By Pat McNeill, PWTorch columnist

If Undertaker decides he's ready to go, the course is set for WrestleMania. The Dead Man can put his 20-0 WrestleMania record against C.M. Punk's, um, 3-2 WrestleMania record, and the two men renew their brief rivalry from 2009. But, just for the heck of it, let's say that this is the year. This is the year that Undertaker either can't or won't be a part of WrestleMania. What should WWE do about it? They have C.M. Punk, the top heel in the promotion, swinging in the breeze without an obvious opponent for the show.

Fortunately, it's still early in WrestleMania season. The only thing we know for sure is that John Cena will challenge the WWE champion at WrestleMania. The odds are that The Rock will still be WWE champion when April 7 rolls around. That leaves Mr. McMahon and his family with a lot of options. Observe:

(1) Sheamus moves up a slot and takes on C.M. Punk. Hey, it's still a big match. Sheamus was the focus of Smackdown for most of 2012. Punk held the WWE Title for all of 2012. Whatever WWE has planned for Sheamus, it can be changed.

(2) C.M. Punk "injures" Undertaker. Kane steps up and takes his brother's place. Perhaps Undertaker is ringside for his baby brother. It's a perfectly logical storyline which gives Kane and Punk a personal issue. There's a downside to it, which is that the match will probably suck. Kane's good at protecting the guy he's working with, and he knows his character, but he doesn't have the track record Undertaker does.

(3) The Rock vs. John Cena vs. C.M. Punk in a three-way match. Yes, you could do it. Yes, it would solve the immediate problem of giving C.M. Punk an important spot on the WrestleMania line-up. But that's all it does. Quick, tell me the last memorable three-way match at a WrestleMania? That's right, it was at WrestleMania XX, nine years ago. And it was a fantastic match. But, it's the only one of its kind.

(4) C.M. Punk breaks up with Brock Lesnar and takes Triple H's spot. We still have several weeks to go. You could create a circumstance where Lesnar's interference backfires and costs C.M. Punk his re-match with The Rock at Elimination Chamber. Heyman takes Brock Lesnar's side because, hey, he's Brock Lesnar. Meanwhile, Lesnar injures Shane McMahon and Triple H, leaving the First Family without an avenger. So the McMahons have to get behind a wrestler they hate to get at a common foe. And no, I don't see this happening either. But it could. And now, we get to the interesting ideas...

(5) Vince McMahon flashes his roll at Steve Austin. WWE gets a "suitable substitution" for the legendary Undertaker. C.M. Punk gets the opponent he's waited a lifetime for, and Stone Cold goes out a winner in his final WrestleMania moment. It sounds too good to be true. The only question is whether Austin will have a problem being in the third match from the top, because the title match and Hunter-Lesnar will still be treated as a bigger deal than Austin's final night. And if you think THAT scenario was unlikely...

(6) WWE combines two matches into one. Punk and Lesnar run riot over the babyfaces, while the McMahons (both in reality and in storyline) beg Shawn Michaels to come back one final time. Shawn plays the reluctant warrior, but ends up signing on. And yes, it would be D-Generation X vs. C.M. Punk & Brock Lesnar, featuring four men who would be determined to tear the house down. It's still more likely than...

(7) WWE finally signs Sting and makes him C.M. Punk's opponent for WrestleMania. Book it, Vince.

Pat McNeill of Richmond, Virginia has been a PWTorch Columnist since February 2001. No, really.

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“Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because Those Who Mind Don't Matter and Those Who Matter Don't Mind.” ~ Dr. Suess


Nice Guys Finish Last

Thank you,and have a nice day !

The only option is a 3 way with Rock and Cena.

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Torch columnist since 2001. That almost read like a Drop In parody news post. Terrible.

Speeps is correct. I really hope Taker can go, because a three-way main event would suck.

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The only way a 3 way would be interesting is if it was an elimination style match and not first pin wins.

You could do an hour match. Cena pins Rock after 25 minutes, eliminates him, and then is pinned by Punk. Cena has his revenge and can chase Punk for the title until Summerfest.

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They won't have 3 rematches on WrestleMania.

Plus it looks like Jericho and Ziggler at Mania.

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The was one of the dumbest wrestling posts I have read. I haven't read the Torch in a few years, glad I stopped.

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They need to update that gif page.

Oh.

Well good.

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Legitimate new person? Reveal yourself Mug.

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Yeah I figured he was a mult.

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Cool.

Welcome.

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Welcome! There are some gems in the old threads, but I was probably drunk and don't remember. Oh, and......

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I'd go with option "Other". You could have some sort of deal where Brock interferes at Elimination Chamber on behalf of Punk and Punk regains the strap, setting up Punk vs Cena and Brock vs Rock. Throw in Hell in a Cell for Cena vs Punk (i know they had one last year with Taker and Trips, but Punk and Cena have faced each other quite a bit but never in HIAC iirc. Motivation is to keep the Shield, Brock, and Heyman out of the match.) Orton wins the Chamber via heel turn to set up ADR vs Orton.

Cena vs Punk (HIAC)
Rock vs Brock
ADR vs Orton
The Ryback vs Big Show
Dolph vs Jericho
Wade vs Miz
Antonio vs Sheamus
Cody, Sandow, All-American American vs Brodus, Tensai, Kofi
Tag Team Gauntlet: Hell No vs Rey/Sin vs PTP vs 3MB vs Santino/Woo-woo vs Usos
20 Jobber Battle Royal: Big E, A-Ry, Christian, Otunga, Colons, Khali, JTG, Gabriel, McGillicutty, Truth, DiBiase, Yoshi, Hunico, Camacho, Evan, Bo Dallas, Shield
That takes care of everyone on the main roster. No chick match. They do the dance thing like with Kid Rock

I'd have a double turn in Dolph vs Jericho. (a million ways to do that with Dolph having a valet and bodyguard). I'd have Orton win the title and then have Dolph cash in vs rko. Not a 30-second cash in, but a 5-7 minute match so Dolph's title victory and babyface turn are made a big deal on a big stage. If Brock is signed for 2 years, I have Brock beat Rock and brock smash for an entire year to set up Taker vs Brock at Mania 2014. No one really wants a triple threat main event (no sure why, there have been a lot of good triple threat mania matches) The entire tag line to last year's Mania was "Once in a Lifetime - Rock vs Cena" so dont do it again. The other line was Trips' "I'll win or I'll die trying" He lost, was on Raw the next day and no taker since. I'd also have Swagger be the first guy to get DQ'd/Counted out at the Chamber when his pod won't open. He maybe gets one arm out Spinal Tap style.

Welcome to the board Otunga's Coffee Mug

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THAT is a great card. Too bad we will never see it. Also I don't think Rock would risk his movie career to get injured in a match with Lesnar.

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Assuming no Taker.

-Rock vs. Cena vs. Punk
-HHH vs. Brock
-Jericho vs. Ziggler
-Show vs. Del Rio
-Cody vs. Goldust
-Shield vs. Hell No/Sheamus
-Ryback vs. Orton
-Miz vs. Barrett
-Divas match
-Tensai vs. Zack Ryder

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Ryback vs Orton is either going to be 30 seconds or awful.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

The King of the Rest Holds can make it a 12 minute abortion.

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It wouldn't flow with any story lines really but I would watch this.

Cena vs. Punk
Rock vs. Brock (Brock would cost the Rock the title at the next PPV to set this up)
Ryback vs HHH
Jericho vs. Ziggler
Show vs. Del Rio
Sandow, Cody and Goldust vs. The Shield
Hell No vs Sheamus and Barrett
Miz and Ryder vs. Tensai and funkasauraus

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

F4Wonline.com reports that as of Saturday, there is still no word on whether or not The Undertaker will work WrestleMania 29. It's said that Taker keeps changing his mind.

There is also no replacement match in the works for CM Punk yet. Besides all the talk, we should know something more solid on the weekend of WWE's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view

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“Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel Because Those Who Mind Don't Matter and Those Who Matter Don't Mind.” ~ Dr. Suess


Nice Guys Finish Last

Thank you,and have a nice day !

If they did go DX vs Punk and Lesnar, they could also play in that Lesnar broke Michaels are last August.

I don't know if I want to see Michaels in the ring.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!