The WWE title at Mania

[Redboy123@]

As we start our journey on the road to wrestle mania, the faith of the WWE championship is unclear.

Who do you guys think will be the WWE champion and challenger at mania?

I think for sure that the 'new' Daniel Bryan will be cruising into Mania as the champ (in an electric car of course). This new character has been great and deserves to be in a marquee singles match at the showcase of immortals.

Who he will be facing on the other side... That's a lot harder to predict. Smack down hasn't any baby faces rising to the top of the card. AJ Styles has just finished his feud with Bryan, Mustafa Ali isn't going to challenge for the title at mania lol, Rey and Jeff are regressive challengers for this new era and the rest of the baby faces on smack down are jobbers.

John Cena is scheduled to return to Smackdown in 2019. Cena vs Bryan is a massive mania match that could be a great heated rivalry. However with Cenas wwe schedule evaporates as he shines brighter in Hollywood, that may prevent this match from happening.

What about someone who isn't currently on the Smackdown roster. Shawn Michaels returned to the ring for Wwe Crown Jewel. If HBk is to return to the ring again, a match against Bryan at mania for the title is the obvious answer. Bryan could carry HBk to one last Mania showstopper. Also, the story writes itself. However we don't know if HBk even wants to wrestle again.

So who do you think should contest for the title at mania?

 

[SWL]

Bryan vs Cena could work, the long anticipated rematch from Summerslam 2013. But with Cena's schedule it's unsure if he's even going to be able to build up a feud for Mania or just randomly show up at the event for the sake of not missing it entirely.

Shawn already stated that he wants his last Mania match to be the one he had at Mania 26 against Taker and that the Crown Jewel thing was just a 1 time thing, so there's that.

There actually aren't enough big names on the Smackdown roster to face Bryan/be in a world title match at Mania. I read that plans for Styles are to face Randy Orton at Mania, so maybe they could turn that into a title feud, but if Bryan stays in the title picture, I think they might have to bring someone from Raw over or smth. With Smackdown going over to FOX in 2019, I say let Braun Strowman come over, face Bryan and become the main guy there while Seth faces Brock and starts a feud with McIntyre after Mania. They'd have to find a good kayfabe reason for that to happen tho and I don't think they're willing write that.
Rey Mysterio or Kevin Owens could also work. Rey would probably just put Bryan over but Owens could get rejuvenated by (maybe) beating Bryan

 

[Redboy123@]

I think Bryan has a good argument to retain at Mania and have a long reign with the belt. Bryan vs Mysterio is a big match that can allow that to happen.

I'm not sure about Braun. I don't expect a superstar shakeup before Mania this year. That will kinda make things messy as we head into mania. I think it is likely Braun wins at the rumble. Even if he doesn't I'm sure he has a feud on Raw to fall back on. Maybe even Taker vs Braun since there has been no word on takers opponent this year.

Just from a storyline perspective, Bryan vs Cena is the match. It would suck if Cena just wins though. Maybe they can spice it up and do a triple threat match. Bryan vs Cena vs Styles could steal the show and there is a lot of history and context between each guy to make a heated story. But then again Cena wants to be in movies.

Babyface Miz vs Heel Bryan is a intriguing and very ambitious idea. Not gonna happen though.

Thinking even more outside the box is Batista vs Bryan. Make of that as you will.

 

[Redboy123@]

Sorry about the multiple posts. This site fucks me up sometimes

 

[SWL]

I'd be disappointed with another Bryan vs Miz feud. Their match at Summerslam was very lackluster and Miz is a terrible babyface so I wouldn't be too keen on it.

Cena vs Bryan, like I said, could work but it would have to end on some screwy finish because I don't see Bryan, as this mega heel, beating Cena clean again. But I also don't see John Cena winning the title from Bryan either. A triple threat would be cool but if the plan is really to have Styles vs Orton, which is a very reasonable WrestleMania bout, then that takes Styles out of speculations entirely.

The Braun thing was a wild wish on my behalf, but don't forget what they did with Asuka last year. Yea she won the rumble and was able to choose, but you could still give Braun a "loser leaves Raw" type deal against Lesnar and put him on Smackdown after the Rumble. Because I think Rollins is more of a favorite to win the Rumble this year

 

[Redboy123@]

Miz is already getting cheered every week. So this new miz storyline is pretty over. Miz vs Bryan is a poor match tho. Interesting story tho.

John Cena getting pinned clean is a regular occurance these days. So I wouldn't be surprised. They may not want him to lose clean again in such a marquee match. But it's Cena him putting people over is pretty much he's thing. Maybe Joe could get in on the action.

Braun vs Bryan writes its self. Baby face big man vs heel small underdog is a weird dynamic. But think of the size of Braun carpet footprint.

Also if Braun loses clean again to Brock then that would be pretty damaging. Braun has faced this guy so many times and just can't win. They may pull the trigger on him at the rumble or its brauns 5th straight loss to brock.

 

[SWL]

Sure people react well to the Miz, but if we judge by his last babyface run, it will wear out real quick. His material's just not as ambitious and interesting as his heel stuff.

Cena only gets pinned by babyfaces, never a heel like Bryan. The last time Cena lost to a heel cleanly was against AJ Styles, which still doesn't count because he got his win back the following Rumble.

I don't know what they're gonna do with the Brock/Braun match but Drew could interfere or smth. If it was up to me and we'd have a "loser leaves Raw" stipulation (which would work for both Strowman and Lesnar), then Drew could somehow cost Braun the match and they wouldn't even have to follow it up because Braun's now gone from Raw anyways.
That's just an idea but anything could happen at the Rumble. Either Braun wins the title and Drew the Rumble or Lesnar somehow retains and Rollins wins the Rumble

 

[Redboy123@]

Sure people react well to the Miz, but if we judge by his last babyface run, it will wear out real quick. His material's just not as ambitious and interesting as his heel stuff.

Cena only gets pinned by babyfaces, never a heel like Bryan. The last time Cena lost to a heel cleanly was against AJ Styles, which still doesn't count because he got his win back the following Rumble.

I don't know what they're gonna do with the Brock/Braun match but Drew could interfere or smth. If it was up to me and we'd have a "loser leaves Raw" stipulation (which would work for both Strowman and Lesnar), then Drew could somehow cost Braun the match and they wouldn't even have to follow it up because Braun's now gone from Raw anyways.
That's just an idea but anything could happen at the Rumble. Either Braun wins the title and Drew the Rumble or Lesnar somehow retains and Rollins wins the Rumble

I dunno. The Miz from 2013 to now is completely different. Plus wrestling is so hard to predict that it seems paper thin to base it on his previous face runs. He can't wrestle as a face that's for sure so that may hinder him. This face turn won't last long tho. Miz and Shane are not just gonna mutually agree to break up in a civil manner. Looks like a short term baby face run for the miz regardless. So far it's been fun.

I never noticed that Cena only loses clean to faces. I don't think that's overtly intentional. I don't think wwe book like that. It's kinda like saying only smack down stars win the rumble because since the brand split only smack down guys have won. They just book wrestling on what they think its right. I can see Cena putting over a face like Balor and a heel like Drew. But then again you are right, it's easier to book a dirty finish with a heel so naturally there will be less clean victories. But that doesn't stop me from thinking that Cena can lose clean to a heel. I think it's a pattern that can easily be broken.

They probably don't want Cena to lose at mania again. Cena really has dropped in kayfabe as of late. So may just wanna book him in a match against someone who can take a loss or maybe he will be 17 time champ. I don't see why not. Bit shit but it's wwe.

Yeah they are the two scenarios for the rumble. If anything else happens then I will be surprised. I suppose everything relies on if Brock leaves or stays after the rumble. I don't know what is more likely.

 

[Snowman1]

Just posting to say great post, I've been racking my brain for an answer and...just don't have one lol. Good luck, WWE.

 

[Chaz-1]

Watching Johnny Gargano in NXT has me believing that if booked right he could reach the sort of popularity Daniel Bryan had as a face. I would love to see them share a ring, but I don't think WWE are brave enough to book it for Mania.

 

[Redboy123@]

Watching Johnny Gargano in NXT has me believing that if booked right he could reach the sort of popularity Daniel Bryan had as a face. I would love to see them share a ring, but I don't think WWE are brave enough to book it for Mania.

You got to tell a good story for that to happen. Nobody watches nxt so you have to start again. But wwe never start again. So the story is fucked

 

[Chaz-1]

You got to tell a good story for that to happen. Nobody watches nxt so you have to start again. But wwe never start again. So the story is fucked

I was under the impression that most WWE fans watch the Takeovers, even if they don't watch the NXT product on a weekly basis?

 

[Redboy123@]

I was under the impression that most WWE fans watch the Takeovers, even if they don't watch the NXT product on a weekly basis?

I don't think so. A lot of fans don't watch nxt. And wwe just expects us to see these new stars as familiar characters even though they have no clue who they are. Kevin Owens is an example of an nxt star being introduced to new audience done right. Sanity on the other hand...

 

[Chaz-1]

Cena to come back and win in the chamber and then face Bryan at mania to go for the record!

 

[Ovaldinho]

Hear me out, Bryan vs Rusev would be sensational. They're both great at getting the crowd invested and their back-and-forths would be amazing to watch