Wrestlemania Rewrite part 3: The Aftermath, London Calling

Ok, now let’s look at where all that could lead. And ahead is not so much a strict timetable of events as a spread of possible programs and alliances coming out of a Wrestlemania  main event won by Roman Reigns, backed by a suddenly reformed Shield.

Just a quick recap of the Wrestlemania fantasy I’ve etched into my mind, which can be read in full here.

Wade Barrett retained the intercontinental championship title after interference from Sheamus.

The Authority disbanded after Sting defeated Triple H.

Cena won the US championship title from Rusev.

The Shield ostensibly reformed, with Rollins and Ambrose assisting Reigns in achieving victory over Lesnar.

Now then, let’s look at the opening moments of RAW that would follow all this.

The original Shield music hits and Roman Reigns comes out carrying the heavyweight title belt. He gets halfway down the ramp, then stops, looks back, and Rollins and Ambrose soon follow. The three make their way to the ring and pace the canvas. Reigns teases the buzz in the crowd. Says he promised he would win the title at Wrestlemania, but didn’t say how. Raises questions about there being possible premeditation, then gives the mic to Rollins. Rollins suggests the fans must have many questions. That they don’t owe an explanation to anyone, but will clear some things up. He made a mistake, bet on the wrong team. Talks trash about the Authority’s lack of organization. Asks if he would do it again? Says, maybe… Is he sorry? He apologizes for nothing. He simply saw the writing on the wall, realized it made sense in that moment to help return the most dominant team in WWE’s history to power, and yesterday is the result. Rollins teases talking about the Money In the Bank briefcase.

But first Ambrose takes the mic. Says the fans must wonder how he could possibly go along with this plan? Could he possibly trust Rollins? Like Rollins? Is he crazy? He says, you know I’m crazy. He doesn’t know if he will ever trust Rollins again and may go on continually watch his back. But he realizes the two have something in common, always have: The desire above all else to be the best. He also realized that the three men standing in the ring, when on the same page, are unstoppable.

Rollins says now about this briefcase. He does see a need to take some responsibility for his actions last year. So he will use the briefcase as an insurance policy. If someone comes after the title, somehow manages to get the belt through nefarious means, Rollins will be there to cash in and claim it back. But, in the more likely turn of events that Reigns and The Shield hold off all comers, then the day the briefcase run expires, he will cash in and make a match against Reigns in a match that, no matter the outcome The Shield wins. And it will be the most incredible title match  in WWE history.

Other gears set in motion…

A new heel faction rises to power, which Wade 'Bad News' Barrett assumes leadership of. At some point, he and Sheamus discuss a planned collusion between them. They complain about the lack of opportunity they have long experienced because of their proud European heritage, that out of jealousy they have been held back, and often distracted by being made to fight amongst themselves. But no more. The future is theirs and their name is the European Union (negotiable). Their ranks will be joined by Cesaro, and possibly Tyson Kidd because, Europe, Canada…close enough! Adrian Neville can join the RAW roster and quickly join them, adding a high flyer to the team. They can also get the allegiance of Rusev.

Does this seem too cliché? Is a nationalistic anti-American gimmick too passé in 2015? It’s one of the hottest going stories around Rusev’s run right now. And also, the sentiment can be made more subtle here. However, there could be a touch of reality lent to it when you consider the core among this group really haven’t had a lasting successful push. This is especially signified by Cesaro and those famous words directed his way when Vince McMahon went on the Stone Cold podcast.

The Shield could continue its dominant run as babyfaces with an edge, or a group that fights both heels and faces (what a concept). Reigns could contend with a round of top tier oponents like Rusev and Bray Wyatt. With momentum from Wrestlemania, Wyatt could win the title from Reigns by way of a lot of tricks and outside interference, perhaps 1-22 months after Wrestlemania. Rollins could cash in the briefcase the next day on RAW and win the title back for The Shield, giving him a boost of main event star power.

Rollins could also feud with Neville in competitive bouts of agility and high spot-filled matches.

Sheamus could feud with Bryan, or whomever he caused to lose the IC title match at Wrestlemania.

Cena could challenge the increasingly influential European Union heel faction. He and Barrett could have a match to unify the IC and US titles, with the winner’s title being the dominant one and the loser’s title being retired. And, with interference aplenty, Barrett could win that match, gaining a push for his group. Leading up to it, promos could be run emphasizing the prestigious history of both belts.

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There you  have it. A change in direction. A call back to a very successful faction that ended too soon. A fade away of ineffective characters like Big Show and Kane (what, you thought I forgot them?), and a rise to power of new stars.

What do you think??  Let me know in the comments. Or

Twitter: @MondoCurryMARK

Wrestlemania Rewrite Part 2: Shield Mania

Now that I’ve set it up, let’s get into the mechanics of writing an amazing Wrestlemania, mine at least (and yours). Even as the last RAW before Wrestlemania its airwaves. It’s OK. There’s really not much WWE has to do tonight. Bookers and writers fishing for ideas need only do 1 thing tonight and if that’s not enough notice, do it within the next few days:

Somehow the match between Sting and Triple H gets an added stipulation that if Sting wins, the Authority cannot exercise any direct influence on wrestlers on the show, with no way of reversing the decision. Nobody can bring back The Authority. Not Cena, not Randy Orton, Not Sting himself. The counter stipulation is that Sting be banished from the WWE with no chance of returning.

NOW, let’s fast forward to Wrestlemania:

During the intercontinental championship multi-person match, which would presumably be first on the card, the match boils down to a confrontation between Wade Barrett and one other opponent: It could be Daniel Bryan or Dean Ambrose, or even Dolph Ziggler. In some ways, Ambrose would be ideal, but considering his fall from prominence, one of the other two would also be ok. Whichever WWE would want to go with, he is ready to take out Barret when suddenly, Sheamus makes a surprise entrance. He teases attacking Barrett, but then turns and hits Ambrose or Bryan or Ziggler with the Brogue Kick. Wade Barrett makes the pin and leaves with the IC title retained as Sheamus inscrutably makes his own way to the back.

Now, throughout the show, there would be several vignettes with Triple H freaking out about the need to eliminate Sting from the match. He is going ballistic sending Authority members to scour the building for Sting. They can be shown finding decoy Sting’s, laying them out and then realizing they’ve been mislead as the real Sting lurks in the shadows.

Meanwhile, Seth Rollins is losing his cool over his own upcoming match with Randy Orton, which should occur some time in the middle of the show. He is counting on The Authority’s support and wants to get on the same page but they are busy chasing Sting.

The match comes and Rollins shows up to face Orton on his own. Orton and Rollins have a very competitive match that ends with Orton getting the victory. Rollins leaves, beaten up pretty bad, but visibly expressing disgust with the lack of support from J & J Security and the like.

Fast forward: Sting defeats Triple H, signaling an apparent end to Hunter and Stephanie’s reign of influence by way of The Shield.

At some point before the main event, Rollins is shown storming around backstage, stopping a few people and demanding to know where Dean Ambrose. And a bit later, he finds Ambrose, follows him shouting after him to wait. Ambrose stops and turns to yell at Rollins. The two begin brawling and shouting at each other in a confrontation that spills off behind a closed door. The audience is left to wonder what is happening.

Although not necessary, it would help make some of the ideas I have about the aftermath go down if Cena beats Rusev in their confrontation and Cena leaves Wrestlemania as the US Champion.

And now for the main event: Reigns and Lesnar begin their match with Reigns mostly dominant throughout.  As the match goes on, Reigns seems to be badly hurt and having trouble getting to his feet. Suddenly Rollins appears at ringside with the Money In the Bank briefcase. Brock jumps up on the ropes threatening Rollins and telling him to leave. Rollins teases a cash in, then prowls around ringside giving Reigns a chance to regain some momentum. After a bit, Ambrose appears and at first engages Rollins in an argument. Lesnar is distracted and heads over to rid both of them from the ring. Essentially, chaos ensues, Heyman has a fit as the match unravels and Lesnar ends up on the receiving end of offense from all three Shield members. In the ring, Reigns hits a spear and captures the Heavyweight Championship belt. All three members of the Shield face off in the middle of the ring, then slowly raise their fists toward one another in the center of the ring. The Shield stands united as Wrestlemania draws to a close…to cheers? Boos? A mix of both? No matter, the title belongs to Reigns and there is a HUGE buzz of intrigue as Wrestlemania goes off the air.

In part 3, the aftermath…

Twitter: @mondocurryMARK

WrestleMania Rewrite: A Plan part 1

OK, let’s say you’re me. A week ago you are hit with a vision, an epiphany of how to rescue Wrestlemania from potential disappointment and audience uproar, or worse yet mediocrity. It occurs to you how to take the unknown variables, namely Lesnar’s future with the WWE, and nullify them and still have an exciting future ahead. The angles and segments just unspool on and on in your mind. What do you do, bearing in mind that you are less than nobody in the wrestling world.

One thought is to hit up one of a few figures in the wrestling world who have connections to people in the WWE past and present, whose voices you know from podcasts and twitter, and who seem…approachable enough. And then it occurs to you, they would listen to you or click on the link you send them because…?

Another thought is to throw the idea out there. If people look at it, great, if people don’t, whatever. But then you start wondering, what if it is a great idea, and what if having it out there disqualifies it from coming to fruition when just maybe WWE had similar plans in mind, or would’ve listened if you’d somehow gotten the idea to them on the sly…?

So the most logical thought ends up being suppress it, cast it aside, just enjoy the show, after all, they’re the professionals over at WWE headquarters in Stamford, who are you anyway? Except…you have a big ego…and you just know the idea makes sense…

So, with just a little time on the clock before we are live at Wrestlemania, here’s an idea. Make of it what you will. What I find incredible is, as each week goes by, including right now, minutes before the ‘go home show’ RAW, it is entirely possible to do without changing anything, at least anything that’s happened in public.

So without further ado…

This is where the idea occurred: Watching Ring of Honor tv, seeing a Bullet Club angle and noticing damn, in Japan and here, people love this. If only WWE had a thing going like this. Then realizing, hey they just did. It was called The Shield. Guys dressed in all black, with an edge, dominant. I do not think it’s too much of a stretch to suggest The Shield has led to some of the Bullet Club popularity. Nor do I think it much of a gamble that the buzz around the Bullet Club would make The Shield an entertaining and profitable presence in WWE’s current state.

But darnit, The Shield imploded! Went in different directions, made threats, had heated feuds. There’s no turning back now. We all know in wrestling, enemies don’t become friends, groups torn apart don’t reform right? NO!! Wrestling is legendary for reversals of just this sort. Why not do it now?

But doing things just for the sake of doing them? That doesn’t make sense. Except, here are a few situations that a return of The Shield standing triumphant at the end of Wrestlemania that stand to gain a lot:

Whether Lesnar resigns with the WWE or not, it would be possible to write him out of the picture for a little while, or a long while if contract agreements could not be reached, and work around an entirely new focus.

It would make it possible for Roman Reigns to maintain babyface status and a victory with more credibility, since a lot of WWE fans are vocal about not accepting him as the winner on his own. It would make sense if Reigns were able to get by with a little help from his friends, or business associates as it were. And even if fans didn’t want to cheer Reigns, they would more than likely be excited about the untarnished Shield brand. Then again, if fans were pissed off, you have the reformation of a once and potentially future heel faction at the top of the card.

Reigns isn't the only member of The Shield to not be in the midst of a stellar take off. Dean Ambrose is also hurting for direction. He was made to look strong, then something of an oaf who defeats himself with a flat screen television, then a bully who gives into macho male bullshit stereotypes and taunts a psychiatrist by accusing him of ‘peeing sitting down,’ gets disqualified in the middle of an intercontinental title match and then just steals the belt. And the latest is these antics have put him squarely in the middle of the shuffle of guys involved in this SEVEN man intercontinental title match, with Daniel Bryan and Dolph Zigglers way ahead of him in perceived importance among the match’s entrants.

So, here we go. Let’s get The Shield standing together at the climax of Wrestlemania. At least, in my mind…

Stay tuned for Part 2, THE PLAN.

Twitter: @MondoCurryMARK