WrestleMania Dream Card

Location: AT&T Stadium (Dallas Texas)
Attendance: 105,000

As we plan for a WrestleMania that is expected to break the Attendance record of 93,173 from the Pontiac Silverdome from WrestleMania III, I decided to brainstorm my fantasy WrestleMania. This is simply a dream show, one that would be the Fantasy Card of every fan's dreams. I came up with my own dream matches that I believe would be enough to draw the maximum amount of fans to the State of the Art, Cowboys Stadium. WrestleMania is always a spectacle, and these matches are worthy of drawing such an enormous number. Without further ado, here is my WrestleMania Dream Card. Enjoy!

World Tag Team Titles:
LOD (Champion) vs. Dudley Boyz
What A Rush!!! This is the battle of the two greatest tag teams of all-time. Both have won tag titles in multiple organizations. This will be a brawl to the end. In the end, Road Warriors power and athleticism will prevail, with a Doomsday Device.

US Championship Match:
Mr. Perfect vs. Eddie Guerrero (Champion)
This match will also tell a great story, between two great second generation stars. The pace would be similar to matches with Guerrero-Jericho, Guerrero-Angle, Perfect-Hart, etc. Perfect, and Eddie were both great ring technicians. Perfect has the strength advantage while Eddie has the speed advantage. The match would be a chain of suplexes, much like Bret vs. Angle. However, Eddie will find a way to outsmart Perfect, and finish off with a Frog Splash.

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match:
Chris Jericho vs Ricky Steamboat (Champion)
Even though they faced each other in a handicap match at WM XXV, it was not a legit fantasy matchup. In this case, both Jericho and Steamboat will be in their primes. Y2J was influenced by The Dragon, along with Shawn Michaels. His style as Intercontinental Champion included their styles. With that said, the stakes will be raised even higher with a Ladder involved. Any match between these two will be a masterpiece, but the ladder will intensify it even more on the Grandest Stage of them All. Both legends will set a new standard for Ladder Matches, and reach levels of HBK-Razor, and Jericho-Benoit. The Dragon will give him a run, but Jericho's experience with Ladders will prevail. Y2J wins with a Walls of Jericho on the Ladder to regain the title.


Edge (w/Lita) vs. Macho Man Randy Savage (w/Ms. Elizabeth):
WrestleMania is known for larger than life entrances, as Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth deliver in grand fashion. Savage comes to the ring wearing a blue and silver robe as a tribute to the Dallas Cowboys. As he makes his entrance, a live band plays his music. Savage's ring attire would be Cowboys colors as well, with silver trunks and blue stars just like Dallas. Liz wears a crystal blue dress as she accompanies the Macho Man to the ring, while the pyro goes off. After the spectacle is over, this match will be about pure intensity. Edge and Savage are known for delivering intense, aggressive styles. Macho Man showed how much of a "savage" he could really be when he smashed Steamboat's throat. He also displayed that in a highly intense feud with Diamond Dallas Page, as they won "Feud of the Year" in 1997. Edge also showed how aggressive he could be not only in his TLC Matches, but especially in his feuds with John Cena and The Undertaker. This match could play the same scenarios like Savage vs. DDP. Macho Man will have Miss Elizabeth by his side of course. Meanwhile, Edge will have Lita in his corner. However, the difference between this match from the story with DDP is that the psychology and storytelling will be stronger. This might sound far-fetched by some, but Edge's storytelling was enough to provide a great dynamic for someone like Macho Man. That says a lot, considering the chemistry that Savage had with Dallas. Edge is built like DDP anyway, but with more to offer athletically. The high points of the match would come when Savage uses his quickness advantage to avoid Edge's Spear. Macho Man goes for the roll up, but Edge kicks out at two. As Savage climbs to the top rope for the Double Axe Handle, Lita grabs his leg to distract him. Liz shows her aggressive side by knocking Lita to the floor. As Macho performs the Axe Handle, Edge connects with the Spear. Edge goes for the pin, but Macho kicks out at two. Edge is caught in disbelief and goes into rage mode as he goes to the corner for another Spear to finish him off. As Edge is ready to take off, Liz grabs his ankle. Meanwhile, the ref doesn't see what happened, as he just sees Edge yelling at Liz. While the referee's attention is diverted, Macho Man pulls out a set of brass knuckles. Edge sees Macho Man's back turned, as he takes advantage with a belly to back suplex. As Savage is in mid-air, he hits Edge with the foreign object just like he did to Tito Santana to win the IC Title. As a result, Savage falls on him for the pin. Edge kicks out at two. Macho Man points his finger in the air to signal for the Flying Elbow. Savage climbs the top rope to finish off his opponent as he flies through the air with the Elbow Drop for the 1,2,3!!!


John Cena vs. Sting (Crow)
A battle of two of the quintessential franchise heroes of their generation. Sting and John Cena share many similarities. Both in their prime have great physiques and embody the prototype image of a pro wrestler. Both men have been known for their undying loyalty and dedication to the sport when others have left either to pursue other things or from injuries that have lead to a premature retirement. Sting and John Cena have both been known for heroic characteristics and qualities that make them inspirational for children. In this case, we are going to go a different route with Sting. This match will feature Sting from '97 when he first took on the Crow gimmick that rejuvenated his image and propelled his status as a star. Leading into this match, Sting plays mind games with Cena like he did with Hollywood Hogan going into Starrcade. As the match starts, Cena drives through Dallas to the arena in a Tesla, as he wears a Dallas Cowboys Jersey of Emmitt Smith. This will be similar to how he entered WrestleMania 23. Then, the roof retracts for a helicopter to fly over the Stadium to bring Sting down. Cena will be caught off guard by Sting's psychology. During the match, Cena will take Sting's bat as the ref is knocked unconscious. As Cena goes for the attack, Sting takes the bat and nails him with it. Sting goes for the pin when Cena kicks out at two. Cena finds a way to grab Sting's leg to take him down for the STFU. Sting reaches the ropes. John Cena signals for the Attitude Adjustment. As he goes for the AA, Sting reverses by putting him in the Scorpion Death Drop again. Sting goes for the Scorpion Deathlock, as John Cena submits. The Stinger defeats the flagbearer of the Modern Era of Wrestling.

World Heavyweight Championship:
Ric Flair vs. Triple H (Champion)
This is a battle between the Master versus the Student. Both Flair and Trips have the most World Titles in wrestling history. (Flair-16, Triple H-13) Ric Flair was the innovator when it came to stables (Four Horsemen). Triple H decided to follow in his hero's footsteps by forming Evolution, which also included Flair. Both were very cerebral in the ring. (no pun intended) Nature Boy may have taught the Game much of what he knows to be a World Champ, but he did not teach him everything that Ric Flair knows. With that said, I believe that Ric Flair will be the ring general and use his IQ and prowess to neutralize The Game's strength and physical advantage. Ric Flair has faced others with the brawling savvy of Triple H (Harley Race), and those even bigger than him (Vader). If the Nature Boy has taken them down, he will find a way to do so in this match. Both will use heel-ish tactics, but Flair will bring down his generational heir by focusing on Triple H's weakest point (his legs). There, Flair will finish off with the Figure Four to become the "Real World's Heavyweight Champion". Whoooooooo!!!!


Submission Match:
Bret Hart vs. Kurt Angle
This will be the technical masterpiece of the night. This is that special match that focuses on the pure art form of wrestling. The Olympic Gold Medalist versus The Canadian Legend. Kurt Angle versus Bret "The Hitman" Hart. This match has been a fantasy for many, because of how amazingly even both men are in terms of pure skill for skill. The art of this match will be legendary, as both Bret and Angle are innovators of the sport. Bret opened the door for technical wrestling with his methodical, shoot-wrestling, mat style while Kurt is the first Olympian in pro wrestling history. Both men have put on wrestling clinics against some of the greatest technicians.
Kurt Angle- Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero
Bret Hart- Shawn Michaels, Mr. Perfect, Chris Benoit, Owen Hart
Both Hart and Angle have brought out the best in not just those men, but even brawlers such as Undertaker, Austin, Razor, etc. Since both are submission specialists, it will be a battle of the Ankle Lock versus The Sharpshooter. With that said, this match will go beyond expectations. There have been rumors that Angle wanted to work a match with Hart, but Bret had retired. Since Bret was not in the right condition, the match never materialized. In this dream, both of them are in the prime/peak of their careers. (Kurt-'03-'05, Bret-'92-'94) This is definitely in Bret's territory, especially when considering his Iconic Match with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WM 13. (1997 Match of the Year) The match itself will be a chain clinic, with neither letting up on the other. There will be a series of reversals, German Suplexes, and other weapons they pull out of their arsenal. This match will have Excellent Execution. However, I see Bret's experience giving him the edge and finding the smallest Angle mistake for an opening. When Bret wears down both of Angle's legs with a number of ways (Figure Four on ringpost), he will close in with the Sharpshooter.

Undertaker vs. Andre The Giant
Two Generations of Mythic Giants Collide. Through the 70's and 80's, Andre The Giant was the Quintessential Big Man in Wrestling. Before Hogan, he was the most recognizable symbol of Pro Wrestling all over the world. Andre was highly respected and revered, as he earned the moniker "The Eighth Wonder of the World". In his prime, Andre was spectacular. As his health started to quickly deteriorate, Vince McMahon looked for someone to fill that void and take the torch as the next Marquee Big Man. Vince's answer comes in November of 1990, in the form of The Undertaker. Undertaker would revolutionize how Giants would wrestle. In Taker's early days, he and Andre NEVER crossed paths. Like Shawn Michaels and The Rock, both of their ships would sail pass each other without a real encounter. Undertaker would take wrestling by storm as the attraction of his generation. His agility combined with strength have been a very special combination. People talk about Big Show vs. Andre, but this is the true fantasy matchup of Colossal Proportions. The Undertaker in this match will be him from throughout the 90's. Andre will prove to be a massive challenge for the Deadman to conquer, and it would be highly entertaining. This would be better than Taker vs. Diesel, and even better than Hogan vs. Andre. In the end, Undertaker pulls out the win with a Chokeslam, followed by a Tombstone where he only has Andre over the shoulder.


Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan
(Attitude Era vs. Rock-N-Wrestling Era)
This will be a Battle of Eras. In fact, these are the faces of the two greatest eras in wrestling history. Initially, wrestling had their greatest mainstream explosion with the rise of Hulk Hogan and "Hulkamania" sweeping the nation during the 1980's. Wrestling was a phenomenon during that period, with cartoons such as "Rock N Wrestling", in large part because of stars such as Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and others. WWF even teamed up with MTV, where stars such as Cyndi Lauper would get involved with wrestling. Hogan was clearly the company's franchise star who carried the company to incredible heights. However, when Hogan left, wrestling would reach a very down period. To make matters worse, Hogan joins forces with the rival WCW to help tear down the house that he built. During that time, the WWF was forced to build and establish a new franchise player to bring back mainstream relevance and success.
Enter Stone Cold Steve Austin. With Austin's superstardom during the late 1990's, WWF reached a level that they had not reached since the Hogan Era of the 80's. When Stone Cold emerged as a major player in The Attitude Era, he carried WWF out of the dungeon and back to the mountain. Austin was an equal phenomenon in his time compared to Hogan. His mainstream impact rivaled that of Hogan in my view. The same way there were fans all over the world wearing Red & Yellow during the Hogan Era, there were fans wearing Stone Cold "Austin 3:16" shirts. Austin broke Hogan's merchandise records, along with numerous attendance records. This would definitely be two worlds colliding. Initially, Hogan and Austin were supposed to face off at WM X8. However, neither man wanted to lose to the other. In this scenario, both are in their primes. I am going Hogan. Austin nails two Stunners. On the third attempt, Hogan grabs the foot, pushes it down and throws him into the ropes for the Big Boot. Hogan proceeds to finish with the Leg Drop for the win. The Hulkster reigns supreme as the superior WrestleMania Icon.


WWE Championship:
Shawn Michaels (Champion) vs. The Rock
This is widely regarded as "The Greatest Match to have never happened". The potential behind this feud is amazing, considering that both of their careers passed each other like they were walking past each other in the hallway. When Shawn Michaels retired for the first time in 1998, The Rock's career went to greater levels where he became WWF Champion in Survivor Series later that year. The Rock's legendary run during  the Attitude Era caused business to explode while Shawn was on the shelf. The back injury cost HBK four years of his prime. However, when Shawn came back in 2002, The Rock was a full-fledged Icon and was the Undisputed WWE Champion. In The Heartbreak Kid's return match at Summerslam 2002, The Rock dropped the belt to Brock Lesnar. As HBK returned to wrestle Chris Jericho at WM XIX, The Rock ended his feud with Stone Cold on the same night. So their paths never fully crossed even when HBK returned. When you add these together, it adds even more fuel to the fire along with the personal animosity that they once had. When The Rock inducted his Father & Grandfather into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, he said that one match he would have always wanted was with Shawn Michaels. This would definitely be a war of words on the mic. The Rock would mention how he has beaten the likes of Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and John Cena. He would also mention how Shawn Michaels lost to all of them on big stages (Hogan-Summerslam, Austin-WM XIV, Cena-WM 23).

On the other hand, Shawn could also bring up how The Rock has beaten everyone except him. The match itself would be a 4-5 star classic and "Match of the Year" written all over it. Both stars would be in their prime for this match. (HBK-'95 vs. Rock-2001) More than likely, I would see The Rock as the tweener coming out with the win, after a grueling back and forth battle. The Rock not only has the size and strength advantage, but matches him in athleticism and agility as well. Rock may not be a primary high flyer like his opponent, but gives him a run when it comes to reflexes. The Great One and The Heartbreak Kid will pull out everything for this match, much like their matches with Stone Cold and Taker. After kicking out of 3 superkicks, The Rock delivers two Rock Bottoms followed by a People's Elbow to put his opponent away to win the WWE Championship.

The Show closes with typical WrestleMania fireworks and confetti, as we celebrate a record-breaking Show. Good night!

Rise of the Splash Bros. & Hawks

This NBA Season has become an Open for anyone to grab the top spot. In the wake of LeBron James returning to Cleveland, the Miami Heat is no longer the formidable threat that monopolized the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers have been rejuvenated as favorites with the return of LBJ, along with All-Star PG Kyrie Irving and former Timberwolves Star Kevin Love as the third wheel. However, the transition has not been the smoothest for either of them. By LeBron's standards, he has seemed to be fairly quiet this season even though he will always be the number one option in the house that he built. Kyrie has had a tough time giving up the load that he has carried after LeBron made his exodus to South Beach. Love has had to give up being a top option, which is what he was on a sub-par team like Minnesota. The Washington Wizards acquired future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce. The Wizards have gone from a team that was on fire at the start, to a team that is crawling to make it into the postseason. In Chicago, Jimmy Butler has emerged as an All-Star player in the absence of Derrick Rose. Surprisingly, the Atlanta Hawks have emerged as the Top Threat in the East. The Hawks have modeled their game after the San Antonio Spurs. Therefore, they are considered to be the Spurs of the East. That is the best blueprint for success. Just ask Greg Popovich and Tim Duncan. Atlanta has not had this kind of exposure since the days of the Dominique Wilkins Administration back in the 80's. Then again, they also had solid success in the Mutombo Era, but never anything spectacular. Even in the Dominique Era, the Hawks were the whipping boys of Bird's Celtics, Zeke's Bad Boys, and Jordan's Bulls. The Hawks are actually favorites over the former Southeast Juggernaut the Miami Heat. Yes, that is right. The same Miami team that made the Finals four years in a row, with the Three Headed Monster of LeBron, Wade and Bosh. With Chris Bosh sidelined for the rest of the season with blood clot issues, Miami still manages to make the second half of the top 8 teams in the Eastern Conference. However, the Heat would pose as a nice challenge for ATL in the Playoffs. For now, the Hawks are flying high above the rest of the pack.

There has also been a Power Shift in the Western Conference. With reigning MVP Kevin Durant sidelined for the season with a foot injury, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been fighting for their lives for a playoff spot. Durant has been crowned as the heir to LeBron's throne as far as the Top Player of his Era, and this has changed the landscape of the NBA in a major way. Meanwhile, his sidekick Russell Westbrook has gone from being Robin to playing more like Nightwing as he has recorded a string of games with Triple Doubles. Russell is deep on the hunt for the MVP Award with the Centerpiece of the Franchise on the sidelines as a result of foot surgery. I applaud Russell for carrying the weight, but it is not the same. There have been people who have gone on record to say that Durant should be traded. Really?! That is insane. People that say that are stuck with Prisoner of the Moment Syndrome. Why would Oklahoma City trade their league MVP, just because he is out for an injury? Injuries happen all of the time, it is part of the game. KD is the REIGNING MVP, yet people want to view him as a has been. With the right rehabilitation, Durant can come back in even stronger fashion. However, there are fans here in Washington, DC that have been campaigning for Kevin to return home when his contract expires in 2016. During the Wizards vs. Thunder game at the Verizon Center, fans had signs that said "KD for DC 2016". With Durant's injury, the Thunder have given up the reigns as the biggest threat to San Antonio. The Dallas Mavericks acquired All-Star PG Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics through a trade. Dallas continues to remain in contenders, although the Mavericks have had some struggles with adjustments in the beginning. James Harden is the league leader in scoring as he carries an injury ridden Houston Rockets team (27.6 PPG). The Second and Third Wheels to Kevin Durant have risen to become two of the top three MVP Candidates this season.

Through it all, the Golden State Warriors have become the most formidable team in the Western Conference this year. Durant's injury has opened up the floor for not only Russell Westbrook and James Harden, but Stephen Curry as well. Curry has become a Super Nova this season, as he has set the record for the Most Three Pointers Made in a Single Season. Curry shoots fireballs like he was Super Mario. Teammate Klay Thompson has become his Luigi, as they have been labeled as the "Splash Bros", a tribute to Super Smash Bros. The Warriors are the toast of the West, as Curry and Thompson have been assassins from Downtown. Stephen has become the Three Point Champion as well. Curry is the leader of the best team in the West, as he leads the Warriors to an NBA-best 63-wins. In a Conference with the likes of the Spurs, the Clippers, and Blazers to name a few, that is very impressive for a predominantly outside shooting team. Granted, this is not the Wild West of Yesteryear, but this is still acceptable by today's standards. Harden may be the scoring champion, and Westbrook may be a Triple Double Machine. However, Curry has the best case in my eyes. He is the best leader and decision maker of the three. He carries himself with great poise, with a strong IQ. Westbrook may be a better defender, but Curry is a better leader for his team as it shows. Steph is not the kind of player that you can clearly point out cases where he has cost his teams the game. His efficiency speaks for itself. Stephen Curry is very precise and polished. He is rewriting the record books, and redefining three-point shooting for his generation. You can find more consistency in Curry than Harden and Westbrook. No offense to them at all. Curry makes Run-TMC very proud. David Lee makes a great third man, which has also called them "Dub TLC" (Thompson, Lee, Curry). Veteran Andre Iguodala has been very valuable providing his experience to this great team. Momentum is highly in Curry's favor, as with other MVP's in History. You can often just feel whenever a player is going to win MVP. This season, Stephen Curry is that guy for me. Golden State has never been this dominant over the rest of the NBA. During the Wilt Era, they were mostly in the East fighting with the Celtics. With Rick Barry, the Warriors were a step behind the Lakers or Bucks. When Golden State won the NBA Finals in 1975, they were the underdog!! Eighth Place in the West. The rest is history. In the 80's, they were just a notch on the Lakers belt. During the 90's, they took the backseat to Houston, San Antonio, Utah, etc. Today, Golden State has gone to the top of the class. The Playoffs are a different story. For now, the Warriors have made themselves known. The Splash Bros are looking forward to delivering their own Melee in the Playoffs.

Y2J vs. The IWC

Recently, Chris Jericho has come underneath a firestorm from the Internet in regards to his defense of the WWE Hall of Fame. At the beginning of his Podcast with Edge to review WrestleMania, Jericho took the time to unleash a barrage of bullets at the obnoxious fans that disrespected the Hall of Fame Ceremony. As everyone knows, Jericho is a staunch supporter of WWE and is accused of being a "Corporate Schill" by the Internet Wrestling Community (better known as the IWC). Jericho aimed his venom at the fans who say that they deserve to say whatever they want because they paid their money. These fans feel that they can boo anything including a ceremony because they paid tickets. However, Jericho went on to say that those fans are wrong because the Hall of Fame is a night to show a level of class and courtesy to people who have given their lives to the business. Chris talked about friends that he knew that gave everything for the sake of the sport that we call pro wrestling. Fans like that deserve to be kicked out of the ceremony because they are a disturbance to everyone else around them that just want to enjoy the show. Granted, I do not agree with names like Drew Carey, Pete Rose or William Perry going in before the likes of Randy Savage or Ultimate Warrior who finally made it in after years of politics. He talks about how Vince McMahon has his Court of people in his corner that help him make the final decisions in terms of who goes in and who does not. Politics is involved one way or another. However, I still hold a high level of esteem for the HOF in general because of stars like Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold or Edge to name a few. Those names are the standard bearers for their respective Induction Classes. Jericho defended names like the Bushwhackers, because of what they clearly have gone through for the sake of entertaining the fans. One of them even used walkers for their arms, which was sad to see. Y2J also defends the WWE for inducting Arnold Schwarzenegger into the Hall of Fame, because of his impact on Body Building. Jericho's case was very convincing, and I don't have much of a problem with Arnold going in to be honest. This is not the first time that Jericho has made enemies with the Internet fans. He caught a severe backlash for his defense of Bill Demott and later deleted his Tweet. Jericho stood by his convictions as to why he is a fan of Roman Reigns. Once fans in the IWC heard Jericho defend Reigns, they got their pitchforks out. Roman is public enemy #1 among the IWC vermin. A ring general such as Y2J understands what kind of potential that Roman has. Jericho sees in Roman Reigns what he saw in a guy like John Cena. He will go to bat for Cena in a heartbeat. I don't have a problem with Y2J being a fan of Roman. I like him too, but I also see where WWE can do better things with him. People need to realize that Chris Jericho is mainly speaking from the perspective of a professional wrestler and he is simply defending his fellow colleagues. Jericho is also highly appreciative of what WWE has done for his career and how Vince McMahon opened doors for him that Eric Bischoff and others never did. He is also a student of the tradition and holds the Hall of Fame honor in high regard. I and other respectful fans can understand his perspective. However, as fans we can still scratch our heads about the questionable choices like Drew Carey, Koko B. Ware, and others. When it comes to the guaranteed names like Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Hogan, etc, we have no problem. In an older episode of "Talk Is Jericho", Chris Jericho even stood against the idea of Chris Benoit being inducted into the Hall of Fame. WWE has enough negative publicity for the way their employees have been dropping dead and adding to the alarming statistic of deaths that wrestling is famous for. Benoit's induction would create the extra bad press that they do not need. Sadly, there are fans that do not see that picture. Instead, they have a problem separating the wrestler from the person. I laughed when Jericho said that he would personally slap the person that heckles him when he goes into the Hall of Fame. I hope he slaps them so hard, their head rolls off of their shoulders like they were in a Video Game. Fans like that have no place in that building to ruin a ceremonious night like the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame used to be a private ceremony that was exclusively for those that work within the company, along with different writers. With situations like this, it might be best for WWE to go back to that format. At the same time, WWE has put themselves in the corner by making these decisions. With that said, hopefully, they will take more consideration into some of their inductions. This reminds me of how Metallica came under fire from the heavy metal heads for standing up against Napster. From that point, they were seen as "sellouts" by their long time  following. They became wiser businessmen, and took a stand against what they knew was wrong. Like Metallica, Jericho has been beloved by wrestling purists who crave smaller technical wrestlers. He was seen as a rebel in some ways. However, some of the same fans have turned on him by accusing him of being a "sellout" because he stands up for the Corporate Machine known as WWE. In Conclusion, the Hall of Fame still needs to be respected and celebrated regardless of its flaws. I respect it more than the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It has made improvements in certain ways and still has a way to go.

-Vaughn Resper, Jr.

Talk Is Jericho w/John Cena Podcast Review

In the aftermath of the falling out between Vince McMahon and Stone Cold following Austin's controversial interview with Triple H regarding Chyna, WWE has moved into a different direction. As a result, Chris Jericho's Podcast has become the replacement for Austin's show. For the first time and hopefully not the last time, Talk Is Jericho makes its debut on the WWE Network. There was no better way for it to debut on the Network than to have John Cena as the first guest. Like anyone else, I was greatly surprised that Vince ousted Austin's Podcast, especially considering what Stone Cold means to the history of the company. However, Chris Jericho is not a bad choice to fill that spot. Some criticize Jericho for leaning too much on the corporate side. As a Jericho fan, I have no problem with his delivery. I enjoy listening to both of their shows. Chris Jericho has developed his own legacy as an interviewer, and I would put it neck and neck with Stone Cold. As far as the John Cena interview, I have been waiting for him to become a guest on Jericho's show on Podcast One. Chris has a great history of guests, from Stone Cold himself, Edge, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and even Hulk Hogan just to name a few. Finally, WWE has decided to allow John Cena to have a Network Exclusive Interview. I must say, that I was very impressed. Y2J is not the type of guy that will really go into very taboo issues, so WWE would not have to worry about pushing the panic button. Jericho and Cena cover a variety of interesting topics. This interview presented the REAL John Cena, not the Kayfabe Character that many people revile. I am not a John Cena hater, nor am I a fanboy. I respect John Cena's career. As usual, I will present what they go over with bullet points.

• 5 Moves of Doom: Y2J wastes no time in asking John about what he has become infamous for among the IWC, the Five Moves of Doom. Jericho jokingly starts out by saying that he has a bone to pick with Cena about it because fans have highly criticized John about it. Cena brings a great answer to his critics by saying that he likes to mix things up, by doing a Springboard Maneuver here and there or anything else to make things slightly unpredictable. He even makes fun of himself by saying that his 5 Moves are, two shoulder tackles, Five Knuckle Shuffle, AA, and STFU. John knows that he gets blasted by the marks behind a keyboard, and he plays the right games with them. For the record, everyone has "FIVE Moves of Doom". Beloved Attitude Era Icons like Stone Cold, The Rock and Undertaker each have "5 Moves of Doom".  Legendary Ring Generals like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels have their own "5 Moves of Doom" Hulk Hogan has at least 3 moves. Rey Mysterio has about 7 key moves. Even the man Interviewing Cena has his own 5 moves of doom. Those are the go-to moves.
• Position as U.S. Champion: John goes on to talk about wanting to bring value back to the United States Championship. In the process, he says that he wants to elevate younger talent from Dean Ambrose, Cody Rhodes, and others.
• Taking Chances: Cena says that Superstars need to take their own chances. He stands by Vince McMahon's "Brass Ring" line by using it as a way to challenge to the others in the Locker Room to take chances. John says that he tries to communicate that point with his fellow wrestlers, but they don't understand because he has more leverage than others. He encourages them to make their own niche, and carve their own place in the company. Even if that risk may put you on the line, go after it. To hear John Cena say, that means a lot.
• Relationship with Vince McMahon: John Cena says that both he and Vince McMahon share the same vision for the business to grow. Cena says that he wants to model himself after Vince's model of success. Both are like-minded but are different creatively. Cena wants to put his all into everything he does just like Vince.
• First meeting with Vince McMahon: Cena shares a funny story about how he was called up by Michael Hayes to be The Undertaker's replacement for a match with Kurt Angle. John goes into Vince's office before the match, and McMahon tells him in a funny way to cut his hair. Anytime a Vince Impression is involved, it always makes the story even more humorous.
• History with Chris Jericho: Y2J and Cena discuss their history together, going back to when they had their first match together at Vengeance where Cena won. Jericho shares the story of how he came up with Cena's nickname "Wacky Roll-Up Guy", as John used to finish his matches with a weird, wacky roll-up. Chris Jericho has been known to be a John Cena Defender, and this is a prime example. The original plan was for Jericho to win, but he went to creative and vouched for Cena to go over.
• OVW: Most fans today only know John Cena as the King of the WWE Throne. However, fans like myself and others know about Cena's humble origins in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). OVW was the NXT of that time. Contrary to where people see Cena today, John admits that he was not the first clear-cut choice that WWE had in mind to build a Superstar. Cena gives credit to his fellow OVW Rookies, as it was clearly one of the deepest rookie classes in WWE History. John came through the ranks with fellow soon to be Hall of Famers such as Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, and Dave Batista. Cena praises each of them for how special they were in their own way. John even gives recognition to Shelton Benjamin, who was another unique star from that group. This collective group of talent would shape the next Era of WWE History. Brock would become a SuperNova in his first run in WWE, by becoming a 3-time WWE Champion and later become the man that Broke the Streak. Randy Orton and Batista would become Stable Mates in Evolution before becoming Main Event Players in their own right. John Cena would achieve massive success as well. Brock, Randy and Dave all became Cena's natural rivals when they each came up to the main roster. Lesnar had the fastest start out of everyone while Cena, Orton, and Batista made the rise at a very even level. The OVW Rookie Class of 2002 set the bar very high, as it is time for the NXT Class of Neville, Zayn, Owens, Balor and Itami to make their mark on WWE.
• Origins on Smackdown: The Show goes into John Cena's beginnings on Smackdown. Jericho goes into his frustration about how Cena went from working with veterans like himself, Edge and Rey Mysterio to being demoted to Velocity. Cena says that he was lacking an identity.
• Establishing an Identity: John talks about how the Dr. of Thuganomics character was established. He said that he was freestyling on the bus during a road trip with a number of other wrestlers. The people in charge of creative heard Cena rap and decided that he should use that as his gimmick. From that point, Cena would wear Throwback Jerseys of the hometeam. For example, he would wear a Lakers Jersey of Magic Johnson or Kareem if Smackdown was in Los Angeles. If they were in Boston, he would wear a Celtics Jersey of Larry Bird. This was a very unique and creative idea to establish Cena's identity. As a result, John became a made man. The rest is history.
• PEDs/Bodybuilding: John Cena addresses any rumors of him using Performance Enhancing Drugs. Instead, he says that his strength is natural as he was once a bodybuilder before stepping into the squared circle. Cena says that his weight has not change, but his strength has naturally increased.
• Recovery from Injuries: Jericho talks about how fascinated he is by the way that John Cena recovers so fast from injuries. He compared Cena to a Mutant like Wolverine from the X-Men, because of how fast he is able to heal. Cena says that he does not like to stay away from the ring, and goes through whatever it takes to recover as soon as possible.
• Being the Face of WWE: Chris Jericho says that John Cena is part of the WWE Mt. Rushmore with Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock when it comes to being the face of the Company. He goes into wanting to know how WWE can develop someone else into becoming the face of the Next Generation of Wrestling inspite of how strict things have become. Cena says that whoever steps up to that position will face a tough time, because of how the fans are quickly irritated with someone being heavily promoted as the top star of the company. He knows from experience, as the IWC are his biggest enemies. Cena then gives respect to Roman Reigns, and how he needs to be given his own chance to really prove himself. I will be the first to admit that today's fans give no one a clear chance, because they will turn on someone just as fast as they support them. The Platform of Social Media amplifies their anger and how short their attention span is as well. Cena says that it will not be long before someone steps up to become the "Front Man" of WWE, as a band cannot go without a lead star for too long.
• Audience: John talks about the obvious backlash from the fans. He mentions how the fans booed him when he inducted William Perry into the Hall of Fame in 2006. Cena is great when it comes to making the right response to fans that boo him, even though he is the hero (babyface). Jericho also shares his frustrations about how fans would boo him even when he was the babyface. I respect Cena even more by how he takes the high road inspite of the heat from the fans.
• The Rock: The biggest selling point of this Podcast was the topic about The Rock. Cena says that at first, he and Dwayne had a rocky (pun intended) relationship because of competition. John mentions how angry The Rock was for calling him out about his lack of commitment to wrestling. Cena admits that he called The Rock a sellout for going to Hollywood. The animosity that they had with one another was born out of competiton. Cena compares his feud with The Rock to LeBron James and Michael Jordan. The Rock was clearly Michael Jordan, while Cena was LeBron James. This was a battle of Two Different Eras colliding. Cena expressed how he looked for every chance to throw a single blow, because he wanted this to be a fair fight. There was also heat for the way that Cena called The Rock out for writing a promo on his wrist when The Great One is the Duke of the Microphone. Originally, I thought that Cena was being immature and disrespectful for the things that Rock has done for the business before going to Hollywood. John himself even admits that he did not see things from The Rock's perspective. Cena acknowledged that he was desperate to be elevated because he had to prove himself. The Rock did not have to prove himself. After his program with Rock ended, Cena gained a greater appreciation of The Rock's perspective. Now, he can see through Rock's eyes as far as how he wanted to elevate the business to a greater plateau.
• Summerslam 2005 (Birth of the "Let's Go Cena/Cena Sucks Chants"): Jericho and Cena talk about how the "Let's Go Cena/Cena Sucks" chants started at Summerslam 2005 in Washington, DC. (I was there, great shoutout from Jericho) Ladies and Gentleman, the two-sided chants towards Cena originated here in DC and I witnessed them live. As a fan, I cheered for Cena because he was the good guy, as well as the Champion. However, I am also a fan of Chris Jericho and share a great respect for his legacy. Now, it has become the cool thing to chant "Let's Go Cena, Cena Sucks". At this point, it doesn't even bother Cena.
• Versatility: Cena talks about how to find ways to maneuver from being silly, comedic John Cena to the Serious, Aggressive John Cena.
• Heel Turn: Just like The Rock, the other talking point of the show was about John Cena turning heel. This has become the Univeral Question regarding John Cena. Cena responds by saying that he will not turn heel, because of the kids that he inspires through Make A Wish Foundations. He also says that fans boo him anyway, so being heel would not make things change. I admire John's response, because he knows that everyone will not be happy with what he does. Once again, Cena wins against the IWC. John says that he is open to making the heel turn, as long as someone else is in place to fill his spot as the Ambassador of WWE. So far, there is no one that can take that place.
• Favorite Match: Jericho asks Cena about his favorite match. First, John says that his favorite match has yet to come. Interesting from a star that has a history of great matches. Then, he says that his favorite match was with The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII. That was the best match of their rivalry.
• Relationship with The Rock: Cena says that his relationship with The Rock is fine. The tension that they once had is now over.
• Future for John Cena: Cena says that he still has enough in his tank to continue. John goes on by saying that he will only stop when he feels that his work in the ring starts to noticeably decline.

Overall, this was a great podcast. From the outset, Y2J admitted on Twitter that his Podcast with Cena would be corporate: "For those worried that tonight's podcast with John Cena will be corporate-ur right. All my questions have to be approved by #JackTunney". In typical Jericho fashion, he already gave his fans a warning of what they would hear. I was satisifed. In Conclusion, this podcast showed the REAL John Cena as it gave his detractors a greater sense of respect to him. You don't have to like the way his character is booked, but you will walk away respecting the man behind it. I give this show 4 John Cena WWE Title Reigns out of 5.

Seth Rollins: Best For Business

Now that the WrestleMania Madness is over, I would like to give my assessment on Seth Rollins becoming the NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Throughout 2014, Rollins has been the most consistent workhorse not only in the Shield, but also on the roster. Rollins was the silent assassin of the group that you would least expect to make the most noise. From the time that the Shield split up, Seth has been poised for the highest ceiling beside Roman Reigns. However, Seth did create a roadblock for himself with his Twitter fiasco. As everyone knows, Rollins pulled his "Money Out of the Bank" for the world to see and came under intense fire as others posted the pictures on FB, Instagram as well as Twitter. Looks like Seth took "Rated R Superstar" to a whole different level. I don't think that is what Edge meant when he said that he was passing the torch. Fortunately, WWE swept it under the rug, as Rollins did not face a severe punishment. Vince McMahon has dealt with things much worse than this and saw enough in Seth not to put him the doghouse. What Rollins did was foolish, but he was saved. This is something that he will never live down. In spite of that, I still believed in Seth to do incredible things. Seth's cash in at Mania further validates me giving him the "Wrestler of the Year" Award in my Year End Review. Much like his predecessor Randy Orton in Evolution, Seth has become the Diamond of the Authority and of the Future for WWE. This adds the biggest dynamic to this rivalry. Like many people, I was skeptical about the breakup of the Shield. Since they have been disbanded, you can see some of the cracks in the armor of the members.

Dean Ambrose:

Dean Ambrose has been on a horrendous losing streak at Pay Per Views, in spite of his popularity. However, being "over with the fans" can only get you so far when you are on the verge of making the climb up the ladder. When you are just making a name for yourself, any and every PPV win is crucial. If you are Shawn Michaels or Chris Jericho, it really doesn't matter. Even though Dean has had high profile feuds with Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt, he came out on the losing end in both feuds. If you think that Bray Wyatt's stock has been falling, you got another thing coming. At least Wyatt has defeated Y2J at Summerslam. Ambrose has 0 victories in Big Matches. Following the feud with Bray, Ambrose gets put into the Intercontinental Title picture. While it may seem admirable, it was not the best position to put him in when you have someone like Daniel Bryan in the mix as well. Also, when you look at recent history, IC Champions have been on a losing streak (Ziggler, Barrett). With that said, clearly Dean is not the guy that WWE has the biggest plans for. In the group, Ambrose was perfect as the mouthpiece. On his own, we can all see the flaws. Ambrose is a combination of Brian Pillman, Roddy Piper, and Terry Funk but has the losing streak of Tommy Dreamer. I look forward to seeing WWE turn things around for him.

Roman Reigns:

Roman Reigns seemed destined to be Vince's new Golden Boy because of his image. Many fans have not been very welcoming of Roman, because of those qualities along with his lack of charisma. Much of the backlash comes from the fact that Roman seems out of place when he opens up his mouth. I want to see him succeed to carry on the tradition, but the guy cannot talk his way out of a paper bag. His promos were clearly forced by the Powers that Be in Titan Towers. However, Roman was on a streak of his own after the Shield's Destruction. He was in the MITB Ladder Match for the WWE/WHC, that was later won by John Cena. He scored the biggest win of his career at this point over Randy Orton at Summerslam. However, Roman's in-ring flaws have been greatly exposed when he does not have two workhorses covering them. Unfortunately, Roman's push was derailed as a result of an injury. He would return just in time to win "Superstar of the Year", which is when the hatred from the fans was amplified even more. The level of disdain towards Reigns was turned up to maximum levels at the Royal Rumble when he was vilified. Then, his flaws become even more glaring when he puts his Number 1 Contender Spot on the line against Daniel Bryan at Fastlane. Finally, we get to WrestleMania 31 and the show was destined to become a critical disaster among fans and critics because of the Main Event (Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns). If the Royal Rumble was bad, WrestleMania was even worse. Brock was cheered throughout the entire match as he beat Roman's brains in. Then as Lesnar is ready to finish things off, Seth's music hits.

Seth Rollins:

Rollins comes in to save the show, in a way that would make Edge very proud. In Edge like fashion, Seth cashes in as the opportunist to ride off into the sunset as the new Champion. Rollins was the darkhorse of this match, because of the Briefcase. Many thought it were best for Roman to win, then have Seth cash in after Mania. However, Vince had to pull the trigger to keep the show from ending in destruction. WrestleMania 31 was reaching WM 11 and WM 29 levels in terms of how bad it would be received. Thankfully, that did not happen. Seth's night was similar to Bret Hart's story at WrestleMania 10. At the start of the show, Bret lost to Owen. By the end of the night, Bret defeated Yokozuna to become WWF Champion. Fast forward 21 years later. Seth loses to Randy Orton with an RKO that became the highlight of the show. By the end of the night, Rollins leaves Mania as the Champion. The best part about this cash in is that Brock Lesnar was never pinned, which still makes him look strong. Rollins was already very impressive in his Triple Threat Match with Lesnar & Cena at The Royal Rumble. The feud with Rollins and Randy Orton has been heating up since Orton's return. Seth and Randy had a classic to kick off Mania. Speaking of one of Seth's other predecessors, Edge himself lost to Ric Flair earlier at New Year's Revolution in 2006 before cashing in on John Cena to become the new WWE Champion. Seth Rollins is poised to become the quintessential ring general of this era. Rollins is a great combination of Edge, Shawn Michaels, and a Prime Randy Savage remixed into 2015. His ring style and image have each of their names written all over. Rollins has a coolness about him that separates him from someone like Dolph Ziggler. With Rollins, I feel like there is a purpose in watching him. He has substance behind him and does not overdo it with his selling. At first, I thought he looked like a rejected version of X-23. He almost reminds me of General Zod, lol. Seriously, Seth's attire fits him perfectly. Seth's psychology, timing in the ring and brilliance in the ring are what make him very special. He may not be a Pipe Bomb dropping legend like CM Punk, but his mic skills are acceptable. Rollins is the right choice to fill the void that CM Punk left. With the right head on his shoulders, Seth could even be a better champion and more accomplished star than Punk himself. What Savage and HBK were to their respective eras, I look forward to Seth Rollins being the premiere in-ring performer and Showstopper for the next 10+ years. Rollins may have skipped the IC Title for now, but he will be the standard that other performers will be measured by. That is Best for Business.