New Age Outlaws Return
They're warming up this week against Rhodes Scholars on the Raw tour, beginning tonight in Detroit. With Brian and Kip back on the full-time payroll, it's easy to get a little more out of the popular tag team physically. Why not?
Although it will begin on the house show circuit, I fully believe the New Age Outlaws will return to a TV near you very soon. They are shoe-in candidates for a couple surprise spots at the Rumble, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see them before that.
Future of Brad Maddox
I'm glad @KrazyKrakkaPDJ brought this one up. And my response may surprise you:
I am really enjoying the Brad Maddox segments.
Maddox oozes charisma, and while that's only one part of the formula for wrestling success, it's the most important part. It's the part you can't truly learn in training school or developmental – you either have it, or you don't. Maddox does. He's a natural entertainer. And yes, I used that word on purpose.
Who Should Rock Face At Mania?
Kenny Brophy @KJBrophy asked me who The Rock should face at WrestleMania 29, if not CM Punk or John Cena. He apparently thinks Rock should fight someone different entirely. I'm not sure who he would pick as a replacement for the top two candidates, but I won't speculate on his desires.
First and foremost, Cena and/or Punk are the only options available for Rock at Met Life next year, in my opinion. Both single options would be rematches (Cena from last year, Punk from the Rumble), which allows one to argue a triple threat would be the best culmination regardless of who walks in as the champion.
I'm not one of those dead set against "Once in a Lifetime: Pt. 2". It would be predictable, however, and that would be my main complaint.
If Rock goes over Punk at Rumble and then faces him again at 'Mania, that too would be a predictable match.
Rock as your champion and TWO challengers in Punk and Cena offers the only true guessing scenario. That gives all three men a legitimate chance to win. And yes, I do think Rock could retain in that scenario and then drop it the following night on Raw if they wanted.
If I couldn't choose between Punk and Cena for some reason, and Rock had to face another at 'Mania, I guess I would go with Taker. There's really no one else on the roster I feel is worthy of such a high-profiled match on the biggest annual stage of them all. That includes Brock, Ryback, Dolph, DB, Sheamus, etc.
I have a better question for you to ponder: If not for Rock, Undertaker, and even the possibility of Steve Austin sometime in the future, how excited would we be about possible WrestleMania headliners? I hate to continue harping on the fact that WWE needs to create tomorrow's stars today, but it's true. Aside from Cena and Punk, what options are there for 'Mania main events that truly feel like a WrestleMania main event?
WWE better start finding ways to become cool again, and consequently, allowing their stars to follow suit. Otherwise, Vince needs to convince Rock and Austin to sign a ten-year, one-match contract as quickly as possible. Go ahead and lock Punk and Austin into similar agreements. Ditto with Brock, Batista, and Goldberg. You know you've got one headliner in Taker and Sting, provided you also give them the best healthcare money can buy until then. Hogan and Flair might be pushing the envelope a bit, but it's worth considering. There's no such thing as retirement in pro wrestling, Shawn, so break the boots back out.
Think I'm joking? I'm not.
Follow Chris Cash on Twitter @RealityofChris and email him at chris.cash@wrestlezone.com. The Voice of Wrestling and VOW Reaction both return on Monday, January 7th, before and after Raw.
