In the comments of Alternate Reality by Vinny Truncellito, Mark Allen claimed WWE could build a card that would rock anything the indies could do. Vinny disagreed. I thought I’d put together the best card possible for WWE, the indies, and TNA to see which turns out best, along with explanations for how it’d work and who would go over. So how about it, readers, which show is best?
WWE
The Openner: Rey Misterio vs. Tysonn Kidd
To start the show, you need a match that will keep the crowd awake and end with the good guy on top. I thought Rey did a great job of this with Ziggler, and he used to do wonderfully at it regularly in WCW. Kidd is the most technically sound youngster in the company, can keep up with Rey’s speed, and the most likely to put together a really compelling match without needing a ton of near-falls, though a few would certainly be good here. I’d expect about a **** match out of these two. With Rey in his prime it would be more, but Rey and Ziggler got to *** ½ and Kidd is certainly capable of more.
Keeping Momentum: Matt Hardy vs. Christian
Matt, always over, would go on second here. You could bill these as the two greatest new ECW champions ever if need be and Christian would work de-facto heel. Neither man relies on near-falls, so you won’t burn out the crowd. Christian would go over in a good contest I’d expect at about *** ½.
Tag Teams Change the pace: The Worlds Greatest Tag Team vs. William Regal and Finlay
I don’t want much more than tag formula here. TWGTT would work face, with Haas as face-in-peril until the hot tag melee that would be beautifully stiff. Not sure how the pace would go for that due to Regal and Finlay’s age and speed, but it’d still be awesome stiffness with great psychology at around *** ½.
The Major Heel: Evan Bourne vs. Chris Jericho
This is a Jericho showcase for him to be a huge prick and beat on a guy who could get amazing sympathy. Jericho has always been superior with smaller guys and Bourne would make him look like a world-beater, while the comebacks would draw spectacular heat. Jericho should go over for a **** match.
Making a star: Triple H vs. John Morrison
Triple H has shown he’s great against cocky young fliers, from Jericho to Jeff Hardy, he wrestles a similar formula with them that he does with HBK and the results are always awesome. For this to really make Morrison, though, he has to steal a victory, and Hunter won’t give that up outside of a big main event, so H goes over which holds the rating down on an otherwise awesome match that’s still ****.
The Personal Issue: Shawn Michaels vs. CM Punk
I know this isn’t about promos, but Punk talking about Michaels past would be amazing. In the ring, both of these guys can really handle each other’s style, with Punk a slightly technical counter-wrestler, similar to former Michaels opponents like Jericho and Hart, while Punk has handled matches with fliers that want to be like Michaels more than once in Austin Aries and Jeff Hardy. This should steal the show through sheer athleticism. **** ½.
The Wrestlemania level main event: The Undertaker vs. John Cena
No one has noticed yet, but these two wrestle very similar matches and should mesh amazingly with one another. Sooner or later, this will be a Wrestlemania main event that’s near perfect and at least **** ½- ¾.
TNA
The Opener: Chris Daniels and The Amazing Red vs. The British Invasion
The crowd will be excited enough to see Daniels open that they should be hot throughout a heat segment on Red by the methodical invasion. A hot tag, some flashy double teams by Daniels and Red and a finish and you have a hot opener around *** ½.
Keeping it going: Kaz vs. Elijah Burke
Both of these guys are consummate storytellers, so give them 10 minutes and let them tell a story, with Burke coming away with a win with those killer knees at ***.
Changing the pace with a Hardcore Match: Abyss vs. Homicide
Just as you thought that last match was stiff, let these two hardcore professionals try and kill each other with ladders, staples and thumbtacks. Abyss is great against smaller guys like AJ, so Cide should have a clear formula to follow to get to *** ½.
If the crowd gets tired, shock them with: Kurt Angle vs. Jay Lethal
After that big brawl, the crowd will need someone to keep them up. Angle can certainly do that by his mere appearance. Lethal has gotten his best TNA matches from Kurt, besides the Christian ones, so letting Kurt beat him down only to be continually countered and frustrated before falling to a flash pin would get the crowd right back up at ****.
They’re built up, now blow the damn roof off: Motor City Machine Guns vs. Beer Money
And then you go into the huge, structured, spot heavy, wild as all hell tag war. The Machine Guns should win a war here and this should easily steal the show. **** ½.
Let them down gently with: Hernandez vs. Sting
Neither of these guys is great in the ring, but TNA’s roster isn’t as deep as it once was, but this does let the crowd calm down with a familiar heavyweight style. Two upsets in a row had the crowd rocking, but now its time to let the legend win to keep things looking reasonable with this slower match since, if it won’t be a moment for the crowd, why put the new guy over. I’m expecting only about *** from this.
The Memorable Finish: AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
We’ve seen this before- these two have incredible chemistry. Let Joe work heel and AJ counter like crazy to get near perfect with **** ¾.
Indies
The opener: Mike Quackenbush and Jigsaw vs. The Young Bucks
Quackensaw are the perfect openers, as they know just how hot to make a tag match without stealing heat from the rest of the show. The Bucks will really look like gold here and go over at *** ¾, because some part of it just won’t feel memorable enough.
But where’s the personality: Austin Aries vs. Kenny King
After that spotfest, we’ll need some personality and here we go. A-Double can turn King face with a promo, then a fairly standard match will be all about crowd involvement at *** ½. With this being about personality, Aries should go over.
The Exhibition: Roderick Strong vs. Tyler Black
With the last match about personalities, now we go back to an awesome wrestling exhibition. Both of these guys can go on the matt and strike with Tyler faster and Roderick stronger. With both guys selling awesomely, this should be a great match at with Tyler finishing after numerous near-falls ****.
Turn the stiffness up to 10: Eddie Kingston vs. Jimmy Jacobs
After Strong begins stiffing Tyler, Kingston and Jacobs take it to another level with a sick no disqualification brawl that should be around *** ½ to **** when Jacobs somehow pulls this one out to the chagrin of the crowd.
Back to the action: Kevin Steen and El Generico vs. The Kings of Wrestling
The antics of these four at the start will be a nice rest from the last brawl without boring the crowd. From there, this can turn the volume up to the usual tag madness without missing a step with the Kings winning at ****.
The Semi-Main: Paul London vs. Davey Richards
London is amazing against opponents like Davey and his spacey, lovable, never-say-die character would work wonder’s to Davey’s prick heel. Add in Davey’s stiffness and London’s selling and you have an absolute classic that London could win to make the crowd happy with his shooting star press for **** ¾.
The big (man) finish: Nigel McGuinness vs. Brian Kendrick
Kendrick is the perfect Nigel opponent as he combines the character of Aries, the mat wrestling of Danielson, the athleticism and selling of Tyler Black and the counters of Jerry Lynn. Nigel, the stiff, prick heel would have a field day working various styles in this one match with the former Spanky, only to finally meet his match as he’s not better than Sliced Bread #2 in a **** ½ match.
