No offense intended....

[C.M. Shaddix]

Nak is getting debuted after mania. They need something big for the RAW after mania.

How about at the big event instead of a RAW episode... that is where WWE is screwing up with their moments

 

[Stopspot]

How about at the big event instead of a RAW episode... that is where WWE is screwing up with their moments

RAW after Mania is almost more important than mania since its where they kick of the next year's worth of moments.

Generally you don't do debuts at mania. Especially with zero build

 

[MGS32]

Why are people so worked up about this?

People seriously forget how much value Shane has to Vince so it should be seen as a positive thing that AJ is facing Shane in one of the marquee matches, Shane Vs AJ is just further proof that AJ is seen in high regard in WWE isn't that a positive thing to AJ fans? Also judging a match before it happens is hardly fair and again who else is he going to face on the roster? The only non flat out idiotic option I saw was someone said AJ Vs Balor Interpromotion but they did a whole interpromotional PPV only a few months ago and there would be no genuine heat to that feud. This is also clearly leading to AJ's face turn before or after Mania since Smackdown is losing John post Mania and Ambrose taking time off post Mania isn't out of the question.

 

[Stopspot]

Adam is right. AJ working a McMahon at mania shows how much the company values him. In Vince's head his family are the biggest stars of the show. And anyone working with them on big shows are just under that if not almost on the same level.

Will the match be good? ....Jury is still out on that.
Will it be a big deal on the show? Yeah, it will.

 

[MGS32]

Its also worth noting that Vince's view of Shane can be considered valid after the ticket sale increase when they announced Shane/Taker last year.

 

[Snowman1]

What's the finish for Styles vs Nakamura? Does AJ go 0-2 at Mania, does Nak take an L in his debut, or is there a bad finish that hurts the whole thing?

Usually I'd be OK with the rookie having a competitive loss to a top guy like Styles who should be hard to beat, but that's great on random Smackdowns, not in these high-profile matches. You can't have a guy lose his debut at Wrestlemania. They wouldn't even do that to Fandango more less Shinsuke Nakamura. And you don't want AJ to job even if it winds up being as pointless as it was last year.

And they clearly see Finn Balor as the top face of Raw based on his booking before, so Balor presents the same problem - on top of all the build happening in New Japan lol. None of these guys should be losing here. Shane and his little baby punches can.

 

[edge4ever]

It should've been a triple threat or he should fight Balor in a smackdown vs raw match.

 

[MGS32]

It should've been a triple threat or he should fight Balor in a smackdown vs raw match.

Why should it be a triple threat? How would adding AJ to that match enhance the story? I could understand the idea of adding Luke Harper in for a triple threat, THAT makes sense. But AJ adds nothing to the story and has no real reason to be in the match.

Why would him facing Balor be good? We had a Raw Vs Smackdown PPV in November why would we do it again? How would they even set up a feud like that with genuine interest? Both shows have conflicting schedules so they would barely even go face to face and with a 3 week build there wouldn't be enough time for proper ground work. Not everything is about match quality, a great match without a story lacks any heat or stakes in the match.

 

[Rosie]

Why should it be a triple threat? How would adding AJ to that match enhance the story? I could understand the idea of adding Luke Harper in for a triple threat, THAT makes sense. But AJ adds nothing to the story and has no real reason to be in the match.

Why would him facing Balor be good? We had a Raw Vs Smackdown PPV in November why would we do it again? How would they even set up a feud like that with genuine interest? Both shows have conflicting schedules so they would barely even go face to face and with a 3 week build there wouldn't be enough time for proper ground work. Not everything is about match quality, a great match without a story lacks any heat or stakes in the match.

The AJ vs Finn match could have worked actually one on one if they would have started to build it this week, or even found a way to start hinting towards it after Elimination Chamber. It's too late now, though. Even though they are on different brands. The story writes itself as when Finn left Japan, AJ arrived, and even if Finn and AJ can't interact much, there is one thing they have in common, The Club. Gallows and Andersen can attack Finn for AJ, explaining that "Finn abandoned them and never opened the door for them, and the only person who did was AJ." Then they can have one show or so where they do interact and then they tease the match and it all comes to ahead at Wrestlemania.

Too late now, though, but I would not mind Luke Harper being added to the WWE Title match and for Shane vs AJ, while I kind of want AJ to have an opponent closer to his skill level, I am more ok with it if there is a good story, which that looks to be the case.

 

[Jacob Fox]

Why are people so worked up about this?

People seriously forget how much value Shane has to Vince so it should be seen as a positive thing that AJ is facing Shane in one of the marquee matches, Shane Vs AJ is just further proof that AJ is seen in high regard in WWE isn't that a positive thing to AJ fans? Also judging a match before it happens is hardly fair and again who else is he going to face on the roster? The only non flat out idiotic option I saw was someone said AJ Vs Balor Interpromotion but they did a whole interpromotional PPV only a few months ago and there would be no genuine heat to that feud. This is also clearly leading to AJ's face turn before or after Mania since Smackdown is losing John post Mania and Ambrose taking time off post Mania isn't out of the question.

You and I often disagree, but I am fully with you on this.

 

[MGS32]

The AJ vs Finn match could have worked actually one on one if they would have started to build it this week, or even found a way to start hinting towards it after Elimination Chamber. It's too late now, though. Even though they are on different brands. The story writes itself as when Finn left Japan, AJ arrived, and even if Finn and AJ can't interact much, there is one thing they have in common, The Club. Gallows and Andersen can attack Finn for AJ, explaining that "Finn abandoned them and never opened the door for them, and the only person who did was AJ." Then they can have one show or so where they do interact and then they tease the match and it all comes to ahead at Wrestlemania.

Too late now, though, but I would not mind Luke Harper being added to the WWE Title match and for Shane vs AJ, while I kind of want AJ to have an opponent closer to his skill level, I am more ok with it if there is a good story, which that looks to be the case.

AJ Vs Finn is a story that writes itself if done properly but a midcard match on an already stuffed Mania card is absolutely not that.

 

[Jacob Fox]

AJ Vs Finn is a story that writes itself if done properly but a midcard match on an already stuffed Mania card is absolutely not that.

I'd add that with Balor's injury, there was little time to actually promote this match. There has been time for AJ vs Shane and I'd rather have a match with some actual heat than a match thrown together simply because it might be good.

 

[MGS32]

I'd add that with Balor's injury, there was little time to actually promote this match. There has been time for AJ vs Shane and I'd rather have a match with some actual heat than a match thrown together simply because it might be good.

Exactly, Shane/AJ has been hinted at for months now. You can date it back to Survivor Series and say that Shane placing himself in that match put them at high risk of losing. AJ/Finn wouldn't be built properly and would recieve like 12 minutes MAX at Mania, I'm actually really glad they've made the decision to save this match because if Styles, Balor and Gallows/Anderson are all on the same brand you could build an excellent story there but it needs to be saved for the right place and the right time where it can be something like a Summerslam Main Event (Not "Main Event" but Brock closes the show, actual main event), possibly Mania but that is unlikely.

 

[edge4ever]

Why should it be a triple threat? How would adding AJ to that match enhance the story? I could understand the idea of adding Luke Harper in for a triple threat, THAT makes sense. But AJ adds nothing to the story and has no real reason to be in the match.

Why would him facing Balor be good? We had a Raw Vs Smackdown PPV in November why would we do it again? How would they even set up a feud like that with genuine interest? Both shows have conflicting schedules so they would barely even go face to face and with a 3 week build there wouldn't be enough time for proper ground work. Not everything is about match quality, a great match without a story lacks any heat or stakes in the match.

We could "why" all day. More or less, AJ is literally the top dog of the WWE right next to Cena and Roman. So the "why" is that he would only make the match itself more entertaining. And he's a top dog player who's been carrying smackdown since it's been brand split inception. That's "why." It's makes for your main event player to be in the main events. Sure it doesn't add story depth. But this is the WWE and it doesn't matter too much as AJ could been seen as the wild card in the middle of a crazy, semi-demonic feud with Orton and bray. My "why" vs your "why" is all a matter of opinion and perception and I feel I'm right.

AJ needs a match. Finn may have needed one as well. It's too late as of now, but they could've started some heat between the 2 in various ways: AJ gets heated with smackdown management and how he lost the chance at mania, so he goes to raw and stands in the ring demanding he be drafted. Balor music hits and tells him that he's in his house and his turf. Balor explains how he's a little rusty and been injured and needs an opponent; thus, he wants to face one of the best, that being AJ styles.

The point is AJ styles should be in a match with opponents that can bring out the best wrestling in him. Either the triple threat or Balor would've been perfect. Shane? Nah, there will be like 2-3 good spots followed by a great forearm and that's it. No wrestling really.

 

[MGS32]

AJ needs a match. Finn may have needed one as well. It's too late as of now, but they could've started some heat between the 2 in various ways: AJ gets heated with smackdown management and how he lost the chance at mania, so he goes to raw and stands in the ring demanding he be drafted. Balor music hits and tells him that he's in his house and his turf. Balor explains how he's a little rusty and been injured and needs an opponent; thus, he wants to face one of the best, that being AJ styles.

There are so many ways they could book AJ/Balor wrong but I don't think anything would be worse to watch, worse short term and worse long term than this.