Wrestlemania 35 Dream Cards, Predictions, Discussion

[NYRFAN218]

Given the WWE Network ads, it sure seems like we're getting Demon Balor.

 

[Pilky01]

If WWE doesn't give Kofi the belt I mean, I don't know how people can still follow WWE. Why do people follow it when all they do is kick you in the teeth?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

If WWE doesn't give Kofi the belt I mean, I don't know how people can still follow WWE. Why do people follow it when all they do is kick you in the teeth?

Because Daniel Bryan is too good.

 

[Disclose]

I like kofi but I seriously don’t give a damn about having a WM moment with him.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I don’t like abandoning plans because someone gets hot. There are very few exceptions imho. Bryan in 2013 doesn’t count because the plan should have ALWAYS been for him to win at Wrestlemania.

If it was any champion other than Bryan that Kofi was facing, i’d say change plans and have him win at WM, but Bryan is too good and having one of the greatest runs (AGAIN) in the last 20 years. It’s homestly ridiculous. Any other champion, put Kofi over. Bryan? No thanks.

 

[Pilky01]

Kofi Kingston winning means a lot to black fans.

 

[Disclose]

of course. if theyre turning the storyline into that.... (new day on twitter)

 

[M.C.G. 31]

The thing is if they had plans to make Kofi the champ I feel like they would have mentioned he’d be the first black WWE champion in history (not World champion, not half Samoan half African American).

There’s still two weeks so there’s time to do so, but I can’t see them ending Bryan’s reign at the moment. For all the inconsistent and shitty booking in WWE over the last two decades, one of the few constants has been Daniel Bryan and his performances.

 

[Pilky01]

I don’t get the inconsistent booking complaint. They have been setting this up for a while now. It’s the main story on SmackDown. It’s what Tuesday’s show was all about.

Granted I am an extremely casual viewer, but if they aren’t setting him up to win Against All Odds at Wrestlemania then I have no clue what they’re booking because that is the only storyline I see right now.

 

[GKJ]

I don’t like abandoning plans because someone gets hot. There are very few exceptions imho. Bryan in 2013 doesn’t count because the plan should have ALWAYS been for him to win at Wrestlemania.

If it was any champion other than Bryan that Kofi was facing, i’d say change plans and have him win at WM, but Bryan is too good and having one of the greatest runs (AGAIN) in the last 20 years. It’s homestly ridiculous. Any other champion, put Kofi over. Bryan? No thanks.

Yes it does count, because they moved on that way later than they're even doing with this one. You can't qualify your rationale just because you're marking for Danielson. They're not even booking him to be a good champion, he keeps losing all the time on TV.

They put Becky in with Ronda because she got hot. Imagine how dead if not volatile that feud would be right now if they didn't abandon Becky's heel turn and tried to keep Charlotte as a face.

Things change in the wrestling business, often quickly. They may have an idea of what they want, but they don't have a plan. Wrestlemania is what all of your plans are supposed to lead to.

 

[Pilky01]

* edit - double post.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Yes it does count, because they moved on that way later than they're even doing with this one. You can't qualify your rationale just because you're marking for Danielson. They're not even booking him to be a good champion, he keeps losing all the time on TV.

They put Becky in with Ronda because she got hot. Imagine how dead if not volatile that feud would be right now if they didn't abandon Becky's heel turn and tried to keep Charlotte as a face.

Things change in the wrestling business, often quickly. They may have an idea of what they want, but they don't have a plan. Wrestlemania is what all of your plans are supposed to lead to.

In regards to Becky, she’s another exception because of fan reactions. You couldn’t keep her heel. Also, she’s always been an A+ player.

You talk about Bryan like he’s not a good champion, yet he’s exactly like The Rock. He’s so good that even when he loses, no one holds it against him because he can come back the next week and get back his credibility with just words and becomes even more hated. It’s not just “marking for Danielson,” it’s fact. He’s so good he can put people over, eat pins, and he’s not hurt one bit and you know it too.

I have my own thoughts on the Kofi angle at this time which are known. Love Kofi, but I don’t think he should be beating Bryan at WM, but they’ve booked themselves into a spot where he’s pretty much has to win now, and Kofi probably benefits from Bryan refusing to go to Saudi Arabia and probably dropping the title before the show.

 

[GKJ]

In regards to Becky, she’s another exception because of fan reactions. You couldn’t keep her heel. Also, she’s always been an A+ player.

You talk about Bryan like he’s not a good champion, yet he’s exactly like The Rock. He’s so good that even when he loses, no one holds it against him because he can come back the next week and get back his credibility with just words and becomes even more hated. It’s not just “marking for Danielson,” it’s fact. He’s so good he can put people over, eat pins, and he’s not hurt one bit and you know it too.

I have my own thoughts on the Kofi angle at this time which are known. Love Kofi, but I don’t think he should be beating Bryan at WM, but they’ve booked themselves into a spot where he’s pretty much has to win now, and Kofi probably benefits from Bryan refusing to go to Saudi Arabia and probably dropping the title before the show.

He is good at being a champion, there's a difference. He's not on some kind of epic run like CM Punk was where people were starting to come back, and he may not have even been champion at all if they didn't figure out they didn't want to do AJ/Brock again.

Becky had absolutely nothing going for her, which is why they were turning her heel to begin with, other than good crowd reactions (Money in the Bank crowd wanted her to win), because the fans are just not going to abandon the women they feel should be booked better. They did the same thing that didn't work when they tried to turn Bayley heel. She hadn't been a player on TV in almost 2 years.

The bottom line on these folks like Kofi or Becky is that they have to see how far they can go, because they're moving to Fox in 6 months and they have to have stars, preferably stars people like and want to see.

 

[JackSlater]

There is a difference between listening to the fans with Bryan (or Punk in 2011) and listening to them with Kingston. Bryan garnered bigger reactions, for a sustained period, and was the best wrestler in the company. Bryan is still better than Kingston. In wrestling the best wrestler obviously isn't always champion, but I would rather they let Bryan keep the title for now. He's been great in his role. You also can't trust fans to book the show. Ryder, who had big fan support, was and is terrible. I'm glad in that case that WWE held off. Sometimes the fans are right and sometimes they are wrong, but a good booker gives them what they want when they are correct and gives them something better when they are wrong.

Of course, the problem with WWE is that they see someone get hot and then don't give them any support and it quickly burns out, or they actively work against that wrestler because he isn't Vince's preference.. Giving Kingston a push is fine, as it allows them to see if this newfound popularity has legs, but he isn't Hulk Hogan circa 1984 who needs the belt ASAP. Keeping him away from the belt also hopefully stalls the almost inevitable feud that would follow, when HHH notices something hot and decides that the only thing that can make it hotter is himself.

The good thing - Bryan Kingston could be quite a strong match and there are plenty of ways to take such a feud going forward. If they had a one on one match with adequate time I'd list it as the slight favourite for best match of the card, ahead of the Lesnar - Rollins mtch that has a big variable in play.

 

[GKJ]

Here's the thing: this is a different time in wrestling than it was in 1984 or even 2004. If, as someone put it, the fans keep getting kicked in the teeth, people are going to continue to leave and not come back. They're losing 20% of their audience year-to-year because each year 20% of the audience decides they're never going to get what they want, or when they get there it won't be worth it. At some point, the message has to be that what people want is right here and not somewhere else. Oh yeah, and they gotta find roughly 1.5M people to come back and watch every single week in the next 6-12 months.

And it's not even a Bryan v. Kofi story. Vince is the antagonist, Bryan just happens to be the champion. Vince has been stacking the deck against Kofi for weeks, you can't end the story with 'see Vince was right,' especially when it's after a fair fight.

 

[JackSlater]

Here's the thing: this is a different time in wrestling than it was in 1984 or even 2004. If, as someone put it, the fans keep getting kicked in the teeth, people are going to continue to leave and not come back. They're losing 20% of their audience year-to-year because each year 20% of the audience decides they're never going to get what they want, or when they get there it won't be worth it. At some point, the message has to be that what people want is right here and not somewhere else. Oh yeah, and they gotta find roughly 1.5M people to come back and watch every single week in the next 6-12 months.

And it's not even a Bryan v. Kofi story. Vince is the antagonist, Bryan just happens to be the champion. Vince has been stacking the deck against Kofi for weeks, you can't end the story with 'see Vince was right,' especially when it's after a fair fight.

Quite an overstatement to imply that not giving Kingston the title is anywhere close to kicking fans in the teeth. This is not the Bryan situation again. Kingston has been hot for about... one month? And not massively hot, his reactions are just better than the tepid reactions most WWE wrestlers receive, at least lately. He's been there for over a decade - we know what he is. He's not a guy that's going to stem the flow of people leaving the WWE audience, not that anyone else is for that matter as the issues are systemic in the company. If anyone stuck around for all of WWE's decisions through the Cena and Reigns eras of horrible decisions then I can't imagine them going because Kingston doesn't get the title.

Vince stacking the deck against Kingston for only a few weeks is also not a good enough reason to take the title off the better wrestler who is doing better work. The story doesn't even have to end at Wrestlemania, if WWE had brains. As it stands though this would be WWE taking the belt off its best wrestler, who is doing some great work, to put it on a worse wrestler who has never moved the needle over the past ten years and who almost certainly won't have some sort of tremendous title run anyway. It's not a travesty if they do it but keeping it on Bryan is the better decision if the goal is a quality product. If Kingston's newfound popularity has legs then they can keep him in the picture and let him chase, as in what babyfaces typically do. Vince screwing with someone and having them fall short for a time (losing at Wrestlemania for instance) doesn't bury anyone, it's the lack of follow through that does it.

 

[GKJ]

Quite an overstatement to imply that not giving Kingston the title is anywhere close to kicking fans in the teeth. This is not the Bryan situation again. Kingston has been hot for about... one month? And not massively hot, his reactions are just better than the tepid reactions most WWE wrestlers receive, at least lately. He's been there for over a decade - we know what he is. He's not a guy that's going to stem the flow of people leaving the WWE audience, not that anyone else is for that matter as the issues are systemic in the company. If anyone stuck around for all of WWE's decisions through the Cena and Reigns eras of horrible decisions then I can't imagine them going because Kingston doesn't get the title.

Vince stacking the deck against Kingston for only a few weeks is also not a good enough reason to take the title off the better wrestler who is doing better work. The story doesn't even have to end at Wrestlemania, if WWE had brains. As it stands though this would be WWE taking the belt off its best wrestler, who is doing some great work, to put it on a worse wrestler who has never moved the needle over the past ten years and who almost certainly won't have some sort of tremendous title run anyway. It's not a travesty if they do it but keeping it on Bryan is the better decision if the goal is a quality product. If Kingston's newfound popularity has legs then they can keep him in the picture and let him chase, as in what babyfaces typically do. Vince screwing with someone and having them fall short for a time (losing at Wrestlemania for instance) doesn't bury anyone, it's the lack of follow through that does it.

That's the thing - they're not sticking around. They're setting record lows or coming close fairly frequently. The fact people are leaving WWE is why AEW thinks they have a chance to produce a product people want.

Vince has never, ever cared about the title being on 'the best wrestler.' The best wrestler may have been over to the point where he had it, but less than 2 years ago the title was on Jinder Mahal for 6 months and they were going to try to do a program with Lesnar, and he wouldn't have went with Alexa Bliss as many times as he did.

You're assuming that Vince cares about the guy who is the better worker. He doesn't. That's why he wants to push Nia Jax and Baron Corbin and never went with Cesaro.

Otherwise you can only do what you say with a screwjob finish, which I'm pretty sure is what no one wants because that's what's going to open the door for a program with Triple H

 

[JackSlater]

That's the thing - they're not sticking around. They're setting record lows or coming close fairly frequently. The fact people are leaving WWE is why AEW thinks they have a chance to produce a product people want.

Vince has never, ever cared about the title being on 'the best wrestler.' The best wrestler may have been over to the point where he had it, but less than 2 years ago the title was on Jinder Mahal for 6 months and they were going to try to do a program with Lesnar, and he wouldn't have went with Alexa Bliss as many times as he did.

You're assuming that Vince cares about the guy who is the better worker. He doesn't. That's why he wants to push Nia Jax and Baron Corbin and never went with Cesaro.

Otherwise you can only do what you say with a screwjob finish, which I'm pretty sure is what no one wants because that's what's going to open the door for a program with Triple H

This is way off in many ways.

Again - people not sticking around has basically nothing to do with whether WWE gives the title to Kofi Kingston. The guy has been there for over a decade and is a known quantity, and it isn't as if the title is stapled to some inferior wrestler or a wrestler who drives fans away. The title is on a wrestler who has historically been much more popular than Kingston has. Putting it on Kingston is a big pop at Wrestlemania, followed by almost certainly a mediocre run and the title going back on the carousel. Nothing will change.

Your points about Vince are all irrelevant to what I said. None of my statements are based on what Vince thinks. I am talking about what would be best, not what Vince wants.

You can do what I suggested in a variety of ways, not solely a screwjob finish. A wrestler losing at Wrestlemania, even cleanly, doesn't inherently end his push for the title. WWE's lack of continuation is what kills people, not losing to someone the level of Bryan. I would also fear the almost inevitable HHH storyline if Kingston continues to get a crowd reaction, but that's a consequence of HHH's ego and nothing can be done about it. Ideally HHH doesn't wrestle again.

 

[GKJ]

This is way off in many ways.

Again - people not sticking around has basically nothing to do with whether WWE gives the title to Kofi Kingston. The guy has been there for over a decade and is a known quantity, and it isn't as if the title is stapled to some inferior wrestler or a wrestler who drives fans away. The title is on a wrestler who has historically been much more popular than Kingston has. Putting it on Kingston is a big pop at Wrestlemania, followed by almost certainly a mediocre run and the title going back on the carousel. Nothing will change.

Your points about Vince are all irrelevant to what I said. None of my statements are based on what Vince thinks. I am talking about what would be best, not what Vince wants.

You can do what I suggested in a variety of ways, not solely a screwjob finish. A wrestler losing at Wrestlemania, even cleanly, doesn't inherently end his push for the title. WWE's lack of continuation is what kills people, not losing to someone the level of Bryan. I would also fear the almost inevitable HHH storyline if Kingston continues to get a crowd reaction, but that's a consequence of HHH's ego and nothing can be done about it. Ideally HHH doesn't wrestle again.

First off, of course they can continue to have him chase, they can do whatever they want. But this is Wrestlemania. That's exactly what they're supposed to do is get huge pops and make huge moments and get people talking and make people feel happy. Wrestlemania is specifically what this type of moment is for, not to hope he wins it at Money in the Bank or something.

When JBL was champion after being around for however long, what's the difference there other than him being a heel? It doesn't matter what he's been doing for 11 years, they condition their audience about all kinds of things that don't matter and not supposed to remember. Remember when Shane was supposed to be gone from the company after losing to the Undertaker? Or when John Cena was fired when he lost to CM Punk, and was back as the champion the next night? The only history that matters to them is whatever they keep telling you.

And why would it be a mediocre run? They book the guys who are actually top guys to have mediocre runs all the time, I don't see what the difference would be in this case. AJ was having a good run with the title, and people were getting bored of it since he didn't drop it to Joe.

It's also not the main title - the one Brock has is the 'main' title. That's why they could put this one on Jinder and Bray Wyatt and the like.

In a vacuum, it probably isn't a mover whether or not Kofi gets the title. But it could be, I don't know that. WWE is getting desperate to try things and see what sticks, so this is a situation where I think you have to give it a shot. It doesn't matter what they do in 2 or 3 months because they don't even know what they're doing in 2 or 3 months.

 

[JackSlater]

First off, of course they can continue to have him chase, they can do whatever they want. But this is Wrestlemania. That's exactly what they're supposed to do is get huge pops and make huge moments and get people talking and make people feel happy. Wrestlemania is specifically what this type of moment is for, not to hope he wins it at Money in the Bank or something.

When JBL was champion after being around for however long, what's the difference there other than him being a heel? It doesn't matter what he's been doing for 11 years, they condition their audience about all kinds of things that don't matter and not supposed to remember. Remember when Shane was supposed to be gone from the company after losing to the Undertaker? Or when John Cena was fired when he lost to CM Punk, and was back as the champion the next night? The only history that matters to them is whatever they keep telling you.

And why would it be a mediocre run? They book the guys who are actually top guys to have mediocre runs all the time, I don't see what the difference would be in this case. AJ was having a good run with the title, and people were getting bored of it since he didn't drop it to Joe.

It's also not the main title - the one Brock has is the 'main' title. That's why they could put this one on Jinder and Bray Wyatt and the like.

In a vacuum, it probably isn't a mover whether or not Kofi gets the title. But it could be, I don't know that. WWE is getting desperate to try things and see what sticks, so this is a situation where I think you have to give it a shot. It doesn't matter what they do in 2 or 3 months because they don't even know what they're doing in 2 or 3 months.

That isn't what Wrestlemania should be for or even really is for most times. Wrestlemania should be for, and traditionally was for, paying off the big storylines. In most cases, but not always, that entails the face winning and the subsequent pop and so on. This is not some big storyline though. It's a story that is just in the beginning phases, there is no need to have Kingston win already just for the cheap pop. Far better the delay the pop, let Kingston chase for some time and win at perhaps Summerslam. WWE goes for cheap pops at Wrestlemania sometimes and it leads to trash like Ryder winning the IC belt. Actually build the story, for longer than just a few weeks, and the payoff would be far bigger and both Kingston and Bryan would come out far stronger.

Another point - it would be easy to build a decent story between Bryan/Kingston. Bryan the sanctimonious, moralistic heel who wants to save the world. Kingston part of the happy go lucky new day, seemingly oblivious to the various issues that Bryan keeps attempting to brow beat the audience with. You can get a few months out of that. That WWE seems to prefer going the tired route of Vince vs. face is an indication of the company's stupidity and not a sufficient reason to just throw the title on Kingston.

The JBL situation is quite different because he changed his gimmick completely to the point that JBL and Justin Bradshaw were basically two different wrestlers. Kingston has been in this gimmick with New Day for nearly five years. It's not a JBL or Stone Cold Steve Austin situation where an old hand has a new gimmick and takes off. It's the same guy that's been good but not great in his gimmick that is good but not great for the last half decade. Your points about Shane McMahon or Cena are irrelevant to what I am saying. I'm not talking kayfabe. I'm saying that it's been the same Kingston for years and he wasn't some obvious megastar being held down. One PPV crowd popping for him and setting off a (very likely temporary) boost to his popularity doesn't suddenly make him better or have significantly better long term prospects.

I think that the reasons we could expect a mediocre run are obvious. If they have to be laid out - Kingston is good, but he isn't great. Maybe at 37 years old and with the same gimmick for basically five years he has something to show that he hasn't before... but I highly doubt it. Two, WWE tends to dislike it and fumble it when the fans force them into something. The latter issue isn't Kingston's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. I really doubt that Kingston's run, if it started in two weeks, would be better than what Bryan has done so far (which has been good but not yet great). I'd much rather let Bryan have a good long run and then build Kingston up to the point where he is actually in a position to sustain something.

I agree with a lot of the last part. I would be shocked if Kingston became a guy who really moves the needle for WWE, but stranger things have happened in wrestling in rare instances. I don't have anything against Kingston either, and if he was taking on Orton/Cena I would be all for a breath of fresh air. This is against Bryan though, and in a story that could be far better if they gave it time. If the crowd is really behind Kingston and not just going with a new trend, then let him chase and build his own credibility. Let Bryan go on a lengthy run as well so that if and when Kingston does beat him it really means something. In the end this is likely giving WWE too much credit, but it's what would be better. Throwing the title on Kingston now is a short sighted attempt at getting a pop at Wrestlemania instead of building something better down the road. You can take advantage of the crowd getting behind a wrestler without throwing the title on him at almost the first opportunity.

 

[GKJ]

That isn't what Wrestlemania should be for or even really is for most times. Wrestlemania should be for, and traditionally was for, paying off the big storylines. In most cases, but not always, that entails the face winning and the subsequent pop and so on. This is not some big storyline though. It's a story that is just in the beginning phases, there is no need to have Kingston win already just for the cheap pop. Far better the delay the pop, let Kingston chase for some time and win at perhaps Summerslam. WWE goes for cheap pops at Wrestlemania sometimes and it leads to trash like Ryder winning the IC belt. Actually build the story, for longer than just a few weeks, and the payoff would be far bigger and both Kingston and Bryan would come out far stronger.

Another point - it would be easy to build a decent story between Bryan/Kingston. Bryan the sanctimonious, moralistic heel who wants to save the world. Kingston part of the happy go lucky new day, seemingly oblivious to the various issues that Bryan keeps attempting to brow beat the audience with. You can get a few months out of that. That WWE seems to prefer going the tired route of Vince vs. face is an indication of the company's stupidity and not a sufficient reason to just throw the title on Kingston.

The JBL situation is quite different because he changed his gimmick completely to the point that JBL and Justin Bradshaw were basically two different wrestlers. Kingston has been in this gimmick with New Day for nearly five years. It's not a JBL or Stone Cold Steve Austin situation where an old hand has a new gimmick and takes off. It's the same guy that's been good but not great in his gimmick that is good but not great for the last half decade. Your points about Shane McMahon or Cena are irrelevant to what I am saying. I'm not talking kayfabe. I'm saying that it's been the same Kingston for years and he wasn't some obvious megastar being held down. One PPV crowd popping for him and setting off a (very likely temporary) boost to his popularity doesn't suddenly make him better or have significantly better long term prospects.

I think that the reasons we could expect a mediocre run are obvious. If they have to be laid out - Kingston is good, but he isn't great. Maybe at 37 years old and with the same gimmick for basically five years he has something to show that he hasn't before... but I highly doubt it. Two, WWE tends to dislike it and fumble it when the fans force them into something. The latter issue isn't Kingston's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. I really doubt that Kingston's run, if it started in two weeks, would be better than what Bryan has done so far (which has been good but not yet great). I'd much rather let Bryan have a good long run and then build Kingston up to the point where he is actually in a position to sustain something.

I agree with a lot of the last part. I would be shocked if Kingston became a guy who really moves the needle for WWE, but stranger things have happened in wrestling in rare instances. I don't have anything against Kingston either, and if he was taking on Orton/Cena I would be all for a breath of fresh air. This is against Bryan though, and in a story that could be far better if they gave it time. If the crowd is really behind Kingston and not just going with a new trend, then let him chase and build his own credibility. Let Bryan go on a lengthy run as well so that if and when Kingston does beat him it really means something. In the end this is likely giving WWE too much credit, but it's what would be better. Throwing the title on Kingston now is a short sighted attempt at getting a pop at Wrestlemania instead of building something better down the road. You can take advantage of the crowd getting behind a wrestler without throwing the title on him at almost the first opportunity.

Was Kofi Kingston not doing a Jamacian gimmick at one time? It may not be a drastic difference but it also shouldn't be, everyone's had gimmick changes before getting to the top.

You also don't have to build a Bryan v. Kofi storyline based on their gimmicks for another 2-3 months. They've already been doing it for 2 months. I don't know what else you're building to, they're already doing all the stuff right now that they do to try and make a new top star. It won't be as important as it is right now.

It may not have better long term prospects, but I don't know that it doesn't. What I do know is doing what they know to do with the people they think should be the people who do it hasn't been working and an opportunity to try something different with someone who organically got over is happening right now.

 

[JackSlater]

Was Kofi Kingston not doing a Jamacian gimmick at one time? It may not be a drastic difference but it also shouldn't be, everyone's had gimmick changes before getting to the top.

You also don't have to build a Bryan v. Kofi storyline based on their gimmicks for another 2-3 months. They've already been doing it for 2 months. I don't know what else you're building to, they're already doing all the stuff right now that they do to try and make a new top star. It won't be as important as it is right now.

It may not have better long term prospects, but I don't know that it doesn't. What I do know is doing what they know to do with the people they think should be the people who do it hasn't been working and an opportunity to try something different with someone who organically got over is happening right now.

Yes Kingston has had basically two gimmicks. The Jamaican thing that was dropped as he transitioned into generic athletic guy, then New Day. JBL was a case of a new gimmick taking off almost immediately. Kingston has had this gimmick for almost five years now. I don't see how he's going to take off now when he didn't earlier as the same guy with the same gimmick for the last several years.

You don't need to build this storyline for several more months, but if you want to make it an actual good storyline and have both of them look better then you do need to. It's very WWE to just throw guys together with a few weeks of build and no real reason to feud, then drop it later. Good storylines need time, and recent WWE demonstrates that perfectly by not giving storylines time and consequently having garbage stories. It would be pretty easy to stretch Bryan vs Kingston out to Summerslam in a way that allows Kingston to build further steam, Bryan to get more heat and the win to mean that much more.

If I understand what you're saying correctly at the end then yes I agree that WWE doing what it wants generally sucks. If this was Kingston vs one of the boring WWE golden boys like Cena, Orton, or Reigns then I would be all for him winning. This is Bryan though, a better wrestler with more potential both in ring and in terms of getting over. Giving the title to Bryan, an all time great, and letting him go on a run with the title with a good gimmick behind him is already doing something different for WWE. There is no need to end that just because a few crowds have been hot for Kingston for a little over a month. If Kingston can prove that it's more than that then absolutely take the time to build something worthwhile. Wrestlemania doesn't have to be the end for Kingston.

 

[GKJ]

Yes Kingston has had basically two gimmicks. The Jamaican thing that was dropped as he transitioned into generic athletic guy, then New Day. JBL was a case of a new gimmick taking off almost immediately. Kingston has had this gimmick for almost five years now. I don't see how he's going to take off now when he didn't earlier as the same guy with the same gimmick for the last several years.

You don't need to build this storyline for several more months, but if you want to make it an actual good storyline and have both of them look better then you do need to. It's very WWE to just throw guys together with a few weeks of build and no real reason to feud, then drop it later. Good storylines need time, and recent WWE demonstrates that perfectly by not giving storylines time and consequently having garbage stories. It would be pretty easy to stretch Bryan vs Kingston out to Summerslam in a way that allows Kingston to build further steam, Bryan to get more heat and the win to mean that much more.

If I understand what you're saying correctly at the end then yes I agree that WWE doing what it wants generally sucks. If this was Kingston vs one of the boring WWE golden boys like Cena, Orton, or Reigns then I would be all for him winning. This is Bryan though, a better wrestler with more potential both in ring and in terms of getting over. Giving the title to Bryan, an all time great, and letting him go on a run with the title with a good gimmick behind him is already doing something different for WWE. There is no need to end that just because a few crowds have been hot for Kingston for a little over a month. If Kingston can prove that it's more than that then absolutely take the time to build something worthwhile. Wrestlemania doesn't have to be the end for Kingston.

The thing is though, you're getting the reactions you'd want right now, and Kofi is the most over person in the company right now. Waiting to pull the trigger just because you have more ideas to build more heat is how you miss the mark on folks like Breezango and Rusev - guys who were over and they waited too long to try to do something with. They could take the time and build more heat, but, there isn't a soul who trusts them to make it mean more, hell, even Danielson himself said as much. They've even recycled the gauntlet idea already. There's also a lot more ways for them to get back to putting the title on Danielson for the heat than waiting for a face to to get more over when he's already getting the biggest reactions on the show.

I'd say it isn't just a few hot crowds either, New Day is still a top act but they've never been in a main event-level program. Waiting 4 months to make something mean more, with something right in front of you, look at the mess that's become the Becky-Charlotte-Ronda feud of why that shouldn't happen. You have authorities, and injuries, and arrests, and heel turns and security issues and Ronda trying to act like she's shooting instead of just letting 2 people fight.

 

[JackSlater]

The thing is though, you're getting the reactions you'd want right now, and Kofi is the most over person in the company right now. Waiting to pull the trigger just because you have more ideas to build more heat is how you miss the mark on folks like Breezango and Rusev - guys who were over and they waited too long to try to do something with. They could take the time and build more heat, but, there isn't a soul who trusts them to make it mean more, hell, even Danielson himself said as much. They've even recycled the gauntlet idea already. There's also a lot more ways for them to get back to putting the title on Danielson for the heat than waiting for a face to to get more over when he's already getting the biggest reactions on the show.

I'd say it isn't just a few hot crowds either, New Day is still a top act but they've never been in a main event-level program. Waiting 4 months to make something mean more, with something right in front of you, look at the mess that's become the Becky-Charlotte-Ronda feud of why that shouldn't happen. You have authorities, and injuries, and arrests, and heel turns and security issues and Ronda trying to act like she's shooting instead of just letting 2 people fight.

I think that we are just going in circles at this point and re-iterating the same things, but that's fine. I disagree that these are the reactions that are desired. They are a good start, but the goal should be something bigger. Will WWE make them bigger? Probably not, because WWE booking has the attention span of a mildly crazy man who was born before World War 2 formally ended, but if you are trying to make the best product you build to something better. Ideally you do it with your best wrestlers who have the potential to be massively over, but if a guy like Kingston begins to get over then you can still work with it. Let him chase an all time great and build instead of going for the easy pop. Honestly even then I'm not sure that it's the right decision, as I don't think that Kingston is close to Bryan in terms of wrestling/promos/getting over, but it would be best to see if Kingston has legs and importantly, give him the chance to prove it.

I'd also say that the problem with Rusev and others in that spot is that those guys weren't really over to a big degree. Putting the title on them after a month or two would have garnered a big pop and then likely little afterward. You need to invest time and story to build these guys. The championship is the destination for a wrestler, but the journey is what gets the wrestler over. It's pretty much wrestling 101, though sadly WWE doesn't care anymore.

 

[K Fleur]

So far this is looking like the least interesting WM in awhile.

Then again I’ve felt the same for the last 3+ years.