Go home shows for a PPV are normally important as the final builds are put in place to sell the event on Sunday. However, this is no ordinary go home edition of RAW since Wrestlemania is the PPV in question. Needless to say WWE will do whatever it can to make this show special and get people even more excited. How will Bryan respond to HHH after being kept off TV since the attack? Will Cena jump Wyatt and put him in CeNation gear in revenge? Who will get in upper hand between Undertaker and Lesnar? Will we get some sort of melee involving the Andre The Giant Battle Royal participants? Does anyone remember that Batista and Orton have a match or has it been overshadowed by Bryan? Most importantly, will The Shield ever go back to doing their signature backstage promos?
Best
The Undertaker: Has anyone ever stopped to really think about Taker’s character and how it fits into today’s WWE? In reality it kind of doesn’t. His gimmick has so many supernatural elements that it would seem to be out of step with today’s top stars. When he first debuted, no one thought it strange because he was surrounded by other larger-then-life figures. Now when that gong sounds and smokes fills the entrance ramp we don’t even bat an eye. They don’t really care that he’s an interesting contrast with other wrestlers, they just look forward to the sheer spectacle of his entrance, which is something that never gets old.
Cena: While Bray Wyatt might not have been whom everyone would face Cena in a Mania match, if nothing else he’s gotten The Champ to be more serious. Cena easily could’ve laughed off Wyatt’s strange promos and made his usual jokes, but having him get serious for once is a refreshing change. The overdone Cena-staring-in-a-mirror segment notwithstanding, the build to this match has been better then expected. It’ll also be a change to have Cena carry a match since Wyatt isn’t exactly great in the ring.
The Authority: Just when you thought they couldn’t be better heels, they prove you wrong. H and Stephanie claiming that the Yes! Movement is just a passing fad and that it won’t help Bryan is fine enough as it is, but to highlight it with how last year’s fad of ‘Fandangoing’ has lost its relevance was great. Then Steph introduces a video package highlighting how all those ‘chosen ones’ of the fans have fallen before HHH that really hammered the point home. It also reinforced how vicious Hunter can be, something people might have forgotten since he has become more corporate as the COO.
JBL Great Quote of the Night: JBL: ‘I think you’re doing a great job on Smackdown Ms Guerrero’ Vickie: ‘Oh rawrrr’ Cole: ‘Would you two please get a room?’
Worst
Batista: So The Animal comes out in his hometown of DC and its not long after he starts talking that people start chanting ‘Boring’. Ouch that has to hurt. It appears that his wearing of a Georgetown basketball jersey to the ring didn’t work out that way. Then again neither did his lame attempts to insult HHH. To make matters even worse, when Bryan finally showed up, the crowd promptly forgot their hometown hero was even there.
Questionable
Transitions: So right after showing yet another creepy Bray Wyatt promo, the announcers transition to a recap of Total Divas where Summer Rae slapped Natalya. How does that even work? Sure it set up the ensuing match between the two, but didn’t we go through this kind of thing last week with the HHH attack on Bryan moving on to Scooby Doo?
Kane: So why does he wrestle in his dress slacks? He doesn’t look that intimidating after all. While wearing his old red gear might not have fit in with his Korporate Kane gimmick, it still looks a little awkward to see him wrestle in business attire. Since he’s teaming with the Middle Age Outlaws at Mania, does that mean they too will wrestle in dress slacks?
