Let's face it, the Wrestlemania we want to see is never the one we get. On episode 150 of 3 Count Radio, Brad and I gave our fantasy booking for the show of shows this year. In case you missed it, here is a more detailed look at my fantasy booking for The Road to Wrestlemania and the show itself.
Setup: Triple H has his hands in everything, even more than it is now.
He's successfully kept Daniel Bryan from holding the WWE title since
Night of Champions, and Orton is still the champion. Bryan and Punk have
teamed up the face the Poochie Regime ... and have even won the tag titles from the Shield. To punish them, Triple H made them compete in impossible matches to qualify for the Royal Rumble, with the losers being #1 and #2 in the Rumble.
WWE Title Match
Randy Orton defends the WWE Title against Christian in a hard fought match.
The Rumble Match
Punk and Bryan are #1 and #2, and they last the entire match. John Cena is #3, and is thrown out by Bryan and Punk later on in the match.
#26 Entrant is a surprise return for Chris Jericho.
#27 Entrant is the Return of Sheamus from injury, also a surprise.
#28 Entrant is Brock Lesnar and he cleans house of everyone in the ring save for Punk, Bryan, Jericho, and Sheamus. This includes Cena being eliminated to huge cheers from the crowd.
#29 is the shocking return of Batista to the WWE who has a nice "moment" with Lesnar.
#30 happens and no one comes out ..
... then after 10 seconds, the Undertaker's Dong hits and the crowd goes nuts. He comes out on the ramp but not to the ring. Brock, having dismantled everyone, stares Undertaker down. Punk then throws Brock over the top rope as he's distracted, getting some revenge for Summerslam. Brock doesn't seem to mind, as he's transfixed on Taker, and a huge smile comes over he and Heyman's face.
Then Triple H's music hits with #30 on his tron, he's put himself in the Rumble because Punk and Bryan have made it this far. He hits the ring and stares Batista down, they hug. Triple H hits Punk with the Pedigree and Punk rolls under the bottom rope in pain. Bryan gets up to fight, but Batista hits Bryan with the Batista bomb as Sheamus gets up. He stares both HHH and Batista down, and after a suspenseful 10 seconds, all three hug, turning Sheamus heel.
HHH, Batista, and Sheamus dismantle Jericho, and toss him out. As HHH and Batista admire their work, Bryan comes from behind and dumps both out, HHH by surprise and then Batista when he charges afterward. Batista jumps back up but catches a roundhouse from Bryan, just as he turns around and eats a Brogue kick from Sheamus to be eliminated.
Sheamus celebrates for a second until he turns around and sees Punk staring at him, who was biding his time outside the ring until now. He clotheslines Sheamus out, winning the Royal Rumble to the shock of HHH's crew. Punk then blows them a kiss and celebrates in the crowd.
Winner: CM Punk
World Title Elimination Chamber Match
Alberto Del Rio vs Cody Rhodes vs Wade Barrett vs Rey Mysterio vs Dolph Ziggler vs Rob Van Dam
This is a standard Chamber match, Alberto Del Rio retains his title after Damien Sandow comes out to distract Cody Rhodes as he was preparing to win.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
After the match, Sandow cashes in on Del Rio after first hitting Cody and then surprisingly Del Rio with the briefcase, becoming the new World Champion. He would later claim he wished it had been Cody he could have cashed in on.
Street Fight For Right To Compete in Main Event of Wrestlemania 30
CM Punk vs. Triple H
Triple H had claimed that if Punk wanted to headline Wrestlemania, he'd have to prove to Triple H that is what was "best for business" by beating him in this match. CM Punk and HHH have a brutal match that rivals both of the chamber matches. Punk wins after hitting Triple H with a shovel (yes I know) from under the ring and then a GTS.
Winner: CM Punk, earning the right to compete in the last match at Mania.
WWE Title Elimination Chamber Match
Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton vs John Cena vs Chris Jericho vs Sheamus vs Batista
There are shenanigans in this match with HHH, who is livid about his match with Punk. However, the surprise return of Shane McMahon distracts everyone inside and outside the chamber, and allows Bryan to make Orton tap to the Yes Lock to win. Bryan finally gets his big moment, this is a no doubter.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
WRESTLEMANIA 30
SINGLES MATCH
Bray Wyatt w/ The Wyatt Family vs. Rey Mysterio
After the feud with Kane is over, Bray will turn his attention to other masked Wrestlers, first Sin Cara (putting him out for another 6 months) and then to Rey Mysterio. Bray claims to be able to make Mysterio "immortal," so he'll be able to wrestle forever even if his broken body fails him.
Rey has to constantly worry about the two on the outside buy wrestles a very high energy match with Bray. Rey finally turns the corner when Kane appears to help him by taking out Luke and Eric on the outside. Mysterio hits the 619 and top rope splash to win.
Winner: Rey Mysterio in his final Wrestlemania Match before he retires.
DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
AJ Lee (Champion) vs. Lita
AJ had been bragging that she is the best Diva of all time, even beating Trish Stratus at Royal Rumble. Lita (her hero growing up) then shows up to challenge her.
AJ and Lita have the most athletic Divas match in recent history. Lita fights out of the Black widow, being the first person to do so, and hits the moonsault for the win.
Winner: Lita and the new (all be it short lived) Divas Champion.
TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH
The Usos vs. Los Matadores vs. International Airstrike vs. Ziggler and RVD vs. The Ascension
With the Unification of the US and IC titles, there is more emphasis on the Tag Division. New teams, and more TV time. The Usos won a tag tournament when Triple H stripped Punk and Bryan of the titles after Elimination chamber. This match also marks the debut of the Ascension in the WWE.
This match makes everyone look great but Ziggler, Gabriel and Kidd really shine. The Usos come close to retaining their titles but then are taken out by the Ascension who look like beasts by the end of the match.
Winners: The Ascension after a 15-minute carnage spot-fest
INTERCONTINENTAL / UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP UNIFICATION MATCH
Antonio Cesaro (IC Champion) vs. Seth Rollins (US Champion) vs. Sami Zane
Cesaro is done with Coulter. Rollins is now face having been kicked out of the Shield for being the "weak link." He defeated Ambrose for the title at The Royal Rumble. Sami Zane was the NXT tournament winner to get into the rumble and has stormed onto the scene with big wins.
This match is Sami Zane's coming out party. He is the star of the match, providing spot after spot and making the other two look great. Rollins gets himself even more over showing his face offense, showing no regard for himself while Cesaro shows off his crisp style as well as impressive strength. In the end, Cesaro hits the uppercut on Zane going for the Tornado DDT and then the Neutralizer for the win.
Winner: Antonio Cesaro in one of the best triple threat matches in WWE history to unify the US and Intercontinental Titles.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Damien Sandow (Champion) vs. Cody Rhodes
No explanation needed ... they hate each other. Sandow has taken out Del Rio, who was originally in this match as well, and Kofi Kingston to really show his ultra aggressive side. Cody is super hot with the fans after coming back in December and is destined for World Championship Gold.
The match is even as it can be for most with the crowd 100% behind Cody, he's the new "Daniel Bryan." Sandow starts to go for his neckbreaker when Cody reverses it and hits the Beautiful Disaster and the Cross Rhodes.
Winner: Cody Rhodes via Cross Rhodes to become the new World Champion
THE BEAST vs. THE STREAK in a NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH
Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman vs. The Undertaker
Brock and Heyman determine that they will prevail where all others have failed and give the Undertaker his biggest challenge to date. Match will be very similar to HHH vs Taker at 27, but with more MMA elements.
Brock Lesnar withstands the first 5 minutes of Undertaker onslaught before he takes control. This match is all over the outside, and Brock even puts Taker through a table with the F-5 From the steel steps. Paul Heyman can taste the win as Brock goes for the Kumura, but Taker reverses it into the Hell's gate and refuses to let go even when Brock gets to the ropes. Taker scoots away from the ropes and Brock has no choice but to give up.
Winner: The Undertaker after making Brock Lesnar submit to the the Hell's Gate. 22-0
FOR CONTROL OF THE WWE ELIMINATION TAG TEAM MATCH
Team Triple H and Stephanie
Randy Orton, Batista, Sheamus, Triple H, and Dean Ambrose
vs.
Team Shane McMahon
John Cena, The Big Show, Chris Jericho, Christian, and Stone Cold Steve Austin
Shane McMahon has returned to stake claim to the WWE as Vince's Actual son vs Triple H, the son-in-law. It is determined that control of the WWE will be decided in a 10-Man elimination tag match.
2 Weeks before Mania, the 5th member of Team Shane has still yet to be decided, and Shane announces that it will be "Stone Cold" Steve Austin to round out the team.
Jericho, Ambrose, Christian and Orton are the workhorses of this match. Triple H doesn't get into the match until the end, when he has to. Ambrose is first eliminated when Stone Cold stuns him. Big Show is eliminated next with the rKo. Jericho then eliminates Sheamus with the Liontamer. Christian and Jericho are then eliminated in that order, both by Batista. Cena makes Batista tap to the STF. After a lot of back and forth, Orton is eliminated after an AA and then a Stunner. When Triple H is forced to enter the match, he has some good moments with Stone Cold, and then Cena. Triple H is able to pin Cena with the pedigree after Orton comes back to distract him. But then Stone Cold comes in to finish the job first stunning Orton and then HHH to win the match and control of the WWE for Shane.
Winners: Shane's Team after Stone Cold Stuns Triple H for the final pinfall.
WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan
Face vs. Face ... just the two best wrestlers in the world finally getting to prove themselves in the Main Event of Wrestlemania in an amazing 30-Minute match. Shane declares there will be no outside interference after he's taken control.
Simply put, this is the best wrestling match in Wrestlemania history. Chains, reversals, submissions, aerial moves, superplexes, basically everything you want to see. The crowd is split, but Daniel Bryan does have the edge because you can't deny 70,000 chanting YES! Bryan gets punk in the Yes lock, but Punk reverses it into the Koji Klutch, and eventually hits the Macho elbow. Bryan is able to reverse all of Punk's submissions easily, and kicks out of the first GTS. Punk also kicks out of Bryan's kneecapitator, but only because he falls out of the ring when hit with it. The match ends when Bryan has Punk down after his setup moves, goes for the Kneecapitator ... but Punk flawlessly catches him in the GTS and hit sit for the win.
Winner: CM Punk to become the new WWE Champion and have his Wrestlemania Moment.
