Corrigan’s Corner: “30 Years Of WrestleMania” Author Brian Shields Discusses John Cena, Dean Ambrose, WWE Commentary

WWE has officially teased a match for WrestleMania 31 and it could be the last chapter in one of the most storied rivalries in professional wrestling history: Triple H vs. The Rock.

And when I think rivalries, stories, and WrestleMania, Brian Shields comes to mind.

The author of “30 Years of WrestleMania,” a new anthology on the history and behind-the-scenes operation behind WWE’s grandest event of the year, Shields recently spoke with me on AL.com about working with WWE, interviewing more than 75 Superstars, Divas, Hall of Famers, and McMahons, and of course, his predictions for WrestleMania 31 in California.

I saved part 2 of my interview with Shields for Wrestledelphia.

“30 Years of WrestleMania” is available wherever books are sold including WWE Shop, DK.com, Amazon, BJ’s, WalMart, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, and GameStop.

Who were some of your favorites growing up?

Shields: “Oh, all across the board. I was a shirt-tearing Hulkamaniac for sure. I loved Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. The British Bulldogs are one of the greatest tag teams of all time. The Hart Foundation, Junkyard Dog, geez, there were so many, Roddy Piper, Magnificent Muraco, I mean, there were so many. I’m terrible at listing just a few–I think that’s the fan in me.”

(laughs) Yeah, can’t blame ya.

Shields: “Especially in those days, I think right away ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, there was such a variety of talent. And when I say variety, I mean just different characters and styles. And that was something along with the athleticism and drama that sports-entertainment brings to its fans. That’s something that attracted me right away. Not everybody looked the same. Everybody had their own identity. And one of the other things I loved was the announcing. I loved the eloquence in which the WWE broadcasters would present to the audience on a weekly basis.”

Now I have to ask you, what do you think of today’s announcing compared to what you heard as a kid?

Shields: “I think the style is different. Now you’re talking about three hours of RAW, two hours of Smackdown, all of the hours of WWE programming that is really prime-time programming with three-person booths. I think the style has evolved and I love it. WWE broadcasters are some of the best on television. Not only is that evident from by their backgrounds but when you think of how they’ve become stars in WWE and the different entities that are always trying to recruit WWE talent. It’s something very exciting and part of the product that I enjoy today.”

Well…

Shields: “But it is different. You look back at the 1980s and mid-to-late 80s and it is a different style. But the thing with me, John, is that in general, I really enjoy listening to people who are well spoken and have a passion for what they’re doing. It’s funny just the timing of our interview, I mean last night that surprise on RAW with The Rock coming out, that was very exciting.”

Oh, it was awesome. I think lately the product has been in a drought. RAW used to be must-see TV. But in the past few months, we haven’t had that surprise element. So it was great this past Monday because not only did we get that element, but we got The Rock. You don’t get much bigger than that.

Shields: “I do think now that sometimes it’s taken for granted that WWE is a global entertainment entity that provides 52 weeks a year of live programming. It may be the only where there is no off-season. I think that’s so impressive and sometimes taken for granted. One of the things we’ve learned over the years from watching is never say never when it comes to WWE. And you also never know what’s going to happen. That’s a principle that has been part of the company, I feel, since its early days when Vince McMahon Sr. was owner of WWWF. I mean, I thought it was very cool that Dean Ambrose left the Barclay Center and hopped on the subway. I thought that was a great highlight as well as him returning.”

I’m probably in the minority on this, but I thought Ambrose hitting John Cena at the end of the night was the biggest surprise of them all. It seemed like the staredown would close the show but then BAM!

Shields: “I thought it was great what they’re creating between Ambrose and Cena. I’m actually a huge fan of both superstars. Even the detail of how Ambrose holds the microphone differently than everyone else is one of those intangibles that makes him more engaging as a persona. Ever since the breakup of the Shield, he’s really come into his own. He can do anything and make it believable whether he’s diving between the ropes or brawling or slapping on a submission. And you can tell by the reactions, that people love it.”

Definitely. He’s arguably the most popular man on WWE TV right now.

Shields: “Absolutely.”

You mentioned that you’re a huge fan of both talents. Is that because of your own personal experiences with them from writing 30 Years of WrestleMania?

Shields: “Not at all. It’s by watching them and their work over the years. When I first saw John Cena, he reminded me of a young Sting. He was a great athlete, had great physical gifts, a great energy in the ring, and that “it” factor when they were either in the ring or on the microphone connecting with the crowd. It’s funny that they both came from a bodybuilding background before they got into professional wrestling and both were college athletes. I’ve always been a fan of Cena because he works hard in and out of the ring, and is a great ambassador for the company and sports-entertainment in general. He’s a great athlete, freakishly strong. There are so many moments throughout WWE history where he’s shown his natural strength. What he’s been able to do over the years is incredible in terms of his durability, consistency, and his ability to comeback from injuries well ahead of the scheduled time. And the other thing I really admire about the guy is you can tell he really loves the business. Think of some of the rivalries he’s had—my favorite moments of Cena on the microphone are when he’s that focused, intense fighter. His promos are shorter, a little bit tighter and focused. There’s a lot of great matches left in him.”

Now that you mention it, Cena has had such a long career that you forget about some of his great rivalries. I think of Umaga, and obviously The Rock, but my favorite has been Brock Lesnar. What do you think about his most recent feud with Lesnar?

Shields: “You know, I agree that John Cena has had a lot of great rivalries. Whether it was JBL, Edge, Randy Orton. I thought the storyline with the Nexus was very well done. The CM Punk rivalry was definitely one of his best. The stuff with The Rock was nothing short of phenomenal. When you meet Cena and speak with him, and even when you watch him on television, you can see that this meant a lot to him. This was very real in terms of the respect and competition between them. His matches with Triple H have always been very heated. Can’t forget his stuff with Batista. Now the most recent with Brock Lesnar is very interesting because they were training in WWE developmental around the same time with Randy Orton and Batista. You were still in the Attitude Era a little bit, and these guys were training to be the next generation of WWE Superstars. The rivalry with him and Lesnar is great television. I like where the story has played out and I’m interested to see where it goes.”

What about Ambrose?

Shields: “I’ve followed him for a long time. I was familiar with his career before he came to WWE, but what he’s done since coming in with the Shield two years ago, is a phenomenal body of work in a relatively short amount of time.”

Check back Sunday for Part 3 as Shields discusses Triple H, Bret Hart, his top 3 WrestleManias, and working with the original ECW right here in Philadelphia.

Wrestledelphia.com assistant editor John Corrigan can be reached at . Follow him on Twitter at .