An Interesting Scenario

[Guest Wolverine]

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Austin will flatly not participate in a match with Hulk Hogan, for whatever reason.

 

WrestleMania XXIII will be held in a stadium that holds 70,000 people.

 

Now, I believe that Austin/Hogan may have been the only match that could have easily filled that arena, being the only "dream match" left in wrestling. However, some of you may disagree, so ...

 

If you were booking WWE, what would you do to ensure that next year's WrestleMania sells out? Book it realistically - for example, it's unlikely that either Bret or the Warrior will appear due to their differences with Vince.

 

So, what's the marquee match that will sell out a 70,000 seater stadium?

[Guest MojoPogo]

The Rock v Brock! Ok, it might not draw, but it'd look good in lights!

[Guest A.C.]

Hogan v Savage. It'll never happen what with Vince hating Savage for some reason but it'd draw.

[Guest Chapman24]

I think it will sell out easily whatever happens.............

 

I'd love to see The Rock V HBK though.

[Guest The Man Beast]

Cena Vs Chris Masters For The wwe title :P

[Guest Jack]

So' date=' what's the marquee match that will sell out a 70,000 seater stadium?[/quote']

It would need to be the top heel, againgst the top face, which doesn't leave you with a lot of talent.

 

Someone like JBL was a great character, and definetly one of the best heels WWE had produced in a long time, but in the end, there wasn't enough interest in him, because he wasn't seen as a deserving Champion, when you consider how long he was a tag team jobber. WWE did a great job of legitimising his title reign, but I, and I'm sure others, wouldn't take him serious to main event WrestleMania, in front of 70,000 fans.

 

Apart from JBL, there are very few characters of SmackDown!, who are worthy of main eventing any show to be honest. The problem is, SmackDown! has been made to look like the B-Show, since it started in 1999 - RAW has always, and will always, been the dominant brand, and because of that, it has got to be a RAW main event.

 

Batista could do, but like I said, there would be no worthy challengers. Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, Kane (If he does eventually switch brands) and so on, just lack 'it', and would be out of place headlining. SmackDown! is full of 'stars', but it takes a 'superstar' to main event.

 

Which really only leaves you with two men. John Cena and Triple H again. Outside of them two, you have Edge, or Shawn michaels possibly, but they are a step underneath The Game and Cena right now, and probably will be at the end of the year. Edge still hasn't proven himself to be worthy, and after being put over on the next 5 or 6 PPV's, that will change obviously, but not yet, and as for Michaels, he is too old, and wants a calmer schedule.

 

Triple H and Cena are the two biggest stars WWE has got, and although it has already happened at WrestleMania, if these two were kept apart for a long while, but were constantly emenies without doing anything about it, until the run up to WrestleMania, it would work once again, and like this year, probably be a success aswell.

 

Still I do think Austin vs Hogan has a great chance of happening - Money alone is enough, as in the case of Bret Hart, so I do see both of them working, if they get the money, which will will throw at them both. If one decides not to, there is no doubt, that one can't headline againgst a normal roster member. If it's not Hogan and Austin againgst each other, it doesn't deserve to be in the main event. Cena vs Hogan is a possibility, but that would mean Hogan being around for several months prior to WrestleMania, whichI don't see working, but it would be a great undercard match.

 

So yeah, it has got to be John Cena vs Triple H again for me. It's the match tht would draw the most from The E's roster aswell, so on that alone, I would pick that.

[Guest Jung]

Cena v Hogan I wouldn't rule out, especially if Cena is a heel.

[Guest Chriscare]

Sting vs The Rock or Macho Man vs Hogan or Goldberg vs Austin

 

but i'd say they all have about the same chance of happening

 

or, do the cheap option, change the venue to one in the uk, and just give us any crappy main event, we don't care, we'll go to mania

 

EDIT: please learn to use the EDIT button.

Edited April 19, 2006 by MrFill

[Guest yoyo]

I would do Rock vs Sting or Rock vs HBK. Rock=RATINGS~!

[Guest Keith Would]

Wrestlemania is the draw to sell that many tickets, not a specific match. This year's sold out straight away before any matches were announced.

 

Who could headline?

 

Missterrrrrrrrrrr Kennedy..............................Kennedy!!

[Guest CoTT]

RAW main eventers:

HHH, Cena, HBK, Edge.

 

SD! main eventers:

Mysterio, Angle, Orton, Taker, Batista.

 

Possible main eventers:

Hogan

 

----------

 

Right now it's very difficult to choose two wrestlers out of that list. I don't see HBK, Taker or Hogan main eventing in a title match realistically. I think they'll have to take advantage of Batista here if he's fit at the time. He's been booked very solidly and was not pinned when he lost the title. WWE might have to go with face Batista vs. heel Cena but that would involve someone switching come draft time. Batista vs. Orton is another option if Orton can sort himself out. They have the history and although they've had matches, this feud hasn't exploded yet.

 

Of course there's a long, long time before now and Mania. I'm sure it will be a lot easier to predict the main event in six months time.

[Guest Wolverine]

This year's WM was only 20,000 seats and if I remember correctly, Austin/Hogan was teased the night before tickets went on sale.

[Guest carlito is cool]

Batista vs Undertaker

HHH vs Lesnar

Cena vs Rock

Batista vs Lesnar

Hogan vs Cena

Austin vs Cena

 

Possibly even Hogan vs Flair if built up as a wwf/wcw feud or billed as both guys last ever match.

[Guest CoTT]

I can't see Lesnar, Rock or even Austin being there. If he refuses to have a match with Hogan, there's no point being at Mania.

[Guest DOB]

If there are no guest appearances from Rock,Austin or Hulk "I only make the big towns" Hogan, then i'd have to go with HHH Vs The Undertaker with the stipulation being if Taker loses he leaves.....for good.

[The Icon 152]

I would have Angle, HHH, Cena, Taker, HBK or Edge fight Austin or Hogan that would make me buy a ticket.

[Guest Dave7g]

If it was Cena vs HHH again I would cry openly. No thanks. They should try their best to get Rock vs Michaels - that would sell the place out in a few minutes. None of their current "main eventers" will.

[Guest CoTT]

Angle, HHH, Taker and HBK have all had matches with Austin and Hogan. The only fresh ideas are Cena vs. either Hogan or Austin or alternatively, Edge vs. either Hogan or Austin. I don't think Hogan and Austin would bother work with Edge but I think there's a strong possibility Cena vs. Hogan could happen as an undercard match. Hogan likes Cena and sees him as being the next big star of wrestling and I'm sure he'd relish a match with him. He might even lay down as well.

[The Icon 152]

If HHH and Cena main event next year it will be the best WM ever.

[Guest Dave7g]

If HHH and Cena main event next year it will be the best WM ever.

 

If HHH and Cena main event next year, Vince will have to come up with a WM7 security issue excuse and move it to the ECW arena.

[The Icon 152]

I will buy all 70,000 seats if HHH and Cena main event next year.

 

(You can have 5 Dave)

[Guest Dave7g]

You can keep them.

[Guest Boyo]

Cena vs Hogan would probably help sell the vast majority of those tickets.

 

Other than that, there's not a huge amount to drool over, is there?

 

Cheers!

[Guest Danny Styles]

To me Wrestlemania always feels great when it's in a big stadium when the 'what wrestlemania means to me' hits at the start

 

then it really feels like Mania

 

I think Shawn vs Rock could be big

[Guest the HiTman]

Cena Vs Chris Masters For The wwe title :P

 

 

eew...horrible to even think about :P

 

WM22 didn't have an appearance from the likes of Hogan, Austin, The Rock, Goldberg or Brock and it was still decent.

 

I don't think WM23 will need a 'draw' to fill up 70k seats.