Prelude to Wrestlemania 25: What Needs to Happen to Make It Work

Call me crazy, but didn't we see this before? Wasn't Triple H and Edge champions the week before Vengeance? Why is the WWE so determined to move backwards? There are so many questions to be answered, and with the 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania just 48 days away, how will the two major brands of the WWE handle the controversy that has arrived once again in its backyard?

I have a suggestion: Shake things up before the draft!

With Triple H laying claim to the WWE Championship, Edge found a way to walk out of Seattle with gold by attacking Kofi Kingston and taking his place in RAW's Elimination Chamber. Edge then went on to eliminate John Cena and outlast Rey Mysterio to become the World Heavyweight Champion for the eighth time.

Now we rewind back to Night of Champions and the week prior to that pay per view. Thanks to the draft, Edge, the World Heavyweight Champion, found championship company when current WWE Champion Triple H was drafted to SmackDown. At Night of Champions, Triple H defeated John Cena, while Edge survived Batista.

Fast forward to present day. At this time, once again, SmackDown has possession of both the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships. After last night, this is how they should handle the situation:

• For starters, Triple H and John Cena should lock horns for the WWE Championship, just as much as Cena should jump ship to SmackDown because of last night's actions (or lack thereof) by RAW GM Stephanie McMahon. This would be the perfect ending to the on again-off again rivalry between the Chain Gang Commander and the King of Kings. Cena holds a submission victory over Triple H from Wrestlemania 22 in Chicago, and Triple H holds a pinfall victory over Cena from last year's Night of Champions.

The only way to settle this is to have RAW vs. SmackDown at this year's Wrestlemania. The two main events would be perfect. If WWE wants to think outside the box, then have Cena represent RAW and Triple H representing SmackDown, battle it out at Wrestlemania and have this battle be a prelude to this...

• They should take advantage of a damn good situation. In other words, have this newly motivated Randy Orton lock horns with arguably his toughest adversary in Edge. Edge has Vickie Guerrero in his back pocket, but no one is more red hot than the Legend Killer. With the success these two had as Rated RKO, it is only fitting that they have the duo lock horns for the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania.

Randy Orton claims to be the Legend Killer, and one of the biggest legends currently in WWE is the man who has won an unprecedented 20+ championships during his time with WWE. Edge is slowly but surely becoming the perfect heel for WWE. Orton added Shane McMahon to his list of killed legends last night at No Way Out. Orton is currently the man who is guaranteed to main event Wrestlemania 25. But honestly, would anyone even see Edge vs. Orton coming?

• In regards to those who believe that this will be the year that Undertaker loses his first match at Wrestlemania, don't hold your breath. But a Triple Threat Match between Taker, Big Show and Vladimir Kozlov would be perfect. The Moscow Mauler has tasted defeat, but in order to seal this deal, they would have to have the three biggest monsters on SmackDown lock horns.

The Mauler claims to not have competition, and everytime that it looks as if we would see the war that would happen, something always prevents that. Taker has given Big Show a taste of defeat at Wrestlemania before, and Big Show has lost two huge matches over the last three years that were huge (to Sumo Champion Akebono and to Boxing Champion Floyd "Money" Mayweather). Having Kozlov face either Big Show or Undertaker would ensure that something big would happen.

• From ECW, this is the only way this would work. Jack Swagger must face Christian for the ECW Championship. The WWE played Christian's return perfectly by throwing him right into the final stretch of the ECW Championship rivalry between Swagger and Finlay. Swagger claims to be the future, and there is no way that Christian would return just to be second best to his brother Edge. Christian Cage had a pretty impressive career at TNA, even winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship several times. But for him to be brought back to WWE at this present time means that it's only a matter of time before Cage is World Champion in WWE.

It has to happen at Wrestlemania.

As good as Swagger is, he is not worthy of carrying this new ECW. He is not a legitimate Champion. Big Show, Rob Van Dam, Bobby Lashley, even Vince McMahon were legitimate ECW Champions mainly because they sold their reign and provided great rivalry storylines. Now having Christian as ECW Champion? That would be something that would make ECW a legit brand.

• The Money in the Bank just got interesting as well. But they tried something a few years ago that worked out pretty nicely. In other words, instead of having their usual six guys, have eight guys battling it out again. It worked in Hollywood when Wrestlemania invaded the Red Carpet. This would be the perfect return of Kennedy, who never got the chance to vie for a World Championship match. Seeing Rey Mysterio and Kofi Kingston in this match would add some serious flare.

Chris Jericho claims to be the best in the world today, but his resume seems a bit empty. He's been World Champion several times, not to mention the first WWE Undisputed Champion. But he has never been the Money in the Bank winner. Kennedy, Edge and CM Punk have all laid claim to the briefcase, and two out of the three have become a World Champion because of it. Jericho has competed, but he's never won it.

• And of course, there is the matter of the duo formerly known as The Hardys. Jeff came up just short of regaining the WWE Championship, but he did manage to pull off the first of many upsets of last night's Elimination Chamber when he pinned Edge to eliminate him from the battle. Hardy survived all the way to the final three before succumbing to a Tombstone Piledriver from the Undertaker.

Now this can only mean one simple thing: Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy, either one on one or in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. The brothers want to fight each other. So I say, "Let them fight." There is no better way to send either Matt or Jeff to RAW than to have them settle this feud at Wrestlemania just one week before the WWE Draft.

• But while the boys are battling it out, the girls are left in the dark, which is not exactly fair to the guys who drool over them. With that said, why not have the girls unleash their version of hell. Right now, Melina and Maryse are the ladies at the top. Melina will most likely defeat Beth Phoenix tonight on RAW, and Maryse is slated to be at 100% by Wrestlemania 25. But who should be facing them at Wrestlemania?

Why not...everyone?

It's obvious that Beth Phoenix will be in the conversation, but having her face Maryse will leave more intrigue. Because of Michelle's turn, Maryse will most likely become a face. Phoenix has already defeated McCool (ala Survivor Series last November) so that match would be pointless. Mickie James, Phoenix, McCool, Maria, Layla, Alicia Fox, Katie Lea, Maryse and yes, even Candice Michelle and Rosa Mendes would make a pretty interesting match. A battle royal to unify the Women's and Divas Championships.

Having two women's championships has done nothing to improve the competition of the Divas. But having the Divas collide for the opportunity to do what the boys did many years ago would put an intriguing spin on the Divas division.