Seth Rollins: Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim

Out of the many returns post WrestleMania, the return of Seth Rollins is the one that I have been the most excited about. Recently, WWE did their 24 Special on Seth's road to recover as it was appropriately named "Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim". It was a behind the scenes look into Seth's journey to recovery. His peers from AJ Styles, Kevin Owens to Sami Zayn were all amazed at how exceptional Seth is as a performer. Styles mentioned the story of when he wrestled Rollins 10 years ago. At that time, he knew that Seth would be a big deal. Even though he is a heel, I felt bad not seeing him around for so long. Seth's injury was so severe that he obviously missed out on WrestleMania 32 in Dallas, TX (a record breaking crowd of 101,763). In the special, you can tell that it was eating away as Rollins himself let everyone know. It is sad for anyone who is a top star to lose their momentum with one bad injury. John Cena gave encouragement by saying that Seth will not have to worry about missing WrestleMania like that anymore. He said that Rollins  has many more WrestleManias ahead of him. Cena is right. The footage was tough to watch. Seth's motto is "Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim". In a way, Seth also said it was needed so that he could regroup and appreciate what he already had. Rollins is on a mission to Redesign who he is as a performer. It is time for him to Rebuild that which was broken as he is out to Reclaim the WWE Championship that he did not lose by pinfall or submission. He was the Undisputed MVP last year. Not only was Seth "Superstar of the Year" but he was also the PWI "Wrestler of the Year" as well as "Most Hated Wrestler of the Year". This past week also marked two years since the Shield disbanded. In the aftermath, no one expected Seth to break out the way that he did.

As we quickly approach "Money In the Bank", let's look forward to finally having the chance to see Seth and Roman start the war we have been waiting for. I'm looking forward to big things from Rollins as I expect to see The Architect build something even greater than what he built over the past two years.

Let's Dance (vol 3. Eddie Guerrero)

In this installment of the "Let's Dance" Series (courtesy of @RealMikeKnoxxx and Perfect Plex), This series has gotten off to a strong start after highlighting the dance partners of future Hall of Famer Chris Jericho.

Now, I would like to focus on the great rivalries throughout the career of one of Jericho's closest friends, Eddie Guerrero.

During his storied Career, the late legendary Eddie Guerrero has battled with some of the best that the business had to offer. From AAA in Mexico to Japan, to ECW, WCW and finally in WWE, Eddie has danced with many partners. Like Chris Jericho, Benoit and others, Eddie was well versed in many different International styles of wrestling. Now, it is time to explore his greatest rivalries:


Chris Benoit:

Length of Feud: 1993-2003

Featured Matches:

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 1996

Fatal Four Way at No Way Out 2001 (IC Championship)

Four Way Elimination Match on Smackdown (w/Edge and Kurt Angle)

Armageddon 2002

Vengeance 2003 (US Title Match)

Match Quality: 4.5/5

Storyline Quality: 7.5/10

Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10

Their styles of wrestling and careers mirrored each other. The only difference is that Eddie had much more charisma. Both were technical wizards who crafted their skill Internationally. Eddie incorporated more of the Lucha-libre style while Benoit applied the Hart Dungeon Canadian style of wrestling. They were both fantastic in the Japanese strong style of wrestling as well. Their builds were also very similar. Guerrero and Benoit first crossed paths on the International Circuit in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the Best of the Super Juniors Tournaments in the 90's. They would battle each other in WCW as well, but things did not fully launch until they both jumped ship to the WWF as members of the Radicalz. Soon, tension started to build within the group as both leaders would find themselves fighting for the IC Title. At No Way Out 2001, Guerrero and Benoit were involved in the Fatal 4 Way Match that included X-Pac and IC Champion Chris Jericho. Y2J would ultimately win. Between 2002 and 2003, Benoit and Eddie would battle for the US Title with Guerrero being the ultimate victor. WrestleMania XX was a watershed moment for both of them as they closed the night with confetti as they held their World Titles in victory after years of dedication. The chemistry that they had together was among the best that wrestling had to offer. They had similar skills, but different characters. Sadly, they are also associated by the way that they died. Eddie passed away in 2005 while Benoit tragically took his life along with his family's life in 2007. They changed the business not only by their influence as wrestlers but also through their tragedies. 

Rey Mysterio: 

Length of Feud: 1995-2005

Featured Matches:

Halloween Havoc 1997 (Title vs. Mask for WCW Cruiserweight Title)

WrestleMania 21

Judgment Day 2005

Great American Bash 2005

Summerslam 2005

Match Quality: 4.5/5

Storyline Quality: 9/10

Rivalry Rating: 9/10

Both of these Latino Warriors are deeply connected because Eddie Guerrero's influence is what helped to propel Rey Mysterio. Without Eddie, there would be no Rey. Eddie and Rey's history traces back to their time in AAA. From that point, they would reconnect in WCW. This is where things really started to heat up between them. Rey and Eddie were fixtures as the backbone of the Cruiserweight Division. At Halloween Havoc, Guerrero and Mysterio tore the roof off of the building with their Title vs. Mask match for the WCW Cruiserweight Crown. Mysterio won the championship and kept his mask. This match put everything else on that show to shame. This was named WCW's Match of the Year, and rightfully so. Later, Eddie would form the Latino answer to the NWO called the "LWO" (Latino World Order). He tried to recruit Mysterio, but Rey denied. In WWE, Eddie and Rey would be members of the Smackdown Six, a group of workhorse wrestlers that delivered the best quality matches that WWE had to offer on the Smackdown Brand. Along with them were Edge, Kurt Angle, Benoit, and Chavo. Like they did in the Cruiserweight Division, Eddie and Rey formed their own identity away from the A level Stars. Eddie even defended the WWE Title against Rey at one point. Mysterio and Guerrero later won the WWE Tag Team Titles. At WrestleMania 21, Eddie and Rey put on a great match to start the show. Mysterio won as it helped to ignite the fire that was burning to create their feud. Soon, Guerrero turned heel and viciously attacked him. The feud culminated at Summerslam with Rey winning custody of Dominic. Following Eddie's death, Rey won the WHC at WrestleMania 22 in honor of the Latino Legend. 

Dean Malenko: 

Length of Feud: 1995-1997

Match Quality: 4/5

Storyline Quality: 7/10

Rivalry Rating: 7.5/10

Featured Matches:

ECW Hostile City Showdown

ECW WrestlePalooza 6-man Tag Match (Dean w/Cactus Jack & 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Eddie Guerrero & The Steiner Brothers)

Best 2 out of 3 Falls Match in ECW

WCW Uncensored 1997

WCW Starrcade 1997

This feud was built strictly off of one-upmanship. Malenko was one of Eddie's best dance partners, because of how well they were able to bounce off of one another. Their matches were the highlight of ECW as they carried many of the shows. In an environment fueled by blood-thirsty fans and violent brawls, Guerrero and Malenko provided substance and technique. Their series of matches from ECW is still the stuff of legend to this very day. They danced pretty much to the same beat and same rhythm in the ring. Both men received a standing ovation from the ECW crowd in their farewell match before going to WCW together in late 1995. In WCW, Dean and Eddie would cross paths again as staples of the Cruiserweight Division with feature matches in 1997 from Uncensored to Starrcade. No matter the environment, they created chemistry. 

Kurt Angle: 

Length of Feud: 2004

Match Quality: 4/5

Storyline Quality: 7.5/10

Rivalry Rating: 8/10

Featured Matches:

WrestleMania XX

Summerslam 2004

Much of Eddie's best work involves him dancing with great technicians, and Kurt Angle is one of the best that his generation has to offer. I find it quite interesting that after winning the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar, Eddie transitioned from a storyline with one former amateur wrestler to another. Kurt Angle stepped in to become Guerrero's next challenger. Kurt attacked Eddie's character by saying that he has brought dishonor and disrespect to the WWE Title because of his problems with drugs and alcohol. This led to their awesome match at WrestleMania XX, where Guerrero retained the title by outsmarting Angle. Soon, Kurt suffered an injury and became the General Manager of Smackdown. The feud continued with Angle making things miserable for Eddie as champion. At the Great American Bash, Kurt pointed out how JBL reached the last turnbuckle in their Strap Match before Eddie's hand reached that point. Thus, JBL became the new WWE Champion. After his injury was exposed as fake Kurt Angle faced Eddie Guerrero at Summerslam. This time, Kurt won. Anytime Eddie and Kurt stepped into the ring to battle, you knew they would pull things out of the hat that they wouldn't use against anyone else. 

John Bradshaw Layfield:

Length of Feud: 2004

Match Quality: 4/5

Storyline Rating: 8.5/10

Rivalry Rating: 8/10

Featured Matches: 

Judgment Day 2004 (WWE Championship)

Great American Bash 2004 (WWE Championship- Texas Bull Rope Match)

Steel Cage Match (Smackdown)

Armageddon (Fatal Four Way for WWE Championship w/Undertaker and Booker T)

When Bradshaw returned after the APA split up, he became the arrogant JR Ewing-inspired John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL). The JBL character was like the Texan version of Ted DiBiase. JBL was like the Cowboy that struck rich on Wall Street. He carried himself like a Presidential Candidate. After fighting off Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XX, Eddie would have his hands full with the hard-hitting and pompous Layfield. JBL caused Eddie's mother to have a heart attack (kayfabe). From that point, the rivalry would kick off. JBL would mock Hispanics and Latinos and say that Eddie had no place as the WWE Champion (Long before Donald Trump). This would lead to a bloody and brutal battle at Judgment Day as JBL challenged Eddie for the WWE Championship. This match was the definition of Ruthless Aggression, as it was clearly a product of its time. It is most remembered by the way that both men would heavily bleed during the match as it was the extra element that made this battle unique. Eddie would retain the WWE title by DQ after hitting JBL with a chair. This would open the door for a Texas Bull Rope Match at the Great American Bash. Much like the Judgment Day match, Guerrero and JBL would bleed profusely in this match. Talk about a colorful rivalry. Their matches are best defined by blood. This match ended in very controversial fashion when Eddie would seemingly remain the champion. However, GM Kurt Angle reversed the decision when he showed that JBL's back reached the turnbuckle before Eddie's hand could even reach it. As a result, John Bradshaw Layfield became the new WWE Champion. They would have a rematch in a Steel Cage Match. However, Angle cost Guerrero the title when he dressed as El Gran Luchadore. It caught Eddie by surprise. Guerrero and Layfield would have their last encounter for the Title in a Fatal Four Way match that featured Undertaker and Booker T. JBL remained Champion. This feud did great things for JBL as a heel. I would go on record to say that Bradshaw had the best matches of his career with Eddie Guerrero. This is a testament to how Eddie could bring the best out of his dance partner. 

Conclusion:

Rey Mysterio:

Eddie Guerrero's most passionate and intense rivalry came against long-time friend Rey Mysterio. They were practically brothers, which added extra fuel to this fire. Their matches were technical classics, but their storyline is what gives this feud the edge over Eddie's other rivalries. The dances that Eddie had with Rey were his best. Guerrero was a major influence on Mysterio breaking into the business. The best Dance Partners are usually those who have a very deep connection with each other, and Eddie had his best dances and strongest connections with Rey. It was evident in their quality of matches and storylines. The rivalry essentially started with Eddie trying to take away Rey's mask and it basically ends that same way. The only difference is that it became much more personal years down the line in WWE. Both of these Latino legends had undying passion and that very passion was at its peak in their feud. Without question, Rey Mysterio will go down as Eddie Guerrero's greatest rival. 

Greatest Matches:

1. vs. Rey Mysterio (Halloween Havoc)

2. vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania XX)

3. vs. Chris Benoit (Vengeance 2003)

4. vs. Dean Malenko (Best 2 out of 3 Falls Match)

5. vs. Dean Malenko (Hostile City Showdown)

6. vs. JBL (Judgment Day 2004)

7. vs. Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 21)

8. vs. Chris Benoit (Best of the Super Juniors 1996)

9. vs. Kurt Angle (Summerslam 2004)

10. vs. JBL (Great American Bash 2004)

Defining Champions: Bruno Sammartino

Recently, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino celebrated a milestone as he turned 80. In honor of the Italian Superman, I would like to take a look back at his career as one of the greatest world champions in wrestling history. Bruno was the first wrestling attraction for the historic Madison Square Garden. He is still the all-time leader in most MSG sellouts. His name is still in the conversation for greatest WWWF/WWF/WWE Champion in History. Now, time to take a journey through his rise to greatness:

Beginnings:

Bruno was born October 6, 1935, in Italy. As a child, Sammartino's family hid from German soldiers in a mountain called Valla Rocca in the latter stages of World War II. In 1950, Bruno moved to the United States where he settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After spending being bullied in school, Bruno devoted his time to weight training. Sammartino's dedication to weightlifting nearly earned him a spot on the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team, but he was edged out by Paul Anderson who outweighed him by 70 lbs. In the early stages of his career, Bruno was measured as 5'10" and 280 lbs.

In 1959, Bruno made his pro wrestling debut in Pittsburgh for their promotion Studio Wrestling. In 1960, Sammartino joined what was at the time the Capitol Wrestling Corporation (later known as WWWF) under Vincent J. McMahon, Sr. His first match took place on January 2 in Madison Square Garden. Within his first six months, Sammartino was headlining MSG.


Becoming WWWF Champion:

On May 17, 1963, Bruno Sammartino made WWE History. That night, he defeated "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers to become the second WWWF Champion in history. Bruno defeated Buddy in just 48 seconds. Rogers claimed to have had a heart attack, but he never took time off from his schedule. Instead, he wrestled mainly in short tag matches.

Rogers retired prior to their title rematch. Instead, Bruno's first challenger was #1 Contender Gorilla Monsoon. During his time as Champion, Bruno headlined MSG on a monthly basis.

He was a fixture in New York. As WWWF Champion, Bruno faced the top heels of his time:
From Gorilla Monsoon, Freddie Blassie, The Sheik, Killer Kowalski, Giant Baba, Gene Kinitski and Bill Watts just to name a few.

Bruno's first reign as Champion was transcendent. He was to wrestling at that time what Ali was to Boxing, Chamberlain/Russell to Basketball and Jim Brown to Football. He defined wrestling for his time period nearly in a way that they defined their sports during that time.

Notable Matches:

5/17/63- Defeated Buddy Rogers to become WWWF Champion

8/23/63- Defeated Killer Kowalski by submission

2/17/1964- Defeated Shohei "Giant" Baba by submission

6/6/64- Defeated Gorilla Monsoon in a best 2 out of 3 falls match.

8/1/64- Defeated Freddie Blassie by submission with the bearhug

5/17/65- Defeated Bill Watts in 2 out of 3 falls match

12/9/68- Defeated The Sheik in a Texas Death Match

10/27/69- Defeated Waldo Von Erich

1/19/70- Defeated Ivan Koloff

1/18/71- Lost WWWF Title to Ivan Koloff

This is just a sample size of his remarkable reign on the wrestling mountain. Bruno's first title run lasted 7 and a half years (2,803 Days).

He was a true Superhero in the Northeast. However, Sammartino's run would come to an end at the hands of Ivan Koloff on January 18, 1971. The story goes that the crowd was in disbelief. Some fans were probably crying because this happened. Bruno proudly carried the flag for the WWWF for many years, and the dreams of the fans came crashing.


WWWF Champion (part 2):
However, Sammartino would regain the title to start another lengthy run as Champion. This time, his reign would last half as long as the first. On December 10, 1973, Bruno defeated Stan Stasiak to win the WWWF Championship.

Notable Matches:

12/10/73- Defeated Stan Stasiak to become WWWF Champion

1/14/74- Defeated Don Leo Jonathan

4/1/74- Defeated Nikolai Volkoff

5/20/74- Defeated Killer Kowalski in a Texas Death Match

12/16/74- Defeated Bobby Duncum in a Texas Death Match

3/17/75- Defeated Spiros Arion in a Texas Death Match (PWI Match of the Year)

4/14/75- Defeated Spiros Arion in a Greek Death Match by Submission

6/16/75- Defeated Waldo Von Erich

12/15/75- Defeated Ivan Koloff in a Steel Cage Match

3/1/76- Defeated Ernie Ladd

6/25/76- Defeated Stan Hansen by Countout (PWI MOTY)

4/30/77- Lost WWWF Title to "Superstar" Billy Graham (MOTY)

After recapturing the WWWF Title, Sammartino would continue to produce some of his best work. In 1974, Bruno was named "Wrestler of the Year" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

In his second tenure as Champion, Sammartino won "Match of the Year" 3 out of 5 times. Along the way, Bruno defeated a young Nikolai Volkoff, along with familiar foes from Killer Kowalski to Ivan Koloff. He also defeated Spiros Arion in classic deathmatches (Texas & Greek), as well as another new challenger named "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd.

His reign would come to an end at the hands of a flamboyant rising heel named "Superstar" Billy Graham. This would be considered as Bruno's swan song as the King of Wrestling. Sammartino's second run as Champion would last 1,237 Days.

Bruno defined his Era of Wrestling at a time where it was just starting to reach a national audience with the advent of television. You could say that he was the Champion in the first Golden Age of Wrestling, LONG before the mainstream crossover success of Hogan.

Sammartino was the flagbearer of his generation and personified his Era with pride. Sammartino is still the longest reigning Champion in WWE History, with a record of 4,040 Days after 2 Title Reigns.

With his significance to not only his Era, but to the Wrestling World collectively, Bruno Sammartino transcends wrestling. That is what makes him a Defining Champion.

What If Brock Lesnar never left WWE?

Welcome to another edition of my "What If?" Series, where I discuss a number of different scenarios that could have happened if things went differently. Today, I would like to tackle another "What If?" situation that has been on my mind for some time. What if Brock Lesnar never left the WWE?

Let us go back to 2004. Brock was at the top of his game as a 3-time WWE Champion. Lesnar conquered whatever and whoever came in his path. He scored incredible victories over The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, as well as Kurt Angle to name a few. Brock had the wrestling world at his fingertips, as Vince McMahon had huge plans for him to lead WWE into the future. Lesnar was on the cover of WWE Smackdown! Here Comes The Pain, the best game on Playstation 2 in the pre-Smackdown vs Raw Era. He was making a very historic rise in the WWE, as he was becoming a special attraction in his own right. Brock was poised to be the face of the company for the next generation. Suddenly, things changed as Brock made his exit after WrestleMania XX. After failing to make the Minnesota Vikings roster, Brock would spend time in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Lesnar would become an even bigger star in the UFC, as he became the biggest box office draw that the promotion has ever had. Lesnar garnered mainstream attention from ESPN, Sports Illustrated and other outlets that flocked to UFC Events for coverage. By the time Brock returned in 2012, he brought his mainstream status with him as the UFC fans started watching WWE whenever he was on. We all know how Brock's WWE Career has turned out since then.

Now, I would like to dive into different scenarios that Lesnar would have fit in had he not left WWE in the first place. When Brock left, WWE was short on heels for their Smackdown brand. Triple H did not like to work on the Tuesday schedule for Smackdown tapings, so he was out of the picture. With that said, John Bradshaw Layfield enters the picture as the heel that Eddie Guerrero has to defend his WWE Championship against. I believe that JBL was an emergency choice, because Brock had left. Let's say Brock decides not to leave. If that happens, he defeats Goldberg at WrestleMania and seeks revenge of his WWE Title. I doubt that JBL even becomes champion, let alone hold the title for as long as he held it. Brock turns his attention to Eddie Guerrero and defeats him for the title. Lesnar could feud with Undertaker going into Summerslam and maintain his momentum for the rest of the year.


With that said, it is time to move into 2005. This is the most important part of history to cover regarding Brock Lesnar staying in WWE...

The Rise of John Cena:

This was the time where Vince McMahon was changing the guard since Brock's absence. JBL and Eddie Guerrero were the veterans that would keep the belt warm until VKM decided to crown a new face of the company to build around. JBL has one of the longest reigns for a heel in WWE History until he is dethroned by John Cena at WrestleMania 21. As we all know, the Cena Era had just begun. In this change of history, Cena wins the Royal Rumble as Batista still feuds with Triple H for the World Heavyweight Title. In the main event, John Cena challenges none other than The Beast himself, Brock Lesnar. With Lesnar still in the company, JBL would be in the mid card. Brock's impact would limit how many World Titles Cena, Batista, Edge and Randy Orton would win during their tenure. Cena would have still made a name for himself, but not in a way that outshines Brock Lesnar. John has been able to outshine Batista, Edge, and Orton, but I am uncertain that he would do the same thing with Lesnar. Brock could have as many world titles as those aforementioned names. Brock could even have more world titles than them. Who knows? I am just throwing out scenarios that Brock could fit in. It does seem like Lesnar's departure draws correlations with Cena's rise to the top.



WrestleMania 22 could look different. Brock could defend the title against Triple H instead of having Cena come into Mania as champion. Brock could even become WHC (World Heavyweight Champion) instead of building Rey Mysterio as a tribute Champion for Eddie Guerrero. Brock might be the one to break Undertaker's streak long before WrestleMania XXX. He would be much more believable than Mark Henry.

At WrestleMania 23, Brock could challenge Batista for the World Heavyweight Title instead of Undertaker. He could even challenge Cena for the WWE Title instead of Shawn Michaels.

At WrestleMania 24, Brock could be the marquee attraction against Floyd Mayweather. Then again, Floyd could find himself in the hospital trying to fight Brock, lol. Lesnar could be in the Main Event against Edge for the WHC. Lesnar would be a fixture in the Title picture. Brock could feud with Edge heading into Summerslam. Perhaps a potential Hell In A Cell match. The Rated-R Superstar versus The Conqueror.

For WrestleMania 25, Lesnar could either enter as the Royal Rumble winner or he could defend the title against Randy Orton. Brock vs Randy would create for another great dynamic. The Beast vs The Viper. Orton was on fire during his "Age of Orton" period and as the Apex Predator. Brock was the Youngest WWE Champion in history when he defeated The Rock at Summerslam 2002 at age 25. Two years later, Randy became the Youngest World Champion at age 24. You could even have Brock win the Rumble as he defeats Triple H at WrestleMania XXV for the WWE Championship.

Relationship with Paul Heyman...

I believe that Brock would still have his partnership with Paul Heyman because Brock would have been a major motivation for him during this time. After Brock's exit, Heyman re-launched ECW for their One Night Stand PPV and other things beyond that. Things started out great with ECW, but eventually things fell apart. With Lesnar still in the mix, Paul would have created different scenarios for himself and Brock. They seem to be inseparable, so Heyman might have either had Brock be a part of the ECW PPV or he might have just left ECW alone.

The Voice of CM Punk...

Would CM Punk still be able to light a fire among the wrestling world and the IWC if Brock Lesnar stayed? That is another thing to take into consideration. When CM Punk joined WWE in 2005 under Ohio Valley Wrestling, the company did not want to see him succeed. Punk mentions this in his documentary "Best In The World". Phil credits Paul Heyman for believing in him and defending him while the higher ups saw no value in the name "CM Punk". Heyman was only able to do that, because Brock Lesnar was not around. So, that meant he was free to help Punk out. Had Lesnar stayed, Paul's hands would have been full on the main roster. With that said, Punk may have still been voiceless in WWE as he might have taken that same passion and intensity to TNA. The Summer of Punk would probably be in TNA. Then again, Paul could probably still find a way to bring Punk on the main roster. Imagine CM Punk in the TNA Hall of Fame. I know, it takes some time to digest.


WrestleMania XXX:

This is where this alternate timeline comes full circle. As we know, this was the most historical night of Brock's career when he did the unthinkable. On this night, he broke The Undertaker's WrestleMania Streak. Breaking The Streak was the Ultimate way to rebuild Brock as a monster after his losses to John Cena and Triple H. I did not want the streak to end, but if anyone were to end it, it was Brock. Now that Brock has become the most dominant figure in wrestling, does he really need to end the Streak? I doubt it. Instead, you could have an Evolution Triple Threat between Batista, Triple H and Randy Orton. Maybe Undertaker's Streak is still intact, or John Cena could be the 1 in "21-1". If you thought that Brock got heat from the Internet about ending the Streak, Cena might get death threats over that. Perhaps The Streak does not reach this point, because Lesnar could have conquered it much sooner. This leads up to the ultimate point, Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Bryan. Daniel could win the Royal Rumble instead of being excluded. That way, Batista does not get crucified by the fans for winning the Rumble and booed out of the building. Instead, Bryan can head into WrestleMania as the number 1 contender to face Brock Lesnar for the title. In this scenario, Daniel would not have to have the Authority be a thorn in his side and insult him as a "B+ Player". Maybe, Bryan could have his shining WrestleMania Moment by winning the WWE Championship from the Monster that has ruled WWE with an Iron fist for the past decade: Brock Lesnar. Or, CM Punk could very well have the WrestleMania Main Event that he has been crying about. Just another variety of scenarios.

Historical Impact:
Brock was becoming the face of WWE in the post Austin/Rock Age of Wrestling. He was burnt out and left prematurely. If the fans of the Internet despise John Cena right now, they might have more hatred towards Brock Lesnar. Instead of "Super Cena", we could see "Super Brock" as Lesnar could monopolize the title picture during his Era. The Most Impactful stars who were the Mainstream face of WWE are Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock and John Cena. If history had turned out differently, Brock's name would be there instead of Cena. Who knows? Brock could have a movie career and advertising deals through WWE the way that Cena has them. He could have played Drax in "Guardians of the Galaxy" instead of Batista. I believe Lesnar made a great point when he said that if he stayed there would be no John Cena. John would not be as much of a massive star if Brock stayed. We already saw the massacre that Brock delivered at Summerslam when he Suplexed John Cena out of the Main Event to become WWE/World Heavyweight Champion. The one thing that I am certain of is that Cena would not be a 15-time WWE Champion knocking on the door of history ready to break Ric Flair's record. We also would not have to live with that stupid Spinner Belt.

Painting Courtesy of: Rob Schamberger (Twitter: @RobSchamberger)

History Rewritten: Bret Hart's 1992-93 Title Run

 

 

For this edition of "History Rewritten", I would like to explore the world of wrestling. Like in other Sports, wrestling is filled with events that I would like to go back and change. In this case, I would like to rewrite the first title run of one of the greatest champions of all-time: Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

 

What made it Great:

By 1992, Bret Hart was taking wrestling by storm as he emerged to Main Event Status while transitioning from his time as IC Champion. He defeated Shawn Michaels in a number of matches that year, including the first official ladder match in WWE history (7/21/92, the day after my Birthday). The Summer of 1992 might has well been called the "Summer of Bret" because of his success. The culmination of his reign took place at Summerslam in Wembley with Brother-In-Law Davey Boy Smith. Bret was quickly cracking through the glass ceiling. At this point, Vince McMahon was under heavy fire from the Federal Government for the Steroid Scandal that tainted the image of the number 1 wrestling promotion in the world.

 

As everyone knows, the face of the wrestling phenomenon, Hulk Hogan was front and center as he was found testing positive for steroids. The Golden Image of the WWF was dealt a black eye because of his involvement. Other massively built stars like The Ultimate Warrior also had blood on their hands from the controversy. The climate was changing naturally, even without steroid issues. The Aura of Hulkamania was fading fast, as fans would start to cheer anytime Hogan lost (Survivor Series vs. Undertaker) or was eliminated (Royal Rumble 1992). The Hulkster's golden charm had truly become stale. Roddy Piper was fading from the scene as he would leave following WrestleMania VIII. Piper was not one of the top commodities on Vince's agenda like he was with Hogan during 1984-85 in the midst of the expansion. Sgt. Slaughter would retire that year following a heated run as a villainous WWF Champion the year prior. Mr. Perfect was dealing with injuries. The stars that Vince McMahon relied on previously were moving on in different ways. It was time for McMahon to inject new blood into the Main Event Picture. Bret was quickly rising through the glass ceiling to obtain the "Brass Ring". On October 12, Bret defeated Ric Flair at a House Show in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. By this point, things had fallen into place for the Hitman. It was truly the breakout year that would set the course for the rest of his career.

 

 

Best Opponents:

After defeating Flair in a rematch, Bret would defeat the likes of Papa Shango, Rick Martel and The Berzerker (Not exactly a Hall of Fame list of dance partners). By Survivor Series, Bret's quality of opponents would improve as he put on a fairly underrated but special match with Shawn Michaels.

 

 Even though they were not advertised on the front of the marquee, Bret and Shawn did a fine job closing the show as we were moving on to a time without the Red & Yellow (or so we thought). The show was "fairly decent" overall, but not as much of a spectacle as the ones prior. It was a sign of the changing times. Bret would defeat Flair in a series of House Shows before heading into the 1993 Royal Rumble, where he would headline the show with a fast rising heel, Razor Ramon.

 

 

 

 

The Hitman would defeat The Bad Guy in a fairly excellent match, with his patented Sharpshooter. That night, Bret's biggest challenge to date would win the Royal Rumble as their paths would cross. That challenger would be none other than Yokozuna.

 



 



What hurt his Title Run:

 

Bret's Size: The biggest criticism of Bret Hart among the higher ups was his size. The corporate big wigs were not sure if the Hitman would be very special, because he did not have the action figure/cartoon physique of Hulk Hogan or the Ultimate Warrior. Today, people complain about Daniel Bryan, CM Punk or Dolph Ziggler having raw deals because of their size. Bret was one of, if not the first to deal with that stigma. The landscape has come a long way because of Bret, but at that time wrestling was truly the land of giants. Anything that did not look like Hulk Hogan had a huge mountain to climb. If you were not 6'7", 300 lbs with receding blond hair and a handlebar mustache, you had to prove yourself even more. Whether they were built like sculpted figures or giant piles of mass like King Kong Bundy or Earthquake, size was the top priority. The Hitman had to prove them wrong by telling his story in the ring. Bret would hold his own and proudly building the grassroots following that naturally came from his homecountry of Canada. The Hitman would build a larger International Fanbase during his rise as the MVP of the company. Unfortunately, his size would come back to bite him once WrestleMania Season came along. He would run into two massive obstacles.

 

Roadblock 1:

 

Even though Bret carried the Title as the Champion for the people, those in charge still wanted to hold on to the outdated mindset of size matters over everything else. As a result, Yokozuna enters the title picture. Yoko was very talented for a man of his size, but he was the product of the idea that you needed to be large in order to be a great champion. Bret was proving that theory wrong as he was the definition of a true workhorse. At WrestleMania IX, Bret's world would come crashing down against this mammoth Samoan that was from "Japan". Bret fought back valiantly as an underdog champion. He even had Yoko in the Sharpshooter. Hart managed to wrap a pair of 500 pound legs around for his Finishing Submission hold. This is not Shawn Michaels, Razor or even Bam Bam himself. This was a man that weighed half of 1,000 pounds!!! Think about that. The Hitman launched an arsenal of attacks at his opponent. While Bret looked like he was going to vanquish his enormous foe, things went downhill from there.

With a handful of powder to the face and a Banzai Drop, Bret Hart's first momentous reign came to an end. His 5 & a half to 6 month reign as a promising champion crashed. The result did launch a great rivalry that would culminate the following year at WrestleMania X. Bret did not look like a scrub while losing the title. If anything, this was the least of his problems. Things really hit the fan in the aftermath of the match. Just when the fans thought that business moved on, they were sadly mistaken.

Roadblock 2:

"When it comes crashing down and it hurts inside!". The moment that the fans heard that music, everyone knew that this would turn out to be the worst. Hulk Hogan sticks his giant mustache in someone else's business to steal their thunder. Even though he pinned Yokozuna, Hogan ultimately stole Bret Hart's thunder. Technically, Bret lost the title to Hogan with Yokozuna as the channel that the belt would have to pass through in between. Hulk decided to resurface in WWF after things cooled off for a while. Hogan comes to check on Bret to see if things are fine. The bosses still had an affection for the glory cartoon days, when Hogan set the world on fire by Bodyslamming Andre the Giant. They still saw dollar signs in the Hulkster as if they were still in 1985. Fuji challenged Hogan to an impromptu match. Bret signals for him to go after Yokozuna. Deep inside, Bret was saying "Go ahead Hogan, steal my spotlight that I worked so hard to gain". The Hulkster gets in the ring, when Yoko holds him for Fuji to throw the salt in his face as he did with Bret. Hogan ducks, as Yokozuna is blinded. In typical Hulkster fashion, he sends Yoko to the ropes for the Big Boot followed by a Legdrop for the 1,2,3!

People talk about Cena hogging the title. Right now, at least he is in the Midcard picture. Hogan NEVER stepped foot in that scene. However, the biggest similarity is that the belt found its way back to them. For Hogan, it was even worse because there was no place for him in the long term landscape of the promotion. In the eyes of many, Hulk Hogan had worn out his welcome by 1993. With a simple Legdrop with the 3 Count, Hulk Hogan was officially a five time WWF Champion. The match ended faster than Sheamus vs. Bryan at WrestleMania XXVIII. Bret Hart really looked like a clown, because the prize that he scratched and clawed to win was cheapened with a legdrop from a guy that was only going to stick around to put himself over. It was a very salty way to end his run. Hogan wanted to be a glory hog, and refused to work with Bret because he was "too small". News flash, Randy Savage and Bret were identical in size. Macho had more muscle tone than Bret, but were not much different physically. Then again, Hogan took the title from Savage and never gave it back. When you say "too small" that means, "this guy is a threat to my place in the company and I have to stop him". The Hulkster played his Master Political Chess Game by refusing to pass the torch to Bret like he did with Ultimate Warrior at WM VI. The biggest difference is, Bret showed more promise as the Company Champion than Warrior. According to Bret, the original plan was for him and Hogan to have a match at Summerslam. Hulkster waved his finger in the face of creative and said "No, brother" as if he was staring Andre in the face. Hogan would fade from sight after losing the belt to Yokozuna at King of the Ring, as a cameraman blinded him with a flame from his camera. Bret and Hogan would meet again in WCW, but their "dream match" was a disaster.

Rewrite:

Plain and simple. Get Hogan away from the title.

If Warrior and Jake did not have such bad blood, they would be ideal opponents to make Bret look stronger.

Have Bret gain his revenge on Yoko by defeating him at KOTR with the Sharpshooter. From there, you move him into the feud with his jealous younger brother Owen. That feud could be the featured story as it would headline WrestleMania X, with Bret emerging as the champion. Following the feud with his brother, you can transition into the war with Shawn Michaels as they could headline WrestleMania 11 with Bret remaining champion. Bret would tear the house down with Owen and Shawn. WrestleMania 12 would still be the legendary Ironman match with HBK as the new champion. In between those WrestleManias, you could see a series of exciting Summerslam matches involving steel cages and ladders. There could even be a Triple Threat. Bret, Shawn and Owen. Talk about money. Diesel and Yoko could keep each other busy. Undertaker would be a nice piece to keep in the title picture. Then, you insert the emerging Stone Cold Steve Austin as another player in the mix with Bret.

With this scenario, Owen is a made man even without having to go over. He is instantly elevated. Shawn Michaels was naturally groomed to be Bret's equal and eventual successor. Austin and Bret would still have the defining submission match.


Conclusion:
With that said, the 1993 blemish can be erased so that this piece of Bret's history can be written the way it deserves to be written. With Hogan out of the way, Bret would not have to deal with a washed up Jerry Lawler who was not even a contender for a championship. Lawler is disqualified altogether as a result. Bret can enjoy a healthier tenure as champion. If that one blemish is taken away from otherwise an excellent reign as WWF Champion, just maybe, we are in a position where Bret would not expose himself to possibly be screwed in a more detrimental way in Montreal. His tenure can be that much better which would add to an already outstanding legacy. 

Defining Champions: Bret Hart

Today, I would like to start a series about the journeys of great champions in wrestling history. The man whose journey that I would like to spotlight will be none other than a childhood favorite of mine and others who grew up during his WWE tenure, Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Bret's path to the top of the wrestling mountain became a standard blueprint for others to follow in the future. At a time where wrestling was moving away from the glory days of their 80s boom period of Hulkamania, Bret was the ideal star to lead wrestling into a new age. Bret's polished ring generalship and psychology have earned him the title of the greatest in-ring technician ever by a large consensus of not only fans, but also writers and fellow wrestlers. The Hitman is one of the most important legends that has built the modern format of pro wrestling. He was very believable and was a nonstop workhorse that could tell a very elaborate story in the squared circle. What he lacked in style, Bret made up for in substance. Bret was the most successful graduate of the Hart Dungeon.

Ladies and Gentlemen, here is Bret's journey:

Beginnings:

Born to Stu and Helen Hart on July 2, 1957, Bret was trained in his Dad's Dungeon as a youngster. Bret started out in his Father Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling Promotion way, way back in 1976. Initially, Bret worked as a referee. On one fateful day, one of the wrestlers scheduled could not make it in time to perform. Out of desperation, Stu asked his son to step in. The Hitman's road to stardom began in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Of course, Bret was a regular performer in Stampede since his Dad owned the place, as he received prominent training from Japanese greats Mr. Hito and Mr. Sakurada. It was only a matter of time before Bret would come into his own and electrify crowds with his technical prowess in highly intense matches with the likes of Dynamite Kid and others.

Most importantly, Bret did not use his Father's name as a coattail to ride for success. He wanted to make his own name, without having to leech off of his family bloodline. He remained one of Stampede Wrestling's top draws until Vince McMahon, Jr. purchased the promotion in 1984 as he was creating his dream empire to take over the wrestling world.

Hart Foundation Era (1985-1991):

Originally, Bret was going to debut as a singles wrestler in the WWF using a cowboy gimmick "Cowboy Bret Hart". However, Bret refused as he once famously said "if you called yourself a cowboy, you'd better be one." Instead, WWF let Bret join his brother-in-law Jim Neidhart with manager Jimmy Hart (no relation) to form the legendary stable "The Hart Foundation". By June 1985, Bret had been billed as "The Hitman" after he read a news headline about Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns retiring from Boxing. That was the inspiration for his nickname (read his autobiography). The Hart Foundation were a classic heel tag team, as Bret and Anvil both wore sunglasses. Bret admits that he wanted to wear sunglasses, because he was intimidated by the camera during promos. The shades were the perfect way to hide his fears. The dynamic had officially been established, as Bret would be the faster, workhorse of the group while Jim was the powerhouse. Initially, they did not wear pink. Instead, they wore blue, red or yellow to mix with the black. They would change to the trademark pink in December 1986.

Gorilla Monsoon would give Bret the nickname "The Excellence of Execution". Bret would call himself "The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be" as he borrowed the line from the movie The Natural. The Hart Foundation would dominate the tag division as one of the first great tag teams in WWF History. Their signature rivalry was with The British Bulldogs, who were also Stampede graduates. In 1987, the Hart Foundation won the tag team titles from the Bulldogs. They would also feud with the Killer Bees and the Rougeau Brothers.

In between his incredible run of dominance as a tag team star, Bret would briefly explore what it felt like as a singles wrestler. On March 8, 1986, Bret had his very first singles program in a match with Ricky Steamboat at Boston Garden. Hart says that this was one of his favorite matches, and it is truly an underrated gem. The match itself was a sign of great things to come from The Hitman. This Boston Garden classic is featured on Bret's 2005 DVD. Stone Cold Steve Austin mentioned it on his Podcast during his Interview with Hart. By late 1987, Vince McMahon approached Hart about turning face. Vince Jr told Bret that he had received more fan mail than Hulk Hogan himself. That says everything. Clearly, there was something about Bret to cheer for. Vince always gets what he wants, so he decided to have his cake and eat it too. Seeing how over (popular) the Hart Foundation were, Vince turned them face by dumping Jimmy Hart as their manager. Bret would also have a series of matches with an emerging Mr. Perfect. The Hart Foundation would eventually break up after losing the tag titles to the Nasty Boys in WrestleMania VII, but Bret had no problem with it at all. By the dawn of the '90s, the rocket was officially strapped on Bret's back for the near future.


Intercontinental Title Era (1991-1992):

By the turn of the Decade, Bret was "Mr. Wrestling" as he would defeat Mr. Perfect at Summerslam for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Hogan/Warrior vs. Slaughter & co, may have been on the front of the marquee, but Bret vs. Perfect was the match that fans walked away remembering the most right next to Savage & Liz's wedding. Bret would hold the title until January 1992 when he lost it to The Mountie, smh. Roddy Piper would save the title by winning it from the Mountie at the Royal Rumble before Bret would regain it in a very special match at WrestleMania VIII at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. During this period of time, Vince McMahon was under fire from the Federal Government because of the notorious steroid scandal surrounding the World Wrestling Federation. The names at the top of the list were golden boys Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior. The promotion's image took a serious hit, as McMahon had no one else to turn to but Bret. Vince would be forced to groom Hart as the new face of the WWF. During his time as Champion, Bret would defend the IC Title like the World Title. Hart's second reign as champion would be his best. He would start his feud with longtime archrival, Shawn Michaels. Here are some of their most notable matches:

April 12 1992
WWF Intercontinental Title: Bret Hart (c) defeats Shawn Michaels
WWF European Rampage Again Tour @ Brighton Centre in Sussex, England, UK

TAG TEAM DREAM MATCH
July 12 1992
Dark: Bret Hart & Randy Savage defeat Ric Flair & Shawn Michaels (17:16)
WWF Superstars #308 @ Worcester Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA



FIRST EVER WWF LADDER MATCH.....
July 21 1992
WWF Intercontinental Title Ladder: Bret Hart (c) defeats Shawn Michaels (13:46)
WWF House Show @ Civic Center in Portland, Maine, USA
 In total, The Hitman defeated Shawn Michaels a total of 44 times during this particular run of matches.

Showdown at Wembley:

Bret would close out an historically noteworthy tenure as IC Champion with the best match of his run at Summerslam with Brother-In-Law, Davey Boy Smith (British Bulldog) at Wembley Stadium in London, England, UK. The loss to The Bulldog freed Hart to move on to greater horizons, specifically the WWF Championship.


Becoming Champion:

On October 12, 1992, Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair for his first WWF Championship. What made the match even more special was the fact that it took place at a House Show in the same place where Bret had his first match, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada. Bret's journey had officially come full circle. During the match, Hart dislocated one of his fingers, but decided to pop it back into place to continue the match. That is determination and dedication to your craft. The overall match was very well executed "pun intended" as Bret made the most of the opportunity that was presented to him.

"If Hulk Hogan was the Elvis of Wrestling, I was the Robert DeNiro."

Bret was not a champion that focused on the spectacle and parade of wrestling, but was about providing substance. He knew that since he lacked the size of Hogan and Warrior, he had to make up for that with his ring prowess. The climate of wrestling was rapidly changing, and Bret was the choice to spearhead that change. Hart went from being someone that Vince McMahon would have passed over, to becoming the focal point to launch a New Generation of stars.

Bret would make the best meal out of what was given to him by Vince McMahon. By this point, the top names of the previous era were phasing out, and Bret made the most out of it. He would defeat the likes of Papa Shango, Berzerker and Warlord to name a few before he found himself in the Main Event of Survivor Series in a Title vs Title match with an all too familiar face: Shawn Michaels. At Survivor Series, Bret defeated HBK with the Sharpshooter in another overlooked classic. In a matter of one year, Survivor Series went from Hogan vs. Undertaker in the Main Event to Bret vs. Shawn. It was truly a sign of the changing times. Bret would defeat more noteworthy foes near the end of this first run such as Razor Ramon and Bam Bam Bigelow.

Title Momentum Derailed:

Bret Hart defeated Razor Ramon to retain his WWF Title at the 1993 Royal Rumble. His largest challenger was around the corner in the form of the 500+ pound walking bulldozer of mass destruction, Yokozuna. Yoko won the Royal Rumble that night as the stage was set for WrestleMania IX. Bret was on the path of proving himself to Vince & others that he could be a legitimate champion that could carry the company. However, the corporate suits did not see things that way. Unfortunately, Hart's first momentous reign as Champion would come to an end from a dark cloud of controversy. At WM IX, Bret had Yoko in the Sharpshooter with the win literally in his grip. Suddenly, Mr. Fuji blinded Hart when he threw powder in the champion's face. With a blinded champion, Yoko took advantage by crushing him with the Banzai Drop. Moments later, Hulk Hogan would stick his nose and giant mustache into the main event as he took the squashed Yoko with the outdated Big Boot and Leg Drop. Bret's reign ended with salt in the eyes, followed by a squash Leg Drop from Hogan to Yoko. In the end, the belt found its way back to Hogan. This was definitely one of the black eyes in wrestling history, especially Bret Hart's career (pre-Montreal). Bret would cement himself as the Alpha Dog of the company by winning the 1993 King of the Ring Tournament to rebuild his momentum while being preoccupied with a feud with Jerry Lawler.

Return to the Mountain (1994):

Bret Hart would start off 1994 in a strong way by winning the Royal Rumble, even though he was a co-winner with Lex Luger. Bret seriously should have been the sole winner of the Rumble, but Vince was obsessed with making Lex Hulk Hogan 2.0 with the Real American garbage that was a sensation back in 1984. By 1994, times were changing as Bret was the engineer of that change. The Hitman was also occupied with a feud involving himself and his younger brother Owen. Bret and Owen would start off WrestleMania X by tearing the house down. Bret would lose the opening match, but would have the last laugh by winning the WWF Championship back from Yokozuna in the Main Event. This would cement Bret as the leader of the New Generation, as this was the first official WrestleMania without Hogan's involvement. Hart would have the strongest title run of his career, as he would feud with Owen through much of the year. Sadly, his run would come to an end at the hands of an ancient relic named Bob Backlund at Survivor Series. With all of that said, Bret would once again rank #1 out the PWI Top 500 Singles Wrestlers of 1994, just as he did in 1993.

Hitman versus Heartbreak (1996):

By 1996, Bret Hart had become a three time WWF Champion after defeating Diesel at Survivor Series 1995. He also defeated Undertaker by DQ at the 1996 Royal Rumble. At this point, Bret had firmly established his place as a future Hall of Famer. Upon the horizon of WrestleMania XII, The Hitman would face his ultimate counterpart, Royal Rumble Winner Shawn Michaels. This reign was when Hart was booked as a lame duck champion to keep the belt warm for the latest incoming King, HBK. The Showstopper would defeat the Excellence of Execution with 2 Superkicks in Sudden Death Overtime.

Hart Foundation Reborn (1997):

Bret Hart would find resurgance during his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin and with America, as he turned heel. During Hart's heel turn, he reformed the Hart Foundation as a stable. Bret drew major heat as a villain in America, while drawing admiration as a hero in Canada. Bret's 1997 heel run reached its peak when he defeated The Undertaker at Summerslam to become a 5-time WWF Champion. Hart would join Hogan as the first two men to win 5 WWF Titles. Bret's reign and tenure in WWF would come to a bitter end at Survivor Series (we all know how that story turned out).

Through his many ups and downs, Bret Hart has enjoyed a storied journey as a champion. Bret's rise was momentous, as well as his reign at the top. Hart was a champion that defined his era, at a time where wrestling needed someone to be the symbol in a post Hogan/Action Figure Era of Wrestling. In the Tag Team Division, Bret and his tag partner Jim Neidhart were a dominant, game changing team. In the Midcard, Bret displayed signs of things to come as he carried himself like a future main event player. In the Main Event, Bret proudly carried the WWF Flag everywhere he went as the ultimate workhorse champion. He carried that title with pride and honor, and defined what that belt meant to me growing up. The Hitman was the bridge between the Rock & Wrestling Era and the upcoming Attitude Era that would follow in the time to come. For those reasons, he was a defining champion in every way during his career.

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.