Considered a "smart" fan because I enjoy insider info, I'd like to throw my hat in the mix of ideas. My agenda is
If given the gauntlet, is plausible. I've got my favorites, which may, or may not, be obvious. I enjoy a certain style, however I'm certainly not going to deny the star power of others I may not be a fan of. To that end, I'm also aware, or believe I'm aware, of political favorites and can't, in good conscience, place them in a position I feel they belong knowing that the unlikelihood of this is great.
There are factors that I won't include, such as male NXT call-ups (regardless if I feel any super-stars are worthy or not) or returning dynamos like Rey, Y2J or Bubba. Sure, if Bubba Dudley came back, either part time or full time, he'd be a lock as a main-eventer, targeting, and capturing, the WWE title, leading the locker room into a rejuvenation period, but I won't play to the what-ifs of the genre, as that is an endless game of what could be.
Instead, I will focus on the current roster, save the diva division, and explore their potential positions, story-lines and goals in the weeks heading towards the BIG event and afterwords. Future-endeavoring employees, deserving or not, will be a non-issue and I will act as if no one will get the pink slip, just as I will forge ahead pretending no others (save those 2 divas) will be added.
Vying for the WWE title will be many of the same ol' faces, with a few tweaks thrown in for good reason. If needed, I will describe the superstar's outlook (face or heel) to better define them. On the face side, if I was calling the shots, expect to see
Cena: love him or hate him, WWE has this one locked until he decides otherwise.
Orton: it makes sense that the returning veteran stands to defy the authority, claw his way to the top, and not let anyone remove him without a fight; whether I like it or not.
Ambrose: he's new blood for the title. He's earned a place at the top based on fan reaction and his spot here would appease a large mass of upset fans.
Ziggler: the underdog of the division. Day in a day out, he was the most exiting person in WWE in 2014.
Brock: yes, the beast is a face. Circumstances define a superstar's position.
Leading into Wrestlemania, Heyman begins to doubt Brock's position as the most dominant and feeds off of the fan reaction of Roman. The fans' boos force Roman grow, and the Beast's fear-no one attitude sits well with the viewers. The tides shift and Heyman helps this along by turning on Brock before the most important Sunday in wrestling, ensuring the turn of both stars. WWE already upset the fans, they may as well use it to their advantage and make Roman, who does overthrow Brock, sidelining him with an injury, the top, hard-to-beat heel that, unlike Brock, is present every week.
Therefor, on the heel side we have:
Roman w/Heyman
Wyatt: let him loose on the title. He's earned everything
Miz: yes, Miz the main-eventer, round 2. This time, however, he's not the top guy. He's just scratching the surface. Of course, let him begin and finish a feud with a Mizdow-turned-Sandow that begins a Wrestlemania and end after 2 more PPVs, elevating both men and placing Miz here afterwords.
Seth: see, Seth will still be protected by the Authority, putting him at odds with the headlining faces and the unbeatable Roman, despite both being heels, but, new for Seth, will be his fighting brethren. No longer will he have Kane by his side. His partners in battle will still include Big Show, but also, Jack Swagger, who can produce a great match with anyone, but also be the chum used to feed our heroes (a high profile position, but the low man on the totem pole) AJ Lee, (detailed in her section below) and, rounding out the fighting members of the Authority, a returning Sheamus.
Sheamus: "smart" fans are aware that the Irishman is a favorite, behind the scenes, of HHH. Why not play this up. The Celtic deserves a chance to be a bully again. He's a likable smug, brawler. Play this competition between Seth and Sheamus the same way it was played with Orton. Sheamus is more physical and has much more in common with HHH. It may work well. Having both men compete for the WWE title would be interesting.
I'd book Roman to dominate the first half of the year. Orton would be the one to seize the gold from Roman only to fall into a losing feud with Bray. It would seem as if Cena is feuding with Rusev and they'll probably have him be the first to pin, if not submit, the Russian. I'd have their feud end quickly and Rusev would walk into Wrestlemania with something entirely different waiting for him. Ambrose, Ziggler and Miz will not win the title in 2015. Ziggler has something greater in store.
Wrestlemania
1. Brock (c) v Roman w/Heyman
Winner: Roman (c)
Brock is injured
2. The Authority (Seth, Show, Kane, the returning Sheamus) v Cena and the returning Orton (backstage sees Swagger aligning himself (lost in the absence of Colter) with HHH) Pinned by Orton, Kane is beaten by the others until the Ascension saves him...
Winner: Cena&Orton
3) Miz v Sandow
Winner: Sandow
4) Rusev (c) v Ambrose v Ziggler v Wyatt v Bryan
Winner: Bryan (c) taps out Rusev
5) Bad News Barrett (c) v Harper v Ryback
Winner BNB (c) pins Harper
6) Usos (c) v Cesaro&Tyson (Foreign Diplomacy) w/Regal v
(Curtis & Adam) Axel Rose v
New Day w/Kofi v Slater Gator w/Cameron v Ascension
Winner: Foreign Diplomacy (c)
7 Aj, Alicia, Naomi, Emma v the 4 Horsewomen
Winners: the 4 Horsewomen
8) Bellas v Layla&Bayley
Winners: Layla&Bayley
Stomping each other into the ground to obtain the second most coveted title in WWE, the IC title, from the heel perspective are the following:
Bad News Barrett
Bo Dallas: I'd absolutely give him the opportunity to be a top contender for this title. Like Miz, however, he has a lot to prove for a run with the title
Harper
Rusev w/Lana
Big Show: sure, he's main attraction, and a guaranteed headliner, but let's look at this from a different angle. Show is aging and, to a lesser degree, an athlete were use to seeing. He's one of the senior superstars and he's battled everyone. I'd place him in the IC hunt as the first step (2nd, actually, since Bryan would win at WM) in reinvigorating the coveted title. He wouldn't have to wrestle many times and when he did, he'd always be a threat, where as, when pining for the WWE title, he never tell was a consistent threat. Here, he is. He could also breathe here and there and break from the hunt by teaming with his cohorts in Authority. Which brings us to...
Swagger: like I said before, I'd love for him (and others) with the heavy gold but he will have plenty of great matches as the low man of the main faction.
Fandango w/Rosa: if he is somewhere, then it should be here.
On the face side of the ring...
Sandow: following his rivalry with ex-partner Miz, as previously mentioned, he will rediscover his real self and pace a new path as a face.
Bryan: weird, to say the least, is Bryan's placement in the undercard of the show, if you're a fan. This is the best way to rejuvenate the title correctly. Do you remember when HHH and Stone Cold were known as the Power Trip and HHH held the IC title? I do. That was probably one of the few times since the early 90s or 80s the title was special. Another landmark time was when Y2J, Angle, Guerrero and others feuded over it. That's what I want to see again. How can that happen? Bryan becomes the most defending champion in recent memory; week in, week out. Next year's Wrestlemania will happen through natural development so I will not dare to create storylines, save the ending. Ziggler, after winning the rumble goes on to face whomever, and wins. Prior to this feel good moment, Bryan, one of WWEs hottest properties, and it's biggest hero, ended a one year reign as one of the most legendary IC champs in a losing battle against a great heel. Defeated, he kneels in somber silence, along with a captivated, and heart-broken, crowd. After that draining defeat, at least the universe can keep their heads high after Ziggler celebrates. That is, until Bryan rains on his parade and attacks him to close out WM and start an epic feud with Bryan on top of the mountain as WWEs number one #heel.
Ryback
Ryder w/Hornswoggle: WWE likes low brow humor and I believe these two could produce that.
Hunico: the Sin Cara moniker proved to be a let down. Hunico, on the other hand, is a very talented performer that has overcome the missteps and poorly executed moves of the real Sin Cara. Let him shed the mask. Just as we sat through the horrible Adam Rose-Bunny storyline, let us discover the real Hunico as it unfolds in the background of the main event and sub-events of WWE tv. See what Hunico can do once we know him as an individual.
Darren Young: he has potential, and as a gay athlete, he is a strong role model. He's a tough guy in a tough sport and has his path.
At some point, Bryan would unify the IC and US titles into one.
The tag division can't decide if it growing or dying. Concerning the ne'er-do-wells,the heels, here's my input
Cesaro&Tyson: together, I'll call them Foreign Diplomacy and I'll give them one of my all-time favorites as a manager to further emphasize there motives and style. William Regal would manage them to the top. He's the perfect compleat to the 2.
Mark Henry&R-Truth: I'd throw these vets together and make it appear as if they are a threat to the title. They're not, but they would be presented as such. I'm actually a big fan of Henry but he is burdened with injuries. A tag team could alleviate some of that stress.
Curtis Axel&Adam Rose: Axel Rose, as they'd be known are 2 guys that aren't bad but aren't good either. I'd rid Rose of that effeminate gimmick and just make the 2 normal, as-is, fighters.
Slater Gator w/Cameron: some more of that low brow humor I was talking about. Titus will eventually emerge from this with a good position on the card. Cameron should never wrestle.
Big E&Xavier: here's an interesting progression. I'd spin this so that the rumors of this formation being cult-like were true. Once Kofi understands what he's gotten himself into, he wants out. This creates an evil team in the powerhouse Big E and the fast-maneuvering Xavier Woods. X is just a lame version of Kofi anyway, so why have all 3? This puts Kofi at odds with the duo and who should come to his aid?
The faces of the tag team division...
Kofi&Rowen: Rowen is a guy newly against cults and taking advantage of others and bullying and all these sorts of things. This creates another team of power and quickness, only this time, on the side of good. Let these 4 battle it out for several months, gaining popularity and progressing towards gold over time.
Usos
Los Matadores
Rhodes bros: recreate the brothers once again. This time, and for the first time in WWE, let Golddust become Dustin Rhodes and let Cody be Cody. It's only for a short while. Soon, maybe, Dustin will retire and Cody can ascend the ladder.
Ascension: having saved Kane he, now retired to semi-regular bouts, will focus mainly on his verbal skills and manage this team. All around, I think this is a great idea. Like Roman, they aren't great speakers and, like Heyman, Kane really is. The personalities match up as well. It gives Kane an opportunity to gracefully now put as a hero face while elevating these 2 monsters.
The divas need work. Maybe that's an incorrect statement. Maybe I should say the writing staff behind the diva's division needs an overhaul. All they need is time in that ring to tell a story. They aren't all good, but neither are the men. Give them personalities beyond the superficial.
I'd start the diva revision by involving some new faces. Let's bring in a faction of Divas; not the gd Total Divas, either. Create the 4 Horsewomen. Led by newcomer, Charlotte, daughter of Ric Flair, and surround her with 3 other viable divas. Tamina, as the enforcer, has the Samoan pedigree that works well for this dynasty. Natti, whose family is, like, Tamima's no stranger to factions, would bring in her friend, Page to form the foursome. David Otunga could surprise the universe as the JJ Dillion of the group. These ladies, with Otunga are neither face nor heel. These tweeners would flow from side to side doing as they please, against everyone.
Heels would include...
Aj: already reference as a new member of the Authority, she would be more hated then Stephanie McMahon. How unjust would it be to see the wife of CM Punk (in some ways he is the new screwjob victim to HHH as Hart was to McMahon. I disagree) "in bed" with the very opposition that pushed her husband out?
Alicia
Brie
Nikki
Summer
Eva
The faces are...
Layla
Naomi
Emma
Bayley: another new face to WWE tv. They need it.
If you're not a fan, don't waste my time or yours.
Opinions?