Here's the card as currently stands.
Bryan Danielson v. Kenta (w/Heyman)
WWF Title: No DQ: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. Claudio Castagnoli (w/GDI)
Tags: The Shield (Ambrose/Black) v. D1 (Nemeth/Swagger)
IC: Luke Harper v. Bray Wyatt
6 matches left.
Legends Last Stand: Undertaker (w/Hogan, PAUL, Kane) v. Sting (w/Flair, Malenko, AA)
At the Rumble, Austin (1/3 of the only seen when needed Championship Committee) announced a celebration for Sting on the following RAW - and that happens.
The main event segment opens with as many of the following people seated in the ring as we can get - Vader, Stan Hansen, Muta, Harley, Funk, Lex, Jarrett, Shane Douglas, along with Regal and Steamboat. This is the first appearance for Steamboat in a WWF ring in awhile and the announce will note that he's quietly divested himself of his ownsership interest in GDI.
Foley then comes to the ring - hey, Mick. Foley will speak for this first group, representing Sting's friends and enemies. Foley had both a longtime feud with Sting and they were NWA tag champs (if you didn't follow the NWA portion of our alternate world, that's a thing that happened). There are clips, he tells a story. Then Foley says Sting's greatest enemies, who eventually became his greatest friends, are also here tonight - making his return to the WWF, along with the Four Horsemen - the Nature Boy Ric Flair!
Flair, along with Dean, Arn, and as many of the following as we can get - Ole, Tully, Windham, Batista, Chavo, come to the ring. Flair, whose return is a surprise, tells a Sting story from the NWA, but then explains to the WWF audience that may not be aware, that in TNA, not that long ago, Sting finally became a Horsemen - and it was as a Horsemen that he won his last title (for those of you who did not follow the TNA portion of our alternate history) Flair says the Horsemen cross promotions, cross time and space, cross generations and mortality. Flair says Sting, for all his accomplishments, will forever be a member of his family - a Horseman.
Flair then introduces Sting - who comes to a WWF ring for the first time, soaks up the applause - and after thanking over everyone in the ring - announces his retirement.
Everybody hugs, shakes hands - there's a Sting chant, and we're off the air.
In a subsequent RAW there's a vignette in which Shawn, repping the championship committee, pulls the Undertaker into an office and tells him he's done. Undertaker can have his last match at Mania and can pick an opponent, but the time has come to stop.
In a subsequent RAW there's a vignette in which Hogan (hey, it's Hogan) tells PAUL to grab his guys, that being Taker and Kane - Hogan's hot with how Taker's being treated. A guy like Sting, who doesn't even work here, gets to have this elaborate ceremony, and the Undertaker is forced out in a back room someplace. Hogan says Taker's last opponent should be Sting, that he should beat him down in the legends match at Mania.
In a subsequent RAW there's an in ring promo from Flair (Woooooo). He continues his role as "dude who explains TNA storylines to WWF fans who otherwise might not be aware" telling us that the reason for Hogan's animus is Sting forced him out of TNA and ended his wrestling career. Flair teases that if Sting were to wrestle Taker, he'd peel the bark clean off him.
A subsequent RAW has a Heyman Hustle with Hogan and Flair as the guests. They take shots at each other and ramp up the stakes for a possible Taker/Sting match - if Taker loses, Hogan leaves the sport. If Sting loses, Flair leaves the sport. All that remains is the two wrestlers to agree.
In a subsequent RAW they do. Taker comes to the ring and makes the challenge. Sting comes to the ring and accepts. They go nose to nose.
That's the build, we fill it out by making it a No DQ and having a couple of real world survivor series style promos, Taker/Hogan/Paul/Kane on one side and Sting/Flair/Dean/Arn on the other to raise the legends aspect of the legends match. All 8 men will appear. It's the last match ever for both Taker and Sting, and either Hogan or Flair will leave the sport.
Five matches left.
Langston v. Rusev (w/GHB and Lana)
As discussed in Part 1, Langston isn't part of the Shield's program with Division One, that's because he accepts an open challenge GHB makes to the locker room to take on the undefeated Rusev at Mania. It's irresitable force/immovable object - Langston's part (albeit the third man, and that's part of the build, GHB's questioning if Langston's really in the Shield or just a bodyguard, sort of like a less attractive Lana) of the two year tag champs The Shield. And Rusev is unbeaten foreign monster, pretty much out of central casting.
GHB as mouthpiece allows Langston do show a little more of his humor than he does in the Shield, which is a pretty serious act. He can't go full comedy, because I hate full comedy, but the back and forth with Bradshaw can involve some put downs and that requires more than strongman stoicism.
Four matches left.
Texas Bull Rope Match: Dustin Rhodes v. Cody Rhodes (special guest referee: Dusty Rhodes)
Dustin and Cody have another wild ass brawl, like in a big box department store or a Chili's. They fight until exhaustion; after which over all the television sets in the place comes a video from Dusty.
Dusty says something to the effect of when the unions have all been killed off and now you live paycheck to paycheck it's hard times, when decades of tax cuts for millionaires have dried up government services for the working class it's hard time, and when an old man watches his two sons fight to the death every week and he knows its his fault, it's hard times.
Dusty forgives both boys. Forgives Dustin for attacking him. Forgives Cody for turning his back on him a couple of years ago to stick with the Undertaker. And Dusty apologizes to both for putting his career first. He doesn't know how many days he has left on the planet, but he wants to spend them with his family.
And he knows the only way to do that is for Dustin and Cody to be in one last fight, a fight so brutal they won't be able to fight no more - at Wrestlemania, they'll fight in a Texas Bull Rope Match, they'll bleed every last drop of hate right out of them and then it will be done. And to make sure - Dusty will be the guest referee.
That's the build - both guys are basically babyfaces now, the positioning is they've been in a feud for more than a year and it's time to end it once and for all.
Three matches left.
Tyson Kidd v. Ka$h Kingston (w/Woods)
Kingston turns heel in the build. Recall, we met Woods in the Rumble build, he's in a racial identity politics professorial gimmick, talking about a new day in the WWF. He focused on Kingston, and his argument got boosted at the Rumble when the official missed Kingston's foot on the ropes during the fall. In the build, Kidd apologizes, says they've had too many great matches for it to end like that, challenges Kingston to one more match at Mania.
Woods enters, accepts on Kingston's behalf, says Kidd would like one more match, maybe to hold the tights or use a foreign object or otherwise screw over Kingston again, but with Woods monitoring from the outside, that won't happen.
Kingston sneak attacks, taking out Kidd, he and Woods stand over him and we have this match. This feud, also over a year long, is set to come to an end here. Woods introduces the hashtags #blackwrestlersmatter and #wrestlemaniasowhite in the build.
Two tag matches remain
John Cena/Harper v. Wade Barrett/Fandango Curtis
Harper is Sandow doing a Luke Harper imitation; he turned on Barrett at the Rumble and that gets us here.
Usos (Reigns/Jimmy w/Jey) v. Direct to Video (Orton/Miz w/HHH-M)
They trade wins in the build, what looks to be the rubber match includes Jey coming to ringisde on crutches. He's taken out by HHH-M with a pedigree to the outside, that leads to a full brawl, a no contest, and this match being made to open Mania.
That's your show. Wrestlemania 31 from Santa Clara.
Tyson Kidd v. Ka$h Kingston (w/Woods)
John Cena/Harper v. Wade Barrett/Fandango Curtis
Usos (Reigns/Jimmy w/Jey) v. Direct to Video (Orton/Miz w/HHH-M)
It's not on the Network - only on PPV!
Flair, along with Dean, Arn, and as many of the following as we can get - Ole, Tully, Windham, Batista, Chavo, come to the ring. Flair, whose return is a surprise, tells a Sting story from the NWA, but then explains to the WWF audience that may not be aware, that in TNA, not that long ago, Sting finally became a Horsemen - and it was as a Horsemen that he won his last title (for those of you who did not follow the TNA portion of our alternate history) Flair says the Horsemen cross promotions, cross time and space, cross generations and mortality. Flair says Sting, for all his accomplishments, will forever be a member of his family - a Horseman.
Flair then introduces Sting - who comes to a WWF ring for the first time, soaks up the applause - and after thanking over everyone in the ring - announces his retirement.
Everybody hugs, shakes hands - there's a Sting chant, and we're off the air.
In a subsequent RAW there's a vignette in which Shawn, repping the championship committee, pulls the Undertaker into an office and tells him he's done. Undertaker can have his last match at Mania and can pick an opponent, but the time has come to stop.
In a subsequent RAW there's a vignette in which Hogan (hey, it's Hogan) tells PAUL to grab his guys, that being Taker and Kane - Hogan's hot with how Taker's being treated. A guy like Sting, who doesn't even work here, gets to have this elaborate ceremony, and the Undertaker is forced out in a back room someplace. Hogan says Taker's last opponent should be Sting, that he should beat him down in the legends match at Mania.
In a subsequent RAW there's an in ring promo from Flair (Woooooo). He continues his role as "dude who explains TNA storylines to WWF fans who otherwise might not be aware" telling us that the reason for Hogan's animus is Sting forced him out of TNA and ended his wrestling career. Flair teases that if Sting were to wrestle Taker, he'd peel the bark clean off him.
A subsequent RAW has a Heyman Hustle with Hogan and Flair as the guests. They take shots at each other and ramp up the stakes for a possible Taker/Sting match - if Taker loses, Hogan leaves the sport. If Sting loses, Flair leaves the sport. All that remains is the two wrestlers to agree.
In a subsequent RAW they do. Taker comes to the ring and makes the challenge. Sting comes to the ring and accepts. They go nose to nose.
That's the build, we fill it out by making it a No DQ and having a couple of real world survivor series style promos, Taker/Hogan/Paul/Kane on one side and Sting/Flair/Dean/Arn on the other to raise the legends aspect of the legends match. All 8 men will appear. It's the last match ever for both Taker and Sting, and either Hogan or Flair will leave the sport.
Five matches left.
Langston v. Rusev (w/GHB and Lana)
As discussed in Part 1, Langston isn't part of the Shield's program with Division One, that's because he accepts an open challenge GHB makes to the locker room to take on the undefeated Rusev at Mania. It's irresitable force/immovable object - Langston's part (albeit the third man, and that's part of the build, GHB's questioning if Langston's really in the Shield or just a bodyguard, sort of like a less attractive Lana) of the two year tag champs The Shield. And Rusev is unbeaten foreign monster, pretty much out of central casting.
GHB as mouthpiece allows Langston do show a little more of his humor than he does in the Shield, which is a pretty serious act. He can't go full comedy, because I hate full comedy, but the back and forth with Bradshaw can involve some put downs and that requires more than strongman stoicism.
Four matches left.
Texas Bull Rope Match: Dustin Rhodes v. Cody Rhodes (special guest referee: Dusty Rhodes)
Dustin and Cody have another wild ass brawl, like in a big box department store or a Chili's. They fight until exhaustion; after which over all the television sets in the place comes a video from Dusty.
Dusty says something to the effect of when the unions have all been killed off and now you live paycheck to paycheck it's hard times, when decades of tax cuts for millionaires have dried up government services for the working class it's hard time, and when an old man watches his two sons fight to the death every week and he knows its his fault, it's hard times.
Dusty forgives both boys. Forgives Dustin for attacking him. Forgives Cody for turning his back on him a couple of years ago to stick with the Undertaker. And Dusty apologizes to both for putting his career first. He doesn't know how many days he has left on the planet, but he wants to spend them with his family.
And he knows the only way to do that is for Dustin and Cody to be in one last fight, a fight so brutal they won't be able to fight no more - at Wrestlemania, they'll fight in a Texas Bull Rope Match, they'll bleed every last drop of hate right out of them and then it will be done. And to make sure - Dusty will be the guest referee.
That's the build - both guys are basically babyfaces now, the positioning is they've been in a feud for more than a year and it's time to end it once and for all.
Three matches left.
Tyson Kidd v. Ka$h Kingston (w/Woods)
Kingston turns heel in the build. Recall, we met Woods in the Rumble build, he's in a racial identity politics professorial gimmick, talking about a new day in the WWF. He focused on Kingston, and his argument got boosted at the Rumble when the official missed Kingston's foot on the ropes during the fall. In the build, Kidd apologizes, says they've had too many great matches for it to end like that, challenges Kingston to one more match at Mania.
Woods enters, accepts on Kingston's behalf, says Kidd would like one more match, maybe to hold the tights or use a foreign object or otherwise screw over Kingston again, but with Woods monitoring from the outside, that won't happen.
Kingston sneak attacks, taking out Kidd, he and Woods stand over him and we have this match. This feud, also over a year long, is set to come to an end here. Woods introduces the hashtags #blackwrestlersmatter and #wrestlemaniasowhite in the build.
Two tag matches remain
John Cena/Harper v. Wade Barrett/Fandango Curtis
Harper is Sandow doing a Luke Harper imitation; he turned on Barrett at the Rumble and that gets us here.
Usos (Reigns/Jimmy w/Jey) v. Direct to Video (Orton/Miz w/HHH-M)
They trade wins in the build, what looks to be the rubber match includes Jey coming to ringisde on crutches. He's taken out by HHH-M with a pedigree to the outside, that leads to a full brawl, a no contest, and this match being made to open Mania.
That's your show. Wrestlemania 31 from Santa Clara.
Bryan Danielson v. Kenta (w/Heyman)
WWF Title: No DQ: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) v. Claudio Castagnoli (w/GDI)
Tags: The Shield (Ambrose/Black) v. D1 (Nemeth/Swagger)
IC: Luke Harper v. Bray Wyatt
Legends Last Stand: Undertaker (w/Hogan, PAUL, Kane) v. Sting (w/Flair, Malenko, AA)
Langston v. Rusev (w/GHB and Lana)
Texas Bull Rope Match: Dustin Rhodes v. Cody Rhodes (special guest referee: Dusty Rhodes)Legends Last Stand: Undertaker (w/Hogan, PAUL, Kane) v. Sting (w/Flair, Malenko, AA)
Langston v. Rusev (w/GHB and Lana)
Tyson Kidd v. Ka$h Kingston (w/Woods)
John Cena/Harper v. Wade Barrett/Fandango Curtis
Usos (Reigns/Jimmy w/Jey) v. Direct to Video (Orton/Miz w/HHH-M)
It's not on the Network - only on PPV!
7 comments
So who's gonna be the special guest referee?
Dusty.
Crap, should have seen that.
This was great. Love the two-part builds - makes it feel more special. Plus I selfishly enjoy my Steamboat def. Hogan fix.
So, Skip McMahon in the Wrestlemania 32 Legend's Match?
Shane is not currently on the booking sheet, no.
Zack Ryder can just seemlessly slide into Bryan Danielson's spot from WM32 onward.
Zach is not currently on the booking sheet, no. Although, I only book a year in advance, so while I have ideas about post 32, they're loose.
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