How to get your fantasy fix during the sports hiatus: WWE edition
If you’re like me, you’re looking for any fantasy sports fix you can get right now.
With all of the major North American sports leagues on pause due to the coronavirus, fantasy sports players have been left with a deep appetite for some action.
Luckily for you, Vince McMahon is doing his best to keep WWE up and running, even if it means having a WrestleMania with no fans.
You may not be aware, but there is such thing as WWE Fantasy. Here’s what you need to know.
The Basics
One of the best spots to learn about WWE fantasy and play is DropTheBelt.com. The site allows you to create your own league and also offers a solid points system to have as a reference for your league.
You can buy a monthly subscription to one of their leagues (prices start as low as $5.99 monthly) that will calculate the points for you, or you can get some buddies, draft up a team and calculate the points on your own.
The site breaks up their leagues into seasons (currently nearing the end of WrestleMania season which runs from Jan. 3- Apr. 5). If you subscribe to the site you can follow their seasons, or in the case that you create your own league, you can come up with your own schedule.
Scoring
DropTheBelt has an in-depth breakdown of how points are awarded, but here are some of the basics.
Winning a singles or tag team match = 20 points
Winning a match via disqualification = 15 points
Draw = 5 points
There are many other bonus points that you can select from as well to add some intrigue to your league. Here are some of my favourites.
Strapped to A Stretcher = 25 points
As described in the rulebook on DropTheBelt, this bonus is awarded when your wrestler injures another opponent to the point of needing to be, well, strapped to a stretcher.
An example:
Ambulance Ride = 50 points
In order to receive the excessive amount of points awarded for this bonus, you must also achieve the Strapped to A Stretcher bonus prior. The points are awarded to your wrestler when the opponent’s stretcher makes contact with the ambulance.
An example:
Through The Announcer Table = 15 points
This one speaks for itself. Your wrestler slams their opponent through the broadcast desk.
Seven and a half minutes worth of examples:
Roster Tips
The biggest piece of advice I can give you is this: Take a look at recent results from Raw and SmackDown before drafting your team. If you play season long, you want to make sure you’re selecting wrestlers who perform on a near every week basis like Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch on Raw, and The Miz and Bayley on SmackDown. The more matches, the more chances for points.
The major champions in the Men’s Division, Brock Lesnar who holds the WWE Championship and Goldberg, the current Universal Champion, aren’t on Raw and SmackDown nearly enough to accumulate a high volume of points. This isn’t to say they are bad picks for your team, but don’t overvalue them based on their title status.
Additionally, if you decide to play a daily version of WWE fantasy, similar to that of other sports, check the card of the event you plan on playing beforehand. For example, take a look at the matches scheduled for WrestleMania if you plan on playing the weekend of Apr. 4 and 5.
DropTheBelt also has a list of this season’s top scorers here.
In this time of social distancing and sports deprivation, bonding with friends and family over a little wrestling might be right for you.
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