PWTorch Specialists Roundtable: Looking at the totality of WrestleMania 28 hype thus far, is something significant missing from the hype? Or, is WWE on-track for next Sunday's PPV?

Ben Tucker, PWTorch Instant Reaction specialist

This show doesn't quite have the "big show feeling" that it normally does. For one, this WrestleMania has had very unbalanced hype. The top three matches have had almost all of the hype, whereas the other feuds have been decent, at best. Then, there's the Maria Menounos Divas tag match, which I have no idea why is even happening.

More than anything, Rock vs. Cena doesn't feel as special as it should, and I think that's mainly because Rock's "newness" has worn off. He's still the Rock, but he returned over a year ago. That, plus unspectacular hype, has resulted in the main match for the PPV not feeling nearly as special as it should. The WWE Title and Hell in a Cell matches do feel very significant, but the other feuds feel more at home for Summerslam, not the biggest show of the year. (Questions or Comments? Follow Ben on Twitter @BTuckertorch, or e-mail btuckertorch@aol.com)

Nathan Kyght, PWTorch PPV specialist

Thus far, I think that WWE is doing a great job of promoting WrestleMania, although the concentration is clearly on John Cena vs. The Rock and Triple H vs. The Undertaker. Having said that, those two matches are clearly the draw going in; all due respect to Maria Menounos, but I'm not sure she's adding a heck of a lot of buys. Cena's new "serious" role has been great, in my opinion, and The Rock is an attraction just by being, y'know, The Rock. Triple H and The Undertaker have been great on the mic leading up to their Hell in the Cell match, and the always fantastic Shawn Michaels has only added to the intrigue.

I've also enjoyed the added dynamic to the Chris Jericho vs. C.M. Punk match, and I am really hoping that this week's TV adds some drama to the Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus match. Bryan has been great as of late, but I'm not sure WWE has done enough to give fans a vested interest in Sheamus thus far. Still, WWE has two more shows to go, and, besides, it's WrestlMmania. There's something about it, and if you head into the show not really caring, it may be more of a reflection on your feeling on the product in general. I've watched it 27 times. I'm not about to stop now. It's the one time of the year where you just have to fall into the hype. I can't wait for April 1. (Read Kyght's PPV Evaluation & Ranking column after each major PPV, including WrestleMania next Sunday.)

Mike Cupach, PWTorch contributor

Usually I am one to get reeled into the hype for Mania every year, but this year I am just not ready for it. I have become exhausted from the year-long hype of Rock vs. Cena, I feel like Hunter and Undertaker are going through the motions (although them going through the motions is better than 75 percent of the roster), and it seems like Punk and Jericho have strayed from what their feud was intended to be.

I think the issue with these three matches/feuds is that everything has been built through promos and these guys haven’t laid a hand on each other since the matches were announced. I don’t want the guys to have a preview one-on-one match this Monday, but to see a sneak attack from Jericho on Punk to get a little heat before the match would be nice. I also wouldn’t mind Shawn Michaels giving Sweet Chin Music to either Undertaker or Triple H to make it look like he might be biased or try to influence the match and add that last bit of intrigue before WrestleMania.

The undercard has been nicely built up the last few weeks. Some work friends of mine who are common fans can’t wait for Sheamus to “give Daniel Bryan his” after weeks of Bryan weaseling his way out of matches and cheap-shotting Sheamus when he gets the chance. Another guy I work with can’t wait for Big Show to knock Cody Rhodes out and he wants to see someone shut John Laurinaitis up. There has been physicality in those feuds and good reason to want to see the heel gets taught a lesson as opposed to the main event feuds where the people involved stand around and talk to each other for six weeks straight. In my opinion, that physicality is what has been missing in the hype to WrestleMania. (Read Cupach's alt. perspective review of WWE Smackdown every weekend.)

Shane McKinley, PWTorch Absurdity specialist

No stones have been left unturned when it comes to the exposition and backstory of this year's WrestleMania feuds and stories. (At times, Rock vs. Cena has been a tired repeat of the smacktalk that they said the previous week.) Match-wise, WWE is looking pretty good with two extremely interesting spectacle main events (with a great possibility of a ending that gets everyone talking) being buoyed by two potentially great championship matches that plan to go more in the technical realm (unless a Jack Daniels bottle or girlfriend drama is involved). These four matches alone sell the event for me; the rest is just Smackdown mid-card salad dressing, which is a sore point. Orton vs. Kane? C'mon. There's no MITB match again, but the annoying 12-man doohickey scrap should be a crowd-pleaser.

If there's one thing missing from Wrestlemania, it's the lack of celebrity involvement. Not a lot of people groan about celebrities, but they help bring attention to the show. I also feel that there should be way more buzz about this show on the media rounds circuit, as Rock vs. Cena is a dream match, and from where I'm standing, it hasn't reached the heights I thought it would make. (Read McKinley's regular Absurdity of It All columns, including a WrestleMania preview column upcoming this weekend.)

Anthony Beckingham, PWTorch review specialist

Yes, there is something majorly missing from WrestleMania thus far, but I'm pretty sure it isn't the matches. You have the spectacle (Cena-Rock), the technical prowess (WWE Title), the personal emotions (Hell in a Cell), and the possibility of a first-time World Heavyweight Title win on the grandest stage. WWE has all the bases covered it would seem, and yet I don't feel like I care much.

This is the least I've been excited about WrestleMania since I became a fan again in 2007 and I don't entirely know why. I think some of it is due to the awful Summer of not-quite-Punk damaging a lot of characters for me. I also think the two main events aren't dramatic enough - sure Cena and Rock have been insulting each other, but where's the pullapart brawl? The other match doesn't need it, as Triple H would gain nothing by beating Undertaker any other day besides WrestleMania.

Another missing factor is celebrities. Unlike a lot of wrestling fans who favor metal, I'm really into hip-hop, but if the best they can get is Flo Rida - whose last album smashed the U.S. charts at #107 and here in the U.K. was an even more impressive #174 - then maybe they shouldn't bother at all. It's right up there with behind-the-times Nickelback being the Raw theme and Green Day's "Enemy" making Smackdown a year after the single was released. I don't know Machine Gun Kelly, so I'm willing to give him a chance, and maybe WWE will prove to be cutting edge. But, that rumored Shaquille O'Neal vs. Big Show match sure looks like a missed opportunity right now. (Read Beckingham's regular Shimmer DVD reviews.)

Check Back for Part 2 on Sunday

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