Welcome, one and all, to the glorious debut of the Rajah Debates! For years, the best and brightest minds of the Rajah forum have done battle with words about a myriad of fascinating topics from the wrestling world, seeking to answer the questions that plague the wrestling community. Is John Cena actually a good wrestler? What’s the greatest wrestling show of all time? Is anyone as good as Bobby Lashley? (No.) But for the first time ever, we’re bringing the debates to you and letting you guys act as judge, jury and executioner.
The way this works is simple. Each match will involve a maximum of 3 350 word posts from each participant going in order. At the end, you guys and our panel of judges will vote to see you moves on to the next round to get one step closer to Rajah immortality. Over the course of the next month you’ll grow to know and root for these brilliant weirdos until we eventually crown a grand champion.
Sound good? I thought so! So let’s jump right in with the very first debate of the year. JP vs. Psycho!
Now, two new combatants will enter the circle of debate from which only one can proceed. And here is the topic that they will do battle over:
Ah, the first debate of the year. So full of promise and intrigue. To kick things off, let’s go with something truly open ended. Vince McMahon has had a crazy temper tantrum and has fired Triple H and Stephanie, (as bookers, not performers,) and the whole writing staff and is leaving it to you to boost business and steer WWE in the right direction. He has demanded that you put on the Wrestlemania main event that would draw the best, and is letting you choose from any active talent that WWE has access to. Do you think you can build someone from the midcard up to legendary status, or is it time for a dream match to end all dream matches. Whatever you decide, you’d better choose soon and be ready to defend your choice as the very best one because the clock is now ticking on your booking career.
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100,000 people.
That is an extraordinary figure and one which WWE are aiming to fill, and more, in Dallas’ AT&T Stadium come April 3rd 2016.
To ensure they reach such a number, there is only one real choice of main event.
To make this the pop culture event it needs to be, there is only one choice of main event.
The most famous match that never happened. One was ‘The Next Big Thing’, the other was, simply, the biggest name the business has ever known. Now, that next big thing is the biggest name they have, having left, become known as legitimately the most destructive force in fighting, and completed a triumphant return. The biggest name the business has ever known remains so, the business having dropped off since his retirement.
The stories are ready made. The history is deep, over 25 years when an advocate is taken into account.
A match 14 years in the making. A match with 25 years of history to play off.
The returning hero, to vanquish the beast he previously avoided. In his home State. For his final time.
There is only one choice.
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WrestleMania is quite honestly one of the biggest events in the calendar year. They intend to go even bigger than before at the AT&T Stadium. The main goal is to sell the place out, but what main event can sell this show as a must-see? For starters, it’s not just the main event that needs to sell. WrestleMania has been famous for co-main events, and to be successful, the biggest stars of the company will have to take multiple “main event” slots. However, the match that actually closes the show needs to be one that leaves the crowd in awe, leaving them with the feeling that they may have watched the greatest WrestleMania main event ever.
Above that, WWE needs to cement their younger stars to carry the business forward. The key to part-timers like Lesnar and Sting is to draw interest into the show, and then build a strong undercard to make people come back for the new generation tearing it up. It worked for WrestleMania 30 and 31, and this year, that end game is more possible than ever. Considering WWE arguably has its best in-ring roster ever, that should be an easy goal, but booking snafus seem to stifle that possibility. Yet, there are three people who have consistently received major reactions, solid booking, and proven they can carry the future of the company on their backs.
One man is the only person on the roster who can deliver better than most and still maintain legitimate heat with the crowd.
One man could kill a baby seal in Portland and still get a feverish pop.
The other has all the tools to be the next guy, and improves on a rapid curve.
They can deliver possibly the greatest match in the last decade. They are the future. And it’s a match that’s been consistently building since they exploded onto the main roster. With these statements, they can both draw numbers and provide for WWE’s future with one match we’ve been craving:
Seth Rollins(c) vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
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In Stone Cold Steve Austin you have the single biggest name wrestling has ever known. He hasn’t wrestled in 14 years. His star has not, by a single iota, dimmed.
In Brock Lesnar you have the biggest name in wrestling today. The stand out attraction. The big fight feel.
This is the ultimate no brainer.
Look, I like the idea of a Shield Triple Threat. As a fan I would enjoy it to hell. But, be honest, it has a Survivor Series feel to it, possibly a SummerSlam. It’s not the blow out attraction, the stand out thing that everybody wants to see. Yes, Reigns may have been advertised for the main event last year, but it was Lesnar who drew people in. Yes, Rollins may have made an appearance and stole the show, but that was clever booking.
Main Event – Wrestlemania 32 – The Shield in a Triple Threat Match.
It’s just not big enough.
Maybe for some Wrestlemania in years gone by. 13, possibly. 2000. 25, at a push.
But for 32, when they’re trying to draw over 100,000 people? I think not.
Reigns and Ambrose are stuck in a meandering, solidly mid card feud with the Wyatt Family. Ambrose is going to move into a feud with the mid card curse of Chris Jericho. Rollins is limping from one escape to the next, now up against the 2,761st return of Kane in a mask.
What an inspiring main event you’re suggesting.
As where Austin vs. Lesnar is electrifying. A match we’ve genuinely never seen, as where we’ve seen every iteration of the one you suggest except in this form.
And the build, oh the build. Who better to fill 100,000 people into a stadium than Paul Heyman. Heyman who has an association with Lesnar since the day he was introduced to the WWE. Heyman who has a 25 year plus relationship with Austin, he was his manager, his mentor.
The biggest Wrestlemania of all time needs the biggest match of all time.
And that, is not, a Shield Triple Threat.
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One, the question is “which main event would be best for business.” While the obvious point is which main event would sell it out, something that will be able to keep the fans paying more money after ‘Mania is also vital.
That said, there’s no guarantee Austin/Lesnar will be good. Austin has been retired for years and may not have the same skill. While people might buy into nostalgia before the bell rings, it has a lot of potential to die by the final bell. Most importantly because Lesnar may not mesh with his style.
Which brings up problem #3: Austin is broken down and Lesnar is high impact. Austin’s retirement was heavily driven by his neck injury. And if Lesnar is supposed to go in there and drop him with German Suplexes, Austin is at high risk. The fans have come to expect it now. If Lesnar isn’t a rough destroyer armed to the teeth with suplexes, they will be disappointed.
And yes, while both would certainly put asses in seats, it doesn’t have to be THE main event to do so, as I alluded to in my first post. In fact, it shouldn’t.
The Shield have a much higher potential to create a MOTY candidate that will leave people frothing at the mouth for more when the show is all over. With Seth Rollins being the heel who’s snaked away from losses time after time, there’s money in seeing him vanquished by one of his former brethren
Originally Posted by JP
Reigns and Ambrose are stuck in a meandering, solidly mid card feud with the Wyatt Family.
Meandering? Reigns and Ambrose are in a feud that’s consistently received hot reactions, with constant developments and monthly shifts in the feud dynamic.
Originally Posted by JP
Ambrose is going to move into a feud with the mid card curse of Chris Jericho. Rollins is limping from one escape to the next, now up against the 2,761st return of Kane in a mask.
Nothing past NOC suggests Jericho will feud with any of these guys, and he still draws. Despite bad pairings and booking in the past, it’s unlikely it derails Reigns or Ambrose. Much like a short feud with Kane after Rollins feuded with Sting, Orton and Lesnar wouldn’t hurt his run. Many champions had boring opponents in the midst of hot runs. These factors have little bearing on excitement levels when the significant build will be in WrestleMania season.
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