It is the Sunday that wrestling fans wait for all year. Welcome to Wrestlemania! This year is the 31st edition of the annual spectacle that takes place in early spring. Many memorable moments and surprises are imminent. The card is set, but who are the favorites to win?
Pre-show match: Fatal-4 Way Tag Team Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship – Kidd and Cesaro (Champions) vs The Usos vs Los Matadores vs The New Day
In my opinion, we, the WWE fans will see one of the more entertaining matches of the night on the pre-show. Copping the same type of match as last year, creative has decided to go with another Fatal-4 Way Tag Team Match to get the fans involved in the show early on. My issue with this match is the absence of The Ascension. Without The Ascension in the match I don’t see any other team walking out of Wrestlemania holding the titles. Only The Usos pose a legitimate threat to win back the titles. If that is the case, The Usos could continue a feud with Kidd and Cesaro out of Wrestlemania. Other than that possibility or a total surprise, I see the champions retaining the titles and showing up the next night on Raw with the gold.
Prediction: Kidd and Cesaro retain
Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title: Bad News Barrett (Champion) vs Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler vs Daniel Bryan vs Stardust vs Luke Harper vs R Truth
This is the match that has true potential to steal the show on Sunday night in Santa Clara, California. With seven men vying to bring back legitimacy to the Intercontinental title, and three of the most-popular stars in the WWE right now are in the match. The crowd may be torn between cheers for Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan, but only one man can claim the prize. Although there are seven men carded for the tilt, I only see Barrett as the champion and three others with a chance of pulling it down. In the end, I think the “Yes” movement will prevail and Daniel Bryan will be the new Intercontinental Champion that could be facing a feud with Dolph Ziggler coming out of Sunday.
Prediction: Daniel Bryan claims the Intercontinental Championship, and then turns heel to set up feud with Dolph Ziggler.
Bella Twins vs AJ Lee and Paige
#GiveDivasAChance will be trending when four of the most-popular current divas gear up for a tag team match on the biggest stage of them all, so they better perform. There is very little significance in the match though. With no title on the line, the match is mainly for pride. I see somewhat of a lengthy match to show the WWE universe what these ladies can really do. In the end, I see either AJ or Paige turning on the other causing a Bella Twins win.
Prediction: Paige turns on AJ leading to a win for the Bella Twins.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
This is a match that will feature some surprises because like last year, it is more difficult to predict the winner because the prize is a trophy, not the main event spot. Cesaro was on a run last year after turning on Jack Swagger, then throwing the Big Show over the top rope to win the inaugural Andre the Giant Battle Royal trophy. This year, there are many different contenders to win including Ryback, The Miz, or even the NXT entrant. I have a dark horse winning the trophy this year now that he has surprisingly emerged as a fan-favorite. We will also see the betrayal that we, the fans have waited such a long time for.
Prediction: Mizdow eliminates The Miz and wins the battle royal.
Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton
This could be one of the tougher matches to predict due to the fact that if Rollins loses this match, he can still be the big winner at the end of the night. However, I think this match could be an instant classic and keep the fans on the feet for the majority of the match. Both men are great performers and this feud has endured a great build to where the two can deliver a stellar match. After viewers see multiple Curb Stomp and RKO attempts, Randy Orton goes back to the old boot and attempt to put Rollins out of commission. After Orton gets the pin fall victory, he will continue to beat on Rollins until J&J Security help Rollins out of the ring. This may not be the last time we see Rollins on Sunday night.
Prediction: Orton hits the boot, then RKO and pins Rollins.
Bray Wyatt vs The Undertaker
Last year, the world was shocked when Brock Lesnar pinned The Undertaker one, two, three in the center of the ring. Now, the “Dead Man” meets the “Eater of Worlds.” In a match between these two big men, the WWE universe doesn’t know if it will be the final time they see Undertaker competing in a WWE ring. If that is the case, The Undertaker will go out on top. I see him winning this match against Bray Wyatt with the famous Tombstone pile driver. After the match, fans will see the Wyatt Family reunite and demolish Undertaker to Bray Wyatt’s delight.
Prediction: Undertaker wins with the Tombstone, but gets buried by the reuniting Wyatt Family following the match.
United States Title Match: Rusev (Champion) vs John Cena
Something tells me John Cena will also be changing his entrance Sunday to show off his patriotism. The WWE has a plan to bring back legitimacy to their mid-card championships and with Daniel Bryan potentially walking out as the Intercontinental Champion, Cena could take a step down and walk out with the US title. We may see Cena break out of the Accolade Sunday night and reverse it with an STF to force Rusev to tap out and take a true loss for the first time. However, that could be too predictable. Late in the match with Rusev feeling the pressure, he may take the easy way out and nail Cena with a chair to lose, but retain the belt. That could leave the possibility of Cena demanding a rematch the next night on Raw and producing some magic for that live crowd.
Prediction: Cena wins by DQ, but Rusev retains the belt.
Sting vs Triple H
The WCW’s biggest star vs (one of) the WWE’s biggest stars finally meet in the same ring. The Vigilante vs The Game. When people first didn’t like that Triple H had this match over The Undertaker, I disagreed with them. I believe that Triple H can put on a better match than Undertaker and he will prove that Sunday. Sting just turned 56 and Triple H is well into his 40’s, but the two will put on a great match. And as we’ve seen a lot in the past, Triple H will go to any level to beat an opponent, which won’t be different Sunday. Sting will kick out of everything. The Pedigree, the second Pedigree, the sledgehammer shots, a third Pedigree, and anything Triple H throws at him. As Triple H is frustrated at not being able to put Sting away, the Vigilante will take advantage and finally muster a Scorpion Death Drop to weaken his opponent. Then, Triple H will tap out to the Scorpion Deathlock leaving Sting to prevail to the fans at Levi’s Stadium.
Prediction: Sting wins by way of submission via the Scorpion Deathlock
WWE World Heavyweight Title Match: Brock Lesnar (Champion) vs Roman Reigns
The main event match will feature its share of fireworks. Brock Lesnar recently resigned with the WWE, meaning he won’t be taking an obvious loss on Sunday night. The match will be fantastic since these two men can definitely do it in the ring. But with the rumors swirling about Wrestlemania 32, I believe the Rock will make a special appearance in the main event and serve as a distraction. Lesnar will get distracted by the Rock, then leading to a school boy pin fall win by Roman Reigns. That’s where the true destruction will begin. Since Lesnar won’t get totally beaten down and lose via the rollup pin, he will destroy Roman Reigns with multiple German Suplexes and a few F5s. After Lesnar is done, the music of Seth Rollins will hit and the fans will see the first-ever Money in the Bank cash in at Wrestlemania. Seth Rollins will walk out as the WWE Heavyweight Champion after hitting the Curb Stomp on an injured Roman Reigns.
Prediction: Roman Reigns wins the initial match, but Seth Rollins will cash in his Money in the Bank contract after Lesnar decimates Reigns.