Agreed. I feel bad for the performers who put in good work, but it's the go-home show for Mania, and it became clear 30 seconds in that everything in that match was just stalling before Owens and Zayn faced off (which also dulls the electricity of them finally confronting each other at Mania).

I think it's long-term thinking with regards to what they want the public face of the company to be. Reigns is handsome, a family man, a beefy jacked dude with a vanilla, uncontroversial personality… He checks all the boxes. He isn't a tattoo'd overly outspoken person like CM Punk, and he isn't a tiny underdog like…

I don't see them *not* doing a triple threat for the Divas title at Mania. They gave Sasha such a huge moment at the Rumble and Becky's the most over pure face in the division. Something screwy will happen with Becky/Sasha's match (double count-out? Double KO? Interference?)

He's no technical wrestler, but in his prime he had a better grasp on being a dynamic in-ring character than most of the midcard. Kind of something all the McMahons share, now that I think about it.

I think he gets in the cell. It's probably as protected as can be, but he gets in and bumps like a madman. I do wonder if they'll do anything to give Undertaker any stakes in it besides wanting to win at Mania. Either way, I think Taker transcends heel/face alignments. He's just A Force.

Theory I want to throw out there that helps me get through WWE sometimes: The Wyatt Family are cursed by a reverse werewolf kind of deal, where they are SUPER POWERFUL on weekdays but VERY WEAK on weekends and therefore lose at every PPV.

I only got home after Shane's return (excitedly reading recaps on the train the whole way) and… you were right!

Probably doesn't have Fuck It money, but then again his pre-WWE life seemed pretty sparse, he headlined several PPV's and his merch will probably sell well for awhile longer (with spikes anytime he appears on WWE TV). He's probably gonna appear as an "analyst" at PPVs or on WWE Network material a lot, too.

Seems like a foregone conclusion any time WWE stops in Washington. Doubt they'd let him take any bumps given his reason for retiring, but yeah. A commissioner or GM-type role would be fun.

*Bryan and a doctor from the NFL, who Care Very Much About Their Players' Well-being

He really is at his best as a hot tag guy. Tag him in, superman punch, spear… Explosive. Awesome. But I feel like he's noticeably tired a few minutes into most singles matches he wrestles (and disappearing for half the Rumble doesn't help)

Exactly my thought every time someone punches him in the stomach or chops his chest. (Re: the vest)

Samson is boring now, but after months of being bored by Baron Corbin before he started to click, I'm giving him (and the producers) the benefit of the doubt.

The second they showed Mil on his throne overlooking the temple I YELLED out loud "OH MY GOD THAT IS BRILLIANT". It's such a simple touch that adds so much ambiance to the show.

I think it's so much easier to appreciate the Striker/Vamp chemistry after Vampiro had to sit out Ultima Lucha. I like to joke that he mostly says obvious things, marks out a bit and says"No doubt about it!" a lot, but he and Striker work so well together to convey both the psychology of the matches and the emotion.

Maybe not even an all-out off-season. It would be good to give like 6-8 wrestlers at a time 2 months off to rest up, take care of injuries. All hands on deck for Rumble through Mania, but the rest of the year, staggered vacations to keep people fresh.

They could also do something like WM 30 where Reigns has to compete in 2 matches - a non-title match against Triple H to wear him down and then another where the deck is stacked against him defending.

I'm gonna listen to this with an open mind because Last Train to Paris was horribly slept on.

And just lost to Rollins a week or two ago.

They kind of just announced the last one out of nowhere. Probably need to justify the cost of storage for all that DEADLY STEEL.