WOR: Current WrestleMania Plans

[Steveweiser]

Dave Meltzer laid out the current plans he had learned about WrestleMania, and it's not good news for those who wanted Kofi Kingston to get the WWE Title match.

Dave says that he’s been told that Bryan’s opponent for WM is someone who is being brought back, not someone who has been around recently. So possibly Sami, Kevin, Wyatt or someone like that. He speculates that it might be Owens given that the gimmick Owens is running in his vignettes is that he’s playing the everyman in his promos and Bryan is against that.

He says that as of this morning, Kofi was not the plan for Bryan at WM or Fastlane.

He also says that Undertaker is now is talks for a WM match again as of this weekend. Nothing official, but they are talking.

Says as of a week ago there was no deal for Batista and that Batista has no interest in AEW.

He mentioned that at one point, the plan for WM was Asuka vs. Lacey Evans for the SD Title, but he’s been told that that’s not the plan anymore and they haven’t decided who Asuka’s opponent will be. Says that it’s possible they go back to Lacey, but unlikely.

Dave says he does not expect John Cena to be Bryan’s opponent, as there are other plans for Cena at WM.

www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/as8jlp/possible_spoilers_wor_wm_notes_from_meltzer/

[abjordans]

This is disappointing.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

The fact that everything in this report sounds so astonishingly bad, I'm almost suspecting that someone is taking the piss out of Dave and leaking him completely fake information.

Which in turn, has me suspecting my own logic and that we will really see Lacey Evans vs. Asuka at Mania, alongside Kofi Kingston not doing anything of note at Mania.

[Deleted]

All of this sounds absolutely f***ing awful.

And I really think at this point if they put anybody besides Kofi against Bryan the crowd is going to shit all over it.

[Deleted]

Usually there's a few matches during these early WM plans that I think "you know what, I like that" but this year? Besides the women's triple threat and Styles/Orton everything I'm seeing here looks like absolute trash. Man, that's such a stupid dumb move to not go with Kofi if they decide after all that's happened with him this past week. I definitely see HUGE backlash if he's not in that match regardless if Bryan's going against Owens, Zayn or whoever. I know I'm not the only one who can see that.

But everyone else looks ugh, come on now. Also Taker? The f***? Gimme a break. Let that old man sleep.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Man, if we get anyone other than Kofi I'm honestly not even bothering with Mania this year, that is such an unbelievably stupid idea right now and it shows that there's really no reason to place any faith in them at goddamn all.

[mcstoklasa]

We will get DEH soon and have Wyatt face Bryan

☹️

[Deleted]

Feb 19, 2019 5:44:16 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Man, if we get anyone other than Kofi I'm honestly not even bothering with Mania this year, that is such an unbelievably stupid idea right now and it shows that there's really no reason to place any faith in them at goddamn all.

Pretty much. At this point the match is a make-or-break for me given between adding Charlotte and the stupid turns the story's taken they've already killed my interest in the Raw Women's match.

Also I have absolutely no clue why they'd push Lacey Evans so hard beyond just, "She looks like Charlotte's clone." She is f***ing terrible.

[Totorob101]

Sounds awful but not surprising. Sad for Kofi though and i assume theyll cool down on him now and get him right out of the title scene asap and back into the same old routine with New Day.

[Deleted]

Feb 19, 2019 5:43:50 GMT -5 @kn said:

Usually there's a few matches during these early WM plans that I think "you know what, I like that" but this year? Besides the women's triple threat and Styles/Orton everything I'm seeing here looks like absolute trash. Man, that's such a stupid dumb move to not go with Kofi if they decide after all that's happened with him this past week. I definitely see HUGE backlash if he's not in that match regardless if Bryan's going against Owens, Zayn or whoever. I know I'm not the only one who can see that.

But everyone else looks ugh, come on now. Also Taker? The f***? Gimme a break. Let that old man sleep.

It really would just go to show why their ratings and attendance are falling apart. This company gets so f***ing hung up on what Vince personally wants to see that God forbid they roll with anything the crowd actually wants, play a hot hand when they get it, or ever adjust their plans for anything.

And no, I'm not saying pushing Kofi would instantly turn ratings around (although I could see at least some level of interest from fans who've checked out who were into him), but what's the point of bothering with this shit if they adamantly refuse to ever give the crowd what they actually want or to do things that people actually see as interesting?

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Come on, you got the easy lay up here with Kingston getting the title match. Don't turn around and go downtown to the other hoop, because you'll probably miss and then somehow people will hate you more than they already do.

[Dub H]

Feb 19, 2019 5:50:27 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Feb 19, 2019 5:43:50 GMT -5 @kn said:

Usually there's a few matches during these early WM plans that I think "you know what, I like that" but this year? Besides the women's triple threat and Styles/Orton everything I'm seeing here looks like absolute trash. Man, that's such a stupid dumb move to not go with Kofi if they decide after all that's happened with him this past week. I definitely see HUGE backlash if he's not in that match regardless if Bryan's going against Owens, Zayn or whoever. I know I'm not the only one who can see that.

But everyone else looks ugh, come on now. Also Taker? The f***? Gimme a break. Let that old man sleep.

It really would just go to show why their ratings and attendance are falling apart. This company gets so f***ing hung up on what Vince personally wants to see that God forbid they roll with anything the crowd actually wants, play a hot hand when they get it, or ever adjust their plans for anything.

And no, I'm not saying pushing Kofi would instantly turn ratings around (although I could see at least some level of interest from fans who've checked out who were into him), but what's the point of bothering with this shit if they adamantly refuse to ever give the crowd what they actually want or to do things that people actually see as interesting?

You want to see Becky vs Ronda?No,you will also get charlotte. You want Kofi?f*** Kofi.

That is this company's MO for a long looong time.

[schma]

If the original plan was for Lacey to face Asuka, it makes sense why she was given such a spotlight at the Rumble. However, that performance alone should take her out of any contention for a singles push, let alone a singles WM match for a while. Now with them doing her whole walk down the aisle then walk back up for zero reason thing, I have a hard time believing they have any real plan for her right now.

We're still a ways out so there is time for them to right the ship. Right now if they don't do Kofi Bryan, they're idiots.

Taker needs to stay away. Put a fork in him, he's done.

The rest kinda sounds like a wet fart. I like a lot of the guys they mentioned for facing DB but WM is not the time for it.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

"Okay Vince you have a miraculously talented roster full of people who can absolutely go, what do you want to book for Wrestlemania?"
"Uhhhhhh can I get Lacey Evans vs Asuka?"
"I mean you can it's your company, but why would you want t--"
"And Bray Wyatt should have another world title match."

[Deleted]

Feb 19, 2019 5:50:27 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Feb 19, 2019 5:43:50 GMT -5 @kn said:

Usually there's a few matches during these early WM plans that I think "you know what, I like that" but this year? Besides the women's triple threat and Styles/Orton everything I'm seeing here looks like absolute trash. Man, that's such a stupid dumb move to not go with Kofi if they decide after all that's happened with him this past week. I definitely see HUGE backlash if he's not in that match regardless if Bryan's going against Owens, Zayn or whoever. I know I'm not the only one who can see that.

But everyone else looks ugh, come on now. Also Taker? The f***? Gimme a break. Let that old man sleep.

It really would just go to show why their ratings and attendance are falling apart. This company gets so f***ing hung up on what Vince personally wants to see that God forbid they roll with anything the crowd actually wants, play a hot hand when they get it, or ever adjust their plans for anything.

And no, I'm not saying pushing Kofi would instantly turn ratings around (although I could see at least some level of interest from fans who've checked out who were into him), but what's the point of bothering with this shit if they adamantly refuse to ever give the crowd what they actually want or to do things that people actually see as interesting?

It's such an easy thing to do that if they don't do it and do something else then yeah, that's just further proof that they don't know how to do anything right. The story makes itself, the fans are already on board, the wrestlers and those backstage are on board, New Day's sold tons of merch and they've gotten over through hardwork, Kofi's been here 11 years doing everything you tell him to do and he's a new fresh face in the main event scene, there's nothing more you need you just need to pull the trigger.

But then you let Bryan face somebody coming off of injury?

Nah, f*** that. That's the dumbest thing you could do. No offense to whoever's coming back but you cannot do that for WM let alone with a story quite like this. Just give Kofi his moment, he can lose the title shortly after and move on but the pieces are already there for you.

They're going to turn whoever isn't Kofi into a heel if they face Bryan. That's going to be so ridiculously, wow. Man, I pray they change this up.

We'll get more info on SDL because apparently on the preview there's a part of it questioning what Kofi does next so he's getting focus. I just pray to GOD they don't put him back in the midcard after that performance he just had.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Feb 19, 2019 5:53:52 GMT -5 schma said:

I like a lot of the guys they mentioned for facing DB but WM is not the time for it.

I mean, yeah, Bryan v babyface Owens sounds great. Bryan v babyface Zayn sounds great. Hell, I'm curious at how heel Bryan v babyface Wyatt would go down, especially since this would be a first proper face singles run for Wyatt. But with Kingston... well, they didn't catch lightning in a bottle so much as lightning happened to strike into an empty bottle and a bottle cap spontaneously fell onto it.

[Mozenrath]

It's WWE, and 'Mania is Vince's baby, so I expect all of this to change 3-4 more times, if this was even solid info to begin with.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Feb 19, 2019 6:02:40 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

It's WWE, and 'Mania is Vince's baby, so I expect all of this to change 3-4 more times, if this was even solid info to begin with.

No kidding. This is a guy who is often still writing a show as it's going live to air. Bryan could end up fighting Eric Bugenhagen for all we know.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Feb 19, 2019 5:59:27 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Feb 19, 2019 5:53:52 GMT -5 schma said:

I like a lot of the guys they mentioned for facing DB but WM is not the time for it.

I mean, yeah, Bryan v babyface Owens sounds great. Bryan v babyface Zayn sounds great. Hell, I'm curious at how heel Bryan v babyface Wyatt would go down, especially since this would be a first proper face singles run for Wyatt. But with Kingston... well, they didn't catch lightning in a bottle so much as lightning happened to strike into an empty bottle and a bottle cap spontaneously fell onto it.

Then emptied it and got mad at the lightning for ruining their bottle.

[Mid-Carder]

I don't want Asuka to be lost in a multi-woman-get-everyone-on-the-card match, so I'll take ANYBODY in a singles match just to give Asuka that spotlight, even if it has to be Lacey.