4 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE WrestleMania 29
4. Fire & Ice
Elevation by desperation was a card WWE played poorly before WrestleMania 29 as Jack Swagger returned from obscurity alongside industry legend Dutch Mantell rebadged as hard right Tea Party fans keen to do away with immigrants such as World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio.
The story was problematic, but not for the reasons that might be most obvious.
Alberto wasn't clicking so well as a face that fans flocked to his side against the borderline bigotry. Swagger, despite 'Zeb Colter's powerful promos, wasn't drawing anywhere near the heat expected for the gimmick. A DUI slap-bang in the middle of the push cooled the IRL crowd on him regardless of his kayfabe actions, too. The match, subsequently, never stood a chance.
WWE didn't double down on the racism when it didn't get over, but had no motivation to go the whole way with the 'All American American' anyway. In the only post-match reassessment that made sense, Del Rio was a heel again by the spring.