WWE Road to Wrestlemania 28 - Final push to April 1st

Finally it is upon us. With the go home shows this week we are treated to the final push to this Sunday, when Wrestlemania 28 will hit Miami, and television screens around the world. The Raw Supershow was effectively the final chance for feuds to hit boiling point, with Smackdown more a collection of video packages hyping the big show as it is each year. Raw saw John Cena and The Rock exchange words for the last time before they exchange blows on Sunday. Meanwhile Jericho pushed CM Punk to breaking point, Cody Rhodes got to Big Show, and Team Teddy and Team Johnny were both finalised. John Cena vs The Rock Nothing new was really said this week from the two men on whose shoulders the rise and fall of Wrestlemania 28 may well rest, but they both cut excellent promos. Where as in the past weeks Rocky has relied too heavily on his catch phrases and turn of humour, on Raw he was heartfelt and emotive, much as Cena has been. As such we really got a sense of what the match will mean to both men, and why they each so want the win. Surprisingly, both men got their pops, unusual for Cena these days, but Cena should expect no friends in Miami on Sunday. How this one will turn out is really anyone's guess. My only hope is that it is not through interference, for no other man really warrants a say in the result of this monumental match up. Talk is that this may just be the first in a series of three matches between the two, but I would love to see a clean win, one way or the other, to give the ultimate pay-off to a year of build up. Current prediction: I think Cena may edge it as WWE's poster boy, but The Rock could easily take it. The Undertaker v Triple H - Hell in a Cell - Shawn Michaels special guest referee None of the protagonists were on TV this week, but a nice video package aired to build momentum. Ironically, WWE achieved as much excitement and build in the space of a five minute package as they did in a long running series of boring promos between the men. I still cannot see beyond The Undertaker extending his streak and taking the win, but it will at least be interesting to see how they get there, and what involvement HBK might have. Current prediction: The Undertaker, with some interference from HBK. CM Punk v Chris Jericho - WWE Championship After recent tirades against Punk's father and sister, this week Jericho, again live on satellite, turned against his mother, claiming Punk is legally a bastard. This was prior to a match-up between Punk and Christian , and Christian then attacked from behind. Punk soon turned things over though, and lost it against Christian, smashing him repeatedly against the announce table, dropping him, GTS style, onto the steel steps, before locking in the Anaconda Vice on Captain Charisma, twice. It is interesting how they have taken the feud, deciding against utilising Punk's skills on the mic and taking it to a personal level. Assume at Wrestlemania Punk will come out fighting, and I still expect this to be the match of the night. Current prediction: CM Punk retains after hopefully a lengthy, outstanding match. Daniel Bryan v Sheamus - World Heavyweight Championship. This feud could have been so much if, as I suggested in last week's piece, they had built it up personally, with Bryan the manipulative, obnoxious champ, and Sheamus the honest, gutsy brawler getting more and more wound up by his opponent. But it is what it is, and this should at least be a decent match. Surprising to see Bryan take the pin on Sheamus in a tag-match with Kane and Randy Orton respectively. AJ interfered to stop the Brogue Kick on her boyfriend, before Kane delivered a chokeslam to allow Bryan to pin. It will be interesting to see how AJ is involved at Wrestlemania, as she seems to be a part of this storyline now. Daniel Bryan has been an excellent heel champion with a far longer run than many expected, but I see Sheamus being given his Wrestlemania moment and the win. Current prediction: Sheamus, new World Heavyweight Champion. Cody Rhodes v Big Show - Intercontinental Championship Big Show squashed Primo on Raw (they really do not care about the tag championships do they?), and after the match Rhodes came out again and ran his mouth at Big Show. Another decent promo about Show's Wrestlemania failures, and the way they have built this, I now wonder if they will give Show the win and his Wrestlemania moment. There has been such a build based around his previous failures on the big stage, would be a typical swerve to give Show the win. Rhodes could then go on to bigger and better things and the main event status he is surely building towards. Current prediction: Starting to wonder if this could be Big Show's year. Team Long v Team Laurinaitis Various comings and goings this week for Team Teddy and Team Johnny. First Christian was written out of Wrestlemania due to the beating he took at the hands of CM Punk. The Miz has been given a spot on Team Johnny after saving him from a Cobra from Santino, and without much fanfare, Drew McIntyre was given Christian's spot. One can only assume he will be one of the first to go. On Team Teddy, the last spot was given to Booker T, after the announcer saved Teddy from a beating at the hands of Mark Henry. I have to admit, I marked out big time when Booker got involved, and it is always a treat to see him perform. So the teams are now as follow: Team Teddy - Santino (c), Zack Ryder, The Great Khali, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Booker T. Team Johnny - David Otunga (c), Mark Henry, The Miz, Drew McIntyre, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler. I hope to see extensive contributions from Ziggler, Kofi and Booker-T, but it seems destined for comedy spots from the likes of Santino, Otunga and Ryder. Purely based on who seems more likely to get pushed as the GM for both shows, I think the win will go to Laurinaitis. Current prediction: Team Laurinaitis. Kane v Randy Orton In the tag match with Daniel Bryan and Sheamus, Kane took out Orton after taking a beating himself and delivered a chokeslam to Sheamus for the win. Sending him in strong only makes me think that Orton will get the win, but hopefully the two seasoned pros will at least get time to put on a decent match. Far from the focus of the night, but could still be an entertaining ten minutes. Current prediction: Randy Orton. Kelly and Maria Menounos vs. Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres Even for a Divas match this has received startlingly little build. On Raw Kelly Kelly took the win over Eve via roll-up, but really this has been thrown together to get an apparent celebrity on the card, and shows a stunning lack of respect for Divas Champ Beth Phoenix. Struggling to find anyone who cares for this match, and anyone who will stick around long enough to see what happens. Current prediction: The celebrity, whoever she is, will get the win. And so there it is, all that is to come now is Wrestlemania 28 itself. The Rock v John Cena could be monumental, CM Punk v Chris Jericho could be one of the greatest matches of all time, and we get to see The Undertaker, Triple H and HBK in the same ring at the biggest show of them all. I think the card is excellent this year, and things could go either way in every match. Bring on the big show.