SmackDown: Blast from the Past

Written by RY2J

The Rock: Owner of The SmackDown Hotel

I personally enjoyed the ‘Blast from the Past SmackDown’ last week, seeing some of the legends back in the business is so often a privilege: hearing the ‘Hooooo!!’ chants, watching a bit of Pipers Pit, seeing Mae Young sticking her tongue down the throat of anyone young enough to be her grandchild; the show was well put on.

However, it did feel that although there was some effort in integrating the ‘Classic’ into the show, more could still have been done in order to bring out the real, as Michael Cole would say, Vintage SmackDown.

Deadman Walking

WrestleMania XXVIII: Undertaker vs ???

Written By RY2J

It has been a hectic ten months in the WWE since WrestleMania XXVII. From meeting Mr Excitement John Lauranitis to seeing Jomo having to go go. From the disbanding of Nexus to The Rock’s first match in over seven years. Even in the last month or so we’ve seen a masked Kane re-appear, a bemusing Jericho return, Sheamus win the Royal Rumble and we’ve even been introduced to the only living Funkasauras known to man!

However, amidst all the commotion that has excited us throughout this time, one thing (or should I say ‘one man’) has been missing. On Monday 30^th January 2012, Hells Gates reopened and out stepped the man who has made the WWE ring his playground over the last twenty years. Finally, The Undertaker returned.

As soon as the first ‘Donggg’ was echoed through the arena, the crowd erupted (even sat at home I couldn’t help but to throw a ‘hell yeah’ fist into the air). Memories of the great matches between The Undertaker and Triple H were quickly flooding back as The Deadman squared up to The Game in the ring and, without the need to say a word, challenged him to a match at WrestleMania.

However, unlike with the build-up to WrestleMania 27, this time Triple H did not stand there and stare back, instead he just patted Taker on the shoulder and left the ring. So the question has now arisen: will it be HHH vs Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVIII? And if not The Cerebral Assassin, then who?

Last year’s bout between these two heavyweights of the business even eclipsed The Rock as guest host and the match justifiably stole the show. A rematch has looked likely to occur ever since, with Undertaker desperate to get his streak to 20-0 in style.

However, with Triple H’s apparent reluctance to fight The Phenom again, if this match does not occur then, in my opinion, I can only see one other potential matchup. Will we have a repeat of WrestleMania XIV and XX and once again see The Undertaker vs Kane on the biggest stage of them all!?

With John Cena scheduled to face The Rock come April 1^st in Miami, The Big Red Machines current feud with Cena will surely come to an end sometime before this. Therefore, another ‘brother on brother’ bout could well be on the cards for this year’s pinnacle event.

However the fact remains that, whether it be Triple H, Kane or anyone else on the roster for that matter, personally I am just delighted that The Deadman has returned, and come WrestleMania 28, will once again be looking to make his opponent Rest. In. Peace.

RY2J’s Royal Rumble Preview (Part 2 of 4): Kane v John Cena

"Cena Angry!!"

Written By RY2J

Kane v John Cena:

Kane has been trying to persuade John Cena to ‘accept the hate’ since his return to the WWE, and weeks of ambushed attacks and Zack Ryder beat-downs have led to this match being set-up; but has Cena already begun to turn to the Big Red side?

After Kane’s most recent assault on Ryder, which ended with an ambulance exit for the self-proclaimed Internet Champion; Cena was caught on camera doing something the under twelve members of the WWE Universe never thought they would see… he started to accept the hate.

Although this hate was only signalled by a bizarre shaking of the head with an equally odd frowning action; the actual sight of this mini breakdown was enough to make us question whether or not Kane’s antics were finally getting to the ten-time WWE Champion.

The match at the Royal Rumble on Sunday is likely to be hate-filled from the get-go, with revenge the number one objective for Cena, whereas the Big Red Machine is the epitome of hate anyway.

WWE may be wanting the leader of the Cenation to be edging more and more towards being ‘hate-accepting’ and thus more popular amongst an older age-group, but surely it is unlikely that the man whose motto is ‘Rise Above Hate’ will be broken down to this level.

Kane will be looking to do to Cena what he did to Ryder on Monday, but with John determined to set right (what he seems to believe to be) the guilt he has over Ryders injury, we will have to wait and see whether revenge will equal hate at the Rumble.

RY2J Verdict: John Cena wins by pinfall

Headbanger Ash Verdict: Kane wins by DQ

Hollywood Hinchcliffe Verdict: John Cena wins by pinfall