WWE could be building toward a true dream match at WrestleMania 34.
According to Cageside Seats, WWE was looking to do a short feud between John Cena and Samoa Joe before building up to Cena vs. The Undertaker at the biggest pay-per-view of the year:
Most of John Cena’s post-Royal Rumble bookings are on Raw and involve working against Samoa Joe in tag and multi-man matches. Still, a program with Joe is seen as filler to get to bigger plans for him at WrestleMania. Observer Radio speculated his match against Undertaker there could be set up at Raw 25 in two weeks.
While Joe suffered an injury on Raw that could keep him out for as long as eight weeks and likely scraps the feud with Cena, the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t SEScoops) reports that The Undertaker vs. Cena is indeed penciled in for WWE's flagship PPV.
WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?
It's worth noting that reports of Cena vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 34 have not been officially confirmed by WWE, but where there's smoke, there could be fire.
The Undertaker was backstage at this week's SmackDown taping, and reports surfaced late last year that "The Deadman" was working out in the ring at SummerSlam, perhaps a sign he was preparing for an in-ring return. While many believe that The Undertaker received the perfect sendoff at WrestleMania 33, the lure of another WrestleMania match (especially one against Cena) could be too good to pass up, especially considering that Taker has been one of WWE's highest paid stars despite working a very limited schedule.
If The Undertaker is going to come back, then a match with Cena makes the most sense because it hasn't happened since Cena became the face of the company and it would be a missed opportunity if it doesn't take place. There really aren't a whole lot of must-see feuds left for Cena, who has faced most of the top stars in WWE, but if there is one match that might be a true draw for WWE, it could be Cena vs. Taker in a bout many thought would never happen.
While WWE would probably benefit more in the long-term if Cena lost to Joe at WrestleMania 34, it wouldn't be at all surprising if WWE booked yet another part-timer vs. part-timer match at Mania that will highlight WWE's obvious age problem and likely relegate a number of deserving talents to the pre-show and/or the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Expect Cena vs. Undertaker to kick off on Raw 25, with some fans embracing the return and others disappointed that he's coming back after last year's sendoff.
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Speculation on Samoa Joe vs. John Cena at WrestleMania 34 #News #WWEhttps://t.co/AAXdbnc9ij
— Ringside News (@RingsideNewscom) January 9, 2018
Is Brock Lesnar Vs. Roman Reigns Still Set For WrestleMania 34?
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
WWE is sticking to its long-term plans.
According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t SEScoops), Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship is still slated for WrestleMania 34:
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer confirmed that WWE has settled on the top two matches for the show...as Roman Reigns will challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship. This match has been years in the making and was effectively set in stone going back over a year, when Meltzer reported it prior to last year’s Mania.
WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?
In March 2017, Meltzer broke the news that Reigns vs. Lesnar would headline WrestleMania 34, and even though plans constantly change in WWE, this is one of those rare scenarios where WWE is sticking with a long-term plan.
Is Reigns vs. Lesnar a main event that will please all WWE fans? Of course not, especially because it just happened at WrestleMania 31. However, the WrestleMania main event actually means little to nothing because things like TV ratings, the WWE Network subscriber count and AVOD views hit their high points during WrestleMania season, even if fan reaction to the show's main event is lukewarm at best. Lesnar vs. Reigns will be no different as a match that features two high-profile stars and one that will not be warmly received by many fans but apparently will take place anyway.
It's all part of WWE's plan to ensure that Reigns gets over with the masses, even though you could argue he's already done that. He's WWE's No. 2 merchandise seller behind only Cena, and according to a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, he main evented more shows (12) that attracted at least 10,000 fans than any other superstar last year. In other words, he's clearly been accepted as a top star even though diehard fans continue to boo him.
That changed a bit during the recent run of The Shield when the boo birds quieted a bit, but if Reigns defeats Lesnar at WrestleMania 34 and especially if he wins the Royal Rumble to get there, it's likely that he'll take one step backward and become even more hated by WWE's most vocal fans. That's certainly possible though, as he's one of the clear Royal Rumble favorites and obviously isn't going to face Lesnar at 'Mania just to lose to "The Beast."
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Roman Reigns thinks he’s the “best performer...in the world.” Kenny Omega has something to say about that... https://t.co/wlr3sSQd6T pic.twitter.com/XkuNuxpqhK
— Bleacher Report WWE (@BR_WWE) January 10, 2018
Goldberg Expected To Headline WWE Hall Of Fame's Class of 2018
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
Goldberg is likely to return to WWE soon, but not necessarily for a match.
The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingNews.co) has confirmed a report from freelance reporter Brad Shepard that Goldberg, who wrestled at last year's WrestleMania 33 event against Lesnar, will be the headlining name for the WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2018.
WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?
WWE traditionally announces one or two major headlining acts for each Hall of Fame class, and it looks like Goldberg will follow in the footsteps of Kurt Angle as this year's top name.
What makes this a big deal is that it could potentially lead to yet another match for Goldberg, who returned to the ring at Survivor Series 2016 on a "big money deal" that worked out so well for all parties involved that Goldberg wound up extending his stay through WrestleMania 33 last year. The data seemed to indicate that Goldberg was a big hit for WWE, so much so that WWE is reportedly open to putting him in the ring again in the future, with his likely Hall of Fame induction paving the way for that to happen.
Goldberg has let it be known that he would wrestle again, and there is certainly a long list of potential dream matches waiting for him, including the likes of Cena, Reigns, Samoa Joe and Braun Strowman. With Goldberg being a strong driver of DVD sales, TV ratings and search interest, you would have to think that his Hall of Fame induction could come with another major match, one that may not necessarily take place at WrestleMania 34.
While WrestleMania sells based on the value of the brand alone, Goldberg's presence could provide a big boost to WWE post-WrestleMania, perhaps during the summer when interest in the product tends to be down. Though it's far from a guarantee that Goldberg will wrestle again, don't be surprised if his apparent HOF induction reopens the lines of communication between the two sides, ultimately leading to one last match or two for the former WCW icon.
CHECK THIS OUT
Bill Goldberg to Headline 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Classhttps://t.co/m3d1tbVQrx pic.twitter.com/JLBc1uB6Jj
— WWE on PopCulture (@WWEonPopCulture) January 11, 2018
Triple H Meets With Ronda Rousey To Discuss WWE Deal
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
WWE could be one step closer to landing Ronda Rousey.
According to TMZ, Triple H missed a SmackDown TV taping for a meeting with Rousey, and the speculation is that it was to discuss a potential WWE contract:
Ronda Rousey had a very interesting dinner date Tuesday night -- Triple H...and it seems like the two sides are one step closer to hammering out a deal to get Ronda in the WWE. Triple H snuck out of Republique restaurant in L.A. first. Ronda followed with her agent in tow and was in a pretty great mood. She wouldn't spill the beans on whether a deal was done -- but interesting that Triple H would come to L.A. at the same time the WWE SmackDown Live was going down in Alabama. One WWE source tells us it's unusual for Triple H to miss a TV event.
WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?
Although no agreement between Rousey and WWE has been officially announced, Rousey has long been linked to the company and was the early betting favorite to win the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match at the upcoming pay-per-view.
While F4WOnline.com reports that Rousey's filming schedule may make it difficult for her to appear at the Royal Rumble, it's also noted that it's not out of the realm of possibilities. Questions continue to remain about what type of contract WWE would sign Rousey to (part-time or full-time), but USA Today reported last month that a deal between the two sides was "imminent," meaning that a surprise Royal Rumble appearance could certainly happen and would likely result in a win for the former UFC star.
Perhaps the worst kept secret in pro wrestling is that Rousey has been training for a possible WWE run for a while now and seems to be all but guaranteed to end up there eventually. There has been all sorts of speculation about how WWE might use Rousey as it once was rumored that she'd bring the Four Horsewomen of MMA with her to face WWE's Four Horsewomen at WrestleMania 34. The latest chatter, however, is that there could be different plans in place, with a match against Charlotte Flair or Asuka apparently at the top of the list.
Either way, WWE has put a renewed focus on women's wrestling over the last few years, and bringing in Rousey, arguably the most famous female athlete in the world, is a surefire way to increase the amount of exposure for WWE's women's division. Even if Rousey doesn't appear for WWE at The Royal Rumble, it wouldn't be a shocker to see her show up in time for WrestleMania 34, especially after Triple H ultimately revealed that there are ongoing negotiations between the two sides.
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Triple H comments to @APgelston regarding his dinner with #UFC star Ronda Rousey and her agent, and her status with #WWE: https://t.co/LWmjge6wBc
— ProWrestling.net (@prowrestlingnet) January 11, 2018
WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
- This week's episode of Raw was down by just over 100,000 viewers, which is actually less than expected given that it was going head-to-head with college football's National Championship game.
- SmackDown viewership also dropped by more than 100,000 viewers, and you have to wonder if that's because the never-ending drama between Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan continues to dominate the show.
- Paige reportedly will not be cleared to wrestle again in WWE after recently suffering another injury at a house show. At just 25 years old, it's sad to see Paige apparently have to hang up the boots for good, though she's expected to remain with the company in a non-wrestling role.
- According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the biggest challenger to the USA Network to land WWE's next TV deal is FOX, the current home of UFC. WWE is expected to make a decision on a new deal by May of this year even though its current TV deals do not expire until the fall of 2019, and the value of the deal will have a huge effect on WWE's stock price, whether positive or negative.
- WWE is apparently bringing back Serena Deeb, who most notably was a member of CM Punk's Straight Edge Society, recently competed in the Mae Young Classic and could presumably be a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble.
- Triple H implied that Daniel Bryan will not be cleared to wrestle unless something drastic happens, noting that WWE would not risk putting Bryan in the ring if the company wasn't 100% certain he was healthy enough to compete.
- According to Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestlingInc), "attendance for this past weekend's RAW live events was the worst in many years," which is certainly not an encouraging sign this close to WrestleMania.
- WWE is reportedly refusing to release Neville from his contract, meaning that he'll be unable to compete for any organization other than WWE until that contract expires. Given the animosity between the two sides, don't expect to see Neville in a WWE ring (or any other ring for that matter) anytime soon.
- WrestlingInc's Justin LaBar reports that "Matt Hardy has reached a deal with Anthem Sports to own all of the core characters created in TNA associated with the 'Broken' gimmick," which presumably means we could see more "Broken" characters on WWE TV in the future.
- LaBar has also revealed several details for the upcoming Raw 25th anniversary episode, which is set to feature footage from both the Barclays Center and the Manhattan Center throughout the night, with some stars possibly even appearing on both shows.
- Dolph Ziggler may not return until The Royal Rumble, and he actually has surprisingly good odds to win the 30-man battle royal.
- According to PWInsider (h/t Cageside Seats), "While WWE has listed many Legends and returning stars for Raw 25 already, they are working on bringing in even more names." It'll be interesting to see if any of these stars stick around longer and possibly even work their way onto the WrestleMania 34 card.
- WWE has bolstered its women's division by signing Candice LeRae, who competed in the Mae Young Classic. It also looks like both Molly Holly (confirmed) and Michelle McCool (not confirmed) could be slated for the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match, though it's unclear if they'll appear for anything more than just a one-off match.
- The latest Observer notes that the money Chris Jericho made for his recent run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling was roughly equal to what he made for his last six months in WWE, and that's certainly a shocker.
Blake Oestriecher is an elementary school teacher by day and a sports writer by night. He’s a contributor to the Forbes @SportsMoneyBlog, where he primarily covers WWE. You can follow him on Twitter @BOestriecher.
