Writers & 'rasslers pick WM2000 winner
Compiled By GREG OLIVER -- SLAM! Wrestling
Who's going home with the big prize? Who's going to be WWF World Champion after Sunday's WrestleMania in Anaheim?
SLAM! Wrestling set out to find out, and asked a few familiar names who they thought would win the main event pitting WWF champ Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs The Rock vs The Big Show vs Mick Foley.
Glenn 'Coach' Cole (Toronto Sun wrestling writer, and SLAM! Sports' Puckmaster): All the talk has been that Mick Foley will win the championship and then
retire. That is too simplistic. McMahon has to create some intrigue for the
next few months and somehow, I think there will be an unannounced mystery
guest show up to change the plot a little. My guess is that Stone Cold
Steve Austin, whose name has been dropped in here and there and on a few WWF
telecasts recently and one had an alliance with Linda McMahon, may help
Foley to that win."
Bad News Brown (Former WWF star, now Stampede Wrestling's colour commentator: "I thought that it might be The Rock, but I sort of changed my mind. I think maybe Mankind."
Dave Meltzer (Wrestling Observer): "It should be The Rock because he's the guy who is going to carry the
company for years to come. But in this environment, with Rock having to
miss time for filming of Mummy II, the mindset of the business is that
the six weeks he has off is an eternity. It makes no sense to put the
title on Rock, only to take it away on 4/30. I think it makes perfect
sense to have him win it, and keep it while he's off to give everyone
else something to shoot for and make his return be a big deal. But this
isn't a business of patience, and for the one-minute only happy ending
pop, I expect Foley was brought back to win. And since he's lost every
big match he's been in this year, I expect him to win this one."
Tim Baines (Ottawa Sun sports editor): "Foley wins title. Hands it back the next night on RAW."
Rick Martel (Former WWF star): "I'll go with The Rock ... I remember The Rock when he was two years old, and was named Dewey. Dewey running around with his Pampers on. So I'm pulling for him ... I'm sure happy about his success. I was really good friends with his granddad, Peter Maivia, and also his dad -- I was in New Zealand with Rocky all over. I kind of feel a little something special for The Rock."
Michael Jenkinson (Associate Editor, Edmonton Sun): "The golden rule of Wrestlemania main events is that the face always goes over
in the end. Even WM 9, which ostensibly ended when Yokozuna pinned Bret Hart
to win the belt, ended up having Hulk Hogan squash Yoko 30 seconds later to
win the title and send the fans home happy. But with two faces in the match,
will it be Rock or Foley winning the match? All the signs on TV point to Rock:
he was put over huge on Raw this past week, and has been getting the big build
in commentary by Jim Ross. Which means the WWF is going to pull a swerve on
the expected and Foley will win the title, probably by pinning Triple-H in the
end, to finally gain his revenge against Hunter and to give Foley the big
send-off into retirement."
Bob Orton (Former WWF star): Said that he won't be watching the show.
"I don't even know what the main event is," he said. When told of the match-up, he did offer a prediction. "If I was going to pick somebody, I'd probably go with The Rock."
Mark L Anderson (Hardcore Wrestling Federation promoter): "Think that Mick Foley will go over in the fatal four way match at
WrestleMainia. What a way to end a career with the true legend of hardcore
winning the WWF Heavyweight Championship in his final match. With rumours
floating around the World Wide Web of The Rock taking a few months off to
film a movie this would make the most sense."
Paul Leduc (Retired wrestler): "Wrestlemania is a wrap up of the entire season. With his new involvement with football and wrestling, Vince McMahon can't come up with a heel finish at Wrestlemania." Winner? "Mick Foley, he deserves it before retirement. Vince will also make people happy, and give a leave a good taste with the American society by reuniting the McMahon family."
Bill Custers (Brand Manager, Viewer's Choice Canada): "What a way to kick off the first Wrestlemania of the millennium by recognising the contribution to this business over the past 15 years by Mick
Foley. Look for Foley to take the strap as the sentimental favourite and
have the WWF 'retire' him as champion forcing a tournament."
Kory "Crusher Carlsen" Davis (NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion): "I think that the WWF will put over the Rock at Wrestlemania. Of all the
Pay-per-view events that air these days, Wrestlemania is the one that truly
gives the fans what they want, and the Rock as World Champ is just that. The
fans are really behind Rocky and like Stone Cold, he is in prime position
for them to cash in heavily. Rocky, as champ, also gives them more angles to
run off of in the near future as there seems to be a few more heels than
faces in the WWF these days. Having the Rock as champ opens the door for
guys like Benoit, Angle and even Jericho to take a shot at Rocky and proving
that they are main event material. This would also open the door for the
conclusion of the HHH/McMahon saga. It just seems like the natural choice."
Perry Lefko (Co-author of the Best There Is, The Best There
Was, The Best There Ever Will Be; Toronto Sun sports writer): "I believe Mick Foley will win because why else would he suddenly come out of retirement. I predict when he wins, he'll challenge fellow author Stephen King to a spelling-bee contest."
King Kong Bundy (Former WWF star, independent wrestler): His pick? The Rock. "He's the most marketable product there."
Jeff Marek (Host of The LAW): "The Rock. It's been built for so long, they've been holding it off. At WrestleMania, the biggest babyface always goes over -- and no one can touch The Rock."
Ron Hutchison (Wrestling trainer): "This is certainly a tough one. Logic dictates that since The Rock has
been jobbing lately that he should walk out of WrestleMania with the strap. In the past that was the way it was usually done. However as we all know
Mr. McMahon loves to take liberties with the past. I think that his 'Where
the Future tackles the Past' XFL catch phrase may well apply to this years
WrestleMania main event. Mr. McMahon certainly isn't a traditionalist and
therefore, against my better judgment, I am going to have to follow my
heart, and I think everybody's heart, rather than my head on this one and
go with the sentimental favourite... Mick Foley!"
