Morning Graps Fans!
Well that time is upon us again, the days are getting longer, the weather is attempting to get slightly warmer, spring has sprung, and that can only mean one thing, it’s time for WRESTLEMANIA!!!
We also have Dynasty and Double or Nothing coming up from AEW and the Best of Super Jnrs in Japan coming up, including their Windy City Riot show on Friday and Yota Tsuji’s challenge for Tetsuya Naito’s World Title… right now!
But for now, let’s have a preview run down of what the WWE are calling their BIGGEST MANIA EVER, their 40th edition! Following this we’ll hand over to @Mert who is planning on running a predictor game for this weekend (and possibly beyond!)
Night 1:
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
I think this has the potential to be match of the weekend, Rhea is just absolutely on fire right now and Becky after a bit of a fallow period has really figured out this part of her performances in the last year or so meaning this is the perfect time for these two to go at it. It’s become something of a tradition for at least one of the women’s title matches to be the best match of Wrestlemania for a couple years now so have high hopes for this being a banger.
Prediction: Rhea retains
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor) and Damian Priest) (c) vs. diy (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Ah, it’s our traditional multi man fuck fest! This will either be really innovative or an absolute car crash, but it should be thoroughly entertaining all the same. There’s a decent chance of anyone here could win this as there’s a nice balance of old and new, but I would imagine this could lead to the end of Judgement Day.
Prediction: Awesome Truth win
Rey Mysterio and Andrade vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
This was supposed to be the coming out party for Dragon Lee but if was written off with injury last night on Smackdown (I told you, always wait until the day itself!) which makes this already kinda pointless match even less important. Still doesn’t hurt to give Andrade his spot for his big return to WWE, so why not I guess.
Prediction: Rey & Andrade
Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
TO YEET OR NOT TO YEET! The sub blow off of The Bloodline storyline, this is the reward for the twins and how their long careers found a whole new level with Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, and should hopefully live up years of amazing storytelling between the two.
Prediction: YEET
Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
Much like the LWO centric match, this is largely a showcase reel for Jade Cargill’s big coming out party on the grandest stage of them all, but this should have a bit more value in that everyone here has something to prove for various different reasons, so this still has potential.
Prediction: Jade Smash.
Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn Singles Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Can you believe this was supposed to be Gunther vs Brock? I mean it would have been fun and all, but you just know it would have killed Gunther’s momentum (unless Brock was actually going to the job of course). Anyway, thankfully we don’t have to deal with that, and instead we get the best possible dichotomy of the monster vs ultimate underdog in Sami Zayn. This feels like a really well earned reward for Sami, following his Bloodline work last year and Johnny Knoxville the year before that, and Gunther is just the absolute best as the dominating champion who can sell the possibility of the upset victory so so well, so even with little build I feel these two will work perfectly together.
Prediction: I feel this one depends on what The Rock is up to and what happens with the title match. Gunther feels like the next in line to face the World Champ post Mania, meaning losing his IC belt finally against a beloved babyface such as Sami makes sense but then they still may have a Rock title match coming up after Mania, which means they may not pull the trigger on Gunther’s reign just yet.
The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
If Rhodes and Rollins win, all members of The Bloodline will be barred from ringside during the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match on Night 2.
If Rock and Reigns win, the championship match on Night 2 will be held under Bloodline Rules (Anything Goes Match)
Well here we go then, it was a messy old road, but we got there eventually and actually probably the best possible outcome in having their cake and eating it without disrupting everything for the sake of a quick buck.
It sounds obvious, but whatever happens here very much influences the main event of night 2, giving it a nice enough amount of drama in what is equally the big show case match where there could be surprises out the wazoo.
Prediction: Bloodline get the advantage for Cody to go Super Saiyan to finish the story
Night 2
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Well, it was meant to be CM Punk, but honestly the way Drew Mac has taken advantage of this situation, perfectly coinciding with his slow heel turn he already had going on, means this is still, if not even more of an interesting bout than the obvious glamour of Punk’s return (who is on commentary for this). There’s also the looming threat of Damian Priest doing what Seth did 9 years ago, but we shall see.
Prediction: Drew gets his Mania moment
The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford (with [B-Fab) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar (with Scarlett and Paul Ellering) Six-man Tag Team Philadelphia Street Fight
Oh who fucking cares.
Prediction: Lashley’s boys I guess
LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
What a year LA Kight has had huh, last year he was on the ATGMBR, now he’s in a prominent position on the Mania card having already had a world title feud with Roman. Perhaps the LA Knight (YEAH) experience has already run his course, but he’s certainly forged himself a spot into relevancy, and who better to pair that up with than an always game veteran in AJ Styles. Quite hard to say how this will go, it could be a sleeper hit or just be a bit average but we shall see.
Prediction: L.A. KNIGHT (YEAH!)
Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens Triple threat match for the WWE United States Championship
Much like LA Knight, Logan Paul has had a ridiculous year and has, to his credit, completely earned his spot in this prominent position of the card as a champion, against two excellent competitors. It’s an odd mix on the face of it, but it may just work.
:Prediction: Logan retains
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley Singles Match for the WWE Women’s Championship
This one will be more story-line heavy than the other women’s title match but that shouldn’t be any less entertaining. This should be Bayley’s big Mania moment returning as a babyface champion, but there’s always the chance of a screwwy finish.
Prediction: Bayley
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes TBD match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Stipulation to be determined by the result of Night 1’s main event.
Surely, surely this is the end of the story, surely they can’t screw the audience again this whole match is on thin ice as it is and I feel there would be actual riots (people going mental on twitter) if Cody doesn’t finally finish The Bloodline and his personal story to the pinnacle.
Prediction: Roman wins lol.
Hope everyone has a great weekend and look out for @Mert’s predictions game!