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GUEST EDITORIAL
By Chris Rivers of Old Hickory, Tenn., PWTorch.com reader
As the final week of TV leading to WrestleMania creeps along, here's a look at a rebooted lineup with the build-up to the matches and the fallout from Mania detailed. There is one main requirement to this card. All titles must be defended in some way. If the current titles are important, as any title should be, then they must be featured on the biggest show of the year. Also, since the build for Mania would start in January, this is ideally where Mania would have been minus suspensions and injuries. With that said, here's the new WrestleMania XXIV card from opening match to main event.
Money In the Bank: C.M. Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Chris Jericho vs. Carlito vs. Santino vs. Chuck Palumbo vs. Stevie Richards
A lot of the same participants in the actual MITB match are here. MVP and John Morrison have been replaced with Santino and Chuck Palumbo because MVP and Morrison are champions who must defend their titles elsewhere on the card. Stevie Richards has been added to give the match its normal eight participants. Leading into the match, all of these wrestlers would be pushed as strong contenders. Richards would be given a push once returning to TV that would see himself, Punk, and Benjamin in a program full of great one-on-one and triple threat matches on ECW each week. The match opens the show to not only start of with great energy and some good high spots, but also to bookend the show with the title picture. Punk would come out on top here and would then be drafted the next week to either Smackdown or Raw to further a push toward the main event title picture. Richards and Benjamin would move into the ECW title picture post-Mania, Carlito and Santino would continue teaming only to split later and feud over the Intercontinental title, and Palumbo would work a program chasing the US title. Jericho would turn heel and Kennedy would continue in the Raw mid-card before sliding into the IC title picture.
Tag Team Fatal Four Way - #1 Contenders Match: Brian Kendrick/Paul London vs. Lance Cade/Trevor Murdoch vs. Jesse/Festus vs. Curt Hawkins/Zack Ryder
This match would keep the momentum from MITB going pretty well. Why crown just one number one contender? With the tag division so underdeveloped on each brand, the tag titles should be unified and defended across all brands. Kendrick and London would be protected and be allowed to cut loose in the ring leading up to Mania. Cade and Murdoch will put over Kendrick and London in the match. In the weeks leading up to the match, Edge will guide Hawkins and Ryder to greater success as a tag team leading to a tag title run late in the year. Kendrick and London would immediately enter a program with the winner of the title match later in the card.
Spring Break Bikini Blast Contest - Women's #1 Contenders Match: Kelly Kelly vs. Victoria vs. Torrie Wilson vs. Michelle McCool vs. Mickie James vs. Melina vs. Jillian Hall vs. Ashley Massaro vs. Candice Michelle vs. Sunny
With Mania taking place in Florida around the time of spring break, why not have a bikini contest? Sunny would have returned around the time of the Rumble saying that she's back to show the other girls what being a WWE diva is all about. The three judges that would be at ringside would be Jerry Lawler, William Regal, and Trish Stratus. If the company could get Trish to come back just for TV and some PPV then maybe she enters the contest, but that's not likely. A good worker is needed to chase the title, so Mickie would get the win in the contest.
Finlay/Hornswoggle vs. JBL/Mr. McMahon
This feud has to be addressed since it was such a huge part of TV for so long. Vince and Hornswoggle are her for a comedy element. Leading in, Hornswoggle will have frustrated Vince by always slipping out of traps and catching Vince in some of his own. Vince and Hornswoggle would start the match with Hornswoggle running around and through Vince's legs. Vince has his pant yanked down by Hornswoggle who then heads backstage with Vince in pursuit. This leaves JBL and Finlay in the ring to have an intense 12-15 minute match. Afterward, in a couple of backstage segments, we would see that Hornswoggle had hogtied Vince and then later that Vince is actually crying on Coach's shoulder. The angle serves to unhinge Vince into an hysterical state that allows the family to put him in a psychiatric facility and off of TV for awhile. In Vince's absence, the Commissioner position is brought back to act as a go-between for the board of directors and the general managers.
Monster's Brawl: Kane vs. Mark Henry vs. The Great Khali vs. Snitsky
All four men would be built up as monsters leading into the match. Khali would have some encounters with McMahon's that would result in a stipulation from Vince. If Khali fails to win the match, he can no longer wrestle in WWE without a McMahon giving the okay. Snitsky goes over Mark Henry in the match relegating Khali to a bodyguard/hired gun status. During the match, Snitsky, unable to stop Kane on TV in the weeks leading up to Mania, throws a fireball in Kane's face. Kane falls to the mat screaming in pain and is rushed to the back. Leading into Summerslam, teases of a Kane return air. At Summerslam we get Kane vs. Snitsky and, when he returns, Kane is once again masked.
Triple Threat Brand Supremacy: Umaga vs. Batista vs. Big Daddy V
This match would serve another purpose. As Wade pointed out in an audio update, the Batista vs. Umaga match at Mania could be used to decide which brand picks first in the draft. This would serve the same purpose with Big Daddy V going over after Umaga and Batista decimated one another throughout the match. ECW would therefore receive the first pick, allowing them to "select" a true headliner or a new up and coming young talent from another brand. Umaga and Batista would continue their feud beyond Mania.
#1 Contenders Match - WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Triple H
This would be a big grudge match with Cena taking what Triple H felt was his Rumble win and spotlight from him with Cena's surprise return. Triple H would go over and be the immediate number one contender for the WWE championship. John Cena would take a month or two off to finish film commitments and further heal from his pectoral injury before coming back and re-entering the main event picture.
U.S. Championship: Matt Hardy vs. MVP (C)
Matt Hardy and MVP will finally get to have the blow-off to their program. Hardy goes over here and MVP continues to feud with upper mid-card and semi-main event talent. Hardy will enter a short program with Palumbo before moving on to a more long-term feud.
Unification Match - WWE Tag Team Champions vs. World Tag Team Champions: John Morrison/The Miz vs. Hardcore Holly/Cody Rhodes
This match needs to happen for the reason expressed earlier. The tag team division is too shallow with talent right now to have two sets of titles. Unify them and have the champs defend across all brands. They can always bring back another set of belts, but they shouldn't. Holly and Rhodes would go over here because Morrison needs to be pushed in the singles division and The Miz is just not championship material at this point. Rhodes might not be either, but he has the pedigree that says he deserves a shot. Besides, Holly and Rhodes would keep the titles only another month or two anyway before Kendrick and London took them from them.
ECW Championship: The Big Show vs. Chavo Guerrero (C)
Show should have come back as a babyface. He could have come back and been turned away by all of the champions on Raw and Smackdown for leaving. They would have the opinion that since show walked away he needs to get at the back of the line. Vince would have the same attitude, but the board of directors could work out a compromise due to an appeal by Show. They would state that Show could challenge for the ECW title since that's the last one he held before leaving and this would set-up the match between Show and Chavo at Mania. Show would go over and dominate ECW again as the champ. Chavo would run to Smackdown to be protected by his aunt Vickie.
WWE Women's Championship: Maria vs. Beth Phoenix (C)
This match would allow WWE to promote the annual diva Playboy appearance as they normally do, but it would be better to have Mickie in Maria's spot with Maria winning the bikini contest. The women's title would be treated like the tag titles post-Mania, defended across all brands. This could be a test to see if the same could be done with an Undisputed Championship that would only be defended on PPV, while brand champions would remain. Beth Phoenix goes over Maria and enters a feud with Mickie that would last until Summerslam.
Career Threatening Match: Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair
WWE got this one right, but they've had the wrong build. Flair should have gone heel for the build-up, cheating when and how he needed to for the victories. This one should be given a good half hour. Michaels goes over and there's a huge ovation for Flair and his career after the match. The next night on Raw a tribute package airs and Flair goes away for a month or so until the new Commissioner position is created. This gives Flair a role where he can do what he does best, talk.
World Championship: The Undertaker vs. Edge (C)
Taker has to go over here. He deserves a strong, extended run with the title and there's no justification for Edge defeating Taker and ending his Mania streak. Edge doesn't need that feather in his cap. Taker wins the title and keeps it at least until the Rumble and possibly beyond Mania XXV. Edge continues in the main event picture won't ever capture the gold as long as Taker holds the title.
Champion vs. Champion / Title for Title - Intercontinental Champion vs. WWE Champion: Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton
This is all on the predication in the opening to this editorial. If Hardy doesn't get suspended, this is the match that should headline Mania. The build-up was already there for the most part. The difference is that Triple H puts over Hardy in the elimination chamber. Hardy goes on to Mania and the fans get what they were clamoring for since his return as Hardy goes over Orton to win the WWE Championship. Hardy is confronted by Regal on Raw the next night and asked to surrender the IC title, but Jeff refuses. He says that he can't put into words what the IC title means to him, so, in anticipation of this moment, he had a video package put together to show everyone why this title means so much. We get an abbreviated history of the title with voice over from Jeff and the other superstars who have competed for and held the title in the past. Regal then strips Jeff of the title setting up a tournament. Jeff puts over the WWE title as well, but his refusal to surrender the IC belt and the video package will hopefully elevate the belt again in the fans eyes.
So, that's it. The WrestleMania XXIV card that probably should have been. It gives the company the chance to get Vince off of TV for awhile and to unify the tag straps. The tag belts and women's title become company wide titles. Kane gets his mask back and Khali ends up in a role he's much more suited for. Taker and Jeff Hardy lead the company for the remainder of the year with long title reigns that give more prestige to their respective titles and the fans get a card that, hopefully, is worth the increased PPV price tag.
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