The Goal

34 days. 816 hours. 48960 minutes. This is the length of time WWE have to make Reigns vs Brock work. While this isn't a long time it's certainly more than enough to procure a final goal and make it work. 

Last night at Fast Lane the WWE did what they needed to do and ignored the multitude of fans who were against the idea of Roman Reigns going forward to face Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania. Many had the idea that Daniel Bryan is more deserving than Reigns and that he should play the underdog to the behemoth that is Brock Lesnar. Now while this idea is noble and it shows that the IWC (who claim to be the smart fans) can see that Daniel Bryan is an accomplished athlete who has paid his dues in wrestling and should more than rightfully take his place at the helm of the Wrestlemania main event, it doesn't help the fact that WWE had no new "star power" stars. 

By this I do not mean Daniel Bryan can not pull money to a ppv but what I do mean is that it is time to build new stars. New faces of the company. Daniel Bryan is an already established star and there is no denying that (just ask his adoring fans) but Roman Reigns is currently the rising star. The star that WWE believes can take the wheel from John Cena, their current poster boy, and continue taking WWE on the long road to a continuously profitable future. 

In order to make a new star you need to push a rising star. Daniel Bryan doesn't need to be pushed any more because he is at the top of his game and the pinnacle of his popularity. Roman Reigns on the other hand needs to be elevated in order to reach the level WWE plan for him to be. Many will be feeling he is unworthy of beating the man who broke the streak as this would be "disrespectful" to Undertaker in the eyes of a vast majority of fans but this is what Undertaker wanted. 

Mark Calaway has stated several times that he wanted to go out the same way that his mentors did and that was by giving a rub to an up and coming star. This was what lead to the confusion among fans last year when he lost to Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania and the streak was destroyed. Fans believed that that would be Undertakers last match and that Brock was "unworthy" also. So now that the time has come that Brock could possibly lose the title  to Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania (note the possibly there) fans feel cheated. However, when you think this clearly the plan for almost the last year and 6 months or so, this would mean Undertaker gets what he wanted. He made Brock Lesnar look unstoppable. A destroyer. The one in twenty one. This has now left the opportunity that Roman Reigns could be the one to beat the one in twenty one and look like a cemented main eventer. 

Now please don't misconstrue this as me saying Undertaker is giving Roman Reigns the rub. This is me acknowledging the fact that WWE has now has built two stars ready to go. This year Undertaker faces Bray Wyatt at Wrestlemania and Brock Lesnar faces Roman Reigns. Doesn't this seem like a much more acceptable route to take? A new face. A new heel. A new generation. Reigns and Wyatt were always going to be WWEs next big stars coming out of NXT alongside Rollins and Ambrose so does it not seem wise that WWE should ensure they have a future to lean towards? Yes Bryan could have beat the guy who beat the streak but Daniel Bryan may not be in WWE much longer. We have already seen his neck injured and cost him 9 months of wrestling time. He is now 34, Cena is 37 and Reigns is 29. WWE have given this push to Reigns because he is the guy with longevity, He is the guy who will be around for longer than another 5 years. He is the guy who is getting the most beneficial rub. WWE have ensured their own place in the future by doing this. 

In short WWE has made sure at Wrestlemania that;

• Daniel Bryan faces a rising star 
• Roman Reigns gets a push regardless of a win or a loss at Mania
• Undertaker gives Bray Wyatt the rub he wanted before retiring next year

But hey, lets just let WWE forget about business for a while. 

Let us know your thoughts at @LevellerLOW on twitter and be sure to listen to #Lowdown and #Breakdown on levelsofwrestling.podbean.com

Where The Grapefruits Turn Sour

WWE have backed themselves into a corner again. Much like last year they have caved into what the smark heavy crowds of todays product want. It's becoming common knowledge now that there was plans in the work for Bryan vs Sheamus 3. This, by the way, could have easily been the top match of Wrestlemania this year but the fans as per their usual followed their spoiled brat tendencies and had to moan. This has lead to what I believe will be Vince McMahon's final year in full control of the WWE product. I realize this sounds like a very bold, sweeping statement but let's look at the facts shall we?

Vince McMahon is getting old

As a man who has taken years upon years of self inflicted stress, wrestling injuries and of course a double quad tear it's fair to say that Vince is a tough S.O.B but he is getting old. Vince turns 70 this year and to be honest he looks damn good for it all things considered. On the outside he still looks charismatic and charming at times but on the inside can we really say the same? It's no joke when you consider how much Vince does at his age but it can't be good for him. We have seen Jerry Lawler have a heart attack on live television and his current job listing is much lighter than a man who is a self proclaimed workaholic and control freak. How long can Vince seriously run the show?

Vince McMahon doesn't know his own product anymore

Over the past few weeks it has become abundantly clear that Vince is losing touch with the current trends and the current way the wrestling product should run. Now please forgive me for saying this but honestly we know less than a fraction about wrestling compared to Vince but that doesn't excuse the fact his pop-culture knowledge is atrocious. When was the last time a fart joke was funny? When was the last time making your own daughter (heiress to your machine) throw up on TV was good publicity? When was the last time adding "suffering suchertache" to a promo a good idea? You all know fine well he wrote those promos. But when you add this to the fact that Vince has slowly began to change his own mind on the product its quite clear he doesn't understand his own fans anymore. WWE used to be about giving fans what they want and knowing what they would want before they did but now it's about trying to slip the guy who you feel will benefit the company most into the limelight regardless as to whether it's who the fans want to see. Vince doesn't get it. 

Vince McMahon sees NXT as competition

It's clear that Vince still sees WWE as the top of the mountain but he is scared by those who have the power to climb to the top without him. NXT is a HHH product and that became clear as of this past Monday when HHH and Austin spoke on the network. The WWE provides a "sports entertainment product" and this is something they constantly re-enforce by ensuring they don't use the word "wrestling". Wrestling, however, is what NXT does best and fans know it. So many groups of fans are turning to the darkside so to say and enjoying a product that is primarily wrestling. This is clearly an intimidating thing for Vince. He is in competition with his own company and if a younger fresher model manages to work then surely the shareholders will notice this. The interesting thing will be to see if NXT gets a Wrestlemania match this year especially since the network has gave it such a large following.  

Vince lost his grapefruits

There was a time when Vinnie was the ballsiest person known to television but now he has began letting the great grapefruits of old shrivel up into prunes. Vinnie was literally the higher power, he was the guy who attacked his workers, he was the boss from hell. Basically Vince McMahon was god. But now he is afraid of fan reaction. He caved into the "YES movement" and changed a whoel wrestlemania main event just to change the crowd reaction. Vince McMahon of 99 wouldn't have done that. So what changed?

Also what else does Vince McMahon have left to prove? Absolutely nothing. He has done it, seen it and lived it all. He has reached the golden gates but now he just needs to let go to receive the keys to enter. Vince McMahon will always be "Then. Now. Forever." the greatest mind in professional wrestling in the eyes of historians but he needs to leave before we see that fade.

So what do you think? Let us know on twitter at @LevellerLOW or leave a comment below