A Year from Now…

Hi Scott, How about we all have a play with our balls. Crystal balls that is… It seems like the two main events for WM30 could already be a lock, but where do you and your commentariat (according to my spell check I made that word up) think the other WM29 alum will be in a year’s time? Here’s what I’d like them to be doing, and what I think they will be doing CENA Will Be: Facing Taker after another year like every other year (probably trading the belt two more times with, let’s say, Orton and Big Show, or maybe a Shield member) As annoying as elements of the booking was, he really should have won last night, otherwise he’d have ended WM30 with an 0-4 run. Should Be: I actually think a Cena title run isn’t going to hurt anyone for now and hopefully he can do something interesting like a David-and-Goliath clash against Mark Henry or a heel turned Ryback. ROCK WB: Taking on Brock after a long sabbatical, possibly the whole year after Extreme Rules. SB: Facing Brock, since they’re kind of existing in their own netherworld of the WWE where the likes of Kofi Kingston may not actually be alive. I think this should be the last of his annual matches for a few years for fear of burn out with the public, and lack of “worthy” opponents. The only other enticing match for me would be him squaring off against Triple H for the first time in over a decade and both of them just letting rip on the mic like Rock and Cena did in the build up to 28. LESNAR WB: Facing Rock, after a couple of matches throughout the summer with continued diminishing returns due to inept booking. SB: Facing Rock, Hopefully coming from a summer involving interaction with Punk (I’d prefer as rivals to as a team, but both would be awesome). I think this too will be the last WWE match for Brock for a long while, or maybe even ever. HHH WB: He’ll have to wrestle at least once or twice over the year so that his stipulation with Lesnar means anything. I actually think WM30 may be the first WM he doesn’t participate in for non-injury reasons and instead completely runs it from the back with Vince looking on with tears in his eyes. His ego may be placated by a headline HOF induction for himself or DX, unless they’re reserving that for Taker. SB: I personally would book him, Cena, Rock, Sheamus and Orton against Lesnar, The Shield and Big Show (I’d prefer Punk if he doesn’t take his break for a month) in a wild 10-man No Holds Barred main event at Extreme Rules, and if Lesnar ain’t around then I’d put him against Rock UNDERTAKER WB: Nothing for the year until he faces Cena. SB: Nothing for the year until he faces Cena. I think he’ll only be inducted in the HOF if they announce this as his farewell match, since Vince is obviously obsessed with keeping a mystique for Taker and this will be somewhat undermined if he starts talking about his tag team years with Danny Spivey. PUNK WB: Probably involved in the WWE Championship match since they won’t want Cena-Taker or Rock-Brock to be for the belt because the winners of those matches won’t be around to drop the belt afterwards. SB: I think if Punk-Austin were to happen it would have happened already. I pray and hope and dream it will take place, but more likely it’ll be Punk-Sheamus or Punk-Orton, or something like that, third from the end. I actually felt that Punk’s run as a babyface was cut short and I would rather see a babyface Punk turn on Heyman leading to clashes with Lesnar, and hopefully Dean Ambrose during the year, but Heel Punk works too. THE SHIELD WB: Split up around the summer, with Roman Reigns given a rocket up his ass to go against Cena, Orton, Sheamus, etc., whilst Rollins turns face and feuds with Ambrose – possibly, but hopefully not, over the IC title. I think Roman Reigns may be the next generation’s top star, or at the very least be given the push to see if he works in that role. SB: I actually think that works fine, except I’d keep Ambrose away from the IC title too. It’s pretty obvious the WWE has high opinions of all three of them, and their work has warranted that faith, so I think they’ll all be pretty safe until they have to ditch the Bossman vests and switch to the old trunks. I dream that they manage to get their hands on the tag titles and both Money in the Bank briefcases, but I don’t think the WWE would ever book anyone that strong. ORTON WB: Turned heel, but may find himself directionless if he remains isolated on SmackDown. I actually don’t think the WWE has any interest in starting up Cena-Orton again so they will more likely re-do Sheamus-Orton for the WHC after Orton takes it from Del Rio, but with the roles reversed from 2010. SB: Dunno really. I wanted to see heel Orton vs. face Punk over the summer, but that obviously didn’t happen. Orton just feels stale and played out, but he felt that way before and was able to reinvent himself, so what do I know? SHEAMUS WB: Made #1 face of SmackDown again and probably get revenge victories over Orton and Big Show, as well as a lengthy feud with Ziggler. SB: Probably fine there. I don’t think he’ll be given a Cena push on Raw unless injuries force their hand, but the WWE will keep him safe for several years to come. BIG SHOW WB: Meandering from feud to feud, switching from frowny face to smiley face wherever is required. SB: Given a long break from being on screen and, based on his fascinating interview with Rosenburg, start to be groomed as one of the major backstage bookers/voices. DEL RIO WB: Booked like Orton was a couple of years ago, a few WHC feuds with Swagger and probably Ziggler, before he drops the belt and then has meaningless feuds in the mid-card before being dropped into the required gimmick multi-man title shots. SB: I don’t really care. I fear that his inevitable feud with Ricardo Rodriguez will actually see Del Rio as the face. SWAGGER WB: Dropped like a stone after this feud ends and may be gone or not even mentioned on the pre-show by WM30. SB: He’s a good in-ring talent, but if he makes simple slip ups like that arrest when he’s been put in his best position for years, the guy kind of has it coming. Maybe he should just walk away sign up with TNA, ROH or go to Japan where his occasionally deceptive size can be put to good use. Who wouldn’t want to see Tanahashi-Swagger? ZIGGLER WB: Given the World title over Del Rio and drop it within three or four months. The time for him to have been pushed as the Shawn Michaels for his generation may have come and gone. May even end up being used to put over a face turned Langston. SB: Pushed as the Shawn Michaels/Ric Flair of his generation and allowed to keep hold of the WHC like he was Triple H in 02. LANGSTON WB: Given a push against Ziggler after he’s perceived as costing them the world title. Will probably have a mini-Ryback push, but one too many big men may result in him being lost in the shuffle like an Ezekial Jackson or Mason Ryan. SB: Given a shot, but I’m not super impressed with him outside of his finisher, which is simple and effective. KANE WB: Split from Bryan, put over Bryan, given another heel monster run around MITB time, turn face again and people will continue to react. He should really be given the special attraction treatment given his years of great service, but they’ve pushed him up and down the card that he’ll never illicit that kind of response from the crowd when he comes out. So maybe this’ll be the last full-time year for him. SB: Split from Bryan, be put over and put over Bryan, and probably kept as a solid mid-card act until he wants to call it a career.
BRYAN WB: Split from Kane, put over Kane and stuck in the mid-card, battling for which of the US or IC belts is held by a heel. May feud with Fandango in order to put over Fandango. SB: Split from Kane and allowed to beat Kane before battling for the US or IC belt and for it to mean something. Maybe given a heel turn to face a babyface Seth Rollins towards the end of the year if the ‘Yes’ chants start dying down like McMahon & co. are desperate for them to do so. HENRY WB: Used to put over Ryback at Extreme Rules. May still get the run with Cena if Ryback is kept babyface. Will continue to divide hair pieces unless he is injured and/or calls it a career. SB: Given his run against Cena and dominate him like Lesnar did at Extreme Rules, but get the win, and THEN Cena gets the belt back. RYBACK
WB: Put over Henry at Extreme Rules. May be placed in the WHC title picture instead of Sheamus, but I think this continued jobbing means a heel turn may be coming, or they have just lost interest and he’ll be on the pre-show if he’s lucky come WM30. SB: Given a chance at the heel run because he could be just as scary as Henry if they do it right. But I wouldn’t cry if 2012 remains the highest he’ll ever be and, like Rikishi post-2000, he falls into the mid-card to become this generation’s Rhyno.
JERICHO WB: Gone by the summer and come back again until Vince/Triple H decide it doesn’t actually mean anything anymore. SB: Dunno. He’s never going to be a pivotal part of the picture anymore, so I’d rather he ventured out of wrestling to keep on working at being the polymath he can be… FANDANGO WB: Pushed like Damien Sandow was last year, and be an afterthought by WM30 just as Sandow unfortunately appears to be now. SB: Haven’t seen enough to decide either way. I like that we’re getting Rick “The Model” Martel, IRS like characters in the mid-card again, so I’ll reserve judgement and hope the writers just don’t stop caring if there seems to be momentum with this thing. MIZ WB: A solid mid-card act, with occasional pushes into the major events come MITB and TLC time. SB: Probably turned back heel and reunited with a returning John Morrison. And forced to never use the figure-four ever again. BARRET
WB: Treading water in the mid-card, unless they’re short of a challenger or two in SmackDown WHC storylines. SB: Probably lost any chance to strike while the iron’s even lukewarm, so he should probably be there for the time being. Elsewhere I see Brodus Clay hopefully being turned heel in the summer to give it one last college try, but again one too many monsters may spoil the broth. Cessaro will be lost in the mid-card like Barrett has been this year, but I would love for them to say ‘Ah, screw it’ and reunite him with Kassius Ohno. The Divas division will gain no further traction, nor does it deserve to with its current roster. There'll be a cull of at least a dozen who weren't involved in WM. Adrian Neville, Leo Krueger, Richie Steamboat and Bray Wyatt will all be given a chance in the main roster.
Kofi Kingston will be Kofi Kingston.
So… that was long…