It's the greatest time of year. WrestleMania just blew your mind, and two underdogs are set to square off for the National Championship. So what better way to celebrate than finding some WWE counterparts in the college basketball world?
Are you still not over your WrestleMania hangover from last night?
Good. You have a National Championship game to prepare for.
I'm almost positive there wasn't a man alive not pumped for water cooler talk this morning. Whether you still have the feels from watching three of your childhood icons - Hulk Hogan, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock - all share the same ring, or you're still on a high after the YES! Movement took over with full force, or you still can't get over those first few seconds of realizing the Streak is finally over, let's be honest - you're gonna do it all over again tonight.
When Jim Nantz and the CBS crew say hello from AT&T Stadium tonight, all of America will be invested in the most unexpected National Title game in history. A Connecticut squad under second-year head coach Kevin Ollie, against a young Kentucky team that needed the entire regular season to gel after starting the season No. 1.
So we couldn't find a better way of celebrating these two great events by matching up some college basketball names up with their WWE counterparts. Why? Because whether you care for wrestling or not, just like WrestleMania, you're going to enjoy/talk about the list. Just what Vince McMahon intended.
Daniel Bryan - Shabazz Napier
The rise of the YES! Movement is something unforeseen that definitely was not in the long-term plans for WWE two years ago, when the American Dragon shot into superstardom with one single word. Now the ultimate underdog is WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a long, prosperous career culminating in a main event moment at WrestleMania.
Shabazz Napier leads the below-the-radar 7th-seed Connecticut Huskies to the National Championship game Monday, just three years removed from a national title and following a two-year postseason ban. Now all eyes are on the senior as he looks to flourish on the big stage one last time.
Triple H - John Calipari
The boss' son-in-law has led a youth movement into WWE over the past couple of years. As the last remnants of the Attitude Era died Sunday, Trips' vision of the new era began to take form with the crowning of Daniel Bryan and fantastic performances from Bray Wyatt and Cesaro.
John Calipari is known for welcoming one-and-done freshman and sending them on their way, becoming the bridge for many young players destined for stardom in the NBA. With another group of freshmen in Julius Randle and the Harrison Twins leading Kentucky to the National Championship game, Calipari looks to capitalize on the young trio before they learn of their new destination in the pros in June.
The Undertaker - Mike Krzyzewski
Everyone on Earth was stunned when Brock Lesnar defeated the Phenom at WrestleMania, ending his streak of wins at the Grandest Stage of Them All at 21-1. The first few seconds of pure silence, shock and disbelief following the match will go down as one of the greatest moments in wrestling history. The career of a legend - THE legend of WrestleMania - is likely over, but what a ride it was along the way.
Just like the Deadman, Coach K and his Duke Blue Devils are losing some of its mystique, especially after two second-round exits in the last three seasons. If anybody can turn it around, it's Coach K, but just like the Undertaker, time is inevitable, and the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history is beginning to appear mortal.
Randy Orton - Andrew Wiggins
Randy Orton is one of the most talented, gifted superstars in WWE history. A 12-time world champion, RKO has done it all in WWE, and at the age of 34, he's arguably at the top of his game. He main-evented WrestleMania for the second time in his career last night, losing his WWE title without being pinned to Daniel Bryan. He hasn't gotten the fan support he deserves, but that hasn't slowed down the Viper as he's made himself one of the biggest names of this industry.
Andrew Wiggins's game was never designed for the college style of play, but the young Canuck made a number of memories in his short stint in Lawrence, Kansas. One of the most athletic specimens basketball has ever seen, the future of basketball shined before our eyes, and we saw the evolution into the next era of basketball. Wiggins didn't have the rosiest season, coming up short at times and starting debate as to whether or not he is ready to be a star at the next level. After a thumbs up-or-thumbs down year at Kansas, the shackles of the college game are finally off, and the potential No. 1 selection in this year's NBA Draft, Wiggins looks to become the Apex Predator of the NBA.
Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman - Joel Embiid and Bill Self
Brock shocked the world by becoming the 1 in 21-1. Some are questioning why the Deadman would choose Lesnar to be the one to break the streak due to Lesnar's public opinion on professional wrestling. An accomplished amateur wrestler who made an impact in his two years in WWE before winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship, his return to the Federation has been validated with his stunning win last night.
Next to him is the smarmy, loudmouth legend, Paul Heyman. Paulie took Lesnar under his wing and made him the youngest WWE Champion in history. Since then, The Beast has gone on to do incredible things in and out of the squared circle, and it all started with Heyman.
Joel Embiid has only played three years of organized basketball, but he's well on his way to being a top-5 pick in this summer's draft. The big man from Cameroon impressed many with his size and athleticism, and the man responsible for bringing Embiid to the spotlight is Bill Self.
Self has molded some solid NBA talent over the years, including the potential No. 1 pick in Andrew Wiggins, and he added to that list with Embiid. As Wiggins and Embiid have done before him, incoming Chicago freshman Cliff Alexander hopes to become The Next Big Thing under the tutelage of Self.
John Cena - Doug McDermott
The franchise player, John Cena has been the face of WWE for the last decade. The veteran has a legacy that is unmatched, and although his face is forever connected with everything traditional fans hate about the PG Era, no one can doubt his performance in the ring. A thoroughbred, Cena is one of the most popular superstars of all-time, and whether you love him, or you hate him, no one has invoked the emotion out of the WWE Universe that John Cena has.
Doug McDermott is one of the greatest college basketball players in history. Ranked 5th on the all-time NCAA Division I scoring list, Dougie McBuckets turned Creighton into a basketball university, taking them to the Big East Tournament Championship game in its first year in the new conference. Now the Naismith and Wooden Award winner heads to the NBA, where he'll be a steal for any team who picks him up in the draft.
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Cesaro - Frank Kaminsky
Claudio Castagnoli came to the WWE after years of dominating the indies. Miles away from the name he made for himself in Ring of Honor, Antonio Cesaro floundered in WWE for over a year because creative simply didn't know what to do with him. But once he broke out, Cesaro won over the WWE Universe, winning the inaugural Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Frank Kaminsky was All-State at Benet Academy in Illinois before making his way to Madison. Playing the mid-card role for Bo Ryan over the past few years, Kaminsky had a breakout season in 2014, averaging close to 14 points a game and over six rebounds, and taking Ryan to his first Final Four. The first team All-Big Ten selection can work his way to the top of the card and earn himself a shot at being a lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
The Shield - Julius Randle and The Harrison Twins
Believe in The Shield? How about Believe in the Wildcats? It took a season for John Calipari's new group of freshman to gel, and now the former No. 1 team in the nation finds themselves in the National Championship game. Julius Randle is the Roman Reigns of the Cats - potentially the next breakout star at the next level. Randle can't do it alone, and Kentucky wouldn't be at the mecca of the Big Dance without Aaron and Andrew Harrison - the Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins of the group. Gifted, and primed to seamlessly forge their sport into a new era, fans of these men have found a new meaning to the word "Justice".