Shawn Michaels - The Wrestler That Stayed Retired

   Professional wrestling is a funny thing, in that it seems no one ever truly stays retired completely. For instance, Terry Funk has had more comebacks than I care to remember.  A lot of the wrestlers that competed in the 70's and 80's are actually still wrestling today.  There have been countless storylines concerning retirement but those were just for show.  I'm talking about wrestlers that retired but still came back periodically for "one more match."  Of course, many times one more match led to another, and then another.  Mick Foley is another that retired, but then wrestled several times in the years after.  

   The most glaring retirement story of them all has to be Ric Flair.  He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2008 and the next night, he lost to Shawn Michaels in his "retirement" match. For all intents and purposes, this was going to actually be Flair's real retirement.  What really made it seem like a real retirement was the amazing and emotional send-off he had on Raw the night after. I've gotten over it by now, but I really felt like he crapped on the entire thing when he went to TNA the following year and had a bunch of matches there.  

   I understand that it's hard to give it up.  That's what made "The Wrestler" such an impactful movie. That could have been about any number of wrestlers.  It almost seemed to be a mix of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and prominent independent wrestlers to make the lead character.  There have been many wrestlers that didn't actually retire when they said they would. There are cases where certain wrestlers haven't wrestled again due to the severity of their injuries, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Taz, Bret Hart, and Edge.  However, when it comes to retiring for good, even with the ability to wrestle again, the one man that stuck to his guns regarding retirement is Shawn Michaels.  

   Shawn Michaels is a Hall of Fame wrestler with a storied career.  In a way, he had two storied careers.  He started in 1985 in the AWA, later winning the Tag Team Championships with his Rockers partner Marty Jannetty.  In 1988, the duo made their way to the WWF.  After their breakup in late 1991, Shawn Michaels went solo.  He went on to win the Intercontinental Title later that year.  He was having classic matches with the likes of Bret Hart and Razor Ramon.  At WrestleMania XII in 1996, he won his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship.  At the 1998 Royal Rumble, Shawn Michaels was injured in his Casket Match against the Undertaker.  His severe back injury ended his career and he dropped the Title to Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV.  Although he showed up on WWF television over the next few years, he didn't wrestle and for all we knew, he never would again.

   Four and a half years later, he made an incredible comeback, defeating Triple H in his first match back at SummerSlam 2002.  For the next eight years, Shawn Michaels took on all comers and had great matches with everybody, some old opponents and some new as well.  I'd argue that Michaels was even better as a performer this time around.  He never lost a step!  At WrestleMania XXVI in 2010, he wrestled the Undertaker in a "streak vs. career" match and lost, therefore retiring.  He also had a great send off much like Flair did and was celebrated for his incredible career.

    Here's the thing, though!  Shawn Michaels has stayed retired and in the eight years he's been gone, he has not wrestled once.  That's not to say there haven't been plenty of offers for him to have "one more match."  Through it all, Michaels insists that he will stay retired and doesn't want to break a promise.  He doesn't want to be looked at like that, which is commendable.  Would matches against the likes of Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles be incredibly wrestled dream matches?  Of course they would!  However, I have so much respect for Shawn Michaels for staying retired.  It's not an easy thing to do!  So far, Shawn Michaels is that one guy that stayed retired and while it would be nice to see those matches, I'd rather he went out the way he did, in his prime and on top.

  If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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Greatest Royal Rumble Predictions and Thoughts

   Just nineteen days after WrestleMania, the male WWE roster will be arriving to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the next WWE Network Special called the Greatest Royal Rumble.  You'll notice I used the word male.  As you may or may not know, the Saudi Arabian people will not be welcoming any women from the WWE to compete at this event.  In their culture, women are not treated the way they are in other countries.  While WWE may not agree with this, they understand and will comply with the cultural standards.  I don't like it either but business is business.  Maybe someday things will change.  After all, there was a women's match in the recent past in Dubai so that's a start.  I also don't agree with their stance on Jewish performers, which bothers me a little as I'm Jewish myself.  Beyond these cultural divides, the Rumble match itself will contain 50 men and there are nine other incredible matches to look forward to.  Chris Jericho, Rey Misterio, and the Great Khali, among others, will be returning for this event.  Both Kurt Angle and Shane McMahon will participate as well.  Let's get to the action!

Cruiserweight Title - Cedric Alexander vs. Kalisto

   Cedric defeated Mustafa Ali in the finals of the Cruiserweight Championship tournament at WrestleMania in an incredible match.  205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick wanted to make sure someone got the chance to win the gold at the Greatest Royal Rumble.  He set up a gauntlet match between five competitors; Kalisto, Mustafa Ali, Drew Gulak, TJP, and Tony Neese.  Kalisto did the honors and now goes one on one with Cedric.  The match itself should be great, with lots of high flying to get the people excited.  It's possible that it may be on the Pre-Show. With how recent Cedric's Title win was, I gotta go with him for the win tomorrow.

Raw Tag Team Titles - The Bar vs. Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt

   At WrestleMania a few weeks back, The Bar lost the Raw Tag Team Championships to Braun Strowman and believe it or not, a ten-year-old named Nicholas.  Due to a conflicting schedule, i.e. school, the young man and Braun gave up the Titles.  Raw General Manager Kurt Angle was not about to simply hand Sheamus and Cesaro the Titles again so he set up a mini tournament to find opponents.  Those men are Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt.  The two were bitter rivals just a month ago but something changed after their Final Deletion match.  At WrestleMania, Bray helped Hardy win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and now has become a Woken Warrior himself.  Together, they have been called the Deleter of Worlds.  I love the pairing of these two and the Bar always bring their A-game.  I'm going with Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt to bring home the gold.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles - Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Usos

 Since Fastlane in March, the Bludgeon Brothers, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, have been terrorizing the Usos.  At WrestleMania, the big men dethroned the Usos for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships, in a match that also contained The New Day.  The Usos are exercising their rematch clause.  Jimmy's wife Naomi has recently made her presence known in this feud, trying to stop the Bludgeon Brothers from causing more damage towards her husband and brother-in-law.  Just two days ago on Smackdown, she distracted Rowan, causing Jimmy to get a singles win.  Since Naomi will not be along for the ride in Saudi Arabia and since the Titles just changed hands, my prediction is the Bludgeon Brothers.

Casket Match - The Undertaker vs. Rusev

   The Undertaker defeated John Cena at WrestleMania in just under three minutes and will now be taking on Rusev in a Casket Match. Rusev and his wife Lana made some negative comments, leading Taker's opponent to be changed briefly to Chris Jericho.  The match was switched back to its original form.  Rusev is ridiculously popular right now and Rusev Day is a holiday celebrated by all.  I don't know why they're fighting it and keeping him heel.  No matter the opponent, however, it seems pretty likely that the Undertaker will prevail.  I'm going with the Dead Man in this one.

US Title - Jeff Hardy vs. Jinder Mahal

   Just over a week after Jinder Mahal won the US Title at WrestleMania, he was drafted to Raw in the 2018 Shakeup.  Due to the roster change, he was forced to put his newly won Championship on the line against the returning Jeff Hardy, who defeated the Modern Day Maharajah for the Title.  The next night, Hardy was drafted to Smackdown, along with the US Championship.  I'm going with Jeff Hardy to retain, keeping the US Title on Smackdown. However, should The Miz or Samoa Joe win the Intercontinental Title, I can see Jinder regaining the US Title.  That leads into the next match.

Intercontinental Title Fatal Fourway Match - Seth Rollins vs. The Miz vs. Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe

   Seth Rollins defeated The Miz and Balor to win the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania. This is a rematch of sorts, with the addition of Samoa Joe.  This is a match I'm really looking forward to and it should be a good one.  Their clash at WrestleMania was great and adding Samoa Joe certainly can't hurt it.  My prediction is that Seth Rollins will retain.  It depends on the placement of this match, as well as the US Title match, though.  It's more than possible that the Championships could switch shows again.

John Cena vs. Triple H

   It's been a long time since these two men had a match against each other.  Throughout 2006-2010, they've shared a ring numerous times, trading wins.  John Cena is just coming off a quick loss to the Undertaker at WrestleMania. Similarly, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were also on the losing side that night against Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey.  This one is a tough call, as either could potentially pull out the victory.  Although it could go either way, I'm picking Big Match John for the win.  It should be a nice nostalgic moment.

WWE Title - AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

   At WrestleMania, Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura came up short in his WWE Championship match against The Phenomenal One. After the loss, Nakamura did the unthinkable by turning heel with a low blow on Styles.  Since then, their rivalry has heated up. This is the rematch and it should be a good one. I had my doubts at first about a heel Nakamura but he's been on fire.  As for the winner, I've gotta go with Shinsuke defeating AJ to finally become the WWE Champion, along with the very first Japanese born WWE Champion.  It's possible that this match might be better than their WrestleMania encounter.

Universal Title - Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

   In a match that had an even more shocking ending, Lesnar retained the Universal Title at WrestleMania against Reigns.  I heard a rumor that the feeling is that Reigns is likely to get cheered more in a foreign country for a Title win, which is why he did not defeat Lesnar at WrestleMania.  I can understand that and it makes sense.  However, I am still surprised Reigns did not win.  When AJ Styles won the WWE Title in the UK back in November, it was the first time that a World Championship in the WWE changed hands outside of the United States.  However, that doesn't mean it can't happen again. Though it's more than possible Lesnar could win, I'm still choosing Roman Reigns for the win here.

50-Man Royal Rumble Match

   I really hope that there wasn't something lost in translation here.  The reason I say that is I've been hearing things to the effect of this match being a regular battle royal and not Royal Rumble rules.  I certainly hope this will be a regular Royal Rumble match, otherwise, it's extremely misleading and disappointing.  With that being said, Mark Henry, fresh off his Hall of Fame induction, is coming out of retirement strictly for this match.  This will be Daniel Bryan's third match back after his three year hiatus.  The WWE recently did tryouts in Saudi Arabia so at least one of their local talents will be involved in the match. Although it could be almost anybody's game here, I've gotta go with Braun Strowman.  There's nothing on the line here except a trophy and bragging rights but despite that, I think the Monster Among Men is going to take the whole thing.

   I can understand why people will not be watching this.  I don't agree with the way their culture works but that's just the reality.  For the WWE, it's a business opportunity.  To appease fans of the women, it might be a good idea to do some kind of cross-brand all women Network special.  I had a funny thought but this might kill any future business with the nation of Saudi Arabia.  I have this scenario where an unknown masked wrestler wins the Rumble and the identity remains unknown to close the show.  That person is revealed on Raw a few nights later as one of the female wrestlers in the company.  While that would be amusing and a good way to sneak a woman onto the show, it would piss off the entire country and might not be good business.  I don't like the way this culture treats its women and I certainly am not a fan of their take on Jewish people.  Although I have my reservations, I'm still going to watch. 




  If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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Why Are We Forced To Defend Our Passions?

   Since this is a wrestling blog, it's obvious that the passion I'm referring to is wrestling.  Let's be honest, my fellow wrestling fans; why is it that wrestling seems to be looked down upon more than any other form of entertainment?  People don't scrutinize movies and television shows about how real they are as much as wrestling!  Why is that?  While I can defend all day and night about how these wrestlers are athletes, that's not really what this is about.  Let's look at wrestling as entertainment for a second, because that's basically what it is.  Wrestling hasn't been presented as a legitimate sport in almost 40 years.  In an entertainment aspect, why is it that people must call out wrestling for how "fake" it is when the movies and TV shows are also "fake."  By the way, as most wrestling fans, and especially people in the business will tell you, we all collectively hate the word "fake."

  If by fake, people mean predetermined, then yes, the outcomes of wrestling matches and angles are  certainly predetermined.  I started to learn this by the age of 8 or 9.  Did that stop me from enjoying what I loved?  No!  I know all of the things in movies I've watched didn't actually happen but I don't try to pick apart everything to point out flaws in logic or realism.  If I did that, I'd never enjoy a movie.  That's the way people should look at wrestling.  But for a minute, let's talk about that word again, "fake."  Just because the matches are predetermined doesn't mean that these people are not athletes.  They train like athletes, eat like athletes, and look like athletes, yet they are not taken seriously by society.  Are they really trying to hurt each other?  No!  In fact, it takes even more work not to hurt each other!  However, these men and women do get hurt.  They get bruised and battered during matches and it takes a lot of talent to know how to execute and take these wrestling maneuvers safely.  The ropes are tough and the mat is certainly no trampoline.  Accidents do happen!

   It may not be a real sport in terms of competition but no one should ever consider wrestlers to not be athletes.  It's not like the UFC or boxing where people are intentionally trying to hurt each other but here's a reason why I like wrestling and don't really watch those sports.  Often, when a specialty match for numerous MMA organizations or boxing takes place, the event is specifically for that match.  Any old school Mike Tyson fight or currently Floyd Mayweather fights are often sold as an event and people pay a lot of money to see it.  The same thing can be said for Ronda Rousey when she was still undefeated in UFC.  These fights can end in minutes or seconds and then it's over!  I'd feel like I wasted my money!  At least with wrestling, you get both quality and quantity in a show. The average wrestling pay-per-view is about three hours and you'll get your money's worth.  

   Since I brought up Ronda Rousey, let's talk about her for a second.  Recently, she has retired from the world of MMA and has become a professional wrestler.  Not everyone, even if you're an athlete, is able to transition smoothly or at all into wrestling.  Concerning MMA, I'll have three examples. The first is Ken Shamrock.  Shamrock was a well known UFC fighter and his popularity brought him to the world of pro wrestling.  He did okay in wrestling but he didn't have the success many thought he would have.  That's because wrestling is so much more than athleticism!  Another example is Tank Abbot.  He was another that went from UFC to wrestling but he didn't fare nearly as well as Shamrock did.  In fact, Tank Abbot was a horrible wrestler.  When I say horrible wrestler, I don't specifically mean in the ring.  There are so many variables in the wrestling business beyond being an athlete.  He couldn't tell a story or convey emotion.  You also have to be an actor.  Ronda, on the other hand, is arguably a much bigger star than either of those men.  Not only that, she's always been a fan, is known to have looked up to Rowdy Roddy Piper, and even got endorsed by his family. Combine those attributes with her star power and she is going to succeed in wrestling.  Her performance at WrestleMania a few weeks ago proved she is well on her way.

   Brock Lesnar is another that has made transitions as well.  Brock Lesnar was a collegiate wrestling star and won the NCAA Championship.  He made his way into pro wrestling at a young age and quickly became a big star.  After Lesnar left the WWF, he tried his hand at pro football and wrestling a little in Japan before making his way into the UFC's Octogon.  His record isn't the greatest and he did suffer defeats, but he also climbed to the top of the MMA world as UFC World Heavyweight Champion.  He became an even bigger star during his stay with the sport.  In 2012, Lesnar came back to the WWF and wrestling world, and is now unquestionably an even bigger star.  However, what people have to realize is that while Lesnar did become a star in the UFC, he was a wrestler first. Without having been a star in wrestling first, I'm not so sure Lesnar would have been as big a household name.  

   Many wrestlers were pro football players, often in the NFL, before they came into wrestling.  Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Lex Lugar, Wahoo McDaniel, Brian Pillman, Goldberg, and even The Rock all played professional football.  They succeeded in wrestling because they had a passion for it and understood all of the aspects it takes to be a wrestler.  In early 1995, football great Lawrence Taylor showed up at the WWF Royal Rumble to start an angle with the late Bam Bam Bigelow.  It led to a match at WrestleMania and although I was against it happening, I understood it from a business aspect, as it would bring about mainstream attention for the company.  You have to understand as well that the reason Bigelow was involved is because he was known to be trustworthy and would be professionally able to handle such a task.  Bigelow brought Taylor to a passable match and I'll give credit where credit is due.  Taylor did much better than I thought he would.  However, reports state that after the match in the back, Taylor blew up physically and the match took a toll on him, proving not everyone, even pro athletes, can handle wrestling.

   That leads me to another thing while we're on the subject of wrestlers being athletes.  There is no off season in wrestling.  Some of these men and women legitimately work 300 days a year.  They constantly travel and rarely see their families, just to make a living but beyond that, to entertain people.  Just because you may see a wrestler on TV once or twice a week doesn't mean they only wrestle one or two times a week.  They often wrestle during the week at non-televised events we, the wrestling fans, refer to as House Shows.  There are off seasons in all other major sports but since wrestling is mainly a form of entertainment, there's no such thing as an off season.  We could even compare wrestlers to regular actors as well.  TV shows also have seasons and off time but wrestling does not.  That's why I have the utmost respect for what these men and women do.

   There was a time when this kind of wrestling was a legitimate competition based sport.  This form of wrestling began in the mid-1800's.  In fact, long before becoming President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was a wrestler.  It wasn't until about the 1930's that wrestling outcomes started to become predetermined.  Even so, it was a secret that many didn't know about.  The advent of television brought wrestling into people's homes and because of that, the entertainment aspect of it grew.  Characters like Gorgeous George made wrestling a spectacle in the 1950's.  In the 1980's, Vince McMahon took the WWF, and in some way wrestling itself, globally.  WrestleMania and Hulk Hogan became household words and names.  A wrestling boom happened here and up until this point, many people still thought wrestling was "real."  In the late 1990's, wrestling had another boom period during what was called the Monday Night War, and wrestling became the most mainstream it ever had.  Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, among others, were all over the media and in people's homes.

   This leads me to another topic within this blog.  People that don't like or understand what wrestling is about often underestimate just how influential wrestling is.  Both boxing and MMA have been incredibly influenced by wrestling.  Muhammad Ali based pretty much his entire boxing persona from watching Gorgeous George.  I'd argue that before Ali came along, boxing was pretty basic and didn't really have a lot of character.  The same could be said for MMA.  The showmanship of MMA was all influenced by wrestling, from the entrance music to the way these fighters interact with one another during interviews or press conferences.  Again, I'm not comparing wrestling to sports, but I'm pointing out that wrestling does influence sports.  It's not out of the ordinary to go to a baseball, football, basketball, or hockey game and hear a wrestling theme song.  Wrestling is in more places than people give it credit for.

   I will defend until my death, my love and passion for professional wrestling.  During my childhood, these men and women were my heroes.  As I grew into an adult, I started to understand the sacrifices these people make to entertain others.  During this decade, I've been fortunate enough to meet some of these people and it's just as thrilling as an adult.  Some people talk about wrestling being a bad influence or something that's not for kids.  I'd argue that with the exception of the Attitude Era, wrestling's always been for kids.  Actually, I think wrestling is for people of all ages.  Wrestling isn't any worse than anything else that's on TV these days.  In fact, it can be argued that the actual news is the worst thing someone can watch.  Wrestling is an escape, much like any other form of entertainment.  It's used to get away from the real world for a little and get lost in another.  Life is hard enough!  Sometimes, we need something to keep our sanity and happiness, because the real world is often difficult to get through.   I may not like everything that's on TV or in the movies but I would never criticize people who enjoy what they enjoy.  Unfortunately, the judgment of wrestling will never go away.  As far as I'm concerned, I've stopped letting it bother me because wrestling has always been and always will be something I love and am passionate about.

  If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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Educating Young Fans on Andre the Giant

   When I say young fans, I need to put this into context.  I'm 38 years old, having watched Andre the Giant in the 80's and 90's.  By the time I was of age to understand the business a little better, even as a child, Andre was past his prime, in a lot of pain, and wouldn't realistically live much longer. However, I'm old enough to have seen Andre in better shape in the early 80's.  Not only that, even as a kid, I researched more about him and got to watch old video tapes of him during his more agile years.  I think people that are ten, maybe even only five years younger than me may not fully understand just how good Andre was and only remember him at the tail end of his career.  I'm no expert but I really feel like some fans misunderstood Andre's talents and need a little more education on the subject.

   Recently, an HBO special about Andre the Giant aired.  I haven't seen it yet because I don't have HBO, I'm having a slight monetary problem, and I'm not keen enough on technology to see it for free.  With that being said, I can guess that the documentary has more than likely shed the light on Andre's entire career and enlightened people that may not have been aware of his earlier days as a wrestler.  For those of you that saw it, this would probably not be directed towards you.  I've read a lot of wrestling message boards where it seems clear fans younger than me are basing Andre's entire career on his last few years.  In anything, history is an important factor and just a little research on Google can give you answers on a subject.

   Andre the Giant was a spectacle in every sense of the word.  He was tailor-made for the wrestling industry.  Unfortunately, it came with a lot of ridicule and weird looks from the average person.  His size alone made it very difficult for him to do things people take for granted, such as traveling, buying clothes, and driving a car.  Everything was harder for Andre to deal with.  As many know, Andre had a disease known as Acromegaly, or in layman's terms, Gigantism.  His body grew much more rapidly than the average human being and he wasn't projected to live a long life.  The Big Show has the same affliction but medical technology has improved enough to where it was caught at an early age and somewhat treated.  Much like Andre, Big Show probably has limited time in the world as well.  Fortunately, he just got himself in the best shape of his life, and although he is now the same age Andre was when he died, the Big Show has more mileage left.  Even so, Andre accepted his fate in life and made the most of it, as best he could.

   Though Andre was in a lot of pain in his later years, he still managed to have a sense of humor.  To many outside the ring, he was known as a gentle giant.  However, you still did not want to cross him.  In the 70's, Andre traveled the wrestling territories and his size made him an attraction.  Andre stood 7'4 and when he started wrestling full time, weighed well over 400 lbs. Andre had an equally big heart and was well liked among his wrestling family.  He also had a natural charisma about him, which drew even more people to arenas around the world.  In his earlier years, he was agile for a man his size, and he wasn't always the immobile giant many younger fans remember him as.  

   I'm going to skip ahead for a second because there's been something that's bothered me for a long time.  Many fans remember the infamous slam heard 'round the world, when Hulk Hogan body slammed Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III.  Many people point out that others had slammed Andre in the past, and kind of ruined this moment for me.  For instance, I know Harley Race body slammed Andre years earlier. However, what people fail to realize is that by the time Hogan slammed Andre, Andre weighed at least 520 lbs, much heavier than when others did it.  That still makes his moment with Hogan special!  Not only that, the idea of Hogan vs. Andre during the wrestling boom of the WWF in the 80's was a huge draw.  Hogan was also a larger than life persona and although Hulkamania had been running wild for a few years before his clash with Andre in 1987, this moment really put him on the map.  To this day, Hogan credits Andre for "making" him.  I think it's fair to say, and even Hogan himself admits, that before he was "the guy," Andre the Giant was "the guy."

   Once into the 80's, you'd be likely to see Andre in several territories, as well as the WWF.  He'd show up in Mid-South, Stampede, and several others.  He'd team with Dusty Rhodes or have matches with the likes of Ric Flair or Ernie Ladd.  In 1980, Andre was the clear cut good guy, while Hulk Hogan was the bad guy.  They had a match in Shea Stadium that year and had a match in 1982 as well.  It was a much different atmosphere than their encounter years later.  By 1984, Andre was more or less full time in the WWF.  He'd often be teaming with Hulk Hogan or Hillbilly Jim.  He also feuded with members of the Heenan Family as well.

   Andre was often the king of Battle Royals, as he was the biggest man in the ring and no one was able to push him over the ropes and out of the ring.  Such was evident in his Battle Royal win at WrestleMania 2.  Andre did many things in those days.  He feuded with Big John Studd over who was the true giant in wrestling, which lead to a body slam challenge at the first WrestleMania.  He even donned a mask due to a storyline banishment from the WWF as part of a team known as the Machines, often used as comedy to the chagrin of Bobby Heenan.  

   In early 1987, things changed for Andre as a character.  On an episode of Piper's Pit, Andre showed up with Bobby Heenan to confront Hulk Hogan.  The two were friends but once Heenan got in Andre's ear, Andre was a new man.  Andre then challenged Hogan to a match at WrestleMania III and the rest is history, as they say.  By this time, Andre was in so much pain that it was hard to get through a match.  Hogan often states he wasn't sure Andre would do business or not.  Legend has it that near the end of the match, Andre instructed Hogan to slam him and end the match.  The Hogan/Andre feud lasted over a year and a half, with the buildup starting in early 1987 and lasting through the Summer of 1988.  Their feud in 1987 led up to the creation of the WWF's 2nd Pay-Per-View event, the Survivor Series.  

   Andre was the sole survivor of his team that November and it led to a rematch with Hogan in February of 1988 at "The Main Event."  Due to a crooked twin referee, Andre defeated Hogan to finally become the WWF World Heavyweight Champion.  Minutes later, Andre surrendered the Title to the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, who purchased the belt from Andre.  This led to the Title being vacated and a tournament would take place at WrestleMania IV to crown a new Champion. Andre's match with Hogan that night was a draw, causing Ted DiBiase to receive a bye right into the finals in a losing effort against "Macho Man" Randy Savage.  This led to a tag team match at the first SummerSlam between the Mega Powers of Hogan and Savage against the Mega Bucks, DiBiase and Andre.

   After that, Andre went on to feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts, had a short program with the Ultimate Warrior, and even more Championship gold, as he and Heenan Family member Haku defeated Demolition for the WWF Tag Team Titles as the Colossal Connection.  This led to a rematch between the two teams at WrestleMania VI, which would be Andre's last match in the WWF.  After Haku accidentally kicked Andre, it led to their loss.  Heenan was irate and slapped Andre.  Andre retaliated by attacking Heenan and Haku, as he kicked them off of their motorized cart and rode alone to the back, to the sound of cheers.

   Andre showed up a few more times on WWF television, often on crutches after surgery.  Andre endorsed the Big Bossman when the Bossman was feuding with the Heenan Family.  In the Summer of 1991, manager Jimmy Hart claimed that he was trying to find an equally large man to team with Earthquake.  Both claimed Andre the Giant would be Earthquake's partner but Andre declined. Earthquake then attacked Andre and weeks later found his partner in Tugboat, who turned on the Bushwhackers and became Typhoon, with both calling themselves the Natural Disasters.  At SummerSlam, Andre seconded the Bushwhackers in their match with them.  

   Outside of the WWF, Andre continued to wrestle through late 1992, often in Japan for All Japan Pro Wrestling.  He was shown on WCW television that year on an episode of Clash of the Champions.  In January of 1993, Andre the Giant sadly passed away at the age of 46, after attending his father's funeral in France, perhaps of a broken heart.  Months later, the WWF created their Hall of Fame and Andre became the first inductee.

   Andre the Giant was a kind soul and a tremendous competitor, both in size and heart.  Andre captivated audiences around the world and sold out arenas.  He was a wonderful human being and was talented as well, appearing in several movies.  In his movie and television roles, he was probably mostly known for his appearance in The Princess Bride.  He had a great character and some fantastic one-liners in the film.  He touched people's lives, whether it was his wrestling family, the fans, or his costars.  Andre the Giant was one of a kind and will always be remembered and revered.  I hope this showed a little more about Andre than some knew.  

  If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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WrestleMania XXXIV Weekend Review

   I needed a week to let everything marinate regarding this past WrestleMania weekend.  In the last several years, it truly has become a weekend.  In a way, it's become a five-day experience if you include Raw and Smackdown.  I'll briefly review the Hall of Fame before getting into Takeover, followed by WrestleMania XXXIV.  If you notice, I use Roman Numerals because I'm old school like that.

WWE HALL OF FAME CLASS of 2018

   I didn't watch the Hall of Fame live because I was on a flight.  In fact, I didn't watch the whole thing all at once; I watched it in parts.  This was due to how many things I had going on.  From what I was told before getting through the whole thing, is that it was long and sadly, half of the audience were gone by the time Goldberg had his speech.  The Dudley Boys getting inducted was a great way to start the show.  It was truly a wonderful thing to see them, along with the Hardys, Edge, and Christian all on the stage together.  In true Dudley fashion, they even put someone through a table. I enjoyed Hillbilly Jim's speech and was very happy to see him take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

   Ivory had some great stories and it was great to see one of the more influential women in wrestling get her moment in the sun.  To be honest, I skipped over the entirety of Kid Rock's induction.  To understand why, I've got a blog dedicated to that on here.  Even though the Warrior Award has become something nice, I skipped that too.  However, that JJ has a lot of personality and it was cool for him to receive that award.  I have to say, it was awesome to see Jeff Jarrett have his moment and the Road Dogg was the perfect person to induct him.  He seems like a different person.  He was very humbled and appreciative of everything.  Having it end by singing "With My Baby Tonight" was fantastic.  

   Mark Henry's induction was something else!  This was very deserving and it was truly a proud moment for him.  Of course, the man that headlined this class was the one and only Goldberg.  He had a great career and it was nice for it to come full circle for him, considering his not-so-great run in 2003-2004.  I couldn't help but notice that there was a lot of mention of Hulk Hogan.  Goldberg, Hillbilly Jim, and D-Von Dudley all mentioned him.  Little by little, Hogan's influence is returning. There are reports about Bam Bam Bigelow getting inducted next year with WrestleMania being in his home state of New Jersey.  There were several mentions of Owen Hart this year and Mark Henry even pleaded with Martha Hart to allow Owen to become part of the Hall of Fame.  Here's hoping for next year!  

NXT TAKEOVER: NEW ORLEANS

   Wow!  What can I say about Takeover?  This was a fantastic show from top to bottom.  I can't find a single complaint about it!  While I really did enjoy this show, I know it's not realistic to compare it to WrestleMania, or say it's better or not.  What I will say is that this Takeover did not disappoint.  From the opening match, to the unexpected heel turn, to the happy ending, it was a great show all around.

NXT North American Championship Six-Man Ladder Match - EC3 vs. The Velveteen Dream vs. Adam Cole vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dane vs. Ricochet

   I couldn't think of a better way to start this show.  There was so much talent in that ring, with all different skills and strengths.  Every man put everything on the line to secure their chance at the brand new NXT North American Title.  It was anyone's game and I would have been happy with just about anyone walking away with the gold.  The performances in this match were outstanding and I wouldn't have expected anything less, especially from guys like Ricochet and Velveteen Dream.  In the end, the North American Championship went to; Adam Cole Bay Bay!  With Cole's win, I expected the Undisputed Era to drop the Tag Team Titles later in the show.  More on that later!

Women's Title - Ember Moon vs. Shayna Baszler

   At Takeover: Philadelphia, the Queen of Spades couldn't get the job done against the Champion but she certainly made her mark. Baszler injured and worked on Moon's arm, even after that match when it took Moon's entire weight and momentum to pin her.  Baszler kept up the attack, much like she had with Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai in the months leading up to the match.  This time, the former MMA fighter was too much to handle, as she became the new NXT Women's Champion.  As we know by now, Ember Moon made her debut two nights later on Raw.  Now I'm wondering who will be the next challenger to the NXT Women's Championship.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Trophy & NXT Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Match - Undisputed Era vs. Authors of Pain vs. Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne

   When the Undisputed Era's Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly attacked both teams during the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, they thought they were being clever.  NXT General Manager William Regal ended up making it a Triple Threat for not just the Tag Team Championships, but also the Dusty Rhodes trophy.  With Bobby Fish's injury, Cole was forced to pull double duty at Takeover.  In an unexpected turn of events, perennial good guy Roderick Strong turned on his WWE United Kingdom Champion partner Pete Dunne to join up with the Undisputed Era, securing the Tag Team Championships for the faction.  I did not see that coming and it was awesome!

NXT Championship - Andrade "Cien" Alnas vs, Aleister Black

   It's somewhat unusual when the main Championship of a brand is not the main event. Such was the case here, as the last match on the card was a blood feud, a lot more personal than this match.  In any event, this match delivered. Both men are tremendous talents. Aleister Black's talents speak for themselves and Almas' stock has risen immensely since he paired up with Zelina Vega.  At the end of the day, El Idolo was no match for the Dutch Destroyer and his Championship reign faded to Black!

Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa

   This is the biggest grudge match that NXT has ever seen!  When Ciampa turned on his long-time partner Gargano, it rocked the very foundation of NXT and pulled at its fans' heartstrings.  Many likened the turn to the infamous breakup of the Rockers!  Time after time, Ciampa attacked Gargano and in a recent match for the NXT Title, cost him his NXT career.  Johnny Wrestling returned the favor by trying to get at Ciampa, even illegally due to his banishment from NXT.  This match is what I'd like to call "DIY Explodes!"  If Gargano won, he would be welcomed back to NXT and Ciampa was dead set on making sure that didn't happen.  It was a brutal match and both men put it all on the line.  In a true Cinderella story, Gargano defeated Ciampa to earn back his spot in NXT.  I'm pretty sure this feud will continue.  Gargano's wife Candice LaRea celebrated with him to end Takeover, truly sending the fans home happy.

   As usual, NXT Takeover produced a fantastic event.  Starting off with an incredible six-man ladder match for a new Championship was a great idea.  Though I usually like to have a main Championship as the main event, I was more than okay with that spot going to the Gargano/Ciampa match.  I would have liked it to include a match between Candice LaRea vs. Zelina Vega based on their previous encounters to be done either on the show or as a Kick-Off match but that will come in time.  The turn by Roderick Strong was unexpected and executed perfectly.  It's rumored that this will lead to Pete Dunne forming the infamous British Strong Style faction to deal with the Undisputed Era.  I think it was the right move to get the Title onto Aleister Black to see what he can do with it.  I'd imagine Almas will get his rematch in Chicago or Brooklyn this year and move to the main roster by the year's end.  Johnny Wrestling's defeat of Tommaso Ciampa was the feel good moment of the year so far in NXT.  Now we move to the show of shows, WrestleMania!

WRESTLEMANIA XXXIV

   This was a very interesting WrestleMania to say the least.  A lot of unexpected things took place here.  I had mixed feelings about the show as I thought all the matches were good to great but I questioned some of the off-the-wall booking.  Overall, it's still WrestleMania!  Once the event itself was in the books, we had Raw and Smackdown to look forward to, which included some returns and NXT call-ups.  This week we have the Shake-up, which is sure to be entertaining.

KICK-OFF SHOW
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

   This is the fifth installment of this match and every single time the winner never amounted to much more.  Going in, I found it to be a big waste of time.  I also had heard rumors of them making a bigger deal of it this year, considering the Andre the Giant HBO documentary came out just days later.  I really didn't care beforehand who won the match but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.  I was curious as to why Bray Wyatt was not in the thing until there were just a few men left in the ring.  The final three were former winners Baron Corbin and Mojo Rawley, along with Matt Hardy. Suddenly, the lights went out and when they came back on, the Broken One's rival Bray Wyatt appeared.  Together, the two attacked Corbin and Rawley, eliminating them, causing Hardy to win. They both embraced and exclaimed; "Wonderful!"

Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Finals - Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali

   I'm glad that this match was placed between the two Battle Royals.  This was sure to be an exciting match, with two of the best Cruiserweights in the business.  It's been a long, tough road for Cedric to get to this moment and Ali has really upped his game since the Cruiserweight Classic took place, with his recent incredible promos.  As expected, I really enjoyed this match.  While I would have been happy with either outcome, it truly made me smile when Cedric got the job done.

Women's WrestleMania Battle Royal

   After the outrage of the initial naming of this match due to the controversy regarding the Fabulous Moolah, everything was all set.  I'm disappointed that Sasha Banks and Bayley were in this and didn't get their own match.  However, with their involvement, it was likely to end with one or the other winning.  While no women of the past came back for this Battle Royal, it did involve several members of the female NXT roster, including Kairi Sane, Dakota Kai, Bianca Belair, and one half of the Iconic Duo, Peyton Royce.  My predicted winner was actually Royce and Billie Kay together. Two nights later on Smackdown, they made their main roster debut by attacking Charlotte, only for Carmella to successfully cash in her "Money In the Bank."  In a surprising, yet positive outcome, Naomi ended up winning the whole thing.  With her Smackdown Women's Title win at last year's WrestleMania, this superstar has sure made things glow!  Too bad the trophy looks like a woman's reproductive organs!

MAIN CARD
Intercontinental Title Triple Threat Match - The Miz vs. Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins

   This was a great way to start the show!  Going in, almost any scenario was possible.  My prediction was that the Miz would retain but I would have been happy with any outcome.  The only disappointment I had was that Balor did not show up as the Demon.  It's WrestleMania, for crying out loud!  Moving on, the match was really good.  It was fast paced and exciting.  In the end, we saw Seth Rollins with the victory, gaining the one Title he needed to become a Grand Slam Champion.

Smackdown Women's Title - Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka

    It was surprising that a match of this caliber happened so early on the card.  After some great entrances, especially Charlotte's, we got right into the action.  I think many wrestling fans had this preconceived theory that Asuka was going to walk out the new Women's Champion, being that she won the Royal Rumble and she had an undefeated streak.  I certainly chose Asuka as the winner!  Then the unthinkable happened! Charlotte locked in the Figure 8 and soon after, Asuka tapped out!  I was in complete shock!  In that moment, I was not too happy, even after what was probably the match of the night.  I thought she should have won the Title and kept it and her undefeated streak for another year until a bout with Ronda Rousey at next year's WrestleMania. Looking back, especially with what took place on Smackdown two nights later, I get why they did this.  Also, if Asuka was going to lose to someone, there's no one greater or more deserving than Charlotte Flair!

US Title Fatal Fourway Match - Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Rusev

   At Fastlane, Randy Orton defeated Bobby Roode to win the US Championship.  At first, many assumed the rematch would take place at WrestleMania.  However, with Jinder Mahal butting into this feud, it became a Triple Threat. With Rusev's popularity as of late, he was added to the match.  The moment that happened, I immediately picked Rusev as the winner and new US Champion, with a huge celebration of Rusev Day!  The match itself was pretty good and I could have seen anyone walk out the winner.  Before Rusev was added, I was sure Jinder Mahal was taking the gold.  That's what happened anyway, as Jinder was not to be hindered.  Although some might not be happy with this, at least it's the US Title and not the WWE Title, which he unfortunately held for six months last year.

Triple H & Stephanie McMahon vs. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey

   It was finally time for the in-ring debut of Ronda Rousey.  Since her arrival at the Royal Rumble this year, she has been the focal point of WWE programming.  Her interactions in the ring left some worrying if she could pull it off.  Some even pointed out that she smiled too much.  At the end of the day, she was simply excited and couldn't help herself.  It was going to take time for her to grow both in the ring and on the microphone.  She came out in full Rowdy Roddy Piper garb and it was awesome.  Although, I have to give credit where credit is due, as the motorcycle entrance for Triple H & Stephanie McMahon was really cool.  Though many thought the Game and Angle were going to keep the match's integrity going, Rousey shocked us all with great ring technique for a beginner.  I was so proud of her and came to the full realization that Ronda will be just fine.  She's a star!  She really came through and this was probably my second favorite match of the night.  It ended with Stephanie tapping out to an arm bar.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles Triple Threat Match: The Usos vs. The New Day vs. Bludgeon Brothers
   At Fastlane, during the Usos' Title defense against The New Day, the Bludgeon Brothers appeared and destroyed both teams.  As a result, a Triple Threat Match for the Tag Team Titles was created, featuring all three teams. The former Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan somehow became an even more brutal and intimidating presence as the Bludgeon Brothers.  Along with many people, I thought it was going to be their night.  We were all right, as they captured the Tag Team Championships. Their brutality and surprising agility mixed well with the always entertaining combination of the Usos and The New Day.  In the end, the Bludgeon Brothers escaped with the Championships from the confines of the Uso Penitentiary.

Undertaker vs. John Cena

    I can barely rate this match, to be honest! First of all, there was zero buildup, as this match was never confirmed, even though it was likely to take place.  This is a match that should have happened years ago when the Streak was still in tact.  For me, once the Streak ended, I stopped caring about the Undertaker's matches at WrestleMania.  Throughout the night, John Cena was shown as a member of the crowd, enjoying the spectacle of WrestleMania and interacting with the fans, in quite an entertaining manner. After speaking with a WWE staff member, Cena was seen hopping the barricade, running up the ramp.  Later, Cena came out and after speaking for a while, the Undertaker actually showed up.  An impromptu match between the two then took place and the Undertaker handily defeated Cena in less than three minutes.  It was certainly a disappointment and it was a complete waste of time.  On the bright side, at least Taker won!

Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn

   The grudge between Owens/Zayn and Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon had been going on since the Summer of 2017 but now it was almost overshadowed by the in-ring return of Smackdown General Manager Daniel Bryan.  After being attacked by the Canadian duo after firing them, Bryan said he and Shane would take them on at WrestleMania.  I thought for sure that either Bryan would turn on Shane or Shane would turn on Bryan.  To my surprise, they came together and defeated Owens and Zayn.  Now everyone wondered what would happen to those two, due to the stipulation that if they lost, they would remain fired from Smackdown.  Now it's going to be exciting to see how Daniel Bryan gets back into the mix.  I should have figured the happy ending would take place here, with it being Bryan's first match back.  Bryan vacating his GM spot left the door open for a newly in-ring retired Paige.

Raw Women's Title - Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax

    This feud had been slowly building up for quite some time and finally started to explode when Nia found out about all of the things Alexa said behind her back.  There was even a tad of bullying and body shaming within this feud, with Alexa talking with new best pal Mickie James about Nia's weight and size.  If ever there was a match that was thought to have gone under three minutes, this would be it!  Surprisingly, it went over ten minutes!  As predicted, however, Nia Jax defeated Alexa Bliss to become the new Raw Women's Champion.



WWE Title - AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
   This, in my opinion, should have been the main event!  As a traditionalist, since Nakamura won the Royal Rumble, he should have headlined with the Champion Styles in the main event. This was a match that was sure to be a good one, with either man winning sending the fans home happy.  Even though I would have been okay with AJ winning, I was still pulling for Shinsuke to win the Championship.  The match didn't quite live up to the hype but I think it's more than because of the in-ring action.  I would call the match good, but not great.  However, WrestleMania is such a long and tedious event that by the time this match took place, I think the fans both in the arena and at home were just exhausted.  To the shock of many, AJ defeated Nakamura to retain the WWE Title.  What shocked people even more was the aftermath, as Nakamura turned heel by nailing AJ with a low blow and then attacked him. Though I was skeptical of how a heel Nakamura would be presented, his antics on Smackdown changed my mind.

Raw Tag Team Titles - The Bar vs. Braun Strowman & Nicholas

   There was such speculation as to who the Monster Among Men would choose as his partner to challenge Sheamus and Cesaro for the Titles.  My personal pick was the Big Show but fans had other possibilities picked out, such as Bobby Lashley, Rey Misterio, Big Cass, and Samoa Joe.  Braun then said he wanted to wait because he was going to pick a fan as his partner.  He searched the crowd high and low.  I spotted No Way Jose in the crowd so there was hope that it would be an actual wrestler.  Braun chose a ten-year-old child named Nicholas as his partner.  Even though the crowd seemed to be okay with it, there was a collective groan within my group of friends watching.  Though Braun pretty much destroyed The Bar by himself, he and Nicholas became the new Raw Tag Team Champions.  I understand what they were trying to accomplish but please do that in a non-Title match.  This was really lame to me and a complete let down.

Universal Title - Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

   The main event was of course this match, which was the match I was looking forward to the least.  It has nothing to do with Roman Reigns and how I may or may not feel about him either.  I just wasn't interested at all!  I simply did not care for the match, nor for the Championship that pretty much means nothing to me.  For many, it was a forgone conclusion that Reigns was going to walk away the Champion.  Then the unexpected happened!  After several F-5's and German Suplexes, as well as being bloodied up by Lesnar, Reigns was defeated.  Though the Reigns haters were happy, the Reigns supporters were not.  I was so indifferent by the whole thing!

   WrestleMania is still a great event, no matter what goes on.  I think many will agree that there have been some pretty bad ones but I don't think this one could be in that discussion.  It wasn't on my all-time greatest list either, though!  As far as the match level, I'd give it an overall 8 out of 10.  Some of the endings, however, were questionable to me.  The best match itself from an in-ring standpoint was probably Charlotte/Asuka.  The best overall match of the night for me was the one with Ronda Rousey, as she completed exceeded expectations and I hope it shut her haters up.  There is nothing quite like the spectacle of WrestleMania!




  If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments.  Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans.  Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport.  For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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WrestleMania XXXIV Predictions

   It's hard to believe that WrestleMania XXXIV is almost upon us.  As of this writing we're half a day away.  The card looks pretty good and although some of the build has been poor, it's still WrestleMania!  It's a WWE fan's favorite time of the year!  All of the Championships will be decided, we will witness the return of Daniel Bryan, and see the debut of Ronda Rousey.  Dream matches like AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka will take place.  Who will Braun Strowman's partner be?  Will we see a concert by Elias?  Also, it doesn't look like the Undertaker and John Cena will square off at all.  Let's get to it!

KICK-OFF

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

   Unfortunately, all four past winners of this match didn't really go much further up the card.  The same can probably be said for this match.  There were rumors that this match was originally going to appear on the main card and taken more seriously due to the timing of the Andre the Giant HBO special that recently took place.  However, it looks as if it's an excuse to get everyone on the card to get that WrestleMania payday.  Either way, it's always fun to see a Battle Royal and there just may be some surprises.  As for a winner, I'm choosing a returning Samoa Joe.

Cruiserweight Title Tournament Finals - Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali

   This should be the show-stealer of the Kick-Off, at the very least.  I couldn't think of two more deserving guys to be a part of this.  It's come down to these two extraordinary superstars.  Cedric has always been a fan favorite but lately we've seen the rise of Mustafa.  His promos have been on point and he's just as ready for this opportunity as Cedric is.  The action will be nonstop!  In my opinion, I can't imagine a scenario that the fans won't enjoy, whatever the outcome may be.  Both are certainly deserving.  It can go either way but in the end, I'm predicting Cedric to take home the Cruiserweight Title.  

Women's Battle Royal

 We had an unfortunate name change due to some controversy about the late Fabulous Moolah.  However, much like the men's Battle Royal, I'm afraid it's simply a way to get the remaining women on the card and unlike the Women's Royal Rumble a few months back, it won't have as much meaning.  However, that's not to say it won't be entertaining.  There's the possibility of seeing Trish Stratus or Lita make an appearance and I wouldn't be surprised if the Bella Twins showed up.  I can even see brand new Hall of Famer Ivory take part.  It's unfortunate that the newly ignited feud between Sasha Banks and Bayley will not get its own match.  I'm predicting the end will be co-winners in the form of NXT's Iconic Duo, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce.

MAIN SHOW

Raw Tag Team Titles - The Bar vs. Braun Strowman & a Mystery Partner

   Though Braun won a Tag Team Battle Royal by himself to gain contendership to the Raw Tag Team Titles, WWE management has told the Monster Among Men that he must choose a partner.  Being smarter than led to be believed, Braun has not disclosed his partner's identity yet.  It could be any number of partners at this point.  I've heard rumors of Samoa Joe, a returning Big Cass, Rey Misterio, and even James Ellsworth if you can believe it.  I think Braun's partner will not disappoint.  When it comes down to it, I'm going with the Big Show.  Though many were under the impression he was about to retire, the big man has said he is not done yet.  It would be pretty cool to see and it would come full circle as the last time we saw the Big Show, Braun slammed him through a cage.  I think mutual respect has come from their battles and he would be the perfect partner for Braun.  If that's the case, I can't see them losing the Titles for a long time.  

Smackdown Tag Team Titles - The Usos vs. The New Day vs. The Bludgeon Brothers

   Any time you put the Usos and the New Day together, you're in for a treat.  Now we add the dynamic of the Bludgeon Brothers, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan.  These men have had wars with the Usos a few years ago when they were members of the Wyatt Family.  At Fastlane, the Bludgeon Brothers destroyed both the Usos and the New Day and due to how brutal it was, they were added to this Championship match.  I can see a scenario where any of the three times emerge victorious.  The Titles have been on lock down in the Uso Penitentiary for quite some time and they have proven they are the best team in the company.  My pick is for the Bludgeon Brothers to walk away with the gold.

US Title Fatal Fourway - Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode vs, Jinder Mahal vs. Rusev

   After Orton defeated Roode at Fastlane, I assumed a rematch would take place at WrestleMania.  For a while now, Jinder has tried to hinder both men and had been added to the match.  Once that announcement was made, my original prediction was for Jinder to become the new United States Champion.  However, recently, he lost a match to Rusev and now the Bulgarian Brute has been added as well.  With his recent popularity and the fact the WrestleMania happens to fall on Rusev Day, he has become my official predicted winner.  

Intercontinental Title - The Miz vs. Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor

   You can make a case for any of the three to win here.  The Miz has really made the Intercontinental Title more relevant than it has been in years.  Though he just started his eighth reign as Champion and won't be able to beat the Honky Tonk Man's record for longest single reign, if the Miz wins, he will become for the record holder for overall most days as Intercontinental Champion.  However, with the recent birth of his daughter, it's possible he may take time off.  Seth Rollins is always a great choice.  I'm pretty sure that if Balor brings out the Demon, he will likely become the new Champion.  However, my gut tells me that the Miz will retain.

Smackdown Women's Title - Charlotte Flair v. Asuka

   This is a dream match if there ever was one.  Both of these women are tremendous performers.  As much skill as Charlotte has, I'm gonna go with Asuka on this one, and not just because of her undefeated streak.  Asuka won the first ever Women's Royal Rumble this year and since she's newer to the main roster, I see her taking home the gold.  In the future, Charlotte definitely has a chance to break the streak but I'm pretty sure Ronda Rousey will get the honor.  Of course, we may have to worry about Carmella possibly cashing in her "Money In the Bank."  If she chooses to do so, she may not cash in successfully.

Raw Women's Title - Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax

   This has "squash match" written all over it and I can't see it lasting more than 5 minutes.  Alexa has shamed and tormented Nia about her size for quite a while and an angry Nia Jax can be a scary thing.  Even with an assist from Mickie James, I think Little Miss Bliss is in big trouble tonight.  Basically, my prediction is that Nia becomes the new Raw Women's Champion.  However, I have even more for this match.  I'm not sure if the rules were made clear and they change them to fit their narrative anyway, so what's to stop Carmella from cashing in here?  After the loss, I can see Alexa and Mickie double team the new Champion, leaving her laying.  After that, I see yet another new Champion in the Princess of Staten Island.

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. Shane McMahon & Daniel Bryan

   The feud between Owens and McMahon began at SummerSlam of last year when Shane was the referee in Owens' rematch with AJ Styles for the US Title.  Sami Zayn got involved when he saved his estranged best friend Owens from a Shane elbow drop at Hell In a Cell.  Smackdown Commissioner Shane has let his emotions get the best of him in this blood feud but General Manager Daniel Bryan has tried to be the voice of reason, even somewhat siding with Owens and Zayn, despite their actions.  When Bryan was miraculously cleared to wrestle once again and decided to fire Owens and Zayn for attacking Shane, they brutally attacked him too.  If the best friends don't win, they remain fired.  My prediction is that they win, with Shane or Bryan turning on one another.

Triple H & Stephanie McMahon vs. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey

   UFC superstar Ronda Rousey made her debut at the Royal Rumble and made her intentions of competing at WrestleMania known.  Trouble soon began when she butted heads with the Authority during her signing and Angle instigated it, which has lead to this match.  Three years ago at WrestleMania 31, Rousey was invited to the ring by The Rock and nearly broke Stephanie's arm.  I'm sure McMahon never forgot that!  My prediction is Angle and Ronda win and most likely in the form of a double submission.

Universal Title - Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns
   As big as this match is, it's the match I care the least about.  For one, the Universal Title means absolutely nothing to me.  We've already seen this match three years ago but Seth Rollins cashed in his "Money In the Bank" to secure the heist of the century during the match.  I know it's mainstream but it just doesn't interest me in the least.  This match will probably be the main event and it shouldn't because Reigns did not win the Royal Rumble.  I'm just too much of a traditionalist.  If it somehow manages to find itself more in the middle of the card, it will certainly be my bathroom break.  99% of people will probably predict Reigns emerging victorious and he's my pick as well.

WWE Title - AJ Style vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

   This is it!  This is the match many have wanted to see on the big stage and now we're getting it.  The first time these two men fought was at New Japan's WrestleKingdom event two years ago.  The fact that we're getting to see it in WWE is amazing and at WrestleMania, no less!  Shinsuke won the 2018 Royal Rumble to earn a Championship match.  AJ on the other hand, survived a Title defense at both the Royal Rumble and Fastlane, to make this match happen.  Ultimately, I don't care who wins because the real winners are the fans, no matter which way this goes.  With that being said, however, I'm picking Nakamura to walk away as the first Japanese born WWE Champion.  Not only that, but if they want to send the fans home happy, this should be the main event!




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