SUMMERSLAM 2015 MATCHES & PREDICTIONS

Cesaro Vs Kevin Owens
Prediction: Kevin Owens
-Hard to call really. But, with Owens coming off a loss in his rematch with Finn Balor for the NXT Championship and Cesaro only really getting over with his matches and not his promos, the obvious is KO with the win. Expect Cole to mention his loss at NXT often.

Stephen Amell & Neville Vs Stardust & King Barrett
Prediction: Amell & Neville
-Of all the previous celebs (minus Rousey) Stephen Amell is pretty athletic and agile. Will be interesting to see just how well he does in the ring for a match. Unless looking to extend this feud, look for Arrow to hit the mark.

WWE Tag Team Championship
Los Matadors Vs Lucha Dragons Vs The New Day Vs The Prime Time Players (C)
Prediction: The New Day
-The titles seem to change often, so why not go with The New Day given they really are working well as heels, despite being not what most expected.

WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Miz Vs Big Show Vs Ryback (C)
Prediction: Ryback
-This match was to take place awhile ago, but Ryback is finally back, and likely to retain. Otherwise, why didn't they strip him of the title, to at least add some "drama" to the mix.

Rusev Vs Dolph Ziggler
Prediction: Dolph Ziggler
-Perhaps we will see Rusev begin to treat Summer the same way he treated Lana. However, can't help but see a swerve where Lana turns on Ziggler and reclaims her spot from Summer as Rusev's woman.

Randy Orton Vs Sheamus
Prediction: Randy Orton
-Why not? This feud has felt a bit stale.

Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose Vs Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper
Prediction: Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper
-Three options come to mind for the finish. First, Erick Rowan returns and The Wyatt Family is whole again. Second, Dean Ambrose turns on Roman Reigns, leading to a feud. And lastly, Roman Reigns finally turns heel and turns on Ambrose.

Team P.C.B. Vs Team B.A.D. Vs Team Bella
Prediction: Team P.C.B.
-This revolution has been great, but it is time for the trios to split. Here's hoping for some face and heel turns during and after this match.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship/WWE United States Championship
John Cena (C-US) Vs Seth Rollins (C-WHC)
Prediction: John Cena
-This was really hard to choose. Cena would then tie Ric Flair at 16 time World Heavyweight Champion. Which is more of a Mania moment, until you think of Cena passing Naitch and doing so on a Wrestlemania stage. Plus, it is time for Rollins to go a new direction win or loss.

Brock Lesner Vs Undertaker
Prediction: Undertaker
-Another one with a hard to determine outcome. Sure, Taker deserves the win, but there are other things that could lead to some feuds with perhaps Kane, or...Sting?

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WWE BATTLEGROUND MATCHES & PREDICTIONS

Sunday, July 19th, 2015 WWE brings us WWE Battleground. A decently booked card, with outcomes difficult to get a full read on. Which is both frustrating, and very refreshing given WWE's habit of predictability at times. Here are the matches and NGN's predictions...

R-Truth V King Barrett
Prediction: King Barrett
-Truth has been entertaining, but I'm afraid I've got some bad news (couldn't resist). Truth is likely not getting a WWE push of any kind. So, best for someone who has a shot at getting a push to win this one. Not a knock on R-Truth, it is just that much like Santino Marella, Truth can "go" in the ring and has more character range than WWE allows audiences to see.

Randy Orton V Sheamus
Prediction: Randy Orton
-It is kind of a "been there, done that" type of feud. Orton coming back, after Sheamus took him out can only be squashed with an Orton win. If this feud continues on, hopefully it will be with the Money In The Bank briefcase on the line. With Orton taking Sheamus out of the picture.

Roman Reigns V Bray Wyatt
Prediction: Roman Reigns
-Bray always seems willing to put over others and does it well. And WWE still wants to make Roman Reigns the top dog, so his winning wouldn't be surprising. Depends how long WWE wants to drag out the creepy storyline involving Reigns family.

WWE Tag Team Championships
The New Day V The Prime Time Players (C)
Prediction: The Prime Time Players
-It was hard to pick a winner. The tag team titles have been bouncing around a lot, but it would be nice to see them be retained a bit longer this time via The Prime Time Players. If The New Day Does win, it may be possible it is due to their ranks shockingly growing by one.

(this next match isn't happening due to an injury to Ryback, whether they still proceed with The Miz V Big Show remains to be seen, but here's the prediction regardless)
  WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Miz V Big Show V Ryback (C)
Prediction: The Miz
-Ryback seems over with the crowds, however, can never tell most times when WWE is filling the airwaves with "fake" cheers. Personally, The Big Guy is a tad stale already, and should have been built up to facing Big Show one-on-one for the Intercontinental title. Having to go through series with guys like Mark Henry before facing Show for the strap. Went with The Miz as his lack of physicality leading into this seems to trigger the "dark horse" vibe.

WWE United States Championship
Kevin Owens V John Cena (C)
Predictions: John Cena
-Wishful thinking surprisingly. The John Cena Open Challenge for the WWE United States Championship each week has been impressive, why end that now? To possibly help Owens maintain "status" have a returning Sami Zayn do a run in "failing" after KO is able to continue on, followed by a successful run in by Cesaro. Which leads to a feud between the two given Cesaro's recent performance. If he can maintain this run, he faces Cena for the title successfully down the road.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Brock Lesner V Seth Rollins (C)
Prediction: Brock Lesner
-This one was truly hard to pick. Seth Rollins is a great champion, but his current is starting to feel stale. Sure, a storyline change could fix that. But, another title run by Brock Lesner could be a new spin on a repeat of last year. If anything, it leaves the door open for two things; Sheamus getting squashed in a cash-in attempt and a reformation of The S.H.I.E.L.D. There is also room for Sting to thwart any Authority involvement, thus leading into a long build-up to something at Summerslam.

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WWE PAYBACK 2015-MATCHES & PREDICTIONS

The Meta Powers VS The Ascension

Prediction: The Meta Powers win. Too early for The Meta Powers to explode...yes, just went there...brother!....Dig It!!

Neville VS King Barrett

Prediction: King Barrett with the "W". Neville is amazing, but losing right out the gate would almost "tarnish" the crown. Unless they are looking to prolong this feud, in which case Neville is due to even up a possible series.

Tamina & Naomi VS The Bella Twins

Prediction: Tamina & Naomi beat Bellas. It was hard to pick a winner. The Bellas are the "faces" and the good guys...girls are "supposed to" win, but Naomi is filling the void left by AJ Lee quite nicely, and Tamina is fresh off a return from a lengthy injury.

Sheamus VS Dolph Ziggler

Prediction: Sheamus "wins". Was going for Dolph, but it is possible he gets himself DQ'd, and then makes Sheamus kiss his arse. Payback.

Bray Wyatt VS Ryback

Prediction: Bray Wyatt defeats Ryback. He might have "lost" to the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 31, but Wyatt "won" in his defeat. Ergo, deserves a win over Ryback.

WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS (2-Out-Of-3 Falls)

Kidd & Cesaro VS The New Day (C)

Prediction: The New Day retains. They are working better now that they are in "heel mode", and would like to see The New Day continue on as champs. Plus, another title change would make the tag titles almost tarnished in a sense (a non-PG word is a better fit, think about it).

WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP ("I Quit" Match)

Rusev VS John Cena (C)

Prediction: John Cena retains title. If Rusev wins, it would be by using the audio he used on Smackdown! of Cena saying, "I Quit!". However, Lana is due to break free and we could see her using audio of Rusev, followed by Lana also saying, "I Quit!".

WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Randy Orton VS Dean Ambrose 

VS Roman Reigns VS Seth Rollins (C)

Prediction: Seth Rollins retains title or No Decision. Apologies for not picking just one, but with the upcoming WWE Network exclusive "Elimination Chamber" happening just 2 weeks later, makes it hard to pick one. Will Rollins retain and defend it in the chamber? Or will something happen that requires all of these competitors to have a rematch in the chamber? Adding the stipulation of Kane's future makes it extra difficult. Does he save his job, or does he attempt to "quit by force" and is the extra man in the Elimination Chamber? God, I love wrestling.

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WILL WWE RAW DELIVER?

For a lot of fans, especially before the WWE Network when we were left to order through pay-per-view and may not have the money to do so, the Raw that follows Wrestlemania is where it is all at. First we would get to find out all of the results (before the internet, this was how it was done if not by word of mouth), and of course the fallout or Backlash (some will remember the significance) from the night before. Although they mention it during the fall, but the Raw that follows Wrestlemania is truly WWE's season premier. Whether a continuance of the "previous season", or fresh new feuds. Which at times has meant there would be some debuts made on Raw. Remember when The Rock had done it all, was ready to walk away, and during "Rock Appreciation Night" out came Goldberg to make his WWE debut.

It also made for possible returns to the WWE. Something that will be more the norm than debuts, as there isn't really a competitor at the moment, and most of the significant WCW talent has either already crossed the line, or is too old for it to mean anything. Sting was truly the last piece of that puzzle. It will be interesting to see if Sting will be continuing on, and having any more matches with WWE. He certainly showed last night that he is quite capable to do so. If this was 10 years ago, no doubt about it. We would also see Degeneration-X VS n.W.o. carry on from Wrestlemania 31. However, time is the proverbial biotch so that is unlikely. And that is not to take away from anything last night. That was truly an all around magical moment in WWE and Wrestlemania history.
There are many things each person will look forward to. Personally, looking to see how the mid-card titles go. Rumors stating the WWE is looking to put more focus on them, should mean some great moments, however it could become just series of matches. Only way for this to truly work out, is if at the end of what they are doing, somebody emerges from the group as a main event contender. Remember Macho Man, Ultimate Warrior, etc after they won the Intercontinental Championship? Right into the WWE Championship picture. Something that rarely has happened since John Cena won the US Championship at Wrestlemania XX (20). Also, looking forward to seeing if Sting and Undertaker will be sticking around. And of course, the fallout from the WWE Championship match. Which was beautifully done.

Types most of this while watching Raw actually. Seems, the was a return (Sheamus. Looking...well...you'll see) and we'll find out about Sting and of course how Brock will be used now that he has re-signed. Will he get the WWE Championship back? Will there be another feud for him? Limited appearances again, so they will be meaningful.

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WRESTLEMANIA 31 MATCHES AND PREDICTIONS

It's that time of year again. Time for all of us "marks" to look at the card for Wrestlemania and give our predictions. It is said almost every year, but the card for Wrestlemania 31 is stacked. From Undertaker returning to face Bray Wyatt, to Brock Lesner defending against Roman Reigns. Even the midcard titles have a main event feel to them. Oh, and then there will be that moment when Sting will finally be in a match for the WWE. At Wrestlemania. Many may want him to face Undertaker, but Triple H is going to bring the best out of the Icon, similar to how Ric Flair used to.

WWE Tag Team Championship Fatal-4-Way
The Usos VS New Day VS Los Matadors VS Cearo & Tyson Kidd (C)
Prediction: The Usos.
-Their father Rikishi in the Hall Of Fame the night before. And with a growing division, better to have an established team be at the top.

Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Big Show, Kane, Mark Henry,  Jack Swagger, Goldust, Viktor, Konnor, Ryback, The Miz, Damian Mizdow, Titus O'Neil, Darren Young, Fandango, Curtis Axel, Sin Cara, Zack Ryder, Adam Rose, Erick Rowan, Heath Slater, and more yet to be named.
Prediction: Sheamus
-Rather him make his return here, than attacking Daniel Bryan later. Plus, as we saw with Cesaro last year, winning this doesn't translate into anything.

Seth Rollins VS Randy Orton
Prediction: Randy Orton.
-This match could steal the show. And Rollins losing somewhat adds to the possibility of him trying to "cash in" later on. Of course, that is if Orton doesn't annihilate him in route to his win.


Bray Wyatt VS The Undertaker
Prediction: The Undertaker
-Bray Wyatt doesn't have to be "put over" in order to look amazing. Savage lost to Steamboat remember. And could lead to possibly a prolonged feud with Undertaker. Where he can "put over" Bray. If we are lucky of course.


AJ Lee & Paige VS The Bella's
Predicition: AJ Lee & Paige
-Rumors have The Bella's taking a break. And then we can have the "fallout" between AJ and Paige.

United States Championship
John Cena VS Rusev (C)
Prediction: John Cena
-Unless we would be seeing the beginnings of a future "heel turn" by Cena, there is no reason for him not to win. He's already lost to Rusev, and who else would there be to shut down the Russian?


Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
Dolph Ziggler VS Daniel Bryan VS R-Truth VS Dean Ambrose VS Luke Harper VS Stardust VS Bad News Barret (C)
 Prediction: Daniel Bryan
-Dirt sheets have Sheamus screwing over Daniel Bryan. Hopefully not. Plus, is there any other way to keep the crowd happy? Wrestlemania could have a lot of people wanting/demanding a repeat of last year. Could ease the pressure on Reigns later.


Triple H VS Sting
Prediction:Triple H
-Sting winning was the obvious answer, until Ric Flair mentioned how Triple H has lost 3 matches going into this on the WWE Network. And then Sting has also looked in great shape (even with the t-shirt on). Sting losing could lead to a feud. Meaning more of the Icon on WWE programming.


WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Roman Reigns VS Brock Lesner (C)
Prediction: Brock Lesner
-This one is even harder to pick a winner with Brock Lesner re-signing with WWE. Reigns is good, but lets face it. Possibly "too soon". And when have fans ever accepted the new "chosen one"? Stone Cold, The Rock, John Cena all had slower builds, and look how their careers turned out. Also, Brock winning makes for a perfect time for Seth Rollins to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase. Reigns weakens The Beast, and Rollins strikes from behind.  Or we see Reigns win and have to wait and see how the crowd reacts. Although that would also make for a near perfect time for Rollins.

We find out how everything will play out during the 4-hour spectacular on Sunday, March 29th, 2015. Again, this card is as stacked as it can get. Sting and Undertaker (thanks to photos across the net) look great and ready to go. And most importantly, there isn't even a gimmicky match to draw people (ie Maywether, Lawrence Taylor, etc).

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BROCK RE-SIGNING IMPROVES MAIN EVENT

It is being reported that Brock Lesner has opted to stick around the squared circle, as opposed to returning to the octagon. Vince McMahon convinced to Brock to re-sign with WWE, after a lengthy and at times very heated negotiation period. Some will love this decision, while the rest will be against it., but either way the main event of Wrestlemania has instantly improved.

How so? Well, most would agree that having very little to no knowledge of the outcomes makes Wrestlemania that much better. If Brock Lesner had opted to return to mixed martial arts via the UFC, it would almost guarantee that Roman Reigns would be the winner and new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Almost, because this is still professional wrestling, and Lesner is still a literal beast. Now that he has decided to stay with WWE, the outcome of the Wrestlemania 31 main event is even less predictable. Sure, the safe bet would be for Roman Reigns become champion and have his first run as the face of the company. However, who's to say Brock doesn't retain. Rumors being rumors, say highly possible we see Brock Vs The Rock at Wrestlemania 32. Why not have that be for that WWE World Heavyweight Championship? Other rumors state that WWE is looking to put more focus on the mid card titles (US and IC). The reasoning for having Daniel Bryan and John Cena competing for them at Wrestlemania 31. With Lesner's part-time schedules, it allows for that to truly happen. Even a possible "cash in" by MITB briefcase holder, Seth Rollins, unpredictable. Not as to if he will try and cash in, as that is due to happen, but whether of not Seth successfully cashes in.

Another match that has improved due to changes, is Undertaker Vs Bray Wyatt. No streak, means less worry of ramifications of Wyatt being put over by The Phenom. With less that a week until Wrestlemania 31, we will soon see how all of this goes. The card is stacked like never before, can't wait to see it all unfold.

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WRESTLEMANIA 31 IS WYATT'S MILLION DOLLAR BELT

Let's go back to when Macho Man Randy Savage won the WWE Championship. Something that is said to have happened after Honky Tonk Man refused to drop the Intercontinental Championship, which led to Vince giving the WWE Championship to Macho Man. Which was supposed to go to Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase (Sr.). All of this would lead to the creation of the WWE Million Dollar Championship. Not sure if this was ever fully confirmed though. Regardless.

How does this relate to Bray Wyatt? Well, who else has been as "over" with the fans for the past couple years? Other than Daniel Bryan of course, Bray Wyatt has had "the whole world in his hands". Daniel has tasted gold of course, and has even been in the main event of Wrestlemania. Wyatt, not so much. And much like WWE Hall Of Famer Ted Dibiase Sr., Bray is being rewarded with something other than the WWE Championship. Bray Wyatt is receiving a match with The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 31.

Some may be saying; "Who cares? The streak is over." Understandably. Most felt that an up and comer should have received that honor over someone like Brock Lesner. However, there are those who feel that Brock being in this for the money, made him the perfect person to take the massive "heat" that followed. Now, Bray Wyatt is in a position to be put over, or ever just have an amazing match with The Phenom, but with zero negative possibilities. This is somewhat more than what The Streak was. This could be a "passing of the torch" moment.

One thing is for sure, this is could be one of the best Wrestlemania moments ever. Even so much, as to make us forget about wanting Undertaker Vs Sting. Throw in the amount of preparation Undertaker puts into his Wrestlemania matches, as well as possibly wanting to "make it up to" the fans. Well, the ones who feel they need redemption.


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WRESTLEMANIA 31 LOOKING GOOD...ON PAPER

With what is looking to be a weak main event, Wrestlemania 31 is actually a pretty stacked card so far. But, only in appearance really. With what seems to be set in stone, and with what is appearing very likely, we will try and break each match down. There are the obvious good points, but we'll point out what is wrong with them as well.

Randy Orton Vs Seth Rollins
-Sure, we love Randy Orton, but we love him in full heel mode. Not the weak heel like he was in The Authority, and even though we initially welcome him back as a face, it doesn't last. Other than that, this match looks and likely will be pretty good. Rollins and Orton both are capable of having a Savage/Steamboat-esque match.

 Sting Vs Triple H
-What's amazing about this is we finally have Sting in a WWE ring, in a match, at Wrestlemania. Then things begin to slightly go down hill. Slightly. Triple H is no slouch, and has shown with Undertaker that he can go to another level. But, Sting may need someone to help elevate his game given his age. Sure, Sting can go but not in a style that really works for Triple H. Unless they go the street fight route, which really wouldn't work for Sting, really. Chris Jericho, perhaps a better choice given how well he has worked with legends in the past. Guess we will see.

Undertaker Vs Bray Wyatt
-This isn't even "set in stone", but one would have to assume its a go given the events of Fastlane (Bray came out in a casket, druids and all). Which is great, however, what type of condition is Undertaker in? He was hurt after his match with Brock Lesner, and although Brock and Bray's styles are completly different, Bray still has a high impact style. Can Undertaker withstand this? Wait, it's Taker, he wouldn't be doing this if he didn't think he could make this work. Let's move on before someone chirps about how the streak should've been on the line for this one...

Roman Reigns Vs Brock Lesner
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
-Maybe. Maybe, Roman Reigns will surprise us all and will pull this one off. Maybe not though, and we will see a rehashing of Brock Lesner Vs Goldberg, but in the main event. The styles in this match dictate it could end up that way. Here's hoping we are proven wrong, or that a certain briefcase gets cashed in quickly after.

There are some other things that look likely to happen, like another match between Goldust and Stardust. The Usos will likely be looking to reclaim their tag titles, the question will be how as the tag division has been growing as of late. Or John Cena? Where is he heading in all of this after losing to Rusev? And of course, Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, and a cast of others. One thing that could happen is another Daniel Bryan Vs Sheamus match. Which nobody really wants to see again. Right?

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SECOND COMING OF THE ATTITUDE ERA?

Perhaps this is simply continuing to beat a dead horse, but it is hard not to see some similarities between the WWE's Digital Era and their Attitude Era. At least, on the casting side of things. We may never see anything like the Attiude Era, and not just because WWE and their looking to grow as a company (sponsers, etc). But because there isn't any real competition out there to force Vince McMahon's hand in some situations.
Who and what is meant when referencing casting? The wrestlers and their situations. In some cases it mirrors almost perfectly with who and what came before. Almost. Some are likely based on a small bit of hope that the good days will return. And when saying the good days, it is meant with just how hot wrestling was, transcending even the boom in the 80's.

Stone Cold Steve Austin/Daniel Bryan
Not that Vince ever tried to hold Austin down, but that Ringmaster gimmick  didn't help at the time. When Daniel Bryan first appeared in WWE, they didn't really know what to do with him. He was over with the crowd, but didn't have a "character" per say. And when they began the whole "YES!" and "NO!" gimmick, who would have thought it would stop being kind of childish, and become almost an anthem that has even crossed over into other sport markets. So, Austin and Bryan had rough starts in WWE, having established themselves outside of the company as top performers. Both not only got over with fans, they are on their own level, which was proved with both being out with injuries for long periods of time and returning just as hot as they were when they left. It is almost mirrored careers in a sense. And to think everyone thought CM Punk would be the second coming (in a sense), and wanted a match between Austin and himself. Daniel Bryan would make a better opponent perhaps.

The Rock/Roman Reigns
It's not even because they are family, but because their situations are somewhat playing out the same now. Both are third generation superstars. And yes, Reigns was more accepted as when he came in where The Rock was booed from the get go, but he was also a heel and look at things now. Roman was over until he was expected to main event over Daniel Bryan. Fans are starting to boo more. He doesn't have to start coming up with catch phrases, but perhaps a heel turn similar to The Rock will enable Roman Reigns to find his path to the top. Rock Vs Reigns would make for a nice match as well.

Triple H/Damian Mizdow
It has been mentioned here before how their paths seem to be similar. Although nothing has really been reported as to what Damian Sandow/Mizdow did to get stuck with the "Santino Role" (comedic). It was similar to Triple H earlier in his WWE career when he lost his spot in King Of The Ring (to Steve Austin luckily for us) and fell below midcard status. But we knew that the MSG Sendoff was the reason for that (Nash, Hall, HBK, HHH hug in the ring breaking kayfabe for those unaware). The similarities here are also in the fact that they both made things work. We've clearly seen what Triple H did with his career, but Damian made all his lame characters work and even has gotten over with fans with his Mizdow gimmick. Sandow could be a "Heart Break" away from leading an army of "Degeneratives" if things get even more similar.

Undertaker/Man-Kind/Bray Wyatt
All three of these guys are truly unique, but fall into the same genre of characters if you will. There is a strong rumor that if he is able, Undertaker is going to return to face Bray Wyatt at Wrestlemania 31. If was still able to compete, Mick Foley as Man-Kind would make for another great match-up both in the ring and on the mic.

Of course there is some other things like The Authority mirroring The Corporation, and although not what anyone expected, New Day being a new style of The Nation Of Domination (perhaps Roman Reigns could add some much needed grit to this group). And ROH with rumored financial troubles, it makes them seem even more like ECW. Now here's hoping Jeff Jarrett's new company becomes WCW (sorry, TNA).


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THE MANY FACES OF...

Mick Foley wasn't and isn't the only wrestler to have many "faces", or characters/gimmicks as their called in wrestling. It was almost the norm back in the day for almost everyone to have more than one persona. Some were lucky and/or good enough to basically remain the same through out their careers, Hulk Hogan is slightly an example of this, having only made small changes to his character with the exception of his Hollywood Hogan days (which was more of just a basic heel turn). But, most had to have multiple looks and persona's. It kept them fresh when things ran stale, and that was key as the territories began to finally die out leaving only WWE and at the time WCW, now there is TNA and ROH.

For some it was really a matter of going through failed attempts before finally finding something that works. Look at The Undertaker, there was Mean Mark Calloway before there was The Deadman. Here are some others who had many faces through out their careers...

Stone Cold Steve Austin

He will forever known as The Texas Rattlesnake. However, before there was "What?", there was The Ringmaster. And even before that, he was Stunning Steve Austin. Which was pretty successful with runs with the WCW United States championship, and Tag Team Championship with the late Brian Pillman as the Hollywood Blondes. Austin just wasn't able to break the glass ceiling with it.

Kevin Nash

Most will remember him as himself, Kevin Nash. The rest will remember him as Diesel. Very few will remember the persona's that preceded these two. Vinnie Vegas wasn't too bad considering that era. Plus it was a taste of the future when Nash was part of the stable, The Diamond Mine, which included Scott Hall. Master Blaster member Steel and Oz? Not so much.

Bray Wyatt

The Easter Of Worlds may have found the gimmick that he will use the rest of his career. It is really too early to say, but it is one that has been really working well (understatement). His real name is Widham Rotunda, and although his career is still in the early stages, he has had persona's that came before Bray Wyatt. Axel Mulligan, Duke Rotunda. He even went by Husky Harris during the initial NXT. Which was actually getting over with fans before a punt to the head from Randy Orton wrote the character off.

JBL

From rough and tough Texan cowboy, followed by beer swilling brawler, to Wall Street tycoon. That pretty much sums up all of JBL's gimmicks over the years, and has had many names, but he made them work. As Blackjack Bradshaw it was hard to believe that he wasn't the stereotypical Texas tough guy cowboy. When teamed with Ron "Farooq" Simmons to form The Acolytes/A.P.A. he was able to get over with the fans at times as a beer drinking, cigar smoking, professional butt-kicker. He followed up and ended with his money maker (pun intended), JBL. Taking from real life, a Wall Street tycoon and even won the WWE Championship. Which he holds the record for longest run as WWE Champ in Smackdown! history.

It will be interesting to see if the days of someone having multiple persona's will continue on or cease to exist. With WWE attempting to build their own wrestlers through their system (training facility to NXT to main roster), will they take those who fail character wise and rebrand them until something works given their investment? Or will we see a one-and-done way of things?

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WHAT HAPPENED?

Thanks to social media, we are usually able to find out why certain wrestlers had their "pushes" halted, or were released from the company. A more recent example would be Jack Swagger, who was riding high after winning the WWE World Championship a couple of years ago. And that was exactly the problem, Swagger was driving, was pulled over, and then it was discovered that he had been smoking marijuana and was driving under the influence. He wasn't "future endeavored" like other stars have had happen. The WWE simply ended his run with the title, and ceased his push. Swagger worked hard, and now has something better than a title, he has fans who chant on command "We The People!".

Some of these wrestlers, or sports entertainers if you will, may have had the reasons already stated and I missed it. Feel free to post comments below if you have the legitimate reason. Most of these performers will be more recent, as it is hard to think of anybody from the Attitude Era and back. As those eras consisted on Hulk Hogan who rarely went without the WWE Championship or being in the main event picture. Attitude Era there was Stone Cold, and when he was down, it was The Rock and Triple H (there were others, but they were the main go to guys).


Bray Wyatt
It feels as though things were purposely toned down. Bray Wyatt literally had "the whole world, in his hands", and packed arenas supporting and signing along. Then nothing. Sure the WWE Universe still provides the "fireflies", lighting up the arenas and adding to an already cool entrance. The speeches are still strange yet amazing, but they aren't fan inclusion type of thing he was doing before. Is the WWE trying to maintain Bray as a top heel, in a talent pool slightly heavy on the baby face side of things? Wyatt had a pretty good feud with the legendary Chris Jericho, but what really came from it? A feud perhaps that was better left for Wrestlemania. Like I said, the crowd is still there, smartphones lighting the crowd, just waiting for their chance to be involved again. When will we finally get to follow the buzzards that are hovering around championship gold?


Sheamus
Yes, he got injured and the titles are now unified making mid-card titles just as good in a sense. However, Sheamus seems to be completely out of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture. He's in the beginning phase of a feud with Cesaro, something I hope culminates at Wrestlemania 31, because it should be very good. But, with Brock Lesner holding the WWE WHC and Sheamus currently being a face, wouldn't it make sense for the two of them to square off at some point? It would be fresh, and interesting to see. Rumored to be a "Triple H guy" in the beginning, what happened?


Fandango
What started as a cheesy gimmick, actually began to work. With some crowd support, mainly during his entrance mind you, but support was there. He had a beautiful valet in Summer Ray. And then, he slowly seemed to just disappear from television. Was there an injury? Another issue like a failed drug test or scuffle backstage? Summer Ray seemed to actually progress her career further since the dance duo split up. What happened to Fandango?


Adam Rose
Almost everything about this character is geared for fan love, and fan involvement. His entrance doesn't get much more catchier. He had a catch phrase that the audience joined in on, "Don't Be A Lemon! Be A Rose Bud!". Rumors state that it was a simple case of Vince McMahon getting bored with the character, similar to how he supposedly feels about the Bo Dallas character. Whether or not this is true, not sure.


Damian Sandow
This is a situation that is similar to Triple H after the MSG Send-Off with fellow Kliq members Shawn Michaels, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash. When he was "punished" and dropped to the bottom of the card to work his way up. Damian Sandow was a Money In The Bank winner, and a really good heal. Then, in an instant it was all gone. He became Santino Marella's replacement in a sense, filling he comedic role on the card. What makes him similar to Triple H, is that he hasn't let this stop him. Making the various characters, including his current role as The Miz's stunt double, quite entertaining. If he keeps this up, it will only be a matter of time before he is back in the mix at the top of the card. I just can't help but wonder what caused the sudden stop. It was
n't something bad enough to fire him over, but at times it feels as though it is intentionally trying to break him. Then again, WWE creative has had moments of "wtf" without being provoked before.

Zack Ryder
Not even a fan of The Long Island Iced-Z other than his "Woo, Woo, Woo! You Know It!", but one can't argue that he has quite the following. A fan base larger than some main eventers. And that was without any real push of any kind from the WWE. It appeared as though it was going to happen. Getting the main event "rub" from Cena. Mick Foley claims it was the lame storyline involving Ryder, Kelly Kelly (I think) and Kane. Regardless, the fans didn't really falter, yet he never appears in PPV's, doesn't even appear on Raw or Smackdown! And when he does, it on the losing end of things. Will he ever get another shot at glory?

Perhaps the reasons for these staled pushes have already been stated, but if not, it would be nice to know. Although it is a business where only hard facts (drug tests, crimes, etc) tell us the truth with both WWE and pro-wrestlers having a habit of bending and molding the truth.

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AND JUST LIKE THAT, THE TIDE CHANGED

The beginning of 2014 was looking to be amazing, despite the backlash of Batista winning the Royal Rumble. Even with the walk-out by CM Punk, everything was looking to be on the upswing. Things looked so bright, some were claiming this was the second coming of the Attitude Era. There were signs showing that they weren't wrong. Daniel Bryan was white hot, and receiving the same build-up as Stone Cold did when he first caught fire back in the day. The Shield and Wyatts, although not D-X, were definitely giving that same faction vibe that was occurring during the Monday Night Wars. There was even a slight Attitude Era resurgence with stars like Goldust, The New Age Outlaws, and others making appearances and in some cases performing well (most notably Goldie).
Fast forward to now. Daniel Bryan required neck surgery, was striped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and now appears to need more surgery. The "YES!" chants still exist, but only when his name is rarely mentioned. The Shield broke up. So far, things are going very well for each former member. Only downside, is Roman Reigns is getting his push, while he's still finding his groove. Will he be ready for his rumored culmination at Wrestlemania 31 remains to be seen. After Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose finish their feud with each other, it will be interesting to see how both do on their own. Undertaker's Wrestlemania Streak was ended, and it is possible that we've seen the last of the Deadman, but Bray Wyatt is filling that void quite nicely. In his own unique way at that. Speaking of which, the man who conquered The Undertakers Undefeated Streak at Wrestlemania, Brock Lesner is likely about to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Summerslam. Which will help those still in shock over the events of Wrestlemania 30, as it "makes sense" having Brock get a title shot for accomplishing what he did.

There are positives, as noted with former Shield members, and The Wyatts. Goldust is still here, and given us Cody Rhodes in a role he seems very comfortable in with Stardust. There's even a possible new faction very reminisant of The Nation Of Domination. But, the negatives just keep piling up. Daniel Bryan, will he be as over as he was before whenever he returns? CM Punk is officially finished with the WWE. Rey Mysterio seems to in process of being finished as well. There were quite a few cuts, and rumors of more coming to cover the WWE's losses this year. And although Reigns is rumored to be the guy come Wrestlemania 31, with Brock as Champ, who is he going to face? We've already seen him run through the roster, or at least the main event performers. Will we see Rusev, Big E, or Cesaro get a chance to shine with the Beast? Can they?
Always the hopeful fan, hoping that things will start to look like they did at the start of the year, and we see a new epic era in wrestling. With the recent Sting "activity" within the WWE, that hope is amplified.

THE RAW THAT FOLLOWS WRESTLEMANIA

Almost always as good as Wrestlemania the night before, but on a much smaller scale. The first Raw that follows Mania is something fans eagerly tune into every year. it is the beginning of the fallout from the events of Wrestlemania (or Backlash as it once was referred to), as well as possible surprises that may be unveiled. From new or returning Superstars, or even explanations or shedding more light on the results of Wrestlemania.
Tonight's Monday Night Raw should be just that following the epic night before at Wrestlemania XXX. How will Bray Wyatt and his family react to the defeat by John Cena? Will they strike again or move onto their next victim? It is likely that the Wyatt/Cena feud will continue a bit longer, with Wyatt getting put over before the end. We will finally see what winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal means for the winner. Which of course, was Cesaro from the Real Americans. Obviously the win will add to the heat with tag partner Jack Swagger, but other than bragging rights, what does that giant trophy lead to if anything? Speaking of split-ups, will the much rumored break-up of The Shield begin to happen now that Wrestlemania is in the books? Although it has been great having a trio, having another skilled tag team helps boost the division that is looking to be on the verge of returning to the glory days.

Daniel Bryan finally won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. YES! But, how long will it last? It was speculated that Daniel Bryan's journey would culminate at Summerslam. Was the win perhaps a way of keeping the Wrestlemania 30 crowd in-check so to speak? Especially given that The Streak was conquered by The Beast that is Brock Lesner? Is Brock now set to reclaim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship? His first WWE Championship was when the titles were unified before, and then splitting them as he became a Smackdown! exclusive during the brand separation. Or will the beast incarnate take a step back for a bit after a Wrestlemania payday?
What about The Undertaker himself? Was that the last we've seen of The Phenom? I don't think so, you can catch my thoughts and prediction for The Undertaker HERE. It is hard to imagine that heavily rumored WWE debut of Sting will happen without at least a non-contact face-to-face confrontation between the two legends. Although, with the illustrious Streak now broken, it would be more difficult to predict a winner if they were to face off at Wrestlemania. Although this Dream Match doesn't necessarily need to take place on the grandest stage of them all. Summerslam has been presented as the summertime equivalent. And of course the PPV mentioned in the article that would almost be perfect as well (again check it out HERE).
Rumors have a certain VKM return tonight. And not the "Voodoo Kin Mafia" which was the New Age Outlaws moniker in TNA. Vince gets massive props for reportedly missing out on the main event last night in order to ride in the ambulance with The Undertaker. Who went to get a possible concussion and neck injury looked at after his battle with Brock Lesner. It was also nice to see #ThankYouTaker and #ThankYouUndertaker trending! No other superstar deserves our thanks more than The Undertaker.
Tonight's Raw is looking like it could be a great one after a successful Wrestlemania 30 last night. Hopefully it is and the road to Summerslam is just as awesome!

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