WWE News: Reviews, Analysis and Rumors for Week of March 5
As is the case with every week on the road to WrestleMania, most of the substantial happenings in the WWE this week had to do with wrestling's biggest event. Two of the four main-event-level matches, in particular, received some more build, leading many to think that WrestleMania XVIII could be among the best ever.
The rematch between Triple H and Undertaker received a special new stipulation involving Shawn Michaels that is sure to spice up the match in a big way. Also, the match that has been advertised as the biggest in history, John Cena vs. The Rock, continued to develop as the rivals each delivered promos on RAW.
On top of that, RAW brought a surprising title change, and there was also some unfortunate news that came out regarding two current WWE superstars. There's no question that this is the busy season in terms of developments both inside and outside the ring for the WWE, and that was quite clear over the past week.
Here's an analysis of the latest news, rumors and happenings in the WWE from the week of March 5.
Shawn Michaels to Referee Triple H vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania
1 of 5Many suspected that Shawn Michaels would be involved in the WrestleMania match between his best friend Triple H and his white whale, The Undertaker, and it was made official on RAW as the Heartbreak Kid divulged that he would be the special guest referee.
Michaels and Hunter had a heated exchange two weeks prior when Triple H refused to take the match, but he changed his mind the next week. Michaels was irked by what he perceived as Triple H trying to prove that he is better than him, while Hunter said he was sick of people saying that Michaels couldn't get the job done.
My Take
If you're a wrestling fan and you don't love this, then you probably are a masochist who enjoys TNA. Unlike some who have been complaining about Triple H vs. Taker being a repeat match, I have been excited about it for the past couple weeks. Part of the reason for that was the anticipation of Michaels having some sort of involvement, and now that my all-time favorite wrestler is set to be the special referee, this match has endless possibilities.
It's hard not to like the interactions between Michaels and Triple H thus far because they seem so real. Michaels looks to be legitimately jealous that Hunter is getting another opportunity, while Hunter is hung up on stepping out from Michaels' shadow. How it plays out is anyone's guess, but I expect HBK to try and help Hunter since they have been hinting at the opposite. This will lead to Triple H refusing, ultimately losing, and creating turmoil between the best friends.
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The Rock and John Cena Continue Verbal Sparring En Route to WrestleMania
2 of 5The Rock and John Cena went yet another round in the build toward their match at WrestleMania as they gave dueling promos for the second consecutive week. The tone was much different this week, however, as they almost seemed to switch roles. Last week, The Rock was focused on insulting Cena and using catchphrases, while Cena was made to look superior by pointing out notes on The Rock's wrist.
This week, however, The Rock was much more serious, while Cena seemed to be all fun and games. He no-sold The Rock's serious promo with a goofy smile and snide comments, and then went on to insult The Rock after he left the ring. It was certainly an interesting role reversal.
My Take
As a self-professed Rock fan, I liked that he was allowed to show his more serious side this week. Cena has been accusing him of not caring and being a Hollywood guy, but his short and to-the-point promo proved that he wants to win as much as Cena does. Cena's change from the previous week was intriguing because he acted quite defiant on Monday and seemed as though he was attempting to undermine The Rock's promo.
In a way, it makes sense because Cena likely had a lot of confidence from a storyline perspective after pointing out The Rock's notes the week before. It's blatantly obvious that the creative team's goal, as of late, has been to make Cena look strong since The Rock dominated the early part of the feud.
It seems to be working as well, since the IWC in particular has really embraced Cena. I'm not going to fall for such tricks, but I enjoy the complexity of the feud.
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Kharma Reportedly Suffered a Miscarriage
3 of 5With the manner in which Divas Champion Beth Phoenix has dominated the divas scene as of late, there has been plenty of speculation that a Beth vs. Kharma match at WrestleMania has been in the works. That may no longer be the case, however, as Kharma announced the unfortunate news that she suffered a miscarriage of her child, according to TMZ.
Kharma took the divas scene by storm last year but was forced to leave abruptly when it was revealed that she was pregnant. She made a shocking return as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble, and that obviously got people talking about her feuding with Beth. Kharma had originally announced that the baby was born healthy on Dec. 31, but it turns out that she hid the truth because of the grief it caused her.
My Take
It is situations like this that cause me to take a step back and realize that wrestling is only a show, and that there are far more important things. I had been predicting a Beth Phoenix vs. Kharma feud ever since Beth won the title several months ago. While it would have been a fantastic match to round out the WrestleMania card, there is no reason to push for it any longer.
Kharma should take as much time as she needs to grieve and heal because it can't be easy to go through such a traumatic experience. The fact that she was able to compete in the Royal Rumble is a testament to her dedication, but if she isn't ready to return full-time, then she shouldn't. She deserves the opportunity to come back on her own terms, and she will most definitely be embraced when she does.
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Santino Beats Jack Swagger for United States Championship
4 of 5In what came as quite a surprise, Santino defeated Jack Swagger for the United States Championship on RAW.
Swagger, who had hardly defended his title since beating Zack Ryder for it several weeks ago, had his ankle lock reversed and lost the match on a roll up. During the match, there was mass chaos between dueling general managers John Laurinaitis and Teddy Long.
The match wasn't previously announced, so it was clear that something fishy was going on when a United States Championship match was about to happen on a whim. The Santino win was certainly a feel-good moment, and he got a great reaction from the crowd, just as he did in his near win at Elimination Chamber.
My Take
I may be one of the few remaining Jack Swagger fans since his World Heavyweight Championship run was ruined, but even as a Swagger backer, I wasn't too upset by this result.
The fact of the matter is that Santino is wildly over with the crowd, and he's the perfect person to carry the United States Championship. For whatever reason, Swagger wasn't given sufficient air time with the belt, but Santino often appears on both shows every week, so the title should gain some importance.
It looks like Swagger was only used as a transitional champion as a means of getting the belt off Ryder, so he could become heavily involved in the Cena/Kane/Eve storyline. As far as this title change goes, it was also meant to create more heat between Laurinaitis and Long.
I normally don't like a title change as a means of furthering an outside feud, but it works in this case since both Santino and Swagger will probably be prominently featured.
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Ted DiBiase Suffers Broken Ankle and Ligament Damage
5 of 5The once-promising Ted DiBiase suffered yet another setback this week as he broke his ankle and suffered ligament damage during a match with Jinder Mahal at a SmackDown live event. According to ProWrestling.net, there were no torn tendons, so he will not have to undergo surgery.
There's no timetable for DiBiase's return, but it didn't seem as though there were any intentions to include him on the WrestleMania card, so he can take his time to heel up. DiBiase has been dealing with a wrist injury lately, so it's safe to say that he hasn't had the luckiest stretch of his career.
My Take
DiBiase has been hanging around the midcard in feud with Mahal and Hunico as of late, so his absence won't cripple the WWE by any means, but it is always unfortunate to see somebody get injured.
DiBiase has been trying to work himself back to the level he attained a couple years ago when it looked like he was in line for a big push. Randy Orton received the face turn, however, and Cody Rhodes has become the star of the tag team.
He has recently found a nice niche for himself as he created the DiBiase Posse which involves him going to tailgate parties and hanging out with fans before WWE events. While he still needs to develop his character, the fans at least seem to be behind him, so hopefully he recovers quickly and can continue to improve.
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