PreviewThe Headliner(s) ►Continuing Shane McMahon’s two year streak of WrestleMania set-ups that don’t make a heck of a lot of sense, last week saw AJ Styles follow-up an attack on the commissioner by... trying to apologize? Ah, who cares? It gave them an opportunity to do Shane O’Mac’s elbow drop from the top rope through the announce table spot onto the Phenomenal One, in hopes we’d all forget about the fake-ass looking punches he’d thrown a moment earlier. This week, we’re getting a contract signing segment. That ending in violence is a foregone conclusion. The question is, will they add a no disqualification or other stipulation to up the ante/give Shane more props? ► Meanwhile, he’s got the whole world in his hands, and after Royal Rumble winner Randy Orton revealed he’d been working the long con in order to strike at World champion Bray Wyatt’s heart, the Eater of Worlds has seemed to have the upper hand on the Viper, too. Bray claims that Orton burning down his compound, and Sister Abigail’s grave, only imbued him with her powers. Powers he used last week to produce a bunch of Erick Rowan clones to terrorize Randy. It’s not all smooth sailing to one of Mania’s main events for Wyatt, however. Tonight, he has to face a pissed off former acolyte in Luke Harper. Harper fought hard to be the man who would battle Bray on the Grandest Stage of Them All, but came up short against AJ Styles. Since then, he took a little time off only to return with a new attitude (and wardrobe). Now, can he get a measure of revenge and make up for the fact it doesn’t look like he’s on this Sunday’s card? Does he want to, considering it would help his other nemesis, Orton? The Title Scene ► Once you’ve hopped out of an ambulance after a forklift attack, a ‘Mania challenge isn’t going to scare you. And to prove it, Intercontinental titleholder Dean Ambrose answered Baron Corbin by costing him a match against Orton. ► We know there will be several challengers, but beyond that, we’re still not even sure what kind of match Alexa Bliss is defending her Women’s title in this weekend. Presumably, the “facing every available woman on the roster” leads to a battle royal... with pinfalls and submissions required to eliminate wrestlers, we guess? Carmella, Becky Lynch, Mickie James and Natalya will be in it. Beyond that... ► But the ladies are better off than the brand’s tag champs, The Usos. Jimmy & Jey have never been on the main show portion of a WrestleMania, and despite entertainingly petitioning General Manager Daniel Bryan for a shot on Talking Smack last week, they still don’t have a match for Orlando. Period. Other stuff to keep an eye on: ► Will we get some more Total Bellas Bull**** from Miz & Maryse to stock the fires of their mixed tag match against John Cena & Nikki Bella? Can we at least get some more Breezy Bella? ► Their Monday night “competition” added several names to the Andre the Giant Memorial last night, while SmackDown is still just rolling with Mojo Rawley, Apollo Crews and Curt Hawkins.
Blue Vagina