Black Widow
03-24-2008, 09:23 PM
JBL vs. Finlay at Wrestlemania. So, the storyline getting to this match is convoluted, to put it lightly. More accurately, it is just stupid. Finlay let Vince McMahon believe his son Hornswoggle was actually Vince's, so Vince could try to humiliate and hurt the kid (ignoring the fact that the "kid" is an adult), JBL suddenly becomes an investigator that figures out in a week what Vince couldn't figure out in months, and then JBL beats up Hornswoggle because, well, because he apparently likes beating up midgets.
Yes, the storyline is pretty weak. Thankfully, Finlay's intense performances, like his beating the crap out of Kennedy, have made it a little more bearable, which seems to be Finlay's job in WWE. After all, he was the one that made Great Khali entertaining ... by beating the crap out of him. Somehow, I don't see JBL agreeing to just having the crap beat out of him at Wrestlemania (I think that I set a record for using the word "crap" in an article now), so let's see what we have to work with in this match.
JBL, after seemingly settling into a post-wrestling career of announcing and stock analyzing, made the decision to take one more crack at being a full-time wrestler. While the lure of a Wrestlemania payday is as good a motivation as any to get back into the ring, perhaps it is more a case of pride that has the 41 year old former WWE Champion returning to action. For all of his bragging about "saving Smackdown" and the length of his title reign, JBL has never cemented his legacy with a standout Wrestlemania performance. In 2005, JBL's long feud with John Cena was supposed to reach a climax at Wrestlemania 21, with Cena finally winning the title. When WWE decided to cut their match down to eleven minutes, what should have been a major turning point in Cena's career (and given JBL that shining moment as a star) was simply "just another match" on a PPV better remembered for Batista's World Title win over Triple H and the first-ever Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle match. In 2006, JBL defeated Chris Benoit for the U.S. Title, but again, the short match was lost in the shadow of a loaded undercard that included Edge-Foley, McMahon-McMahon and Money In The Bank. At this point, JBL's biggest "Wrestlemania Moment" was back in his APA days, scoring the pin in a four minute six-man tag match back in 2001, in front of a rabid Texas crowd (back when JBL played up that he was a Texan).
Finlay, well, he was never supposed to be here in the first place. His prime years were spent as a star in Germany, while also working for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He had a memorable WCW run, part of a strong crew of workers that put on great undercard matches to support the endless NWO storylines that dominated the main event position. His in-ring career over, due in part to nerve damage in his leg, Finlay became a respected agent for WWE, almost single handedly turning the WWE Women's division into something that wrestling fans could enjoy as much as those who just wanted to see hot women. Then, he made the move to get back in the ring, and over the last two years has been one of the best workers on the Smackdown brand, carrying green talent and putting on very good matches with fellow veterans. After two years of working in Money In The Bank matches, Finlay is riding the wave of the Hornswoggle storyline (easily the highest profile angle he has ever been involved in) into his first Wrestlemania singles match, at the age of 49. He not only has resurrected his career, he's taken it to greater heights than before.
So, what can these two older performers bring to the table to compete with a card that features title bouts, a guaranteed highspot ladder match, the possible retirement of a legend, and a boxer stepping into the ring with a man three times his size?
Violence.
Forget about a long drawn out wrestling match. While Finlay can certainly deliver in that department, JBL just isn't in the kind of shape to go 20 minutes on the mat, and to be honest, WWE probably won't give them that much time anyway. Back in the day, JBL was not afraid to rip someone's head off with the Clothesline From Hell. He also didn't shy away from getting bruised up in order to get a match over. Can he still deliver the stiffness, and take it, like he used to? We know Finlay can not only dish out a beating, but he isn't afraid to step right into punches and take as good as he gives. It's not like there isn't going to be competition in the "Best Brawl" category at Wrestlemania either. Batista vs. Umaga and Edge vs. Undertaker will most likely be right in there when it comes to slugfests and brutality. However, if JBL can get into his old mindset, and Finlay is allowed to let loose, these two men could bring the violence and surprise a lot of people who see this as nothing more than an undercard match. It really is up to JBL and Finlay. A heated fight that looks like it belongs in an alley ... or just a backdrop for Hornswoggle to return.
It can be one or the other, or it can be both, if they want it to be.
PWInsider.com
Yes, the storyline is pretty weak. Thankfully, Finlay's intense performances, like his beating the crap out of Kennedy, have made it a little more bearable, which seems to be Finlay's job in WWE. After all, he was the one that made Great Khali entertaining ... by beating the crap out of him. Somehow, I don't see JBL agreeing to just having the crap beat out of him at Wrestlemania (I think that I set a record for using the word "crap" in an article now), so let's see what we have to work with in this match.
JBL, after seemingly settling into a post-wrestling career of announcing and stock analyzing, made the decision to take one more crack at being a full-time wrestler. While the lure of a Wrestlemania payday is as good a motivation as any to get back into the ring, perhaps it is more a case of pride that has the 41 year old former WWE Champion returning to action. For all of his bragging about "saving Smackdown" and the length of his title reign, JBL has never cemented his legacy with a standout Wrestlemania performance. In 2005, JBL's long feud with John Cena was supposed to reach a climax at Wrestlemania 21, with Cena finally winning the title. When WWE decided to cut their match down to eleven minutes, what should have been a major turning point in Cena's career (and given JBL that shining moment as a star) was simply "just another match" on a PPV better remembered for Batista's World Title win over Triple H and the first-ever Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle match. In 2006, JBL defeated Chris Benoit for the U.S. Title, but again, the short match was lost in the shadow of a loaded undercard that included Edge-Foley, McMahon-McMahon and Money In The Bank. At this point, JBL's biggest "Wrestlemania Moment" was back in his APA days, scoring the pin in a four minute six-man tag match back in 2001, in front of a rabid Texas crowd (back when JBL played up that he was a Texan).
Finlay, well, he was never supposed to be here in the first place. His prime years were spent as a star in Germany, while also working for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He had a memorable WCW run, part of a strong crew of workers that put on great undercard matches to support the endless NWO storylines that dominated the main event position. His in-ring career over, due in part to nerve damage in his leg, Finlay became a respected agent for WWE, almost single handedly turning the WWE Women's division into something that wrestling fans could enjoy as much as those who just wanted to see hot women. Then, he made the move to get back in the ring, and over the last two years has been one of the best workers on the Smackdown brand, carrying green talent and putting on very good matches with fellow veterans. After two years of working in Money In The Bank matches, Finlay is riding the wave of the Hornswoggle storyline (easily the highest profile angle he has ever been involved in) into his first Wrestlemania singles match, at the age of 49. He not only has resurrected his career, he's taken it to greater heights than before.
So, what can these two older performers bring to the table to compete with a card that features title bouts, a guaranteed highspot ladder match, the possible retirement of a legend, and a boxer stepping into the ring with a man three times his size?
Violence.
Forget about a long drawn out wrestling match. While Finlay can certainly deliver in that department, JBL just isn't in the kind of shape to go 20 minutes on the mat, and to be honest, WWE probably won't give them that much time anyway. Back in the day, JBL was not afraid to rip someone's head off with the Clothesline From Hell. He also didn't shy away from getting bruised up in order to get a match over. Can he still deliver the stiffness, and take it, like he used to? We know Finlay can not only dish out a beating, but he isn't afraid to step right into punches and take as good as he gives. It's not like there isn't going to be competition in the "Best Brawl" category at Wrestlemania either. Batista vs. Umaga and Edge vs. Undertaker will most likely be right in there when it comes to slugfests and brutality. However, if JBL can get into his old mindset, and Finlay is allowed to let loose, these two men could bring the violence and surprise a lot of people who see this as nothing more than an undercard match. It really is up to JBL and Finlay. A heated fight that looks like it belongs in an alley ... or just a backdrop for Hornswoggle to return.
It can be one or the other, or it can be both, if they want it to be.
PWInsider.com