Road to Wrestlemania 38-Part 2

part 1

A reminder of the card:

WWF CHAMPIONSHIP: SAMI ZAYN v. ROMAN REIGNS

IC TITLE: LADDER MATCH: WINNER GETS THE BULLET CLUB: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA v. AJ STYLES v. TYLER BLACK v. ?

WWF TAG TITLES: HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE (GABLE/LASHLEY) v. USOS

WOMEN’S TITLE: RHEA RIPLEY v. RONDA ROUSEY

OCTAGON MATCH: BROCK LESNAR v. MATT RIDDLE

NUMBER ONE CONTENDER: REY MYSTERIO v. DOMINIC MYSTERIO v. KINGSTON v. WOODS

NUMBER ONE CONTENDERS: DEFIANCE (ORTON/PRIEST) v. STREET PROFITS

INTERGENDER MATCH: CHARLOTTE FLAIR/BECKY LYNCH v. LOGAN PAUL/PAT McAFEE

LEGENDS CARNAGE MATCH: EDGE v. STEVE AUSTIN (Special Guest Referee-THE UNDERTAKER)

KEVIN STEEN v. DREW McINTYRE

SASHA BANKS v. BIANCA BELAIR

In Part 1, we set up all 4 title matches plus the Steen/McIntyre match.  6 left.

OCTAGON MATCH: BROCK LESNAR v. MATT RIDDLE (w/HBK)

SASHA BANKS v. BIANCA BELAIR

Singles matches with veteran former multi time champs against up and comers looking to grab their spots.  Riddle, of course, is a little more than an up and comer, he's also a former WWF Champ, he defeated Danielson at last year's Mania.  At the Rumble, he submitted the returning Lesnar.  That sends Lesnar into an anger spiral, he definitely hears the whispers - maybe his day has come and gone, he attempts to wrestle just a few times a year - and at this age, maybe he can't compete at the very highest levels doing that.  To lose - to another shootfighter - to submit - the shame manifests in rage - Lesnar attacks everyone he can find on a RAW, destroying the set - Michaels goads him into putting up his career at Mania - if he can't beat Riddle inside the Octagon, he won't wrestle in the WWF again.

In a year where the women formed tag teams, Banks and Belair joined together - it didn't work and we are to blame the miscommunications on Banks, we are to see Banks as a little jealous that that the younger Belair is coming for her spot.  During this build - that is pushed as far as it can go - Banks is a full heel now, jealous, petty, insecure - and Belair is the young babyface fired up to face the only multi-time modern WWF women's champion.  

IC NUMBER ONE CONTENDER: REY MYSTERIO v. DOMINIC MYSTERIO v. KINGSTON v. WOODS

Tag NUMBER ONE CONTENDERS: DEFIANCE (ORTON/PRIEST) v. STREET PROFITS

Couple of number one contenders matches - each of the singles contenders wins a match to get into this one; New Day was forced to split up forever at the Rumble, Kingston and Woods will now compete for the first time in their WWF careers, tension between the two ratchets in the build.  Rey has made clear Dom is not ready for this stage - Rey doesn't want to compete against Dom not because as a father he does not want to fight his son - but as a father/leader of the WWF locker room he thinks Dom is too green for this stage.  But -- Dom upset Roode at the Rumble and wins some similarly scoped match to get the spot here.  Rey's view has not changed- Dom is not ready for this - the stage is too big, the stakes are too big - Dom should be in Underground training, not in a match with a legend at Mania for an IC shot.

INTERGENDER MATCH: CHARLOTTE FLAIR/BECKY LYNCH v. LOGAN PAUL/PAT McAFEE

LEGENDS CARNAGE MATCH: EDGE v. STEVE AUSTIN (Special Guest Referee-THE UNDERTAKER)

And finally - the Flair/Lynch team has been unstoppable all year, and after their 5 minute challenge win at the Rumble, the last horizon is to start wrestling men.  They go over a couple of enhancement teams on TV - and that brings about some fire from Pat McAfee, who now enters the chat.  McAfee has a popular podcast, and he begins to ridicule WWF, specifically focusing on what a joke it is they now have women wrestling men.  Bring back the old days when women got splattered by King Kong Bundy.

Flair/Lynch eventually go on McAfee's show - they trade barbs - McAfee then appears on RAW on a Heyman Hustle - more barbs, McAfee clowning the promotion, clowning the whole sport, with the focus being the women.  There's a confrontation, Flair and Lynch getting in his face - challenging him to a tag match at Mania, it's put up or shut up, McAfee will find out how real this is.  

Logan Paul goes on McAfee's show, the conversation turns to Paul's saying he watched McAfee on RAW and he entirely agrees - Paul isn't a wrestling fan, doesn't know those women - but if he wants a bro to stand with him and show what real athletes look like, he'll stand with him.

The build then is Flair/Lynch cutting promos on TV - and Paul/McAfee shooting videos; it's Billy Jean King/Bobby Riggs - the non wrestlers, the interlopers - men coming to Mania to face some cornerstone WWF women's wrestlers.  

It is revealed that Edge will be facing a fellow Triple Crown winner at the Legends Match and so the build is his hunt to see who that is.  He confronts Michaels, he goes over Nemeth hard - he busts into the angle for the IC match to accuse Styles/Nakamura of doing double duty, he teases that maybe it's someone who now works somewhere else.

But eventually - we're told "next week" - we will hear from the opponent - and in the main event slot of RAW comes the video from Austin.  After two decades - in his home state of Texas, Stone Cold Steve Austin returns to the ring. 

That's your show - in dark matches, Walter will defend the Dark Ride Title against Dragunov and the high flyer Axiom, who gets lots of "he's coming" vignettes, will make his debut against the former WWF Champ Ricochet.

It comes next month.  Wrestlemania 38  It's going to be a happening!