The 411 Wrestling Top 5 4.18.12: Week 169 – Top 5 WrestleMania 29 Matches

Daniel Anderson
5. Daniel Bryan vs. Chris Jericho – The Punk vs. Jericho match at Wrestlemania 28 showed how good Jericho can still be in the ring. Jericho put over Punk and I think a match between Jericho and Daniel Bryan would be awesome. Let the two go all out for 20 minutes. There are a few different storylines that would work for this match (somehow I see Jericho referencing 18 seconds a lot), but the bottom line is this would be an awesome match to open a show and get the crowd going.

4. Undertaker vs. John Cena – This is assuming the Undertaker does not retire. I think John Cena is the only person on the roster they might consider the Undertaker dropping the streak to. You can have a good build going into this match because you have Cena trying to prove he can still win against a big star at Wrestlemania after last year’s defeat against the Rock. The match itself would be a decent, probably not great match, with nobody knowing the winner until the three count.

3. Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton I don‘t see a full year of Cena vs. Brock. I just think with Brock signed for a year there will be a different opponent at Wrestlemania. Brock vs. Orton could have a good build with two intense, full of themselves assholes, feeding off each other and trying to top the other. Come to think of it that could be how the match goes too. I’m not the biggest Orton fan in the world but in limited matches with the right stip this pairing could work out well. My only request is that this match ends with Brock hitting, and hitting it perfectly I might add, a shooting star on Orton (so please Brock, don‘t try to jump three quarters of the ring to hit the move).

2. Money in the Bank – Please, please, please bring this back to Wrestlemania. I love this match at Wrestlemania and a 10+ man tag match just doesn’t feel the same to me. It just feels special at Wrestlemania and not as special as naming a PPV after it. Do one match with 8 people in the ring going crazy and you wouldn’t have to have a crappy tag match dragging down the card (and if you do have to have a bad tag match save it for the Wrestle mania “celebrity” and who else they are facing).

1. CM Punk vs. The Rock – I picked this match because of Rock talking about wanting to win the title and how good the promos leading into this match could be. Imagine Punk and Rock in the ring for 10 minutes at a time talking with no limits on what they say. Rock had a good match against Cena at Wrestlemania 28, and I can’t help but think that these two could top that match. Plus, it would be nice to see Punk get put over by Rock, which could lead to a Punk vs. Cena Wrestlemania 30 match (possible title unification match if one of the two go to Smackdown?) with Punk saying over and over throughout the year that he did what Cena couldn’t.

TJ Hawke
5. Dean Ambrose vs. Rey Mysterio – Despite the average new name, Dean Ambrose is likely going to have a big 2012 in the WWE as they seem to be really behind him. I think matches between these two could be really good as Ambrose is great against smaller opponents and Rey is great with everybody. This is probably the most random match on my card, but I think it would turn out really well.

4. Chris Jericho vs. Daniel Bryan – Jericho put over CM Punk at the 2012 Wrestlemania, and I see him doing something similar at the 2013 Wrestlemania. There are a few candidates that come to mind for his opponent, but I think Daniel Bryan is currently the best of all of them. I think these two could have a show stealing match, especially if it opened Wrestlemania.

3. John Cena vs. The Undertaker – I see the next year being the “humbling” of John Cena where he actually loses a lot. I may be crazy, but if the WWE honestly wants the fans to start cheering for him again, Cena having big challenges and not always succeeding seems like a smart play to me. This match should be good, and the Undertaker should obviously win.

2. The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar – I love the idea of big blockbuster matches that are built up over a long period of time. I don’t know how good the match will be or how well this feud will be booked, but I think the WWE deserves the chance to try to make it happen for the fans. I loved their 2002 match, and if nothing else, I would be curious to see what they could do now.

1. Steve Austin vs. CM Punk – I want this match more than any other “dream” match, but only on the condition that Austin is healthy enough to do this. Ok, with that out of the way…this is the match I want more than any other at Wrestlemania. These two will be able to have incredibly compelling promos and TV segments, and I think they could have an incredible brawl at Wrestlemania.

Bob Colling
5. Daniel Bryan vs. Chris Jericho – I’m assuming that at some point that Daniel Bryan is going to turn into a babyface and if Jericho sticks around these two could put on a MOTY contender. We got Jericho/Punk why not get Bryan/Jericho next year?

4. Dean Ambrose vs. Triple H – Ambrose is making a lot of noise with his Twitter war with Mick Foley and could play the anti-establishment really well. Considering HHH has a top position behind the scenes, whether or not that is brought up on television, this could be a huge Mania match for Ambrose to get him established over the course of the next several years.

3. Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton – Orton broke Lesnar’s record to become the youngest WWE World Champion at one point and I don’t remember them ever meeting in a WWE ring. They could promote the fact that they were both, at one point, the youngest champion in WWE history. I was thinking of having Lesnar/Rock, but I’d prefer to see something that we haven’t seen before.

2. John Cena vs. The Undertaker – No one is ever going to end the Undertaker’s streak and since there aren’t many top guys on the roster who could give Taker a fresh match, why not give Cena a second straight Mania loss? These two haven’t had a singles match since 2003, if I remember correctly. Why not have them meet again ten years later?

1. Steve Austin vs. CM Punk – One of the last dream matches remaining needs to take place sooner rather than later. While Austin was the more popular wrestler back in the Attitude Era, it’s very possible that Rock has a bigger following due to his movies. Personally, either a Austin or Rock match against Punk would be fine, but a storyline between a babyface Austin against a heel Punk would be one hell of a program. That’s probably not going to happen since Punk is one of the top faces in the company. I guess for myself, anything short of an Austin/Punk main event next year would be a disappointment.

Gavin Napier
5. Christian vs. Cody Rhodes – Christian is a guy that I actually prefer as a face. I’m not the biggest fan of Cody Rhodes yet, but he continues to improve in leaps and bounds. I’d be happy with seeing Christian get 10 or 15 minutes against anybody at Mania, preferably with a title on the line. I’ve got faith that these two would bring out the best in each other, and this would sure be an improvement over what Cody had to do this year.

4. Undertaker vs. John Cena – In what would surely be rated at least 15 or 16 stars on a 5 star scale, Undertaker and Cena could brawl in 30 second bursts, then rest – I mean sell – for a minute, and drag the match out to the 30 minute mark. It would need to be a special TLC in a Cell match, with the ladder on top of the cell, to show how important it is. Every living victim of The Streak (sorry, Big Bossman and Giant Gonzalez) could serve a referee, timekeeper, announcer, or do a run in. The finish is obvious – after taking an Attitude Adjustment off the ladder on the Cell through 40 tables, Undertaker would put the Hell’s Gate on Cena to knock him out, then climb the ladder to claim Cena’s soul for the win. Then they would hug.

Or, just put Cena over clean.

3. Brock Lesnar vs. Sheamus – I can’t handle a full year of Brock vs. Cena (but I hear they have real heat!), but this match writes itself. It would give Sheamus a “mainstream” opponent to elevate his profile and could be an entertaining match. Two no nonsense, smash mouth guys just beating on each other. Assuming that Brock doesn’t get a belly ache or get distracted by something shiny and wander off from the sport again, it would be a fun build (Sheamus calling Brock “fella”?), could incorporate outside athletes (like UFC guys that weren’t impressed with Brock), get some publicity (which Vince loves), and be a nice attraction for ‘Mania.

2. Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler – Jericho has been the best heel in the business (when he’s around) for years now. Ziggler should be in a position to claim that spot soon with a little luck. I also figure this will be the last real run that Jericho has, and I’d like to see a return of fun loving Jericho before he’s done. I wouldn’t mind seeing this as a WWE or World Heavyweight Title match, with Jericho defending. A win would be a good moment for Ziggler and for the future of the company.

1. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan – I wanted to see this match this year as a unification, for several reasons. Foremost among them is that everybody wrestles on both shows anyway, so the idea of a brand split at this point is pointless. Now that there’s one GM between the shows, there’s even more reason to do away with it. It would be an excuse to do away with the awful “spinner” title (that doesn’t spin anymore) that Punk promised to replace anyway. Finally, I have no doubt that these two could put on a Wrestlemania-worthy match.

Jordan Garretson
5. Money in the Bank – As someone who attended this year’s WrestleMania, I must say, it was absolutely electric. Since it was my first WrestleMania in-person, I’ll be a little biased and say it’s among the top five of all time. But as cheap as it may sound, you know what was missing the most from this year’s Showcase? A good ‘ole-fashioned spot fest. I think we all would have been in favor of Money in the Bank instead of Team Johnny vs. Team Teddy. This is where you get a payday for all of that mid-card talent and capture the amazing “Holy shit” spots all in one segment. And most importantly, it’s an easy way to elevate younger talent. Have someone like Ziggler or Barrett take the briefcase, that is, if either hasn’t already become World or WWE Champion by next April.

4. Sheamus vs. Brock Lesnar – Brock Lesnar and the Rock had a really good match in 2002, yes. But honestly, I don’t care to see them wrestle again. It sounds like I’m in the minority on this one, but a Rock-Brock rematch doesn’t appeal to me. Sheamus, on the other hand, seems like a natural opponent for Brock because of his similar build and raw physicality. If Brock doesn’t re-sign a longer deal and his contract is indeed up next April, a win for Sheamus here helps legitimize him as one of the company’s biggest stars.

3. Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton – I love me some Cody Rhodes. I’m all for Big Show having his WrestleMania moment earlier this month, but it’s a damn shame it had to come at the expense of one of the best Intercontinental Champions the WWE has seen in a long time. Hopefully the WWE doesn’t damage Rhodes’ credibility too much with this Big Show feud (I don’t see the purpose of them having another PPV match for Rhodes to get crushed in again) and Rhodes can be a believable main event contender next year. I see this being a World Heavyweight or WWE Championship match, with Rhodes going over to win his first big title. Their feud last fall was more or less a throwaway, they can add much more depth this time with allusions to their history together in Legacy.

2. CM Punk vs. The Rock – The Rock represents the establishment. CM Punk is anti-establishment. The Rock represents being a star. CM Punk has said many times before he doesn’t care about being a star, he just cares about wrestling. The Rock represents the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. CM Punk represents the part of Chicago that apparently doesn’t practice personal hygiene. But seriously, this match would be all sorts of intriguing and easily capable of being in the ****1/2 range if Rock hits a treadmill before WrestleMania this time around. This wouldn’t need a title, but please, let Punk go over this time instead of the guy who only works part-time.

1. John Cena vs. The Undertaker – Call me a “mark” or whatever you might for placing this No. 1 on the list, but this is easily the biggest money match the WWE has in it. John Cena is the company’s biggest star since the end of the Attitude Era. The Undertaker’s streak is the biggest accomplishment in WWE history. It’s only fair the streak attempts to withstand a challenge from wrestling’s biggest modern icon. There is plenty of logic you can use to set up the match, too, perhaps having Cena trying to “redeem” himself from the biggest loss of his life last year against WrestleMania. A Cena obsessed with ending the streak could be a scary Cena. The only question is, do you have him end the streak? In my opinion — at this point — the streak shouldn’t end. But if it does, it should end with John Cena. At least that way the IWC will have something to whine about until the end of time.

Larry’s Quick Five
5. MITB: Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Christian
4. Sin Cara vs. Rey Mysterio
3. The Rock vs. John Cena II
2. Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker
1. Steve Austin vs. CM Punk