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PWTORCH ROUNDTABLE: Is WrestleMania 28 on-pace to top WM27 PPV buys? (Part 3)

Feb 10, 2012 - 3:26:48 PM
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PWTorch Specialists Roundtable Question - At this point in the WrestleMania 28 build-up, do you think WM28 is on pace to draw more or fewer PPV buys than WM27 (1.06 million buys)? Or, is it too early to tell?

Shawn Valentino, PWTorch specialist

Looking at the early card for WrestleMania 28, I believe it will definitely draw more buys than Mania 27. I have not enjoyed the hype for Rock-Cena at all and feel that each has done damage not only to each other but to themselves. Rock looks less cool with each Tweet, and, of course, it is impossible for Cena to be any less cool so he is at his usual unparalleled level of dorkiness.

That being said, it is still one of the last remaining dream match-ups, so the strength of the Rock-Cena build should have some intrigue, even though I do not think the casual fan cares about Cena. I hope that when Rock shows up, they keep the focus more on the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." That is what will make this match-up exciting because this Twitter non-sense has been awful.

Triple H vs. Taker is the match I am more interested in. Last year's match was a classic, and this year's build-up has already started strong. This should be a template, along with the two Taker-HBK matches and HBK-Flair match, on how to intelligently build to an epic encounter between two legends.

If Shaq shows up for a match, it should build some casual interest, as well as Tyson's involvement in the Hall of Fame. For some reason, it seems that Rock generated more interest last year in his non-wrestling capacity, but that may change in the upcoming weeks. All in all, I feel that the overall card will be stronger this year and there will be a higher buyrate. (Read Valentino's regular "Magic, Memories, and Mania" column during WrestleMania season.)

Brian Leahy, PWTorch specialist

It may be too early to tell at this point, but I believe that WWE is on course to draw a better number for WM28 than they did for last year’s event. Say what you want about how WWE has hot-shotted angles and mishandled storylines over the past 12 months (and beyond), but they seem to have the majority of the road to WrestleMania mapped out.

For WM28, way more than in recent years, WWE has had time on their side to build the major matches. Undertaker's return last year happened at the February 21 Raw; this year, WWE gave themselves a full three more weeks to build towards Undertaker's WM match. Cena vs. Rock has had the better part of a year, and they seem to be ready to kick it into a higher gear (at least on Twitter). C.M. Punk vs. Chris Jericho seems like a near-certainty now. Seemingly the only matter left to be cleaned up is who, if either of them, will enter Miami as WWE champ. Punk and Jericho have the potential to whip up serious interest in their match without laying a finger on each other, and I fully expect them to elbow their way into a few show-closing segments before March is finished.

On Smackdown, Sheamus’s story will speak for itself, and his potential match with Bryan could create interest based solely on potential entertainment value. That leaves a rich vein of upper and mid-card talent still to be given roles. A few solidly-built singles matches along with the rumored return of MITB to WrestleMania could help draw a big number.

There are certainly elements that might not help the numbers: this isn’t Rock's first appearance back, Cena’s act is another year duller, Undertaker vs. Triple H has been done before (twice), and there are no celebrity side-show attractions (yet). But, WWE is still over 15 major TV/PPV shows away from the big day. I put stock in the notion that WWE has a plan they’re following to get themselves to Mania in good stead, and that WM28 will “comfortably” surpass the million-buy mark. (Read Leahy's regular independent DVD reviews and listen to him regularly appear on Sean Radican's VIP audio show.)

George Chiverton, PWTorch contributor

I'm bucking the trend of my fellow contributors by saying I'm not sure that WM28 will out-draw WM27. Miz-Cena vs. Rock-Cena should be a no contest, but I'm of the opinion that WWE really needs to start focusing on the actual match-up between Rock and Cena rather than focusing on their clashing personalities and stories. I can understand why they haven't yet, given the match has seemed to exist in the distant future ever since the announcement in April last year. Now, with WrestleMania closing in, it's about time that the wrestling match between the two is remembered and focused on. This could be done in a million ways (e.g. comparing their World Title reigns, previous opponents, or even just showing the tale of the tape), but I think the most effective way would just be to compare their styles.

WWE has exceptional talent at producing promotional videos of this sort (the HBK-Undertaker WM26 video was truly epic), and a video comparing their signature moves and styles could remind the audience that this is a wrestling match, not a Twitter war between two fairly average actors. In this sense, I believe the top match on the WM28 card is not at the moment out drawing Miz-Cena due to a severe lack of focus. After all, at WM27, Cena vs. Rock seemed inevitable. At WM28, well, who knows any more? The Scorpion Marine 2?

Now the rest of the card. Punk-Jericho? Yeah, that's 100 percent money. I doubt I could ever find anyone who cares about wrestling who wouldn't care about that match. And, for my money, I think it would impact buys more than Del Rio-Edge purely because Punk is a more-established star now than Del Rio was at the time, despite his Rumble momentum. Sheamus vs. Bryan (as things seem to be going) isn't a huge draw, but given that I'm now looking at the WM27 undercard in comparison to this year's World Title match, there is certainly another victory here compared to the eight-man tag match or Mysterio-Rhodes from last year.

The only thing I might say that WM28 could do with, and I hate myself for saying it, but there is no denying people despise Michael Cole. If he can be put in a situation where he will clearly be squashed in two minutes or less (perhaps with Foley involved to up the feel-good factor), I think it could up the appeal of the card. Overall, saying WM28 is falling behind WM27 might be a bit harsh, but there are definitely some flaws in the current build, which WWE really needs to address if they want to get the most possible out of their top PPV. (Read Chiverton's weekly NXT Rankings & Evaluation column every Wednesday.)


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