WWE

[Macca]

You could probably do that. Those four guys are arguably bigger than the company. Austin and The Rock especially.

[Jim]

Ok so we have the A+ league, i feel better now

I still rank Barrett with Dean Malenko lol

[Jim]

Predictions for the future guys....??? Rumble.. Wrestlemania... Undertaker? The Rock...?

[Macca]

Hmmm, Rumble I can see Cena or Orton winning, I have a feeling they'll try and set up Cena/Rock part 2 at Mania, and The Rock is obviously gonna get his hands on the title either at the Rumble or Elimination Chamber, I actually think the Chamber is more likely. So then you can expect Cena to choose to challenge for the WWE title at Mania. I'm thinking Orton too cos he hasn't done much lately, and it might be an easy way to re-push him. Ryback is too obvious a choice to win, and I don't think they'll have him headlining Mania just yet, so I'd be surprised if he got it.

If the Rock/Cena feud happens, it leaves Punk with no programme heading into Mania, so I could see him being the one to go for Taker's streak. But I know Lesnar will be at Mania and everyone wants to see Lesnar/Taker so I really dunno what'll happen there. I suppose if they're at a loose end with Punk they could have a 3 way feud with Cena/Punk/Rock for the title, that could be pretty cool.

I'm excited though, I love Rumble/Mania time, it's always the most unpredictable time of year. And the Rumble PPV itself is easily my favourite PPV.

[DonHarry]

I just can't get into the current roster. There just doesn't seem to be enough personality and the gimmicks are too annoying. The Rock/CM Punk rivalry is the most exciting angle at the moment and I'll give it it's dues. There used to be similar quality story lines across the board back in the day, now it just seems like a bunch of average joes in shiny underpants.

To judge it on a wrestling only basis the quality is pretty good, there's definitely some innovative wrestling on display. Its only one side of the coin though, because let's be honest, WWE is a bit of a pantomime and as such it needs special personalities to really bring it to life. The product shines best in the hands of The Rock, Stone Cold, Punk, DX etc. Not because they're big guys (Although ironically most of them are) but because it's the right balance of performance and personality.

At the moment, the talking segments are frankly boring. Also, John Cena can't wrestle for shit. Strong as hell but technically terrible. I suppose he's the other side of the coin, talks a good game but difficult to watch in the ring.

I swear I'm not just getting hung up in nostalgia. I honestly think the quality has diminished.

[Macca]

They need better gimmicks I agree. Great gimmicks can save otherwise meh performers. The Undertaker has only endured so long because the gimmick is so strong. He's a subpar talker and would've fell flat on his face with any other gimmick.

[Jim]

John Cena has recently taken on the role of The Rock with the microphone.. With his piss taking and crowd interaction, i know hes been good on the mic a while but he seems very similar now.

There's been ALOT of changes in 2013 already.. 3 major titles changes out of nowhere, The Rock being back and HHH mentioning Undertaker etc..

My prediction would be...
- John Cena wins the rumble.. giving him back the title shot he lost from MITB
- CM Punk LOSES to The Rock at Royal Rumble, with an absolute cock up from The Shield and maybe Ryback's interference..
- The Rock hangs on to the title until WrestleMania which will probably be his last appearance for a fucking long time
- Triple threat CM Punk - The Rock - John Cena for the WWE Title

... Then there's this...



Not sure about the World Heavyweight Title... With Sheamus in this poster with Big Show, kinda puts them either out of that run.. And Ziggler VS Del Rio to go at it at WM29

[Macca]

I honestly see Punk holding on to the title at the Rumble. It's a great way of cementing him as the company's top heel. I'd LOVE for it to be a clean win too. The main reason I see Punk winning is because it means The Rock can still make part time appearances for the next month and only really be full time between the Chamber and Mania.

And now that you mention Ziggler, holy shit, he'll cash in at the Rumble and become champ. Orton will win the Rumble and go for the WHC, Ziggler/Orton feud. Watch this come true.

[Jim]

Hang on which title does the RR winner go for...? WWE?

Ziggler will win the World Title now Big Show lost it on a Smackdown for no reason at all.. Del Rio is a much more likely loser to Ziggler what with his recent spurt of zestiness

[Jim]

Orton Vs Ziggler at WM29 would be fantastic.

[Macca]

The Rumble winner can choose either title to go for

[Jim]

Oh well that's something special then... I'm convinced The Rock will win at Rumble at lose at WM29.. Then be done.

He has 3 MAJOR movie releases in 2013.. Cant tell though, wether that means he's done filming for a while and has time for WWE... Or he's gonna be away with it all and just stick around for 3 months now

[BloodRedHalo]

Big Show only lost the World Heavyweight Title to Alberto Del Rio due to his contract running out.
My Royal Rumble predictions, CM Punk will retain the WWE Title, Del Rio to retain the WHC Title (Ziggler will tease cashing in), The Rock to win the Royal Rumble

[Jim]

His contract running out?! Really..??? And all that shit about his "iron clad" contract, has that been a year already...??? Cant have been!

The Rock isn't in the Rumble dude..

[Macca]

Nah, Show lost the title cos they need a face to hold it so Ziggler can win it from them.

[Jim]

And they've basically turned Del Rio into a babyface in a matter of days, it's odd how they can manipulate the audience so abruptly. He shakes a few hands in the crowd, has a smile on his face and done..

Ziggler will be champ from WM29 onwards, wether he wins it before then is to be seen!

[TenaciousBe]

I hate just about every face turn they've done in the last few years. There's never really a "turn," just, all of a sudden one day so and so stops being a dick to faces and suddenly he's a face? See: Miz, Sheamus, Del Rio... At least when you look at TNA, and you see the Bully Ray turn, you see the gradual progression from "I'm a bully doing what I want to get what I want" to "entertaining heel" to "okay, I'll stick up for Hogan cause it's the right thing to do" to "teaming with Sting" to "fine, I'm a full fledged babyface again". WWE just tries to change people overnight, it seems like, and there's no reason I should be invested in any of these guys as faces.

Anywho... I hate to say it but Rock is absolutely going to win the title at the Rumble. They want the title in the picture for Rock/Cena 2, and Punk's had his memorable long reign, and I hate to see it end to something as status quo as Rock returning again, but it's gonna happen. Cena wins the Rumble, bam, insta-feud with Rocky over the Title at Mania. I only hope they hurry up and pull the trigger on Ziggler before it's too late - he's one of the best they have on the roster right now, and this whole waiting game for him to get his day as champ is just getting frustrating, and frankly turning me off rather than making me want to watch to see it happen.

[Macca]

Anywho... I hate to say it but Rock is absolutely going to win the title at the Rumble. They want the title in the picture for Rock/Cena 2, and Punk's had his memorable long reign, and I hate to see it end to something as status quo as Rock returning again, but it's gonna happen. Cena wins the Rumble, bam, insta-feud with Rocky over the Title at Mania.

Far too predictable, I thought the same too for ages, but the more I think about it the less likely I think it is to happen. Vince loves to swerve fans at the Rumble. Rock will be the champ heading into Mania, but I genuinely see it happening at the Chamber, and I see a 3-way feud for the title happening with Punk/Cena/Rock and Cena will most likely win it at Mania. I think whoever wins the Rumble will be to set up the WHC match, still thinking Orton.

I realise this is a lil contradictory to my above post, but I've been thinking about it since then and I'm kinda leaning towards this scenario.

[Jim]

Wouldn't mind seeing Jinder Mahal win the Rumble..

JOKES.

Wouldn't mind seeing The Rock vs Undertaker at WM29 for once.. Never happened before

[anguyen92]

I fear for the industry at the moment. At least five years ago, everything felt good for the future and to push the new guys forward and that the old guys were still deliver quality moments. Now since then, HHH and Taker is almost to the level of retirement, HBK is retired, Cena is too stale, Orton is getting boring and seems to have no direction on his career, Batista quit the wrestling business, Edge had to forcefully retire, and Jericho is doing Fozzy and his radio show.

I just feel like the WWE is at a stage in their lifetime where they are not looking forward to the future and the idea that they are going to have to rely on guys like Punk and Daniel Bryan (which is not a bad thing, though it might be in WWE's mind) so before that happens, they'll bring back Lesnar and the Rock for short-term growth and exposure and but what happens after Lesnar and Rock are gone? What direction does the company want to go to that can keep themselves around for generations to come?

Kinda scared to think it that way, especially since the wrestling industry as a whole is not as visible as other forms of tv entertainment.

We could compare this to the visibility of rock music, in the US, compared to other music genres as well, but the difference is that rock is always going to be 100% there for generations to come. I don't know if the WWE will have that kind of position.