Backstage is back, ALL RIGHT!♫
WrestleMania is coming and WWE Backstage won’t stay down any longer! What will Renee Young and Booker T have in store before Mania Weekend?
Renee is here via video call!
WWE Backstage has to take a different format, but hopefully everyone else is snug and safe in their homes, too. Renee introduces the other hosts available via video chat, it’s Booker T, Mark Henry and Paige! It is GOODT to see everyone, even at a distance. And huge news for this already “too big for one night” WrestleMania! Fox Sports is teaming with the WWE to bring the world the WrestleMania Preshow at 6 PM Eastern this Saturday and Sunday! And on Fox Sports PPV as well as the WWE Network, of course, will be THE WrestleMania event from 7 PM Eastern.
But with just days left, it was Paul Heyman who had the last words on the last Raw before WrestleMania Weekend! Heyman promises that this year, Drew McIntyre walks into WrestleMania special, but walks out “Just like everybody else: nothing more than Brock’s bi*ch.” How fired up is everyone for this WWE World Championship match now? Paige says McIntyre’s journey is very inspiring. From Vince’s Chosen One to the Three Man Band, to being released from the WWE to returning via NXT. Then McIntyre moves to Raw, wins the Men’s Royal Rumble and chooses to go after Brock Lesnar! “That’s huge for him!” Paige is VERY excited, and Heyman’s promo tearing McIntyre down actually builds him up as the star he is.
Renee knows that’s “Promo 101” as the panel has said for Promo School. You build up the opponent just so you can bring him down. Booker’s thoughts on Paige bringing up 3MB, that made him think of Jermaine Jackson’s “Let’s Get Serious.” Lesnar VS McIntyre is getting there, and both guys better take this unique WrestleMania serious. This is a moment because the focus has to be very different than ever before. Renee says having McIntyre on Backstage, talking about that focus, McIntyre said he never takes days off. McIntyre finds ways to keep moving forward, so how does Henry see Mania going?
Henry says this will bring out the true performer in everyone on the show, not just Lesnar and McIntyre. Everyone now has to project to the audience at home. The cameras are now the eyes of the fans that you need to play to. A lot of people take that for granted, being able to play to the audience just by showing up. But that’s not the case this year. There is no crowd to feed off of, the talent now has to almost overwork themselves for the sake of the people at home. Paige knows the feeling of starting with very small crowds to then very large crowds, but absolutely no crowd is crazy. But she also feels the talent in the WWE today has what it takes to adapt and do well. Booker adds that is the subtle beauty of this year’s WrestleMania.
Renee turns things to Edge turning Randy Orton’s words against him. The Rated R Superstar told The Viper that he dug himself a new hole. This time, Edge won’t help Orton out of it. Edge vows to bury Orton so far down that hole, he’ll never get out! Christian provides his thoughts with a video message. The Backstage Buddha speaks on the Orton VS Edge build, specifically the great promos back and forth. The word that pops into Christian’s mind: Passion. Having no audience has actually helped enhance the passion behind the promos for both men. It shows the talent of both men to give promos that still get us to hang on every word. “Grit” has also been thrown around, and Christian likes that both men have different definitions of that word.
Christian notes that Edge said exactly what everyone on Backstage has been saying: This IS the best work from Randy Orton ever, and it really did take Edge to bring it out of him. The feud is personal and it is money. Orton and Edge have built something. Sometimes, a match can be bigger than any title and this is one of those times. Christian can’t wait and is sure we can’t, either. So be sure to stay in, stay safe, and watch both nights of WrestleMania Weekend!
Back to the panel, Henry notes Edge’s promo was great. Edge has always been one of the best cerebral performers, and can find ways to reach you with just talking. Now Edge has proven he still has it. He was gone just long enough that people don’t remember, or maybe never saw Edge before period, and surely not the way we’re seeing him now. Edge is better than ever, and this is an eye-opening moment for fans that another major player is back. Edge can put Orton in check, and it’s been some time since that’s happened. Renee agrees, fans new to Edge are in for a treat. Booker wants to quickly point out Christian had an entire wall of pictures, of himself. Did anyone else see that?
Renee moves the talk to another killer promo in The Undertaker finally responding to AJ Styles. “You stepped in something now that there’s no coming back from.” Styles will pay the price for disrespecting Michelle, and he will Rest In Peace. What does Booker say to Taker’s list of greats including him? Booker admits he’s been around. But that Taker promo wasn’t the Dead Man per se, but just a man talking to another man about what’s coming. This time is bringing the best out of everyone, and Styles and Taker are going to bring the best out of each other for another moment that we all remember for the rest of our lives. Styles may not remember this Mania being all that good, and Booker admits to knowing what that’s like, too. But in the end, this is one for the ages to have.
Paige speaks on how personal this has gotten. To take a page out of Samoa Joe’s book there, making things personal is very relatable. But to speak on the promos themselves, Paige knows for herself that doing a promo, whether in front of people or just the camera, digging deep to get that emotion out is so hard. But Taker, Edge, Orton, Styles, they all do it so well! Renee agrees, even going so far as to included Seth Rollins, and how it’s those really tight, close-up shots or going backstage. Everyone has adapted really well this past week, it’s great stuff. Henry adds that Styles will see the inside of a coffin, just like he once did. The future is not bright for Styles, but very dark and quiet. Styles also will receive an eye-opening moment.
Henry has faced legend after legend, but Taker was so different. Being even just a few feet away, you couldn’t hear anything because of the thunderous crowd. Like an airplane engine! It rattles you. If you don’t weather the storm early, it gets you. This match might go quicker than we think. Well someone who doesn’t get rattled is Charlotte Flair, who will also join Backstage via video, after the break.
