No Way Out / Wrestlemania XXV

Is it just me, or is the build-up to Mania not that great so far?

I mean, why have both Heavyweight titles defended at No Way Out in Elimination Chambers? Assuming that Orton chooses to face Cena at Mania (and I can't see any reason why he wouldn't), how will the Smackdown main event be sorted? It makes more sense for Edge to defend in a rematch against Jeff Hardy and the Smackdown EC can the be used to determine the No 1 Contender. Cena could still defend in the Raw EC, with Orton facing Shane in a Street Fight / Falls Count Anywhere kind of match. I just can't see why, with Mania less 10 weeks away, we have no idea of either Main event. For the biggest show of the year, I can't believe Mania will be getting about 6 weeks build-up...

If I was booking stuff, No Way Out would look something like this:

Edge vs Jeff Hardy (WWE Title, Edge retains)

Raw EC: Cena vs Rey vs Jericho vs Kofi Kingston vs Mike Knox (it's been announced on wwe.com that he's in) vs HBK.

Smackdown EC: Triple H vs Undertaker vs Big Show vs Matt Hardy vs Umaga vs Mark Henry

ECW Title: Finlay vs Jack Swagger

Intercontinental Title: CM Punk vs William Regal

Divas: Melina vs Beth Phoenix

Priceless vs Miz & Morrison

On that card, Matt would interfere with the Jeff / Edge match, costing Jeff the win. In the EC, Jeff would repay the favour, getting into the Chamber and get Matt eliminated. Cena would retain, and Trips would win the Smackdown No 1 contender match - purely because if Taker wins, it would be a tad predictable that he'd win the title for the third straight Wrestlemania. So, my Mania card would look something like this:

Edge vs Triple H
Cena vs Orton
Shawn Michaels vs JBL
Matt Hardy vs Jeff Hardy
MITB: John Morrison vs Cody Rhodes vs Kane vs MVP vs The Brian Kendrick vs Shelton Benjamin vs Evan Bourne vs Ted Dibiase
Something involving Divas, some crappy tag match or something
Undertaker vs Umaga
Jericho vs Mickey Rourke (special ref: Steve Austin)
CM Punk vs Rey (IC title)
Jack Swagger vs Tommy Dreamer (squash match)

I've left Christian out as I'm not too convinced he'll return by then. I'm starting to think if he comes back to WWE, he'll interfere during the Jeff / Matt match.

I think this will be pretty similar to the actual Mania card; I just don't get why more groundwork hasn't been laid for the headline matches. WWE seen to have spent more time doing the JBL / HBK story than the match that'll headline the show...

I agree with you Grec, I thought before the Royal Rumble that booking while not being predictable it could very well be easy enough with all the storylines they had.

No Way Out would look similar to this for me

WWE Title
Edge vs Jeff Hardy (with Christian possibly getting involved)

WHC Title Elimination Chamber match
Cena vs Michaels vs Jericho vs Rey vs Cody Rhodes vs Ted Di Biase Jr

SD! Elimination Chamber Match for No.1 contender spot at WrestleMania
Triple H vs The Undertaker vs Umaga vs MVP vs Shelton Benjamin vs Kozlov

IC Title Match
CM Punk vs William Regal

Battle of the Champions Tag Match
John Morrsion and The Miz vs Carlito & Primo Colon

Orton vs Shane McMahon

I would have had Christian showing up and screwing Jeff out if the title like Matt did, before turning chair shots on Edge after he wins the match then have both Matt and Christian helping Triple H win the Elimination Chamber, have it revealed that Triple H was the reason both decided to 'turn on there brothers' Trips could claim that he knows how it feels to be held back, in reference to playing second fiddle to HBK in DX (turning Edge face with Trips and Cage joining Matt as heels)

I think Cena would retain the title in the chamber, Michaels would probably be the star of the show as usual, JBL probably costing him the title through over instructing like last week on RAW


WrestleMania could look similar to this

WWE Title
Triple H vs Edge

WHC
John Cena vs Randy Orton

Matt Hardy vs Jeff Hardy

Shawn Michaels vs JBL

MITB
Cody Rhodes vs Ted DiBiase vs John Morrison vs MVP vs Mr Kennedy vs Umaga vs Kane vs Christian Cage (I would have him win it)

IC Title
CM Punk vs Rey Mysterio

US Title
Shelton Benjamin vs THE Brian Kendrick

The Undertaker vs Chris Jericho

ECW Title Match
Jack Swagger vs Evan Bourne

Diva rubbish

Having watched last night's Raw, I'm now wondering something slightly different...

Triple H wins the WWE title in the EC at No Way Out, and is revealed as being Steph's real-life husband. Orton chooses to face Trips at Mania, with Trips fighting for the McMahon family honour...?

I was thinking along those lines, however its ultimately Ortons choice of oponent so why would he go after Triple H, although I do agree, I just can't see the logic in it, although I can see why H would want to go after him, I also don't think that would be the SmackDown! main event, I think the McMahons would want that scenario for Monday Night RAW

I have a feeling that were gonna see Jericho v Stone Cold with Flair as special ref this years mania.

i think there is couple of matches that im kinda looking foward to if they are gonna happen, the hardy. Edge possibly Chiristian aswell will prob boil down to a match at mania, JBL and HBK i imagine will be quite a good match, lots of emotion and real life situation used in this storyline, good stuff

I was really looking forward to the next couple of months in the lead up to Mania, I think the last few weeks have went a bit pair shaped though, I'm just waiting to see what happens

only good thing on raw side of things is orton stuff. and i never thought id say that a few months back

Smackdown is definitly the show to watch atm for me, so much more entertainment altho the orton/mcmahon stuff is pretty good, and cant forget JBL/HBK that is pretty awsome aswell, gotta feel that next monday will have huge storyline progression tho for mania

Grecian wrote:

Having watched last night's Raw, I'm now wondering something slightly different...

Triple H wins the WWE title in the EC at No Way Out, and is revealed as being Steph's real-life husband. Orton chooses to face Trips at Mania, with Trips fighting for the McMahon family honour...?

I can see this happening as well. I think HHH could interfere in the Orton vs Shane match at No Way Out after winning the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber for the same reason you stated above setting up Orton vs Triple H at Wrestlemania for the WWE title.

I can then see it being either Matt vs Jeff vs Edge in a Triple Threat or Jeff vs Matt and Edge or Christian and Jeff vs Edge and Matt at Mania. Christian would return and interfere in either of the first two matches and in the third match, he will turn on Jeff and help Matt attack Edge and Jeff. I think Gaffer came up with the idea of Edge turning face and teaming up with Jeff to face their jealous brothers, Matt and Christian.

I cant see a Edge face turn myself, id actually prefer for the hardys and E&C in a every man for themself, going it alone approach rather than joining up in 2 teams, only my preference tho

Jeff and Edge wont team up as such, pretty sure of that, however I do think that they will end up on the same sides on occasion, as in the face side.

Also pretty sure Edge will have a face turn, he has been the one accused of doing everything to Jeff and has denied it all, the first time was way back in November, if he was going to be involved I'm pretty sure he would be highlighted by now.

I don't think there is any other way to go with Edge, he needs to get away from Vickie because although she generates plenty of heat it does him no good what so ever, and Vickie has that much heat that any challenge to her authority will get a pop, so I don't think Edge has anywhere else to go other than a face turn