at 10:30 PM eastern and airs. Greg and Patrick O’Dowd are joined by regular contributors Steve Cook, Tony Acero, Justin Freemyer and Buggy! Plus, you never know who might call in or stop by “The Snake Pit” (chatroom). The call-in number is (310) 807-5103, and “The Snake Pit” generally opens 5 minutes before the show starts.

This week: The Road to WrestleMania comes to a close as Greg and Patrick welcome an all-star panel to breakdown the eight match card. Wrestling promoter & producer “Die Hard” Derek Gordon, Andy Critchell, Justin Freemyer, Tony Acero, Chad Perry, Michael Ornelas and The Wrestling Roundtable’s Eric Santamaria join in the conversation and preview the biggest wrestling event of 2012!

Will The Streak end? Can John Cena beat The Rock? Will CM Punk walk out of Miami as the WWE Champion? Does Sheamus end the Royal Rumble winner losing streak? Will a main event open the show? Will the event live up to expectations?

Plus, Steve Cook chimes in on the WWE’s final push to ‘Mania, Monday’s RAW! Find out what Cook thought about the changes to the line-up, and what his excitement level is headed into Sunday’s supercard.

Tune in for Buggy Nova as she revisits last week’s program and brings everyone up to date on the happenings in and around Candyland! Finally, Bobby Fish and ECWA Heavyweight Champion “The Greek God” Papadon joins the show to talk about April 7th’s ECWA Super 8. Who will leave the Super 8 as the champion?

Click here to go to the show’s page. Or, listen here:

If you want to listen while you read, here is the latest Greg DeMarco Show!

The Greg DeMarco Show with Greg DeMarco & Patrick O’Dowd, presented by 411Mania and streaming worldwide through the Voice of Choice Nation—airs live every Tuesday at 10:30 PM eastern time and is heard by over 10,000 listeners throughout each week. Discussing current events in professional wrestling—including RAW, Smackdown, TNA, Ring of Honor and many US independent promotions and regularly features guests from Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Dragon Gate USA, Evolve and countless other promotions, Greg and Patrick present opinionated analysis on the wrestling world that remains rooted in a love, passion and respect for the business. The show is presented live on Tuesday nights by 411Mania at http://www.411wrestling.com/wrestling and streams worldwide each Saturday through Monday via Bruce Wirt’s Voice of Choice Nation at http://www.vocnation.com. You can reach the show via e-mail at [email protected], Facebook by searching for “Greg DeMarco Show” or Twitter @gregdemarcoshow.

Also, Larry Csonka and the 411 on Wrestling Podcast offers a preview for WrestleMania 28 with Steve Cook, and a review right after the event with Andy Critchell!

Finally, on Sunday at 5 PM eastern, Smart Mark Radio is presenting a WrestleMania PPV Challenge Battle Royal. How does it work? I have no clue! All I know is they invited the ten best radio show hosts on the internet. Now, someone must have declined, because they also asked me! I’m on the bottom left, wearing the awesome hat. I’ll be there, representing The Greg DeMarco Show, 411Mania and the VOC Nation!

To listen in at 5 PM eastern Sunday, head over to SmartMarkRadio.com!

With WrestleMania 28 taking place this weekend, I am proud to share my favorite WrestleMania match of all time—and one of the two greatest matches I have ever seen—Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels from WrestleMania 21!

Hit up the ‘Mania on the TWITTER (so Ashish will like me, okay?)

http://www.twitter.com/411mania
http://www.twitter.com/411wrestling
http://www.twitter.com/411moviestv
http://www.twitter.com/411music
http://www.twitter.com/411games
http://www.twitter.com/411mma
http://www.twitter.com/gregdemarcoshow – that’s me!

It’s WrestleMania week, and what female deserves to be showcased more than the one who had her own head shaved at WrestleMania XX!

Get reading!

Randle’s Wrestling News Experience!
The News from Cook’s Corner!
Marsico presents The Wednesday Wire!
Sean Kelly provides your Sports Entertainment News Report!
Gavin Napier is Handicapping the News!
Fact or Fiction!

Tony Acero presents the Low End Theory!

Plenty to talk about in the comments!

So I’ll help you…

Versus: Trish or Maryse?
What are your WrestleMania predictions?
What is your favorite WrestleMania match of all time?
What do you think of the WWE’s newest corporate hire?

Until next time…

Find me:

Listen to the show!

Enjoy WrestleMania 28!!!