*The reaction went against WWE’s grain, but take that with a pinch of salt. PPV crowds are tough. Philadelphia is tougher still. But not even a Rock run-in could get Roman Reigns over. Boy, did Reigns get the boo-boo face. Batista, part deux.
*When The Rock – THE ROCK! – gets a reception that’s borderline hostile, perhaps it’s time to finally put an end to WWE’s era of the part-timer.
*Fake wrestling used to be about giving people what they want. Now it’s about shoving what people don’t want down their throats. The fans want Daniel Bryan. WWE wants Reigns. WWE wants size and look. The fans want charisma. WWE vs. the WWE Universe: That’s wrestling’s No. 1 rivalry.
*The dynamic of the marks wanting Bryan to be the top guy is impacted by him not being much for backstage politics. Bryan is happy to be wrestling full-time, has a beautiful wife, and can’t otherwise be bothered. I wonder whether WWE appreciates that, or whether it frustrates management all the more.
*WWE needs to pay Brock Lesnar what he wants and hope he’d rather work for more, not shoot for less. He and Bryan are WWE’s most over performers. Lesnar hasn’t yet been christened a babyface. But, to a lot of fans, he already is.
*Lesnar vs. Bryan – at ‘Mania, or any time – would be totally unbelievable under any circumstances. It would look absurd. But it’s what the people want.
*The WWE title match was a defining moment for Seth Rollins. Despite my earlier criticism, he really proved he belongs at that level.
*C.M. Punk is gone a year, and fans still chant his name. If I’m WWE, I’m worried that none of my “new stars” has stepped forward to erase that. Then again, if I’m WWE, I’m embarrassed that I retarded the progress of anyone who had a shot.
*Bully Ray was a top-level heel in TNA. In WWE, Bubba Ray Dudley is a mid-card novelty clad in camo. Which promotion is right? Both are.
*The Rumble’s final four was Reigns, Rusev, Big Show and Kane. For Vince McMahon, size matters most. That will never change. Big Show and Kane eliminated Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler. McMahon should have just come out onto the ramp and flipped off the crowd.
*Boy, do the Ascension stink. Garbage look. Pale imitators.
*When #CancelWWENetwork is trending on Twitter, WWE has a serious, serious problem.
Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkMaddenX
