WrestleMania 39 - Day 1 - Matches of Interest

A Good WrestleMania to You, Enthusiasts!

 

Welcome to Day 1. So, for those who are unfamiliar, I have the habit of commenting on my matches of interest come PPV time and this one is no different. I keep it to 3 due to my own fleeting attention span. This is an interesting time. Being in Los Angeles, there’s added pressure to put on a good show, especially with talk of a sale. This is as good a time as any to show the world what WWE has got. We’ll see if their pitch hits the mark.

 

To start, the first match that has my attention is Austin Theory vs. John Cena, The Past vs. The Future. This should be a fun go-round. I don’t expect Cena to win but if Theory wins, how he does so will be telling. Ultimately, though Theory is certainly talented and fun to watch, his youth is the biggest hurdle. We just aren’t gonna cater to some kid. So, if he wins, it’ll be to boos. That brings the question of good or bad boos.

 

The good boos tend to be ones that we’re meant to make. How WWE has been playing Roman Reigns of late is a great example. We know he’s gonna rig the game and we boo, and rightly so. It’s bullshit but scripted BS so, cue boos here.

 

Bad boos would come from like, Theory beating Cena clean in a quick match or a straight squash. We don’t even get our money’s worth and we have to accept Theory’s ascension up the ranks. Boo! You see? Bad boos. We’re getting pissed off.

  

So, what we get will be an indication of what they’re gonna do with Theory and whether this serves as some sort of send off for Cena. He’s only 45 so, yes, no spring chicken but certainly not dead yet. If he stays in shape and healthy, he could probably go until 50. Yet, that’s beginning to be the thing. Cena is aging, noticeably and his gimmick, isn’t. He may have to face a character reinvention.

  

If I had a say, WWE would let Cena’s loss be what leads to a reimagining. They can brainstorm that but I’m thinking it resembles more his celebrity life. Less, get the costume on and more hey, I was in town doing a movie or guest appearance. I wasn’t here to wrestle per se but if someone says something, I might say something back. You know, that sort of thing. Just strip it down a bit. He’s done the work. He doesn’t have to front and what’s more important is that he's taken seriously.

 

The main reason Cena got so much flak not too long ago was because of how cheesy his character is. The  goody-goody, “Sesame Street” sentiments don’t always jive with a rough & tumble crowd. It was definitely for the kids and the tough ones resented it.

 

Yet, we also can’t deny, he comes to work. He nails his promos and is solid in the ring. What more could you ask for? He’s personable. You know he’s kind of a square but that’s okay. Need those in life too. Someone has to be the enforcer of decency, especially with so many tough ones about. We respect the role he plays now. We’ll see if they can land this one respectably.

 

The next match of interest for me is Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey  Mysterio. This is the sleeper hit of the past year. I really didn’t think Dom had it in him. It’s nice to know he has a solid sense of humor. He looks like he’s having a lot of fun playing the punk kid.

 

The only thing I worry about with this match is poor execution. They’ve been doing well but sometimes they land this sort of thing kind of flatly and it inadvertently becomes the bathroom break spot. I hope they manage to avoid this. I would have Dom lose but if they have other things down the pike, it’s just a matter of an understandable outcome. Judgement Day could DQ it at a critical moment. How they do in his Papa Mysterio could trigger Dom to reconsider challenging his father? Don’t know if they’re going to keep Dom Heel but it’s a chance to start a Face turn. Suppose we’ll see.

 

That leaves Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley as my final match. I suspect this will close Day 1 and it could serve as compensation if Roman Reigns retaining is a done deal. I can see them giving Ripley the Women’s SmackDown Championship. She’s proven she’s a dominating presence who could believably reign for a long time if she so chose. I’m not against it.

 

Flair winning may come off too boring for us anyway. She can win it again but I would say later. Wait until there’s a lull or something. People will complain but what else is new. It will be obvious they don’t have any ideas. Just make the most of it.

 

That’s what I have to say. It should be an interesting show. Having done a few of these now, WWE hopefully has considered the need for pacing for a 2-day event. I think Ripley winning on Day 1 would be a good set-up for the inevitable on Day 2. On Saturday, you can party and celebrate an upset. On Sunday, you can start to face the reality and sober up, as always 😉 I don’t have any problems with this. Let’s see if they have fun doing it.

 

 

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)